WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:09.259 Well, as you heard the psalm read, and I deliberately read it quite slowly, I wonder what ideas came into your minds. 00:00:10.000 --> 00:00:15.380 ! If you know Handel's Messiah, you will have recognised verses 7-10. 00:00:16.300 --> 00:00:22.339 Lift up your heads, O ye gates, and be lifted up, ye everlasting doors, for the King of Glory may come in. 00:00:22.339 --> 00:00:31.640 You may even have found yourself singing along in your minds, something I usually do if texts from the Messiah turn up. 00:00:33.820 --> 00:00:40.460 And because it's from Handel's Messiah, you will know that many Christians have connected these last verses with Jesus. 00:00:42.019 --> 00:00:46.700 They have something to do with Jesus, although exactly what may not be immediately clear to you. 00:00:47.740 --> 00:00:51.400 What is said about him? It is said that he is the King of Glory. 00:00:51.399 --> 00:00:57.500 He is the Lord of Hosts. He is a good fighter, he wins battles. 00:00:59.299 --> 00:01:07.640 And the gates and the doors are addressed again, get up, lift yourselves up, and be lifted up, and open to allow him to enter. 00:01:10.920 --> 00:01:19.579 He comes in, he enters the city as the head of a mighty conquering army, the Lord of Hosts. 00:01:19.579 --> 00:01:29.759 So this is clearly a psalm which is celebrating the victory of God, and God's King, and the accomplishment of God's purposes. 00:01:29.760 --> 00:01:37.520 And this victory provokes wild celebration at the gates of the city as the people cheer him on. 00:01:37.519 --> 00:01:51.039 Thinking about entering a city, particularly this city, the city of Jerusalem, and being cheered on, may have reminded you about the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem on a donkey. 00:01:51.799 --> 00:01:58.199 Accepting the praises of the people, and telling off those who wanted his praises to be silenced. 00:01:58.200 --> 00:02:08.280 And so we have thoughts of battle, conflict, victory, triumph, and connecting with Jesus' entry into Jerusalem, his death and resurrection. 00:02:08.800 --> 00:02:15.300 The hymn says, ride on, ride on in majesty, in lowly pomp, ride on to die. 00:02:15.300 --> 00:02:25.280 But to begin at the beginning, with verse 1, this verse tells us that the earth belongs to God. 00:02:26.540 --> 00:02:30.200 The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof. 00:02:31.260 --> 00:02:33.860 The world and all those who live on it. 00:02:33.980 --> 00:02:37.160 Every single person or creature. 00:02:37.159 --> 00:02:40.799 Every single type of person or creature. 00:02:41.359 --> 00:02:47.199 Including those persons or creatures that are purely spiritual. 00:02:47.500 --> 00:02:48.780 Including the angels. 00:02:49.819 --> 00:02:51.560 All belong to him. 00:02:52.439 --> 00:02:56.460 Well what on earth does that mean? 00:02:56.840 --> 00:02:59.019 And how can the psalmist say it? 00:02:59.019 --> 00:03:06.319 If you watched the news last night, I try to avoid watching the news, but if you did watch the news last night, 00:03:07.159 --> 00:03:15.719 did the world that was portrayed look and sound like a world owned by God? 00:03:15.780 --> 00:03:20.219 Did the people on the news behave as though they belonged to God? 00:03:20.500 --> 00:03:22.960 As if they owed God anything? 00:03:24.400 --> 00:03:29.460 So is the psalmist completely nuts when he says this? 00:03:29.900 --> 00:03:32.219 When he says that the earth belongs to God? 00:03:32.879 --> 00:03:34.800 Well what sort of world did he live in? 00:03:34.800 --> 00:03:39.719 See I think that people sometimes think about these ancient poets, 00:03:39.840 --> 00:03:44.600 I mean this writing is around about, probably about 3,000 years old, 00:03:45.600 --> 00:03:47.140 as rather naive. 00:03:48.200 --> 00:03:54.220 And if not stupid, nobody who wrote this could be stupid, it's too beautiful. 00:03:55.840 --> 00:03:58.720 But if not stupid, at least ill informed. 00:03:58.880 --> 00:04:00.700 After all we know so much better now. 00:04:00.699 --> 00:04:10.699 We know for example that the way in verse 2 that God made the world is the way that is described here. 00:04:10.859 --> 00:04:14.379 It says he founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers. 00:04:14.659 --> 00:04:16.480 But we know better don't we? 00:04:16.519 --> 00:04:19.159 Our scientists have told us that that's not right. 00:04:20.519 --> 00:04:22.120 So the psalm must be wrong. 00:04:23.099 --> 00:04:23.319 Right? 00:04:23.319 --> 00:04:27.459 And he didn't have the mass communications we had. 00:04:28.339 --> 00:04:31.699 And he didn't know about places like Iraq and Gaza. 00:04:31.939 --> 00:04:35.659 He didn't see film from those places every night on his TV screens. 00:04:35.939 --> 00:04:37.139 Of course it's not his fault. 00:04:38.459 --> 00:04:44.939 But when we get the news, it accentuates to us how badly things have gone wrong with this world. 00:04:44.939 --> 00:04:48.740 The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof. 00:04:48.779 --> 00:04:51.660 And what on earth is God doing about it, if that's true? 00:04:53.399 --> 00:05:00.839 If you think a bit further, you will remember that the psalmist did have a life expectancy rather less than ours. 00:05:01.399 --> 00:05:05.980 He did leave much closer to creation than we do. 00:05:06.959 --> 00:05:10.000 He had much less protection against sickness. 00:05:10.000 --> 00:05:12.560 He had no painkillers. 00:05:14.000 --> 00:05:16.240 Or very rudimentary ones. 00:05:16.839 --> 00:05:19.139 Infant mortality would have been high. 00:05:19.639 --> 00:05:23.000 And when the harvest failed, there really was nothing to eat. 00:05:23.379 --> 00:05:25.680 It didn't just mean food prices going up. 00:05:27.399 --> 00:05:30.399 There was nothing that would come between him and drought. 00:05:31.100 --> 00:05:32.139 Or pestilence. 00:05:32.420 --> 00:05:33.040 Or disease. 00:05:33.180 --> 00:05:33.899 There was no NHS. 00:05:34.220 --> 00:05:35.120 There was no drugs. 00:05:35.720 --> 00:05:39.980 And if anything, he had more reason to understand than we did. 00:05:40.000 --> 00:05:43.500 How often the world doesn't work the way it should. 00:05:44.199 --> 00:05:55.259 But he is not persuaded by that fact to deny God, his creator, the worship and adoration, which is his due. 00:05:56.000 --> 00:06:03.459 And neither is he persuaded to deny the fact that the world in which he lived was created by God. 00:06:03.459 --> 00:06:24.839 In fact, historically, it's only in relatively recent years that the idea of suffering a natural disaster has been taken as a reason to suggest that actually the God of the Bible can't be who the Bible says he is. 00:06:24.839 --> 00:06:30.039 It's only in the last 200 to 300 years that that idea has really taken off. 00:06:30.040 --> 00:06:37.280 In the days and weeks following the earthquake in Haiti a few years ago, there were newspaper reports. 00:06:37.360 --> 00:06:38.640 I don't know if you remember them. 00:06:39.680 --> 00:06:42.200 The Times seemed to want to do this. 00:06:42.200 --> 00:06:50.020 Almost every day for about a week, there were reports of miraculous or seemingly miraculous deliverances of people. 00:06:50.019 --> 00:06:55.659 There were reports that the churches, those which hadn't been destroyed, were full. 00:06:56.060 --> 00:07:06.039 The temporary camps that people had made for themselves were places of song and praise to God, as well as places where people were mourning their losses. 00:07:06.500 --> 00:07:11.079 And beginning to think about how to put their lives back together again. 00:07:11.159 --> 00:07:16.799 They turned to the God who made them, and having worshipped him, they asked for his help. 00:07:16.800 --> 00:07:24.879 They wept for their losses and found comfort and strength to pick up the pieces of their lives and begin again. 00:07:27.000 --> 00:07:31.680 And this would not be possible unless the earth is the Lord's. 00:07:33.300 --> 00:07:37.300 This is simply not possible in a world without God. 00:07:39.280 --> 00:07:43.580 This psalmist is looking back to ancient history. 00:07:43.579 --> 00:07:47.159 He's looking back to the creation of the world. 00:07:48.099 --> 00:07:52.560 He looks back, remembering Genesis chapter 1. 00:07:54.399 --> 00:08:00.680 God said, let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear, and it was so. 00:08:01.599 --> 00:08:03.560 God called the dry land earth. 00:08:04.399 --> 00:08:07.139 And the waters that were gathered together he called the seas. 00:08:07.279 --> 00:08:09.379 And God saw that it was good. 00:08:09.379 --> 00:08:17.240 And you remember at the end of the account of creation, God looked at all that he had made, and saw that it was very good. 00:08:17.659 --> 00:08:24.019 And the point here isn't really how God made the world, or when he made the world, or how long it took him. 00:08:24.719 --> 00:08:26.699 The point is that God did make it. 00:08:27.180 --> 00:08:29.959 The point is that when God made it, it was perfect. 00:08:30.319 --> 00:08:31.379 It was ideal. 00:08:31.860 --> 00:08:32.759 It worked. 00:08:32.759 --> 00:08:35.399 And God pronounced it very good. 00:08:35.860 --> 00:08:38.179 Enter the first man and the first woman. 00:08:38.639 --> 00:08:41.399 Enter the serpent, Satan the deceiver. 00:08:42.340 --> 00:08:46.819 And soon after, the first disobedience. 00:08:47.480 --> 00:08:59.120 And soon after, sin, death, suffering, alienation, guilt, shame, the flu virus, as one example, and conflict. 00:08:59.120 --> 00:09:11.779 But this psalm is a rejoicing, a celebration about a God who has not let go of his world. 00:09:12.139 --> 00:09:19.460 Who has not allowed his enemies, the enemies and our enemies, to have the last world. 00:09:20.159 --> 00:09:25.100 Because this psalm remembers two mighty acts of God. 00:09:25.200 --> 00:09:27.419 The first one we've touched on is creation. 00:09:27.419 --> 00:09:32.299 The second one is redemption. 00:09:35.839 --> 00:09:39.559 This God is called Yahweh. 00:09:39.959 --> 00:09:42.779 That's why the word Lord is in capital letters. 00:09:43.759 --> 00:09:56.799 And when you read in the Psalms, that word Yahweh, what you are reading is a memory of hundreds of years of God being involved with his people. 00:09:56.799 --> 00:10:02.919 Beginning when God called Abraham out of Ur, in northern Iraq. 00:10:03.379 --> 00:10:07.939 When he promised that he would make him of his descendants into a great nation. 00:10:08.379 --> 00:10:15.159 When he promised that from the seed, the descendants of Abraham, there would be blessing on the whole world. 00:10:15.159 --> 00:10:26.139 400 years later, 500 or so years later, when he called out of slavery in Egypt, the people of Israel. 00:10:26.799 --> 00:10:31.139 When he delivered them miraculously from the hand of Pharaoh. 00:10:31.639 --> 00:10:36.439 Fighting a battle that they could not possibly fight and win. 00:10:36.440 --> 00:10:44.520 All of this memory, all of this history is concentrated here. 00:10:44.980 --> 00:10:50.660 It's taken as read by the writer of this psalm and by the original readers. 00:10:50.659 --> 00:10:58.860 They have this wonderful salvation, this wonderful history of God being with them to look back on. 00:11:00.679 --> 00:11:04.079 And so this psalm celebrates both. 00:11:05.219 --> 00:11:06.679 God isn't simply a creator. 00:11:07.539 --> 00:11:09.219 But he is concerned for his people. 00:11:09.639 --> 00:11:11.620 He is active on their behalf. 00:11:11.620 --> 00:11:16.080 And he will be active on their behalf again. 00:11:20.159 --> 00:11:22.200 The third section of the psalm. 00:11:22.460 --> 00:11:25.399 I'm going back to the second section after I've dealt with the third. 00:11:27.100 --> 00:11:31.919 It reminds us of the historical setting in which the psalm was written. 00:11:31.919 --> 00:11:38.539 It's written celebrating the return of the ark of God. 00:11:40.159 --> 00:11:42.939 And the bringing of it up to Jerusalem. 00:11:44.279 --> 00:11:51.299 And putting it very briefly, the ark of God is simply the centre of the worship of God. 00:11:52.059 --> 00:11:53.120 It's a wooden box. 00:11:53.659 --> 00:11:59.719 Inside the wooden box are the stone tablets of which God had written the law. 00:11:59.720 --> 00:12:02.860 The rod, I think, or may get this bit wrong. 00:12:02.940 --> 00:12:04.779 The rod of Aaron which budded. 00:12:05.180 --> 00:12:10.360 Above the box are two carved figures of angels, cherubim. 00:12:10.920 --> 00:12:15.700 And above them is the mercy seat. 00:12:15.879 --> 00:12:16.879 It's just a space. 00:12:17.500 --> 00:12:21.259 And it's the space where God made his presence known. 00:12:23.040 --> 00:12:28.879 It's where the high priest could enter once a year having made atonement for the sin of the people. 00:12:28.879 --> 00:12:32.159 It's the central symbol that they had. 00:12:32.600 --> 00:12:34.960 That God is present with his people. 00:12:35.720 --> 00:12:40.120 And what had happened was that, very foolishly, 00:12:40.840 --> 00:12:43.360 they had taken the ark onto the battlefield. 00:12:43.700 --> 00:12:46.779 Because they thought, we're bound to win. 00:12:47.519 --> 00:12:49.539 God's with us, we're bound to win. 00:12:50.519 --> 00:12:52.519 Superstition rather than faith. 00:12:52.659 --> 00:12:54.419 God had not promised them this. 00:12:54.419 --> 00:12:58.659 And they had no business moving the ark from where it was. 00:12:59.479 --> 00:13:02.219 And what happened was they got heavily defeated by the Philistines. 00:13:02.319 --> 00:13:06.099 The ark was captured and taken off to Ashdod. 00:13:06.100 --> 00:13:12.519 And from there, there is a most extraordinary series of events, 00:13:12.580 --> 00:13:14.000 which I haven't time to go through, 00:13:14.840 --> 00:13:18.940 whereby the ark, in effect, doesn't allow itself to remain in captivity. 00:13:19.460 --> 00:13:21.960 And the Philistines end up returning it. 00:13:22.519 --> 00:13:24.200 But it was stuck in a barn. 00:13:24.200 --> 00:13:31.420 King David defeated the Philistines completely. 00:13:32.280 --> 00:13:35.160 And united Israel under his rule. 00:13:35.300 --> 00:13:37.120 And the first thing he did after he had done that 00:13:37.120 --> 00:13:41.259 was arrange for the ark to be brought to Jerusalem. 00:13:41.820 --> 00:13:47.160 A statement that his victories had been given to him by God. 00:13:47.159 --> 00:13:51.199 And that the true king was God. 00:13:52.519 --> 00:13:54.939 And this is the setting for this psalm. 00:13:55.079 --> 00:13:59.600 As they bring the ark to the gates of the city. 00:13:59.740 --> 00:14:00.579 Massive gates. 00:14:01.639 --> 00:14:03.179 Lift up your heads, O gates, 00:14:03.259 --> 00:14:05.199 and be lifted up, O ancient doors, 00:14:05.279 --> 00:14:07.759 that the king of glory may come in 00:14:07.759 --> 00:14:10.399 to take his rightful place 00:14:10.399 --> 00:14:12.059 at the centre of the kingdom. 00:14:13.059 --> 00:14:14.799 To take his rightful place 00:14:14.799 --> 00:14:16.559 where all they come 00:14:16.559 --> 00:14:18.859 to worship him. 00:14:22.120 --> 00:14:23.699 Which poses a question, 00:14:23.839 --> 00:14:25.699 the question that verse 3 00:14:25.699 --> 00:14:27.599 asks us. 00:14:28.759 --> 00:14:31.039 Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? 00:14:32.740 --> 00:14:35.899 And who shall stand in his holy place? 00:14:39.899 --> 00:14:41.240 What about holiness? 00:14:41.539 --> 00:14:42.859 What sort of people 00:14:42.860 --> 00:14:45.300 who come into his presence 00:14:45.300 --> 00:14:46.080 and worship him? 00:14:46.399 --> 00:14:47.240 Can anyone 00:14:47.240 --> 00:14:49.300 stand before God? 00:14:50.740 --> 00:14:51.860 What about you? 00:14:53.139 --> 00:14:54.759 If you want to reach this God, 00:14:54.840 --> 00:14:55.620 how would you do it? 00:14:55.840 --> 00:14:56.960 Do you have clean hands? 00:14:57.740 --> 00:14:59.360 Do you have a pure heart? 00:15:00.180 --> 00:15:01.500 You might have washed your hands. 00:15:02.720 --> 00:15:04.960 But clean hands are about your deeds. 00:15:05.460 --> 00:15:06.620 They're about what you've done. 00:15:09.320 --> 00:15:10.980 Have you always acted rightly? 00:15:11.340 --> 00:15:12.620 Have you always acted fairly? 00:15:12.620 --> 00:15:15.159 Is there no one 00:15:15.159 --> 00:15:17.820 that you have not wronged? 00:15:21.060 --> 00:15:22.759 Do you have a pure heart? 00:15:23.860 --> 00:15:24.860 Your thoughts? 00:15:27.060 --> 00:15:27.980 You do? 00:15:30.060 --> 00:15:30.919 You're sure? 00:15:30.919 --> 00:15:30.940 You're sure? 00:15:30.940 --> 00:15:37.800 The Bible tells us that 00:15:37.800 --> 00:15:39.480 the human heart 00:15:39.480 --> 00:15:42.080 is rotten to the core. 00:15:44.080 --> 00:15:45.620 The psalmist did not think 00:15:45.620 --> 00:15:47.180 that he could screw himself up 00:15:47.180 --> 00:15:48.520 to the last pitch of goodness 00:15:48.520 --> 00:15:49.820 that he was capable of 00:15:49.820 --> 00:15:51.300 and present himself 00:15:51.300 --> 00:15:52.340 before this God 00:15:52.340 --> 00:15:53.760 and be accepted 00:15:53.760 --> 00:15:55.100 and nor should you. 00:15:55.900 --> 00:15:56.320 In fact, 00:15:56.380 --> 00:15:57.120 if you have any idea 00:15:57.120 --> 00:15:58.060 that this is a way 00:15:58.060 --> 00:15:59.240 in which to come 00:15:59.240 --> 00:16:00.039 into his presence, 00:16:00.039 --> 00:16:01.340 it means that you've never 00:16:01.340 --> 00:16:02.899 really understood 00:16:02.899 --> 00:16:04.620 what he is like. 00:16:05.879 --> 00:16:07.340 And because the earth is his 00:16:07.340 --> 00:16:09.820 and because you are his, 00:16:10.879 --> 00:16:12.419 you are accountable 00:16:12.419 --> 00:16:13.220 to him. 00:16:15.120 --> 00:16:16.299 And you need to come 00:16:16.299 --> 00:16:17.759 in the way that he says 00:16:17.759 --> 00:16:18.519 you can come. 00:16:18.519 --> 00:16:20.699 In fact, 00:16:21.240 --> 00:16:22.120 you need to be grateful 00:16:22.120 --> 00:16:23.460 that he has provided 00:16:23.460 --> 00:16:24.139 a way 00:16:24.139 --> 00:16:25.899 for you to come 00:16:25.899 --> 00:16:26.659 at all. 00:16:27.439 --> 00:16:29.340 The Bible's ultimate answer 00:16:29.340 --> 00:16:30.699 as to how we can 00:16:30.699 --> 00:16:31.960 come before God, 00:16:32.360 --> 00:16:33.659 how we can stand 00:16:33.659 --> 00:16:34.579 in his presence, 00:16:35.220 --> 00:16:36.100 is very simple. 00:16:36.939 --> 00:16:37.919 It's very clear. 00:16:39.340 --> 00:16:40.559 You come by faith 00:16:40.559 --> 00:16:41.960 in the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:16:42.860 --> 00:16:43.740 When you come to him 00:16:43.740 --> 00:16:44.779 in repentance and faith, 00:16:44.840 --> 00:16:46.019 you receive the promises. 00:16:46.019 --> 00:16:49.319 That are made 00:16:49.319 --> 00:16:50.319 in verse 5. 00:16:50.699 --> 00:16:51.279 You will receive 00:16:51.279 --> 00:16:52.579 blessing from God. 00:16:53.340 --> 00:16:53.939 You will receive 00:16:53.939 --> 00:16:54.740 righteousness 00:16:54.740 --> 00:16:57.319 from the God 00:16:57.319 --> 00:16:58.019 of your salvation. 00:16:59.720 --> 00:17:00.019 You will receive 00:17:00.759 --> 00:17:01.439 as you 00:17:01.439 --> 00:17:03.259 repent of your sin 00:17:03.259 --> 00:17:04.859 and trust in the Lord Jesus. 00:17:05.740 --> 00:17:06.859 You will receive 00:17:06.859 --> 00:17:07.839 the gift of his 00:17:07.839 --> 00:17:08.599 Holy Spirit. 00:17:08.720 --> 00:17:09.019 You will receive 00:17:09.599 --> 00:17:10.900 new life. 00:17:11.879 --> 00:17:13.099 Described in the Old Testament 00:17:13.099 --> 00:17:14.839 as a heart of flesh 00:17:14.839 --> 00:17:16.139 to replace 00:17:16.139 --> 00:17:17.500 a heart of stone. 00:17:18.399 --> 00:17:19.240 A heart of flesh 00:17:19.240 --> 00:17:19.759 on which 00:17:19.759 --> 00:17:21.480 God by his Spirit 00:17:21.480 --> 00:17:22.879 will write his law. 00:17:23.579 --> 00:17:24.599 And we will give you 00:17:24.599 --> 00:17:26.039 the ability 00:17:26.039 --> 00:17:28.139 by faith 00:17:28.139 --> 00:17:30.639 to substantially 00:17:30.639 --> 00:17:32.079 keep the law. 00:17:33.839 --> 00:17:34.859 As we stand 00:17:34.859 --> 00:17:35.839 knowing that Jesus 00:17:35.839 --> 00:17:36.899 has died 00:17:36.899 --> 00:17:37.740 in our place 00:17:37.740 --> 00:17:39.599 and taken the penalty 00:17:39.599 --> 00:17:40.859 that is due 00:17:40.859 --> 00:17:41.599 for our sin, 00:17:41.599 --> 00:17:43.059 we can truly 00:17:43.059 --> 00:17:44.339 stand and say 00:17:44.339 --> 00:17:46.500 because of Jesus 00:17:46.500 --> 00:17:49.599 we are counted 00:17:49.599 --> 00:17:50.599 righteous 00:17:50.599 --> 00:17:51.980 but only 00:17:51.980 --> 00:17:52.919 because of Jesus. 00:17:55.219 --> 00:17:56.219 There is also 00:17:56.219 --> 00:17:56.480 a hint 00:17:56.480 --> 00:17:57.299 of the final day 00:17:57.299 --> 00:17:58.119 of history here. 00:18:00.079 --> 00:18:01.199 Writing of Jesus 00:18:01.199 --> 00:18:02.119 Paul says this 00:18:02.119 --> 00:18:03.139 God has highly 00:18:03.139 --> 00:18:04.119 exalted him 00:18:04.119 --> 00:18:05.619 and bestowed on him 00:18:05.619 --> 00:18:06.319 the name that is 00:18:06.319 --> 00:18:07.219 above every name 00:18:07.219 --> 00:18:08.579 so that the name 00:18:08.579 --> 00:18:09.039 of Jesus 00:18:09.039 --> 00:18:10.279 every knee should bow 00:18:10.279 --> 00:18:10.899 in heaven 00:18:10.899 --> 00:18:11.740 and on earth 00:18:11.740 --> 00:18:12.680 and under the earth 00:18:12.680 --> 00:18:13.879 and every tongue 00:18:13.879 --> 00:18:14.940 confess that Jesus 00:18:14.940 --> 00:18:15.980 Christ is Lord 00:18:15.980 --> 00:18:17.259 to the glory 00:18:17.259 --> 00:18:18.440 of God 00:18:18.440 --> 00:18:19.240 the Father. 00:18:20.220 --> 00:18:20.799 You see this 00:18:20.799 --> 00:18:21.399 coming 00:18:21.399 --> 00:18:22.539 of this box 00:18:22.539 --> 00:18:25.660 there is no magic 00:18:25.660 --> 00:18:26.500 in the box. 00:18:28.799 --> 00:18:29.960 It's only as 00:18:29.960 --> 00:18:31.059 God led 00:18:31.059 --> 00:18:31.839 his presence 00:18:31.839 --> 00:18:32.680 that there was 00:18:32.680 --> 00:18:33.519 anything special 00:18:33.519 --> 00:18:34.440 about this box. 00:18:34.680 --> 00:18:35.399 If you've seen 00:18:35.399 --> 00:18:36.500 Harrison Ford 00:18:36.500 --> 00:18:38.140 Raiders of the Lost Ark 00:18:38.140 --> 00:18:39.720 try and forget it. 00:18:40.220 --> 00:18:41.599 It's not helpful. 00:18:43.240 --> 00:18:44.460 It's a symbol 00:18:44.460 --> 00:18:45.759 it's a sign 00:18:45.759 --> 00:18:46.539 that God 00:18:46.539 --> 00:18:47.519 is with his people. 00:18:48.380 --> 00:18:49.140 It points 00:18:49.140 --> 00:18:49.980 to the reality. 00:18:51.660 --> 00:18:52.779 The reality 00:18:52.779 --> 00:18:54.460 was in 00:18:54.460 --> 00:18:55.460 Jesus Christ 00:18:55.460 --> 00:18:57.559 who 00:18:57.559 --> 00:18:58.799 John says 00:18:58.799 --> 00:18:59.700 in chapter 1 00:18:59.700 --> 00:19:00.380 of his gospel 00:19:00.380 --> 00:19:01.799 tabernacled with us 00:19:01.799 --> 00:19:02.859 he presenced 00:19:02.859 --> 00:19:03.660 himself with us 00:19:03.660 --> 00:19:04.880 he was God 00:19:04.880 --> 00:19:05.540 made man 00:19:05.540 --> 00:19:06.540 he was God 00:19:06.540 --> 00:19:07.180 presence 00:19:07.180 --> 00:19:07.840 in the midst 00:19:07.840 --> 00:19:08.260 of us. 00:19:09.400 --> 00:19:10.000 And he having 00:19:10.000 --> 00:19:10.700 died 00:19:10.700 --> 00:19:11.860 and having 00:19:11.860 --> 00:19:12.360 risen 00:19:12.360 --> 00:19:13.980 and having 00:19:13.980 --> 00:19:14.660 ascended 00:19:14.660 --> 00:19:18.080 he is still 00:19:18.080 --> 00:19:18.880 present with us 00:19:18.880 --> 00:19:19.820 by his spirit. 00:19:20.560 --> 00:19:21.420 That's the reality 00:19:21.420 --> 00:19:22.220 to which this 00:19:22.220 --> 00:19:23.080 psalm points. 00:19:23.580 --> 00:19:24.360 That's what's 00:19:24.360 --> 00:19:25.780 worth celebrating. 00:19:26.300 --> 00:19:27.060 If these people 00:19:27.060 --> 00:19:27.960 were excited 00:19:27.960 --> 00:19:29.980 and a box 00:19:29.980 --> 00:19:30.900 coming to the 00:19:30.900 --> 00:19:31.480 gates of their 00:19:31.480 --> 00:19:31.880 city 00:19:31.880 --> 00:19:32.980 how much 00:19:32.980 --> 00:19:33.880 more excited 00:19:33.880 --> 00:19:34.660 should we 00:19:34.660 --> 00:19:35.100 be 00:19:35.100 --> 00:19:36.200 about the 00:19:36.200 --> 00:19:36.660 reality 00:19:36.660 --> 00:19:37.720 of Jesus 00:19:37.720 --> 00:19:38.260 Christ 00:19:38.260 --> 00:19:38.920 the Son 00:19:38.920 --> 00:19:39.400 of God 00:19:39.400 --> 00:19:40.940 making himself 00:19:40.940 --> 00:19:41.760 present 00:19:41.760 --> 00:19:43.320 in our lives 00:19:43.320 --> 00:19:44.700 as we trust 00:19:44.700 --> 00:19:45.140 in him 00:19:45.140 --> 00:19:47.140 and as he 00:19:47.140 --> 00:19:47.720 forgives our 00:19:47.720 --> 00:19:48.060 sin. 00:19:48.900 --> 00:19:49.760 How exciting 00:19:49.760 --> 00:19:50.340 is that? 00:19:50.500 --> 00:19:51.020 How worth 00:19:51.020 --> 00:19:51.660 celebrating 00:19:51.660 --> 00:19:52.520 is that? 00:19:55.100 --> 00:19:55.860 Appearing 00:19:55.860 --> 00:19:56.660 before God 00:19:56.660 --> 00:19:58.740 is not 00:19:58.740 --> 00:19:59.200 optional 00:19:59.200 --> 00:20:00.060 for those 00:20:00.060 --> 00:20:00.500 who want 00:20:00.500 --> 00:20:00.720 it. 00:20:01.460 --> 00:20:01.820 It is 00:20:01.820 --> 00:20:02.220 inevitable 00:20:02.220 --> 00:20:02.800 for all 00:20:02.800 --> 00:20:03.120 people. 00:20:03.240 --> 00:20:03.480 The day 00:20:03.480 --> 00:20:04.160 will come. 00:20:04.700 --> 00:20:05.040 You better 00:20:05.040 --> 00:20:05.519 be ready. 00:20:06.840 --> 00:20:07.240 Isaiah 00:20:07.240 --> 00:20:07.740 at a low 00:20:07.740 --> 00:20:08.160 point in 00:20:08.160 --> 00:20:09.040 Israel's 00:20:09.040 --> 00:20:09.340 history 00:20:09.340 --> 00:20:09.940 longed for 00:20:09.940 --> 00:20:10.420 the reality 00:20:10.420 --> 00:20:10.900 of God's 00:20:10.900 --> 00:20:11.380 presence. 00:20:11.759 --> 00:20:12.100 The ending 00:20:12.100 --> 00:20:12.540 of human 00:20:12.540 --> 00:20:13.240 suffering and 00:20:13.240 --> 00:20:13.580 misery. 00:20:14.340 --> 00:20:14.800 He longed 00:20:14.800 --> 00:20:15.160 for the day 00:20:15.160 --> 00:20:15.560 when those 00:20:15.560 --> 00:20:16.019 who ignore 00:20:16.019 --> 00:20:16.620 and disobey 00:20:16.620 --> 00:20:17.140 God would 00:20:17.140 --> 00:20:18.080 be put to 00:20:18.080 --> 00:20:18.440 shame. 00:20:18.920 --> 00:20:19.660 Prophet Isaiah 00:20:19.660 --> 00:20:19.660 00:20:19.660 --> 00:20:20.880 He prayed 00:20:20.880 --> 00:20:21.259 this, 00:20:21.420 --> 00:20:21.900 Oh that you 00:20:21.900 --> 00:20:22.380 would rent 00:20:22.380 --> 00:20:22.880 the heavens 00:20:22.880 --> 00:20:23.400 and come 00:20:23.400 --> 00:20:23.779 down, 00:20:23.860 --> 00:20:24.180 that the 00:20:24.180 --> 00:20:24.620 mountains 00:20:24.620 --> 00:20:25.720 might quake, 00:20:25.720 --> 00:20:26.839 at your 00:20:26.839 --> 00:20:27.519 presence. 00:20:27.980 --> 00:20:28.579 From Isaiah 00:20:28.579 --> 00:20:29.259 64. 00:20:30.640 --> 00:20:31.339 As we look 00:20:31.339 --> 00:20:32.100 out at the 00:20:32.100 --> 00:20:32.559 world as 00:20:32.559 --> 00:20:33.220 Christians we 00:20:33.220 --> 00:20:33.900 echo that 00:20:33.900 --> 00:20:34.319 prayer. 00:20:35.819 --> 00:20:36.339 Things are 00:20:36.339 --> 00:20:37.000 still all 00:20:37.000 --> 00:20:37.440 over the 00:20:37.440 --> 00:20:37.759 place. 00:20:37.880 --> 00:20:38.279 Things are 00:20:38.279 --> 00:20:38.920 still not 00:20:38.920 --> 00:20:39.440 right. 00:20:41.460 --> 00:20:41.680 I was 00:20:41.680 --> 00:20:42.160 reminded, 00:20:43.019 --> 00:20:44.299 a friend of 00:20:44.299 --> 00:20:44.640 mine was 00:20:44.640 --> 00:20:45.059 sitting on 00:20:45.059 --> 00:20:45.500 the jury 00:20:45.500 --> 00:20:45.860 of that 00:20:45.860 --> 00:20:47.160 poor woman 00:20:47.160 --> 00:20:47.500 that was 00:20:47.500 --> 00:20:47.960 murdered. 00:20:49.079 --> 00:20:49.319 Eleven 00:20:49.319 --> 00:20:49.740 weeks of 00:20:49.740 --> 00:20:50.120 her life 00:20:50.120 --> 00:20:50.740 taking up 00:20:50.740 --> 00:20:51.319 in deciding 00:20:51.319 --> 00:20:52.680 whether the 00:20:52.680 --> 00:20:53.200 three people 00:20:53.200 --> 00:20:53.440 in the 00:20:53.440 --> 00:20:53.860 dock were 00:20:53.860 --> 00:20:54.480 innocent or 00:20:54.480 --> 00:20:54.880 guilty. 00:20:55.720 --> 00:20:59.440 we echo 00:20:59.440 --> 00:21:00.339 this prayer 00:21:00.339 --> 00:21:01.960 but we 00:21:01.960 --> 00:21:02.940 take comfort 00:21:02.940 --> 00:21:04.200 and we 00:21:04.200 --> 00:21:04.980 rejoice in 00:21:04.980 --> 00:21:05.779 the realisation 00:21:05.779 --> 00:21:06.680 that God 00:21:06.680 --> 00:21:07.839 already has 00:21:07.839 --> 00:21:09.720 come. 00:21:12.279 --> 00:21:12.839 And that 00:21:12.839 --> 00:21:13.539 by his 00:21:13.539 --> 00:21:14.600 coming the 00:21:14.600 --> 00:21:15.259 world has 00:21:15.259 --> 00:21:15.900 hope and 00:21:15.900 --> 00:21:16.519 you have 00:21:16.519 --> 00:21:16.860 hope. 00:21:17.960 --> 00:21:18.460 And if you 00:21:18.460 --> 00:21:19.059 are conscious, 00:21:19.200 --> 00:21:19.600 if you are 00:21:19.600 --> 00:21:21.140 here today and 00:21:21.140 --> 00:21:21.440 you are 00:21:21.440 --> 00:21:22.279 conscious that 00:21:22.279 --> 00:21:24.539 you are 00:21:24.539 --> 00:21:25.139 seeking him 00:21:25.139 --> 00:21:25.700 or he is 00:21:25.700 --> 00:21:26.500 seeking you 00:21:26.500 --> 00:21:27.940 but he is 00:21:27.940 --> 00:21:30.000 not, you 00:21:30.000 --> 00:21:30.359 have that 00:21:30.359 --> 00:21:30.920 sense that 00:21:30.920 --> 00:21:31.339 he's not 00:21:31.339 --> 00:21:32.019 quite there, 00:21:33.379 --> 00:21:33.819 if you are 00:21:33.819 --> 00:21:34.220 putting up 00:21:34.220 --> 00:21:35.379 doors and 00:21:35.379 --> 00:21:37.339 gates and 00:21:37.339 --> 00:21:38.000 other barriers 00:21:38.000 --> 00:21:38.379 to his 00:21:38.379 --> 00:21:38.899 coming into 00:21:38.899 --> 00:21:39.460 your life, 00:21:40.899 --> 00:21:41.879 take them 00:21:41.879 --> 00:21:42.240 down. 00:21:44.940 --> 00:21:45.839 Open up 00:21:45.839 --> 00:21:46.720 those gates 00:21:46.720 --> 00:21:47.899 so that the 00:21:47.899 --> 00:21:48.539 king of 00:21:48.539 --> 00:21:50.480 glory may 00:21:50.480 --> 00:21:51.059 come in. 00:21:51.059 --> 00:21:56.179 let's pray 00:21:56.179 --> 00:21:56.519 together. 00:21:56.519 --> 00:21:56.179 Let's pray 00:21:56.179 --> 00:21:56.519 together. 00:21:56.519 --> 00:21:57.179 Let's pray 00:21:57.179 --> 00:21:57.599 together.