WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:09.700 Now, having sung it, let's now read it together. If you're using a church Bible, it's there on page 622. 00:00:11.700 --> 00:00:21.080 This one has a title that reminds us that it's a psalm that was written by King David, now being sung by a group of exiled believers. 00:00:23.080 --> 00:00:26.379 Psalm 122, a song of ascents of David. 00:00:26.379 --> 00:00:36.299 I rejoiced with those who said to me, let us go to the house of the Lord. Our feet are standing in your gates, Jerusalem. 00:00:37.299 --> 00:00:49.820 Jerusalem is built like a city that is closely compacted together. That is where the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, to praise the name of the Lord according to the statutes given to Israel. 00:00:49.820 --> 00:01:00.659 There stand the thrones for judgment, the thrones of the house of David. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. May those who love you be secure. 00:01:01.380 --> 00:01:11.659 May there be peace within your walls and security within your citadels. For the sake of my family and friends, I will say, peace be within you. 00:01:11.659 --> 00:01:19.599 For the sake of the house of the Lord, our God, I will seek your prosperity. Amen. 00:01:20.140 --> 00:01:26.280 So in Psalm 122, we're going to think about the joyful wonder of life in Christ's church. 00:01:26.840 --> 00:01:34.519 But just to begin here, I wonder if we can identify with the pilgrims in their sense of joy of arriving. 00:01:34.519 --> 00:02:04.500 Finally, we're here. 00:02:04.500 --> 00:02:14.340 Here's the final of a trio of Psalms. Psalm 120, we thought about. Here they are far from Jerusalem and they're living with great distress, surrounded by lies and enemies and aggression. 00:02:15.280 --> 00:02:21.599 Psalm 121, they've been on the journey and there's been many dangers that God has protected. 00:02:21.719 --> 00:02:25.520 But now, Psalm 122, they've reached their destination. 00:02:25.840 --> 00:02:30.159 And there's joy in arriving because now here they are, God's people. 00:02:30.159 --> 00:02:34.280 They're in God's city and they get to praise together with others. 00:02:35.879 --> 00:02:42.639 And for us here today, I hope that we'll get to experience some of that joy in miniature, the joy of Jerusalem, 00:02:42.639 --> 00:02:46.620 as we gather together knowing we meet with God today. 00:02:47.099 --> 00:02:57.699 And also that it will give us a sense of expectation and longing for the perfect joy in that perfect city that we read about in Revelation 21. 00:02:57.699 --> 00:03:06.439 But a second way to think about this psalm that might be helpful for us is to ask the question, what makes a city great? 00:03:07.399 --> 00:03:11.719 You know, why does David have joy in this city of Jerusalem in particular? 00:03:11.719 --> 00:03:15.099 Some of you may see this every year. 00:03:15.180 --> 00:03:21.780 The Economist magazine does a livability report trying to decide through various factors. 00:03:21.900 --> 00:03:27.539 So they'll look at education and transport and infrastructure and culture and climate. 00:03:27.740 --> 00:03:31.879 They'll put these 30 things together and they'll decide what's the best city in the world to live in. 00:03:32.539 --> 00:03:38.539 And this year, according to The Economist, the best city to live in is Copenhagen over in Denmark. 00:03:38.539 --> 00:03:43.459 Edinburgh comes in quite a lowly 64th, but it's still a nice city to live in. 00:03:44.859 --> 00:03:52.319 But for King David, as he's approaching and then reaches Jerusalem, what does he celebrate about his city? 00:03:52.819 --> 00:03:55.659 What makes it such a great, livable, wonderful city? 00:03:56.539 --> 00:03:59.280 He's got a different set of factors to The Economist. 00:03:59.879 --> 00:04:06.079 For him, it's the joy of worship because Jerusalem represents God's physical address on the earth. 00:04:06.080 --> 00:04:12.060 Here is where sacrifice can be made to atone for sin so that people can be reconciled to God. 00:04:13.080 --> 00:04:20.500 What gets him excited is the joy that he finds in gathering with others to meet with God to sing his praise. 00:04:20.500 --> 00:04:33.839 So as we come into Psalm 122, it's highlighting for us something of the wonder of what Christ's church offers to us and to the world, as we will see. 00:04:34.759 --> 00:04:42.560 And it also causes us to look forward with a sense of anticipation to the city to come whose builder is God. 00:04:43.300 --> 00:04:44.800 So let's get into our text. 00:04:45.060 --> 00:04:50.079 First couple of verses, let's think about the joy of Christ's church. 00:04:50.620 --> 00:04:54.719 So we've been told that David is the writer, so he is the worship leader. 00:04:55.259 --> 00:04:59.219 And the theme of his journey and his song is joy. 00:05:00.039 --> 00:05:04.539 There's the joy of arriving, and there's also the joy of access. 00:05:04.839 --> 00:05:06.519 So think about the joy of arriving. 00:05:07.479 --> 00:05:11.479 I rejoiced with those who said to me, let's go to the house of the Lord. 00:05:11.519 --> 00:05:12.839 So that's a statement of faith. 00:05:12.839 --> 00:05:21.179 Here is David saying, being among God's people, getting to be in God's presence, that's what makes me glad and joyful. 00:05:21.839 --> 00:05:24.539 And there's a determination, let us go. 00:05:24.540 --> 00:05:32.640 This is a journey that's going to be hard, but it's a journey worth making for David and for those pilgrims who will go with him. 00:05:32.800 --> 00:05:36.300 But he is delighted to do it because he gets to meet with God. 00:05:36.300 --> 00:05:40.800 Jerusalem, you may know, is a city that was special to David. 00:05:41.840 --> 00:05:44.160 You can read about it in 2 Samuel 5 and 6. 00:05:45.259 --> 00:05:52.759 One of the first acts that he does as king is he conquers the city of Jerusalem, and he makes it his royal city. 00:05:52.759 --> 00:06:01.680 Jerusalem is the place where the 12 tribes are united together to acknowledge that David is going to be their true king. 00:06:02.180 --> 00:06:09.459 And David very quickly takes the ark of God, representing the presence of God, and he brings that to Jerusalem. 00:06:10.360 --> 00:06:16.360 And so the rule of King David is connected with the rule of the one true God and his worship. 00:06:17.300 --> 00:06:18.519 And so he has this joy. 00:06:18.719 --> 00:06:19.579 So he's been far away. 00:06:19.579 --> 00:06:24.599 Maybe he's been on a military campaign, and now the enemies have been defeated. 00:06:25.079 --> 00:06:28.459 Now the war is over, and he's told, let's go back. 00:06:28.800 --> 00:06:29.879 It's time to go home. 00:06:30.159 --> 00:06:33.620 And he's got joy because it's about God's people and God's praise. 00:06:33.779 --> 00:06:39.399 So there's the joy of arriving, but there's also the joy of access because we notice there in verse 1, 00:06:40.459 --> 00:06:44.039 the focus for him is, let's go to the house of the Lord. 00:06:45.659 --> 00:06:47.719 And you notice Lord is in capitals. 00:06:47.720 --> 00:06:51.460 That's the personal covenant name of the Lord God. 00:06:51.820 --> 00:06:57.800 So there is joy because he gets to meet the covenant God who meets with his people there. 00:06:58.580 --> 00:07:05.840 He gets to worship the holy God, the almighty maker of heaven and earth, who has acted to become their redeemer. 00:07:05.839 --> 00:07:18.000 He has joy because when he goes to the house of the Lord, he knows sacrifices are made so that that right relationship between God and people can be restored and people can be reconciled. 00:07:18.099 --> 00:07:19.659 And so there's joy here. 00:07:21.620 --> 00:07:24.579 Verse 2, our feet are standing in your gates, Jerusalem. 00:07:24.579 --> 00:07:29.779 And the joy of standing in those gates is because this is the city of God. 00:07:29.959 --> 00:07:31.459 These are the gates of God. 00:07:31.779 --> 00:07:39.279 And those gates wonderfully are open so that sinful people saved by God's mercy and grace, well, they can draw near. 00:07:40.539 --> 00:07:46.199 And even in that picture, there's a great recognition of here is what Jesus offers in the gospel. 00:07:46.199 --> 00:07:49.920 Jesus himself will tell us he is the true temple. 00:07:50.240 --> 00:07:51.879 He is the true house of God. 00:07:51.959 --> 00:07:53.759 To meet with God, we need to know Jesus. 00:07:54.219 --> 00:07:58.959 He gives us access to life with the true and living God as the one true and living God. 00:07:59.519 --> 00:08:06.019 He offered not an animal but himself as the sacrifice so that our sin can be covered and we can draw near. 00:08:06.019 --> 00:08:11.839 And it's through Jesus that we're brought into covenant relationship with the living God. 00:08:12.859 --> 00:08:16.639 So the joy of arriving and the joy of access are here. 00:08:17.740 --> 00:08:25.139 But we need to think about ourselves today because David connected his joy to physical, geographical Jerusalem, but we don't do that. 00:08:27.759 --> 00:08:31.719 Our hope is in a different city, isn't it? 00:08:31.720 --> 00:08:41.960 As Paul writes in the New Testament to Christians in the letter to the Galatians, the Jerusalem that is above is free and she is our mother. 00:08:42.899 --> 00:08:51.660 Or in Philippians, our citizenship is in heaven and we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:08:51.980 --> 00:08:59.720 So for us as Christians, we read Jerusalem in Psalm 122 and the joy there and we think about the joy of the new Jerusalem. 00:08:59.720 --> 00:09:04.139 The new heavens and the earth that we read of in Revelation 21. 00:09:04.399 --> 00:09:15.500 But at the same time, we need to understand that the church every Sunday is for us a tiny slice of joy. 00:09:16.379 --> 00:09:20.019 Because every time we gather here, God meets with us. 00:09:20.220 --> 00:09:23.879 Every time we open the Bible, God speaks to us. 00:09:23.879 --> 00:09:32.179 Every time we think about Jesus, we're reminded that He's made that sacrifice so that we have access and can draw near. 00:09:33.580 --> 00:09:36.519 So we share something of this joy. 00:09:37.299 --> 00:09:38.860 Just take a moment and think about this. 00:09:38.960 --> 00:09:40.639 Why do we do what we do? 00:09:40.899 --> 00:09:43.220 For many of us, we've been Christians for a long time. 00:09:43.279 --> 00:09:44.639 We come to church week by week. 00:09:44.740 --> 00:09:46.539 What are we doing here? 00:09:46.539 --> 00:09:54.699 Think of the church, something like an oasis in our city. 00:09:55.699 --> 00:09:59.939 Here is a moment to rest and be refreshed away from all our busyness. 00:10:00.980 --> 00:10:03.879 Away from all the pressures that we live in day by day. 00:10:04.659 --> 00:10:07.519 Away from those attempts to make a name for ourselves. 00:10:07.879 --> 00:10:12.159 Here is an invitation to the living God to come and be refreshed. 00:10:12.159 --> 00:10:16.959 And to find the life that we were made for and the God that we were made for. 00:10:17.319 --> 00:10:23.259 And so we come eagerly because we want to taste and see that God is good. 00:10:23.419 --> 00:10:27.439 And we want to experience the peace and the joy that He offers in Jesus. 00:10:29.179 --> 00:10:37.299 So it's a reminder that as we come to church, we come ready and eager to receive joy from our good God. 00:10:37.299 --> 00:10:41.039 To make this a place of joy for ourselves and for one another. 00:10:41.959 --> 00:10:45.519 Because while what happens in here can often seem so ordinary. 00:10:46.579 --> 00:10:51.859 You know, maybe thousands of times we've sung a psalm or a hymn or we've opened the Bible together. 00:10:52.359 --> 00:10:55.159 But truly it's also at the same time extraordinary. 00:10:57.559 --> 00:10:58.699 Ordinary building. 00:10:59.699 --> 00:11:02.399 But we're met with by an extraordinary God. 00:11:02.399 --> 00:11:06.159 We have the promise that Jesus comes to meet with us. 00:11:06.240 --> 00:11:08.919 That the Spirit is at work through His Word. 00:11:09.360 --> 00:11:11.840 And He is the one who would fill us with this joy. 00:11:12.699 --> 00:11:13.939 The joy of knowing Him. 00:11:14.620 --> 00:11:16.500 The joy of having our sins forgiven. 00:11:17.439 --> 00:11:23.860 The joy of King Jesus ministering to us in His Word and through His people. 00:11:25.279 --> 00:11:28.279 So Psalm 120 reminds us of the joy of Christ's church. 00:11:28.279 --> 00:11:32.339 Secondly, it speaks to us of the wonder of Christ's church. 00:11:32.419 --> 00:11:34.500 There in the center, verses 3 to 5. 00:11:35.240 --> 00:11:38.959 So Alec Mateer, the Bible commentator, he makes a striking comment. 00:11:40.339 --> 00:11:40.699 He says, 00:11:40.799 --> 00:11:46.339 The church is a place where the world's problems are solved. 00:11:47.079 --> 00:11:47.779 Full stop. 00:11:49.120 --> 00:11:50.899 Now I don't know how you react to that. 00:11:50.899 --> 00:11:54.740 Maybe if we are inclined to be cynical, we might say, 00:11:54.799 --> 00:11:58.819 Well I thought the church sometimes, well that is the problem, not the solution. 00:12:00.019 --> 00:12:04.699 Or maybe if we think about a skeptical approach to that statement. 00:12:04.819 --> 00:12:10.939 Well, I think the church is irrelevant to the needs of a modern world. 00:12:11.019 --> 00:12:14.919 Maybe the church just needs to kind of mind its own business and do its own thing. 00:12:14.919 --> 00:12:17.460 And let the world get on with its work. 00:12:17.460 --> 00:12:26.540 But what we have as we look at the center of Psalm 122 is a reason why we can humbly say 00:12:26.540 --> 00:12:34.040 that the south side of Edinburgh, that the city of Edinburgh needs us and churches like us. 00:12:35.019 --> 00:12:39.500 Because we're given a vision of God's design for His church 00:12:39.500 --> 00:12:43.300 and God's wonderful goal for our life together. 00:12:43.299 --> 00:12:47.479 That we're seeing this is who God wants us to be 00:12:47.479 --> 00:12:53.740 and there is a goodness in this for ourselves and for our weary world. 00:12:54.559 --> 00:12:58.000 Three things Christ and His church offers the world. 00:12:58.139 --> 00:13:03.240 First of all, security in an uncertain world. 00:13:03.479 --> 00:13:04.359 Look at verse 3. 00:13:04.879 --> 00:13:05.779 Think about the image. 00:13:06.179 --> 00:13:09.439 Jerusalem is built like a city that's closely compacted together. 00:13:09.440 --> 00:13:10.120 So, the image. 00:13:10.240 --> 00:13:13.200 Here's a city with well-constructed walls and towers. 00:13:13.700 --> 00:13:15.160 Everything in its right place. 00:13:15.300 --> 00:13:16.360 So, that means protection. 00:13:16.960 --> 00:13:18.400 That means security. 00:13:18.860 --> 00:13:21.640 That means community on the inside. 00:13:22.100 --> 00:13:25.520 That Jerusalem, representing Christ's church, 00:13:25.860 --> 00:13:29.200 is to be a place of security and safety 00:13:29.200 --> 00:13:32.580 in a sometimes dangerous and often uncertain world. 00:13:32.580 --> 00:13:35.740 These pilgrims, as they've been traveling, 00:13:35.920 --> 00:13:37.580 well, they've been living in a war zone 00:13:37.580 --> 00:13:39.940 and they've been traveling through hazards. 00:13:40.080 --> 00:13:46.680 But Jerusalem, well, that's peace and rest and security. 00:13:46.679 --> 00:13:50.899 Now, I think many of us, 00:13:50.959 --> 00:13:53.959 we can easily identify with the sense of uncertainty. 00:13:54.259 --> 00:13:56.439 We worry about our kids growing up. 00:13:56.579 --> 00:14:00.620 We wonder as young adults about our employment opportunities 00:14:00.620 --> 00:14:03.339 or housing situation or relationships. 00:14:03.699 --> 00:14:08.799 Or we switch on the news and we see tragedy seems to be ever present. 00:14:10.019 --> 00:14:12.939 And we need to remember that into this uncertain world, 00:14:12.940 --> 00:14:17.220 God sent His Son Jesus and He came to be a Savior 00:14:17.220 --> 00:14:20.340 by giving His life as a sacrifice 00:14:20.340 --> 00:14:24.740 so that trusting in Him we might have eternal security. 00:14:25.960 --> 00:14:29.000 What Jesus offers the world is a secure salvation, 00:14:29.660 --> 00:14:32.640 life with God now and forevermore. 00:14:34.280 --> 00:14:36.980 What Jesus offers is a secure identity 00:14:36.980 --> 00:14:40.080 to be known as a child of God. 00:14:40.080 --> 00:14:44.360 And what Jesus offers is a secure hope 00:14:44.360 --> 00:14:46.560 with no prospect of losses. 00:14:47.800 --> 00:14:50.139 So there is security in an uncertain world. 00:14:50.240 --> 00:14:55.780 There's secondly, the offer of harmony in a divided world. 00:14:55.900 --> 00:14:57.240 Look at verse four with me. 00:14:57.580 --> 00:14:58.800 That's where the tribes go up. 00:14:59.220 --> 00:15:00.360 They're the tribes of the Lord 00:15:00.360 --> 00:15:02.620 to praise the name of the Lord. 00:15:02.879 --> 00:15:06.140 And just to recognize this is unity but not uniformity. 00:15:06.259 --> 00:15:07.440 So these 12 tribes, 00:15:07.540 --> 00:15:09.440 so we live in Scotland right now. 00:15:09.440 --> 00:15:09.960 We're in Scotland. 00:15:10.060 --> 00:15:11.240 Scotland's a small nation. 00:15:11.960 --> 00:15:14.020 But we have many different cultures. 00:15:14.920 --> 00:15:16.260 You know, Edinburgh is not Glasgow. 00:15:16.360 --> 00:15:18.320 The central belt is not the same as the highlands. 00:15:18.480 --> 00:15:20.380 And the same was true for Israel. 00:15:20.680 --> 00:15:22.340 Different regions, different clans, 00:15:22.620 --> 00:15:23.780 doing different kind of works. 00:15:24.120 --> 00:15:25.640 What bound them together, 00:15:26.760 --> 00:15:27.940 their common bond, 00:15:28.620 --> 00:15:30.880 was a unity forged in worship. 00:15:31.720 --> 00:15:35.760 They gather together as one to praise the name of the Lord. 00:15:35.759 --> 00:15:38.360 A reminder that for us as Christians, 00:15:38.480 --> 00:15:41.819 our unity is found in Jesus. 00:15:44.819 --> 00:15:49.439 All of us can see fracturing and division within the world. 00:15:49.439 --> 00:15:51.340 That's really easy to see, isn't it? 00:15:51.340 --> 00:15:54.799 At the global level of conflicts, 00:15:56.159 --> 00:15:59.299 in our realms of national politics, 00:15:59.299 --> 00:16:03.959 we see fracturing and division in our communities 00:16:03.959 --> 00:16:05.859 and on our streets. 00:16:06.240 --> 00:16:07.299 And for many of us, 00:16:07.419 --> 00:16:10.979 we feel the pain in our own family circumstances. 00:16:10.980 --> 00:16:15.639 And what God gives by way of an answer 00:16:15.639 --> 00:16:20.259 is His Son and His church. 00:16:21.480 --> 00:16:25.460 So think again about Jesus coming into a divided world, 00:16:25.560 --> 00:16:26.940 a hostile world. 00:16:27.460 --> 00:16:28.899 And how did Jesus live? 00:16:29.420 --> 00:16:31.060 Jesus lived a life of love, didn't He? 00:16:31.120 --> 00:16:33.980 A love that covers over wrongs. 00:16:33.980 --> 00:16:38.000 Read the Gospels and you discover in Jesus 00:16:38.000 --> 00:16:40.759 a love that crosses difference 00:16:40.759 --> 00:16:42.860 and boundaries and barriers 00:16:42.860 --> 00:16:45.399 in order to bring people into God's kingdom. 00:16:47.680 --> 00:16:49.600 In the good news of the Lord Jesus, 00:16:49.840 --> 00:16:52.680 there is a love that binds up 00:16:52.680 --> 00:16:55.060 where often we tend to break. 00:16:55.059 --> 00:16:58.719 And now as the church, 00:16:58.819 --> 00:17:00.019 we are the people of Jesus. 00:17:01.079 --> 00:17:03.459 And we are called to make that love visible. 00:17:05.059 --> 00:17:07.059 A love that's a blessing to us 00:17:07.059 --> 00:17:09.200 and to our world. 00:17:09.599 --> 00:17:11.779 Jesus came as the Prince of Peace, 00:17:11.919 --> 00:17:13.980 making peace with our God, 00:17:14.059 --> 00:17:16.819 but also bringing peace with people 00:17:16.819 --> 00:17:18.659 as our sins are forgiven 00:17:18.659 --> 00:17:21.039 and as the Spirit is poured into our hearts. 00:17:21.039 --> 00:17:25.220 And so churches are called to be places 00:17:25.220 --> 00:17:27.279 of healing and harmony. 00:17:28.379 --> 00:17:30.039 Places in a community 00:17:30.039 --> 00:17:32.159 where everyone can be welcomed, 00:17:32.960 --> 00:17:35.659 where people can feel able to belong 00:17:35.659 --> 00:17:37.799 before they believe. 00:17:39.559 --> 00:17:41.279 So there is security, there's harmony. 00:17:41.420 --> 00:17:43.839 And thirdly, there is the promise of justice 00:17:43.839 --> 00:17:45.720 in an unjust world. 00:17:46.119 --> 00:17:46.579 Verse five, 00:17:46.680 --> 00:17:48.519 there stand the thrones for judgment, 00:17:48.980 --> 00:17:50.759 the thrones of the house of David. 00:17:50.759 --> 00:17:52.559 So the picture here 00:17:52.559 --> 00:17:54.960 is a reminder of the connection 00:17:54.960 --> 00:17:58.440 between Israel's king and Israel's justice. 00:17:58.579 --> 00:18:00.559 That one of the key duties of King David 00:18:00.559 --> 00:18:01.259 and other kings 00:18:01.259 --> 00:18:02.859 was to deliver 00:18:02.859 --> 00:18:04.680 and to secure 00:18:04.680 --> 00:18:07.480 God's justice for God's people 00:18:07.480 --> 00:18:11.299 as he lived out and practiced God's law. 00:18:12.619 --> 00:18:15.220 Now, we need to be very careful. 00:18:16.059 --> 00:18:17.240 So we absolutely say 00:18:17.240 --> 00:18:20.480 the church should be a place 00:18:20.480 --> 00:18:23.059 that pursues and practices justice for all. 00:18:23.839 --> 00:18:25.079 It should be a place 00:18:25.079 --> 00:18:26.960 that defends the cause of the weak and helpless. 00:18:27.620 --> 00:18:29.380 It should provide a safe space 00:18:29.380 --> 00:18:32.559 for any and all who come through our doors. 00:18:34.019 --> 00:18:36.039 But as we take a look through church history, 00:18:36.579 --> 00:18:39.299 as we think about church scandals 00:18:39.299 --> 00:18:41.240 across the world and in our own nation, 00:18:41.240 --> 00:18:44.559 we recognize that all too often we fail. 00:18:46.039 --> 00:18:48.779 That the name of Jesus is dragged through the mud 00:18:48.779 --> 00:18:51.200 by those who profess the name of Jesus. 00:18:51.200 --> 00:18:55.400 But yet, 00:18:55.720 --> 00:18:58.059 by God's grace, 00:18:58.200 --> 00:19:00.840 we do offer real hope 00:19:00.840 --> 00:19:02.259 to our world 00:19:02.259 --> 00:19:04.759 because we point not to ourselves 00:19:04.759 --> 00:19:06.140 in our imperfection, 00:19:06.200 --> 00:19:07.779 but we point to Jesus 00:19:07.779 --> 00:19:09.299 as the true and perfect king. 00:19:10.340 --> 00:19:11.259 And to that promise 00:19:11.259 --> 00:19:13.039 that he will return one day 00:19:13.039 --> 00:19:14.720 and he will establish 00:19:14.720 --> 00:19:16.740 true and perfect justice, 00:19:17.039 --> 00:19:18.360 that a day is coming 00:19:18.359 --> 00:19:21.159 when every wrong will be dealt with, 00:19:21.359 --> 00:19:22.459 when everyone will stand 00:19:22.459 --> 00:19:24.979 before his judgment seat. 00:19:27.419 --> 00:19:28.919 But it's also important 00:19:28.919 --> 00:19:30.119 for us to recognize 00:19:30.119 --> 00:19:31.979 and to be thankful for the fact 00:19:31.979 --> 00:19:34.559 that Christians and churches do work. 00:19:34.619 --> 00:19:36.639 And I think the OM work, 00:19:36.759 --> 00:19:38.579 the Logoship is one example of that, 00:19:38.719 --> 00:19:40.079 that churches and Christians 00:19:40.079 --> 00:19:42.199 do work to care for the poor, 00:19:42.479 --> 00:19:45.079 that they do pursue justice for the oppressed, 00:19:45.299 --> 00:19:46.659 that they do promote dignity 00:19:46.660 --> 00:19:48.040 for all of life, 00:19:48.160 --> 00:19:50.019 here and across the world. 00:19:50.060 --> 00:19:50.840 And all of that done 00:19:50.840 --> 00:19:52.640 in the name of Jesus, 00:19:52.779 --> 00:19:55.120 the King who rules with justice. 00:19:58.060 --> 00:20:00.180 And for us as Christians too, 00:20:01.960 --> 00:20:03.940 here is a hope that we can cling to 00:20:03.940 --> 00:20:06.220 when we are treated badly 00:20:06.220 --> 00:20:07.960 for being Christians, 00:20:08.060 --> 00:20:09.480 when we're slandered, 00:20:10.120 --> 00:20:12.140 when we're overlooked or shamed 00:20:12.140 --> 00:20:14.000 because we own Jesus as Lord, 00:20:14.960 --> 00:20:15.960 the judge of the earth 00:20:15.960 --> 00:20:17.320 will do right. 00:20:18.280 --> 00:20:19.620 That justice and salvation 00:20:19.620 --> 00:20:21.120 is coming. 00:20:21.960 --> 00:20:22.700 Last week, 00:20:22.759 --> 00:20:24.020 we were in another chapter 00:20:24.020 --> 00:20:24.620 in Revelation, 00:20:24.740 --> 00:20:25.540 Revelation 7, 00:20:25.640 --> 00:20:26.560 that beautiful picture 00:20:26.560 --> 00:20:27.440 of worshipers 00:20:27.440 --> 00:20:29.259 gathered from every nation 00:20:29.259 --> 00:20:29.840 and tribe 00:20:29.840 --> 00:20:31.200 and culture and language 00:20:31.200 --> 00:20:32.960 all around the throne 00:20:32.960 --> 00:20:34.000 of Jesus, 00:20:34.220 --> 00:20:34.800 the King 00:20:34.800 --> 00:20:36.360 who brings justice 00:20:36.360 --> 00:20:37.220 and salvation 00:20:37.220 --> 00:20:38.900 for all those 00:20:38.900 --> 00:20:39.799 who trust Him. 00:20:42.140 --> 00:20:43.299 So, we've seen the joy, 00:20:43.400 --> 00:20:44.039 we've seen the wonder. 00:20:44.160 --> 00:20:44.920 Let's finish 00:20:44.920 --> 00:20:46.900 thinking about the peace 00:20:46.900 --> 00:20:48.500 of Christ's church. 00:20:48.579 --> 00:20:50.140 It's there in verses 6 to 9. 00:20:50.259 --> 00:20:51.059 So, again, 00:20:51.120 --> 00:20:51.700 we've been following 00:20:51.700 --> 00:20:53.079 these pilgrims on their journey. 00:20:53.799 --> 00:20:54.860 They've come from 00:20:54.860 --> 00:20:55.720 an environment 00:20:55.720 --> 00:20:56.759 filled with lies 00:20:56.759 --> 00:20:57.279 and hate. 00:20:57.680 --> 00:20:58.440 They've come through 00:20:58.440 --> 00:20:59.460 the dangers of life 00:20:59.460 --> 00:20:59.960 on the road 00:20:59.960 --> 00:21:01.039 and now they've reached 00:21:01.039 --> 00:21:01.539 their goal 00:21:01.539 --> 00:21:02.140 and their goal 00:21:02.140 --> 00:21:03.039 is Jerusalem. 00:21:03.519 --> 00:21:04.360 And Jerusalem is 00:21:04.359 --> 00:21:06.500 the city of shalom, 00:21:06.679 --> 00:21:08.500 the city of peace. 00:21:10.039 --> 00:21:11.399 In verses 6 to 8, 00:21:11.459 --> 00:21:12.479 we find the church 00:21:12.479 --> 00:21:13.439 at prayer, 00:21:13.959 --> 00:21:15.599 pray for the peace 00:21:15.599 --> 00:21:16.899 of Jerusalem, 00:21:18.419 --> 00:21:20.539 seeking the peace 00:21:20.539 --> 00:21:21.339 of God, 00:21:22.079 --> 00:21:23.179 seeking it for the sake 00:21:23.179 --> 00:21:25.859 of friends and family, 00:21:26.659 --> 00:21:28.399 for the wider community. 00:21:29.299 --> 00:21:30.339 And in verse 9, 00:21:30.419 --> 00:21:31.439 we find the church 00:21:31.439 --> 00:21:32.679 getting to work 00:21:32.680 --> 00:21:34.400 to seek peace 00:21:34.400 --> 00:21:35.400 and prosperity. 00:21:36.279 --> 00:21:36.740 For the sake 00:21:36.740 --> 00:21:37.200 of the house 00:21:37.200 --> 00:21:37.720 of the Lord, 00:21:37.820 --> 00:21:38.400 our God, 00:21:38.480 --> 00:21:39.560 I will seek 00:21:39.560 --> 00:21:40.940 your prosperity. 00:21:41.480 --> 00:21:42.259 Here is a people 00:21:42.259 --> 00:21:43.299 filled with joy. 00:21:43.660 --> 00:21:44.259 Here is a people 00:21:44.259 --> 00:21:45.240 filled with prayer. 00:21:45.580 --> 00:21:46.200 Here is a people 00:21:46.200 --> 00:21:47.440 getting to work, 00:21:48.080 --> 00:21:48.940 wanting the good 00:21:48.940 --> 00:21:49.640 of others 00:21:49.640 --> 00:21:50.940 for the glory 00:21:50.940 --> 00:21:52.259 of God. 00:21:53.160 --> 00:21:54.060 And it all ties up 00:21:54.060 --> 00:21:54.799 with this idea 00:21:54.799 --> 00:21:55.480 of peace. 00:21:55.580 --> 00:21:55.980 So, what does 00:21:55.980 --> 00:21:57.320 the word peace mean? 00:21:57.440 --> 00:21:58.519 Why do we struggle 00:21:58.519 --> 00:21:58.940 with it? 00:21:58.980 --> 00:22:00.160 And how can we 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:01.400 have it? 00:22:01.400 --> 00:22:03.200 Now, people often 00:22:03.200 --> 00:22:04.160 ask with a sense 00:22:04.160 --> 00:22:04.720 of longing, 00:22:04.860 --> 00:22:05.540 but also perhaps 00:22:05.540 --> 00:22:06.640 a sense of despair, 00:22:07.040 --> 00:22:08.060 how can anyone 00:22:08.060 --> 00:22:09.200 find real peace 00:22:09.200 --> 00:22:10.420 in a world of chaos? 00:22:11.460 --> 00:22:12.960 When bombs fall, 00:22:13.080 --> 00:22:14.660 when cars are torched, 00:22:15.480 --> 00:22:16.220 when disease 00:22:16.220 --> 00:22:16.940 and tragedy 00:22:16.940 --> 00:22:19.120 strike without warning, 00:22:20.120 --> 00:22:21.560 when friendships 00:22:21.560 --> 00:22:23.420 can be shattered 00:22:23.420 --> 00:22:25.220 by cruel words 00:22:25.220 --> 00:22:25.920 and deception. 00:22:26.440 --> 00:22:27.940 We long for peace, 00:22:27.940 --> 00:22:29.380 but can peace 00:22:29.380 --> 00:22:30.480 be found. 00:22:31.820 --> 00:22:32.960 Psalm 122 00:22:32.960 --> 00:22:34.620 ends with us 00:22:34.620 --> 00:22:35.860 in the city 00:22:35.860 --> 00:22:36.600 of peace 00:22:36.600 --> 00:22:37.559 with prayers 00:22:37.559 --> 00:22:38.160 for peace 00:22:38.160 --> 00:22:38.860 and a commitment 00:22:38.860 --> 00:22:40.059 to seek peace. 00:22:40.259 --> 00:22:40.980 And all of it 00:22:40.980 --> 00:22:41.640 takes us, 00:22:41.740 --> 00:22:42.279 verse 9, 00:22:42.519 --> 00:22:43.559 to the house 00:22:43.559 --> 00:22:44.920 of the Lord. 00:22:46.400 --> 00:22:47.200 And that's key 00:22:47.200 --> 00:22:47.920 for us 00:22:47.920 --> 00:22:49.620 because the Bible 00:22:49.620 --> 00:22:50.580 teaches us 00:22:50.580 --> 00:22:51.400 over and over 00:22:51.400 --> 00:22:53.720 it's with our God 00:22:53.720 --> 00:22:55.720 and with His Son, 00:22:55.800 --> 00:22:56.660 the Lord Jesus, 00:22:57.180 --> 00:22:57.740 that deep 00:22:57.740 --> 00:22:59.300 and lasting peace 00:22:59.300 --> 00:23:01.160 is found. 00:23:03.100 --> 00:23:04.000 Now, when the Bible 00:23:04.000 --> 00:23:05.380 speaks of peace 00:23:05.380 --> 00:23:06.680 or shalom, 00:23:06.880 --> 00:23:07.660 to use the familiar 00:23:07.660 --> 00:23:08.560 Hebrew word, 00:23:09.259 --> 00:23:10.400 what is that pointing to? 00:23:10.440 --> 00:23:11.180 What is it saying 00:23:11.180 --> 00:23:11.700 to us? 00:23:12.800 --> 00:23:13.720 And we need to understand, 00:23:13.880 --> 00:23:14.720 so I guess in English 00:23:14.720 --> 00:23:15.680 when we think about peace, 00:23:15.740 --> 00:23:16.500 we often think about 00:23:16.500 --> 00:23:17.140 the absence 00:23:17.140 --> 00:23:18.100 of hostility 00:23:18.099 --> 00:23:18.839 or warfare. 00:23:20.359 --> 00:23:21.619 That's part of it, 00:23:21.699 --> 00:23:22.879 but it's more than that. 00:23:24.240 --> 00:23:24.799 Peace, 00:23:25.000 --> 00:23:26.240 according to the Bible, 00:23:26.459 --> 00:23:27.759 is a flourishing 00:23:27.759 --> 00:23:29.079 in all of life. 00:23:29.879 --> 00:23:30.959 It's where everything 00:23:30.959 --> 00:23:32.059 under God 00:23:32.059 --> 00:23:34.240 is in its right place. 00:23:35.099 --> 00:23:36.119 It's well-being 00:23:36.119 --> 00:23:37.799 in all aspects of life, 00:23:37.899 --> 00:23:38.299 physical, 00:23:38.859 --> 00:23:39.419 emotional, 00:23:39.959 --> 00:23:40.379 social, 00:23:40.619 --> 00:23:41.639 and spiritual. 00:23:41.959 --> 00:23:42.719 It's a peace 00:23:42.719 --> 00:23:43.740 that runs deeper 00:23:43.740 --> 00:23:45.740 than circumstances 00:23:45.740 --> 00:23:47.179 because it's a peace 00:23:47.179 --> 00:23:47.980 that's rooted 00:23:47.980 --> 00:23:49.660 in a life 00:23:49.660 --> 00:23:51.180 with the God 00:23:51.180 --> 00:23:51.860 of peace. 00:23:52.839 --> 00:23:54.920 So what Psalm 122 00:23:54.920 --> 00:23:56.259 introduces us to 00:23:56.259 --> 00:23:57.380 and closes us with 00:23:57.380 --> 00:23:58.819 is God's peace, 00:23:59.220 --> 00:24:00.819 a peace that we can have, 00:24:01.420 --> 00:24:02.720 that we can have peace 00:24:02.720 --> 00:24:03.240 with God 00:24:03.240 --> 00:24:04.099 through Christ 00:24:04.099 --> 00:24:05.819 because we have been 00:24:05.819 --> 00:24:06.779 reconciled 00:24:06.779 --> 00:24:07.740 through His blood, 00:24:09.120 --> 00:24:10.240 that we can have 00:24:10.240 --> 00:24:10.860 in Jesus 00:24:10.860 --> 00:24:12.539 peace in our hearts 00:24:12.539 --> 00:24:14.319 through prayer 00:24:14.319 --> 00:24:15.620 and through worship, 00:24:15.619 --> 00:24:17.339 and we have a peace 00:24:17.339 --> 00:24:18.079 to pursue 00:24:18.079 --> 00:24:19.619 with others 00:24:19.619 --> 00:24:21.799 in a divided world. 00:24:22.739 --> 00:24:23.919 So we hear the church 00:24:23.919 --> 00:24:24.599 being called 00:24:24.599 --> 00:24:25.879 to pray for peace, 00:24:26.439 --> 00:24:28.459 to be peacemakers, 00:24:28.679 --> 00:24:29.979 to seek the best 00:24:29.979 --> 00:24:30.619 for others, 00:24:30.779 --> 00:24:32.199 to call one another 00:24:32.199 --> 00:24:33.519 into life 00:24:33.519 --> 00:24:34.659 with this God 00:24:34.659 --> 00:24:36.079 who offers peace 00:24:36.079 --> 00:24:37.039 with Himself 00:24:37.039 --> 00:24:38.639 and peace in our hearts. 00:24:38.640 --> 00:24:39.680 and we're called 00:24:39.680 --> 00:24:41.940 to work for that peace, 00:24:41.940 --> 00:24:43.960 to make what God 00:24:43.960 --> 00:24:45.620 offers visible, 00:24:46.360 --> 00:24:47.860 to be as a community 00:24:47.860 --> 00:24:49.220 of brothers and sisters 00:24:49.220 --> 00:24:49.920 in Christ, 00:24:50.320 --> 00:24:51.780 a community that shows 00:24:51.780 --> 00:24:53.520 a love that reconciles, 00:24:53.920 --> 00:24:56.220 to practice a unity 00:24:56.220 --> 00:24:56.900 and a harmony 00:24:56.900 --> 00:24:58.960 that cuts across differences, 00:24:59.759 --> 00:25:01.400 a security that is rooted 00:25:01.400 --> 00:25:02.820 in a relationship 00:25:02.820 --> 00:25:04.380 with our Creator. 00:25:07.700 --> 00:25:08.840 Because we understand 00:25:08.840 --> 00:25:09.880 as a church 00:25:09.880 --> 00:25:11.640 that people 00:25:11.640 --> 00:25:12.740 in every age, 00:25:12.900 --> 00:25:13.880 every generation, 00:25:14.180 --> 00:25:15.000 in every culture 00:25:15.000 --> 00:25:15.620 and community 00:25:15.620 --> 00:25:17.300 needs this God 00:25:17.300 --> 00:25:19.100 and needs this peace 00:25:19.100 --> 00:25:20.540 in their lives. 00:25:21.540 --> 00:25:22.580 Are we persuaded 00:25:22.580 --> 00:25:23.200 by that? 00:25:24.300 --> 00:25:25.320 For King David 00:25:25.320 --> 00:25:26.100 and the Old Testament 00:25:26.100 --> 00:25:26.660 pilgrims, 00:25:26.800 --> 00:25:27.500 Jerusalem was like 00:25:27.500 --> 00:25:28.340 a safe haven. 00:25:29.080 --> 00:25:29.900 It was an oasis 00:25:29.900 --> 00:25:30.320 for them. 00:25:30.319 --> 00:25:31.960 It was a place of rest 00:25:31.960 --> 00:25:33.179 in a world of war 00:25:33.179 --> 00:25:33.679 and aggression 00:25:33.679 --> 00:25:34.779 of suffering and death. 00:25:35.700 --> 00:25:36.740 I can find peace 00:25:36.740 --> 00:25:38.019 because the God of peace 00:25:38.019 --> 00:25:39.119 is here 00:25:39.119 --> 00:25:40.859 and I'm invited 00:25:40.859 --> 00:25:41.819 to know Him. 00:25:43.659 --> 00:25:44.359 Some of you 00:25:44.359 --> 00:25:44.939 will be familiar 00:25:44.939 --> 00:25:46.379 with the Oxford mathematician 00:25:46.379 --> 00:25:47.299 John Lennox. 00:25:47.759 --> 00:25:48.799 He's been a great spokesman 00:25:48.799 --> 00:25:49.639 for the Christian faith 00:25:49.639 --> 00:25:50.519 for decades now. 00:25:50.960 --> 00:25:51.679 I came across 00:25:51.679 --> 00:25:52.240 a snippet 00:25:52.240 --> 00:25:53.159 from an interview 00:25:53.159 --> 00:25:54.740 just a few weeks ago 00:25:54.740 --> 00:25:55.779 and he said, 00:25:55.879 --> 00:25:57.119 I've been interrogating 00:25:57.119 --> 00:25:59.779 the Christian faith 00:25:59.779 --> 00:26:01.379 for over 30 years. 00:26:01.420 --> 00:26:03.119 The claims of Christianity 00:26:03.119 --> 00:26:04.099 for 30 years 00:26:04.099 --> 00:26:05.079 and he said 00:26:05.079 --> 00:26:05.920 to the guy 00:26:05.920 --> 00:26:06.519 he was talking with 00:26:06.519 --> 00:26:07.240 who wasn't a Christian, 00:26:07.700 --> 00:26:09.599 Jesus offers a peace 00:26:09.599 --> 00:26:11.680 I could find 00:26:11.680 --> 00:26:12.960 nowhere else. 00:26:12.960 --> 00:26:16.299 this man who'd done 00:26:16.299 --> 00:26:17.680 so much for Jesus, 00:26:17.840 --> 00:26:18.759 lived for decades, 00:26:19.340 --> 00:26:20.079 great wisdom 00:26:20.079 --> 00:26:20.880 into the world 00:26:20.880 --> 00:26:21.740 of mathematics. 00:26:22.740 --> 00:26:23.900 What he came back to 00:26:23.900 --> 00:26:24.700 was the joy 00:26:24.700 --> 00:26:26.880 of having peace 00:26:26.880 --> 00:26:27.720 in his heart. 00:26:27.720 --> 00:26:29.880 when I know 00:26:29.880 --> 00:26:29.880 00:26:29.880 --> 00:26:31.140 I have real forgiveness 00:26:31.140 --> 00:26:31.940 from God 00:26:31.940 --> 00:26:33.640 then I have 00:26:33.640 --> 00:26:34.579 peace. 00:26:35.980 --> 00:26:37.019 Jesus came 00:26:37.019 --> 00:26:37.579 to fulfill 00:26:37.579 --> 00:26:38.279 that longing 00:26:38.279 --> 00:26:40.220 to be the prince 00:26:40.220 --> 00:26:40.680 of peace 00:26:40.680 --> 00:26:41.600 who gives peace 00:26:41.600 --> 00:26:43.279 by his sacrificial death 00:26:43.279 --> 00:26:44.880 to establish 00:26:44.880 --> 00:26:45.660 an eternal 00:26:45.660 --> 00:26:47.240 kingdom of peace 00:26:47.240 --> 00:26:49.500 and it's a kingdom 00:26:49.500 --> 00:26:50.519 that he invites us 00:26:50.519 --> 00:26:51.140 into 00:26:51.140 --> 00:26:53.600 to begin 00:26:53.600 --> 00:26:54.400 to taste it 00:26:54.400 --> 00:26:55.220 right now 00:26:55.220 --> 00:26:56.299 to know 00:26:56.299 --> 00:26:57.240 that all is well 00:26:57.240 --> 00:26:58.000 between us 00:26:58.000 --> 00:26:58.940 and our God 00:26:58.940 --> 00:27:00.460 and to practice 00:27:00.460 --> 00:27:01.680 peace and unity 00:27:01.680 --> 00:27:03.039 with one another 00:27:03.039 --> 00:27:04.839 and all the while 00:27:04.839 --> 00:27:05.360 knowing 00:27:05.360 --> 00:27:06.319 the best 00:27:06.319 --> 00:27:07.440 is still to come. 00:27:08.600 --> 00:27:09.460 Let's pray 00:27:09.460 --> 00:27:10.079 to our God 00:27:10.079 --> 00:27:10.480 together. 00:27:13.259 --> 00:27:13.860 Lord, 00:27:13.920 --> 00:27:14.759 we thank you 00:27:14.759 --> 00:27:15.980 for what Jerusalem 00:27:15.980 --> 00:27:17.380 represented for David, 00:27:17.539 --> 00:27:17.960 the place 00:27:17.960 --> 00:27:18.620 where he could meet 00:27:18.620 --> 00:27:19.059 with you, 00:27:19.180 --> 00:27:20.140 be with your people, 00:27:20.500 --> 00:27:21.519 to have the joy 00:27:21.519 --> 00:27:22.299 and rest 00:27:22.299 --> 00:27:22.799 of being 00:27:22.799 --> 00:27:24.200 with the God 00:27:24.200 --> 00:27:25.119 of peace 00:27:25.119 --> 00:27:26.619 and Lord, 00:27:26.720 --> 00:27:27.259 we ask 00:27:27.259 --> 00:27:27.720 that you would 00:27:27.720 --> 00:27:28.359 give to us 00:27:28.359 --> 00:27:29.539 a slice 00:27:29.539 --> 00:27:30.019 of that 00:27:30.019 --> 00:27:30.879 even today 00:27:30.879 --> 00:27:32.099 the joy 00:27:32.099 --> 00:27:32.500 of knowing 00:27:32.500 --> 00:27:33.460 that you are here 00:27:33.460 --> 00:27:34.539 and that you are 00:27:34.539 --> 00:27:35.279 meeting with us, 00:27:35.339 --> 00:27:35.920 you're speaking 00:27:35.920 --> 00:27:36.460 to us 00:27:36.460 --> 00:27:37.220 from your word 00:27:37.220 --> 00:27:38.339 and by your spirit 00:27:38.339 --> 00:27:39.680 that you would 00:27:39.680 --> 00:27:40.839 give to us 00:27:40.839 --> 00:27:42.420 and give to our world 00:27:42.420 --> 00:27:43.599 that peace 00:27:43.599 --> 00:27:44.259 that passes 00:27:44.259 --> 00:27:45.379 all understanding, 00:27:46.099 --> 00:27:46.599 that peace 00:27:46.599 --> 00:27:47.740 that we so badly 00:27:47.740 --> 00:27:48.259 need 00:27:48.259 --> 00:27:50.139 to be reconciled 00:27:50.140 --> 00:27:50.860 with our God 00:27:50.860 --> 00:27:52.640 and with others. 00:27:53.480 --> 00:27:53.780 Now Lord, 00:27:53.840 --> 00:27:54.240 we ask 00:27:54.240 --> 00:27:54.580 that you would 00:27:54.580 --> 00:27:54.980 help us 00:27:54.980 --> 00:27:55.700 as a church 00:27:55.700 --> 00:27:57.080 to practice 00:27:57.080 --> 00:27:58.020 and to pursue 00:27:58.020 --> 00:27:58.880 and to pray 00:27:58.880 --> 00:27:59.640 for peace, 00:28:00.520 --> 00:28:02.140 to be a place 00:28:02.140 --> 00:28:03.860 known for security 00:28:03.860 --> 00:28:04.920 and harmony 00:28:04.920 --> 00:28:06.300 and justice, 00:28:07.259 --> 00:28:07.800 that we would 00:28:07.800 --> 00:28:08.980 point to the King 00:28:08.980 --> 00:28:10.700 who gives all that 00:28:10.700 --> 00:28:11.280 for now 00:28:11.280 --> 00:28:12.280 and forever. 00:28:13.900 --> 00:28:14.700 Teach us 00:28:14.700 --> 00:28:15.320 and help us, 00:28:15.420 --> 00:28:15.820 we ask, 00:28:15.920 --> 00:28:16.759 in Jesus' name. 00:28:17.220 --> 00:28:17.540 Amen.