One Day In The Temple

You can listen to the message here:-

https://soundcloud.com/necallanquak/special-sermon-one-day-in-the-temple-psalm-841-12

Message

Psalm 84:1-12

One Day in the Temple

1 How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord Almighty!

2 My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord;

my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.

3 Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself,

where she may have her young—a place near your altar,

Lord Almighty, my King and my God.

4 Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you.

This Psalm starts by expressing the thoughts of someone who is “home sick”. But they are not on their way home … they are on their way to worship God. Every year crowds would flock to Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles. They would make the journey from every part of the land. Some would come from other countries. They were all coming to one place … and it was home.

As the Psalmist walks along you can feel the intense desire he has as he allows his emotions to unfold.

My soul yearns, even faints for the courts of the Lord.

The soul represents the very core of our being. It is what drives us. When someone at work asked him what he was doing on the weekend he didn’t say, “I’ll probably just go to church”. No. His response is.

“I’M ON MY WAY TO MEET WITH GOD AND BE REVIVED BY HIS PRESENCE … I JUST CAN’T GET ENOUGH OF PRAISING AND WORSHIPPING”.

His mates at work think he is crazy … and he is. He is crazy for God and just feels so privileged to be able to express it.

The Psalmist goes on. Even the sparrow has found a home – a place near Your alter.

The Temple courtyards were open to the sky, and the great eaves provided a place for good nesting, so there were always birds in and around the Temple. As he thinks about the situation of the birds he is jealous … he wants to have that intimacy and closeness. To be in the midst of God’s house all the time.

“I’ve gotta have it” – it is an appetite for God. That is what this Psalm is expressing … a deep longing to be with God and worship. Why? Why was it so important to him?

To see why let me describe an article in National Geographic about the Artic wolf. Seven of these wolves had targeted a small group of musk-oxen calves which were guarded by eleven adults. As the wolves approached the musk oxen bunched in an impenetrable semicircle, their deadly rear hooves facing out, and the calves remained safe during a long standoff. But then a single ox broke rank which caused the others to scatter into nervous little groups. Eventually the adults fled and not a single calf survived.

It is hard being a believer and staying focussed when we try and do it all on our own. An antidote to this difficulty is to long for the strength and support which comes from being together with the people of God. Together we recognise the grace of God to us makes us a part of a family which cannot be broken.

In a while we will celebrate the Lord’s Supper

As we look upon the elements which are before us this is what we are celebrating. We are reminding ourselves that God has gone to great lengths to include us.

God took His beloved Son and nailed Him to the cross.

God turned His back and poured out His wrath.

God gave that which was most precious to be the ultimate sacrifice.

God brought us through His Son into His “home”. We don’t have a temple anymore … but we do gather as a church. It is a place of encouragement and support – like “home”. We too are at times “homesick” pilgrims who have come together to be strengthened by the Lord.

Let’s keep reading – Psalm 84:5-9.

5 Blessed are those whose strength is in you, whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.

6 As they pass through the Valley of Baka, they make it a place of springs;

the autumn rains also cover it with pools.

7 They go from strength to strength, till each appears before God in Zion.

8 Hear my prayer, Lord God Almighty; listen to me, God of Jacob.

9 Look on our shield, O God; look with favour on your anointed one.

In these verses we continue to follow the thought patterns of a man who is on a journey to the Temple in Jerusalem. He is walking from which ever part of the land he lives and he is constantly thinking about what the temple means.