Who May Ascend?
Text: Psalm 24:3-6
“Who May ascend the hill of the Lord? Who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false. He will receive blessing from the Lord and vindication from God His Savior. Such is the generation of those who seek Him, who seek your face, O God of Jacob.”
Introduction:
How deeply do you desire to connect with God? Are you desperate to see a mighty movement of God on your campus and throughout your generation?
In the first decade of recent centuries, God has moved in astonishing ways to bring spiritual awakenings through students. We are living in that time right now. Could a spiritual awakening move throughout your campus and your generation?
God’s Word is clear; when we are obedient He will be faithful to accomplish His work through us. Just as this year’s theme passage emphasizes, obedience involves your being clean and pure to walk passionately with God.
The morals of our nation continue to spiral downward at alarming rates. How long will people continue to seek their own ways and live life without God? Will your generation be the one that will cry out to God for your families, friends, and classmates to turn to Him?
Don’t simply go through the motions in this service tonight. With clean hands and a pure heart, determine to be a part of this mighty movement in your generation.
* Taken from SYATP promotional materials
Of course we know that anyone can come to God at any time and ask for help, forgiveness, healing, protection and the like. David isn’t really talking about that here though. He’s talking about coming into the presence of God to worship and serve Him. He’s asking who can come to church, to the altar, into God’s presence, and ask for blessing and anointing over their life, their family, their generation. Sure anyone can still ask for that, but not everyone will get it.
WHY? I thought God loved me and has great plans for my life? Didn’t He say that He wants me to prosper and have success in what I do?
YES! He does have great plans for your life! He does want you to prosper and find success in all that you do! The only problem is…well, the problem is YOU. You have to make the choice to accept His plans rather than yours. His plans include keeping clean hands and a pure heart.
Tonight we are going to see how we can ascend and receive His blessing and anointing.
Here’s the formula:
Right Actions + Pure Attitudes = Higher Altitude
1. Right Actions: “clean hands”
Clean hands are hands that are free from external acts of sin.
Question: What are some “external” acts of sin?
Swearing, lying, cheating, murder, adultery, disobeying your parents
Speeding, smoking, drinking, drugs, abortion
Proverbs 6:16-19
“There are six things that Lord hates, seven that are detestable to Him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers.”
Do you ever do things to your friends that you know they hate?
Like running your nails down the chalkboard…
Psalm 151-5
“Lord, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill?
He who is blameless and who does what is righteous,
He who speaks the truth from his heart and has no slander on his tongue,
Who does his neighbor no wrong and casts no slur on his fellowman,
Who despises a vile man but honors those who fear the Lord,
Who keeps his oath even when it hurts,
Who lends his money without usury and does not accept a bribe against the innocent
He who does these things will never be shaken.”
Ho do I get Clean Hands?
A. Wash Your Hands
Students don’t clean their hands often or well enough. In one study, only 58% of female and 48% of male middle and high school students washed their hands after using the bathroom. Of these, only 33% of the females and 8% of the males used soap.
Adult hand cleaning behaviors also need improvement. In one study, about 33% of adults using public restrooms didn’t wash their hands after using the bathroom.
B. Stay out of the Dirt
1 Thes. 5:22 “Avoid every kind of evil.”
Illustration: Jordan “near” the ditch
Avoid temptations – lead us not into temptation
Avoid gray areas – there is still some black in gray
God has called us to be holy as He is holy
2. Pure Attitudes: “pure heart”
A pure heart refers to inward holiness, right motives and goals.
Question: What are some the “internal” acts of sin?
Lust, hatred, anger, bitterness, other gods, coveting
Matthew 5:8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God”
How do I get a “pure heart”
A. Separate yourself – Love righteousness, hate sin (2 Cor. 6:14-18)
Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people."
"Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord.
Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you."
"I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty”
B. Strive to please God – motives, It’s not about you
Hebrews 13:16 “And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.”
1 Corinthians 10:24 “Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others.”
C. “Seek him” (v6) daily diet – fill up on Jesus (Ps. 105:4)
Psalm 105:4 “Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always.”
3. Higher Altitude: receive blessing
Receiving the gifts, anointing, and inheritance that God has prepared for us
When we have clean hands and a pure heart we can come to God in confidence that he will bless us.
A. Personal Blessing
Psalm 34:10 “The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.”
Matthew 6:33 “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
B. Corporate Blessing
2 Chronicles 7:14 “if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
Closing – bow heads, close eyes
Who can ascend? He who has clean hands and a pure heart…He will receive blessing from the Lord.
Do you have clean hands…free from external acts of sin?
Maybe you need to wash your hands…
Maybe your struggling with hanging to close to the ditch…
Do you have a pure heart…inward holiness, right motives?
Maybe you need to separate yourself from someone or something…
Maybe you just need to change your motives to please God…
Maybe you’re just not seeking God…
God has great blessings for us individually and corporately. The choice is ours.
