Introduction
BillY- takes business trip/buyer/surf shop.
*When in Hawaii- attends church.
*Receives newsletters from church.
Pastor Gregg- sermon series entitled The Journey- inward journey to the wall in our lives.
What does he mean by the wall?
First thought- western wall (wailing wall) in Jerusalem- what does it mean to the Jews?
The Western Wall in Jerusalem
The Western Wall is a surviving remnant of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem- destroyed by Titus in 68AD.
The Western Wall to the Jews is a place where ..
1. God deposits godliness into the world
Temple built on- Temple Mount- called Mt Moriah …
*spot where Abraham- sacrifice Isaac (Gen 22)
*Jacob- dream of a ladder to heaven w/angels
ascending/descending to God (Gen 28)
To the Jews the Temple was the …
*center of the spiritual world
*main conduit for flow of Godliness into-world
It is the place from which …
*instruction comes forth from God,
*the fear of heaven is released,
*where light goes forth to mankind.
2. People encounter the presence of God
The temple was a house built for God by King Solomon, it was the place of God’s presence.
After the temple was destroyed they believe that the divine presence never left the Western Wall.
It is a symbol to them of the eternalness of God and the eternalness of them as the people of God.
In the Torah God assures the Jewish People that they will never be destroyed- outlived their enemies.
Gen 17:7-8 God- eternal covenant w/Abraham
To the Jews the …
*the wall will always be there
*Jewish people will always exist, and
*presence of God will always be there.
3. Prayers go up to God
Three times a day for thousands of years the Jews have offered up prayers towards the Western Wall.
1 Kings 8:48-49
Their tradition says- all prayers from around the world ascend to the Wall, from there ascend to heaven.
What is Today’s Temple for the NT Believer?
Inhabits the praises of His people.
Psa 22:3 Yet You are holy, O You who are enthroned upon the praises of Israel. NASU
Enthroned- inhabits- a place where God dwells.
1Pet 2:4-5
God does not live in brick/mortar, but in His people.
Eph 2:11-12, 17-22
God- building His church into a place of His presence.
What about our Journey to the Wall
The Jews have their physical wall that they journey to, we have an inner wall we can journey to as well.
Pastor Gregg in Hawaii defines the wall …
The wall represents our will meeting God’s will face to face. (Sunset Beach Christian Church)
The Jews go to the Western Wall to pray at a place inhabited by the presence of the eternal God.
Our journey to the wall in our lives, is a journey into God’s presence- place of encounter/revelation.
The place of the presence of God is not just …
*a place of intimate feelings
*not even just a place where we fall prostrate before God and worship Him
*place where our will is challenged by His Will
This makes it a place of discipleship/transformation, as well as a place of intimacy/relationship.
Moses encountered his wall at the burning bush …
Ex 3:2-4, 9-11
Here we see that …
*Moses encounters the presence of God,
*experiences revelation concerning God’s love for Him and for the Jewish people, and
*He is challenged to bring his will into alignment with God
David encountered his wall in a cave in the wilderness of Engedi …
1 Sam 24:1-7
David, as a shepherd, had learned much about waiting on and experiencing the presence of God.
Here he is forced to align his way with God’s ways.
What about our wall?
Will we allow ourselves to journey to that place where
*we can encounter the presence of God
*we will be challenged to align our will w/His
It is a place where …
*God deposits godliness into our lives
*we encounter the presence of God
*our prayers go up to God
*it is a place of transformation
I like what Pastor Gregg from Hawaii says …
The Wall is the place where another layer of transformation occurs and a renewed life of faith begins for those who have the courage to move toward it.
Practical Application
It will take courage- move toward the wall in our lives
We cannot have the presence of God without transformation and we cannot have transformation without the presence of God. Gary Stebbins
Each of us must examine our own willingness to move towards our wall, that place of …
*presence and transformation
Mtt 13:3-9, 18-23
As a pastor I am responsible for the seed that I sow.
You are responsible for the condition of the soil.
If you want to step into that place of presence and transformation- you must till the soil of your heart.
I know of no other way to do that but to cry out to God and ask for His mercy.
God here I am, do what you must do in me, to make the soil of my heart a place where I can experience your presence and be transformed into your likeness.
We can/must read the Word, pray, build godly relationships, but in the end we need His mercy.
Ministry
God give me the desire/courage to press into that place where I can …
*experience your presence and
*become like you in character/life style
Additional Information
Quote by Mark Twain …
Other peoples have sprung up and held their torch high for a time, but it burned out, and they sit in twilight now, or have vanished. The Jew saw them all, beat them all and is now what he always was, exhibiting no decadence, no infirmities of age, no weakening of his parts, no slowing of his energies, no dulling of his alert and aggressive mind. All things are mortal but the Jew; all other forces pass, but he remains. What is the secret of his immortality?
