Savior, Like a Shepherd, Lead Us
Griffith Baptist Church – 12/2/07
P.M. Service
Text: Psalm 24
Introduction
Nikita Khrushchev once boasted that he would exhibit the last Soviet Christian on television by 1965. Khrushchev has since gone to give account of himself to the Judge of all mankind, and his deadline for the extinction of Christianity in Russia has also passed. Throughout history, so-called big men and little men have strutted across the stages of life defying God. But as Psalm 145:13 promises, "Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations."
We come to the last of the trilogy of these Messianic Psalms
Here, in Psalm 24, we are confronted with the Sovereignty of our God
What does the word, sovereignty, mean?
o According to the dictionary, it means supremacy of authority or rule as exercised by a sovereign or sovereign state. Royal rank, authority, or power.
o As it pertains to God, it is the biblical teaching that God is the source of all creation and that all things come from and depend upon God (Ps. 24:1). Sovereignty means that God is in all and over all.
How much does He rule your life?
Body
First, we need to examine who we are talking about.
1. Who Is This King of Glory?
A. He is Creator and Owner of everything (1-2)
i. There is nothing that God does not possess
ii. Colossians 1:16-17- 16For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 17And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. (Ps. 89:11)
B. He is Holy (3)
i. Psalms 15:1 - LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill?
ii. Perfection and Sinlessness are His greatest attributes
iii. Nothing short of His holiness stands a chance in His presence
C. He is Sovereign (7-10)
i. He is absolute ruler and final authority. Nothing slips past Him without His say so.
ii. His authority is absolute and covers everything - Joshua 2:11 - And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath.
iii. The immensity of His reign is limitless - Isaiah 40:22-23 – It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in: 23That bringeth the princes to nothing; he maketh the judges of the earth as vanity.
D. He is Salvation (5)
i. He gave us Jesus Christ, who is God and Savior both
ii. Jonah’s desperate reality as a type of Christ and the resurrection of hope - Jonah 2:9 - But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD.
iii. Jesus Christ is the only hope
Second, there are conditions for being in His presence and that is where we spend the remainder of our time.
2. Who Can Belong to This King of Glory?
A. The Question arises from verse 3, Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place?
i. The hill of the Lord – Mount Zion, where Jerusalem is now and also of the heavenly Jerusalem where Messiah shall reign (Heb. 12:22; Rev. 14:1)
ii. The holy place – His tabernacle, the dwelling place of God in Jerusalem during the time of ancient Israel and also in the divine presence of God and God’s dwelling in man (1 Cor. 6:19). The throne of God in heaven is a holy place as well.
iii. So, the question is, who can stand in the presence of God
iv. The holy ground of Moses is the illustration - Exodus 3:5-6 – 5And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground. 6Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.
v. In the wilderness and the Temple in Jerusalem, God dwelt in the Holy of holies (the sanctuary) and specific instructions were given as to who could enter, when and how.
vi. The instant Christ died, the veil was torn from top to bottom (Matt. 27:51) and the holiest place was opened up.
iv. Christ’s death broke the divider between us and God - Ephesians 2:13-18 – 13But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. 14For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; 15Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; 16And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: 17And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. 18For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
i. A veil of Cloth has been replaced with the veil of Christ - Hebrews 10:19-22 – 19Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; 21And having an high priest over the house of God; 22Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
ii. We now all have been made priests - 1 Peter 2:9 – 9But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:
iii. Christ is now the High Priest who intercedes for us - Hebrews 7:25 - Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. (Heb. 8:1; 10:21)
B. The four requirements for being in God’s presence: (all verse 4)
i. Righteousness (clean hands)
a. God never alters the robe of righteousness to fit man; He changes the man to fit the robe.
b. True Righteousness is exhibited in our works
c. This is the outward working of an inward change
d. These good works are a result of salvation
e. Works is the partner of faith, which is a product of a changed life - James 2:17 - Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
f. This is through faith in Christ and His work - Philippians 3:9 - And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
ii. Pure (pure heart)
a. Matthew 5:8 - Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
b. A pure heart first comes from trusting in Christ for salvation
c. After this, there is a purifying work that goes on constantly
d. It is a result of the inner working of the Holy Spirit and our obedience to Him
e. It must be our desire and longing - Psalms 51:10 - Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
iii. Humble (not lifted his soul to vanity)
a. A famous evangelist decided to write a book on "Humility". Unfortunately its publication was delayed because the printer ran out of capital I’s!
b. A prideful attitude will never stand before God
c. Humility is the only worship God recognizes
d. Humility is honorable - Proverbs 29:23 – A man’s pride shall bring him low: but honor shall uphold the humble in spirit.
e. Humility is the starting point with God - Matthew 23:12 – 12And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.
f. God resists those filled with pride - James 4:6 - But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
iv. Truth (sworn deceitfully)
a. A store manager overheard his clerk tell a customer, "No, ma’am, we haven’t had any for a while, and it doesn’t look as if we’ll be getting any soon."
Horrified, the manager came running over to the customer and said, "Of course we’ll have some soon. We placed an order last week."
Then the manager drew the clerk aside. "Never," he snarled, "Never, never, never say we’re out of anything--say we’ve got it on order and it’s coming. Now, what was it she wanted?"
"Rain," said the clerk. -James Dent, in Charleston, W.Va. Gazette.
b. Truth is indispensable to God for He is truth
c. A lot is at stake concerning the truth: our testimony, the glory of God, salvation, etc.
d. God’s Word is truth – John 17:17 - Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
e. Our lives ought to be lived in truth – Ephesians 4:25 - Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor: for we are members one of another.
Conclusion:
How much does God rule in your life?
Is He Lord all the time or some of the time or just when it’s convenient?
