Traveling Through Time and Dimension
(Psalm 48)
1. t's been a while since I have preached a sermon with a touch of weird. This is one!
Time travel and converging of the physical and spiritual sound like science fiction.
Yet these concepts are found, in a way, in the Psalm before us.
2. Realism, Idealism, Representationalism.
Earthly things represent heavenly realities. The physical and spiritual converge in the Temple and its furnishings. Hebrews 10:1 reads,
Hebrews 9:23-24 reads: "It was necessary, then, for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ did not enter a man-made sanctuary that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God's presence."
Main Idea: As disciples of Jesus Christ, we have our hardships. But we are privileged in so many ways. We know a God Who has control of time and exists in dimension we cannot grasp.
Jerusalem is a place where time and dimension converge, and it gives us a taste of God's control over both time and dimension.
I. The Glory of JERUSALEM is Longstanding (1-8)
A. Her HISTORY
1. As Salem (Genesis 14:18-12)
2. Her conquest by David (2 Samuel 5:6-7)
B. It is the CITY of God (1)
C. It is the LOFTY city (2)
1. The physical earthly Jerusalem (then)
2. The exalted Millennial Jerusalem (future)
3. The heavenly spiritual Jerusalem (in heaven and future on earth)
Zaphon means north, and should be thusly translated. Verse 2 should read, "beautiful in elevation, is the joy of all the earth, Mount Zion, in the far north, the city of the great King." (ESV)
Isaiah 14:13-15 speaks of the fall of Lucifer:
"But you said in your heart, 'I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, And I will sit on the mount of assembly In the recesses of the north.
'I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.' Nevertheless you will be thrust down to Sheol, To the recesses of the pit."
D. God dwells in Jerusalem in a special SENSE (3) Shekinah
E. God DEFENDED her repeatedly (4-7)
F. God makes her SECURE (8)
II. The ATMOSPHERE of Jerusalem is Amazing (9-14)
A. The Temple, the place to consider God's HESED (9)
• God's faithful lovingkindness is something we should never get over
B. God's Name: To be EXALTED everywhere (10)
• God's heart with all mankind, even though special relationship to Israel
` C. Yahweh's JUDGMENTS bring joy (11)
• Many Christians no longer believe this…
• God's ancient people used to rejoice that they were privileged to have his Word; most modern Christians do not read their Bibles during the week
• If we do not find joy in the Lord, we will look for it elsewhere
D. The HERITAGE must be passed on (12-13)
E. The God in Jerusalem is our God FOREVER (14a)
F. Yahweh is our GUIDE (14b)
1. Nathan Johnson writes:
Elizabeth Elliot tells of two adventurers who stopped by to see her, all loaded with equipment for the rain forest east of the Andes. They sought no advice, just a few phrases to converse with the Indians. She writes: ’Sometimes we come to God as the two adventurers came to me, confident and, we think, well-informed and well equipped. But has it occurred to us that with all our accumulation of stuff, something is missing?" She suggests that we often ask God for too little. ’We know what we need, a yes or no answer, please, to a simple question. Or perhaps a road sign. Something quick and easy to point the way. ’ What we really ought to have is the Guide himself. Maps, road signs, a few useful phrases are things, but infinitely better is someone who has been there before and knows the way." [Elizabeth Elliot, A Slow and Certain Light, Sermon Central]
2. Too many of us do not know God's will, and, worse yet, we don't know that we don't know…the most ignorant do not know they are ignorant…satisfied with level of knowledge they have.
3. But it goes beyond knowledge: a guide is one with whom we have contact, a relationship…he talks, we listen; we talk, he listens…
III. APPLICATIONS for Disciples of Jesus Christ
A. What we do on earth has ETERNAL ramifications
• Questions to Think About….
1. Does your life reflect holiness? Do you accept the reality that the physical things we do have spiritual consequences?
2. Do we wait on God for His guidance, seeking to follow Him as He rules through His Word and by His Spirit? Or do we act as independent agents?
3. Are you willing to put up personal fences to protect yourself from the lures of our culture? The movies or shows we watch on TV, or how much TV we watch.
4. Do your kids have to have whatever the other kids have? Are you training them to be like everyone else, to be distinctly Christian? Our faith has a pricetag – are you trying to avoid paying it?
B. Behind the physical is the SPIRITUAL
Hebrews 12:22-23, "But you have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, o the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the judge of all men, to the spirits of righteous men made perfect,
C. Our only CONTINUITY is our relationship to God
1. We are patterns
2. Every 5 years, we are replaced
3. How we live matters.
D. Do we REALLY want God to be our guide?
1. Chuck Couch and bus illustration (turning wheels)
2. We must be moving for God to steer us
3. How are you moving for God?
