Sermons

The Joy Of Arrival (Psalm 122:1-9)

Dr. Robert E. Gustafson, Jr., December 18, 2016
Part of the Morning Worship at North Greenville Church series, preached at a Sunday Morning service

The traveler is going home to the City of God. The Garden in Genesis is analogous to Jerusalem in Revelation. Jerusalem means both the presence of God and also his people, the church. We come to Jerusalem in joy, for what the savior has done, is doing and will do. We come in unity, focused on the festival and on God. Peace is wellness, wholeness, prosperity and righteousness. In unity, truth, peace and joy, we find rest.

Tags: Joy, Peace, Perseverence, Righteousness, Unity

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Psalm 122 (Listen)

A Song of Ascents. Of David.

122:1   I was glad when they said to me,
    “Let us go to the house of the LORD!”
2   Our feet have been standing
    within your gates, O Jerusalem!
3   Jerusalem—built as a city
    that is bound firmly together,
4   to which the tribes go up,
    the tribes of the LORD,
  as was decreed for Israel,
    to give thanks to the name of the LORD.
5   There thrones for judgment were set,
    the thrones of the house of David.
6   Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!
    “May they be secure who love you!
7   Peace be within your walls
    and security within your towers!”
8   For my brothers and companions’ sake
    I will say, “Peace be within you!”
9   For the sake of the house of the LORD our God,
    I will seek your good.

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North Greenville Church

North Greenville Church

North Greenville Church is a Reformed and Presbyterian fellowship that seeks to establish a traditional church of Christ in northern Greenville County.

North Greenville Church

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We observe this day as Reformation Sunday, because the Reformation has had such an impact for 500 years. The Reformation focused on how we can know God and be right with Him. These issues matter even now; we need to be reminded of eternal realities. John Calvin wrote that the doctrine of justification is the hinge on which religion is supported. This doctrine as understood by the reformers is Biblical. Justification is a gift of grace and is the only way to be right with God. As we saw last week, the Bible testifies that Abraham believed, and this belief was credited to him by God as righteousness. Belief brings with it blessings, as with Abraham who received the promise of an heir. Without righteousness comes lawless deeds, which are rebellion against God. With righteousness in Christ, sins are no longer counted against us, and we are people of joy. We see confidence of God's favor in the lives of Abraham and David. God instituted the ordinance of circumcision 2000 years ago as a sign of the covenant He made with Abraham. Now, under the new covenant in Christ's blood, both circumcised and uncircumcised of all nations receive the blessings of the covenant by faith. Abraham, Paul reminds us, was declared righteous before he was circumcised, so salvation occurs apart from circumcision. So, what purpose is attached to circumcision? Paul says it is a seal of righteousness recieved by faith while uncircumcised. A seal bears the authority of the one who makes it. The life of Abraham shows us what a man of faith should look like. Baptism and circumcision are connected as marks of the covenant; in the case of baptism, of the new covenant. Its practice is formalized in Jesus' giving the church the great commission, and it is for both adults and children. We must avoid dangers connected with the practice of baptism. Baptism does not confer forgiveness. Baptismal regeneration is a false teaching. Baptism is only a declaration of personal faith and not a guarantee of salvation. Jacob and Esau both received the sign of circumcision. Yet, only one was saved. For the New Testament church, baptism is a declaration of God's gift of grace. ... See MoreSee Less

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Today's focal passages from Genesis and John both reference a heavenly stairway with angels ascending and descending. Jacob saw this vision, and Jesus promised Nathanael that he would see the vision. Regarding Jacob, sin was very present around him. His mother Rebecca wanted Jacob to have a godly wife, so she sent him to Haran and her own people to find such a wife. On the way, Jacob camped at what would become Bethel. In a dream while seeing the stairway or ladder, he received a restatement of the Abrahamic covenant made to his grandfather, promising a homeland and a mighty nation from his offspring. Most importantly, God promised to be with Jacob and his offspring, even though Jacob was a trickster and rascal. Jacob awoke afraid, but realized that he was in the house of God and the stairway was the gate of heaven. He declared the awesomeness of the place and became a changed man, a partriarch to his offspring. Jacob accepted wrongs done to him, for example by his father in law, Laban. Jacob now sought to serve God and live for Him. The stairway is the heart of this passage. Our age-old sin is our desire to be like God and be our own god. Yet, there is only one stairway to heaven, and as Nathanael would see, Jesus is that stairway. The gospel comes down and takes us up to heaven. Jacob responded to the awesome vision by building an altar where he praised God and worshiped Him. Jacob then made a vow that if God provided for his needs, Jacob would proclaim God as his personal true God. He set up a memorial pillar as a reminder of his vow. Jacob received surprising grace, converting him from a cheater to a patriarch, even though Jacob did not deserve it. We must appreciate the grace of God that overflows us and places us in His service. ... See MoreSee Less

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In the early church, the Lord's Supper was observed as part of a larger meal; it was known as the agape (love) feast. It was also part of the larger culture and was held in larger homes. However, the Corinthians were gathering according to socioeconomic class. This was wrong, because the church marked a whole new order, and there were to be no divisions among the members. In Christ, we are all one people of God. Christ broke down all dividing walls. In Corinth, the divisions were not for their betterment, rather for the worse. Divisions are a poor testimony for the gospel. The Lord's Supper is a visual representation of reconciliation with Christ and with the Body of Christ, the church. The Corinthian church perverted the Lord's Supper, because the wealthy were discriminating. They had lost the true meaning of the Supper, which had been well established by this time in the church. The wealthy indulged themselves, and there was nothing left for the poorer members. The Supper should display our unity for mutual upbuilding. Their practices also humiliated the poorer members and robbed them of their dignity. Paul, the apostle, warned the rich not to be selective in fellowship. The Lord's Supper is connected with the Passover meal. The broken bread visualizes Christ's body; in taking the bread, they pointed to their becoming one with Him. As with the Passover, they were to remember Christ's redemptive acts, what He did for them. The cup visualizes the new covenant in His blood, which is supremely effectual compared with the blood of bulls and goats, marking the redemption of the body of Christ. Jesus made a covenantal sacrifice. He satisfies the wrath of God. Jesus came not to exalt Himself, rather to serve and give His life as a ransom. The Lord's Supper visualizes the church proclaiming the Lord's death til He comes again; we present the gospel visually. We are to prepare to partake of it, but not to be afraid. We shouild not be overly introspective. The Supper unites, pointing to a restored relationship between God and His people. It should humble us befor a loving and just God. We must place other's interests before our own. We should share together, waiting for each other, remembering that whatever our status, we are needy. ... See MoreSee Less

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