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Singing When The Throne Is Empty
Psalms 89
November 15, 2020

Tonight we come to the 89th Psalm.
It is a lengthy Psalm, but the point is clear
And one that reminds us why we love the Psalms so much.

How often we find within this book sentiments and emotions,
Doubts and discouragements that we too can feel in life.

Peter wrote regarding suffering in his 1st epistle:
1 Peter 5:8-9 “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.”

Peter certainly acknowledged the realness of suffering,
But he also was quick to remind that we are not alone in it.

Throughout the world our brethren are also suffering and they are winning!
“accomplished” is a word that means “to bring to an end; complete”

They are finishing it…
They are enduring it…
They are completing it…
Be encouraged by them.

That is the type of encouragement we also see in the Psalms.

We see real people with real suffering and real questions
And as we see their walk we are encouraged in ours.

Especially when they are Psalms that express confusion, like this one.

To sort of INTRODUCE the Psalm, it reads like this:

Apparently the Psalmist has been reacquainted with the prophecy concerning the lineage of David.
• Perhaps he was reading the passage where David’s lineage was discussed (2 Samuel 7)
• Perhaps there was a song already written about the blessings God pronounced on David’s line and this caused him to ponder it.

It doesn’t really matter how the truth entered his mind.

But here is what happens.
• He becomes acquainted with the prophecy, ponders on it, searches it out, exposits it,
• And then lifts up his eyes and looks at the world and says, “What happened? Where is the fulfillment of this promise?”

Recently we’ve talked about false prophets who like to deceive people by taking a Bible in one hand and a newspaper in the other
And convincing people that the end is near.

Well here is a man who took a Bible in one hand
And a newspaper in the other
And noticed that they didn’t match and he wants to know why.

• Where is the fulfillment of all these promises?
• Where is the blessing God spoke of?
• Where is the goodness we were supposed to be receiving?

EVER HAD A MOMENT LIKE THAT?
You read God’s promises in the Bible and then look at your life and wonder if God forgot what He promised?

I know those aren’t the types of emotions we mention out loud in church,
But they can be the real types of emotions we feel at home in the closet.

Well Psalms 89 is one of those moments.

It is lengthy, so we will have to move quickly,
But I think it’s important not to break this one in half
But to make sure we cover it all in one sitting.

So let’s work our way through it tonight.
We’ll bread it down into 5 points.
#1 THE PSALMIST’S PASSAGE
Psalms 89:1-4

Now I will tell you that there are some who think that perhaps verses 1-37 represent a common song or Psalm that the Psalmist already knew.

• It would sort of be like you driving down the road and a song comes on the radio that you know well and have sung many times.
• But on this day, as you sing it, you say to yourself, “I’m not sure if that song is true or not.”

There are some who think that is what is happening here.
That the Psalmist is first quoting for us a Psalm that already existed in his day (though not preserved in Scripture)

It could be.

What they do agree on is that
If the Psalmist is NOT quoting an existing Psalm then based on the end of the Psalm, verses 1-37 is some of the most disciplined song writing you’ll ever see.

Because until you get to verse 38
YOU’D NEVER GUESS the Psalmist is struggling at all.

“I will sing of the lovingkindness of the LORD forever; To all generations I will make known Your faithfulness with my mouth.”

That’s positive isn’t it!
• I want everyone to know about the loyalty of God.
• I want everyone to know about the faithfulness of God.
• I’m going to sing about it forever and to everyone.

And then we get a glimpse of what prompted such a statement,
And it was a specific Bible passage.

(2-4) “For I have said, “Lovingkindness will be built up forever; In the heavens You will establish Your faithfulness.” “I have made a covenant with My chosen; I have sworn to David My servant, I will establish your seed forever And build up your throne to all generations.” Selah.”

Now this is just A PARAPHRASE here,
But what the Psalmist is doing is referencing the portion of Scripture
Were God announced His loyal covenant with David.

TURN TO: 2 SAMUEL 7:8-17
• You know the story.
• David wanted to build God a house
• God told him no because he had shed much blood
• God announced that his son would build His house
• But God also told David that his lineage would never depart for all eternity

It was a remarkable promise!
God told David that He would cause his kingdom to endure forever.

1 Kings 8:16 “Since the day that I brought My people Israel from Egypt, I did not choose a city out of all the tribes of Israel in which to build a house that My name might be there, but I chose David to be over My people Israel.”

Isaiah 9:7 “There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will accomplish this.”

It is the David Covenant.

I don’t know if the Psalmist was reading 2 Samuel 7 or if he was singing a song about 2 Samuel 7 but either way the passage he is referring to becomes clear.

God made an announcement that David’s line would last forever
And the Psalmist is blown away
By God’s loyalty and faithfulness to David.

That is the Passage
#2 THE PSALMIST’S PERCEPTION
Psalms 89:5-37

Now this is obviously a long segment of the Psalm,
But basically it is THE EXPOSITION of 2 Samuel 7.

• These 30+ verses would be equal to the sermon preached on 2 Samuel 7.
• These verses would stand as the explanation of those promises.

The Psalmist begins talking about the greatness and grandeur of God.
(READ 5-10)

The references there are to the power of God.
• The Psalmist references that even in the heavens the angels are mesmerized
by the omnipotence of God.

(5) “The heavens will praise Your wonders, O LORD; Your faithfulness also in the assembly of the holy ones.”

No one can equal or rival or compare to the God of heaven.
(6-8) “For who in the skies is comparable to the LORD? Who among the sons of the mighty is like the LORD, a God greatly feared in the council of the holy ones, And awesome above all those who are around Him? O LORD God of hosts, who is like You, O mighty LORD? Your faithfulness surrounds You.”

Even in the heavens, among the holy angels, there is reverence and awe regarding the greatness of God.

His power is like no other.
(9-10) “You rule the swelling of the sea; When its waves rise, You still them. You Yourself crushed Rahab like one who is slain; You scattered Your enemies with Your mighty arm.”

The sea was always a picture of that which could not be tamed.
Filled with uncertainty and danger, yet God’s power is described in the fact that He can still the sea. (Obviously we think of Jesus here)

“Rahab” was a reference to Egypt and how God crushed that mighty nation that He might deliver His people.

No one can thwart the plan of God.
He does whatever He wants to do.

Psalms 115:3 “But our God is in the heavens; He does whatever He pleases.”

Psalms 135:6 “Whatever the LORD pleases, He does, In heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deeps.”

And all things belong to and answer to this powerful and mighty God.
(11-12) “The heavens are Yours, the earth also is Yours; The world and all it contains, You have founded them. The north and the south, You have created them; Tabor and Hermon shout for joy at Your name.”

Everything belongs to this mighty God.
All the heavens; all the earth; from pole to pole; to the highest mountains.

We would refer to it as the TOTAL AUTONOMY OF GOD
• He has all the power
• He has all the authority
• He has all the right

He can do whatever He wants with all that is His,
And since everything is His, He does whatever He wants.

• He answers to no delegation…
• He needs no wise counsel…
• He will never stand judgment for anything He does…

HE HAS TOTAL AUTONOMY.

AND THIS WOULD BE A TERRIFYING THING where it not for the fact that while God is all powerful, HE IS ALSO JUST.

(13-14) “You have a strong arm; Your hand is mighty, Your right hand is exalted. Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; Lovingkindness and truth go before You.”

He is a good God.
He is a righteous God.

Deuteronomy 32:1-4 “Give ear, O heavens, and let me speak; And let the earth hear the words of my mouth. “Let my teaching drop as the rain, My speech distill as the dew, As the droplets on the fresh grass And as the showers on the herb. “For I proclaim the name of the LORD; Ascribe greatness to our God! “The Rock! His work is perfect, For all His ways are just; A God of faithfulness and without injustice, Righteous and upright is He.”

And those realities lead the Psalmist to shout out that being a person in covenant with this great God is an awesome thing!

(15-18) “How blessed are the people who know the joyful sound! O LORD, they walk in the light of Your countenance. In Your name they rejoice all the day, And by Your righteousness they are exalted. For You are the glory of their strength, And by Your favor our horn is exalted. For our shield belongs to the LORD, And our king to the Holy One of Israel.”

It is good to be the people of God.
For we have a powerful and just God.

We have a glorious God.
• A God who goes before us.
• A God who lights our way with His glory.
• A God who exalts us in His righteousness.
• A God who strengthens us for His glory.
• A God who extends grace and favor to us.
• A God who shields us.

It is good to be the people of God!

This entire DOXOLOGY of praise was INSPIRED by the fact that
God chose to make a kingdom for David that would never pass away.

TURN BACK TO: 2 SAMUEL 7:18-24

Those are the same things David said in response aren’t they?
• God promised an enduring kingdom and David said, “Wow! We are so blessed to have a God like You!”

Psalms 33:12 “Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, The people whom He has chosen for His own inheritance.”

And then the Psalmist continues,
This time OUTLINING THE SPECIFICS of the passage he referenced.

Here he begins to unpack and explain
Exactly what God was promising when He made that promise to David.

(19-25) “Once You spoke in vision to Your godly ones, And said, “I have given help to one who is mighty; I have exalted one chosen from the people. “I have found David My servant; With My holy oil I have anointed him, With whom My hand will be established; My arm also will strengthen him. “The enemy will not deceive him, Nor the son of wickedness afflict him. “But I shall crush his adversaries before him, And strike those who hate him. “My faithfulness and My lovingkindness will be with him, And in My name his horn will be exalted. “I shall also set his hand on the sea And his right hand on the rivers.”

You can see there the START of the kingdom as God sovereignly chose David and gave him the kingdom.
(20) “I have found David My servant;”

You can see the STRENGTH of the kingdom God promised to David.
(23) “I shall crush his adversaries before him, and strike those who hate him.”

You can see the SCOPE of the kingdom God promised him.
(25) “I shall also set his hand on the sea And his right hand on the rivers.”

That was a reference to David inheriting the full land promised to Abraham.
Exodus 23:31 “I will fix your boundary from the Red Sea to the sea of the Philistines, and from the wilderness to the River Euphrates; for I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand, and you will drive them out before you.”

David’s kingdom would be from the sea to the Euphrates.

And if we go on, you can see the SOVEREIGNTY of David’s kingdom.
(26-29) “He will cry to Me, ‘You are my Father, My God, and the rock of my salvation.’ “I also shall make him My firstborn, The highest of the kings of the earth. “My lovingkindness I will keep for him forever, And My covenant shall be confirmed to him. “So I will establish his descendants forever And his throne as the days of heaven.”

This is just the Psalmist fleshing out for you
What God clearly promised David back in 2 Samuel 7.

• God was in effect calling David His “firstborn” which of course entitles David to the birthright and the blessing of God.
• God called him “the highest of the kings of earth” which is absolute sovereignty.
• God said “My lovingkindness I will keep for him forever” which is to say I will never cut off My loyalty from him.
• God said his throne would be forever.

It’s just the Psalmist outlining what God promised David.

But even that isn’t the main point that the Psalmist wanted to seize upon.
• Yes you see the Start of David’s kingdom
• Yes you see the Strength of David’s kingdom
• Yes you see the Scope of David’s kingdom
• Yes you see the Sovereignty of David’s kingdom

But the aspect of the prophecy that most stood out to the Psalmist was THE SECURITY OF DAVID’S KINGDOM

(30-37) “If his sons forsake My law And do not walk in My judgments, If they violate My statutes And do not keep My commandments, Then I will punish their transgression with the rod And their iniquity with stripes. “But I will not break off My lovingkindness from him, Nor deal falsely in My faithfulness. “My covenant I will not violate, Nor will I alter the utterance of My lips. “Once I have sworn by My holiness; I will not lie to David. “His descendants shall endure forever And his throne as the sun before Me. “It shall be established forever like the moon, And the witness in the sky is faithful.” Selah.”

That’s pretty remarkable isn’t it?

It’s one thing to be so delighted in David
• That you would make all those promises to him and to give him such a great kingdom.

But to pass that on to his lineage with the promise of
No matter how wicked they might be,
I will not revoke this promise to David.

That is just a remarkable promise.

And notice, God said, “I have sworn by My holiness; I will not lie to David.”

That is God putting His holiness on the line as collateral.
“If I don’t do this, then you have the right
to no longer consider Me to be a holy God.”

This is a serious promise.
This is an amazing promise.

Psalms 2:7-9 “I will surely tell of the decree of the LORD: He said to Me, ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You. ‘Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance, And the very ends of the earth as Your possession. ‘You shall break them with a rod of iron, You shall shatter them like earthenware.'”

Now, as we said, this is the exposition of 2 Samuel 7.
• I don’t know if the Psalmist here read that passage and did his own exposition,
• Or if he is simply quoting a song someone else did about it.
• But it is clear that the opening 37 verses of this Psalm are filled with praise and gratitude to God for what He promised to David.
• It is just pure joy to ponder and rejoice in this magnificent promise of God.

God said that David’s kingdom would last forever and no matter how wicked and corrupt his children were, God would never (33-34) “break off My lovingkindness from him, Nor deal falsely in My faithfulness. My covenant I will not violate, Nor will I alter the utterance of My lips.”

Write it down in blood!
This is a done deal.
This is My promise.

And the Psalms feels like a glorious song of praise.
Until we get to verse 38.

#3 THE PSALMISTS PROBLEM
Psalms 89:38-45

OUCH!
That word “But” packs a punch there doesn’t?

• You said David’s kingdom would last forever.
• You said even if his sons were wicked, you’d never reject David.

But the Psalmist is here looking around him.
And do you know what he sees? AN EMPTY THRONE

Oh, he knows the promise…
He’s quite familiar with 2 Samuel 7…
But still, the throne is empty.

TURN TO: 2 KINGS 25:8-21

Zedekiah reigned from 597 to 586BC
• He was the last King to ever sit on the throne in Israel.
• He was deported to Babylon.
• And yes, after 70 years Israel did return to her land.
• Yes, she did rebuild her temple.
• And yes, Zerubbabel was a governor whom God called “a signet ring”
• But still, there was no king.

Throughout the ages,
• Israel would fall victim the Greek civil war and would spend time in the kingdom of the Ptolemies and then under the kingdom of the Seleucids.
• They would revolt and win their independence
• But then they would fall under Roman rule in the New Testament.
• And modern history has seen them scattered, oppressed, and afflicted.
• Yes, we saw them reestablished on their land, and they do have a government in place,
• But they have not had a king for over 2600 years.

And the Psalmist can’t get past it.

He’s holding 2 Samuel 7 in one hand and a newspaper in the other
And he can’t figure it out.

When he looks around he SEES ANYTHING BUT
The type of blessing they were expecting under a Davidic kingdom.

(38-45) “But You have cast off and rejected, You have been full of wrath against Your anointed. You have spurned the covenant of Your servant; You have profaned his crown in the dust. You have broken down all his walls; You have brought his strongholds to ruin. All who pass along the way plunder him; He has become a reproach to his neighbors. You have exalted the right hand of his adversaries; You have made all his enemies rejoice. You also turn back the edge of his sword And have not made him stand in battle. You have made his splendor to cease And cast his throne to the ground. You have shortened the days of his youth; You have covered him with shame. Selah.”

All he sees is an empty throne.
• He sees rejection
• He sees reproach

He is having a tough time reconciling what he sees with what he reads.

That is his problem.
#4 HIS PLEA
Psalms 89:46-51

Here we see the ever familiar “How long, O LORD?”

Now, let me just point out that in the context of this Psalm,
This prayer is a tremendous statement of faith.

After what we just read and the apparent failure of the promise of God, we would EXPECT the Psalmist pray, “What happened, O LORD?”

BUT HE DOESN’T.
He still doesn’t question the “if” only the “when”.

He still believes God will keep His promise,
It’s just a matter of when God will do it.

But make no mistake, he is confused.
(46-51) “How long, O LORD? Will You hide Yourself forever? Will Your wrath burn like fire? Remember what my span of life is; For what vanity You have created all the sons of men! What man can live and not see death? Can he deliver his soul from the power of Sheol? Selah. Where are Your former lovingkindnesses, O Lord, Which You swore to David in Your faithfulness? Remember, O Lord, the reproach of Your servants; How I bear in my bosom the reproach of all the many peoples, With which Your enemies have reproached, O LORD, With which they have reproached the footsteps of Your anointed.”

Can you hear his frustration?
• God, I’m not going to live forever (I don’t have all day)
• Where is this promise I read about?
• Where is that loyalty we sang about in verse 1?
• Can you see the reproach we are dealing with, where is the blessing?
• Do you see how the world mocks you, where is the king You promised?

And, AS WE SAID, it’s not the kind of frustration that we typically hear expressed in the church, but it is certainly that which may be more commonly expressed in the closet.

We come to church and we like to pretend it’s all under control,
But you and I both know there are days when we read the promises of God,
Then look at life and wonder what in the world happened.

I just finished another WWII documentary last week.
• There was about 3 minutes of footage on Holocaust survivors.
• It was almost more than I could bear…

Throughout the documentary excerpts are read from the published diary of a nurse named June Wandrey. The published diary is called “Bedpan Commando”. Upon treating some Holocaust survivors she writes:

“You have to gently shake some of the patients to see if they are still alive. Their breathing is so shallow. Each time I breathe a wee prayer for them. God are You there? God, where are You?”

Life can do that can’t it?
When you witness horror and tragedy and it doesn’t line up
With the prosperous blessings we see promised in Scripture.

It’s hard to mesh them sometimes.

That is where the Psalmist is.
• He isn’t quitting…
• He hasn’t defected…
• But he wants to know “How long..?”

And then he ends
#5 HIS PERSEVERANCE
Psalms 89:52

It seems so small, almost like an afterthought.
But contained here are the very words of Job
• Who witnesses the loss of all that he had, and who sat down in confusion in the ash heap and said, “Blessed be the name of the LORD”

It is worship in confusion.
It is singing a song to an empty throne.

“Blessed be the LORD forever! Amen and Amen.”

That is faith over understanding.
And we certainly commend the Psalmist for that.

BUT THE PSALM HAS OPPENED UP QUESTIONS FOR US TO ANSWER.

What do we do with such a Psalm?
What do we do with such a dilemma?

There is a passage I want to read to you from the New Testament.
2 Corinthians 1:20 “For as many as are the promises of God, in Him they are yes; therefore also through Him is our Amen to the glory of God through us.”

That verse is so important.
All the promises of God are fulfilled to us in Jesus.

John 5:39 “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me;”

The Psalmist couldn’t figure out what was going on
Because the Psalmist had never seen Jesus.

I can almost picture Psalm 89 being Simeon’s prayer
• In the temple as day after day he waited to see a King.
• He wasn’t getting any younger and I can almost hear him saying, “Remember what my span of life is; for what vanity You have created all the sons of men! What man can live and not see death? Can he deliver his soul from the power of Sheol?”

Can’t you hear Simeon reminding God that I’m about to die
And I haven’t seen it yet.

The Psalmist was in despair because he hadn’t seen Jesus.

But when you see Jesus, all of God’s promises come into focus.

So let’s just make an obvious statement here.

Apart from Jesus God’s promises are unfulfilled.
Without Jesus there is only confusion.

Imagine reading the Old Testament WITHOUT KNOWING Christ.

Isaiah 9:2-7 “The people who walk in darkness Will see a great light; Those who live in a dark land, The light will shine on them. You shall multiply the nation, You shall increase their gladness; They will be glad in Your presence As with the gladness of harvest, As men rejoice when they divide the spoil. For You shall break the yoke of their burden and the staff on their shoulders, The rod of their oppressor, as at the battle of Midian. For every boot of the booted warrior in the battle tumult, And cloak rolled in blood, will be for burning, fuel for the fire. For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will accomplish this.”

Apart from Jesus you wouldn’t know what to do with a promise like that.
• But Matthew 4:12 says Jesus fulfilled it.
• It was all about Him.

Isaiah 42:1-4 “Behold, My Servant, whom I uphold; My chosen one in whom My soul delights. I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the nations. “He will not cry out or raise His voice, Nor make His voice heard in the street. “A bruised reed He will not break And a dimly burning wick He will not extinguish; He will faithfully bring forth justice. “He will not be disheartened or crushed Until He has established justice in the earth; And the coastlands will wait expectantly for His law.”

What would you do with that if you couldn’t read Matthew 12 and here that it was talking about Jesus?

Isaiah 61:1-2 “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, Because the LORD has anointed me To bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to captives And freedom to prisoners; To proclaim the favorable year of the LORD And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn,”

Isaiah made that promise over 2800 years ago.
What would you do with that if Jesus hadn’t walked into Nazareth in Luke 4, grabbed a scroll and said, “That is Me!”

Consider that poor Ethiopian Eunuch stuck
As he couldn’t rationalize the promises of God in the Old Testament.

Acts 8:29-35 “Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go up and join this chariot.” Philip ran up and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?” And he said, “Well, how could I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. Now the passage of Scripture which he was reading was this: “HE WAS LED AS A SHEEP TO SLAUGHTER; AND AS A LAMB BEFORE ITS SHEARER IS SILENT, SO HE DOES NOT OPEN HIS MOUTH. “IN HUMILIATION HIS JUDGMENT WAS TAKEN AWAY; WHO WILL RELATE HIS GENERATION? FOR HIS LIFE IS REMOVED FROM THE EARTH.” The eunuch answered Philip and said, “Please tell me, of whom does the prophet say this? Of himself or of someone else?” Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture he preached Jesus to him.”

That man didn’t know what to do with Isaiah 53
Until Philip showed him Jesus.

This next week, if you’re following the Hebrews daily devotions,
We talk about Hebrews 2 and another apparent failed promise of God.

Hebrews 2:6-8 “But one has testified somewhere, saying, “WHAT IS MAN, THAT YOU REMEMBER HIM? OR THE SON OF MAN, THAT YOU ARE CONCERNED ABOUT HIM? “YOU HAVE MADE HIM FOR A LITTLE WHILE LOWER THAN THE ANGELS; YOU HAVE CROWNED HIM WITH GLORY AND HONOR, AND HAVE APPOINTED HIM OVER THE WORKS OF YOUR HANDS; YOU HAVE PUT ALL THINGS IN SUBJECTION UNDER HIS FEET.” For in subjecting all things to him, He left nothing that is not subject to him. But now we do not yet see all things subjected to him.”

The writer flat out says that God “placed all things in subjection”
Under the feet of man, but WE DO NOT SEE IT that way.

But then he says:
Hebrews 2:9 “But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone.”

We may not see the promise exactly fulfilled as we expected it,
But we do see Jesus who IS the fulfillment.

SO HERE’S YOUR APPLICATION FOR TONIGHT.
• When you look at this crazy world where right is wrong and wrong is right.
• When you read your Bible and read about how God is sovereign and God is holy but it looks like Satan is having way more victories than God is.

Here’s what you do.
You pray: Psalms 89:46-52.

• You pray with eyes of faith.
• You DON’T pray “What happened?”
• You pray “How Long?”
• You pray, “Come Lord Jesus!”

The promise is clear.
That kingdom will last forever,
It still exists today “for the kingdom of heaven is at hand”.
We’re just waiting for God to manifest it on the earth.

So in the midst of seemingly irreconcilable promises
We recognize that all promises are fulfilled in Jesus
And we pray that He would return quickly to manifest them.

Right now, if you look at the world, it can look like there is an empty throne.
• That’s how it looked to the Psalmist.
• But that is only an illusion.

God’s promises have not failed.
They are fulfilled in Jesus and one day we will see them on the earth.

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For Those Who Stay
Luke 22:28-30
November 15, 2020

As you know, we are currently in the upper room
With Jesus and His disciples.

• Since Jesus was aware of Judas’ plot to betray Him, Jesus gave cryptic instructions to Peter and John regarding how to find this room.
• When they took the Passover, it was during supper that Jesus first washed the disciple’s feet.
• He said it was an example of the service that they should have for one another.

And then Jesus said:
John 13:17-21 “If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them. “I do not speak of all of you. I know the ones I have chosen; but it is that the Scripture may be fulfilled, ‘HE WHO EATS MY BREAD HAS LIFTED UP HIS HEEL AGAINST ME.’ “From now on I am telling you before it comes to pass, so that when it does occur, you may believe that I am He. “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who receives whomever I send receives Me; and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.” When Jesus had said this, He became troubled in spirit, and testified and said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, that one of you will betray Me.”

It is the same thing we saw last week in Luke’s gospel.
Luke 22:21-22 “But behold, the hand of the one betraying Me is with Mine on the table. “For indeed, the Son of Man is going as it has been determined; but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed!”

• And after this announcement you know that it set off first a discussion as to who this might be, and finally a dispute as to which of them was the greatest.

And Jesus spoke up to that dispute by reminding the disciples again
That as Christians we don’t use service as a means of obtaining power.
Rather, we use leadership as an avenue to serve others.

With Jesus as our example, we humble ourselves,
Put our brothers before ourselves,
And give up our lives for our brethren.

And as we said last week, it seems that Luke included the story
(Which was omitted by other gospel writers)
Because it demonstrates for us THE GREATNESS OF JESUS.

There was never another like Jesus who was ranked so high,
But who stooped so low to serve others.

• He gave up His glory to become human…
• He gave up His freedom to fulfill all righteousness…
• He gave up His dignity to serve others…
• He gave up His life to save us all…

THERE IS NONE GREAT LIKE JESUS.

But after that interjection in the story
This morning we come back to the flow of the conversation.

• Jesus just outed the traitor.
• Jesus just said one of His own will turn on Him
• And Jesus pronounced “woe” on that man.

It is that same “woe” that He pronounced on the Pharisees earlier this week.
That OUI in the Greek.

Mark 14:21 “For the Son of Man is to go just as it is written of Him; but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born.”

Better to have been miscarried in the womb
And to have never seen the light of day
Than to have been born to such a heinous sin.

Consider the prophet Jeremiah for a moment.
He was hated and despised and persecuted
And ignored as a prophet in Jerusalem.

Because his life was so hard, he said:
Jeremiah 20:14-18 “Cursed be the day when I was born; Let the day not be blessed when my mother bore me! Cursed be the man who brought the news To my father, saying, “A baby boy has been born to you!” And made him very happy. But let that man be like the cities Which the LORD overthrew without relenting, And let him hear an outcry in the morning And a shout of alarm at noon; Because he did not kill me before birth, So that my mother would have been my grave, And her womb ever pregnant. Why did I ever come forth from the womb To look on trouble and sorrow, So that my days have been spent in shame?”

Because of his affliction Job said:
Job 3:3-4 “Let the day perish on which I was to be born, And the night which said, ‘A boy is conceived.’ “May that day be darkness; Let not God above care for it, Nor light shine on it.”

And you likely understand why they had such thoughts.
Both of those men suffered greatly.

And yet, while they lamented the day of their birth, God never did.
GOD NEVER AGREED WITH EITHER OF THEIR ASSESSMENTS.

Their suffering was bad, certainly,
But God upheld that both of those men had a purpose in life
And that it would be worth it in the end.

And yet, such was NOT THE CASE for Judas.

Of that man Jesus Himself said, “It would have been good for that man if he had not been born.”

When the omniscient, eternal Son of God looks into your future
And declares that a miscarriage would have been better for you,
You can rest assured that your destiny is bad.

Such was the penalty for the apostasy of Judas.

When the writer of Hebrews says:
Hebrews 10:29-31 “How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know Him who said, “VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY.” And again, “THE LORD WILL JUDGE HIS PEOPLE.” It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”

Such was the penalty for the apostasy of Judas.

• Judas trampled Christ underfoot
• He regarded the blood of the covenant as unclean
• He insulted the Spirit of Grace.
• And Judas ultimately fell into the hands of the living God.

“woe to that man by whom [Jesus] is betrayed.”

Now, that was the announcement.
That was the pertinent news of the moment.

Granted, it turned into a defense argument and ultimately a dispute about greatness which Jesus had to correct,

But the conversation started with Jesus announcing a traitor
And pronouncing woe upon him.

Now, Luke doesn’t mention it,
But it is helpful to understand that it was during this debate and dispute
That Jesus also released Judas to go fulfill his plan.

Remember that it was during all those discussions that Peter motioned to John and told John to ask Jesus who it was.

John 13:26-30 “Jesus then answered, “That is the one for whom I shall dip the morsel and give it to him.” So when He had dipped the morsel, He took and gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. After the morsel, Satan then entered into him. Therefore Jesus said to him, “What you do, do quickly.” Now no one of those reclining at the table knew for what purpose He had said this to him. For some were supposing, because Judas had the money box, that Jesus was saying to him, “Buy the things we have need of for the feast”; or else, that he should give something to the poor. So after receiving the morsel he went out immediately; and it was night.”

• That also helps you understand why the disciples were a little clueless regarding Judas.
• They were busy in their argument about greatness and so they didn’t notice all that was happening and they weren’t sure why Judas left.

I bring that up so that you’ll see where we are in the setting of the night.

1. The Passover has been eaten…
2. Jesus has washed their feet…
3. Jesus has explained the Passover as pointing to His sacrifice…
4. Jesus announced that one of them was a traitor…
5. The disciples started arguing about who it was and who was the greatest…
6. In that confusion Jesus confronted Judas and sent him out…
7. Jesus then corrected the backward thinking of the disciples regarding their argument…

SO HERE WE ARE IN THE ROOM.
And Jesus is now going to continue with the point He was making
Before the dispute and argument broke out.

He announced a traitor and pronounced judgment on him.
BUT THAT WAS ONLY HALF OF THE MESSAGE.
It’s just that He was interrupted.

Here is the other half of the message.
(28-30) “You are those who have stood by Me in My trials; and just as My Father has granted Me a kingdom, I grant you that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”

When you put those two together
It becomes clear what Jesus was proclaiming around the table.

• Those who betray the Son of Man and depart from Him are cursed.
• Those who stand with the Son of Man are rewarded.

And now that Judas was gone
Jesus could clarify that reward to the remaining 11.

So let’s take a few minutes and look at these 3 verses in Luke’s gospel
As they are of great encouragement to us.

3 things here
#1 THE REALITY
Luke 22:28

“You are those who have stood by Me in My trials;”

In direct contrast to Judas,
Who has now left the room to carry out his Satanic agenda,
Jesus now shows heartfelt gratitude to the remaining 11.

Now I realize that to some degree
Such a statement can cause you to be a little skeptic.

After all,
• Before this night is over all 11 of these disciples are going to flee.
• Before the rooster crows in the morning, Peter will have denied 3 times.

And certainly Jesus knows that, in fact He’s about to announce it.

But knowing that about the disciples
It can cause us to wonder a little by as to
Why Jesus would here commend them for their endurance.

I’d prefer to stop and thank God
That He knows the difference between stumbling and totally falling away.

It is true that every one of these disciples is about to stumble.
But don’t confuse their weakness with Judas’ apostasy.

They will all stumble, and to some degree they will all fall,
But none of them will fall FINALLY and none of them will fall FATALLY.

They’re all coming back…Judas never did.

THERE’S A BIG DIFFERENCE THERE.

And I’m thankful
That when Jesus covered all our sin, it wasn’t just the sin in the past,
But even the sins we have yet to commit.

That grace is on full display here.
• For even though Jesus knows what they are about to do,
• It doesn’t stop Him from acknowledging their faithfulness
• It doesn’t stop Him from offering them the kingdom.

That is good news for me and that is good news for you.

It reminds me of what the writer of Hebrews said
To those bewildered believers who were struggling so mightily
That they debated leaving Jesus.

After giving them several severe warnings about the danger of leaving, HE ALSO SAID:
Hebrews 6:9-12 “But, beloved, we are convinced of better things concerning you, and things that accompany salvation, though we are speaking in this way. For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints. And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you will not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.”

• Those believers were struggling, but God is merciful to those who struggle.
• God would not forget their “work” or “the love which [they had] shown toward His name.”

Even in their moment of weakness and failure,
God remembered their moments of faith.

And while every moment of failure is regrettable,
Not all failures are final or fatal.

Clearly that is the case for the 11.
And Jesus here, despite what is about to happen,
Takes a moment to thank them and commend them
For what they have already done.

And it is worth examining that a little.

Jesus said, “You are those who have stood by Me in My trials;”

Can we think about that for a moment?

It was John 1
• Where the Pharisees and sent priests and Levites to quiz John regarding this
baptism he was performing.
• John made no bones about confessing Jesus as the Messiah,
• But certainly everyone there must have known that whoever this Messiah was,
He was already being rejected by the priests.

And yet we read:
John 1:35-37 “Again the next day John was standing with two of his disciples, and he looked at Jesus as He walked, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.”

That was John and Andrew.
And despite the stigma they went and recruited James and Peter.
Jesus would recruit Philip and Philip would recruit Nathanael

• Later those men would leave fishing businesses behind for Jesus.
• Later those men would leave their father behind for Jesus.
• Later Matthew would leave his tax booth behind for Jesus.

They latched on to this Messiah.

And it wasn’t always easy.
• They would see Him scorned in the synagogue for healing on the Sabbath.
• They would see Him rebuked by Pharisees for not washing His hands.
• They would see Him run out of His own hometown and nearly thrown off a cliff.

But still they stayed.

Even when the cities of Bethsaida, Chorazin, and Capernaum
Would reject Jesus, still they stayed.

• When they tried multiple times to arrest Jesus in Jerusalem…
• When Jesus cleared the temple and angered the entire Jewish mafia…
• When Jesus offended and made enemies of every religious bigwig…
• When Jesus caught the attention of Herod who had killed John the Baptist…

Still they stood with Jesus.

And all the while we saw plenty of others unwilling to stick with Jesus.

Luke 9:57-62 “As they were going along the road, someone said to Him, “I will follow You wherever You go.” And Jesus said to him, “The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” And He said to another, “Follow Me.” But he said, “Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father.” But He said to him, “Allow the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim everywhere the kingdom of God.” Another also said, “I will follow You, Lord; but first permit me to say good-bye to those at home.” But Jesus said to him, “No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”

• One man was unwilling to be homeless…
• Another was unwilling to let go of his inheritance…
• And another wasn’t willing to part with his reputation…

But even at such a cost, the disciples stood with Jesus.

• Even when Jesus promised them that they would sheep in the midst of
wolves…
• Even when Jesus promised that they would be hated by everyone because of
His name…
• Even when Jesus promised that they could be betrayed by the members of
their own families…

Still they stood with Jesus.

In John 6 Jesus preached that He was the bread from heaven who could bring life to the world and that He would return to heaven.

John 6:66-68 “As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore. So Jesus said to the twelve, “You do not want to go away also, do you?” Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life.”

• When the Rich Young Ruler measured between his wealth and Jesus and
ultimately chose to keep his wealth, the disciples again chose to stand
with Jesus.

• While the Rich Young Ruler kept his wealth the disciples left houses and
farms, wife and children, brothers and sisters, father and mother, and they
did it all for Jesus.

And when Jesus announced here in the upper room
That one was a traitor
And would thus seal the fact that Jesus was about to die.

STILL THEY STOOD WITH JESUS.

I’m aware that they are about to make a mistake.
I’m aware that they are going to stumble a little.

In fact Jesus is about to reveal that Satan wasn’t content with just Judas,
But that he in fact wanted all of them.

Satan is about to sift them all,
And they’re going to have a rough couple of days,

But their stumbling won’t last long.
They’ll run on Friday, but by Sunday they’ll be worshiping again.
And after the Holy Spirit comes, they’ll never run again.

Jesus knows that.
• They had decided to follow Jesus.
• They had stuck with Him.

And incidentally, that is always the encouragement.

Hebrews 10:32-39 “But remember the former days, when, after being enlightened, you endured a great conflict of sufferings, partly by being made a public spectacle through reproaches and tribulations, and partly by becoming sharers with those who were so treated. For you showed sympathy to the prisoners and accepted joyfully the seizure of your property, knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and a lasting one. Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised. FOR YET IN A VERY LITTLE WHILE, HE WHO IS COMING WILL COME, AND WILL NOT DELAY. BUT MY RIGHTEOUS ONE SHALL LIVE BY FAITH; AND IF HE SHRINKS BACK, MY SOUL HAS NO PLEASURE IN HIM. But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul.”

That was certainly the disciples.

And that is not just the reality of their life,
But you know that that is also the requirement for yours.

You must stand with Jesus.
You must bear His reproach.
You must embrace His rejection.

And these men did.
• Not perfect…
• Moments of weakness…
• But all in all they stood with Jesus…

And Jesus is not about to forget that.
Jesus is not about to overlook that.

He promised that if you even give a cup of cold water to someone in the name of a prophet you will certainly receive your reward.

This men had stood with Jesus and they would be rewarded.

That is the Reality.
#2 THE REFERENCE
Luke 22:29a

“and just as My Father has granted me a kingdom…”

This is an important reference to make.
Jesus is making A COMPARISON regarding their reward.

He is saying, “I’m going to do for you what My Father has done for Me”

Now if you’ll think about the upper room for a second
You’ll understand the significance of this statement.

We know that Jesus is about to die a horrible death.
And certainly Jesus knows that.

But we also saw that even on the eve of such hardship
There is a hope which Jesus maintains.

Remember it?
Luke 22:14-18“When the hour had come, He reclined at the table, and the apostles with Him. And He said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I say to you, I shall never again eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He said, “Take this and share it among yourselves; for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine from now on until the kingdom of God comes.”

Jesus is on the eve of His great suffering and yet we find anticipation.
He is anticipating the kingdom which His Father had given Him
And the banquet meal He will one day eat in that kingdom.

He was looking past the scorn of the cross to the joy of the kingdom.

Hebrews 12:1-2 “Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

• I’ve told you before but the word “despising” there when it says that Jesus was “despising the shame” of the cross.
• Doesn’t mean He hated the shame of the cross or dreaded the shame of the cross.
• The word there literally means “to think little of”

That means that even when facing the pain of the cross
And bearing the eternal wrath of God
Jesus thought it was a little price to pay
In comparison to the kingdom He would receive.

In view of the kingdom. With “the joy set before Him”
He thought little of the shame He was about to bear.

Isn’t that remarkable?

Well, Jesus is now offering
That same hope and encouragement to the 12.

What the Father has done for Me, I also want to do for you.

Reality, Reference
#3 THE REWARD
Luke 22:29b-30

“I grant you that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”

• Do you want something to look forward to?
• Do you want something to carry you through the coming days?

And by the way, the coming days are going to be hard.

In verses 31-34 He’s going to reveal that they’re all about to be sifted by Satan.
In verses 35-38 He’s going to reveal that hospitality as they knew it is over.

It’s about to get rough.

• But in those rough moments, do you want some incentive to carry you through?
• Do you want a piece of joy to look forward to?

WELL HERE IT IS.
Because You guys have stood with Me on earth,
You will get to sit with Me in My kingdom.

• I’ll be eating that bread and drinking that wine in the kingdom thoroughly enjoying the bride I purchased,
• And on that day, I want you there eating and drinking and celebrating with Me.

You guys are invited.

And not only that, but you (and add in Matthias who will replace Judas) will also “sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”

(Don’t think of judge here in a courtroom sense,
Think of it in an Old Testament “Judges” kind of sense)

These men will rule and reign with Christ.
The apostolic authority that they are about to receive
Will carry over with them all the way into the millennial kingdom.

Jesus has granted them to sit and rule with Him.

All because while everyone else was going back
To their farms or their families or their comforts,
These men chose to leave it all and follow Jesus.

And Jesus wants them to know that they will be rewarded for that.

Now, this is not the only time we see this.
(I want to bring this application to you)

TURN TO: MATTHEW 19:27

• You are familiar with Matthew 19 as the chapter which contains the incident with the Rich Young Ruler.
• Remember, he was faced with the decision to keep his wealth or obtain Jesus and he chose his wealth.
• Jesus then remarked how hard it was for a rich man to get into heaven.

But then Peter asked the question that everyone was thinking.

(27) “Then Peter said to Him, “Behold, we have left everything and followed You; what then will there be for us?”

It’s a fair question.
We chose opposite of that guy, did we choose correctly?

And first you see the same revelation which Jesus reiterates here in the upper room.
(28) “And Jesus said to them, “Truly I say to you, that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”

• Same promise.
• Jesus hasn’t wavered.
• When My kingdom comes on this earth and I sit on My throne, you guys will sit and judge with Me.

Now, that is the case for the disciples, but WHAT ABOUT US?
What about other believers?

(29) “And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or farms for My name’s sake, will receive many times as much, and will inherit eternal life.”

• When you stand with Jesus, there is no fear of being cheated.
• There is a reward to be claimed.
• There is compensation to be received.

Everyone who stands with Jesus and who loses this world
As a result will be more than compensated
On the day when Jesus reigns.

Isaiah 25:6-9 “The LORD of hosts will prepare a lavish banquet for all peoples on this mountain; A banquet of aged wine, choice pieces with marrow, And refined, aged wine. And on this mountain He will swallow up the covering which is over all peoples, Even the veil which is stretched over all nations. He will swallow up death for all time, And the Lord GOD will wipe tears away from all faces, And He will remove the reproach of His people from all the earth; For the LORD has spoken. And it will be said in that day, “Behold, this is our God for whom we have waited that He might save us. This is the LORD for whom we have waited; Let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation.”

Those who stand with Christ will be compensated.

And do you want some more good news?
• Keep looking in Matthew’s gospel.
• Chapter 19 ends with sort of a cryptic statement.
• (30) “But many who are first will be last; and the last, first.”

What in the world does that mean?

• Well, I would point you to chapter 20.
• Jesus gives a parable and at the end of the parable He says:
• (20:16) “So the last shall be first, and the first last.”

So obviously the first 15 verses of Matthew 20 are a parable
To explain what He means and it ties directly to this idea of compensation.

(READ MATTHEW 20:1-15)
• You likely remember the parable, and it is such good news for us.
• It is the story of a land owner who just keeps hiring people all day long.
• And at the end of the day he pays them all the same (the agreed upon wage)
• Now some are frustrated by that, thinking they deserve more.

And then we get the answer of the landowner
Which means the world to us.

(15) “Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with what is my own? Or is your eye envious because I am generous?’”

• Did the landowner cheat those men who worked all day? No
• How about those who only worked a little? No

Why is that good news for us?

While our circumstances most certainly could change,
And persecution could break out upon the church in America,
IT IS STILL OBVIOUS THAT
We have had thus far an easier burden than other believers.

• Those apostles bore the heat of the day didn’t they?
• Believers in the Middle East are bearing the heat of the day aren’t they?

Can we really expect as believers in padded pews and air conditioned buildings to receive an inheritance with those people?

And according to this parable,
So long as you work the vineyard, then YES.

It’s never been totally about what you earned.
It’s always been about His generosity.

That was good news for the disciples
• Because in a few hours they were about to mess up pretty big,
• But fortunately for them Jesus is generous
• And He does not forget all the labor they already put in.

And that is good news for us because Jesus will reward us as well.

And that is the simple point of the Lord here in this room.

There was a traitor in their midst,
• He departed from Jesus.
• He traded the glories of heaven for 30 pieces of silver.
• And woe was pronounced upon him.

But at the same time Jesus looked around that room with gratitude to all of those who didn’t choose the world.
• They lost houses and farms…
• They lost earthly relationships…
• They lost their reputations…
• But they stuck with Jesus.
• And Jesus looked at them to tell them it is only a matter of time before our pain
will be over and we will sit around My table in My kingdom.

SO THERE IS THE ENCOURAGEMENT TO YOU.
WHICH ONE ARE YOU?

• Are you standing with Jesus?
• Are you forsaking this world for His?
• Have you said good-bye to the things of this world that you may gain Christ?

For this Jesus also said:
Matthew 10:37-39 “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. “And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. “He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it.”

These disciples lost their life, but they inherited a better one.

How about you?
What are you clinging to?

The sufferings of Christ here are real.
But the glories that follow make these sufferings worth it.

Hebrews 13:12-14 “Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood, suffered outside the gate. So, let us go out to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach. For here we do not have a lasting city, but we are seeking the city which is to come.”

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The Song Of The Uncomforted
Psalms 88
November 8, 2020

Tonight we come upon what may be
The darkest Psalm in the entire book of Psalms.

It begins with the only positive statement in the entire Psalm.
(1) “O LORD, the God of my salvation,”

And it DESCENDS from there.
It is a Psalm which will give no relief.

We often times find our Psalmist in pain or turmoil or fear
But it seems like there is always a ray of sunshine somewhere.

For example,
• The writer may speak of his affliction but somewhere in the Psalm we read of the relief or the peace of God he receives.
• Or perhaps the Psalmist may lament his extreme pain, but we are accustomed to then reading, “Nevertheless I will hope in You…”

This Psalm gives us none of that.
• No relief is offered in this Psalm…
• No explanation is given in this Psalm…
• No consolation is given in this Psalm…
• It ends dark.
• It feels unresolved.

And while it does not produce a great emotional joy boost
In a person when they read it,
We should all be extremely grateful for a Psalm like this.

It is a song for those who are UNCOMFORTED.
It is a song for those who are NOT CONSOLED.
It is a song for those who SING IN THE DARKNESS.

You might call this the Ecclesiastes of all the Psalms.
• “Everything is meaningless…”
• “What’s the point?”

You’ve heard the old man tell that young man
To take of his rose colored glasses and take a dose of reality.

You’ve heard that old man tell that young man to quit watching the Hallmark channel and start watching Fox news where everything is wrong.

That book just comes with a realness that can be difficult to swallow
But must which must be understood.

This Psalm is like that.
It is harsh and dark and unresolved.

Apart from calling God “the God of my salvation”
There is nothing else positive in it.

And you may ask how such a song can be glorifying to God?

How can singing a song where no victory is claimed and no peace is given be seen as glorifying to God?
• Because even at this dark moment…
• Even when pain is intense…
• Even when answers aren’t present…

The Psalmist is still singing…
The Psalmist is still crying out…

In short, there is pain and confusion and even some frustration,
BUT THERE IS NOT A DEPARTURE.

Let me read again to you A FAMILIAR PARABLE.
Luke 18:1-8 “Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart, saying, “In a certain city there was a judge who did not fear God and did not respect man. “There was a widow in that city, and she kept coming to him, saying, ‘Give me legal protection from my opponent.’ “For a while he was unwilling; but afterward he said to himself, ‘Even though I do not fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow bothers me, I will give her legal protection, otherwise by continually coming she will wear me out.'” And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge said; now, will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them? “I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?”

We like that parable because it fast-forwards to the end.
• We like the story because before it leaves, we actually see the widow granted
the protection she seeks.

But how many days and how many nights
Did she endure rejection before she received her relief?

How many times did she have to get up off the floor and approach again?

We firmly believe that
• All things work together for good for those who love God.
• God will bring about justice for His elect.

But you certainly know it’s not always immediate.
• Sometimes you go to bed in pain…
• Sometimes you go to be in turmoil…
• Sometimes you go to be without comfort…

In those time the importance is
That you CONTINUE TO SING and that you CONTINUE TO PRAY.

This Psalm is harsh, but it is honest.
• He is not manipulating God.
• He is not trying some gimmick to make God answer.
• He is just here again, for the umpteenth time, crying for justice from God.

So far he hasn’t gotten it,
But the fact that he keeps asking is evidence of his faith.

Now certainly I DON’T WANT all my songs to be like this.
I like the silver lining.

But I am glad to know that on the day when my spirit is not consoled
That there is still a song that God has preserved for me to sing.

So on the day you are not comforted, sing the 88th.

There is ONE OTHER important note to gain as we work our way through

As you read it, there are A COUPLE OF PASSAGES
That I want to just sort of put in the back of your mind.

Isaiah 53:3-4 “He was despised and forsaken of men, A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; And like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted.”

Our Savior was familiar with grief.
Our Savior was familiar with pain.

Our Savior even knew what it felt like to be forsaken.
Psalms 22:1-2 “My God, my God, why have You forsaken me? Far from my deliverance are the words of my groaning. O my God, I cry by day, but You do not answer; And by night, but I have no rest.”

And there is a two-way street there.

ONE SIDE: Christ came and suffered such grief and rejection so that He might be a merciful and faithful high priest.

He was afflicted and He was rejected
Partly so He could know what it was like to be human.

THE OTHER SIDE to that street is since He suffered in this way, now there is a fellowship to be gained when you suffer like this.

Philippians 3:10 “that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death;”

On the day you suffer without comfort…
On the day it feels like you’ve been forsaken of God…
On that day, fellowship with Christ for that was His pain also.

There is a fellowship to be gained there.
Christ didn’t just write this Psalm, He lived it; He sang it.

There is comfort there for us.

So let’s work our way through this Psalm of the uncomforted.
3 main points.
#1 HIS COMPLAINT
Psalms 88:1-9

As we said, the first line of verse 1
Offers the ONLY POSITIVE FEEL in the entire Psalm.

“O LORD, the God of my salvation”

It is important to note that the Psalmists loyalty and worship
Did not consist purely on what God might do,
But on what God had done.

We must always keep the perspective that
If God has clothed us in the righteousness of His Son
And atoned for our sin with the blood of His Son
Then regardless of the pain God allows we are in the positive.

Job said:
Job 13:15 “Though He slay me, I will hope in Him. Nevertheless I will argue my ways before Him.”

When Job’s wife wanted him to curse God and die, he said:
Job 2:10 “But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.”

We’ll read several statements of Job in this Psalm,
You know that at times JOB was very FRUSTRATED and very CONFUSED.

But one thing was NEVER on the table.
• Regardless of the silence…
• Regardless of the pain…
• Regardless of the confusion…
JOB WASN’T GOING ANYWHERE.

Job 19:23-27 “Job Says, “My Redeemer Lives” “Oh that my words were written! Oh that they were inscribed in a book! “That with an iron stylus and lead They were engraved in the rock forever! “As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, And at the last He will take His stand on the earth. “Even after my skin is destroyed, Yet from my flesh I shall see God; Whom I myself shall behold, And whom my eyes will see and not another. My heart faints within me!”

Job was in great pain and confusion but he said, “Write it down in the rock with an iron pen…My Redeemer Lives!”

All of that is bound up here in the opening line of Psalms 88.
The Psalmist knows who he is calling upon.

And yet, the mood is one of frustration and complaint.

“I have cried out by day and in the night before You. Let my prayer come before You; Incline Your ear to my cry!”

God is the God of his salvation, but for the moment He is distant at best.

From the Psalmist’s perspective
God has put him on hold and won’t pick up the phone.
And that leads to the complaint.

And you’ll see why.
THE SEVEREITY (3-5)

(3-5) “For my soul has had enough troubles, And my life has drawn near to Sheol. I am reckoned among those who go down to the pit; I have become like a man without strength, Forsaken among the dead, Like the slain who lie in the grave, Whom You remember no more, And they are cut off from Your hand.”

You can hear him here lament the severity of his trial.

“my soul has had enough troubles”
• In other words he is crying “Uncle”
• Enough is enough!
• Point received!

In his mind this should have stopped by now.

“And my life has drawn near to Sheol. I am reckoned among those who go down to the pit; I have become like a man without strength.”
• He says, people say he’s as good as dead.
• It’s like I’ve got one foot in the grave.
• He is on spiritual hospice.

I’m at the end here God!

And here I am at the end and I still can’t get Your attention.
(5) “Forsaken among the dead, Like the slain who lie in the grave, Whom You remember no more, And they are cut off from Your hand.”

That is NOT a theological point, but rather a practical one.
Dead people are cut off from earthly relationships.

And this is the Psalmist complaint.
“Here I am, about to die, and You’re ignoring me like I’m already dead.”

It’s like I’m a wounded patient who is beyond saving
So You’ve moved on to the next wounded man.

It is a hard place to be.
That’s one complaint – The Severity

Severity
THE SOURCE (6-8)

(6-8) “You have put me in the lowest pit, In dark places, in the depths. Your wrath has rested upon me, And You have afflicted me with all Your waves. Selah. You have removed my acquaintances far from me; You have made me an object of loathing to them; I am shut up and cannot go out.”

I’m suffering terribly and it is YOU who put Me here.

How can one not see the suffering of Christ in verse 7?

verse 7, “Your wrath has rested upon me, And You have afflicted me with all Your waves”

• It is undeserved affliction.
• And not only is God afflicting him, but God has removed any and all comforters
from Him.

This too was so true of Christ.
As He died upon the cross,
His followers had fled, one had betrayed, one had denied,
Gathered around the cross was a multitude of mockers enjoying His death

But it has also been true of the saints throughout the generations.

• We see Joseph alone in a prison waiting there 2 years AFTER the cupbearer was supposed to speak on his behalf.
• We see Jeremiah alone being lowered into a well because his message was so hated.
• Certainly Job had people around him, but none of them were friends.

AND ALL OF THOSE PEOPLE WERE IN THAT SITUATION
BECAUSE GOD PUT THEM THERE.

Later in life Joseph even said, “It was not you who sent me here but God”
Jeremiah complained at God saying “You have deceived me and I was deceived”

Even at the end of his life, suffering in the Mamertine prison Paul wrote:
2 Timothy 4:16 “At my first defense no one supported me, but all deserted me; may it not be counted against them.”

Paul also suffering there because of the gospel.
The suffering was severe and the sovereign God was the source.

That is the Psalmist.

He is complaining because of the severity of his suffering
And because God has caused it without offering any comfort whatsoever.

Severity – Source
THE SILENCE (9)

“My eye has wasted away because of affliction; I have called upon You every day, O LORD; I have spread out my hands to You.”

And despite all this, You still won’t answer.

Job 30:20-23 “I cry out to You for help, but You do not answer me; I stand up, and You turn Your attention against me. “You have become cruel to me; With the might of Your hand You persecute me. “You lift me up to the wind and cause me to ride; And You dissolve me in a storm. “For I know that You will bring me to death And to the house of meeting for all living.”

It is a hard place to be.
And the Psalmist is complaining about it.

But find fellowship in knowing that Christ has been there too.

Hebrews 2:14-15 “Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.”

Christ embraced human life and Christ endured human death.
There is fellowship in His sufferings and there is sympathy in His heart.

But the Psalmist isn’t feeling it.
There is only the complaint.

#2 HIS CASE
Psalms 88:10-12

Here the Psalmist appeals to logic
And how it doesn’t make sense
For God to be responding the way He is.

Boy, welcome to human suffering 101,
When God doesn’t respond in a way that seems logical to you.

Many times in our hardship, when we think we clearly see what would be best in a situation, we are slammed against the rock of Isaiah 55.

Isaiah 55:8-9 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts.”

We are often forced in our suffering to not only endure pain,
But also endure the shattering of our logical sense of what is right.

But that hasn’t stopped the Psalmist from giving HIS LOGICAL APPEAL.
It is his case as to why God
Should stop ignoring him and come deliver him.

It is framed in 5 questions.
• “Will You perform wonders for the dead?”
• “Will the departed spirits rise and praise You? Selah.”
• “Will Your lovingkindness be declared in the grave, Your faithfulness in
Abaddon?
• “Will Your wonders be made known in the darkness?
• And Your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?

Now, from the Psalmists perspectives and by his logic
The answer to every one of those questions is “NO”.

He is approaching this with a TEMPORAL MINDSET in his questioning.

And HIS POINT is that once death occurs
A person offers no benefit to God on the earth.

• It does no good to provide money for the electric bill for a dead man.
• The dead man will not testify of such a provision or praise God for it.
• The dead man will not go and tell other dead men about what God did.
• The dead man will not shout praises in the casket.
• The dead man will not preach the gospel of righteousness in the grave.

And so the logic of the Psalmist is:
“What good am I to You dead?”

• It just doesn’t make any sense that You would let me die since there is no
benefit in it for You.
• I can do much more for you as a living man that as a dead man.

THAT IS HIS LOGIC.

And you’ve likely applied that very logic
At times in your life and in your suffering.

• A young person tragically dies too soon and someone says “what a waste”.
• Lamented is how much that life could have accomplished but now that death has occurred it can’t accomplish anything.

That is the Psalmist’s logic.

I do think it is also worth noting then that BY DEFAULT
The Psalmist declares to us what is THE PURPOSE OF LIFE.

• It is that God might perform wonders and be praised accordingly with our life.
• It is that God’s lovingkindness might be declared.
• It is that God’s faithfulness might be declared.
• It is that God’s wonders might be declared.
• It is that god’s righteousness might be declared.

The Psalmist clearly sees those things as the obligations of life
And so he is arguing with God
That letting him die doesn’t make any sense.

And we can understand that.

However, we SHOULD ALSO POINT OUT that while the answer to all of the Psalmists questions are “NO”.

If you apply those same questions to Christ then they all become “YES”.

Did God perform wonders for the dead with Christ?
Yes God raised Him.
Did the departed spirits rise and praise Him?
Yes Jesus clearly testified of the Father after He rose.
Was God’s lovingkindness or faithfulness or wonders or righteousness declared in the grave?

Yes
1 Peter 3:18-20 “For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; in which also He went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison, who once were disobedient, when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through the water.”

And the obvious point there is that our logic fails
Because we don’t know what God knows.

In our mind God should always respond to our suffering a certain way
Because in our limited understanding it makes the most sense.

But God knows what we do not.

Consider the Lazarus story.
By the time Jesus showed up to Bethany the sisters and all their friends were just like this Psalmist.

They were filled with complaints about severity and silence.

John 11:21 “Martha then said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.”

John 11:32 “Therefore, when Mary came where Jesus was, she saw Him, and fell at His feet, saying to Him, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.”

John 11:37 “But some of them said, “Could not this man, who opened the eyes of the blind man, have kept this man also from dying?”

But that is because Jesus knew what they did not.
John 11:4 “But when Jesus heard this, He said, “This sickness is not to end in death, but for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified by it.”

It is just an important reminder that our logic is flawed.
We don’t have all the facts.

The death of Jesus looked like a real low point in human history until 3 days later when He stepped out of the grave.

I’ve told people repeatedly that
We are not supposed to know everything right now.
Right now we are supposed to have faith.

Someday in the future when we know fully
Then we will see why God was so right in what He did.

But the simple point is that we have a Psalmist here complaining to God
Because God is not doing what seems logically right.

His Complaint, His Case
#3 HIS CONFUSION
Psalms 88:13-18

And since God has not done what is logical
The Psalmist is just going to spell out what doesn’t make sense here.

UNANSWERED QUESTIONS (13-14)

(13-14) “But I, O LORD, have cried out to You for help, And in the morning my prayer comes before You. O LORD, why do You reject my soul? Why do You hide Your face from me?”

I have prayed and prayed and prayed and prayed …BUT NOTHING.
It doesn’t make sense that You would ignore me.

Job 23:8-9 “Behold, I go forward but He is not there, And backward, but I cannot perceive Him; When He acts on the left, I cannot behold Him; He turns on the right, I cannot see Him.”

I still remember reading the biography of Adrian Rogers written by his wife Joyce. In it she talked about the day they lost an infant child to SIDS. She mentions that the hardest thing she had to do was surrender the right to understand.

The Psalmist is fighting that battle right now.
Even Jesus on the cross said, “Why have You forsaken Me?”

It’s a real issue in our lives when we suffer.
UNYIELDING TERRORS (15-17)

(15-17) “I was afflicted and about to die from my youth on; I suffer Your terrors; I am overcome. Your burning anger has passed over me; Your terrors have destroyed me. They have surrounded me like water all day long; They have encompassed me altogether.”

There are some phrases there that are hard to swallow.
• “from my youth on”
• “all day long”

Let those sink in.
• This is NOT some “Johnny come lately” infirmity.
• This has been the infirmity of his life.

This is being born with a disease that makes life harder for you than anyone else and never being told why and never getting any relief.

It just never stops.
It never lets up.

How often we have spoken of our ability
To handle the shock of tragedy,
But it is the duration of tragedy that seems to really wear us down.

When it just won’t relent.

We have only the command of Scripture.
Proverbs 3:11-12 “My son, do not reject the discipline of the LORD Or loathe His reproof, For whom the LORD loves He reproves, Even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights.

And we have the promise of Scripture.
Hebrews 12:11 “All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.”

God is making us a sharer of His holiness.
God is producing righteousness in us.
BUT IT IS HARD.

The Psalmist is also confused about:
UNAVAILABLE CONSOLATION (18)

(18) “You have removed lover and friend far from me; My acquaintances are in darkness.”

This seems extremely harsh and confusing.
Suffering and suffering alone.

• We already mentioned Christ being abandoned by His own.
• We mentioned Paul alone in prison.
• We mentioned Joseph and Jeremiah in their suffering.
• We still remember Job, who had friends but was still alone.

Job 16:1-2 “Then Job answered, “I have heard many such things; Sorry comforters are you all.”

Job 19:13-22 “He has removed my brothers far from me, And my acquaintances are completely estranged from me. “My relatives have failed, And my intimate friends have forgotten me. “Those who live in my house and my maids consider me a stranger. I am a foreigner in their sight. “I call to my servant, but he does not answer; I have to implore him with my mouth. “My breath is offensive to my wife, And I am loathsome to my own brothers. “Even young children despise me; I rise up and they speak against me. “All my associates abhor me, And those I love have turned against me. “My bone clings to my skin and my flesh, And I have escaped only by the skin of my teeth. “Pity me, pity me, O you my friends, For the hand of God has struck me. “Why do you persecute me as God does, And are not satisfied with my flesh?”

It is not just suffering, it is suffering alone.

AND WITH THAT THE PSALM ENDS.

There is no “Nevertheless”
There is no “But…”

We desperately want a verse 19 which says, “Then God answered me from the pit. He renewed His compassion for me, and raised me up.”

BUT IT’S NOT THERE.

Oh, make no mistake, IT WILL COME.
If not in this life then in the next.

But this Psalm isn’t about that day.
• This Psalm is about the 100’s of days before that day.
• This Psalm is the song of that widow 2 years before the judge granted her legal protection.

This is the song BEFORE the comfort comes.

I have told you how I love the imprecatory Psalms
• Because it gives me a place to go with my frustration.
• I can lay it at the feet of a righteous Judge and let it go.

This Psalm is like that regarding the frustration of our suffering.
• We sing this Psalm and also lay it at the feet of “the God of my salvation” and let it go.

We certainly don’t want to sing it every day,
But on that day it is great to have a song to sing.

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The Greatness of Jesus
Luke 22:21-27
November 8, 2020

As you know we are now in the upper room.
It was the place where Jesus selected to have
His final earthly Passover with His disciples.

As we saw last week,
It was here where Jesus explained what the Passover was really about.
• It was always about Him.
• That Lamb and that blood was always a picture of Him and how He would
save us from the wrath of God.
• It is a remarkable truth and on that night Jesus changed the way we looked at
the bread and the cup for the rest of eternity.

But there was far more that occurred in that upper room
Than just the eating of the Passover.

John’s gospel gives a lot of information that was shared there.
• Jesus washed the disciple’s feet
• Jesus gave the famous “I am the way and the truth and life” statement.
• Jesus gave the famous “I am the vine, you are the branches” analogy.
• Jesus gave great insight regarding the coming and work of the Holy Spirit.
• Jesus gave His great intercessory prayer.

It was a busy night for Jesus.

And when you read of the account among all the gospels
There are CONSISTENT THEMES that emerge throughout all of them.

Clearly it was the intention of Jesus on this night to SOLIDIFY THE HOPE of the disciples.

• Already in Luke’s gospel He reminded the disciples that the next time He will drink of the vine will be in His kingdom.

• It is John’s gospel where He told them, “Do not let your hearts be troubled…for I go and prepare a place for you…and I will come again an receive you unto Myself.”

• Later in Luke’s gospel Jesus will reveal that the disciples will (30) “eat and drink at My table in the kingdom, and you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”

Clearly one of Jesus’ main goals on this night was to solidify the hope of His followers that despite what is about to come, it ends in victory.

Another consistent theme is that Jesus meant to SOLIDIFY THEIR FAITH on this night.

Primarily their faith regarding who Jesus was
And what He was accomplishing through His death.

In just a few hours the disciples were going to see Jesus
Betrayed, Arrested, Beaten, Tried, Condemned, and Crucified.

It is the goal of Jesus to assure them ahead of time that
THIS IS ALL PART OF THE PLAN.

Even this morning we read: (21-22)”But behold, the hand of the one betraying Me is with Mine on the table. “For indeed, the Son of Man is going as it has been determined; but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed!”

The betrayal is part of the plan.

Later on this night He will announce His rejection by Israel saying (37) “For I tell you that this which is written must be fulfilled in Me, ‘AND HE WAS NUMBERED WITH THE TRANSGRESSORS’; for that which refers to Me has its fulfillment.”

He was telling them ahead of time about all these things
So that their faith would not be shaken by unexpected events.

And finally in this room Jesus worked to SOLIDIFY THEIR ENDURANCE.

That is to say, He told them ahead of time about the coming persecution So that they would not be shocked when it happened.

Even here in Luke
• You see Him warning Simon that he is about to be sifted by Satan.
• He tells the disciples that the days of free meals and hospitality are likely over.

In John’s gospel we read:
John 16:1-4 “These things I have spoken to you so that you may be kept from stumbling. “They will make you outcasts from the synagogue, but an hour is coming for everyone who kills you to think that he is offering service to God. “These things they will do because they have not known the Father or Me. “But these things I have spoken to you, so that when their hour comes, you may remember that I told you of them. These things I did not say to you at the beginning, because I was with you.”

He is simply preparing them for everything that is about to come.

In less than 24 hours He will be dead
And He does not want this event
To ruin their hope, their faith, or their endurance.

1. All the events that are about to occur are all part of the plan.
2. His coming rejection and death is so that He might purchase the kingdom where He will one day return and reign,
3. And all those who endure with Him will reign with Him there.

And while the differing gospel accounts
Seem to focus more on differing aspects of that night,
These truths are the consistent themes that emerge.

And THIS MORNING we certainly see that
As Jesus announces to His disciples that one of them is a traitor.
Though it is tragic
It is all prophesied…
It is all part of the plan…

But even after this announcement
Luke preserves for us something that is quite disheartening.

Luke shows us the disciple’s response to the announcement of Jesus.
And it is shameful.

But it is important to see, not to highlight the foolishness of the disciples,
But because the way Jesus answers them
SHOWS US THE GREATNESS OF JESUS.

The scene that unfolds here simply reminds us that
We serve a remarkable Savior and One
Who is nothing like the corrupt rulers of our world.

We can just break this text up into 3 points.
#1 THE ANNOUNCEMENT
Luke 22:21-22

Now for us this is not new information.
We already saw it back in the early parts of the chapter.

Luke 22:3-4 “And Satan entered into Judas who was called Iscariot, belonging to the number of the twelve. And he went away and discussed with the chief priests and officers how he might betray Him to them.”

Luke already showed us what was going on BEHIND THE SCENES.

And we talked about Judas and why he did what he did.

We saw the CAUSE – that Satan was using Judas, whom he owned.
• As an unredeemed sinner Judas was a slave of Satan (as are all unredeemed sinners)
• And Judas merely was used by him in this role as betrayer.

We saw the CRIME – not just betrayal, but apostasy.
• Judas was one of the 12 and he left to betray Jesus.
• And we learned that it is not familiarity with Jesus that saves a person but submission to and faith in Jesus that saves them.

We saw the CONSPIRACY – We saw Judas actually approach the religious leaders with the plan of betrayal.
• They didn’t have to approach him, he sought them out.
• We were reminded that what Judas did, he did because he wanted to do it.
• God didn’t make Judas do anything he didn’t want to do.

We saw the COMPLICITY – Judas did it.
• It wasn’t just a temptation, it became an action.
• Judas didn’t just think about sin, he actually sinned.
• Judas agreed to betray Jesus and he began looking for an opportunity.

We learned quite a bit about Judas
And so we already knew that this plan was in place.

But at the moment, the disciples did not.
They had no clue about this plot.

The only people here who did know about it where Judas and Jesus
(And Judas didn’t know that Jesus knew about it.)

But Jesus did know, which is why He went to such great lengths
To keep the location of the upper room secret.

But as the disciples sat around the table eating the Passover
They were unaware of what was brewing in the shadows.
Until Jesus announced it.

(21) “But behold, the hand of the one betraying Me is with Mine on the table.”

• WOW!
• One you…one of the 12…one of My followers
• Is currently, right now, “betraying Me”

This again was a DIRECT FULFILLMENT of what God had promised:
Psalms 41:9 “Even my close friend in whom I trusted, Who ate my bread, Has lifted up his heel against me.”

Which is what Jesus says next.
(22) “For indeed, the Son of Man is going as it has been determined;”

And I would remind you again of what we said
Regarding THE NECESSITY OF THE BETRAYAL.

It had to be betrayal because of the eternal plan of God
Regarding the salvation of Gentiles.

• Judas was merely a picture of all Israel.
• What Judas does today, they will all do tomorrow.
• And in their rejection and betrayal of their King, Israel will be broken off and the
Gentiles grafted in.
• The betrayal is a necessary catalyst in the eternal plan of God.

BUT HERE IS THE FIRST TIME THE DISCIPLES HAVE HEARD IT.
Aside from Judas, this is all news to them.

And we would also reiterate what we said a few weeks ago,
That as the betrayer Judas would be destroyed.

(22b) “but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed!”
• Judas was not a victim of God’s sovereignty.
• Judas was not an undercover disciple doing the will of Jesus.
• Judas was not an eventually saved person who just messed up.
• Judas was lost.
• And Jesus pronounced woe upon him.

In other gospels saying, “It would be good for that man if he had not been born.”

But as we said, we’ve covered all of that a few weeks ago
When we studied verses 3-6 of the chapter.

What we see taking place here is
The announcement of that fact to the disciples.

Jesus knows about it.
Judas knows about it.
And for the first time the disciples are told.

Jesus will be betrayed by one of the 12 men sitting here with Him.
There is a traitor in the midst.

The reason for announcing this
Is so that it will come as no shock to the disciples when it happens.

Neither Satan, nor the chief priests, nor Judas are in control here.
Jesus is.

And when the unthinkable occurs here in just a few hours
Jesus wants the rest of the disciples to know that
This was all part of the plan.

God determined this long ages ago.
It is merely about to be fulfilled.

But that is the announcement.
#2 THE ARGUMENT
Luke 22:23-24

The response here is really sad coming from the disciples.

So Jesus announces that one of the 12 is a traitor.

“And they began to discuss among themselves which one them it might be who was going to do this thing.”

Now we are familiar with the other gospel accounts here as well.
Matthew 26:21-22 “As they were eating, He said, “Truly I say to you that one of you will betray Me.” Being deeply grieved, they each one began to say to Him, “Surely not I, Lord?”

Mark 14:18-19 “As they were reclining at the table and eating, Jesus said, “Truly I say to you that one of you will betray Me — one who is eating with Me.” They began to be grieved and to say to Him one by one, “Surely not I?”

So the initial response to His statement was obviously grief and shock.
It was a punch in the gut to hear that there was a traitor among them.

But it didn’t take long for the grief to turn into suspicion.

In fact they each quickly turn to denial.
According to Matthew “they each began to say to Him, “Surely not I, Lord?”

We are even told by Matthew
That in order to save face and hide his true intentions even Judas joined in on that declaration.

Matthew 26:25 “And Judas, who was betraying Him, said, “Surely it is not I, Rabbi?” Jesus said to him, “You have said it yourself.”

That was obviously a private conversation between the two.

But what you have occurring is that
• After Jesus announced it,
• They all immediately denied it
• And then there began to be these sort of private conversations around the table to try and figure it out.

“they began to discuss among themselves which one of them it might be who was going to do this thing.”

So you can see the little whispering accounts
And semi-private conversations.

That also helps you understand what John’s gospel says:
John 13:22-27 “The disciples began looking at one another, at a loss to know of which one He was speaking. There was reclining on Jesus’ bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved. So Simon Peter gestured to him, and said to him, “Tell us who it is of whom He is speaking.” He, leaning back thus on Jesus’ bosom, said to Him, “Lord, who is it?” Jesus then answered, “That is the one for whom I shall dip the morsel and give it to him.” So when He had dipped the morsel, He took and gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. After the morsel, Satan then entered into him. Therefore Jesus said to him, “What you do, do quickly.”

So you see how it all is playing out.
• Jesus announces it.
• They all sort of quickly outwardly deny it.
• Then they sort of go on a witch hunt to try and figure out who it is.

NOW THAT’S NOT THE SAD PART.
The sad part is where the conversation ends up.

It starts with each person claiming that they are not the traitor.
But notice where it ends.

(24) “And there arose also a dispute among them as to which one of them was regarded to be the greatest.”

This is an obvious natural progression.

• Matthew says, “Hey Peter, who do you think it is?”
• Peter – “It’s not me, I’d never do that.”
• Philip overhears and says, “Yeah right, didn’t He already call you Satan once?”
• Peter – “You don’t know what you’re talking about, I’m not a traitor, I’m the most faithful.”
• James – “You’re not the most faithful, I am. My mom even worked it out where I get to sit on his right in the kingdom.”

It’s a natural progression.
It starts with self-defense and ends up with self-promotion.

At first they are on a search for who the worst among them was,
And it doesn’t take long before the conversation turns into a fight
About which one was the greatest.

That’s human nature isn’t it?
That’s just like us.
Too lofty of a view of self.

This attitude, by the way, is the greatest explanation as to
WHY every one of these men is GOING TO RUN away tonight.

Pride comes before a fall and these men are ripe for it.

But beyond that, IT’S JUST SAD if you think about.
Jesus has already routinely told them about His upcoming death
Now we find it will be at the hands of a disciple.

• But where was the compassion for Jesus?
• Where was the heart to console Him?
• Where was the gratitude for Him?
• Where was the desire to care for Him?

Jesus announces what must have been terribly grievous to Him
And all the disciples can think about
Is which one of them is the greatest.

And you know this ISN’T EVEN THE FIRST TIME the issue has come up.

Shortly after Jesus was transfigured and Peter, James, and John saw His glory on the mountain, we read:
Luke 9:46 “An argument started among them as to which of them might be the greatest.”

Of course it did.
Peter, James, and John must’ve been feeling pretty good about themselves.

After the incident with the Rich Young Ruler
• And Peter had asked what they would receive for following Jesus.
• Jesus had told them how they would be compensated in the kingdom.

Not long after that, on the road, we read:
Mark 10:35-37 “James and John, the two sons of Zebedee, came up to Jesus, saying, “Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask of You.” And He said to them, “What do you want Me to do for you?” They said to Him, “Grant that we may sit, one on Your right and one on Your left, in Your glory.”

We know we’re all going to sit on thrones in the kingdom,
But we want the best two.

And if that was not enough, apparently at the same time James and John got their MOTHER involved.
Matthew 20:20-21 “Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to Jesus with her sons, bowing down and making a request of Him. And He said to her, “What do you wish?” She said to Him, “Command that in Your kingdom these two sons of mine may sit one on Your right and one on Your left.”

It was bad enough that this was ever their thought.

BUT NOW, on this night, immediately after taking the Lord’s Supper.
Immediately after hearing that the Lord would be betrayed.

The fight breaks out again?
Again the argument as to which one is greatest?

It is sad, but it happened none the less.

The Announcement, The Argument
#3 THE ANSWER
Luke 22:25-27

Jesus hears the debate going on
And He intervenes to once again correct these immature men.

NOW, BEFORE WE GET TO THE ANSWER,
I must remind you what has already occurred in this room.
• Before they even got comfortable…
• Before they ever took the Passover meal…
• Before Jesus ever explained the Lord’s Supper…
• Before the announcement of betrayal was ever made…

I want to remind you what has already occurred in this room on this night.
TURN TO: JOHN 13:1-20

Remember that humbling scene?
• Here was Jesus, the unquestioned greatest in the room,
• Belittling himself to do the humiliating job of the lowest in the room.

And not only did Jesus wash their feet,
But He was specific about the meaning of such an event.

(13:13-17) “You call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am. “If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. “For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you. “Truly, truly, I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master, nor is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him. “If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.”

They’ve already been through that ceremony
And obviously forgotten everything He told them
Because they’re already fighting about who is the greatest.

SO IT’S TIME TO GIVE THE SERMON AGAIN.
And Jesus responds.
(25) “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who have authority over them are called ‘Benefactors.’”

What Jesus is explaining there is simply the way of the world.
• When people are in a position of authority, it can quickly go to their head.
• It is actually one of the things we presently lament about our own government.

It was Abraham Lincoln in his famous Gettysburg Address where he summarized our government as “By The People – Of The People – For The People”

But it is rare anymore to find someone in Washington
Who we view to be one of us or actually for us.

• It doesn’t take long for lobbyists to get involved.
• And the people who are paid about $175,000 a year end up millionaires.
• And the elitist mindset immerges.
• And very few end up seeing themselves as our equals.

It’s just the way of the world.
“The kings of Gentiles lord it over them;”

And not only that, but Jesus says, “and those who have authority over them are called ‘Benefactors.’”

It’s funny that most politicians today
Consider themselves to be “Public Servants”
But we are all supremely confident
That most don’t seem to rightly understand service.

“Benefactor” is a better title.

EUREGETES (your-a-gay-tace)
It speaks of one who has honor conferred upon them for doing service.

In other words, it is NOT a person who serves
For the benefit of the one they are serving.
It IS a person who serves
For the glory of being considered a servant.

Jesus has addressed this many times in His ministry.
Matthew 6:2 “So when you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be honored by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.”

And of course that warning extended on to prayer and fasting as well.

Or
Matthew 23:6-12 “They love the place of honor at banquets and the chief seats in the synagogues, and respectful greetings in the market places, and being called Rabbi by men. “But do not be called Rabbi; for One is your Teacher, and you are all brothers. “Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. “Do not be called leaders; for One is your Leader, that is, Christ. “But the greatest among you shall be your servant. “Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.”

• These men didn’t serve or give or pray or fast or teach for the benefit of others,
• They only did it for their own benefit.
• They only did it for the glory they could receive.

THAT IS THE WAY OF THE WORLD.

Every politician is going to spout the party line that
They are serving their country and they do it because they love America,
But most of the time we find their motives to be entirely different.

NOT ALWAYS, BUT OFTEN.
THAT’S JUST THE WAY THE WORLD OPERATES.

But Jesus here reminds the disciples that they are to be different.
We are not to be like the world.

(26) “But it is not this way with you, but the one who is the greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like the servant.”

Do you see the difference?
• In the world men seek to be servants so that they can lead.
• In the kingdom of heaven men seek the position of leadership so that they can serve.

It’s fundamentally different isn’t it?

And true greatness is NOT FOUND in the amount of honor or glory you can accumulate, BUT in how much service you can offer.

There is a necessary relinquishing of glory
So that you can benefit those around you.

Jesus said to be great you have to become “like the youngest”.

That’s because in their culture the youngest were the least important.
• In their culture, you didn’t let kids make important decisions.
• In their culture, you didn’t let kids make non-important decisions.

The important decisions were reserved for those with experience and wisdom.
The non-important decisions were reserved for those who you sought to honor.

Jesus said in order to be great you had to seek the glory of a child.
If you wanted to be a true leader, you had to be like a servant.

And then comes the question to ponder.
(27) “For who is greater, the one who reclines at the table, or the one who serves?”

The point being, in a normal situation,
• If you looked into a room and saw one guy setting at the head of the table and another guy serving him,
• Which one of the two would you think was the most important?
• Which one of the two would you assume was in charge?

And the answer is obvious.
“Is it not the one who reclines at the table?”

The reclining will always be considered greater
Than the one serving in the world.

And yet we see what Jesus says:
“But I am among you as the one who serves.”

This is the curious difference.

The disciples all know that Jesus is the greatest among them.
• Jesus is the Son of God.
• Jesus is the Messiah.
• Jesus has miracle power.
• Jesus is the teacher.

There is no question in the room as to who the leader is,
Or who is the greatest, or who is the most important.

And yet, here He was serving them.

• Here He was sacrificing for them.
• Here He was laying down His life for them.
• Here He was giving His body and His blood to them.

He didn’t use them He served them.

Now obviously Peter will pick up on this, even later in his epistle he will write:
1 Peter 5:1-4 “Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed, shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.”

Where to you think Peter learned that?

Jesus took everything the disciples understood about greatness
And turned it on its head.

True greatness is found in service
True service is that which benefits others, not that which glorifies self.

THIS WAS THE LESSON.
And look back at the scene.

The debate around the table was about greatness.
And everyone in there had some claim as to why they were the greatest.

But true greatness immerged in only one place – in Jesus.

Why?
Because only Jesus ascended to leadership for the purpose of service.
• Only Jesus laid aside His glory for the good of others.
• Only Jesus offered up His body and His blood for the benefit of others.
• Only Jesus subjected Himself to pain and shame and suffering for others.
• Only Jesus endured hostility and betrayal for the sake of others.

It was ONE THING to hand the disciples a roll and say “This is for you”
It was ONE THING to hand them a glass of wine and say “This is for you”
We can all make claims about what we do for others.

But only one at that table truly surrendered His glory.
Only one at that table truly served the others.

They all claimed to be the greatest
And by the end of the night they’ll all be looking out for themselves.
ONLY JESUS WILL FOLLOW THROUGH.

And so this morning we just point out again THE GREATNESS OF JESUS.
Not just because of His title – Not just because of His power
But ultimately because of His service.

• Jesus humbled Himself to take on human flesh.
• Jesus submitted to the Law He wrote in order to obtain righteousness for us.
• Jesus endured hostility and rage and wrath to pay our penalty for sin.

And while He is Lord of all, He never lorded it over anyone.
He merely came to give His life for the benefit of others.

Isaiah 50:4-7 “The Lord GOD has given Me the tongue of disciples, That I may know how to sustain the weary one with a word. He awakens Me morning by morning, He awakens My ear to listen as a disciple. The Lord GOD has opened My ear; And I was not disobedient Nor did I turn back. I gave My back to those who strike Me, And My cheeks to those who pluck out the beard; I did not cover My face from humiliation and spitting. For the Lord GOD helps Me, Therefore, I am not disgraced; Therefore, I have set My face like flint, And I know that I will not be ashamed.”

And all that so that He might save you.

That Passover was no empty ordinance.
Jesus followed through.

And the offer to you is that
If you will repent of your sin and seek righteousness only in Him
Then you will be forgiven and justified.

There is no other Savior, but none other is needed.
For the Greatness of Jesus is obvious.

Download Here:

Citizens Of Heaven
Psalms 87
November 1, 2020

When we planned our first ever international mission trip
I still remember Janeen lecturing us about the importance
Of keeping a firm hold on our passports.

She would tell us that many people in Africa
Would “Give their right arm for an American passport.”

Simply put, the benefits of being an American citizen in our world
Are regarded to the rest of the world as invaluable.

Even though we can get disillusioned quickly with our country,
We still recognize the freedoms and blessings and prosperity
That we enjoy here is not common throughout the world.

Being a US citizen means something so far as it relates to this life.

In New Testament times we saw the benefits of being a Roman citizen.

You may remember when Paul was arrested and beaten in Philippi.
Acts 16:37-38 “But Paul said to them, “They have beaten us in public without trial, men who are Romans, and have thrown us into prison; and now are they sending us away secretly? No indeed! But let them come themselves and bring us out.” The policemen reported these words to the chief magistrates. They were afraid when they heard that they were Romans,”

Or later when Paul was about to be beaten in Jerusalem:
Acts 22:25-29 “But when they stretched him out with thongs, Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, “Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman and uncondemned?” When the centurion heard this, he went to the commander and told him, saying, “What are you about to do? For this man is a Roman.” The commander came and said to him, “Tell me, are you a Roman?” And he said, “Yes.” The commander answered, “I acquired this citizenship with a large sum of money.” And Paul said, “But I was actually born a citizen.” Therefore those who were about to examine him immediately let go of him; and the commander also was afraid when he found out that he was a Roman, and because he had put him in chains.”

Being a Roman citizen was a big deal.
There were certain rights and privileges and protections
That came with being a citizen of that nation.

But if a straight up comparison is to be done.
Nothing compares with being a citizen of Zion.

Psalms 87 is a song about that blessing.

It is the Hebrew equivalent to Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless The U.S.A.”

The Psalmist here is singing, “I’m proud to be from Zion…”

And obviously, (as you’ve no doubt already gathered),
The imagery here extends far beyond just the earthly city of Jerusalem
And looks to the heavenly Zion.

And it allows us to turn our focus
To the value of having a heavenly citizenship.

And obviously the TIMING TONIGHT IS INTERESTING
Since this coming Tuesday America will elect a president.

At least half of the population is in a state of great anxiety
As they await the results.

I’ve heard everything from
• This election being called a “tipping point”
• And even “the point of no return” for our nation from both sides.

And so a study of this Psalm will do us good
As we take our eyes off of what is most certainly a temporary nation
And FIX OUR EYES what is an eternal one.

EVEN AS AN INTRODUCTION,
I would remind you again of what we know to be true in Scripture.

Stephen Butts shared with us from Daniel 5 Sunday morning about the feeble nature of kings. We saw that God can raise up and tear down a ruler any time He desires.

But I would also remind you of something
THAT EVERY AMERICAN NEEDS TO KNOW.

In Daniel 2 we are told about a dream that Nebuchadnezzar had which terrified him and which no man could interpret.

You’ll remember the dream was of a statue.
• It had a head of gold (Babylon)
• It had a breast and arms of silver (Media/Persia)
• It had a belly and thighs of bronze (Greece)
• It had legs of iron (Rome)
• It had feet of iron/clay (Anti-Christ)

And Daniel revealed this to Nebuchadnezzar:
Daniel 2:34-35 “You continued looking until a stone was cut out without hands, and it struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and crushed them. “Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold were crushed all at the same time and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away so that not a trace of them was found. But the stone that struck the statue became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.”

Later Daniel would reveal:
Daniel 2:44 “In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, and that kingdom will not be left for another people; it will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, but it will itself endure forever.”

One thing every American needs to understand is that
The United States of America is not the kingdom of heaven.

There is no doubt that
• The USA was raised up by God.
• The USA has been used by God.
• The USA has been blessed by God.

But that could be said of countless other kingdoms as well.
God raised up, used, and blessed
Egypt and Babylon and Persia and Greece and Rome, etc.

BUT IN THE END, ONLY ONE KINGDOM IS LEFT STANDING.

And in the end it is only a heavenly passport
That is accepted through security.

Now there is certainly nothing wrong with praying for and working for and voting for the peace and prosperity of an earthly nation.

Even the exiles who were sent to Babylon were told:
Jeremiah 29:4-7 “Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon, ‘Build houses and live in them; and plant gardens and eat their produce. ‘Take wives and become the fathers of sons and daughters, and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; and multiply there and do not decrease. ‘Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf; for in its welfare you will have welfare.’”

That’s a good practice of how to live in an earthly kingdom.
You ought to seek the welfare of the place where you live.

But at the same time don’t forget the ADMONITION
That EVENTUALLY CAME to those Jews who were living in Babylon:

Jeremiah 51:6 “Flee from the midst of Babylon, And each of you save his life! Do not be destroyed in her punishment, For this is the LORD’S time of vengeance; He is going to render recompense to her.”

Jeremiah 51:9 “We applied healing to Babylon, but she was not healed; Forsake her and let us each go to his own country, For her judgment has reached to heaven And towers up to the very skies.”

Jeremiah 51:45 “Come forth from her midst, My people, And each of you save yourselves From the fierce anger of the LORD.”

It is no different than Jacob and Joseph
Who found exile in Egypt and great peace and prosperity there.

But both of those men prepared for the day
When their descendants would leave that nation behind
For a land of their own.

• Joseph gave orders commanding his bones to be taken out of that place.
• Jacob actually demanded burial back in Canaan.

Egypt was good to both of them,
But they knew they were citizens of a better country.

That is really the theme of Psalms 87.
It is the rejoicing of a citizen of Zion.

It is a Psalm to help you understand that
Regardless of your earthly country,
Nothing compares to your heavenly one.

Tonight we’ll break it down into 3 points.
#1 ZION’S DESIGNATION
Psalms 87:1-3

Right off the bat we are reminded of the location of Zion
As the city set in the mountains.

(1) “His foundation is in the holy mountains.”

Only here they are called “the holy mountains”.
• God did not select those mountains because they were holy.
• They were declared holy because God selected those mountains.

(2) “The LORD loves the gates of Zion more than all the other dwelling places of Jacob.”

We see God’s love for Zion in the fact that
God selected her as the place where His name would dwell.

And in that sense, God loved her more than every other city.

Think of it like the passage
• “Jacob have I loved, Esau have I hated”
• Or when Jesus says “If anyone comes after Me and does not hate his own
father and mother…he cannot be my disciple.”

It is a contrasting statement.
God did for Zion what He did for no other city in Israel.
God caused His name to dwell there.

Deuteronomy 12:8-14 “You shall not do at all what we are doing here today, every man doing whatever is right in his own eyes; for you have not as yet come to the resting place and the inheritance which the LORD your God is giving you. “When you cross the Jordan and live in the land which the LORD your God is giving you to inherit, and He gives you rest from all your enemies around you so that you live in security, then it shall come about that the place in which the LORD your God will choose for His name to dwell, there you shall bring all that I command you: your burnt offerings and your sacrifices, your tithes and the contribution of your hand, and all your choice votive offerings which you will vow to the LORD. “And you shall rejoice before the LORD your God, you and your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, and the Levite who is within your gates, since he has no portion or inheritance with you. “Be careful that you do not offer your burnt offerings in every cultic place you see, but in the place which the LORD chooses in one of your tribes, there you shall offer your burnt offerings, and there you shall do all that I command you.”

And the place God ultimately selected was Jerusalem.

David moved the ark of God there, SOLOMON BUILT HIM A HOUSE.
1 Kings 8:27-29 “But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain You, how much less this house which I have built! “Yet have regard to the prayer of Your servant and to his supplication, O LORD my God, to listen to the cry and to the prayer which Your servant prays before You today; that Your eyes may be open toward this house night and day, toward the place of which You have said, ‘My name shall be there,’ to listen to the prayer which Your servant shall pray toward this place.”

This place was promised to have God’s attention.
God’s eyes and God’s ears would be open to this place.

This is the place where His name and His glory dwelled.
This was the access point on earth to the living God.

No other city could boast such an attraction.

Psalms 68:16 “Why do you look with envy, O mountains with many peaks, At the mountain which God has desired for His abode? Surely the LORD will dwell there forever.”

• Giza could boast of the sphynx
• Athens could boast of the Parthenon
• Rome could boast of the Coliseum
• Brownwood could boast of Underwoods Cafeteria

But none of them had an attraction like this.

THIS CITY HOUSED THE LIVING GOD.

Beyond that, this city held the promises of God.
(3) “Glorious things are spoken of you, O city of God. Selah”

And we immediately think of the many promises
God has made in regard to this city.

Isaiah 65:18-19 “But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create; For behold, I create Jerusalem for rejoicing And her people for gladness. “I will also rejoice in Jerusalem and be glad in My people; And there will no longer be heard in her The voice of weeping and the sound of crying.”

Isaiah 66:10-13 “Be joyful with Jerusalem and rejoice for her, all you who love her; Be exceedingly glad with her, all you who mourn over her, That you may nurse and be satisfied with her comforting breasts, That you may suck and be delighted with her bountiful bosom.” For thus says the LORD, “Behold, I extend peace to her like a river, And the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream; And you will be nursed, you will be carried on the hip and fondled on the knees. “As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you; And you will be comforted in Jerusalem.”

Zechariah 1:14-17 “So the angel who was speaking with me said to me, “Proclaim, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, “I am exceedingly jealous for Jerusalem and Zion. “But I am very angry with the nations who are at ease; for while I was only a little angry, they furthered the disaster.” ‘Therefore thus says the LORD, “I will return to Jerusalem with compassion; My house will be built in it,” declares the LORD of hosts, “and a measuring line will be stretched over Jerusalem.”‘ “Again, proclaim, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, “My cities will again overflow with prosperity, and the LORD will again comfort Zion and again choose Jerusalem.”‘”

Zechariah 8:20-23 “Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘It will yet be that peoples will come, even the inhabitants of many cities. ‘The inhabitants of one will go to another, saying, “Let us go at once to entreat the favor of the LORD, and to seek the LORD of hosts; I will also go.” ‘So many peoples and mighty nations will come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem and to entreat the favor of the LORD.’ “Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘In those days ten men from all the nations will grasp the garment of a Jew, saying, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.”‘”

And those are but a few.
The GREATER PROMISES have to do not only with that city,
But the new CITY WHICH IS TO COME.

Revelation 21:1-4 “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.”

Not only has God done for this city
What He has done for no other city,
But He has also promised to do for this city
What He will do for no other city.

Only this city gets a heavenly remake.
• Only this city has an eternal plan.
• Only this city gets a divine king to rule for all eternity.

No other city has a designation like that.
No other city has an attraction like that.
No other city has a future like that.

Zion’s Designation
#2 ZION’S DISTINCTION
Psalms 87:4-6

These 3 verses can read A LITTLE CONFUSING at first, but let me just tell you what they are about and then perhaps they will make a little more sense to you.

You obviously read WORD ANALOGIES here
That speak of Jerusalem as a mother.

It brings to our mind Paul’s distinction:
Galatians 4:21-26 “Tell me, you who want to be under law, do you not listen to the law? For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the bondwoman and one by the free woman. But the son by the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and the son by the free woman through the promise. This is allegorically speaking, for these women are two covenants: one proceeding from Mount Sinai bearing children who are to be slaves; she is Hagar. Now this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. But the Jerusalem above is free; she is our mother.”

Paul was making the point
• We are not children of the slave woman, we are children of the free woman.
• We are not inhabitants of the slave mountain, we are inhabitants of the free
mountain.
• We are not citizens of the present Jerusalem, we are citizens of the above
Jerusalem.

That is mother imagery Paul took from this Psalm.
He saw Jerusalem as a mother.

You see the same type of imagery here.

Here you see various nations listed.
Actually listed are 5 Gentile nations.

“Rahab” (Egypt), “Babylon”, “Philistia”, “Tyre”, and “Ethiopia”

And of those cities GOD REVEALS THAT
These are nations “who know Me”

That is to say that even among these pagan nations,
There are those who have been redeemed and have been saved.

They are nations that are NOT TOTALLY VOID of the blessings and benefits of God.
• We could throw the United States into a list like this.
• We are certainly a Gentile nation that has in it people who know God.
• We are a nation that has been used and blessed by God.

And the IMPORTANT DISTINCTION for all these Gentile nations is this.
“This one was born there.”

We would do good to ask: “Born where?”
And the answer is Zion.

All of those Gentile or pagan nations that now know God,
Know Him because they approached God through Zion.

Keep reading and I’ll show you.
(5) “But of Zion it shall be said, “This one and that one were born in her.”

Perhaps it would help if we said it like this:
“This one and that one were born [again] in her.”

These nations that have come to know God and be known by God
Have experienced that privilege
Because they came to God through Zion.

Let me give you another reference.
Romans 11:17-18 “But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree, do not be arrogant toward the branches; but if you are arrogant, remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you.”

• We remember that we are those merely grafted in to the promises that God made to Abraham.
• We are not Israel, but through Christ we are grafted in to Israel and thus sharers of the blessing.

THAT IS THE POINT BEING MADE HERE.
For those Gentiles that come through Zion
And are in effect born in her, they also know God.

Consider the heavenly scene:
Revelation 5:9-10 “And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. “You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.”

• In heaven we see represented every nation, tribe, and tongue.
• They are there as those who have been grafted in to Zion and thus share the blessing.

This is what the writer of the Psalm is talking about.

That not only is Zion the blessed city of God
But it is also the source of blessing
To any and all who desire to know God.

Even a Babylonian could know God by traveling to Jerusalem.
Even a Philistine could meet God by traveling through the gates of Zion.

THERE IS ACCESS TO GOD HERE.

BUT EVEN MORE THAN THAT, we find out that IN THE END, it is only those who are now citizens of this city who are welcome to God.

(6) “The LORD will count when He registers the peoples, “This one was born there.” Selah”

It is the picture of the end and God opening the registry.
• Only the registered citizens of Zion are acceptable to God.
• Only those with a heavenly passport are permitted.
• Only those who entered Jerusalem are allowed to come to Him.

Revelation 21:27 “and nothing unclean, and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into it, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.”

And this simply makes the point again.
• Egyptians are not welcome unless they have become citizens of Zion.
• Babylonians are not welcome unless they have become citizens of Zion.
• Romans are not welcome unless they have become citizens of Zion.
• Americans are not welcome unless they have become citizens of Zion.

Does that make sense?
This is the city God blessed and this is the only city He accepts.

If you have to choose between American citizenship and Heavenly citizenship it is obvious which one you should choose.

Zion’s Designation Zion’s Distinction
#3 ZION’S DELIGHT
Psalms 87:7

You recognize here obvious rejoicing.
There is obvious music and obvious singing.

The statement is “All my springs of joy are in you.”
• That is to say everything worth having comes from you.
• It is Asaph’s cry that apart from you I desire nothing on earth.
• It is the cry of the Psalmist that he doesn’t need anything any other country has to offer, he only wants what Zion offers.

We actually see a great picture of this in Scripture.

TURN TO: EZEKIEL 47:1-12
You remember this picture of the river.

1) THE SOURCE OF THE RIVER (1)
• It comes from God.
• He is there, and He is the source of life.

2) THE SUFFICIENCY OF THE RIVER (2-5)
• The river gets deeper further downstream.
• It’s not diminishing it is growing stronger.
• It will go on forever. (John 10:10)

3) THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE RIVER (6-11)
• The river gives life.
• Even to the Dead Sea…life

4) THE STAMINA OF THE RIVER (12)
• It never stops.

And of course we read:
Revelation 22:1-2 “Then he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb, in the middle of its street. On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.”

This is the joy of the new and heavenly city.

TURN TO: REVELATION 21:10-27
There are the blessings and the joys as well.

And the point of the Psalmist is that this is THE CITY YOU SHOULD SEEK.
This is the city you want to be a citizen of.
• If you’re a citizen of Babylon then forsake it and apply for citizenship here.
• If you’re a citizen of Egypt then forsake it and come apply for citizenship here.
• If you’re a citizen of America then forsake it and apply for citizenship here.

Do not love the world or the things of the world…

And so the obvious application of the Psalm is clear.
MOVE YOUR CITIZENSHIP HERE!

Consider the saints of old.
Hebrews 11:13-16 “All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. And indeed if they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them.”

They didn’t want what their old country had to offer.
• We see Abram leave Ur
• We see Moses leave Pharaoh’s court
• They wanted something better.

And the writer of Hebrews would appeal to his readers to DO THE SAME.

Hebrews 13:14 “For here we do not have a lasting city, but we are seeking the city which is to come.”

What city is that?
Hebrews 12:22-24 “But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel.”

• Don’t hang on to this world.
• Don’t put your hope in this world.
• Let it go and embrace the city which is to come.

Paul said:
Philippians 3:17-21 “Brethren, join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us. For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things. For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.”

This is our calling.
That is what this Psalm is about.

We can all sing about being proud to be an American,
But this Psalmist was proud to call Zion his home.

It was his heavenly passport that mattered the most to him.

And I think regardless of what happens Tuesday,
This must be the focus of every child of God.

Don’t latch your hopes to a political leader.
Don’t attach your future to an earthly nation.

I hope America lasts many more years to come.
I hope America enjoys peace and prosperity.
I desire the welfare of this nation.

But there is only one nation that stands in the end
And that is the nation you must be a part of.

And it is through Jesus Christ alone that entrance is granted there.
• It is a holy city.
• It is a righteous nation.
• And only Christ can make you righteous.
• Only Christ can make you holy.

And when you forsake this life in order to gain His…
When you deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Him…
That is when you receive your new passport.

And that is when you are guaranteed access to heaven’s springs of joy.

And it is a benefit like no other.

Psalms 87:1-3 “His foundation is in the holy mountains. The LORD loves the gates of Zion More than all the other dwelling places of Jacob. Glorious things are spoken of you, O city of God. Selah.”