WEBVTT 00:00:41.750 --> 00:00:43.509 Psalms 24. 00:00:44.310 --> 00:00:45.909 A Psalm of David. 00:00:46.949 --> 00:00:52.469 The earth is the Lord's, in the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein. 00:00:52.950 --> 00:00:57.509 For he has founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the rivers. 00:00:57.829 --> 00:01:02.549 Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord, and who shall stand in his holy place? 00:01:03.429 --> 00:01:11.189 He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false, and does not swear deceitfully. 00:01:11.430 --> 00:01:16.390 He will receive blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation. 00:01:16.789 --> 00:01:22.469 Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob. 00:01:22.789 --> 00:01:29.590 Lift up your heads, O gates, and be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. 00:01:29.990 --> 00:01:31.750 Who is this King of Globe? 00:01:32.069 --> 00:01:34.390 The Lord, strong and mighty. 00:01:34.629 --> 00:01:37.030 The Lord, mighty in battle. 00:01:37.269 --> 00:01:43.349 Lift up your heads, O gates, and lift them up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. 00:01:43.670 --> 00:01:45.349 Who is this King of Glory? 00:01:45.750 --> 00:01:46.870 The Lord of hosts. 00:02:27.349 --> 00:02:34.469 And you had him cry out to you and praise you, Lord, and just uh want to know you more, Lord. 00:02:34.550 --> 00:02:40.629 And we we want to take those words today as Brother Michael takes those to us, Lord. 00:02:40.789 --> 00:02:57.430 Use him, your Lord, help him to be out of the way and help these words, Lord, penetrate our hearts and our minds, Lord, and and and prompt us into movement as you uh had them do for David, have them do for us, Lord, and for many other generations before and to come, Lord. 00:02:57.510 --> 00:02:58.950 Just thank you for this time. 00:02:59.189 --> 00:03:03.990 Bless us indeed, Lord, and um thank you for this all in your Son Jesus' name. 00:03:04.150 --> 00:03:04.629 Amen. 00:03:04.950 --> 00:03:05.349 Amen. 00:03:05.909 --> 00:03:07.510 And church may be seated. 00:03:07.750 --> 00:03:11.270 For those of you who may not know me, my name's uh Michael Gerardo. 00:03:11.349 --> 00:03:17.270 I had the great privilege of serving as one of the pastors here in this morning, have the opportunity to preach God's word uh yet again. 00:03:17.349 --> 00:03:19.909 As we read just a moment ago, we're gonna be in Psalm 24. 00:03:19.990 --> 00:03:24.310 So if you have a Bible, I want to invite you to begin to turn there with me. 00:03:24.710 --> 00:03:31.909 And as you do, I I want to begin by reading a quote from pastor and author Jonathan Landry Cruz. 00:03:31.990 --> 00:03:34.870 It's taken from his book, What Happens When We Worship? 00:03:34.950 --> 00:03:37.349 And he begins his book with the following statement. 00:03:37.510 --> 00:03:38.870 You'll see this quote on the screen. 00:03:39.030 --> 00:03:44.230 He says, Worship is a supernatural event. 00:03:44.710 --> 00:03:46.789 Take a moment and consider that statement. 00:03:46.950 --> 00:03:49.110 Worship, he says, he's talking about corporate worship. 00:03:49.270 --> 00:03:53.670 What we're doing here this morning, worship is a supernatural event. 00:03:53.830 --> 00:03:56.069 He asks, have you ever considered that? 00:03:56.230 --> 00:03:57.990 It's an obvious statement, really. 00:03:58.230 --> 00:04:04.870 An event in which we interact with a supernatural being must, by definition, be supernatural. 00:04:05.030 --> 00:04:16.310 In other words, if God is a supernatural being and we believe that in corporate worship we meet with this God, then our worship gathering, by definition, must be a supernatural event. 00:04:16.550 --> 00:04:28.230 If this is true, he then asks, then why is it that we so often approach worship with a sense of boredom instead of astonishment? 00:04:28.709 --> 00:04:31.909 With yawns instead of awe? 00:04:32.469 --> 00:04:38.230 Now consider just for a brief moment your posture this morning as you engage in corporate worship. 00:04:38.389 --> 00:04:41.189 Are you bored out of your mind? 00:04:42.149 --> 00:04:45.829 Are you astonished that you get to meet with the living God? 00:04:46.870 --> 00:05:00.149 Do you find yourself yawning as we engage with the different elements of worship, or do you stand in awe of the fact that we get to meet with the God described here in Psalm 24? 00:05:01.269 --> 00:05:05.750 How are you approaching corporate worship today? 00:05:07.189 --> 00:05:17.989 Cruz continues and he says, astounding and spectacular are perhaps not the first adjectives most people would use to describe the average church going experience. 00:05:18.149 --> 00:05:25.189 Instead, many people would charge worship with being dull, dry, and tedious. 00:05:25.509 --> 00:05:30.069 And even if some of us haven't said it out loud, most of us have thought it at one point. 00:05:30.469 --> 00:05:37.269 And then he says this worship is never dull, but we are. 00:05:38.469 --> 00:05:40.709 Worship is never dull, but we are. 00:05:40.870 --> 00:05:51.509 Church going is monotonous and mundane only because our eyes are blinded to the supernatural wonder that is taking place all around us. 00:05:51.750 --> 00:06:04.310 Now, the the purpose of Landry's book and what he goes on to explain is the fact that in God's divine wisdom, he has designed this supernatural event to unfold through ordinary means. 00:06:04.549 --> 00:06:12.709 Things like reading the word, praying the word, singing the word, preaching the word, seeing the word through the ordinances, much like we're doing this very morning. 00:06:12.870 --> 00:06:26.629 But listen, while it may seem ordinary, nevertheless, a supernatural event is taking place every time we gather as a church to worship this supernatural being. 00:06:27.829 --> 00:06:39.829 Church, I wonder how might our approach, our perspective, and even our engagement in corporate worship change if we truly believe that to be true. 00:06:40.549 --> 00:06:48.229 That here, now, in this very moment, as we sit in this very room, the living God is present with us in a special way. 00:06:48.629 --> 00:06:56.469 The all-knowing, ever-present, all-powerful, all-sufficient God of the universe is present here and now. 00:06:57.989 --> 00:07:07.589 What we often treat as dull, dry, and tedious would become what it truly is: astounding and spectacular. 00:07:08.389 --> 00:07:16.469 The people of God, in the presence of God, being shaped and formed by the word of God. 00:07:17.189 --> 00:07:20.310 That's exactly what Psalm 24 helps us to do. 00:07:20.389 --> 00:07:27.029 It reorients our vision by reminding us that worship is ultimately about the presence of God among his people. 00:07:27.669 --> 00:07:41.429 See, although the subscript of Psalm 24, as we read just a moment ago, only identifies its author as King David, most scholars believe it was likely written to celebrate the entrance of the Ark into Jerusalem. 00:07:41.589 --> 00:07:49.189 You can read the historical context of this in 2 Samuel chapter 6 as well as 1 Chronicles 15 and 16. 00:07:49.269 --> 00:07:52.229 But here's just a brief overview of the context. 00:07:52.469 --> 00:08:01.029 David has just been established the king over Israel, and one of his first acts of leadership is to bring the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem. 00:08:01.189 --> 00:08:10.229 Now remember, the ark was the place where God's presence was uniquely manifested in the tabernacle, dwelling within the most holy place. 00:08:10.389 --> 00:08:16.549 And so King David is bringing the ark to Jerusalem, and to mark the occasion, he writes Psalm 24. 00:08:16.789 --> 00:08:23.349 A Psalm declaring that when the Ark entered the city, the very presence of God was in the midst of Israel. 00:08:23.589 --> 00:08:28.709 In other words, Psalm 24 confronts us with this staggering reality. 00:08:29.189 --> 00:08:37.190 When God's people gather, they gather before the keen of glory. 00:08:38.710 --> 00:08:50.950 But see, as Christians, we read all of Scripture on the other side of the cross, which means that we have to read, we have to interpret, and we have to apply Psalm 24 in light of the gospel. 00:08:51.110 --> 00:08:55.750 So essentially, I want us to ask and answer two questions from this text this morning. 00:08:55.830 --> 00:08:57.509 You'll see these questions on the string. 00:08:57.590 --> 00:09:04.549 First, as we read Psalm 24, we're asking, who is this king of glory in our midst? 00:09:05.110 --> 00:09:09.269 Who is this God whose presence we encounter in corporate worship? 00:09:09.429 --> 00:09:17.829 And then secondly, how does the gospel enable sinful people like us to experience his presence? 00:09:17.990 --> 00:09:22.549 How does the gospel enable us to encounter this king of glory? 00:09:23.029 --> 00:09:28.230 And with that being said, let's jump into our text and let's answer these questions together. 00:09:28.389 --> 00:09:41.590 The first marker, if you will, that identifies this king of glory in Psalm 24 is the fact that he is the creator king who rules and reigns over all. 00:09:41.750 --> 00:09:43.350 He is the creator king. 00:09:43.509 --> 00:09:46.949 We find this identity marker in the first two verses of the Psalm. 00:09:47.110 --> 00:09:54.870 Verse 1 begins The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein. 00:09:54.949 --> 00:09:55.189 Right? 00:09:55.269 --> 00:10:00.949 He begins with this emphatic statement everything and everyone belongs to God. 00:10:01.269 --> 00:10:06.069 There's not a single atom or molecule that is not the ownership of God Almighty. 00:10:06.230 --> 00:10:06.470 Why? 00:10:06.629 --> 00:10:07.829 Well, verse two tells us. 00:10:07.909 --> 00:10:08.470 Look at verse two. 00:10:08.709 --> 00:10:10.149 He says, for, right? 00:10:10.230 --> 00:10:19.909 He's saying, here's the reason for the statement in verse one, for he, God, has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers. 00:10:20.069 --> 00:10:29.429 In other words, everything and everyone belongs to God because everything and everyone was created by God, right? 00:10:29.669 --> 00:10:34.709 All of creation is stamped with this message made by God. 00:10:36.069 --> 00:10:39.189 This is the very first thing revealed about God in the scriptures, right? 00:10:39.269 --> 00:10:41.509 The fact that He's a creator King, Genesis 1. 00:10:41.669 --> 00:10:43.029 In the beginning, God what? 00:10:43.509 --> 00:10:46.389 Created the heavens and the earth. 00:10:46.629 --> 00:10:57.029 And this simple phrase found at the very beginning of the Bible, the first words of the Bible, becomes the primary identified used all throughout the Old Testament to tell us who this God is. 00:10:57.189 --> 00:11:00.069 When we ask the question, who is the God of the Bible? 00:11:00.230 --> 00:11:03.429 What distinguishes him from the other so-called gods? 00:11:03.590 --> 00:11:09.509 The biblical answer in the Old Testament is he is the maker of heaven and earth. 00:11:09.990 --> 00:11:17.189 See, the pagan religions of the ancient Near East, they worshiped so-called gods who had control over certain facets of creation. 00:11:17.350 --> 00:11:23.990 As a matter of fact, some scholars believe David refers to the seas and the rivers in verse 2 for this very reason. 00:11:24.230 --> 00:11:32.470 But unlike these so-called gods, the God of the Bible, Yahweh, he created the seas and the rivers and everything that lives in it. 00:11:32.549 --> 00:11:36.789 And because he created all of it, he is king over all of it. 00:11:37.029 --> 00:11:48.870 He is the sovereign creator, the one who rules and reigns over not some, but all of creation, which includes you and me. 00:11:50.069 --> 00:11:57.269 In Romans 11, the Apostle Paul provides us with a simple framework for understanding God as the creator king. 00:11:57.350 --> 00:12:08.069 At the end of his doxology, Paul writes this for from him, from God, and through God and to God are all things. 00:12:08.389 --> 00:12:10.230 To him be glory forever. 00:12:10.470 --> 00:12:10.949 Amen. 00:12:11.110 --> 00:12:22.069 In his commentary on Romans, Andrew Naselli says that Paul essentially asks and answers three questions in this doxology that provides a framework for understanding God as creator. 00:12:22.230 --> 00:12:23.269 You'll see these on the screen. 00:12:23.350 --> 00:12:25.350 First, he asks the question, where? 00:12:26.149 --> 00:12:27.990 Where did everything come from? 00:12:28.149 --> 00:12:33.189 All that we see around us, from the stars in the sky to the fish in the sea, where did it come from? 00:12:33.350 --> 00:12:35.669 And the answer is from him. 00:12:36.230 --> 00:12:43.189 In other words, God is the source of all things, the foundation or the spring from which everything else flows from. 00:12:43.269 --> 00:12:44.149 It comes from him. 00:12:44.470 --> 00:12:46.789 And then he asks a second question: how? 00:12:47.429 --> 00:12:49.590 How did everything come to be? 00:12:49.750 --> 00:12:52.549 It comes from God, but how did it get here? 00:12:52.709 --> 00:12:58.549 And the answer is through him, for he is the means of all things, right? 00:12:58.629 --> 00:13:04.949 Not only does it come from him, but he created all that we see and enjoy through the power of his word. 00:13:05.590 --> 00:13:07.829 He spoke and it came to be. 00:13:07.909 --> 00:13:12.389 It all comes generously from his hand, who fashioned us in his image. 00:13:12.549 --> 00:13:14.789 Lastly, then Paul asks, why? 00:13:15.269 --> 00:13:17.750 Why was everything created? 00:13:17.909 --> 00:13:19.269 What's its ultimate purpose? 00:13:19.429 --> 00:13:21.590 And Paul says, it's it's to him. 00:13:22.069 --> 00:13:24.309 God is the end of all things. 00:13:24.549 --> 00:13:34.069 Everything created is ultimately meant to find their joy, their purpose, their happiness in him, because we were created for him. 00:13:34.789 --> 00:13:44.149 The ultimate end of all of creation is to enjoy and savor the presence of God as it was intended to be. 00:13:44.470 --> 00:13:56.549 Just like Adam and Eve in Genesis 1 and 2, having unmitigated access to the presence of God in the garden, that's why we were created for God Himself. 00:13:56.629 --> 00:14:04.230 And nothing brings God greater glory than his creation enjoying his presence. 00:14:05.350 --> 00:14:07.429 But here's the question I want us to consider. 00:14:07.669 --> 00:14:12.230 Is that the current relationship between the creator and his creation? 00:14:13.350 --> 00:14:18.149 Does the creature relate to God the creator as the king of glory? 00:14:18.309 --> 00:14:20.789 And the simple answer is no. 00:14:22.069 --> 00:14:22.389 No. 00:14:22.949 --> 00:14:32.069 Creation no longer enjoys the presence of God because our relationship to the creator has been fundamentally altered by the reality of sin. 00:14:32.549 --> 00:14:36.709 Just like Adam and Eve, we have been separated from the presence of God. 00:14:36.870 --> 00:14:37.189 Why? 00:14:37.350 --> 00:14:47.909 Well, Paul tells us in Romans 1, because we exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and we worshiped and served the creature rather than the creator. 00:14:48.789 --> 00:14:58.789 In essence, rather than worshiping God as the creator king, as we see him here in Psalm 24, we have sought to make ourselves creaturely kings. 00:14:59.590 --> 00:15:05.909 We have attempted to rob God of the glory that he and he alone is worthy of receiving. 00:15:06.069 --> 00:15:20.149 And listen, the broken relationship between the creator and his creation cannot be reconciled by any amount of effort, whether religious or moral in nature. 00:15:20.309 --> 00:15:24.470 And this is where the gospel meets Psalm 24. 00:15:25.029 --> 00:15:27.750 See, it's not enough that we are created in the image of God. 00:15:27.829 --> 00:15:31.669 Because of sin, you and I must be recreated by the Son of God. 00:15:31.829 --> 00:15:36.069 We must be born again, made into new creations in Christ. 00:15:36.230 --> 00:15:38.949 Here's the gospel application I want us to see. 00:15:39.029 --> 00:15:41.110 Again, we're we're asking and answering two questions. 00:15:41.269 --> 00:15:42.470 Who is this king of glory? 00:15:42.629 --> 00:15:56.069 Well, the first thing we see in Psalm 24 is that he's the creator king, but more importantly, we want to ask and answer the question: how does the gospel enable sinners like us to be back in his presence? 00:15:56.230 --> 00:15:57.110 Here it is. 00:15:57.429 --> 00:16:06.789 Through the gospel, we are made new creations in Christ, reconciling us back to the presence of God. 00:16:07.429 --> 00:16:15.029 It's the gospel that recreates us in Jesus and that reconciles us back to the presence of this God that we're meant to worship. 00:16:15.269 --> 00:16:24.230 Again, as always, the Apostle Paul summarizes this reality so neatly for us when he writes the following to the Corinthian church. 00:16:24.389 --> 00:16:25.350 He says this. 00:16:25.829 --> 00:16:29.269 He says, If anyone is in Christ, he is what? 00:16:29.750 --> 00:16:31.350 A new creation. 00:16:31.669 --> 00:16:33.590 He says, The old has passed away. 00:16:33.750 --> 00:16:35.590 Behold, the new has come. 00:16:35.750 --> 00:16:47.909 If anyone is in Christ, we don't have time to unpack that statement, but this prepositional phrase in Christ is used by Paul all throughout his letters to identify us Christians. 00:16:48.149 --> 00:16:54.709 When we place our faith and trust in the finished work of Christ, we are transferred from the domain of darkness to the kingdom of God. 00:16:54.789 --> 00:17:02.949 And in doing so, our entire identity, who we are, is now wrapped up in Christ. 00:17:03.110 --> 00:17:09.509 We're united with Jesus in such a way that the only way Paul knows how to describe it is to say that we are in him. 00:17:10.230 --> 00:17:13.829 And those who are in him, according to 2 Corinthians, are what? 00:17:13.990 --> 00:17:14.470 Made? 00:17:14.789 --> 00:17:15.910 New creations. 00:17:16.069 --> 00:17:18.950 We're completely born again, recreated. 00:17:19.430 --> 00:17:25.829 In the same way that God spoke to the darkness in Genesis 1 and said, Let there be light. 00:17:33.750 --> 00:17:39.990 In the same way that God formed Adam from the dust and breathed life into his nostrils in Genesis 2. 00:17:40.150 --> 00:17:47.830 He now forms us by the power of his word, the gospel, and he breathes into our lifeless souls, bringing us from death to life. 00:17:47.990 --> 00:17:50.310 That's the work of the gospel. 00:17:51.030 --> 00:18:00.630 The old, dead, rebellious sinner has passed away, and behold, the born again, new creation in Christ has come. 00:18:01.670 --> 00:18:02.870 But don't miss the outcome. 00:18:02.950 --> 00:18:04.390 This is what I want us to see. 00:18:04.630 --> 00:18:05.910 Don't miss the outcome. 00:18:06.070 --> 00:18:07.190 Verse 18. 00:18:07.750 --> 00:18:11.030 Paul says, All this is from God, this new creation work. 00:18:11.110 --> 00:18:13.430 It's from God who through Christ did what? 00:18:13.750 --> 00:18:15.030 Say the word with me. 00:18:15.269 --> 00:18:18.950 Reconciled, reconciled us to Himself. 00:18:19.110 --> 00:18:20.790 That's a relational word. 00:18:20.950 --> 00:18:24.070 Ken Sandy, many of you read his book several months ago. 00:18:24.310 --> 00:18:25.830 He he defines this word. 00:18:25.990 --> 00:18:32.230 It means to replace hostility and separation with peace and friendship. 00:18:33.030 --> 00:18:37.830 We who are once the enemies of God now become the friends of God. 00:18:38.710 --> 00:18:43.110 We who ran from God are now welcomed back into his presence. 00:18:43.269 --> 00:18:51.670 We who were separated from the presence of this God that we're meant to enjoy are restored back into relationship with him. 00:18:52.950 --> 00:18:55.030 Here's what I want us to see, church. 00:18:55.350 --> 00:18:59.670 That changes the way we think about corporate worship. 00:19:01.269 --> 00:19:07.750 We don't gather this morning as spiritual orphans, hoping God might tolerate us for an hour. 00:19:09.269 --> 00:19:15.110 We don't gather as condemned sinners attempting to earn access into God's presence through our performance. 00:19:15.269 --> 00:19:28.390 No, we gather as new creations in Christ, reconciled to God, and therefore welcomed to enjoy the very presence of the one whom we were made to know. 00:19:29.030 --> 00:19:35.110 Church, when you sing, you're not merely participating in a religious exercise. 00:19:35.670 --> 00:19:38.710 When you pray, you're not speaking into the void. 00:19:38.950 --> 00:19:44.630 When you sit under the preaching of God's word as you're doing right now, you're not simply listening to information. 00:19:45.190 --> 00:20:00.870 When you come to the Lord's table as we'll do at the end of our gathering, you're not simply eating and drinking in every single one of these elements, as ordinary as they might be, we are encountering the very presence of God. 00:20:01.750 --> 00:20:07.590 And the reason we can do so is because we have been made new creations. 00:20:08.070 --> 00:20:10.710 Because we have been reconciled. 00:20:11.030 --> 00:20:13.350 Who is this King of glory in our midst? 00:20:13.509 --> 00:20:18.470 According to Psalm 24, he's the creator king who rules and reigns over all. 00:20:18.630 --> 00:20:21.110 How does the gospel enable us to enjoy his presence? 00:20:21.269 --> 00:20:26.390 He makes dead sinners new creations, reconciling us back to God. 00:20:27.350 --> 00:20:30.630 Here's the second thing we see in this text. 00:20:30.870 --> 00:20:32.550 Who is this king of glory? 00:20:32.710 --> 00:20:37.910 The second thing is he is the holy king who is set apart from all. 00:20:38.070 --> 00:20:39.830 The holy king. 00:20:40.230 --> 00:20:42.070 The psalm now asks a question. 00:20:42.230 --> 00:20:43.750 Look at verse three with me. 00:20:43.990 --> 00:20:47.830 He says, Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? 00:20:48.070 --> 00:20:51.430 And who shall stand in his holy place? 00:20:52.310 --> 00:21:04.790 That phrase, the hill of the Lord, is a reference to Mount Zion, the location of the temple in Jerusalem, the very place that was built to resemble the Garden of Eden, the place where Adam and Eve enjoyed the presence of God. 00:21:04.950 --> 00:21:16.870 Indeed, the hill of the Lord was considered a holy place because it is there that the presence of God was said to dwell in a special way among the people of Israel. 00:21:17.350 --> 00:21:19.110 But notice the question. 00:21:19.910 --> 00:21:24.790 The question isn't simply meant to identify the location of God's special presence, right? 00:21:24.870 --> 00:21:26.950 These aren't GPS coordinates. 00:21:27.269 --> 00:21:29.990 The question is meant to do something different. 00:21:30.230 --> 00:21:36.230 It's meant to draw a sharp contrast between God and the worshiper. 00:21:36.550 --> 00:21:41.110 He asks, who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? 00:21:41.509 --> 00:21:44.950 Who shall stand in his holy place? 00:21:45.269 --> 00:21:45.430 Right? 00:21:45.750 --> 00:21:49.430 The question is meant to point us to the character of God, to his holiness. 00:21:49.590 --> 00:21:56.710 In other words, what makes the location holy is because God's presence is there and God is holy. 00:21:57.350 --> 00:22:01.190 So what does this term reveal about God's character? 00:22:01.430 --> 00:22:06.070 Well, the root word in Hebrew means to cut or to separate. 00:22:10.870 --> 00:22:17.830 So to say that God is holy means He is He's set apart, He is differentiated from everything and everyone else. 00:22:17.990 --> 00:22:20.950 In essence, it reveals His otherness. 00:22:22.150 --> 00:22:27.030 The fact that nothing or no one can be compared to God. 00:22:27.590 --> 00:22:33.990 This one word describes His supremacy, his majesty, His beauty, His glory. 00:22:34.470 --> 00:22:39.910 But more particularly, His holiness reveals His absolute. 00:22:40.390 --> 00:22:43.590 Absolute moral purity. 00:22:44.470 --> 00:22:48.150 The fact that God is without sin, He is but pure light. 00:22:48.310 --> 00:22:53.990 There is no shadow of turning with God, not even the slightest hint of darkness. 00:22:54.070 --> 00:23:03.110 And because of that reality, listen, because of that sin, and more importantly, sinners cannot exist in the presence of God. 00:23:03.670 --> 00:23:08.070 At least not without the severe consequences of his holy judgment. 00:23:08.470 --> 00:23:10.550 Which brings us back to the question at hand. 00:23:10.710 --> 00:23:11.830 Who shall ascend? 00:23:12.070 --> 00:23:13.269 Who shall stand? 00:23:13.590 --> 00:23:13.910 Right? 00:23:13.990 --> 00:23:23.910 The worshiper who desires to ascend God's hill, the worshiper who desires to stand before his holy presence must first carefully examine himself. 00:23:24.470 --> 00:23:25.110 Why? 00:23:25.590 --> 00:23:30.630 Because there are certain requirements that must be met to stand before this holy king. 00:23:30.710 --> 00:23:33.030 And those requirements are revealed in verse 4. 00:23:33.110 --> 00:23:34.150 Look at verse 4. 00:23:34.310 --> 00:23:40.230 The psalmist says now, he answers the question he who has clean hands. 00:23:40.710 --> 00:23:41.030 Right? 00:23:41.110 --> 00:23:45.750 This refers to outward actions, though the way of one's life. 00:23:46.070 --> 00:23:49.030 He says, He who has a pure heart. 00:23:49.509 --> 00:23:54.950 This refers to inward disposition or the purity of motivation. 00:23:55.509 --> 00:23:59.430 Third, he says, he who does not lift up his soul to what is false, right? 00:23:59.590 --> 00:24:02.790 Someone who isn't given over to idolatry. 00:24:03.110 --> 00:24:07.269 And lastly, he who does not swear deceitfully. 00:24:07.590 --> 00:24:10.790 The psalmist mentions the hands, the heart, and the soul. 00:24:10.950 --> 00:24:14.230 In other words, all of who we are. 00:24:14.710 --> 00:24:19.509 If we could boil down the requirements to one single word, it would be holiness. 00:24:19.670 --> 00:24:26.310 In other words, we must be holy in order to stand before the holy king. 00:24:26.870 --> 00:24:36.790 I love how Charles Spurgeon responds to these requirements in his commentary on this psalm in a way that only Spurgeon can summarize as he says this. 00:24:36.870 --> 00:24:38.550 You'll see this quote on the screen. 00:24:38.710 --> 00:24:43.269 He says, It is uphill work for the creature to reach the Creator. 00:24:43.509 --> 00:24:47.509 Where is the mighty climber who can scale the towering heights? 00:24:47.750 --> 00:24:50.230 Nor is it height alone, it's glory too. 00:24:50.470 --> 00:24:54.950 Whose eyes shall see the king and his beauty and dwell in his palace? 00:24:55.190 --> 00:24:57.590 In heaven he reigns most gloriously. 00:24:57.750 --> 00:25:01.190 Who shall be permitted to enter his royal presence? 00:25:01.670 --> 00:25:10.550 Indeed, if none must ascend, but but he that is clean and pure, the question is quickly answered. 00:25:10.870 --> 00:25:13.830 None shall, for there is none so. 00:25:14.230 --> 00:25:17.110 Dust is our matter, so not clean. 00:25:17.350 --> 00:25:20.470 Defiled is our nature, so not pure. 00:25:20.950 --> 00:25:25.350 So no ascending so high for any of us. 00:25:26.070 --> 00:25:28.870 Who shall stand the hill of the Lord? 00:25:28.950 --> 00:25:29.990 Who shall ascend the hill? 00:25:30.070 --> 00:25:31.750 Who shall stand in his holy place? 00:25:31.990 --> 00:25:33.750 No one, no not one. 00:25:34.550 --> 00:25:35.190 Why? 00:25:35.910 --> 00:25:41.350 Because sin has infected every single one of our faculties. 00:25:41.670 --> 00:25:49.110 Everything that makes us human, our hearts, our minds, our will, our affections, our actions, all of it has been infected by sin. 00:25:49.269 --> 00:25:51.350 This is the doctrine of total depravity. 00:25:51.509 --> 00:25:57.750 Again, the question that the psalmist is asking is meant to draw a contrast between God and the worshiper. 00:25:58.070 --> 00:26:01.350 He is holy, and we are, to say the least, not. 00:26:01.910 --> 00:26:11.030 If he is, as scripture says, holy, holy, holy, then we are sinful, sinful, sinful, and the two are violently opposed to each other. 00:26:11.350 --> 00:26:14.550 Sinners cannot stand before the presence of a holy God. 00:26:17.190 --> 00:26:27.430 But in Psalm 24, we find the people of God, Israel, sinners, just like you and I, in the presence of the Holy One. 00:26:27.670 --> 00:26:28.710 Remember the context. 00:26:28.870 --> 00:26:35.509 David is bringing the Ark of the Covenant, the place where His presence was uniquely manifested into Jerusalem. 00:26:35.830 --> 00:26:38.950 The people have gathered to celebrate and worship. 00:26:39.030 --> 00:26:47.670 And the question we should be asking, especially in light of knowing that God is holy, how can these sinners stand before his presence? 00:26:49.350 --> 00:26:53.110 And the answer, simply put, is sacrifice. 00:26:54.470 --> 00:26:55.750 Sacrifices. 00:26:56.550 --> 00:27:01.509 We read this in 1 Chronicles 16, where this historical event is recorded. 00:27:01.670 --> 00:27:10.470 It says, And they, Israel's priests, they brought in the ark of God and set it inside the tent that David had pitched for it, and they did what? 00:27:10.950 --> 00:27:16.390 They offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before God. 00:27:16.550 --> 00:27:20.710 In other words, they offered sacrifices to God. 00:27:21.269 --> 00:27:22.790 Stick with me here for just a second. 00:27:22.950 --> 00:27:24.230 Don't miss what's going on. 00:27:24.470 --> 00:27:31.830 We're reading in between the lines, if you will, of Psalm 24, trying to make sense of how sinners can stand before this holy God. 00:27:31.910 --> 00:27:36.230 And we don't have time to get into every specific detail of the sacrificial system. 00:27:36.310 --> 00:27:39.590 For that, I point you to the wonderful book of Leviticus. 00:27:40.230 --> 00:27:46.310 But in essence, the sinful worshiper would bring his sacrifice near the altar. 00:27:46.790 --> 00:27:54.070 He would place his hand on the animal's head while confessing his sin as a way of identifying himself with the sacrifice. 00:27:54.310 --> 00:27:59.509 He would then grab the animal, he would cut its throat, and he would spill its blood. 00:27:59.750 --> 00:28:04.230 The priest would then come, he'd take the blood and he'd sprinkle it on the altar. 00:28:04.470 --> 00:28:18.950 The animal's body was then skinned, cut into pieces, washed, and arranged on the altar where it would finally be consumed by fire and transformed into smoke that would ascend to God's presence. 00:28:20.310 --> 00:28:26.230 The institution of sacrifices in the Old Testament wasn't a method designed by man to gain God's favor. 00:28:27.110 --> 00:28:38.070 No, it was a system divinely designed and graciously instituted by God to provide a way for sinful men to enter God's presence. 00:28:39.030 --> 00:28:43.030 It was a way for sinful men to receive clean hands and a pure heart. 00:28:43.190 --> 00:28:43.509 How? 00:28:43.670 --> 00:28:45.910 Through the shedding of blood. 00:28:46.710 --> 00:28:49.590 And the result is verse 5 of Psalm 24. 00:28:49.670 --> 00:28:51.110 What does the psalmist say? 00:28:51.430 --> 00:28:51.750 He. 00:28:52.230 --> 00:28:52.550 Right? 00:28:52.710 --> 00:29:04.950 He who has clean hands and a pure heart, which can ultimately only be received through sacrifice, he will receive blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his salvation. 00:29:05.430 --> 00:29:07.670 Righteousness from God. 00:29:08.950 --> 00:29:11.750 And here's why this is so fascinating. 00:29:12.070 --> 00:29:17.750 This is the Old Testament equivalent of the New Testament doctrine of justification by faith. 00:29:17.990 --> 00:29:27.910 He, the worshiper, will receive or be given righteousness from God, a right standing before God that does not come from the sinner. 00:29:28.230 --> 00:29:31.509 No, no, it comes from the Holy King himself. 00:29:32.310 --> 00:29:36.150 Here's the gospel application I want us to see in connection to this point. 00:29:36.470 --> 00:29:41.030 How does the gospel enable sinners like us to experience God's holy presence? 00:29:41.190 --> 00:29:42.310 You'll see this on the screen. 00:29:42.470 --> 00:29:51.030 Through the gospel, we are made righteous in Christ, giving us access to the presence of God. 00:29:51.190 --> 00:29:57.590 Through the gospel, we're made righteous in Jesus, and we're given access to this holy God in his presence. 00:29:59.509 --> 00:30:12.310 See, the Old Testament system of sacrifices was ultimately instituted to point us to Jesus, the Lamb of God who would be slaughtered for sinners that we might become the righteousness of God. 00:30:12.630 --> 00:30:19.590 The second person of the Trinity, Jesus, God Himself, came into this world to identify with sinners like us. 00:30:19.830 --> 00:30:41.190 The Holy Son of God, he who indeed had clean hands and a pure heart, surrendered himself to human flesh so that our sin could be placed upon his head, so that his blood could be shed on our behalf, so that we might be sprinkled with his blood, and in turn we would receive his righteousness. 00:30:41.830 --> 00:30:45.030 Go back with me to 2 Corinthians 5. 00:30:45.110 --> 00:30:46.150 You'll see this on the screen. 00:30:46.230 --> 00:30:52.790 This is what the Apostle Paul declares later in that same passage we read a moment ago about becoming new creations. 00:30:52.870 --> 00:31:08.390 He says this, for our sake, he, God, made him, Jesus, to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him, in Jesus, we sinners might become the righteousness of God. 00:31:08.950 --> 00:31:12.470 Many scholars refer to this text as a scandalous exchange. 00:31:12.710 --> 00:31:21.110 The holy Son of God, the one who truly possessed clean hands and a pure heart, steps in to the place of holy, unholy sinners. 00:31:21.350 --> 00:31:32.310 The one who knew no sin is treated as though he were sin itself, so that sinners like us might receive what does not naturally belong to us, the righteousness of God. 00:31:32.790 --> 00:31:39.590 Clean hands, a pure heart, a right standing before this holy God. 00:31:39.750 --> 00:31:48.150 The very thing that Psalm 20 says, Psalm 24 says, is required to ascend the hill of the Lord. 00:31:48.870 --> 00:31:50.790 But again, here's what I don't want us to miss. 00:31:51.030 --> 00:31:51.670 Why? 00:31:52.550 --> 00:31:55.350 Why would God give us his son? 00:31:56.070 --> 00:31:57.990 Why would Christ shed his blood? 00:31:58.150 --> 00:32:00.710 Why would he declare sinners righteous? 00:32:00.870 --> 00:32:03.830 Listen, church, it's not merely so we could avoid judgment. 00:32:03.990 --> 00:32:06.230 Praise God that we won't be judged. 00:32:06.470 --> 00:32:09.269 Church, it's not merely so that we could be forgiven. 00:32:09.430 --> 00:32:11.590 Praise God that we're forgiven. 00:32:11.990 --> 00:32:15.990 But ultimately, it's so that we might have access to his holy presence. 00:32:16.150 --> 00:32:25.910 This is exactly how the writer of Hebrews applies this truth when he reminds us that all of the Old Testament sacrifices find their fulfillment in Jesus. 00:32:26.230 --> 00:32:27.590 He writes this. 00:32:28.390 --> 00:32:29.350 See this on the screen. 00:32:29.430 --> 00:32:40.470 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, let us draw near. 00:32:41.030 --> 00:32:50.070 With a true heart and full assurance of faith, with a heart sprinkled clean from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. 00:32:50.870 --> 00:32:56.470 Because we have confidence in the blood of Christ, he says, Let us draw near. 00:32:56.710 --> 00:32:58.710 The same language as Psalm 24. 00:32:59.030 --> 00:33:03.910 Ascend, stand, enter, draw near. 00:33:04.470 --> 00:33:07.910 Which is exactly what the worshipers do in Psalm 24, verse 6. 00:33:08.070 --> 00:33:10.150 Such is the generation of those who what? 00:33:10.310 --> 00:33:20.470 Who seek Him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob, those who are given clean hands and pure hearts seek the presence of God. 00:33:22.150 --> 00:33:27.190 Again, church, may we not forget that every time we gather in this room. 00:33:27.910 --> 00:33:30.950 We are gathering before a holy God. 00:33:31.110 --> 00:33:39.350 So yes, may we come humbly and reverently, but may we also come confidently. 00:33:39.990 --> 00:33:58.790 Through Christ, sinners like us who can never climb the hill of the Lord are invited into his holy presence, not trembling in uncertainty, not hoping our good deeds are enough, not pretending like we have clean hands while hiding dirty hearts, but with confidence. 00:33:58.950 --> 00:34:12.309 The writer of Hebrews says, with assurance, with hearts sprinkled clean by the blood of Christ, we don't gather this morning, attempting to manufacture holiness through our performance. 00:34:12.630 --> 00:34:19.750 We do not have to sing louder, pray harder, or listen better in hopes of earning access to God's presence. 00:34:19.989 --> 00:34:24.630 No, through the gospel, access has already been secured. 00:34:25.590 --> 00:34:27.269 So what's our response? 00:34:27.590 --> 00:34:32.550 We do not stand at a distance from the God who is drawn near to us. 00:34:32.789 --> 00:34:43.989 Instead, we come boldly, joyfully, reverently, we come drawing near to the presence of this holy king. 00:34:45.269 --> 00:34:48.309 So he's the creator king, he's the holy king. 00:34:48.389 --> 00:34:50.389 Here's the last thing we see in this text. 00:34:50.550 --> 00:34:54.309 We're asking the question: who is this king of glory in our midst? 00:34:54.550 --> 00:35:00.230 He is the warrior king who is victorious over all. 00:35:00.389 --> 00:35:01.349 The warrior king. 00:35:01.510 --> 00:35:19.430 We now come to the last few verses, verses seven through ten, that record what can only be described as a liturgical movement, this back and forth, this call and response between the psalmist and the congregation that's gathered to worship as the ark is coming into the city. 00:35:19.750 --> 00:35:21.829 It begins with the leader in verse seven. 00:35:21.990 --> 00:35:27.670 Look back at these verses with me, instructing the gates and the ancient doors of the city to be lifted up. 00:35:27.750 --> 00:35:35.110 He says, Lift up your heads, O gates, and be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. 00:35:35.430 --> 00:35:39.269 The people respond with the question, Who is this King of Glory? 00:35:39.430 --> 00:35:46.950 The answer, he's the Lord, he's Yahweh, strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. 00:35:47.190 --> 00:35:48.789 Look at the exclamation point. 00:35:48.869 --> 00:35:50.230 They're yelling this out. 00:35:50.470 --> 00:35:58.630 The leader would again repeat the instructions Lift up your heads, O gates, and be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of Glory may come in. 00:35:58.869 --> 00:36:00.950 Who is this King of Glory? 00:36:01.110 --> 00:36:02.389 The congregation asks. 00:36:02.550 --> 00:36:09.349 And they respond, The Lord of hosts, he is the King of Glory. 00:36:10.389 --> 00:36:15.190 Now, what's taking place in these verses was also a historical reality. 00:36:15.829 --> 00:36:26.710 When a king and his army would return home from battle, they would be met by the citizens of the kingdom who awaited their victorious king with cheers and celebratory praise. 00:36:26.789 --> 00:36:29.430 We've all seen movies where something like this takes place, right? 00:36:29.590 --> 00:36:37.349 A king majestically rides into his kingdom on a white horse or perhaps a chariot with throngs of people covering the city streets, right? 00:36:37.430 --> 00:36:38.950 Think of the movie Gladiator. 00:36:39.110 --> 00:36:42.630 This is exactly what's taking place in Psalm 24. 00:36:43.670 --> 00:36:47.910 The phrases strong and mighty, mighty in battle. 00:36:48.230 --> 00:36:55.750 These are descriptive phrases that portray God as a warrior who fights on behalf of his people. 00:36:56.150 --> 00:36:59.430 And this is further exemplified by the title that's given to God. 00:36:59.590 --> 00:37:02.550 He's referred to as the Lord of hosts. 00:37:02.710 --> 00:37:08.789 This is a title which simply means commander of the heavenly armies. 00:37:09.190 --> 00:37:12.950 This title is used over 126 times in the Old Testament. 00:37:13.030 --> 00:37:17.990 At times it's just simply translated as the Lord Almighty. 00:37:18.710 --> 00:37:28.470 The one who has command over legions of armies that he deploys on behalf of his people to fight for them. 00:37:28.710 --> 00:37:31.269 This is who the Lord of hosts is. 00:37:53.670 --> 00:37:56.710