WEBVTT 00:00:06.480 --> 00:00:08.880 Hello everyone, this is Pastor Benjamin. 00:00:08.880 --> 00:00:12.000 You're listening to the Sermon Audio from New City Orlando. 00:00:12.000 --> 00:00:15.439 At New City, we long to see our Father answer the Lord's Prayer. 00:00:15.439 --> 00:00:19.920 For more resources, visit our website at Newcity Orlando.com. 00:00:22.960 --> 00:00:26.559 If you would please stand with me for the prayer of illumination. 00:00:26.559 --> 00:00:32.079 Almighty God, you are the great provider. 00:00:32.079 --> 00:00:40.159 May your Holy Spirit open our hearts and our minds to the truth and beauty of your life-giving word. 00:00:40.159 --> 00:00:42.320 Through Christ we pray. 00:00:42.320 --> 00:00:43.280 Amen. 00:00:43.280 --> 00:00:47.759 Today's scripture reading comes from Psalm 67. 00:00:47.759 --> 00:00:55.439 May God be gracious to us and bless us, and make his face to shine upon us. 00:00:55.439 --> 00:01:01.679 That your way may be known on earth, your saving power among all nations. 00:01:01.679 --> 00:01:04.640 Let the peoples praise you, O God. 00:01:04.640 --> 00:01:06.959 Let all the peoples praise you. 00:01:06.959 --> 00:01:10.400 Let the nations be glad and sing for joy. 00:01:10.400 --> 00:01:15.200 For you judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations upon earth. 00:01:15.200 --> 00:01:17.439 Let the peoples praise you, O God. 00:01:17.439 --> 00:01:19.439 Let all the peoples praise you. 00:01:19.439 --> 00:01:22.079 The earth has yielded its increase. 00:01:22.079 --> 00:01:27.840 God shall bless us. 00:01:27.840 --> 00:01:31.280 Let all the ends of the earth fear him. 00:01:31.280 --> 00:01:33.040 This is God's word. 00:01:33.040 --> 00:01:35.680 You may be seated. 00:01:38.319 --> 00:01:50.400 Some of the greatest joy that you will ever experience won't come from something that happens to you, but from something that God does through you. 00:01:50.400 --> 00:02:03.280 A couple years ago, I was pastoring a small church in Westerville, Ohio, and it was seemingly an ordinary Sunday when a new family walked in. 00:02:03.280 --> 00:02:19.199 Now, when this new family walked into worship with us, it's somewhat hard to describe, but they were putting off a little bit of a nervous energy, a little bit of an anxious energy, maybe if I'm honest, a little bit of an angry energy. 00:02:19.199 --> 00:02:20.879 And I couldn't quite figure it out. 00:02:20.879 --> 00:02:26.960 So I walked up to them, I introduced myself, I let them know as the pastor and welcomed them to church. 00:02:26.960 --> 00:02:41.199 And uh right away they open up and they say, Hey, we just want you to know that we have no understanding how, in a modern day, in modern times, anybody could believe these ancient fables and follow through on this. 00:02:41.199 --> 00:02:51.599 But we have two young children, and our oldest son, he really wants to be here this morning, and they're the and he is the only reason that we are gathering with you. 00:02:51.599 --> 00:02:57.120 Without skipping a beat, I looked at him and I said, Well, may the peace of Christ be with you. 00:02:57.120 --> 00:03:04.879 I let them know how welcome they were uh with us, and I said, This is okay. 00:03:04.879 --> 00:03:12.319 We're glad for you to uh experience what it's like uh to belong if this is something you are interested in. 00:03:12.319 --> 00:03:16.400 But there's no pressure uh to see what this is like for you. 00:03:16.400 --> 00:03:22.879 For the next two months, this family continues to attend worship every single Sunday. 00:03:22.879 --> 00:03:25.680 So I said, I want to meet with them. 00:03:25.680 --> 00:03:28.479 Uh the parents' names are Dan and Allie. 00:03:28.479 --> 00:03:31.520 And I said, Dan and Allie, can we meet and can we talk? 00:03:31.520 --> 00:03:34.719 This time the conversation went a little more smoothly. 00:03:34.719 --> 00:03:41.599 They said, Listen, for two months we have been with you guys and we have become endeared to this community. 00:03:41.599 --> 00:03:46.960 You guys are kind, you love each other, you love the people of Westerville. 00:03:46.960 --> 00:03:49.120 We still believe everything that we believe. 00:03:49.120 --> 00:03:57.039 That is, you guys are crazy uh to believe in this Jesus, to follow him in all this way. 00:03:57.039 --> 00:04:02.960 But at the end of the day, we think if we stick around, at least our kids will pick up some good morals. 00:04:02.960 --> 00:04:05.919 So we're in for a little while. 00:04:05.919 --> 00:04:08.080 I let them know one more time. 00:04:08.080 --> 00:04:14.240 Dan and Allie, you are welcome to be long before you ever believe. 00:04:14.240 --> 00:04:23.120 But I want you to know I'm going to be praying that one day you indeed will believe in the same Jesus that we do. 00:04:23.120 --> 00:04:28.399 For one year, Dan and Allie became a part of our community. 00:04:28.399 --> 00:04:39.279 That is, they attended worship on Sunday, they attended community group throughout the week, and they even jumped in and began to serve on some of the serve teams that we had. 00:04:39.279 --> 00:04:44.879 After one year, I get a call from Allie, and she says, Justin, we need to meet. 00:04:44.879 --> 00:04:51.040 We go to a coffee shop on State Street in Westerville, Ohio, known as Java Central. 00:04:51.040 --> 00:04:57.920 And Allie says, Justin, one year ago we became enthralled with this small little community. 00:04:57.920 --> 00:05:06.720 One year later, I don't know what is going on, but I am captivated by the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:05:06.720 --> 00:05:08.319 What do I do? 00:05:08.319 --> 00:05:11.759 I said, Ali, this is so good. 00:05:11.759 --> 00:05:12.879 What do you do? 00:05:12.879 --> 00:05:24.319 You can receive the blessing that God has on offer for you now by responding in um repentance and faith. 00:05:24.319 --> 00:05:34.319 In a small little coffee shop in a small little town in Northeast Columbus, Ohio, Ali Gerritsen prayed to become a follower of Jesus. 00:05:34.319 --> 00:05:39.519 And it was a holy and glorious moment. 00:05:39.519 --> 00:05:49.040 At the end of this moment, Allie said, Justin, this is going to be so disruptive to my family. 00:05:49.040 --> 00:05:50.800 Dan hasn't budged. 00:05:50.800 --> 00:05:53.360 Dan is not captivated by Jesus. 00:05:53.360 --> 00:05:55.279 Would you join me in praying? 00:05:55.279 --> 00:06:05.279 And I said, Allie, every Friday we are going to start fasting and we are going to start praying that Dan would come to know Jesus as Lord. 00:06:05.279 --> 00:06:10.240 Fast forward one year, it's the spring of 2024. 00:06:10.240 --> 00:06:12.000 I get a phone call from Dan. 00:06:12.000 --> 00:06:14.480 He says, Justin, we need to meet. 00:06:14.480 --> 00:06:18.240 Allie, we went to the coffee shop, Java Central. 00:06:18.240 --> 00:06:22.160 Dan, we went to the cigar lounge on College Street. 00:06:22.160 --> 00:06:31.040 As we smoke some cigars, Dan is saying, Justin, I can't believe that these words are about to come out of my mouth. 00:06:31.040 --> 00:06:40.879 But after two years of being a part of this community, I am uh enthralled with Jesus. 00:06:40.879 --> 00:06:43.759 He's calling me to something I don't know what it is. 00:06:43.759 --> 00:06:45.439 Can you help me out? 00:06:45.439 --> 00:06:47.279 I said, Dan, yes, I can. 00:06:47.279 --> 00:06:48.399 What do you need to do? 00:06:48.399 --> 00:06:58.800 You need to receive the blessing that God has on offer in and through Jesus Christ by responding to him in repentance and faith. 00:06:58.800 --> 00:07:09.519 And on a small little cigar lounge on College Street in Westerville, Ohio, Dan prayed to become a follower of Jesus. 00:07:09.519 --> 00:07:13.120 Yeah, we can we can clap on this. 00:07:13.120 --> 00:07:19.199 You see, unlike Allie, Dan had no exposure to the church, so he was never baptized. 00:07:19.199 --> 00:07:21.519 And Dan said, Justin, it's spring. 00:07:21.519 --> 00:07:22.800 Easter's coming up. 00:07:22.800 --> 00:07:25.279 Would you baptize me on Easter Sunday? 00:07:25.279 --> 00:07:28.319 And I said, Of course, we're going to make this happen. 00:07:28.319 --> 00:07:35.759 So Easter Sunday, 2024, I turned to my friend Dan and I asked him this question before our church. 00:07:35.759 --> 00:07:39.600 Dan, who is Jesus to you? 00:07:39.600 --> 00:07:43.040 And I still have his unedited written response. 00:07:43.040 --> 00:07:46.480 These were the very words that he read before our church. 00:07:46.480 --> 00:07:55.600 Jesus is the Son of the Living God, who was crucified for my sin, conquering death to redeem me from my sin. 00:07:55.600 --> 00:08:00.000 I am his child, and I am forgiven, and I will follow him. 00:08:00.000 --> 00:08:09.680 Jesus is important to me because through his life, death, atonement, and teachings, I have hope, peace. 00:08:09.680 --> 00:08:13.759 He helps me and my family live full lives. 00:08:13.759 --> 00:08:23.360 He guides us through trials and temptations, and I believe by his spirit he will grow us in our faith with him. 00:08:23.360 --> 00:08:29.040 This was Dan's confession before our church. 00:08:29.040 --> 00:08:39.200 In many ways, that story, I think that is what Psalm 67 is actually about. 00:08:39.200 --> 00:08:43.200 Let the peoples praise you, O God. 00:08:43.200 --> 00:08:45.039 Let the nations be glad. 00:08:45.039 --> 00:08:48.399 Let the peoples praise you. 00:08:48.399 --> 00:09:12.159 You see, whether it's the peoples and nations that are gathered together in Westerville, Ohio, or the peoples and nations gathered in West Orange, in Conway, in Longwood, in Waterford, or right here in Central Orlando, there is a call that is on display that the people would respond and know who God is. 00:09:12.159 --> 00:09:15.360 This is a celebratory psalm. 00:09:15.360 --> 00:09:19.919 This is a vision and mission-oriented psalm. 00:09:19.919 --> 00:09:26.080 But can I say this is also a little bit of a tragic psalm? 00:09:26.080 --> 00:09:28.000 Why would I say that? 00:09:28.000 --> 00:09:36.559 Because at least for the original uh hearers of this psalm, it was only ever aspirational. 00:09:36.559 --> 00:09:49.120 You see, if we were to go through the entire story of the Old Testament, for the many sins and struggles and faults that the ancient people of God had, one of them was this. 00:09:49.120 --> 00:10:03.679 They were content in receiving the comfort that comes from being blessed by God, but they did not respond to the calling that God gave them to be a blessing. 00:10:03.679 --> 00:10:10.639 They were content with receiving blessing, but not being obedient to extend that blessing. 00:10:10.639 --> 00:10:16.559 And I wonder if we too are tempted by these very things. 00:10:16.559 --> 00:10:24.480 And if we are, if we're content with merely receiving blessing, but not extending blessing, what is really on the line? 00:10:24.480 --> 00:10:33.120 What can we miss out on if we do not participate in this calling that I believe that God gives to his ancient people and to us? 00:10:33.120 --> 00:10:36.480 One word, joy. 00:10:36.480 --> 00:10:42.159 I believe God's ancient people left joy on the table. 00:10:42.159 --> 00:10:49.759 And I believe if we don't extend this calling to others, we too are leaving joy on the table. 00:10:49.759 --> 00:10:53.840 So what do we learn here in Psalm 67? 00:10:53.840 --> 00:10:57.120 And what do I believe God would have us talk about this morning? 00:10:57.120 --> 00:10:58.799 I believe it is this. 00:10:58.799 --> 00:11:05.759 True joy is found not in merely receiving blessing, but in becoming one. 00:11:05.759 --> 00:11:12.799 And so this morning I want to unpack that for us by asking three questions. 00:11:12.799 --> 00:11:16.240 Why does God bless his people? 00:11:16.240 --> 00:11:21.759 What does this blessing produce, and can we trust God to do it? 00:11:21.759 --> 00:11:24.159 Why does God bless his people? 00:11:24.159 --> 00:11:28.639 What does this blessing produce, and can we trust God to do it? 00:11:28.639 --> 00:11:31.200 Those are the three things we'll look at this morning. 00:11:31.200 --> 00:11:34.960 So, why does God bless his people? 00:11:34.960 --> 00:11:43.919 Well, the answer is right here in the text, so that his saving power may be known among all nations. 00:11:43.919 --> 00:11:47.840 Let's look at the petition and the purpose. 00:11:47.840 --> 00:11:50.320 First, the psalm begins with a petition. 00:11:50.320 --> 00:11:52.559 It's the very first word in verse one. 00:11:52.559 --> 00:11:53.759 May. 00:11:53.759 --> 00:12:01.120 May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us. 00:12:01.120 --> 00:12:04.240 Does this sound familiar to you, New City? 00:12:04.240 --> 00:12:14.159 I hope it does, because if you've been with us for any little bit of time, this is the blessing that we pronounce over you after we wrap up every worship service. 00:12:14.159 --> 00:12:17.919 But this blessing, obviously, it's not original or unique to us. 00:12:17.919 --> 00:12:20.000 It's not even original to the psalmist. 00:12:20.000 --> 00:12:21.919 In fact, what is he doing? 00:12:21.919 --> 00:12:32.159 He's looking back in the story of Scripture to Numbers chapter 26, where, or excuse me, number six, verses 24 through 26. 00:12:32.159 --> 00:12:35.600 And this is known as the Aaronic Blessing. 00:12:35.600 --> 00:12:43.919 Now, if you were with us last fall, Pastor Ben, he preached, in my opinion, one of the best sermons that I've ever heard in my life. 00:12:43.919 --> 00:12:47.759 And I actually drew upon some of his content from that sermon. 00:12:47.759 --> 00:12:53.360 I commend it to you, encourage you to give it a listen again if you haven't heard it yet. 00:12:53.360 --> 00:12:56.240 What is God's blessing? 00:12:56.240 --> 00:13:08.399 Blessing is God's gracious declaration and gift of his covenant favor, his personal presence, and his life-giving goodness upon his people. 00:13:08.399 --> 00:13:10.879 Why do we need God's blessing? 00:13:10.879 --> 00:13:18.159 We need God's blessing because we were created to live in his favorable presence. 00:13:18.159 --> 00:13:30.799 And apart from it, we spend our lives searching elsewhere for security, significance, and satisfaction that only he can give. 00:13:30.799 --> 00:13:44.879 And if you know anything about Presbyterian and Reformed theology, the theologian John Owen has this statement: the indicatives come before the imperatives. 00:13:44.879 --> 00:13:47.120 And what does that even mean? 00:13:47.120 --> 00:13:50.879 Well, we see it actually right here in verses one or two. 00:13:50.879 --> 00:13:57.440 God blesses his people before he ever calls them to respond. 00:13:57.440 --> 00:13:59.840 At New City, how do we explain that? 00:13:59.840 --> 00:14:01.279 How do we describe that? 00:14:01.279 --> 00:14:11.120 Usually every single week, we receive from God, and then we respond out of what we've received from him. 00:14:11.120 --> 00:14:13.519 What do we receive from God? 00:14:13.519 --> 00:14:23.679 The blessing that we need from a heavenly Father that only he can give to us, that leads to a flourishing and beautiful life. 00:14:23.679 --> 00:14:28.879 But we don't merely receive, we respond to that blessing. 00:14:28.879 --> 00:14:36.480 Blessing comes before mission, but being blessed by God should always lead to mission. 00:14:36.480 --> 00:14:39.440 And so we see that's exactly what happens here. 00:14:39.440 --> 00:14:44.320 May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us. 00:14:44.320 --> 00:14:47.279 That there is the petition. 00:14:47.279 --> 00:14:48.879 Now here's the purpose. 00:14:48.879 --> 00:15:00.080 That your bless uh that the nations that your way would be known on earth, your saving power among all nations. 00:15:00.080 --> 00:15:02.159 You see, what is the psalmist doing here? 00:15:02.159 --> 00:15:05.279 He's actually just taking us on a trip back in time. 00:15:05.279 --> 00:15:09.600 First, he went back to Numbers 6 with uh the Iranic blessing. 00:15:09.600 --> 00:15:15.519 Now he goes even further back in time to Genesis chapter 12, to the Abrahamic blessing. 00:15:15.519 --> 00:15:17.919 God blesses Abraham and he says, What? 00:15:17.919 --> 00:15:22.320 I will bless you so that you will be a blessing. 00:15:22.320 --> 00:15:24.799 The psalmist knows his Old Testament. 00:15:24.799 --> 00:15:28.639 We need to first receive this blessing, but then what do we do with it? 00:15:28.639 --> 00:15:31.120 We extend this blessing to the nations. 00:15:31.120 --> 00:15:36.080 That was the call of Abraham, who would, his family would grow and become Israel. 00:15:36.080 --> 00:15:39.600 And this was the call of Israel. 00:15:39.600 --> 00:15:45.679 And if we keep reading the story, we see this is the call of the church. 00:15:45.679 --> 00:16:04.240 Theologian Leslie Nubigan says it like this the church is not meant to call men and women out of the world into a safe religious enclave, but to call them out in order to send them back as agents of God's mission. 00:16:04.240 --> 00:16:07.200 Why does God bless his people? 00:16:07.200 --> 00:16:12.000 So that his saving power may be known among all nations. 00:16:12.000 --> 00:16:16.240 So what do we first learn here in Psalm 67? 00:16:16.240 --> 00:16:17.759 New city. 00:16:17.759 --> 00:16:26.639 Don't you see? 00:16:26.639 --> 00:16:35.440 You were made to receive God's blessing that you might personally flourish. 00:16:35.440 --> 00:16:44.799 But you were also made to respond to God's blessing so that the nations may flourish. 00:16:44.799 --> 00:16:53.200 You see, for us to extend the Abrahamic blessing to the nations, we must first receive it. 00:16:53.200 --> 00:17:01.360 In the Old Testament, it was the job of a priest to extend the blessing of Yahweh to the people. 00:17:01.360 --> 00:17:11.759 But in the Old Testament, every priest Israel ever had was ultimately insufficient to carry this blessing all the way to the nations. 00:17:11.759 --> 00:17:16.480 So which priest can actually qualify to do this? 00:17:16.480 --> 00:17:18.640 More on that in a moment. 00:17:18.640 --> 00:17:24.079 Before we answer that question, this takes us to the second idea. 00:17:24.079 --> 00:17:29.039 Why does God bless his people so that the nations may flourish? 00:17:29.039 --> 00:17:31.920 What does this blessing produce? 00:17:31.920 --> 00:17:39.599 This blessing produces hopeful invitation and exponential joy. 00:17:39.599 --> 00:17:44.400 Hopeful invitation and exponential joy. 00:17:44.400 --> 00:17:47.440 Look at verses three through five. 00:17:47.440 --> 00:17:50.000 There's three imperatives. 00:17:50.000 --> 00:17:56.720 Let the peoples praise, let the nations be glad, let the peoples praise. 00:17:56.720 --> 00:18:12.559 Now, again, if you would bear with me for a moment before I can go into some Hebrew uh nerdum, uh these commands let, it's actually just the verb for praise, but it comes to us in the Hebrew Jessive form. 00:18:12.559 --> 00:18:14.400 And what does this actually mean? 00:18:14.400 --> 00:18:20.720 It means the psalmist gives these commands with a heart of longing. 00:18:20.720 --> 00:18:26.480 Let please God, let the peoples praise you. 00:18:26.480 --> 00:18:28.559 Let the nations be glad. 00:18:28.559 --> 00:18:31.200 Let the peoples praise you. 00:18:31.200 --> 00:18:36.079 Who does this hopeful invitation go out to here in Psalm 67? 00:18:36.079 --> 00:18:42.240 The Amim, the peoples, and the Goyim, the nations. 00:18:42.240 --> 00:18:45.359 The amim is used five times. 00:18:45.359 --> 00:18:51.359 This is near peoples, this is ethnic groups, tribes, and uh neighbors who are the goim. 00:18:51.359 --> 00:18:52.720 They're the far-off. 00:18:52.720 --> 00:18:55.680 This is the broader, more distant nations word. 00:18:55.680 --> 00:19:07.279 The psalm uses both near peoples and far nations and longs, longs that they would join the song of praise. 00:19:07.279 --> 00:19:13.279 What a spectacular moment and time and city we live in. 00:19:13.279 --> 00:19:26.160 You see, for us, I hope we share in this longing, because at least here in Orlando, the here and now, the nations are not necessarily overseas. 00:19:26.160 --> 00:19:31.119 The nations are in all the places we live, work, and play. 00:19:31.119 --> 00:19:36.640 The nations are in West Orange, they're in Conway, they're in Longwood. 00:19:36.640 --> 00:19:38.079 What do we learn? 00:19:38.079 --> 00:19:42.000 Your neighbors are the nations. 00:19:42.000 --> 00:19:50.559 There is a hopeful invitation for your neighbors and the nations here in Psalm 67. 00:19:50.559 --> 00:19:54.160 And what does this invitation lead to? 00:19:54.160 --> 00:19:58.400 Lord willing, exponential joy. 00:19:58.400 --> 00:20:03.599 Verses three through five, they have a chiastic structure to them. 00:20:03.599 --> 00:20:07.759 Look, verse three, let the peoples praise you, O God, let the peoples praise you. 00:20:07.759 --> 00:20:09.359 Verse five, it repeats it. 00:20:09.359 --> 00:20:12.640 Let the peoples praise you, O God, let the peoples praise you. 00:20:12.640 --> 00:20:25.039 Sandwich in between three and five, verse four, let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations upon the earth. 00:20:25.039 --> 00:20:30.640 In Hebrew poetry, whatever comes in the middle of a chiastic structure, that's the emphasis. 00:20:30.640 --> 00:20:34.400 That's the thing we need to put a magnifying glass on. 00:20:34.400 --> 00:20:43.519 So, Lord willing, if if Israel is extending this hopeful invitation, what does it actually produce? 00:20:43.519 --> 00:20:47.200 Joy and gladness. 00:20:47.200 --> 00:20:51.440 You see, in verse 4, the psalmist uses two words. 00:20:51.440 --> 00:20:57.200 Samak is a deep inner brightening, and Renan is an uncontrollable shout. 00:20:57.200 --> 00:21:03.039 That's what the psalmist and that's what God wants for your neighbor. 00:21:03.039 --> 00:21:06.000 Not merely just information about him. 00:21:06.000 --> 00:21:12.480 He wants them brightened from the inside out until it breaks out of them. 00:21:12.480 --> 00:21:17.200 You see, this is the motivation underneath the invitation. 00:21:17.200 --> 00:21:26.400 The nations experience their greatest joy, not in autonomy, but under God's leadership. 00:21:26.400 --> 00:21:30.799 Verse 4 says, For you judge the peoples with equity. 00:21:30.799 --> 00:21:37.599 And I know in our modern day and time, and maybe elsewhere even in scripture, judgment can be a bad thing. 00:21:37.599 --> 00:21:43.200 But what's literally being spoken about here, this word for judgment means leadership. 00:21:43.200 --> 00:21:44.319 What does this mean? 00:21:44.319 --> 00:21:51.599 When Israel actually reached out to the nations, when we reach out to our neighbors, what are we inviting them to? 00:21:51.599 --> 00:21:59.839 Not merely a religion, but we're inviting our neighbors and the nations into the truest flourishing events. 00:21:59.839 --> 00:22:02.720 Available to a human being. 00:22:02.720 --> 00:22:12.799 You see, the simple act of invitation, it reframes it from awkward obligation to a genuine gift. 00:22:12.799 --> 00:22:17.759 Exponential joy is what is on the table. 00:22:17.759 --> 00:22:22.160 Our joy, their joy, and God's joy. 00:22:22.160 --> 00:22:28.799 All three are activated by one act, the invitation. 00:22:28.799 --> 00:22:33.680 For those of you that know me, I didn't grow up going to church. 00:22:33.680 --> 00:22:37.759 In fact, I didn't grow up in a religious home at all. 00:22:37.759 --> 00:22:48.559 My junior year of high school, my next door neighbor, her name was Lindsay Dixon, and every single Wednesday night, she would shoot me a text message with a simple invitation. 00:22:48.559 --> 00:22:57.599 Hey, F3, which was our fun way of describing our little Bible study, F3's meeting at my house and in my basement, would love to have you join us. 00:22:57.599 --> 00:23:00.960 And this produced such turmoil in my heart. 00:23:00.960 --> 00:23:10.240 You see, at the time I was like my friend Allie and Dan, and I was very skeptical of the church and church people, but I was totally into Lindsay. 00:23:10.240 --> 00:23:13.440 So what was I going to do? 00:23:13.440 --> 00:23:18.319 And uh I slowly but surely responded to the invitation. 00:23:18.319 --> 00:23:28.480 And much like my friend Allie and Dan, I belonged to that community long before I ever started to believe what that community believed. 00:23:28.480 --> 00:23:33.279 Eventually, through a crisis in my life, I came to know the Lord Jesus. 00:23:33.279 --> 00:23:36.079 And that's a story for next time. 00:23:36.079 --> 00:23:42.000 Hopeful invitation leads to exponential joy. 00:23:42.000 --> 00:23:43.920 And would you bear with me for a moment? 00:23:43.920 --> 00:23:54.160 It started with a 16-year-old girl in high school who extended an invitation to me, which led to my joy, to her joy, our youth pastor's joy. 00:23:54.160 --> 00:24:05.359 But dare I say, the Lord, not because of anything in me, but because of his goodness and grace, has used me to extend this joy, maybe even here and now in this room. 00:24:05.359 --> 00:24:09.839 And do you see this is how the kingdom of God works? 00:24:09.839 --> 00:24:13.039 Who extended the invitation to you? 00:24:13.039 --> 00:24:21.279 How has joy been multiplied and uh gone forth in your life through your work, through your witness? 00:24:21.279 --> 00:24:28.400 What is the mission we have at New City to call, form, and send disciple makers? 00:24:28.400 --> 00:24:31.599 Psalm 67 gives the instruction. 00:24:31.599 --> 00:24:35.119 It leads with, it begins with invitation. 00:24:35.119 --> 00:24:38.640 Hey, we worship this really good God on Sunday. 00:24:38.640 --> 00:24:43.440 And even if you are if you are curious in the slightest, we'd love to have you join. 00:24:43.440 --> 00:24:49.839 Or hey, if that's too much, there's this community, and we meet every other week, and we would love to have you be with us. 00:24:49.839 --> 00:24:52.960 Just just come check it out. 00:24:52.960 --> 00:24:56.319 And do you see how this multiplies and grows? 00:24:56.319 --> 00:25:09.200 Lord willing, as we head into the spring, we'll be sending out a new congregation up into North Orlando so that what the joy might be multiplied. 00:25:09.200 --> 00:25:16.000 Why does God bless his people that the nations might be glad? 00:25:16.000 --> 00:25:18.400 What does this blessing produce? 00:25:18.400 --> 00:25:23.279 Hopeful invitation and exponential joy. 00:25:23.279 --> 00:25:25.759 And can we trust God to do it? 00:25:25.759 --> 00:25:28.720 The answer is of course. 00:25:28.720 --> 00:25:32.000 You see, that's where this psalm ultimately wraps up. 00:25:32.000 --> 00:25:35.200 It wraps up with an assured confidence. 00:25:35.200 --> 00:25:36.799 Verses six and seven. 00:25:36.799 --> 00:25:43.920 God shall bless us. 00:25:43.920 --> 00:25:47.599 Let the ends of the earth fear him. 00:25:47.599 --> 00:25:50.319 Can we trust God to do this? 00:25:50.319 --> 00:25:52.000 Of course. 00:25:52.000 --> 00:25:55.680 Look at the harvest and the horizon. 00:25:55.680 --> 00:25:59.039 You see, remember back in verse one, it started with petition. 00:25:59.039 --> 00:26:00.400 May God bless us. 00:26:00.400 --> 00:26:06.160 Do you see how the petition has evolved by the time we get here to verse six and seven? 00:26:06.160 --> 00:26:11.519 No longer is it a petition, it is a declaration. 00:26:11.519 --> 00:26:14.240 God shall bless us. 00:26:14.240 --> 00:26:22.559 You see, at this point here in the Psalm, it's aspirational once again, but aspirational in the best of senses. 00:26:22.559 --> 00:26:23.599 Why? 00:26:23.599 --> 00:26:39.359 Because what God began in Genesis 1, remember, be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth, is clarified in Genesis 12, send this blessing out to all of the nations, is personalized in Deuteronomy 6. 00:26:39.359 --> 00:26:41.359 May the Lord bless you and keep you. 00:26:41.359 --> 00:27:04.319 Sung about here in Psalm 67, is commissioned in Matthew 28, go out into all the world and make disciples, is ratified in Acts 2 as this exponential joy starts to spread throughout the work, the world, and continues today through the work and witness of the people of New City. 00:27:04.319 --> 00:27:08.480 What does verse what is verse 6 talking about? 00:27:08.480 --> 00:27:18.799 The earth has yielded its increase, an assurity, a guarantee that your work and your witness matters. 00:27:18.799 --> 00:27:31.599 The very thing that God created us for, that sent us out to, even before sin ever entered into the story, well, the harvest, it will be reaped. 00:27:31.599 --> 00:27:39.839 Because God is a good planter, he is a good farmer, he will get what he intends to receive. 00:27:39.839 --> 00:27:41.680 That is the harvest. 00:27:41.680 --> 00:27:44.079 And how far does this harvest go? 00:27:44.079 --> 00:27:46.720 We'll look to the horizon. 00:27:46.720 --> 00:27:51.440 You see, the scope of God's blessing, it was never merely local. 00:27:51.440 --> 00:27:57.279 I've already said it, but I think that's one of the things that the ancient people of God most missed out upon. 00:27:57.279 --> 00:28:03.279 They were content with the comfort that comes from receiving this blessing, but they didn't spread it out. 00:28:03.279 --> 00:28:09.359 They weren't this blessing to the nations the way that they were called to. 00:28:09.359 --> 00:28:16.799 They didn't extend this blessing the way that God had called them to. 00:28:16.799 --> 00:28:18.720 So what do we do with this? 00:28:18.720 --> 00:28:25.680 How do we go from aspirational, which it was for God's ancient people, to actual? 00:28:25.680 --> 00:28:27.920 Well, we know the answer. 00:28:27.920 --> 00:28:32.799 Remember, it was the job of a priest to deliver this blessing to the nations? 00:28:32.799 --> 00:28:38.720 Well, we know ultimately who the priest is that we and the nations need. 00:28:38.720 --> 00:28:41.519 His name is Jesus Christ. 00:28:41.519 --> 00:28:50.960 In Galatians chapter 3, we are told that Jesus received the curse from God that we might receive his blessing. 00:28:50.960 --> 00:29:04.079 And Galatians 3, 14 says this, so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith. 00:29:04.079 --> 00:29:13.680 Hebrews chapter 12 tells us that it was for the joy set before him that Jesus Christ endured the cross. 00:29:13.680 --> 00:29:16.240 And what was the joy set before him? 00:29:16.240 --> 00:29:18.799 It was you, new city. 00:29:18.799 --> 00:29:25.279 You see, the nations and the peoples, it's not merely just your neighbors who are out there, but it's you. 00:29:25.279 --> 00:29:33.279 We're the Gentiles, we're the Goyim, we are the far ones who have been reconciled and brought in through Jesus Christ. 00:29:33.279 --> 00:29:37.519 And one day, this is where the story is going. 00:29:37.519 --> 00:29:40.960 Revelation chapter 7, verses 9 and 10. 00:29:40.960 --> 00:30:08.000 After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one can number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne and to the Lamb. 00:30:08.000 --> 00:30:14.000 How do we get from Psalm 67 to Revelation 7? 00:30:14.000 --> 00:30:18.319 The life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. 00:30:18.319 --> 00:30:23.279 On the cross, Jesus uttered these words, it is finished. 00:30:23.279 --> 00:30:28.720 You may now receive the blessing that God has on offer. 00:30:28.720 --> 00:30:40.160 Your life may flourish as it only can from receiving this blessing, and you might respond by extending this blessing to your neighbors. 00:30:40.160 --> 00:30:43.279 What do we learn, New City? 00:30:43.279 --> 00:30:45.839 Our mission matters. 00:30:45.839 --> 00:30:53.680 We call form and send disciple makers, not just here on Sunday morning, but in all the places we work and witness. 00:30:53.680 --> 00:31:06.480 We do it at UCF, we do it in West Orange, in Conway, and one more time, Lord willing, very soon in Altamont and Longwood, through the people of Garden City. 00:31:06.480 --> 00:31:11.039 Go back with me one more time to Easter morning 2024. 00:31:11.039 --> 00:31:14.960 I know you did because you guys literally bursted into applause. 00:31:14.960 --> 00:31:27.759 When my friend Dan read his personal confession and was baptized, our congregation burst into uh praise and uh response to God. 00:31:27.759 --> 00:31:36.640 The joy that you felt when Dan read his confession, that eruption of praise, that's what Psalm 67 is talking about. 00:31:36.640 --> 00:31:39.680 That is what God is after. 00:31:39.680 --> 00:31:47.680 It started with a church plan in Westerville that decided their neighbors matter more than their comfort and contentment. 00:31:47.680 --> 00:32:00.640 This mission continues today when we, New City, decide that our neighbors, our networks, our friends matter more than our comfort and contentment. 00:32:00.640 --> 00:32:02.319 Do you see the work? 00:32:02.319 --> 00:32:05.039 It begins in your driveway. 00:32:05.039 --> 00:32:09.039 True joy isn't found when God's blessing ends with you. 00:32:09.039 --> 00:32:14.720 True joy is found when God's blessing reaches someone else through you. 00:32:14.720 --> 00:32:16.319 Let's pray. 00:32:16.319 --> 00:32:48.400 Oh Lord, we pray that that would be true of us, that we would be people who, not just merely intellectually, but emotionally, spiritually, we know this blessing that you pour upon us, that we are deeply rooted, we are deeply insecure, and the love that you have for us and have lavished on us through the person of Jesus Christ. 00:32:48.400 --> 00:32:59.839 But Lord, where our fathers and brothers in the past were willing to settle with just merely receiving that blessing, I pray that that will not be true for us here at New City. 00:32:59.839 --> 00:33:06.480 May this blessing motivate us to love, may this blessing motivate us to invite. 00:33:06.480 --> 00:33:16.799 May this blessing motivate us to uh have our neighbors, that is, the nations, join in this song of praise. 00:33:16.799 --> 00:33:21.119 We thank you for all the ways that you have blessed us. 00:33:21.119 --> 00:33:26.000 We ask that you would continue to do that now, and that we might respond to you. 00:33:26.000 --> 00:33:29.359 We pray all these things in Jesus' name. 00:33:29.359 --> 00:33:30.319 Amen.