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[Music] welcome to everyone just two brief announcements in the first place if you have not picked up your church directory please see Jonathan Jones he has a copy of the directory for you if there's any problems with it just email him and let him know and then secondly Andy and Priscilla matei have applied for church membership so we can rejoice in our God for that they've already been baptized by immersion so the Lord willing get to know them and there's no objections in a few weeks time we'll call them upfront and receive them into the membership of the church well for our call to worship this morning you can join with me in Psalm 132 Psalm 132 and I'll begin reading in verse 1 a song of a sense Lord remembered David and all his afflictions how he swore to the Lord and vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob surely I will not go into the chamber of my house or go up to the comfort of my bed I will not give sleep to my eyes or slumber to my eyelids until I find a place for the Lord a dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob behold we heard of it in effort ah we found it in the fields of the woods let us go into his tabernacle let us worship at his footstool arise O Lord to your resting place you and the Ark of your strength let your priests be clothed with righteousness and let your your saints shout for joy for your servant David's sake do not turn away the face of your anointed the Lord has sworn in truth to David he will not turn from it I will set upon your throne the fruit of your body if your sons will keep my covenant and my testimony which I shall teach them their sons also shall sit upon your throne forevermore for the Lord has chosen Zion he has desired it for his dwelling place this is my resting place forever here I will dwell for I have desired it I will abundantly bless her provision I will satisfy her poor with bread I will also clothe her priest with salvation and her Saint shall shout aloud for joy there I will make the Horn of David grow I will prepare a lamp for my anointed his enemies I will clothed with shame but upon himself his crown shall flourish amen well please turn with me in your Trinity hymnal to him number 105 hymn number 105 will stand as we sing together [Music] [Music] well let us pray our blessed God and holy father it's a joy to gather in the house of the Lord on the Sabbath day we acknowledge your handiwork and creation we thank you for the beautiful weather we thank you for the display of your power and your handiwork through the created order we acknowledge as well Lord God that you are sovereign that you are in the heavens and you do whatever you please that you govern all your creatures and all their actions according to your holy and wise and powerful plan and Lord we acknowledge in a special way on the Lord's Day the redemptive work of our Lord Jesus Christ how we give thanks to you that you made him who knew no sin to be sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in him we thank you for the gospel of our salvation we thank you for the Incarnation of our Lord where any came into this world sinners to save we praise you for that life of obedience to the law that death at Calvary is a sacrifice and a substitute and that resurrection from the dead on the third day and our God we praise You Father Son and spirit for so great a salvation and help us to consider these things as we approach you now help our hearts to be framed to write with fear and reverence and with great joy and Thanksgiving as we contemplate the good things that our God has accomplished for us and our father we just ask that you you would fill us with your Holy Spirit now that our worship would be reverent our worship would be acceptable to you that it would be pleasing in your sight thought it seems the case that we are so often longing for worship that is acceptable to us rather than being obedient to the revealed will of God so help us in this and may you be glorified may you be enthroned upon the praises of your people here and do forgive us now for our sins and our transgressions we know Lord God that you call us to holiness you call us to righteousness and to conformity to that law and yet we transgress and we lack conformity unto it so we confess our transgressions now pleading the mayor in the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ John said my little children I write these things so that you may not sin but if anyone does sin we have an advocate with the father even Jesus Christ the righteous so cleanse us now and that precious found that is open for sin and uncleanness wash us and purify us and fit us to stand in the presence of a thrice holy God and father we pray for those who are still dead in their trespasses and sins those who have not come to the Lord Jesus those who have not believed the gospel we pray that today would be the day of salvation we know Lord God it's impossible for men to save a soul but with God all things are possible and so we appeal to Sovereign Grace and power we appeal to God Most High to do that work in the hearts of men and women and boys and girls today that we are unable to do your word says that you make men willing in the day of your power so we pray that you would demonstrate that power in the saving of sinners by Jesus Christ the Lord we pray that for our meeting together here we pray that for other churches here in Chilliwack we pray that for all the churches in Canada that are preaching the truth and then to the uttermost parts of the earth we pray this gospel would be proclaimed that it would run swiftly and be glorified and that it would accomplish that purpose for which you sent it namely the salvation of men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation and our God encouraged our hearts as the church militant with the reality that one day we will be the church triumphant we acknowledge Christ session at your right hand and we look forward to that day when he comes again in glory to judge the living and the dead to usher in the kingdom and to present all things unto his father when God will be all in all Lord we know in that holy place there will be that great assembly that great multitude that no man can number praising the Father Son and spirit for all eternity God encouraged our hearts with this prospect and caused these things to affect us in the present so that we may pursue holiness and righteousness and those things pleasing in your sight and our Father we pray for those in our midst with physical challenges there are several people and we know you know them intimately and we know that you're able to give grace you're able in the midst of suffering an affliction and trial to encourage the heart and we know God for all of us the outer man does decay day by day the inner man is being renewed day by day so we just commit these brothers and sisters into your gracious and into your care we praise you father that there is in you great grace and great mercy and kindness and goodness so we just pray that they would know these things today on their sick beds Lord we pray for other churches we thank you for the work in Surrey we pray for that body of believers there that they would know the nearness of God as their good that Pastor Mike would preach the word for the edification of the Saints and for the salvation of sinners and God be with the church plant and Vernon we thank you for those brothers and sisters as well and we know that the harvest is plentiful but laborers are few and we realize keenly that that lack in their midst and so we pray that you'd raise up a man she would give him a burden for that community of burden ultimately for the glory of God in the preaching of the gospel and we pray that you would do this for that for that group of people there and father please be merciful to the suffering Christians and other parts of the world we know God not everyone enjoys the liberties that we have in our country we pray for those under oppressive regimes we pray for those living in Muslim lands we pray for those in atheistic lands and Roman Catholic lands we know Lord God that Christ must reign till all of his enemies are made his footstool but even now Lord God these enemies rage against Christ and against his church and we read the updates and we read the reports and we see what brothers and sisters go through for the cause of God and truth and we would commit them to you and to the word of your grace and pray that even in the midst of these trials the church the people of God would grow and that more and more people would come to know Christ as Lord and Savior that by your grace persons would turn from their useless idols to the true and living God that they would come to the Father through the son by the power of the Holy Spirit and that these places that are steeped in idolatry and in false religion and in secularism would change by the grace of God and the power of the gospel we also pray for the governing authorities in our land the Apostle tells us to pray for kings and all who are in authority that we may lead peaceable and quiet lives we know father these and in high places have difficult jobs lots of responsibilities and they need wisdom God they also need a great big dose of the fear of God because they so often legislate those things that are contrary to the law of God and we see that the evidences of this all around us we see it with abortion we see it with euthanasia we see it with perversion of a sexual nature we see all manner of evil and wickedness and lawlessness and we know that ultimately politics doesn't change the heart we pray for the preaching of the Cross we pray for the salvation of sinners but we do pray for those in high places that they would they would kiss the Sun that they would know that the Son of God Most High is to be feared and revered and that you would have dealings with them and Lord please continue with us now help us to worship you in spirit and in truth and we come to you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ amen well you can turn with me in your Trinity hymnals again to number 217 hymn number 217 will stand as we sing together [Music] you [Music] well you can turn with me in your Bibles to John chapter 11 for our scripture reading John chapter 11 I'll pick up reading in verse 1 now a certain man was sick Lazarus of Bethany the town of Mary and her sister Martha it was that Mary who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped his feet with her hair whose brother Lazarus was sick therefore the sisters sent to him saying Lord behold he whom you love is sick when Jesus heard that he said this sickness is not unto death but for the glory of God that the Son of God may be glorified through it now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus so when he heard that he was sick he stayed two more days in the place where he was then after this he said to the disciples let us go to Judea again the disciples said to him rabbi lately the Jews sought to stone you and are you going there again jesus answered are there not twelve hours in the day if anyone walks in the day he does not stumble because he sees the light of this world but if one walks in the night he stumbles because the light is not in him these things he said and after that he said to them our friend Lazarus sleeps but I go that I may wake him up then his disciples said Lord if he sleeps he will get well however Jesus spoke of his death but they thought that he was speaking about taking rest and sleep then jesus said to them plainly Lazarus is dead and I am glad for your sakes that I was not there that you may be leave nevertheless let us go to him then Thomas who is called the twin said to his fellow disciples let us also go that we may die with him so when Jesus came he found that he had already been in the tomb four days now Bethany was near Jerusalem about two miles away and many of the Jews had joined the women around Martha and Mary too Comfort them concerning their brother no Martha as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming went and met him but Mary was sitting in the house now Martha said to Jesus Lord if you had been here my brother would not have died but even now I know that whatever you ask of God God will give you jesus said to her your brother will rise again Martha said to him I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day jesus said to her I am the resurrection and the life he who believes in me though he may die he shall live and whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die do you believe this she said to him yes Lord I believe that you are the Christ the Son of God who is to come into the world Amen well hopefully you know the rest of the story God willing we'll pick it up next Sunday in our reading in John's Gospel but I want us to understand that Jesus here knows exactly what is happening Lazarus is dead and Jesus is going to raise him from the dead and on the on the precipice of this Jesus has this interaction with Martha and in verse 23 jesus said to her your brother will rise again and Martha said to him I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day the idea of a resurrection at the last day is not a New Testament only concept it is in the Old Testament the Jews had this supposition they had this knowledge they knew it from their Psalter they knew it from their prophets they knew it from the Word of God there was this expectation but what we see in the New Covenant is that it's closely associated with Jesus Christ it's closely associated with the one sent by God as the Messiah as the savior of his people and then notice what Christ says I am the resurrection and the life it's not a wonderful term a wonderful title and we we talk about resurrection and we hear that particular phraseology that Jesus uses and and and I think at times it doesn't sort of wow us anymore Jesus was raised from the dead and Jesus has the ability to raise people from the dead that's precisely what he's going to do here Lazarus in the physical realm now we may not have been raised physically from the dead but we have certainly been raised spiritually we were dead in our trespasses and sins we were completely averse to God we were at enmity with God we raised our fists at him and he raised his fist at at us anthropomorphic way of course but Jesus Christ raised us from the dead by the power of the Christian gospel and when he says I am the resurrection and the life he who believes in me though he may die he shall live other words there be this physical death but as believers in Jesus Christ we will live and then he says and whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die the reality is is that you and I are secured you and I may pass through the physical waters of death but we will never die spiritually but then the next thing Jesus says to Martha I think deserves attention because we're told at points that if we preach the sovereignty of God we can never call upon men to believe other words this idea of asking or calling upon sinners to believe is easy believe izi well then Jesus himself is guilty because he says to Martha do you believe this you not only need to hear the scripture and understand the scripture you need to believe the scripture you need to believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of the Living God as Martha says in this particular section the idea that we call sinners to faith and repentance is biblical it is not armenian it is not Pelagian it's not easy believe ISM that's what you see in the Apostolic preaching of the Cross now that's not to suggest that the free will of man is the determining factor no God is sovereign God must make men willing in the day of his power God must give the graces of faith and repentance but that does not minimize the place in preaching of calling sinners to repent and believe repent Steve Peter says on the day of Pentecost and let every one of you eat baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins acts 16 serves what must I do to be saved believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved it is never wrong to follow apostolic preaching it is never wrong to follow our Lord's Prayer in calling sinners to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ that is not our minion that is not Pelagian that is not easy believe ISM that's biblical that's reformed that's the emphasis we find throughout Scripture the neglect of calling upon men and women and boys and girls to believe in repent is hyper Calvinistic and it is to abuse Souls it is to do disservice to them to tell them what the problem is but never provide the biblical solution you take the book of Romans Paul sets forth the problem of man the plight of man and then he highlights the power of God if we simply tell men their problem and never give them the remedy it is not to be wondered at that persons are miserable we tell them the problem and we point them to the remedy in the language that our Lord used just as Moses was or just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness so must the Son of Man be lifted up and what's the implication that as those bit persons in numbers looked upon that brazen serpent they lived if you are a bit person this morning and you are apart from Christ you are poisoned with sin the remedy is to look to Jesus Christ and live it's a beautiful thing our Lord does with this woman he tells her this glorious doctrinal truth and then he says do you believe this he presses her conscience do you believe this she said yes Lord I believe that you are the Christ the Son of God who is to come into the world and he is all that to be sure and he is altogether lovely he is chief among ten thousand and he is the one and alone in whom there is forgiveness and there's a righteousness that avails with God well let us pray our Father we thank you for your word and we thank you for the Lord Jesus Christ we thank you that he is the resurrection and the life and that you have raised us from spiritual death you've given us every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ you've given us life and eternal salvation and all good and blessed things may we rejoice in this as we sing as we pray as we look to Holy Scripture may we see the purpose of God from Genesis to revelation is to reconcile the world to himself through our Lord Jesus Christ and it's in that most blessed name that we pray amen well for our final him before the preaching it's actually the Trinity Salter the red book you can take that and turn to Psalm 89 Psalm 89 to a familiar tune and will stand and sing together [Music] well you could turn to the book of Acts where in Acts chapter 7 bringing to a conclusion Stephens speech before the Sanhedrin it's the longest speech recorded in the book of Acts and essentially what Stephen is doing is using their history and their scriptures to show that he is not guilty of the false charges that have been that had been brought up against him he has been accused of being anti Moses he's been accused of being anti Temple he spends a bulk of his time defending the charge of anti Moses ISM in verses 17 to 43 and here in verses 44 to 50 specifically he is countering the charge that he is anti temple so I want to read this section chapter 7 beginning in verse 44 our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness as he appointed instructing Moses to make it according to the pattern that he had seen which our fathers having received it in turn also brought with Joshua into the land possessed by the Gentiles whom God drove out before the face of our fathers until the days of David who found favor before God and asked to find a dwelling for the God of Jacob but Solomon built in the house however the most high does not dwell in temples made with hands as the Prophet says heaven is my throne and earth is my footstool what house will you build for me says the Lord or what is the place of my rest as my hand not made all these things you stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears you always resist the Holy Spirit as your father's did so do you which of the prophets did your father's not persecute and they killed those who foretold the coming of the just one of whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers who have received the law by the direction of angels and have not captain when they heard these things they were cut to the heart and they gnashed it him with their teeth but he being full of the holy spirit gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God and said look I see the heaven open and the Son of man standing at the right hand of God then they cried out with a loud voice stopped their ears and ran at him with one Accord and they cast him out of the city and stoned him and the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul and they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying Lord Jesus receive my spirit then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice Lord do not charge them with this sin and when he had said this he fell asleep as Saul was consenting to his death at that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria except the apostles and devout men carried Stephen to his burial and made great lamentation over him as for Saul he made havoc of the church entering every house and dragging off men and women committing them to prison amen well let us pray father again we thank you for the written word and we need the Ministry of the Holy Spirit to illumine our minds and our hearts we need his aid to teach and guide us to direct us to what Moses pointed forward to and what the temple pointed forward to even our Lord Jesus Christ God I pray that we would not miss the message of Stephens sermon here that these things in the Old Covenant were types and shadows of the Christ who was to come and now that he's here we don't go backwards in redemptive history we go only to him and to him alone and our Father I pray that you would forgive us again for our sins and what it does in terms of our understanding give us the Grace and the blood of Jesus Christ so that we may receive with Thanksgiving your word then we pray in Jesus name Amen well as we have seen over the last several weeks Stephens speech before the Sanhedrin again is designed to show that he is not the one guilty of being anti Moses and being anti temple the council or the Sanhedrin to whom he speaking have actually demonstrated the fact that they're anti Moses and they're anti temple they rejected Jesus Christ Moses wrote about Jesus so if they reject Jesus then they buy by implication of rejecting Moses himself the tabernacle in the temple existed not as an and in itself but rather as a type as a shadow pointing forward to the one who became flesh and dwelt among us the son of God the second person of the Trinity the one who took on our humanity that temple that Tabernacle pointed forward now that Christ has come to maintain attachment to the temple is to be anti temple in other words the temple simply pointed them to Jesus in their rejection rejection of Jesus they are demonstrating their rejection of the temple itself very paradoxical but Stephen I think really shows this throughout his message so we've been looking at verses 44 to 50 last time we saw the tabernacle of witness in verses 44 and 45 remember that the tabernacle was ordained by God was it instituted by God it was appointed by God it was the means by which sinful Israel could approach a holy God and the way that sinful Israel could approach a holy God was through sacrifice it was through blood it was through atonement and so that is the purpose for which the tabernacle existed now we're going to turn our attention to the temple of the God of Jacob and then finally the testimony of the prophet Isaiah but notice the temple of the God of Jacob in verses 45 46 and 47 notice after saying that God had instituted the tabernacle he says that the fathers had the tabernacle in the land possessed by the Gentiles and then in verse 46 it speaks of David who found favor before God and asked to find a dwelling for the God of Jacob now we're gonna spend a bit of time here with reference to what's called the Davidic covenant in 2nd Samuel 7 but I want us to understand that David was a man who found favor in the eyes of Yahweh now when we consider that it's a glorious statement not concerning David but concerning Yahweh God the Lord received David unto himself by virtue of the righteousness of Jesus Christ God the Lord had announced to Saul that he was going to give the kingdom to a man after his own heart in 1st Samuel chapter 13 David was that man after his own heart was David a perfect man absolutely positively not David committed gross sin before a holy God but David exalted in that means rejoiced at the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ in psalm 32 david counts himself blessed as one to whom the Lord has not imputed iniquity gave it knew his status his standing his acceptance with God was not based on David's performance but on David's greater son in other words God in His grace and in his mercy received David God and His grace and his in His mercy showed that favor to David in fact in fact there are two instances in the life of David where he celebrates the goodness of God to him in first samuel chaplain sorry 2nd samuel chapter 4 at verse 9 he says as the lord lives who has redeemed my life from all adversity it's a beautiful thing isn't it as the Lord lives who has redeemed my life from all adversity we could admit the same sorts of things we could celebrate the same realities the times that we should have died the times that we should have gotten sick the times that we should have ended up in in a hospital or perhaps a prison we can reflect upon the reality that God has redeemed us from all our adversity but even more so in the spiritual realm he has delivered us from the power of sin he has delivered us from the power of the devil he has released us from the power of the world the other time that David makes this comment is in 2nd Kings and this is after his long life this is prior to him going to the grave so 2nd Samuel 4 nine when he admits this East middle age probably middle to late age but in first Kings he's on the verge of death and he's nevertheless able to say the same thing first Kings 1:29 as the Lord lives who has redeemed my life from every distress when he says in 2nd Samuel for he probably means Philistines he probably means Saul he probably means the enmity of the nation's around him as the king of Israel when he says it in first Kings 1:29 maybe he's got in his head Bathsheba maybe he's got in his head Uriah the Hittite maybe he's got in his head the more spiritual things in terms of the redemption that God has wrought out and brought him out of that adversity that adversity of sin that adversity of rebellion that adversity of enmity not with the nation's around but with the God of heaven and earth but in these two instances David demonstrates that he was in fact one who received the very favor of God Almighty it truly is a blessed thing and a blessed sort of incentive for you if you're a sinner not saved by grace to consider Christ Christ justified David now I don't care how bad you are I would guess that you didn't commit murder or adultery within the last days or months but maybe you have it may be actually half this is a glory of the gospel there is forgiveness with thee david says in psalm 130 that thou mayest be feared when david cries out in distress in psalm 130 verse 1 it's not the distress of the the temporal enemies it's sin that affects david when he says out of the depths I have cried to the Oh Lord Lord hear the voice of my supplications he goes on to specify what the nature of his sorrow is he says if that lord shuts mark iniquities O Lord who could stand snow none of us in here there's nobody who could stand before holy God but he goes on he says but there is forgiveness with you that you may be feared david rejoices in the forgiveness of sins and if you were a sinner here this morning go to the lord jesus christ and rejoice in the forgiveness of sins there's nothing better ask any believer in here after the service I challenge you I encourage you to do that find some believer and say are you sad that you came to Jesus do you sort of rethink that that decision I don't mean it an Arminian Pelagian way just grant me the use of the language here do you regret that decision and having come to Christ know that no one's gonna say oh yeah you know my life was much better before when I was a slave to sin my life was much better before when I cared about what this world thought my life was much better before when I was subject to the very devil and so none of them say that he who believes will never be disappointment but a disappointment he we'll never be put to shame it's a glorious thing to be a Christian it's a wonderful thing to be a believer it's a wonderful thing to know that you will never die you may pass through the physical trial of death but it's the portal into heaven itself that's in the future for God's people and if God's people are not happy about that God's people need to repent we need to be a people that have this understanding of what way in our future and we need to communicate that to others what's David say as a man forgiven by God's grace in Psalm 51 which psalm 51 is his song of repentance he talks about his sin he talks about God's mercy and he talks about having received that he says then I will teach transgressors your ways who better to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ than a man conquered by the gospel of Jesus Christ who better to say come to Jesus for the forgiveness of sins than a David who is guilty of the sins of murder and adultery now go back to 2nd Samuel chapter 7 for a moment so we can see what Steven is talking about remember another reason why we're spending a lot of time in this defense of Steven in acts 7 is because it's a window by which we can survey the Old Testament we can piece together an understanding of what's happening in the Old Testament and how all of it leads us to the Lord Jesus Christ the background for Stephens statement there in Acts chapter 7 it's not only 2nd Samuel it's in Psalm 132 that I read at the outset of worship in fact the the closest parallel of Stephens language is with Psalm 132 but Psalm 132 Psalm 89 that we just sang all are based on 2nd Samuel 7 and this is called the Davidic covenant this is God's covenant with David it's a covenant of kingdom and kingship it's a promise to David that from David's line one is going to rise up and going to occupy that throne for ever and ever and ever and so second Samuel 7 is very important when it comes to considering not only the tabernacle but the temple because it's a temple that day wants to wants to build for God and that's what's in view in 2nd Samuel 7 the word house is being used in three different ways in 2nd Samuel 7 David is sitting in his house marveling that he's in this beautiful palace and the the tabernacle of God our God rather is dwelling in tents house is also used as dynasty God says I'm gonna make a house out of you I'm gonna make a dynasty out of you and then the final way that house is used is a temple a place for God to occupy among the children of Israel so you just need to understand that the words house is used in a couple of different ways but notice with reference to the desire of David 2nd Samuel 7 verse 1 now it came to pass when the king was dwelling in his house and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies all around that the king said to Nathan the prophet see now I dwell in a house of cedar but the Ark of God dwells inside tent curtains see you get the idea David's been victorious God's given him blessing God has redeemed his life from every adversity up to this point the enemies of Israel have been vanquished David now has this beautiful palace we read about it in 2nd Samuel 5 it's been built he's sitting there and saying wait wait a minute you know I've got this great palace I've got this great house I've got all the great benefits from all the battles that that Yahweh has granted to us victory and yet God doesn't have a permanent dwelling place God doesn't have a temple God doesn't have a house we still have this tabernacle that is mobile this tabernacle that you put up in the wilderness now notice what God does with reference to David he highlights the promise given through covenant in verses 5 to 9 and then later in verse 17 we see that what Nathan says to David is the word of the Living God and it concerns this request that David is presented but God takes this request and puts and explore gives an explanation to David notice we see the promise given specifically in verses 10 and 11 notice verse 10 moreover I will appoint a place for my people Israel and I will plant them that they may dwell in a place of their own and move no more nor shall the sons of wickedness oppress them anymore as previously so let me just give you the crib notes here are the cliff notes the cliff notes are crib notes I think it's cliff notes just tell you what David is hearing from God God says I have been in a tabernacle I have been in this mobile tent because Israel has been mobile because Israel hasn't been stationary Israel has moved from place to place so God has moved from place to place so in verse 10 of second Samuel 7 he is saying I want Israel to be planted in the land I want Israel to be stable and then they can build a house for me isn't that the way parents function they make sure their kids are provided for and then they can be looked after it's the way the father deals with Israel here he says while they are moving about I'll move about with that but I want to plant them securely and stabili in the land and then they can build for me this this temple this stationary place they'll no longer be this tent that has to be thrown up in the wilderness but rather they'll be a central sanctuary where they can come to worship through sacrifice and praise so the Lord God here provides for his people before he gets provided for that's a beautiful thought isn't it FAK till ralph davis makes the observation he says how can he God settle down when de Israel are unsettled perhaps we glimpse now why Yahweh wants no cedar temple yet he must make a secure place for Israel first he will not rest till he gives rest to his people it's a beautiful thought you've ever met those people that say oh the Old Testament it's filled with wrath and judgment and blood and destruction and and genocide it's just a horrific thing it's filled with grace and compassion and mercy and kindness and goodness and love we sang in Psalm 89 that he broke Egypt and we think horror of Horrors the breaking of Egypt was necessary for the preservation of his people for God's people to ultimately flourish all of the enemies of Christ must be put down now let's not be 21st century quickly triggered and offended people but get our minds and hearts wrapped around the concept of righteousness and justice and realize that in this world there are those who are with Jesus Christ and there are those who are against Jesus Christ and with reference to those who are against Jesus Christ it's not the case that he doesn't deal with them harshly and severely he most certainly does every few years there's a new book denying the doctrine of hell I've always wondered why I think it's because psychologically persons have a tough time with the concept but in terms of our own life in terms of our own experience if you knew that a man was convicted of grievous crimes he had hurt children he had abused people he had murdered we'd all want him to be punished wouldn't we oh no and I'm a pastor well then you're not thinking biblically because we image God and the foundation of his throne are justice and righteousness and we need to think God's thoughts after him so you see with reference to Israel God is functioning as a father to them while they are transient people he will be a transient God he will dwell in the tabernacle but once he stations them securely in the land then the temple can be built this is what David hasn't seen this is what David needs to be educated about this is what David needs to be instructed on and that's precisely what God is doing with David so there's a promise for the people of Israel and verse 10 and then notice in verse 11 since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel and have caused you to rest from all your enemies also the Lord tells you that he will make you a house again a dynasty of Kings will come from David and that's where he goes now notice he highlights the presence of the kingdom and the Perpetua perpetuity of it verse 12 when your days are fulfilled and you rest with your father's I will set up your seed after you who will come from your body and I will establish his kingdom now this has an immediate sort of application and a distant one with reference to David immediately in the life of his son Solomon who builds this temple for God it's what Steven says in act 747 Solomon built him a house but there is a distant application it's to the son of David who is our Lord Jesus Christ so the the King Solomon the succession of Kings that would come from him is David's dynasty but it's that last Davidic King that cons namely the Lord Jesus Christ that will do or achieve all that is written here in 2nd samuel chapter 7 so everybody with me i think if you get this it helps you in life how is this practical for me pastor it shows you the faithfulness of your God how does this help me on Thursday pastor it shows you that God can be trusted it's a beautiful thing you know we don't always need a sermon you know 15 things on how to be a better you we need sermons on how glorious God is because once we understand how glorious God is we will I think by implication be better better Russ's if there is even such a thing a better us but notice back in the tax God tells him it's gonna be a son that builds a house verse 13 he shall build a house for my name and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever I will be his father and he shall be my son if he commits iniquity I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the blows of the sons of men but my mercy shall not depart from him as I took it from Saul whom I removed from before you and your house and your kingdom shall be established before you forever before you your throne shall be established forever now again this has immediate application to Solomon in his science but it has a distant application from David's vantage point in Jesus Christ and God says with reference to this promise that that that even sin will not annul it says if you or your son sin which Solomon did how does Solomon end his life Solomon ends his life by multiplying marriages a thousand women and he has led astray by their gods so Solomon sinned every king descending from him by ordinate our ordinary generation sinned but God says sin will not annul this promise the way it did with saw when God makes this promise to David it's going to come to fruition and of course the lord jesus never sins the others did sin but as god stipulates here their sin is not going to sidetrack the very promises of God it's going to come to pass it's going to come to fruition and it does in the person in the work of the Lord Jesus Christ so sins not gonna mess it up time isn't gonna mess it up even that's not going to mess it up God can be trusted now when you look at 2nd Samuel chapter 7 verse 13 and you think about the Annunciation the promise concerning that the birth of our Lord Jesus in Luke 1:32 33 the language is so similar it is this Mary he's going to give birth to this son of David that is going to reign over the kingdom of God forever and ever and ever world without end the beauty of the nativity scene finds its tap roots historically in the Covenant made with David you see why this is important see today I think with new covenant Christians we we don't think a lot about the Old Testament we don't read the Old Testament we don't hear sermons on the Old Testament so we don't really think much about it if you don't think much about the Old Testament in some ways the New Testament doesn't make as much sense it's not as glorious not to say it's not glorious but it doesn't it isn't as glorious when you see that the birth of Jesus Christ has its tap roots in history to the promise made the David in 2nd Samuel 7 I don't know for me that just makes me happy makes me happy to see how the Bible works together as a whole that it's a florist and while it's good to investigate individual trees it's nice to see how the whole functions and to see that in that whole function it is God reconciling the world to himself by Jesus Christ the Lord this is where we would have an amen if we were a black church in Southern California notice the promise concerning David's son John Gill commenting he says that is both his family and his government should be perpetuated or he should always have one of his family to sit upon his throne the accomplishment of which in the beginning of it he saw with his eyes and his son Solomon and with an eye of faith in his greater son the Messiah in whom only these words will have their complete fulfillment just like we saw the promise of God made to Moses in Luke 8 I'm sorry Deuteronomy 18 about a prophet like Moses there was immediate application in every prophet subsequent to Moses but the final realization of the fulfillment of en't was in the Prophet Christ in the same way this line of Davidic Kings begins with Solomon but it's ultimately realized in Jesus he is the son of David after all and Stephen is highlighting the reality that he wanted to build a house for God but God wouldn't let him and if we ask the question why didn't God let him because David was a man of blood a man of war now don't interpret that this way well he was icky and defiled and God would have no truck with him not at all God enabled David to vanquish his enemies God enabled David to lower his foot as it were on the on the necks of his enemies he was too busy killing people and extending the kingdom of God on earth to build the temple that's the point he was a man of blood he was a man of war he had a primary calling to stabilize the kingdom now that the kingdom is stabilized under David it's his son Solomon that would build the house it's his son Solomon that would construct the earthly temple it's his son Solomon enjoying the peace secured by God through his servant David that would make that that that mobile tabernacle into a stationary and permanent facility occupying Jerusalem so that's the connection don't ever read that say well David was a man of war God doesn't like men of war and therefore David couldn't build the temple God gave the victory to that man of war that man of war was successful because of his God did you get that right No Oh God's displeased gods absolutely pleased with David and his men but there's a division of labor thing and it was Solomon that would build the temple and that is precisely what Steven says in acts 7 David found favor before God and asked to find a dwelling for the God of Jacob but Solomon built him a house now the Old Testament background for this first Kings five you can turn there first Kings chapter five again I'm hoping that through this window of Stephens sermon or Stephens defense or speech we're getting intrigued with the Old Testament and were wanting to understand the Old Testament and see that what Stephen is doing is citing their scriptures in history to make his case against Stephens not informing the Sanhedrin they knew their history but the the way that Stephen weaves together his defense is showing that their history and scriptures are the ones that substantiate the reality that Stephen is not anti Moses and he's not anti temple notice in first Kings five three you know how my father David could not build a house for the name of the Lord his God because of the wars which were fought against him on every side now notices until the Lord put his foes under the soles of his feet so again it's not that God's got a problem with David as a man of war it was God that gave David the souls are the necks of his enemies David says in Psalm 110 Yahweh said to my lord sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool see that that language of the greater son of David it was employed previously with reference to David himself Solomon says you know how my father David could not build a house for the name of the Lord is God because of the wars which were fought against him on every side until the Lord God until the Lord put his foes under the soles of his feet but now the Lord my God has given me rest on every side there is neither adversary nor evil occurrence and behold I propose to build a house for the name of the Lord my God as the Lord spoke to my father David say your son whom I will set on your throne in your place he shall build the house for my name see Stephen knows his Bible Stephen knows his history Stephen knows the scripture and Stephen is using this for good effect and good purpose to vindicate himself of these all charges but you know what I think is even more imperative in the mind of Steven I don't think it is in the first place to make sure they know he's not anti temple and he's not anti Moses I think Stevens chief desire is to let them know that they are anti temple and they are anti Moses I think Steven knows precisely what is going on and he wants to convict them he wants to show them their sin that's why at the end he says you stiff-necked and uncircumcised of heart you always resist the Holy Spirit what is he doing I've shared with you in the past that commentators thinks think that he didn't finish his speech he most certainly did he lays it out in beautiful detail up to verse 50 and then he brings it home via applica Tori preaching in verses 51 and following you stiff net you uncircumcised you always resist the Holy Spirit the way your fathers did with Moses is the way you do now with Jesus Christ the one you've betrayed and murder he brings it to a conclusion with a view and a hope I think for them to be cut to the heart and instead of trying to murder him saying men and brethren what shall we do see there's two instances that I've seen in the book of Acts where people are cut to the heart in acts 2 they're cut to the heart and they say men and brethren what shall we do and Peter says repent let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins well Stephen brings the heat to bear upon them they're cut to the heart but instead of crying out - Stephen what must we do they nashit him with their teeth they drive him out of the city and they murder this man of God they understood the implications of what he had said they just rejected it wholesale and as a result they shed the blood of this man this just man this righteous man that simply preached their scriptures to them so this is the background chapter 6 and 7 essentially have the construction of the temple and then at chapter 8 you need to turn there you see the the bill that the dedication of the temple now we're going to get real practical as to why Stephen is doing this with reference to his speech and the testimony of the prophet Isaiah in Israel they had become accustomed to the temple as sort of their source of national pride as long as the temple was standing everything was good that meant God was good with them it meant that they were secure with reference to their enemies and in that particular process it became an idolatrous thing for that their attachment to the temple overrode the design of the temple in other words if the temple was to serve as a as a type in a shadow it was never supposed to be permanent it was never supposed to be that which they cleave to or cleave to it was always going to be the case that it would give way to that which it typifies namely the Lord Jesus Christ so they had become idolatrous with reference to the temple and I think that Stevens point with reference to the Sanhedrin at this particular point but their scriptures cautioned them against such an approach he's not saying tabernacle and temple were wrong he's saying Tabernacle and temple did what God intended for it to do what's wrong is man's response to these things to trust in the tabernacle or the temple instead of the God of heaven and earth yet so when he appeals to the testimony of the prophet Isaiah it's very clear God through Isaiah says heavens my throne earth is my footstool where's the house that you will build for me but even prior to the testimony of Isaiah Solomon recognized that at the very dedication of the temple Solomon admits that there's a caution given to the people by implication to never set their affections upon the temple to the neglect of God don't set your affections upon the temple to the neglect of the one that the temple is pointing us unto notice in first Kings chapter 8 at verse 27 but will God indeed dwell on the earth behold heaven in the heaven heavens cannot contain you how much less this temple which I have built you have to appreciate that Stephens defense here is masterful they're accusing him of being anti temple he's saying no you guys are because you have believed the idea that God of heaven and earth or the God who dwells and inhabits eternity is now confined in this space Solomon didn't see it this way Solomon didn't admit this Solomon realized the limitations of earthly temples so he cites this fact that Solomon built and as I direct you to this consider how much less this temple which I have built it is a glorious glorious defence the Geneva Bible has here Solomon built a temple according to God's commandment but not with any such condition that the majesty of God should be enclosed therein did you get its own and built this temple it's a beautiful lavish thing by the way I mean if we spend time going through chapters six and seven we'd be here all day and you thought I'd get upset but as well you would see that that the hinges were made of solid gold it was a glorious dwelling place again it didn't contain God it was a visible symbol representation of the dwelling place of God but he didn't house God it didn't contain God God was not locally present there and Solomon knew that at the dedication what Stevens point you guys should have known that too you should have known that this attachment to the temple over and above attachment to the promises of God that are yeah and amen in the Lord Jesus Christ is wrong it's idolatrous and what you have done is to reject the very purpose for the temple so that's why he invokes David and Solomon concerning the temple now back to Acts chapter 7 we finish up with the testimony of the prophet Isaiah in verses 48 to 52 Solomon built him it's built built in the house verse 47 and then in verse 48 however the most high does not dwell temples made with hands as the Prophet says there's this distinction temples made with hands and temples not made with hands right temples made with hands and temples not made with hands an example of a temple made within hands is the very temple that was standing at the time that Steven is preaching Jesus himself makes this distinction between temples made with hands and the temple not made with hands he makes this distinction in John to destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up they marveled they said it took this 46 years to build this temple and will you raise it again in three days John says he was talking about the temple of his body this distinction is drawn out by the proper by the Apostle in the book of Hebrews as well Stephens speech and act seven is very similar to the Apostles argument in Hebrews as a whole and specifically Hebrews makes this distinction between temples or places made with hands versus those not made with hands so Stephen is pointing out to them something they should have known based on Solomon's testimony at the dedication of the temple and based on the prophetic testimony of the prophet Isaiah which he will now cite to show them that they again are the ones that have missed the point of the temple that he rather has accepted it notice the recognition by the prophet or the testimony of the Prophet verses 49 and 50 heaven is my throne and earth is my footstool what house will you build for me says the Lord or what is the place of my rest has my hand not made all these things sounds exactly like what Solomon says at the dedication you see for any and all that would think that God is somehow confined are contained in an earthly structure the prophets testimony here obliterates that thought heaven is God's throne earth is God's footstool where will puny creatures ever get the wherewithal to build a house for God the building of the physical structure terms of the tabernacle and temple again we're typical pointing forward to the Lord Jesus they weren't the end they weren't the antitype that wasn't everything they serve for a period of time as the author tells us in the book of Hebrews until the time of reformation when Jesus would come not when Luther and Calvin would come the Reformation in II Bruges night is the New Covenant is not the fear of the sixteenth century and so that's what's going on here and he points to the prophet Isaiah and he tells them that this is in fact the reality so just to kind of bring this to a finer point I feel like we've covered a lot of material this morning some of you are looking a little bit dizzy than we read going wow there's gonna be a test on this I sure hope not but but I think that if you get Stephens speech and you use it as a window to appreciate what's happening in the Old Testament you need to know what's happening in the Old Testament you need to know because Paul says all the promises of God are you and a man in Jesus Christ what promises of God that are yeah and amen in Jesus Christ is Paul most likely talking about 2nd Samuel 7 first Kings 8 Isaiah 60 66 all of the prophets and all of the promises and all of the testimony of the Old Testament are yay and amen in our Lord Jesus so how can we fully appreciate all that if we don't understand what's happening so with this window you want to take it home and you ought to use Stephens speech in the same manner investigate a bit more fully Tabernacle investigate a bit more fully temple investigate a bit more fully that the conquest of Canaan under Joshua investigate that the life in the Ministry of Moses and to see how he function typically pointing forward to the Lord Jesus Christ you see the Old Testament is all about Jesus and that's what Stephens telling that just like Jesus does and John chapter 5 you search the Scriptures for in them you think you have eternal life these are they which testify of me if you're not reading your Old Testament you're not hearing sermons on your Old Testament not thinking through the implications of the Old Testament you're going to be awkward in terms of your Christian experience you need to be people of the book the entire book I'm not saying don't read the New Testament I'm not saying don't you know investigate that boy Jones thought it was you know travesty to prynt New Testaments I don't travesty I know he he wasn't thrilled about the prospect of just printing New Testaments a brother that's not bad to give somebody a New Testament she kind of give him half a book if you're only reading the New Testament you're only reading half a book and if you understand how the Bible holds together you will see that Christ is the consistent cohesive blew it all terminates in him all roads lead to Jesus even the Old Testament roads and to neglect those roads is to do disservice to your God and to your own soul now as we go back to this particular search and notice God describes heaven as his throne and earth as his footstool now Gill says these things are not to be literally understood but our images and figures representing the majesty sovereignty and immensity of God he says what house will you build for me says the Lord or what is the place of my rest has my hand not made all these things in other words there is nothing created that can contain God he is infinite eternal and unchangeable in his being wisdom power holiness justice goodness and truth you cannot box God in I grew up as a Roman Catholic and I know that a couple others did as well do you know what was on the altar there was what was called the tabernacle least in my Catholic Church it was a gold box that under lock and key is where they put the hosts the bread that that we would say rightly represents the body of our Lord they say of course that the bread is the body of the Lord after it goes through their hocus pocus but that was called the tabernacle as if that little place could confine or contain the deity that's at least how I grew up thinking the tabernacle that's where God is because that's where the bread is cat that's going to be trotted out and used in the supper brethren that is faulty I mean not withstanding transubstantiation and the abomination of the mass itself but the idea that we can with you know a cheap little lock and a cheap little key put God in a box Old Testament said that you're not supposed to treat the temple that way you're not supposed to treat the tabernacle that way it may be the place where God visibly represents or demonstrates as presents among the people but it's not that that place could ever contain the immensity of God our God is great our God is glorious our God is magnificent our God is not like us as we often point out in our church there is a creator creature distinction it's not the case that we go from lower forms of creation to God it's not the case that we start with a bug and then we move to a cat and then we move to a dog and then we move to a man and then we move to an angel and then we move to God God is not being writ large God's not a super version of us God is God he alone occupies that that being that creatorship he is not confined or contained by the creature that could never be now we try we attempt we want to domesticate God we want to ungodly of his attributes or perfections so that he's more manageable for us we want to put him in a box we want to locate him presently in a temple or a tabernacle we want to have Dominion alternately over him but according to the prophet Isaiah heaven is his throne earth is his footstool where is the house that you'll build for God you puny creatures you actually think you have it in you now it does not like saying it like this but I think this is the way we're supposed to understand it who do you think you are to actually think you can contain God remember when God answers job out of the whirlwind our answers Joe out of the whirlwind says where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth where were you joke when I told the waters thus far and no further you see God is silencing jhope at the end of the book of Job with an appeal to God's sovereignty his majesty is excellence and that's what Stephen is doing you guys have had fixed your attention and your affection and your love and your devotion to this building God transcends the building heaven is his throne earth is his footstool there's no house that you could ever build free up to suggest that Stephen didn't complete his sermon is to completely miss read Stephens sermon he finishes it and he's going to bring it home to a very heartfelt convicting conclusion when we looked at that in verses 51 to 53 that's why they respond the way they do that's why they get so upset that's why they want to drive him out of the city and execute him because he has indicted them now I think we have sufficiently dealt with the defense of Stephen in terms of our application I want to just by way of concluding thoughts consider the covenant with David the promise that a son of David would build a house for God realized typically by Solomon ultimately realized by Jesus Christ now GK Beale has a really excellent book called the church and the temples the the temple and the church's mission and in that he makes this observation the fact that Isaiah says what Isaiah says where Isaiah says it means that Isaiah understood that the temple built by Solomon did not ultimately fulfill the promise made by God to David let me just say that again the fact that Isaiah says what Isaiah says indicates that Isaiah did not believe that solomon's construction of the temple exhausted the promise that god had made the David Lord's Isaiah says this not only to indict the people of Israel at the time not only to call them the heartfelt true religion but also to anticipate greater glory most persons have seen that section of Isaiah points to new covenant realities the new covenant reality is is that Jesus Christ comes Jesus Christ is the temple Jesus Christ is both house of God and the way to the house of God Jesus Christ fulfills all that Tabernacle and and temple stood for this heaven feels absolutely right that Isaiah what Isaiah does shows that Isaiah does not think that that Solomon exhausted that promise now turn one one final passage to Matt Matthew 16 just want you to see the the ultimate fulfillment of the the final realization however we want a demon of David's or the promise of God to David remember that God says to David that a son of God would build a house for God that's in essence what 2nd Samuel 7 promises a son of God will build a house for God notice in Matthew chapter 16 at verse 13 when Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi he asked his disciples saying who do men say that I the Son of Man am so they said some say John the Baptist some Elijah and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets he said to them butBut but who do you say that I am you love Jesus he it makes you feel real uncomfortable what's the general consensus out there they answer okay well what do you guys think Jesus does that doesn't it he asks you questions like do you believe this he asks you questions like who do you say that I am so he moves from the broad generic what's the report on the street concerning Who I am to them but who do you say that I am it's very imperative and important that we see this Simon Peter answered and said you are the Christ the Son of the Living God remember 2nd Samuel 7 it's going to be a son of God that builds a house for God Simon Peter answered and said you are the Christ the Son of the Living God jesus answered and said to him blessed are You Simon bar Jonah for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you but my father who is in heaven and I also say to you that your Peter and on this rock I will build my church and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it see Jesus is the temple Jesus is the house Jesus builds the church which is a house which is that that that living dwelling place of God most high see this is the ultimate realization this is the fruition this is the fulfillment of that Davidic covenant Jesus builds a house for God as a son of God and he does so consistently with second Samuel seven now one final thought and then we close you're probably saying wasn't that one font no I said that was the last text you don't have to turn to the text I'm gonna cite I could just read it for you Steven only mentions a part of verse two in his citation the rest of verse two in Isaiah 66 is beautiful not that one in 2a aren't but what God goes on to say through the Prophet after heaven is my throne earth is my footstool where is the house that you will build for me he stresses his transcendence there in theological language or theological II that means God is removed from us it's the point transcendence means God is removed from us he is the transcendent God temples don't contain him Tabernacles don't hold him he is immense you cannot domesticate the living in the true God so isaiah 66:1 into a highlight that transcendence but god's not only transcendent god is imminent and that means god is is with us God is present God is nigh unto his people just like in that second Samuel 7 passage while they're transient I'll be transient once I secure and stabilize them I'll be secure and stabilized in a temple God identifies with his people not sin and wickedness and lawlessness and all that sort of thing but God identifies with his people the way father identifies with his son Psalm 103 rehearses the glory of God when it says that he is our Father he pities us he knows our frame he knows that that were but dust and he doesn't cut us off he doesn't throw us away rather he shows us mercy and grace and loving-kindness so if we go back to the prophet Isaiah and we continue to read after that heaven is my throne statement God goes on to say for all those things my hand is made and all those things exist says the Lord but on this one I will look on him who is poor and of a contrite spirit and who trembles at my word so that transcendent God is one who dwells with his people that transcendent God is one who does commune with his people that transcendent God is present in New Covenant worship when the Church of Jesus Christ gathers together that's Ephesians two at the very end we have access to the Father through the son in the power of the Holy Spirit if you're thinking biblically when you enter into this place as long as we are not offering up strange fire to the Lord as long as we're not in rebellion against the Lord God is in this place this one who says heaven is my throne and earth is my footstool where is the house that you will build for me nevertheless he dwells with his humble and his contrite of spirit people he looks upon those who tremble at his word in other words people who by grace have been humbled people who by grace have been given faith and repentance to come unto Jesus he is transcendent but he's our God he is removed but he's present Isaiah 57 the Prophet says this 57:15 for thus says the high and lofty one who inhabits eternity whose name is holy i dwell in the high and holy place with him who has a contrite and humble spirit to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones solomon recognized this - when Solomon's pray in first Kings chapter 8 I think it's around verse 30 he says hear the prayers of your people from heaven so God is in the heavens and yet he hears the prayers of his people as they they come up to him he hears those prayers and he answers those prayers and one other thing that Solomon intimates with reference to to the dedication of the temple in first Kings chapter 8 is that it's going to be Universal in its scope Universal in its scope all the nations will come to this temple and they will see the glory of the God of Israel well that's realized and achieved at our Lord Jesus isn't it the promise of God that all every tribe tongue people a nation would would come unto Israel's God it's achieved through Christ and that's a particularly noteworthy with reference to this place and Acts Acts chapter one we are told they're supposed to witness for Jesus in lucilla Judea Samaria to the uttermost parts of the earth up to Acts chapter 7 their only locally president in the in Jerusalem what happens in chapter 8 I read the first few verses after Stephen is stoned to death which was a horrible wretched deed but nevertheless God brought good out of it because the people left Jerusalem they scattered throughout the countryside and they were preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ you see the gospel movement from Jerusalem to Judea Samaria to the uttermost parts of the earth all of that again to say if you do not know this Lord Jesus Christ the way is by grace through faith in Him there is forgiveness to be had with Christ there is a righteousness to be had with Christ where in God will ultimately accept you true temple true dwelling true communion true blessing is only realize through the gospel of our salvation let us close in a word of Prayer father we thank you for your word and we thank you for Stephens defense and I pray that we would appreciate what your word says concerning both your transcendence and your imminence with your people that we would see that you are a God who is creator that you are a God who cannot be contained and things built by hands but as well you're a God who is pleased to condescend the God who is pleased to dwell where his people are may this encourage our hearts as we gather forgetten together for worship we confess at times a coldness we confess at times a weariness we see all around us people defecting from the church help us to see the church and your redemptive plan as that place where you promise to be with your people in this new covenant era and God made this indeed elevate our thoughts of the church and may it cause us to get up on Sunday morning and have glad hearts as we go to the house of the Lord we thank you for Jesus Christ and the salvation in Him we thank you for forgiveness we thank you for that righteousness that you impute to us that is received by faith alone we do long to see others come out of darkness into marvelous light we long to see you saving sinners and we pray that you would do this for your glory and we ask these things through Jesus Christ our Lord aim well we'll close by singing the doxology and praise to God if you are not familiar you can find it in your hem book on page Roman numeral 16 but we'll stand and sing together [Music] [Music] the Lord bless you and keep you the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace father go with us now may these things be true in our own hearts and lives and may you help us to bring glory and honor and praise unto you we thank you for the day that you've given us to rest and our Savior we thank you for the day that you've given us to gather together with your people to sing your praises and to hear from Holy Scripture and we pray that in all of this you would be glorified and honored go with us now we pray through Jesus Christ our Lord amen please be seated for a brief time of meditation