Well it's good to see you this
evening and once again we are so thankful to have this opportunity
to be able to meet together. I'm going to ask you if you will
to take your Bibles and turn with me to the book of Psalms
chapter 122. Psalms 122. I'd like to read one verse of
scripture. Verse 1. Psalm 122, verse 1. I was glad when they said unto
me, let us go into the house of the Lord. Let's pray together. Our Father, we thank you. with this glorious
privilege to be able to assemble in the name of the Lord Jesus
Christ. Lord, help us tonight to worship.
Help us to hear. Forgive us where we failed you.
For Christ's sake, amen. This is a real familiar verse
of scripture. I was glad, David said, I rejoiced. When they said, when they bid,
when they communed, when they said unto me, let us go into
the house, let's go where the family of God is. This building is not the house
of the Lord. This is where the church, this
is where the house of the Lord meets. This is the, sometimes
you have to, I do the same thing, I use that terminology, I say
let's go, you know, let's go to the church. Well the church
is a body, is a group, This is where the church meets. I come to this building really
almost every day. But the church is when we assemble
together here in unity. David said, I was glad. Glad
when they said to me, let's go to the house of the Lord. You know, that's a miracle of
God's grace, that a man would even say that. And say it with
any kind of conviction. To go to the place where Almighty
God has been pleased to raise up the hearing of the gospel,
a place where man has no honor given to him, where Almighty
God has given all the honor, glory, and the praise. By and large, man cares nothing
for assembling himself together and hearing the gospel of God's
free grace. Man, by nature, doesn't want
to do that. You remember the parable, the
sower that went out to sow. The seed that was sown is the
gospel on all four kinds of ground. The sun of the seed fell by the
wayside. And the scripture says the Lord
explained it. He said that the birds came, they picked up the
seed very quickly. He said that's a symbol, it's
symbolic of Satan coming and snatching it away. Some people
hear the gospel and it makes no impression whatsoever. They just don't care. It's just nothing. Nothing. And some of it falls on stony
ground. And it sprang up quickly. It
looked good there for a little while. But then when the sun
came out, the Lord explained, when there's persecution because
of the gospel, it withers. It's not worth this. I told you,
this was so vividly observed by me here a few months ago. I remember when I was down there
in Tennessee and a man and his wife, after we were there to
preach, a man and his wife came out. It was a place where the
gospel was not preached. I thought there was going to
be another couple too, but the man that didn't come out said,
I can see where this message that's being preached here, this
sovereign grace, he said that divides and he said it's just
not worth it to me. I'm just not going to divide
over that. Some of it fell on thorny ground. I told you I think the illustration
when I When I was in high school, my dad, he had a 10-acre garden
and planted corn. Cuckoo birds was coming up. I
don't really know if they have cuckoo birds here. If they do,
well you know what I'm talking about. Little old bitty comes
up, not but about that big. Little bitty bitty stem and it's
got two little green leaves. They go straight out like a little
helicopter. My dad wanted me to go and take
a hoe and hoe all the cuckoo birds up when they were real
little, Mitch. Oh, I'd miss some of them, but it didn't matter.
They looked good when I first got done. But you know it wasn't
long. He knew that the cuckoo birds
were still there, because the roots weren't taken out. Some of that seed fell on thorny
ground. It looked good for a while, but
in time, the cares of this world, the Lord said, crowded it out,
crowded the word out, choked it out. But some of it fell on
good ground. And fruit came forth, fruit of
God's Spirit, not fruit produced by the hearer, It was the fruit
of God's Spirit. God manifested love, and long-suffering,
and gentleness, and meekness, and kindness. And that fruit
came forth, produced thirtyfold, sixtyfold, hundredfold good ground. Here's the words of a man who
has a heart that has been created by Almighty God from above, giving
him a new heart to believe. And he says this, I'm glad when
they said to me, let's go to the house of the Lord. David here expressed that which
truly caused him to rejoice. This is a privilege that the
world knows nothing of, has no desire for. But for a believer,
they're thankful. I'd like to say four Short thoughts
concerning David's heart. Why? Why he was glad. Why is a believer glad to go
to the house of the Lord? Here's the first thing I know.
I'm glad when they said to me, let's go to the house of the
Lord because number one, this is where the Lord has been pleased
to meet with his people in a very special way. The Lord said, And here's the
answer to all answers. The Lord said, thus saith the
Lord. Matthew 18, 20. For where two or three are gathered
together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. Here in the assembling together
of God's people. according to his word, is the
proof of the blessedness of public worship. There is nothing that
takes the place, there's nothing that supersedes, there's nothing
that's better than believers coming together in public worship. Because this is where the Lord
has set forth that His presence is going to be. Two or three
gather together in my name, you get some believers together and
they've come together to worship. And the Lord said, I'm there. And I know that He is omnipresent. I know He's everywhere. But this
word from the mouth of our Lord proves His deity. He's going to be right here.
He'll be in Cottageville. He'll be in Ashland, there at
Hurricane Road. He'll be at Todd's Road. He said,
I am in the midst of you. When believers come together
for the sole purpose to hear the gospel preach, to hear rehearsed
in their ears the glorious doctrine of Christ, the truth according
to the word of the Father that declared that He has chosen a
people in Christ before the foundation of the world that they should
be holy and without blame before Him in love. Where that's preached. Where it's preached when the
Lord Jesus Christ said, I lay down my life for the sheep. Where the Lord Jesus Christ is
honored when He said in His high priestly prayer, Thou has given
Him power over all flesh that He should give eternal life to
as many as thou hast given Him. Where that's preached, where
it's preached, the Holy Spirit shall effectually, surely call
out of darkness all that the Father has given the Lord Jesus
Christ. All that the Father elected,
the Son redeemed, and the Spirit of God will call them out. You
know how I know that? God said it. God said it. I'm glad when they said to me,
let's go to the house of the Lord, where salvation is all
of grace, where God's honored, and God's promise is set forth.
He said, two or three gathered together, I'm there. I'm in the
midst. And I'm sure of that. There is
a special presence when God's people assemble. Scripture says when the church
assembles together, when the only thing that matters is assembling
together in the name of the Lord, where God's word is the issue. God's word's the issue. The scripture
says, in Ephesians 2.22, those that meet together, they are
a habitation of God through the Spirit. I'm telling you, the
Lord has promised that He's here. Oh, that I might have a heart
to be here too, and to not forsake that. That the Lord would show
up? That the Lord would show up? Nowhere are we assured of Christ's
presence in that way. Like I said, He is omnipresent. I know that. There is no place
in this world that He's not. But He said, two, three together
in my name, I'm there to comfort, to direct, to rule, to guide
His people. We have that word, that promise
concerning public worship, not public worship. Nothing takes
the place of public worship. Nothing, nothing, nothing. Hebrews 10.25, not forsaking
the assembling of ourselves together as the manner of some is, but
exhorting one another and so much the more as you see the
day approaching. Here's the second thing. David
said, I was glad when they said unto me, let us go to the house
of the Lord. David was glad and every believer
is too because in that request from others, I'm glad when they
said to me, let us. When you hear that, there is
the evidence of God's grace to a sinner, another sinner. And God's Word fulfilled. I will
have mercy on whom I will have mercy. I will have compassion
on whom I'll have compassion. When you hear someone that expresses
to you, let's go worship God together. There's the evidence
of God's Word being sure. I said a few minutes ago, all
that the Father giveth me shall come to me and him that cometh
to me I will in no wise cast out. I know this. I know men are born again, not
of blood, not of heredity. Just because my mom and daddy
were believers does not mean that God is obligated to show
me mercy. I'm thankful that he does. Not
of blood, nor of the will of the flesh. It's not my will,
it's his will. Of his own will begat he us. By the word of truth. It's not
by the will of man. I want the Lord to show mercy
to my kids and grandkids, but I don't have the ability to impart
life. So men are born not of blood,
nor the will of the flesh, nor the will of man, but of God. So when I hear someone say, let
us go, let's go together, let you and I go worship God. I was
glad when they said to me, let's go to the house of the Lord.
I know that the Lord has said, I'm going to put my spirit within
you and cause you to walk in my statues. You should keep my
judgments and do them. But when you hear the desire
of another center expressed to you, let's worship God. I know that we're experiencing
what the scripture set forth that Barnabas experienced when
he went to Antioch. The scripture says in Acts 11.23,
who when he came and had seen the grace of God was glad and
exhorted them all that with purpose of heart they'd cleave unto the
Lord. I was glad when they said to
me, let's go to the house of the Lord. But I'll tell you what
is more amazing. When they said, let me read something
to you out of Revelation 22, 17. The spirit and the bride
say, come. And let him that heareth come. Let him that is a thirst come. and whosoever will, let him take
the water of life freely. If a man has a will to come to
Christ, you know where he got it. The Lord made him willing in
the day of God's power. And that man will then say, that
woman will then say, let's go to the house of the Lord. David
said, I was glad when I heard that. I'm just so thankful to
be here. I'm just so thankful to be where
somebody wants to worship God. Thirdly, he was glad because
that's where his family is. Acts chapter 2. You know, I love going to see
my kids and grandkids, great grandkid. It's just such a joy. I enjoy, you know, getting to
go back to Louisiana and see some of my cousins and, you know,
see my kids a couple of times a year. Go back to Louisiana. It's been a long time since I've
gone back to Louisiana, but I enjoy that. But you want to know where
my family is? Right here. This is my family. These are my brethren. The Lord said as he looked at
his disciples, he said, here's my mother, here's my brother,
sisters. Listen to Acts 2, 41-47. Then they that gladly received
his word were baptized, and the same day there were added unto
them about three thousand souls. You say, well that's back in
that day. There's no difference then than
it is right now. God Almighty could call 3,000
souls out right now if he so chose to do so. 3,000 souls. And they continued steadfastly
in the apostles doctrine. what the apostles were preaching,
what we've been talking about, and fellowship. And in breaking
of bread and in prayers and fear came upon every soul and many
wonders and signs were done by the apostles. And all that believed
were together and had all things common. and sold their possessions
and goods and parted them to all men as every man had need.
And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, breaking
bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness
and singleness of heart. They were together, praising
God and having favor with all the people. And listen to this,
and the Lord added to the church daily, such as should be saved." All that he had purposed to save,
he blessed that preaching of the gospel and they were together
in fellowship. I was glad when they said to
me, let's go to the house of the Lord because this is where
a believer's family worships. They come together, praising
God, worshiping Him. I love this passage of scripture
right here, Philippians 1, 3 to 5. Paul said, I thank my God
upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine
for you, all making request with joy for your fellowship in the
gospel. From the first day until now
being confident of this very thing that he which hath begun
a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. God's people love to be together. That's where the Lord has raised
up the preaching of his son. That's where Christ is honored. We love and are glad to be where
God is honored because the Lord's there. I'm glad when they said
to me, let's go to the house of the Lord. I'm glad because
he's here. I'm glad because others are there that they would want
to come. I'm glad because this is where
my family meets. Here's the last thing. I'm glad
because I want to be here. This is where I want to be. I
want to meet together with God's people. Psalm 84 10 says, For
a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. Or that is,
a thousand days without being in the courts of the Lord. One
day in the court of the Lord is better than a thousand not
being. I'd rather be a doorkeeper in
the house of God than to dwell in the tents of wickedness. You
know, there's a lot of positions that this earth offers, affords,
paths that men would consider great. Oh, but that he would give me
a heart to want to come in here and sit and listen and be glad
and rejoice and not be sitting here just trying to figure how
much longer is he going to talk. Isn't he about done? I was glad,
and they said to me, Psalm 65, for blessed is the man that thou
chooseth and causeth to approach unto thee, that he may dwell
in thy courts. We shall be satisfied with the
goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple. Last verse. Psalm 84 verse 4. Psalm 84 verse 4. Blessed are
they that dwell in thy house, they will be still praising thee. Selah. That is, muse upon that. Think on that. Rest on that. Blessed are they that dwell in
thy house. You have a heart to want to be here. You're a blessed person. You're
glad to be in the house of the Lord. You're a blessed person.
You're glad because the Lord's here. You're a blessed person.
Lord bless these words to our heart for Christ's sake.