you Let us commence our service this
afternoon by singing together hymn number 303. The tune is
Hollingside, 514. Jesus, lover of my soul, let me to thy bosom fly, while
the raging billows roll, while the tempest still is high. Hide
me, O my Saviour, hide, till the storm of life is past, safe
into the haven guide. O receive my soul at last. Hymn number 303. Jesus, Father of my soul, lend
me to Thy person now. ? While the grapes fill the throng
? ? While the tempest sings high ? ? I hear my Savior high ? ? Till the trough of life is flooded
? ? Safe into the haven glides ?
? Every stream I shall allow ? From the refuge have I done,
Thanks, Christ, how fresh, so longed Thee. We will hear Thee
not alone, still support and guide what needs. All my trust on this day, all
my help from Thee I'll bring. ? Come all ye faithless men ? ?
With the shattered heart of God ? ? Ever Christ, the Lord my God
? ? All in all in Thee I find ? ? Raise the corner, chill the
flame ? Heal the sick and heal the blind, Just as God is life
to life. I am Lord of righteousness, and full of sin again. Thou art the God, truth, and
grace. ? Let us praise him in his power
? ? Praise to God and all my sin ? ? Let the weary stranger
bow ? They can't keep me here with it. Hell of life, the flood
they brought. Free me, let me take a plea. Let us read together from the Holy Word of
God at two portions. The first is Psalm 132, and then
Psalm 27. Psalm 132. Lord, remember David and all
his afflictions, how he swear unto the Lord and vowed unto
the mighty God of Jacob Surely I will not come into the tabernacle
of my house, nor go up into my bed. I will not give sleep to
mine eyes or slumber to mine eyelids, until I find a place
for the Lord, and habitation for the mighty God of Jacob.
Lo, we heard of it at Ephrata, we found it in the fields of
the wood, that we will go into his tabernacles, we will worship
at his footstool. Arise, O Lord, into thy rest,
thou and the ark of thy strength. Let thy priests be clothed with
righteousness, and let thy saints shout for joy. For thy servant
David's sake, turn not away the face of thine anointed. The Lord
hath sworn in truth unto David, He will not turn from it. Of
the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy throne. If thy children
will keep my covenant and my testimony that I shall teach
them, their children shall also sit upon thy throne for evermore. For the Lord hath chosen Zion.
He hath desired it for his habitation. This is my rest for ever. Here
will I dwell. for I have desired it. I will
abundantly bless her provision. I will satisfy her poor with
bread. I will also clothe her priests
with salvation, and her saints shall shout aloud for joy. There
will I make the horn of David to bud. I have ordained a lamp
for mine anointed. His enemies will I clothe with
shame. but upon himself shall his crown
flourish. Now let us read together Psalm
27. The Lord is my light and my salvation,
whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my
life, of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked, even mine enemies
and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled
and fell. Though an host should encamp
against me, my heart shall not fear. Though war should rise
against me, in this will I be confident. One thing have I desired
of the Lord, that will I seek after, that I may dwell in the
house of the Lord all the days of my life. to behold the beauty
of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple. For in the time of
trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion, in the secret of his
tabernacle shall he hide me, shall set me up upon a rock,
and now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about
me. Therefore will I offer in his
tabernacle sacrifices of joy. I will sing, yea, I will sing
praises unto the Lord. Here, O Lord, when I cry with
my voice, have mercy also upon me and answer me. When thou saidst,
seek ye my face, my heart said unto thee, thy face, Lord, will
I seek. Hide not thy face far from me. put not thy servant away in anger. Thou hast been my help, lead
me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation. When my father
and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up. Teach
me thy way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain path because of
mine enemies. Deliver me not over unto the
will of mine enemies, for false witnesses are risen up against
me, and such as breathe out cruelty, I had fainted, unless I had believed
to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait
on the Lord, be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine
heart. Wait, I say, on the Lord. May the Lord bless those portions
of his own precious word and grant unto us a spirit of real
prayer. Almighty, most merciful and eternal
God, we do desire to bow before thy great majesty, to call upon
thy great and thy holy name. And we do desire that the grace
of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God our Father and
the sacred fellowship of the Holy Spirit may rest and abide
upon us this afternoon hour as we gather around thy word of
truth. Make thy word a living word that
will penetrate into our hearts, into our very souls, Give us
clear, believing views of the sacred glories of Jesus Christ. We do humbly beseech thee. We
pray to be led and taught and guided and directed by thy spirit. O most blessed spirit of truth,
we pray for thy heavenly power, for thy divine unction. We pray
that thou wouldst take of the things of Jesus and reveal them
unto us. We pray, most blessed Spirit,
that thou wouldst truly convince us each of our sin, of our need
of a saviour, of our need of salvation. O most gracious God,
where there is death, give life, but where there is torment, give
peace, where there is darkness, give light, where there is a
distance, make them nigh. O Lord, we do beseech thee. for
thy great name's sake. May the word of the Lord have
free course, and thy name be honoured and glorified as we
gather together here this afternoon. And those listening online, we
pray that they may hear the word of the Lord with that heavenly
power of the Holy Ghost. Oh, do hear us, Lord, and grant
signs to follow the preaching of the word. Grant a day of power,
Grant that it may be with us as we read in the word, for our
gospel came unto you, not in word only, but in power, in the
Holy Ghost, and with much assurance. Do grant us that assurance of
faith. And Lord, may the power that
brings salvation be exerted in the word. We do humbly beseech
thee for thy great namesake. Without thy heavenly power, O
Lord, no sweets the gospel can afford, no drops of heavenly
love will fall. And we pray that it may be so,
the power and the unction of the living spirit of the living
God to be known in our hearts and in our assemblies. And we
read most blessed spirit of the, he will take of the things of
Jesus, and reveal them unto you. And that we pray that that may
be so here this afternoon. Remember our brethren, the deacons.
Remember them, O Lord, in their many responsibilities and give
wisdom and give guidance and give direction in all matters. Remember each one of our brethren
and sisters in church fellowship and grant, most gracious Lord,
our love may yet increase more and more, that we may truly love
one another, serve one another, and bear one another's burdens,
thereby fulfilling the law of Christ. We pray, most gracious
Lord, that Thou in Thy precious mercy would open our hearts and
our eyes, and that we may behold wondrous things in thy law, in
thy holy word, those precious things of the eternal covenant,
that precious deep that couches beneath in thy word, the great
depth of our lost condition, and the great and wonderful grace
of our Lord Jesus Christ to deliver us from the power and the dominion
of sin. and to bring us into the peace
and liberty of the people of God. I do grant that we may know
that, Lord, and experience it as we gather around thy word.
We pray, most gracious God, that thou, in thy precious mercy,
would remember the little ones and the children. We thank thee
for them. We pray that thou would bless
them and show them thy ways and teach them thy path. May the
fear of the Lord that is the beginning of wisdom be placed
in their hearts, in their young and in their tender years. That
we pray that thou would bless and undertake for the young friends,
each one of them in all their various pathways, whether it
be in their education or employment. Lord, whatever they stand in
need of, help them to look to thee and help them to cleave
to thee. Help them to follow thee. We
do humbly beseech thee, bring them to living, vital, saving
faith in Jesus Christ, that they may indeed become followers of
thee and of those who through faith and patience inherit the
promises. O Lord, grant that it may be
so. We do humbly beseech of thee. Remember them in all their concerns
and all their burdens. Remember them, O Lord, in every
path of providence. Remember them regarding a partner
in life journey and help them to wait upon thee and look unto
them. For thou art that great God that didst bring a Ruth unto
Boaz, and thou didst bring a Rebekah unto Isaac. And Lord, thou art
able to do the same in the day in which we live. We pray, dear
Lord, that thou in thy precious mercy will remember parents all
their responsibilities, and help them to bring up their children,
the nurture and admonition of the Lord. And gracious God, we
pray that thou wouldst remember each and every one in the midst
of the journey of life, and oh that Lord thou knowest all the
needs and the concerns of each one. Deliver us from temptation,
whether the enemy comes like an angel of light, or whether
he comes as a roaring lion, We pray to be delivered from his
power and from his influence. Guide us, O thou great Jehovah.
We're pilgrims in a barren land. We are weak, but thou art mighty. Hold us with thy powerful hand. We pray, most gracious Lord,
that thou wouldst remember those of us in the evening time of
life's journey. Remember us with the favour that
thou bearest unto thy people. O Lord, we do beseech Thee, and
remember us for good in all our concerns. Prepare us for that
time which must soon come, when we must soar through tracks unknown
and see Thee on Thy judgment throne. Oh, to be graciously
prepared for that day, to lay hold of a precious Christ. We
thank Thee, most gracious Lord, for all Thy tender mercy, thy
mercies to us anew every morning, and great is thy faithfulness.
We thank thee, most gracious Lord, for our little house of
prayer. We thank thee for the open Bible,
for the word of the Lord. And oh, we thank thee for what
is revealed therein, our lost condition and our almighty Saviour. Oh, we do thank thee for that
wonderful and profound truth of God manifest in the flesh,
that wonderful truth of our Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal son
of the eternal father, and dwelling among us, Emmanuel, God with
us. Oh, we bless thee for that glorious
mystery. And we thank thee that he was
made of a woman made under the law, and lived under the law
as a man, and fulfilled it, and honoured it, and magnified it,
and thereby brought it in everlasting righteousness for his people.
Jehovah said, Kenya, the Lord our righteousness. We thank thee,
Lord Jesus, that thou didst pass through the Garden of Gethsemane,
through the Judgment Hall, carrying the sins of thy people, and thou
didst nail them to thy cross, thou didst suffer, bleed, and
die for thy people, and thou didst graciously redeem them,
and satisfied all the demands of divine justice in that glorious
sacrifice. We do thank thee, Lord Jesus,
that thou didst die for our sins and rise again for our justification. We thank thee that thou art now
in heaven, ascended bodily into heaven and sitting at the right
hand of the Father. O, we do render thanksgiving,
O Lord our God, unto Thee, for these wonderful and sacred truths
of our most holy faith. We bless Thee, most gracious
Lord, for all Thy goodness that has passed before us in the way. Do be with us now as we desire
to turn to Thy holy word. Do come and Open the word to
our heart and to our understanding. Do come and touch one's lips
with a live coal from off the heavenly altar. We ask with the
forgiveness of all our sins for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen. Let us now Sing together hymn
number 909. The tune is Goring Heaf, number
35. Why drooping saint dismayed? Does sorrow press thee down?
Has God refused to give the aid or does he seem to frown? Hymn 909. Oh, say does that star-spangled
banner yet wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the
brave For this, for this rest, is God's
blessing to thee. In the day The Lord, all is free, and ever, and ever, and
ever, and ever, and ever, and ever. In the bloodstream of righteousness
has entered within me. Earth, the Earth, this I mark,
This rock that with it shall eternal ? Bless my home in thee, always
mine ? ? In thee, my native land, my God and King ? ? And thy strength is given ? ?
As it was in the beginning ? ? Is now, and ever shall be ? Greatly feeling to need the Lord's
gracious help, I would direct your attention to Psalm 27, and
we will read for our text, verse four. Psalm 27, verse four. One thing have I desired of the
Lord, that will I seek after. that I may dwell in the house
of the Lord all the days of my life to behold the beauty of
the Lord and to inquire in his temple one thing have I desired
of the Lord. The Lord Jesus speaking to Martha
concerning Mary, he said to Martha, one thing is needful. One thing is needful. And you
know friends, it'd be a great mercy if we are brought to understand
that, experimentally in our hearts, that one thing is needful. And that everything else does
not matter. It's not that we should be careless, but we of
course shouldn't be careless, but there is only one thing that
is absolutely vital and necessary, and that is the knowledge of
salvation in and through the precious blood and righteousness
of Jesus Christ. And Mary, as the Lord said to
Martha, had chosen that good path that shall not be taken
away from her. She was found sitting at the
feet of Jesus. And just like we spoke of legion
this morning, and he was found sitting at the feet of Jesus,
clothed and in his right mind, one thing. Oh, my beloved friends,
do you and do I have that one thing that is needful, that is
necessary for time and for eternity? The hymn writer says, numbered
among them, And when he says numbered among them, he means
the Lord's people, numbered among them would I be, now and to eternity. Is that the desire of your heart? That you might be found among
the Lord's people? That you might be found among
those that have faith in Jesus Christ? Found among those that
are the followers of Jesus Christ? One thing, oh my beloved friends,
The Apostle Paul, he had that similar experience, didn't he?
He speaks of it in Philippians chapter three. One thing he speaks
of there. This one thing I do. Or do we? Do we have that single eye of
faith? Because that is what is being spoken of here. A single
eye of faith. And faith, true faith, looks
alone to Jesus Christ for everything. It cleaves to him, it looks to
him, It desires to lay hold of him. And just like the apostle
says there in Philippians, that I may know him in the power of
his resurrection, in the fellowship of his sufferings being made
conformable unto his death. This one thing I do, leaving
those things which are behind, I press toward the mark to the
prize of the high call of God in Christ Jesus. One thing, have
I desired of the Lord? What a good thing it is that
if we have spiritual desires, there may be those of you here,
it may be among you younger friends, and you have those desires, heavenward,
Godward, it's a great blessing to be spiritually exercised.
It's actually a sign of spiritual life. To be spiritually exercised
and spiritually concerned about the matters of your soul and
the matters of eternity and the matter that you're a sinner and
that you need salvation. It's a wonderful thing to have
those desires. One hymn writer, he says, doesn't
he, those feeble desires, those wishes so weak "'Tis Jesus inspires
and bids thee still seek." It's so true that you might seek after
the Lord. And he speaks of it here, doesn't
he? One thing have I desired of the
Lord, that will I seek after, that I may dwell in the house
of the Lord all the days of my life. One thing have I desired
of the Lord. You know, The Word of God, it
comes down, what we might say, very low to gather in the Lord's
little ones and children. My mind in particular, it just
goes to the prophet Malachi. And in the prophet Malachi, we
read in the third chapter and verse 16, then they that feared
the lord spake often one to another and the lord hearkened and heard
it and a book of remembrance was written before him for them
that feared the lord and that thought upon his name do you
think upon his name this To me, it's very sweet and blessed how
the spirit of God comes down so low. You may not have much
to speak of in a spiritual way, but do you fear the Lord? Do
you walk in the tender fear of the Lord, desiring not to offend
him and to do those things that are displeasing to him? And do
you think upon his name? and that thought upon his name,
the name of the Lord. It's great mercy, you know. You
may think, well, I'm so insignificant, but it's a great mercy to have
the fear of the Lord, because that fear of the Lord is the
evidence of spiritual life, and it will make you, as it were,
avoid those things that are sinful. those things that are displeasing
to God. If you have the fear of the Lord,
you want to do those things that please the Lord. Not that the
Lord will be angry with, but that he'll be pleased with. That
is the fear of the Lord. One of the hymn writers, he says,
the fear of the Lord, he speaks of it as being an unctuous light
to all that's right. and a bar to all that's wrong.
And you dear young friends, if you have that fear of the Lord,
it's a great mercy. It's the evidence of the work
of the Holy Ghost in the heart. And the Apostle speaks in the
Acts of the Apostles about feeling after him, feeling after him. And maybe there's one and another
here this afternoon, and you're feeling after God. You're feeling
after Jesus Christ. You can't say that you have him.
You can't say that he's been revealed to you. But you can
say that you desire him. And so, just consider this word
then, that they that feared the Lord spake often one to another,
and the Lord hearkened and heard him. And a book of remembrance
was written before him for them that feared the Lord and that
thought upon his name. And now there's something else,
which is exceedingly precious. And they shall be mine. You might say, well, what does
that mean? They that feared the Lord. They that think upon his
name. And they shall be mine, saith
the Lord. host in that day when I make
up my jewels and I will spare them. This is a word of encouragement
for those of you that fear the Lord and desire to do that which
is right in his sight and they shall be mine saith the Lord
of hosts in that day when I make up my jewels and I will spare
them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. one thing or what a mercy if
you are seeking after this one thing to know my Jesus crucified
by far excels all things beside what a precious thing that is
you know to know him crucified what it means is to realize and
know that he was crucified for me he suffered and bled and died
for me and it will be said of everyone for whom he suffered
and bled and died they shall be mine when I make up my jaws
but that's what you want to know you want to know like the spouse
speaks in Solomon's song my beloved is mine and I am his and is that
what you desire to know my beloved is mine and I his. One thing have I desired of the
Lord that will I seek after, that I may dwell in the house
of the Lord. You can say feelingly, hear my
best friends, my kindred dwell, hear God, my Savior reigns. You You love the Lord's people. Doesn't the hymn writer say,
I love to meet among them now, before thy gracious feet to bow,
though vilest of them all? One thing have I desired of the
Lord, that will I seek after. You know, the eye of faith is
single. It looks to one place. There's
several places in scripture, isn't it? in Isaiah chapter 45,
look unto me all ye ends of the earth, and be ye saved, for I
am God, and there is none else. Look unto me. Or we quoted it
this morning, the words of Jesus Christ. And of course, those
words, look unto me, are the words of Christ. Look unto me. And then come unto me. These are the Wonderful sayings
of our Lord Jesus Christ. Look unto me, come unto me. Come unto me. All ye that labour
and are heavy laden and I will give you rest, take my yoke upon
you and learn of me. For I am meek and lowly in heart
and ye shall find rest for your souls. That's the only place
you'll find rest. You know when Noah was in the
ark The waters began to abate off of the earth and he let go
a dove and it came back into the ark after a certain time.
It didn't find any rest for the sole of its foot. There was no
place. Why? Because it was flooded. And eventually he let the dove
out and it didn't come back because there was found vegetation etc. for the dove to eat on. You see,
and maybe that's what you're like, you can't find any rest.
Or if that is really true in your heart, this one thing have
I desired of the Lord and that will I seek after, you won't
be able to find any rest. You know, I look back into my
own personal experience and when what we call under the law, that
was when the Lord was teaching me that I was a sinner. And there
were many times when I said I wasn't going to pray again. I didn't
seem to get any answers. But you know, friends, I couldn't
go without praying. You might say, why couldn't you?
Because I had a need. I had a need. And when you have
a need, you need it to be satisfied. You seek. You seek. Because you have a need. Even
though you make resolutions that you're never going to pray again.
You're gonna give up, but you can't give up. You keep seeking,
you keep looking, you keep watching, you keep waiting. We referred
to the man who was by Bethesda's pool for 38 years. He kept looking, he kept watching,
he didn't give up. He didn't give up. And then the
Lord Jesus came right where he was. One thing have I desired
of the Lord, that will I seek after that I may dwell in the
house of the Lord all the days of my life to behold the beauty
of the Lord and to inquire in his temple. You know, this one
thing, the reason I read Psalm 132, because we see it so clearly
illustrated in the Lord's servant David. And when he became king in Jerusalem,
And he prays there, Lord, remember David and all his afflictions,
how we swear unto the Lord. We should think of this word
of our text, one thing of our desire of the Lord, how we swear
unto the Lord and vowed unto the mighty God of Jacob, surely
I will not come into the tabernacle of my house. That means his own
personal house. I will not come into the tabernacle
of my house nor go up into my bed. I will not give sleep to
my eyes or slumber to mine eyelids until I find out a place for
the Lord and habitation for the mighty God of Jacob. You know, as soon as he became
king, he set about immediately seeking to bring the Ark of the
Covenant of the Lord of the whole earth from Kirjathjiri in the
city of woods That's where it had been for over 60 years. And the first thing that David
did, he's the man after God's own heart, he sent down to Kerjah
Jibin to fetch the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord from there. And he prepared a tabernacle
within Jerusalem where the Ark would go. And he appointed priests
and Levites to look after the tabernacle, etc. And this was
his one desire. Before anything else, before
he built his own house, and before he made himself comfortable,
he didn't feel comfortable until he'd found a place for the Lord. I will not give sleep to mine
eyes or slumber to mine eyelids until I find out a place for
the Lord. and habitation for the mighty
God of Jacob. You see, and that's what he sought
after. And then he says here in verse
eight, arise, O Lord, into thy rest. He's referring to the Ark
of the Covenant. The Lord had said to Moses when
the tabernacle worship was first raised up, there will I meet
with thee. There will I commune with thee.
from off the golden mercy seat. On the day of atonement, the
blood was sprinkled seven times before the golden mercy seat
in the Holy of Holies by the high priest. He stood and sprinkled
that blood. That blood represents the blood
of Jesus Christ, God's son. That's what it typifies. And that is what reconciles us
unto God. the blood of Jesus Christ, to
a Jordan's icy waves divide and land my soul above the blood
of Jesus Christ, that precious blood of sprinkling. You know,
that is what Jonah had an eye to, that when in the belly of
that great fish, that whale, the Lord had prepared a place
for him there, naturally speaking, It should have meant his death.
It would have been utterly impossible, naturally speaking, for him to
escape death in the belly of a great fish. But the Lord had
prepared a place. And there, in the depths of his
trouble, he said, all thy waves and thy billows are gone over
me. I went down to the foundations of the earth. And then we have those lovely
words. yet will I look again to thy holy temple, the temple
at Jerusalem, yet will I look again. And again, what did he
see in the holy temple at Jerusalem? He saw the precious blood of
sprinkling. He saw the blood of the sacrifices, and by faith,
he saw the blood of Jesus Christ, God's only begotten Son. Yet
will I look again. You see, He was brought there
by the Lord. He was in that place because
of his backsliding, because of his disobedience, because of
his rebellion against God. And the Lord isolated him absolutely
completely on his own. He says, out of the belly of
hell cried I unto thee. That's what it felt like. Jonah
in the belly of that great fish it was like the belly of hell
yet will I look again what a wonderful thing to be looking again one
thing have I desired of the Lord now David here in Psalm 132 he
desires the Lord's presence he didn't just desire literally
just to have the tabernacle in the Jerusalem and all freshly
built and placed within the midst of what he'd made, that separated
place, he wanted the Lord to be there. The Ark of the Covenant,
the tabernacle worship, was the visible presence of the Lord
Jehovah among the children of Israel. That's what David wanted. He
didn't just want the outward things of the sanctuary. And
this is what this prayer shows us. Arise, O Lord, into thy rest,
thou in the ark of thy strength. Let thy priests be clothed with
righteousness, and let thy saints shout for joy. Is this what he
desired? For thy servant David's sake,
turn not away the face of thine anointed. Of course, he's speaking
there of Christ. Christ is the Lord's anointed.
And he says, for thy servant David's sake, turn not away the
face of thine anointed of Christ. The Lord has sworn in truth unto
David. He will not turn from him. These
are the promises that the Lord had given him. Of the fruit of
thy body will I set upon thy throne. If thy children will
keep my covenant and my testimonies that I shall teach them. their
children shall also sit upon thy throne forevermore. For the Lord hath chosen Zion."
That's the house of God. He had desired it for his habitation. And it is today. Not that we
worship in temples. We worship in the New Testament
when there is nothing holy in a building at all. It's where
the Lord's people meet together and where they meet with the
Lord. and where he's promised his presence and his blessing
to be there in the assemblies of his saints. For the Lord hath
chosen Zion. He hath desired it for his habitation. This is my rest forever. Here
will I dwell, for I have desired it. And then these wonderful
promises, I often pray them, don't I? I will abundantly bless
her provision. I will satisfy her poor with
bread, I'll also clothe her priests with salvation, and her saints
shall shout aloud for joy. You see, this is, we have made
bare there the heart of David, the man after God's own heart,
his desire for the house of God, for the people of God, for the
prosperity of the Lord's people, the prosperity of Zion. One thing. have I desired of the Lord that
will I seek after. We notice, friends, that David
had that single eye of faith. One thing. He wanted the house
of the Lord re-established at the very heart of the worship
of the children of Israel. And that is why he so longed
for the Ark of the Covenant to be brought up and to be placed
in Jerusalem. And so that was the first thing
that he did. He says, I will not go to the tabernacle of my
house, my own personal house. I will bring the Ark of the Covenant
up into Jerusalem, one thing. And, you know, he was a man,
what we might say, of purpose. He had that purpose, that desire,
that longing in his heart, and it was toward the house of the
Lord. One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek
after. You see, the purpose, the direction. You know, it's an interesting
study, instructive study. Just think of Lot when he's separated
from his uncle Abraham. And he chose the lush plains
of Jordan. And the Abraham had said to him
that you choose which way to go, that you go that way and
then I will go the opposite way. And that is exactly what they
did. And he chose the last plains
of Jordan. But then what does it say? It's
quite a telling thing. He pitched his tent towards Sodom. You know, there's a lot of meaning
in that. He pitched his tent towards Sodom. The solemn thing is, Sodom and
Gomorrah was appointed to destruction. And if you go and visit there
now, it's down by the Dead Sea, and it's a barren, arid wilderness,
where nothing grows, apart from the oasis of Engedi. Nothing else grows there. It was to come under the awful,
solemn judgments of God. David, when he comes, he pitched
his tent towards Zion, towards the house of God, the people
of God. Lot, he pitched his tent towards Sodom and Gomorrah. And
the Lord had to deliver him, and he did deliver him out of
Sodom and Gomorrah. Just before the awful judgments
of God, fire and brimstone were to fall down. And there's still
a witness today, when you go to that area, it's arid desert. because of the judgment of God
that was poured upon it. And how many times the apostles
warn us and use the illustration of Sodom and Gomorrah suffering
the vengeance of Almighty God because of their wickedness.
But all that we may not pitch our tents towards Sodom, toward
the world, toward the wickedness of this world. but may we pitch
our tents towards Zion, toward the church of the living God. One thing have I desired of the
Lord, that will I seek after. See, there was purpose, there
was direction. One thing desired, that will
I seek after. He'd made up his mind. Have you? There is a place, isn't it, in
the Word of God? Why halt ye between two opinions? Why halt ye between two opinions?
I believe it's Elijah, wasn't it, on Mount Carmel. Why halt
ye between two opinions? And maybe that's where you are.
You've got your eye on the world. But you've also got your eye
on the church, on the people of God, on the ways of God. But
listen to the words of Christ. You cannot serve God and mammon. You can't do it. Thousands and
thousands try to do it, but you can't do it. You either serve
God or you serve mammon. This world and the things of
this world. One thing. have I desired of the Lord that
will I seek after that I may dwell in, that I may dwell in
the house of the Lord. There's that lovely Psalm, isn't
there, Psalm 122. Our feet shall stand within thy
gates, O Jerusalem, within thy gates, within the house of the
Lord. Or as one hymn writer says, no
more a stranger or a guest. but like a child at home. One thing have I desired of the
Lord, that will I seek after, that I may dwell. It's a dwelling
place. It's a dwelling place, that I
may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life. All the days of my life. To behold
the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple. the beauty
of the Lord. What is the beauty of the Lord?
In another psalm, it's called the beauties of holiness. What
is that beauty of holiness? It's Christ. It's Christ. Christ is the one thing needful.
And when the Holy Spirit quickens a poor sinner and works faith
in their heart and guides them to Christ and reveals in some
little measure Christ as the way, the truth and the life,
and then that's who they seek after. Give me Christ or else
I die. That's the desire, that's the
longing of a living soul. Give me Christ. Only Christ will
do. One hymn writer says, doesn't
he, I could from all things parted be, but never, never Lord from
thee. that I may dwell in the house
of the Lord all the days of my life. And what else is here? To behold
the beauty of the Lord. You know, to behold the beauty
of the Lord is to behold Christ. You think of this one thing and
then think of the only object of true worship is this one thing,
that's Christ. And that's the longing of the
living soul to truly worship Christ. As the apostle says,
that I might be found in him. And David, our feet shall stand
within thy walls, O Jerusalem. Within the house of God. And
the beauty in the house of the Lord, it is Christ. It's his glorious and sacred
and precious sacrifice for sin and uncleanness. It's his holy
life. This is the beauty of the Lord.
And this is where God and sinners are reconciled, and this is where
peace is made between God and man. It's in Christ Jesus, in
his glorious person, in what he has done, in what he has accomplished
on the behalf of his people to redeem them, to deliver them,
to save them from their sins. That's what He came to do. The
Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
That's what He's done. He's made a new and living way
into the holy place. What a beauty there is in Christ. My beloved is white and ruddy,
the chiefest among 10,000. See that white and ruddy, holy. That whiteness, holiness. That
ruddiness, red, his precious blood. That white and ruddy,
in that metaphorical poetic language, means the blood and righteousness
of Jesus Christ. My beloved is white and ruddy.
Or that pure white robe of his everlasting righteousness. The
desire of the living child of God is that they might be clothed
with it. not be clothed with his righteousness to stand complete
in him to be accepted in the beloved to behold the beauty of the Lord
all the days of my life see and to inquire in his temple to inquire
in his temple you see you come up under the house of the Lord
and if we come rightly exercised and burdened up onto the house
of the Lord we have those spiritual desires and you desire that your
soul might be fed as you come to the house of God and that
Christ might be preached and set forth in all his suitability
as a saviour and that's what you come for. And we read in
Isaiah about a feast of fat things, of wine on the lees, of wine
on the lees well refined. That's the glorious sacrifice
of Christ, that feast of fat things. Doesn't the Lord say
in John chapter six concerning the eating and drinking, and
of course he speaks of it in that natural way, But he is referring
to spiritual things. Just look for a moment at verse
27 in John 6. Labor not for the meat which
perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting
life, which the Son of Man shall give unto you. For him hath God
the Father sealed. And then the Lord Jesus said,
as you continue down that chapter, and he says in verse 48, I am
that bread of life. Your fathers did eat manna in
the wilderness are dead. This is the bread which cometh
down from heaven that a man may eat thereof and not die. It says in our text, to behold
the beauty of the Lord forever, to be forever with the Lord.
A man may eat this bread, I am the living bread which came down
from heaven. If any man eat of this bread,
he shall live forever. And the bread that I will give
is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. You
see, the Lord Jesus, he presses this point. Jews therefore strove
among themselves saying, how can this man give his flesh to
eat? Then Jesus said unto them, verily,
verily, I say unto you, except ye eat the flesh of the Son of
Man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth
my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life. And I will
raise him up at the last day. What does he mean? He means a
spiritual eating by faith, in the glorious person and work
of our Lord Jesus Christ. In his glorious everlasting righteousness,
Glorious and sacred sacrifice his precious blood to eat means
to believe and that that's what he's saying he goes on because
many of them turned away and would not follow him and But
look at verse 63 it is the spirit that quickness The flesh profit
is nothing the words that I speak unto you. They are spirit. They
are life But there are some of you that believe not For Jesus
knew from the beginning who they were that believed not and who
should betray him. You see, therefore said I unto
you that no man can come unto me except it were given unto
him of my father. Do we desire, you know, we symbolically
eat the body and drink the blood of Christ at the Lord's Supper.
Of course we do not believe, as some erroneously believe,
that it's literally the blood and body and flesh of Christ.
We eat it by faith. We partake of the wine and the
bread by faith. And Christ, he presents it to
our faith. This is my body, broken for you,
this do in remembrance of me. For as often as you drink this
cup and eat this bread, you do show the Lord's death till he
comes. or that that may be the desire
of your heart, to show forth his death, to follow the Lord
in that sacred ordinance of believer's baptism, and to sit at the table
of the Lord with the people of God, and fulfilling that divine
command, this do, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat
this bread and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's death till
he come. One thing have I desired of the
Lord, that will I seek after that I may dwell in the house
of the Lord all the days of my life. To behold the beauty of the Lord
and to inquire in his temple. You know, what a beautiful thing
it is to witness by faith the holy life of Christ and believe
in views of it as your righteousness. And what a beautiful thing it
is to witness the sufferings of Christ and the death of Christ
and the resurrection of Christ. There's a beauty and a loveliness
because it's your sufferings and your death. He was wounded
for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities
and the testament of our peace was upon him and with his stripes
we are healed. You see, my beloved friends,
it's a very precious thing. Here in this chapter after our
verse, verse five, for in the time of trouble, he shall hide
me in his pavilion. That is Christ. The pavilion
is Christ. In the secret of his tabernacle,
he shall hide me. That's Christ. It's the glorious
person of Christ. We've also explained to you how
the tabernacle worship at that tabernacle. The Holy of All represented
Christ. Outwardly badger skins, that
represented his human nature. Inwardly gold, that represents
his divinity. And so here David, and that's
what he has an eye to. For in the time of trouble, he
shall hide me in his pavilion. In the secret of his tabernacle
shall he hide me. He shall set me up upon a rock. That rock is Christ. So the pavilion
and the tabernacle and the rock are the same thing. It's the
glorious person of Jesus Christ. The one thing that we desire,
that we long to lay hold on. Like that dear woman who pressed
through the crowd and she said, if I might but touch the hem
of his garment, I shall be made whole. I shall be made whole. She had faith to believe that.
And she touched and she was made whole. There's a number of occasions,
isn't there? The one that we read this morning
was another case, the issue of blood. And when she touched him,
she was made whole. Oh, you know, my beloved friends,
this is the absolutely vital thing. Union with Christ. To touch Christ. That's the thing. To lay hold of him. To believe. to have Christ revealed, to feel
that virtue come from him into you. The virtue is blood to take
away all your sin and the glorious everlasting robe of his righteousness
to cover your nakedness. And then to be complete in him,
to be accepted in the beloved. And David here, he speaks in
this psalm. He says in verse eight, When
thou saidst, seek ye my face, my heart said unto thee, thy
face, Lord, will I seek. Thy face, Lord, will I seek.
What a wonderful thing then to have those desires and longings
after Christ. And then he says, hide not thy
face far from me. Put not thy servant away in anger.
Thou hast been my help, leave me not, neither forsake me, O
God, of my salvation. That longing. And then in verse
11, teach me thy way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain path because
of mine enemies. Deliver me not over unto the
will of mine enemies. You see, and then verse 13, I
had fainted unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord
in the land of the living. And then there's exhortation.
Wait on the Lord, be of good courage, and he shall strengthen
thine heart. Wait, I say, upon the Lord. One thing have I desired of the
Lord, that will I seek after, that I may dwell in the house
of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of
the Lord, and to inquire in his temple. May the Lord add his
blessing. Let us now sing together hymn
number 1105. The tune is Theodora 423. Jesus engrave it on my heart,
that thou the one thing needful art, I could from all things
parted be, but never, never lord from thee. Him 1105. ? O my heart ? ? And all the world
? ? Within her heart ? ? I can no more ? ? Exult in thee ? He fell on earth to make me live.
He fell on earth, O grace to give. May Falter guide me next I say
May Falter help me every day precious blood. Faithful is thy corrective love. Faithful is thy In doubt and care, Need Thou
Thine own repair. Nate of thy presence, dearest
Lord, True peace encamp, for to the cold. Before thy promise clear and
bright, Fresh life and vigor to my heart. Need the Lord more, my soul can
say, Through life's tough and thorny way. In death Thou wilt most needfully
When I yield up my soul to Thee Needful of help to raise my doubts,
In shining glory with the just. Me, for when I in heav'n appear,
To crown them, to praise them, and be their Now, may the grace of our Lord
Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, the sacred fellowship
of the Holy Spirit, rest and abide with us each, both now
and for evermore. Amen.