Now turn to Psalm 24. Now we preachers have a way of being a bit enthusiastic,
we must be, and sometimes a bit dogmatic
about so many things. We're in danger of losing our
credibility. I get up and say, message I'm
preaching this morning is the sum and substance of the whole
gospel. This is it." Somebody said, well,
he said that last time. But actually, if you preach Christ,
every time you preach, you can say, now this is the message. Yes, you can. You can say, now
this today is the sum and substance of the whole gospel, because
he indeed is the sum and substance of the whole gospel. Christ is
all, and in all, the scripture says, and the gospel, is it not
concerning his son? But I'm so excited about what
I've seen. in this Psalm, Psalm 24. I'm so impressed with what David
has written here that I would say this. If you can, and I'll
try to preach this in such a way and in such a space of time so
as not to weary people, but I say if you can learn what David is
saying in Psalm 24 in your heart and in your soul, You can go
on from there. If you learn this right here,
in your heart and in your soul, the other treasures will unfold
by his grace. That's the truth. It's divided
into three parts. Verse 1 and 2 tells us about
the true God. It tells us about the true God.
The true and living God. David said, now listen to me,
As the heart panteth, the heart is the deer, the thirsty, weary
deer, as he pants for a water brook in a dry and thirsty land. So my soul, O God, panteth for
thee, the true God, in a dry and thirsty land. Oh, to hear
from God, and oh, to hear someone speak for God who honors and
glorifies God. Our Lord Jesus Christ said, this
is life eternal, that they might know Thee, the only true God. My friends, you know this, and
I know this, it's not enough to have a God. The pagan heathen
has a God. It's not enough to say, I believe
there's a God. And the devils believe there's
a God and tremble. Is that not true? James said
that. It is to know God. And it says
here, look at these first two verses, here's the true God,
the earth is the Lord's. The earth is the Lord's. Now
men live on this earth and they have divided it into countries. ruled over by kings and monarchs,
and they fly their flags over these countries and they say,
ìThis is my country. The earth is the Lordís.î And then weíve divided these
countries into states and territories and given them names, sometimes named after men. And
then we've taken these states and territories and divided them
up into farms and ranches and lots and built houses and barns
on them and issued deeds of ownership. And there are many of you out
here in this congregation and you're safe at home or in your
safety deposit box, you have a title deed to a piece of land.
I'm here to tell you it doesn't belong to you. The earth is the
Lord's. That's what that says right there.
The earth, Charlie, is the Lord's. You're a tenant on that place
out there, but that's the Lord's place. God said in Job 41, whatever
is under the heaven is mine. And I tell you this about men,
they're not only tenants, but they're subject to eviction at
any moment's notice. You're moving out, Richard, and
I am too. A man born a woman is a few days
and full of trouble. He cometh forth like a flower
and is cut down. And the earth is still the Lord's. The great landowner and the true
sovereign sits in the heavens and laughs at the tidal deeds
of the worms of the dust. Look at the next line. The earth
is the Lord's and the fullness thereof. It's wealth, it's entirety,
it's life, it's past, present, and future. The earth is the Lord's and the
fullness. He made it full and he keeps
it full. Notwithstanding all the demands
upon it, it remains full. The sea remains full of water,
despite all the water that ascends to the clouds. But it's still
full. And it's full of fish and living
creatures, no matter how much they eat one another and we eat
them. But it remains full. And the air is full of air, notwithstanding
the fact that billions of lungs are breathing it in and out every
day, but it's still full. And the soil is full, though
billions of trees and plants and flowers derive their nourishment
from that soil, it's still full, has been for all these thousands
of years. And the soil is full of minerals
and coal and oil and gas and herbs, though billions take from
it like parasites all the time, but he keeps it full, because
it's his. It's his. The earth is the Lord's. It was created by him and for
him, and by him it's held together. The earth is the Lord's, and
the fullness thereof, read on, the will and they that dwell
therein. It's his by creation. In the
beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word
was God, and all things were made by him. Without him was
not anything made that was made. It's his because the Father gave
it to him. We're talking about the Lord
Jesus Christ here, the Lord. The earth is the Lord's. Jehovah,
God my Savior. God gave it to him. It's his,
not only by creation, it's his by donation. The Father loveth
the Son, and hath given all things into his hands. That's what the
Word says. Whom he hath made heir of all
things. John 17, 2, our Lord prayed this
way. He said, Thou hast given me authority
over all flesh. The earth is the Lord's. And
the fullness of the world and they that dwell in this world
belong to him, they're his, by creation, by donation, and by
purchase. He died that he might be Lord
of the dead and the living and by administration. Before he
ascended back to heaven, he said to his disciples, he said, go
into all the world and preach the gospel, because all power
is given unto me in heaven and earth. All people are his. Would you be offended if I told
you this morning that everybody in this building belongs to Christ,
either as his sons or his servants? You say, but there's some sheep
and some goats. They're his goats. They're his sheep and they're
his goats, but they're his. They're vessels of mercy and
vessels of wrath, but they're vessels of his mercy and vessels
of what? His wrath. They're his. And he says, can I not do with
my own what I will? I would say to this whole universe,
the earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof, and the
world, and they that dwell therein. Verse 2, he founded it, he created
it. When darkness was upon the face
of the deep and the waters covered the earth, God said, let there
be light. And there was light. And you
know, it says that he said, let the dry land appear. It arose
out of the water. He founded it upon the seas. It is. There's not a place you
can put your foot that's not His. You walk up that holly behind
your house and over those hills, you're walking on His ground.
That's right. You're cutting down His tree.
You're burning His firewood. You're eating His tomatoes. That's
right, it's His. He founded it. He created it. He made it. The cheap reason
it's His is because He said, let the dry land appear. And one day he decided to cover
it with water again. And no man could stay his hand
or say unto him, what doest thou? He covered it with water. But
he said, I won't do that again. And he put a rainbow in the sky
and he said, no, as long as you see that bow, the world will
never again be flooded with water. Never again. He founded it upon
the seas and established it, made its foundation upon the
floods. Now, what an insecure foundation. Only God can build something
on the floods. The water above and beneath the
earth, the dry land sits on it. It's an insecure, temporary foundation. What's God saying? It won't last
long. It won't last long. It won't
be forever. We have another world. by which
we look, we look for new heavens and a new earth. And John said
in Revelation, there'll be no more sea. That's right, that's
what he said, didn't he? There'll be no more sea. That
new creation is not going to be founded on the seas and the
floods, it's going to be built on the rock of ages. The earth is the Lord's, you
believe that? I do. I was in a classroom and the
teacher said, ìEverybody here believes the earth is the Lordís
and the fullness of the world and all they that dwell therein.
Raise your hand, mine gone up.î I believe that. Itís his, Jim.
And thatís the way it ought to be, for he founded it upon the
seas and he established it. Hold that place there and turn
to Psalm 50. Listen to this. Let's get acquainted with the
book. The reason it's a dry and thirsty land is not from want
of water or food, it's from want of the Word of God. In Psalm
50 verse 10, for every beast of the forest is mine. You know
what men do? They brand their cattle. God
never puts a brand on any animal. They're all His. We write a song,
we copyright it. The birds sing God's songs and
there's no copyright. We buy a piece of land and put
a big fence around it. God never built a fence. It's
all his. We found a mine somewhere to
mine silver and we have to register it. God says the silver and gold
is mine. Every beast of the forest is
mine, the cattle upon a thousand hills. Verse 11, I know all the
fowls of the mountains, and the wild beasts of the fields are
mine. If I were hungry, I wouldn't
tell you, for the world is mine, and the forest thereof is mine. It's mine. He's the heir, the Lord Jesus
is. And let me tell you something,
God made him heir of all things. And the only way you and I will
ever participate in the treasures of God's new earth is to be a
joint heir with Christ, in union with Christ, in marriage union
with Christ. Now what's mine is Darcy's. We
men ought never say my house or my car. I was in a meeting
one time in North Carolina. And this fellow, I didn't really
care much about him anyway. He was kind of a smart aleck,
been to the services, you know, thought he knew everything. And
he was sitting over in the study trying to straighten me out on
something. And his little children were outside. And he said to
his wife, said, you taking care of my children? Like that. I ought not have done it. But
I looked at him and I said, yours? Because one thing I'm sure of,
they're hers. He didn't like it. But what's mine is hers because
we're married and I wouldn't have what I have if it wasn't
for the grace of God and her and you men say the same thing.
So the only way I'm going to share in this glorious new creation
is to be in union with Christ. Isn't that right? In union with
Christ. All right, now let's look at
the second part. The second part, verse 3. Here is the true Israel. The true Israel. Who shall ascend
unto the hill of the Lord? My dear friends, do you know
Something of the awesome glory and holiness of the hill of the
Lord? It's called a hill. I lift up my eyes to the hills.
Well, that's not talking about these Appalachian mountains.
That's talking about the, I'll set my king upon my holy hill. God speaks of the hill of the
Lord because of how high it is, Paul. Who's going to sin there? It's higher than heaven! What
can you do? See what I'm saying? Who's going
to ascend to the hill of the Lord? He dwells in a light to
which no man can approach. He dwells on the hill of holiness
and the hill of glory and the third heavens, the highest of
the highest. Everybody's talking about going
to heaven. And most folks who talk about it don't even know
where it is or how to get there. Who's going to ascend there?
Now here, look at the next line. Who's going to stand there if
he could get there? That'll shake you up on it. Even if he could get there, who
could stand? Stand in his presence? Dwell and abide in his holy presence? That's some question, isn't it?
Not only who can mount up or ascend to such an awesome holiness
and awesome glory and awesome place is the presence of the
Lord, but who can dwell there? Who can stand? Well, the answer comes back.
We are not left without an answer. He that hath clean hands. He can ascend and stand there,
he that hath clean, immaculately, infinitely clean hands, who's
never sinned, never, never, never, never, never, clean in God's
sight. What is man that he should be
clean? Behold, the heavens are not clean
in his sight. How much more abominable and
filthy is man that drinks iniquity like the water? Next time somebody
tells you they're going to heaven, why don't you read this to them?
Who's going to ascend into the hill of the Lord? Who's going
to stand in the holy presence of God? He that hath never sinned,
clean hands, watch it, even more, and a pure heart who has never
thought one evil thought or one evil imagination. You can stand. I hear people talk about they're
going to heaven because they're good. You're not God good. You're just flesh good, and that's
not good. That's not clean hands and a
pure heart. But wait a minute, we're not
through. He that has never lifted up his soul to vanity. Watch
it now. He that has never loved anyone
as much as he loves God. When he had to choose between
God and the vanities of this world, he always chose God. Always
chose God. Loved him with a perfect heart.
We're not through. Read on. And one who has never
spoken deceitfully. Never. Always truth. Now then. The earth is the Lord's,
and the fullness thou of the world and they that dwell there."
And he founded it, established it on the floods and the sea.
God is eternal, almighty, high and lifted up and holy. Now,
who's going to ascend into the presence of the Lord? Who's going
to stand in his holy presence? He that hath perfect, clean hands,
who's never sinned, who's never thought an evil thought with
a pure heart, who's never lifted up his heart or soul in covetous
vanity of any sort, who's always been loyal to the commandments
of God and spoken the truth." Well, my friend, these conditions
suit none but Jesus Christ. There's no one, absolutely no
one, I don't care if he's been baptized or catechized or circumcised
that can meet this. Only Christ. Only Christ. These conditions suit none but
Christ, and that's the reason it says you turn to John chapter
3. Have you ever seen this verse
of scripture? John chapter 3. You say, I've
read that chapter on the new birth a thousand times. Have
you now? Have you ever seen this scripture?
John 13.3. And no man, no man hath ascended
up to heaven but he that came down from heaven. the Son of
Man which is in heaven. He never left it. He's God. I can't explain those mysteries.
But the mysteries they are. And no one shall have sinned
but Christ and those in Christ. And no one shall stand except
Christ and those in Christ. Look at verse 5. My friends,
this is not Baptist doctrine. This is the Word of God. I wish
there was no such thing as Baptist, Methodist, Catholic, Presbyterian,
all the rest of it. It's just a pack of foolishness.
This is the Word of God. This is the Word of God. Nobody
got a corner on this. Jew nor Gentile, white nor black,
male nor female, rich nor poor, barbarian, Scythian, bond or
free. This is God's Word. And it's for all who believe,
all who can be brought down in humility and contrition with
a broken heart and listen to God and quit listening to the
voice of the flesh and only seek to please God and not please
my wife or husband or mother or father or pastor or deacon
or denomination. That person, verse 5, shall receive
the blessing from the Lord, the hand of God shall be laid on
his head. He'll receive the blessing. Who
is that person? Christ. But here's the thing,
it's all who are in him, all who are identified with him,
all who believe him, all who were given him by the Father,
all for whom he suffered, all for whom he died. Where he is,
they are. He's not ashamed to call them
brethren. They're his church, they're his body. Listen, where
the head is, the body ain't far behind. That make sense? Somebody says, I'll put my head
through the door. Well, your body won't be too far behind.
And where the head is enthroned, the body is too. And what the
head possesses, so does the body. That's right. But he's going
to receive the blessing from the Lord. And listen to this,
my friend. This thing of holiness, the word
holiness, has fallen into some bad company. Bad company. Awful bad company. And it suffered,
as a result, reproach. The word holiness does not belong
to any son of Adam, except in Christ. He, that one with clean hands
and a pure heart, who's never done anything but love God perfectly,
nor spoken anything but the truth, he'll receive the hand of God
upon him, the blessing of God, the birthright, and holiness,
holiness from the God of his salvation. And that's Christ. And that's those who are in him
by faith. It's counted to him for righteousness. He is our righteousness. You
see that? Now look at verse 6. And this,
these people who in Christ ascend, these people who in Christ stand,
this is the generation. That's no certain generation.
That's the generation or the accumulation or the assembly
of God's people of all generations. This is the generation of them
that seek Him. They seek Him. I tell you, my soul is too valuable
for me to put it into the hands of a tradition. My soul is too
valuable for me to take for granted that I'm right because I've always
believed something. My soul is too valuable for me
to do anything but seek the Lord. Seek the Lord. Seek his face.
Seek his mercy. Seek his grace. Seek his word. Seek his son. Seek a revelation
of his salvation. Seek him. Seek him. The heaven
is made up of seekers and finders. He said you'll seek me and find
me when you search for me with all your heart. I ain't looking
for the truth. I'm looking for Christ. If I
find Christ, I'll find the truth. I'm not looking for the right
church. I'm looking for the head of the church. And if I find
him, I'll be in the church. Does that make sense to you?
I'm looking for the right church. Well, you keep looking. You'll
find it. It'll satisfy you and the fellow that started it. But
I'm looking for the head. I'm seeking him, him, him, him,
him. You're seeking me and find me
when you search for me with all your heart. And this is a generation
of them that seek him. They seek thy face. You see,
the glory of God is revealed where, Charlie? In the face of
Christ Jesus. And I'm seeking his face. And
if I see him, I'm going to see the glory of God. You can walk an aisle and some
fool preacher will tell you you're saved. And they'll even baptize
you Make you a member of the church and take your money on
a regular basis, and come by to see you when you're sick,
and pat you on the head, and keep you happy, and tickle your
ears. But there's somebody somewhere who wants to know God, and they're
going to seek Him. And you know what they're going
to do when they seek Him? They're going to find Him. And then he said in verse 7,
here's the true Redeemer that I seek. Lift up your heads! O ye gates, and be ye lift up
ye everlasting doors, and the King of Glory shall come in."
Let me tell you something. It told us about the true God,
and then it told us about the true Israel in Christ. The seed
is Christ. The true Israel is in Christ.
And how they shall ascend up into the hill of the Lord, and
how they shall stand in his holy place, because in Christ we have
clean hands. In Christ, I'm justified just
as if I'd never sinned. In Christ, I have a perfect holiness.
A perfect holiness. And then this boy seems to cry
out to those everlasting doors and those gates. They've been
closed. You know why they've been closed?
So many things prevent men from entering into the presence of
God. No man cometh to the Father,
Christ said. No man has seen God at any time.
And those gates and doors remain closed until the King of Glory
comes and the boy says, Hey! Gates, lift up your heads. And
ye everlasting doors be lifted up. Because the King of Glory
is coming in. And with him is his church. With
him is his bride. With him is his people. with
him are the elect of God, open to the King of Glory. And the
answer comes back in verse 8 and says, Who is this King of Glory?
These doors have never been opened to any man. Since Adam fell in
the Garden of Eden, God shut the door. Since Adam fell in
the Garden of Eden, all those decades and centuries and millenniums
Those gates and doors to the presence of God have been closed.
Closed so long that their heads have drooped. Their heads have drooped. And
then a voice comes and says, Hey, you gates! Open up. They raise up. You doors, lift
up your heads! The King of Glory is coming in.
And the voice says, Who is this King of Glory? that dares to
present himself before the presence of an awesome, holy, eternal
God. And the voice comes back and
says, It's the Lord, strong and mighty, able to do all that he
undertakes. This is no mere man, this is
the God-man. This is the God-man, strong and
mighty. Read on. And this is the Lord,
mighty in battle. He has conquered all of his enemies. He has put them to flight. He
has destroyed even the serpent's head. So lift up your head, ye
gates, and lift them up, ye everlasting door. And the King of Glory is
coming in. Who do you say this King of Glory
is? He's the Lord of hosts. He left heaven. He came to this
earth alone. By himself he purged our sins. By himself he walked the winepress
of God's wrath alone. All men have forsaken me. Even the Heavenly Father turned
his back on him. What he did, he did alone. What
he did, he did by himself. What he did, the Lord, strong
and mighty, the eternal conqueror, he did for his people. Now that it's finished and he's
going back to glory, he's not the Lord alone, he's the Lord
of hosts. A number which no man can number
of every tribe, kindred, nation and tongue unto heaven is not
just a little handful of Israelites. It's not just a little handful
of Jehovah's Witnesses. It's not just a little handful
of Catholics. It's not just a little handful
of hard-shelled Baptists. It's not just a little handful
of landmark missionary Baptists. It's the Lord of Hosts. Aren't
you glad? And ain't that sad? When they
talk like they're the only ones in this company. This is a host. This is a host. He's the Lord
of hosts. He's got more than the devil
has, I tell you that. And he's the King of Glory. So
lift up your heads. Who shall ascend into his holy
hill? Who shall stand in his holy presence?
Just one. And he has already entered in
because the Father said, Come up and sit thou on my right hand. Until I make thine enemies, I
put still. He's the King of glory. Would
you share glory? He's the King. Would you have
glory? He's the Giver. Would you know
glory? He's the Source. Would you know
God? He's revealed in Christ. I'm
telling the truth. And I don't care what anybody
says anywhere about any of these things. This is the true God.
The earth is the Lord's. This is true Israel. They have
clean hands and a pure heart and in Christ a perfect righteousness.
Is that right, kid? Absolutely right. And those gates
of glory and those doors, those everlasting doors, ain't opening
for anybody but Him. And that includes all your kin,
folks, and mine too. And that includes all these preachers
that have lied on God for all these years. Who is this King
of Glory? Lift up your hands, ye gates. Lift them up, ye doors of King
of Glory. Who is he? You know, back during the war,
they used to have that password, who goeth there. You better give
the right password, or you get shot. Isn't that right Ed? Right word, or you get shot.
And now the password in glory, what is it? You know it? Christ died for our sins according
to the scriptures. And when you walk up to those
everlasting doors and gates, you better have the password.
But you know something? I'm not going to have to say
anything. He's going to say it. Enter ye, blessed, into the kingdom
prepared for you before the foundation of the world. The doors will
open for you because they opened for him. That's as clear as I
can make it.