Pastor Joe Fuiten, January 23, 2005

 

 

Psalm 127   A song of ascents. Of Solomon.

Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain.  2 In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat — for he grants sleep to those he loves.  3 Sons are a heritage from the LORD, children a reward from him.  4 Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are sons born in one's youth.  5 Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.  They will not be put to shame when they contend with their enemies in the gate.

 

            This is a pilgrim’s Psalm.  It was to be recited as they walked up, literally ascending to Jerusalem for the biblical feast days.  It was to help a person frame the right thoughts about life and God.  It remains valuable for that purpose yet today.  In short, we can summarize the chapter like this:  In all the things that are important to me, I need God’s hand of blessing for their ultimate success and meaning.

            We are Christians because we understand this idea and we are trying to apply it to our lives. 

            Although the language is about building, guarding, working, raising a family, and winning in conflicts, these are only the illustrations of a larger theme.  It is God who makes all these things meaningful and gives them purpose beyond themselves.

                How does the Lord build a house?  It is clear that it has a human builder yet God builds it.  This is the language of faith that attributes the cause to the Lord.  That means that we must build in faith in God’s provision and with a sense of his will.  We must dedicate our efforts to the Lord and give him glory at the achievement. 

            How does God protect a city against terrorists and enemies?  You need watchmen, people who oversee security.  In these post 9/11 days there should be security systems, locks, soldiers and the like.  However, the point is that unless God protects the city, it will ultimately fall.

            In the time of the Bible, when God did not protect Israel it lost battles, cities, even their whole country.  Walls, fortifications, and armies were of no avail because God was not in them.

            In our time, you can live wisely taking all necessary precautions.  He can wash your hands after going out into public and only frequent reputable restaurants but health come from the Lord.  You can carry mace, and watch your back, but safety is from the Lord.  Therefore we place our faith in God.  We pray to him for protection and trust in him for safety.  When we lay our heads on our pillows at night we give him thanks for taking care of us.

            The Psalmist has all these things in view.  As they walk up to Jerusalem, they contemplate what it means to know God and to serve him.  The same is true for work.  In verse 2 he says “In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat — for he grants sleep to those he loves.” 

Is this the freeloader’s dream verse?  Does the lazy guy say “Yeah that is what I believe.  There is no point in working!”  No.  It is just another way of saying that work comes to nothing unless God is in it. It is not that the godless person can’t make money.  It is that their money is divorced from meaning.  In the end, you are as dead as the next guy.

            Children (the word translated sons is often used in a gender neutral way as well) are God’s reward to us.  When they join us they strengthen us.  In this case, when there is some kind of a dispute in the gate, which is where such discussions took place, their voice joined with ours resulted in greater strength.  As in the other cases, this is God’s blessing to us, not just a creation from ourselves.

            Here is the question.  Is God building your house?  Is God blessing your labors?  I am not just thinking financially, because this is well beyond that.  Is God blessing this church?  Is God watching over America?

            The second question is, how do you go about communicating to God that you want him to watch over your life and to build your house and bless your labors?  What do you have to do to let God know of your interest?  As you make your ascent up life’s hill, what is expected of you?

          As we think about the meaning of these verses, how can we apply them to ourselves, to our church, and to our country?  These things have been turning in my mind since I was at America’s 55^th inauguration of a President.  Let’s start with the country and work to the individual.

            On January 20, 2005 we held the nation’s 55^th inaugural ceremony for our president.  What signal did we send to God about our desire that he watch over our country.  We sent mixed signals.

            The swearing-in took place in front of the Capitol.  It is a grand site and very impressive.  It was very clear that, speaking from that jutting rostrum, the most powerful man in the world was speaking.

            On top of the capitol is a neoclassical representation of freedom.  I can live with that.

            Inside that great dome is a quasi-religious theme that is troubling.  Indeed throughout the capitol there is this harking back to Rome.  I think that is prophetic and helps us to understand the end times.  I will talk more about that tonight.  Unfortunately, the Roman gods are represented aplenty.  Neptune and Minerva are frequently represented in the fresco above the capitol as well as in other places such as the Library of Congress.  In the Capitol dome George Washington sits enthroned surrounded by the 13 maidens representing the states.  The various Roman gods surround him.  When God sees that, what is his reaction?

            On the other hand, this President also made his statements.  As he took his oath of office, he placed his hand upon the Word of God, not the Koran or the Gita.

            His first official act of inauguration day was to go to St. John’s Church and pray.  This is an important little church right behind the White House just one block away.  Here his father went to pray just before launching the first gulf war.  It was one of the signs I looked for to signal the start of the second Gulf War.  The president went to the same little church to pray.  On the day of his inaugural, the President began in that little church.  It was not for public purposes but to pray.  There were no TV cameras.  The little church does not lend itself to inside pictures.  The altar rail has the emblem of the Jewish people prominently displayed.  There is the wonderful eagle pulpit.  The eagle is the enemy of the snake.  It is from this pulpit that the Scripture is read.  When you begin your day in the house of God it sends a powerful message to all the people and to God himself.  It says God, you are the watchman on our walls.  If you keep us safe, we are safe.

            At the other end of the ceremonies, the final event is the National Prayer Service.  The opening is private, the ending is public, but the bookends of the ceremonies are prayers in devotion to God.  We know who we are.  The world knows who we are.  God knows that we know who we are.

            When it comes to a church, symbols are equally important.  Every Saturday night since 1985 I have inclined my heart to prayer.  I light the incense as a symbol of prayer and cleansing.  I light the candle as the symbol of God’s presence.  And I pray.  I ask God to speak to the congregation through my words.  I pray for his presence to be revealed to all who attend.  For the last few years a pretty good sized group of people join me to pray for the services.  The prayer meetings are not always powerful but they always matter.  Jesus said that if we would pray the Heavenly Father would reward us.  We have prayed and he has rewarded us.  A certain amount of ceremony and tradition are important because they represent a larger reality.

            When it comes to family life, symbols also matter.  I wear a wedding ring even though it is a bit too small. (I need to get it resized.)  It is the symbol of something not only to me but to God.  Christians don’t live together before they get married because we believe that marriage means something to God.  We practice abstinence until marriage because sex means something to God.  These things are not treated lightly because they are symbols of other things.  Marriage is the symbol of our relationship with God.  When we treat sex and marriage casually we send the message that we treat God casually, that he is not important.

            How can you signal to God that you have an interest in his favor and blessing?  First, you have come to church.  That says something.  Then you tell him that you want a relationship with him through his Son Jesus Christ in whom you believe.  You ask him to forgive you of your sins so when you come into his presence you won’t be immediately thrown out.