The City of the Living God

Well, good morning, everyone. It's great to be back with you. I was a student here at

! Bruntsfield, so it's a real joy. It's kind of odd to be this side of the platform, but it's great fun.

I, as mentioned, my name's Ben. I'm a pastor in training just down the road at a church called

Charlotte Chapel. We're so thankful for you guys' partnership in the gospel. We pray for you regularly

and it's a joy to bring God's word to you this morning. Let me just pray again briefly and then

let's get cracking. Dear God, as we come to your word, comfort us, challenge us, change us, we pray.

Lead us into the comfort that is only found in your presence. In your name, amen.

Amen. Okay. I think at times church feels weak and ugly. Big statement to making someone else's

church right in front of their pastor. But I think it's true, right? Here's what I mean.

If your church is anything like mine, and I think it probably is, you feel its weakness.

You know, and it's summer and like loads of people are away and it just feels empty and you've got

a guest preacher from down the road. You feel weak. Do you know when that dear old saint dies,

you feel the weight. Or when that family who are so plugged in move on to another church and you're

just left feeling, oh, we're weak. Do you know when for decades you try and reach the people who I can

literally see into the living room right now, and yet they just seem to close the curtains,

shut the door and want nothing to do with church. We feel weak, don't we? Not only that,

at times church is ugly. We argue with each other. Our sin just seems to get in the way all the time.

You don't need to be around church long to feel that what we're doing here is in a sense,

weak and ugly. In Psalm 48, this great song for God's people, we together this morning are invited to

walk around Zion, this great city of the living God, and to see its beauty and to see its safety.

Now there is so much biblical theology tied up in Zion. But we need to keep this in mind. As we walk around,

we this morning are being invited to see everything that these verses point towards.

In our weakness and ugliness, we are being invited to see the beauty and safety of Christ.

The beauty and safety that is ours now is his new covenant people, the church, and the beauty and

safety of the Zion to come in heaven with him forever. And so if we ever feel weak,

I pray that Psalm 48 will be like a booster shot to our souls. As we gaze on the great God of Zion

in his beautiful city, we might see that Christ's church right here in Brunsfield, even in its weakness

and ugliness, is the most beautiful and safe thing that you could ever be a part of.

And so to help us along that path, I think Psalm 48 invites us to do four things.

And the first one is this. You this morning are invited to delight in God's presence.

Our psalm begins, verse number one.

Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise. In the city of our God, his holy mountain.

In the last few psalms, we've been encouraged to praise the sovereign Lord, the one who is exalted.

He is the fortress for his people, Psalm 46. He's the one who reigns over all the nations, Psalm 47.

And he's the one, as we begin Psalm 48, who is worthy of all praise.

But we're not invited just to look.

This morning, we are invited to enter his dwelling,

to ascend his holy mountain and into this great city of God,

Zion,

where we see in verse number two,

that it is beautiful in its loftiness.

The joy of the whole earth,

like the heights of Saphon,

is Mount Zion,

in the city of the great king.

Right, just get your mind on the most beautiful place you've ever been.

Right, just

right up front.

Got it?

The place that we've been invited to look at,

blows it out of the water.

This is the most beautiful place you can ever imagine.

Saphon literally just means far north,

which we know from Isaiah 14,

is meant to be a reference to this great mountain,

far higher than anything in Jerusalem.

You see, for the Israelites,

the people of God of old,

Mount Zion in the city of Jerusalem is where the temple was.

This great symbol of God's dwelling.

But the mountain's not very high.

And yet here this morning,

the psalmist invites them,

the psalmist invites us,

not to consider a physical place,

but they are painting a picture

of the presence of God.

Beautiful.

Joyful.

Lofty.

High.

It is meant to lift our eyes.

This is where the great king,

our God,

dwells.

He himself is in her citadels.

Verse 3.

He has shown himself to be her fortress.

Now we have to understand this.

This great city is beautiful and safe,

not because of its architecture,

not because of its high walls,

but because God is there.

And where God dwells,

it's the joy of all the earth.

It is beautiful and safe.

It is beautiful and safe.

Last year,

I went to Rome.

It's beautiful.

And like every other tourist in the world,

I went to St.

Peter's Basilica,

right in the heart of the Vatican.

And as you walk around,

it really is one of the most beautiful buildings

I think man's ever made.

You see all the statues

and the art

and the craftsmanship

is just breathtaking.

Everywhere you go,

you're told to stand

behind these wee velvet ropes.

There's whole sections

that you're not even allowed to enter

and there's men in like

sharp black tailored suits

with earpieces

looking menacing.

They're not there to protect you,

are they?

They're there to protect

this great city,

the Vatican,

from you.

Even as you're invited

to kind of look on,

its beauty is always held at a distance.

In Psalm 48,

we,

you this morning,

are invited

not just to gaze

on the beauty of Zion,

but its king

has allowed you to enter

with full access

somewhere which makes

St. Peter's look like

that mingin Edema Uni

building across the meadows.

You see in Christ,

we are brought

into the very dwelling place of God.

Just try and wrap your head around that.

Through faith

and repentance,

we have been brought

into the throne room

of the living God,

no velvet ropes,

to delight

in the beauty

of his presence.

That's the language

of Ephesians 2,

isn't it?

This morning,

however you feel

coming to church,

if you're a Christian,

God has raised you up

with Christ

and seated you

with him

in the heavenly realms

in Christ Jesus.

There is a very real sense

in which

you are already

in Zion.

And it is beautiful

and safe

because it's where God is.

And we're not just

seated there

with him,

he is here

with us

now.

By being united

to Jesus,

his spirit

dwells

in us.

And so this morning

on a rainy

Sunday

in Brunsfield,

Christ is making

his church beautiful.

Not because you've got

a beautiful building,

because right now

his presence

is in

all who believe.

And he is building

us this morning

into

a living

temple,

even in our weakness

and imperfection.

Even as we long

for the Zion,

heaven

to come,

belonging to church,

is belonging

into the great

city of God

as the people

of God

now.

Maybe we just

feel

weak

because we fall

into a trap

of thinking

church is about us.

We come this morning

thinking about

the route

we're serving on

or the person

we need to speak to

or just the thing

we need to get done.

Now,

firstly this morning

we are invited

and reminded

before we do

anything else

that as we gather

as his church

we have been brought

into his beautiful

presence

to gaze

on the beauty

of the God

of Zion.

And so

having been brought

in,

God says

look around

and delight

that before you

do anything else

you might say

this morning

great is the Lord

and most

worthy

of praise.

We're invited

to delight

in his presence.

Secondly,

they were invited

to know

his protection.

In the

Psalm,

this great city

comes under attack.

Do you see that

in verse number four?

When the kings

joined forces,

when they advanced

together.

Now,

we're not giving

any detail

of which kings.

To guess

would just be

speculation.

But we know

against God's

great kingdom

there's always

been rebellion.

We're back

in Psalm 2.

It's the

nation's kings

conspiring

together

against God.

What unites

them?

Well,

it's rebellion

against

God.

It's really

a summary

of sinful

human

rebellion

against the

God Almighty.

And yet,

as these kings

approach the city,

they saw her

and were

astounded.

Verse five.

They fled

in terror.

Trembling

sees them

there.

Pain like that

of a woman

in labor.

You destroyed

them like

ships of

Tarshish,

shattered

by an

east wind.

Faced with

the strength

and the beauty

of the city

in which God

dwells,

the forces

of rebellion

are forced

to flee.

They're left

trembling and

astounded

before God.

Their pain

is that of a

woman in labor,

unbearable

and inescapable.

And ultimately,

they're destroyed.

I'll be honest,

I've got no idea

what's going on

with the ships

of Tarshish.

I wasn't

convinced by

anyone that

does.

And yet,

it's clearly a

picture of

overwhelming

strength and

majesty,

isn't it?

And yet,

faced with

the living

God,

the ships

are sunk

and rebellion

is shattered.

God's city

is shown

to be

impregnable.

Do you notice

there's not even

a fight?

The mere

sight of

where God

dwells

sends the

enemy running.

And the

psalmists

are left

knowing only

the protection

of their God.

As we have

heard,

so we have

seen.

In the city

of the Lord

Almighty,

in the city

of our

God,

God makes

her secure

forever.

Do you notice

there's two

responses to

seeing Zion.

There is

trembling fear

for the kings

who oppose

God.

And there is

unending

assurance

and safety

for his

people.

Because to

be in God's

presence is

beautiful

and safe.

this morning

we are

invited to

hear and

to see

with the

eyes of

faith the

protection that

is found

in God's

kingdom.

And the

impregnability

of his

church

in a

hostile

world.

Where your

neighbour still

won't come to

church.

When the

church down

the road

abandons the

teaching of

God.

When you

look around

Brunsfield

Evangelical and

are tempted to

think,

flip me,

we are so

helplessly

weak.

Know this.

God will

establish his

city forever

as the risen

Christ gathers

his church

against which

the gates of

Hades will

not and

cannot prevail.

Christ has

defeated sin

and death.

Satan awaits

his certain

destruction.

God's kingdom

will grow.

His city is

secure.

And therefore

so are you.

Regardless of

how you feel

this morning,

if you are

in Jesus

being united

to him by

faith,

you have

been brought

under his

protection.

Against

which all

the kings

of earth

can only

tremble and

flee.

I know

that at

times

life's hard,

isn't it?

So when we

feel weak,

when life's

just a slog,

when the

thought of

facing another

day just

feels too

much,

Psalm 48

says,

look around.

See your

brothers and

sisters in

this room.

as you read

your Bible

tomorrow morning,

you are

invited to

hear and

see in

the pages

of scripture

and in

the life

of this

church that

your future

with God

has already

begun.

That he will

keep you and

he will bring

you into the

heavenly Zion

which he

himself makes

secure.

Have you

heard?

Do you

see?

in the

city of

the Lord

Almighty,

in the

city of

our God,

God makes

her secure

forever.

Thirdly,

we are

invited to

praise his

love.

Read to me

from verse

number nine.

Within your

temple, O

God, we

meditate on

your unfailing

love.

Like your

name, O

God, your

praise reaches

to the ends

of the earth.

your right

hand is

filled with

righteousness.

Mount Zion

rejoices.

The villages

of Judah

are glad

because of

your judgment.

Did you

notice we

read in

verses nine

to eleven

in this

great story

of a

beautiful city

of a

thwarted

attack,

absolutely

nothing

happens.

It's like

the psalmist

having seen

the glory

of Zion

just has

to take

a wee

moment,

just take

it all

in.

And yet

we move

from

gazing

upon the

city

to entering

its gates

and now

we find

ourselves

in its

very

centre,

the

temple

in God's

dwelling

that we

might know

his love.

love.

This is

why his

presence is

beautiful.

This is

why his

presence is

safe because

it is where

we see

and know

his love.

This is so

much more

than affection.

This is

hesed love,

unfailing,

promise

keeping

love.

love.

This is

the love

that has

brought

rebellious,

sin-stained

people into

the very

presence of

the beautiful,

great,

and holy

God.

This is

the love

which delivered

his people

of old

despite their

constant

moaning

and rebellion.

The love

that allowed

them to

experience

temporarily

the blessings

of being

in God's

presence.

love.

It's a love

which allowed

them to

say,

this great

God,

that's our

God.

And this

is the love

which has

now been

revealed

fully in

Christ.

A love

which was

displayed in

8K

Ultra HD

as he

willingly

went to

die on

the cross.

Taking the

punishment for

our sin and

it's a love

which is

secure because

it is sealed

right now

in the

risen Jesus

who reigns

with all

authority in

his city.

God has

kept his

promises of

old and

is delivering

for himself

a people

from every

corner of

the globe.

So the

people of

God, the

citizens of

Zion,

the villages

of Judah,

it's a

picture of

all God's

covenant

people are

just left

rejoicing.

As they

reflect on

God's

unfailing

love to

them,

they are

glad,

they're

overflowing

with praise

at the

God of

Zion,

the

beautiful

one who

has kept

them safe.

I wonder

what's made

you truly

glad this

summer.

Maybe for

some it's

just the

opportunity to

have a

break.

Do you

remember two

weeks ago we

had seven

days of

sun and

it was

just glorious,

made me

glad.

A couple

days ago I

was walking

along the

meadows and

I saw a

dog catch a

frisbee from

like, it

must have

been 150

metres.

And I

tell you

what, in

that moment

my wee

heart was

glad.

If only

gladness

lasted longer

than a

holiday,

lasted longer

than a

fleeting

Scottish

summer,

lasted longer

than that

big guy

could throw

a frisbee.

Here's the

beauty of

Psalm 48.

If you

want gladness

that lasts,

it's available

to you.

It is by

meditating on

God's unfailing

love to you

in Christ.

If you're a

Christian this

morning, just

take a moment

and just

reflect on

your own

testimony.

It's like

a hundred

different stories

in this room

and yet one

thing that we

all share

in common.

We were in

rebellion against

God and we

have been brought

to knowing

Christ, he's

unfailing love

together.

So I take so

much encouragement

from the fact

that this

morning we

can be glad,

that this

morning we

can praise

him even at

a time when

the church

feels weak,

when it feels

perhaps small,

perhaps even

when you feel

this morning

that you

are just

clinging

onto your

faith by

your

fingernails.

Because our

gladness, the

gladness of the

people of God

is never in

acting we do

well.

Isn't our

church just

growing?

Doesn't just

all seem to be

well in my

life?

Our source of

gladness is

wholly outside

of ourselves.

We're glad not

to do with

anything because

of ourselves,

but because of

God's

judgments.

We are glad

because we

have a

perfect, just

judge who

will defeat

evil.

We are glad

because of our

safety now in

Christ and we

are glad because

we are certain

that he will

keep his people

safe.

God is

doing

so as we

look around

Brunsfield

Evangelical this

morning, I

hope we see

that God is

doing something

here.

Amongst us

now that is

unbeatable.

Every single

testament in this

church is

evidence of

that.

All of us

deserve to be

left trembling

before God and

then destroyed

like ships

against a rock

because of his

great love,

can sit this

morning able to

rejoice and

praise his

unfailing love

in the safety

of the city

of God.

So you

better believe

you can sing

this psalm

in weakness

because we

together this

morning sing

of the one

who is

strong.

we are

singing of

the strength

the safety

the unfailing

love of God

with a certain

hope of a

future where

we will

rejoice in

heavenly Zion

forever.

When my

wee heart

when your

wee heart

will forever

be glad.

So much

better than a

dog with a

frisbee in there.

and yet I

know in a

room this

size

there's almost

certainly people

who don't know

this gladness

for themselves

who are still

just exploring

life with

Jesus.

If that's you

this morning

I pray that you

will see there

is a beauty

and a safety

in Jesus

that nothing

in this world

can come close

to.

Whatever's

going on in

your life

this morning

you can be

glad by

knowing the

love of God.

It starts

by seeing

that your

rebellion of

him is

futile.

And yet

at the

cross of

Christ

rebellious

people

are offered

to come

to Jesus

and find

the gladness

of an

eternity

dwelling of

God.

We are

invited to

praise his

love.

And lastly

we're invited

to proclaim

his glory.

the

psalmist

finishes by

saying in

verse number

12

read it

with me

walk around

Zion

go around

her

count her

towers

consider well

her ramparts

view her

citadels

that you

might tell

of them

to the

next

generation

for this

God

is our

God

forever

and ever

he will

be our

guide

even

to the

end.

As the

psalm closes

for the

first time

we're

given

something

to do.

God's

people are

told to

walk

to go

to count

to consider

because you

see

meditating

on God's

love

always moves

God's

people

to action.

The

heroes are

told to

walk around

the city

to take

it all

in

to bask

in its

glory

count in

the towers

to see

for themselves

how safe

the ramparts

are

to look

at the

beauty

of the

citadel.

Why?

That you

might tell

the next

generation

the people

of God

having seen

the city

of God

are to

become

like a

walking

tourist

boat.

I'm

studying

with a

French

guy.

He is

the most

French

man the

world

has ever

known.

And every

summer he

goes back

to France

and he

came home

a couple

of days

ago and

my goodness

me that

man cannot

stop talking

about France.

He looks

at the rain

coming out

of the sky

and he

just pines

for the

sun of

France.

I walked

up on

Monroe

with him

recently and

he looked

around and

said why

do you

Scottish

people even

bother doing

this?

If you've

seen the

Alps it's

not even

worth it.

Right?

He loves

France so

much.

Having

seen its

beauty he

just

overflows

with it.

Here's the

thing that

infuriates me

about that.

It really

makes me

want to

go.

This is

how God's

people are

to be

about Zion.

And yet

do you

notice its

citizens

having gazed

on the city

they never

say oh

what a

wonderful

place.

They're

left saying

what a

wonderful

God.

God's

life.

As they

see the

glory of

what he

has built

they say

oh you

have got

to know

the king

who dwells

there.

The church

is to

ponder on

what God

is doing

and then

proclaim

him to

the

generations

to come.

You see

we this

morning as

Christ

church

don't just

offer

the

goods

kids

program.

We

don't

just

offer

a nice

cup

of tea.

We don't

just

offer

a nice

space

to come

out of

the rain

because we're

not competing

with the

world.

We are

primarily

proclaiming

the glory

of God.

We are

saying look

at our

king.

He is

safe.

He is

beautiful.

He is

glorious

and you've

got to

know him

because

this

God

that's

our

God

forever

and ever.

He will

be our

guide

even to

the end.

The

God of

verse

one

great

and

worthy

of all

praise.

The

one who

dwells

in his

magnificent

city

Zion

that's

my

God.

If

you're

a

Christian

this

morning

that's

your

God.

Not

for a

while.

Not

dependent

on how

we go

in our

Christian

walk

but

forever

and

ever.

You

see we

are

given

confidence

as

God's

people

of

where

we

are

going

together

because

we

are

given

confidence

in

who

is

taking

us

there.

So

the

church

is

given

assurance

that

even

in

our

weakness

even

in

our

times

and

our

ugliness

as we

look around

the ramparts

through the

eyes of

faith

we know

that means

I'm safe

in Jesus.

That means

I have a

beauty that

the world

cannot

touch.

That means

when all

is said

and done

those who

care nothing

for Jesus

will be

terrified

as they

see the

glory of

his

church.

An

old

wise guy

called

Dietrich

Bonhoeffer

commenting

on the

Psalms

and this

one

in

particular

described

it like

this

and this

is how

we'll

close.

What

Zion

and the

temple

were for

the

Israelites

is for

us the

church of

God

in the

world.

The

gracious

God

present

in

Christ

to

its

congregation

is the

end

of all

joy

of all

thanksgiving

and all

yearning.

it is

beautiful

and safe.

Let's

pray.

Dear God

and Heavenly

Father,

thank you

that you

are the

God who

is beautiful

and safe.

Thank you

that through

faith in

Christ you

are making

us beautiful

and safe.

Thank you

that we

have a

home in

heaven with

you that

is forever

secure,

forever

beautiful

and forever

safe.

Lord, in

our weakness

now, please

let us lift

our eyes,

help us by

your spirit to

gaze on the

beauty of

Zion and

then to be

those who

are just so

desperate to

tell the next

generation.

I pray these

things in your

name and for

your glory.

Amen.