Scripture Portraits of the Church (4) - God's City

We're going to begin our worship today singing in Psalm 107, Psalm 107, and we're singing

from the Sing Psalms Version, page 143, verses 1 to 9.

O thank the Lord, for He is good, His love endures always. Let those whom God redeemed

say this, those rescued by His grace. He saved them from their enemies and brought

them from the lands, from east and west, from north and south, safe from oppressing hands.

We're singing verses 1 to 9, Psalm 107, page 143, and we're standing to sing.

O thank the Lord, for He is good, His love endures always. Let those whom God

God redeemed say this, those rescued by His grace. He saved them from their enemies and brought

them from the land, from east and west, from north and south, safe from oppressing hands.

Come on dirt in the desert ways, not finding any way, to reach a city where they might obtain

enough place to stay. Where life and strength were having passed, in partial

and emptiness. Then in despair they sought the Lord, who saved them from distress.

straight was the path He led them on, a city to attain. So for the Lord's unfailing love, let them give thanks again.

the Lord's unfailing love, let them give thanks again.

And for the awesome deeds of power, which He for them achieves, for hungry souls He fills with good, the

thirsty He relieves.

Well, let's pray together now. We're praying a short prayer just now, mainly for the children, and we'll have the main prayer afterwards.

Let's call upon the Lord in prayer.

Lord, our gracious God, we give thanks today that we gather here in Your name, that we do so willingly and freely, and that we take delight in doing so.

We thank You today, O Lord, that we are gathered together. We know from Your Word how important it is for Your people to be gathered together to worship You.

And we give thanks for this occasion, and we give thanks for this day. We pray that You would help us to maintain the Lord's day, as a day that is separate and kept for worship, and for thinking upon Yourself and upon Your salvation, and upon Your creation as we see it around us.

Lord, we thank You, O Lord, we thank You, O Lord, as they come to learn more of Your gospel, of the truth of Your Word, that it may be truly blessed to them, and that they may grow up to know more and more of You through this Word that You have given us.

Help them, Lord, we pray, as they interact with the message of the gospel today.

Protect them in the world, we pray.

Give them to be shielded from the many harmful things that exist in our world.

And give them, Lord, we pray, to pray for themselves, for Your own guidance and protection in life.

And now go before us, we pray, and help us as we engage in worship, that we may do so depending upon Your Holy Spirit to guide us into Your truth.

Receive our thanks and forgive our sins, for Jesus' sake.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Okay, children.

In the main sermon today, we're going to be thinking of a city, because God's Word describes the church as God's city.

The people of God are citizens of that city.

But I want to tell you about another city mentioned in the Bible, and that's in Genesis chapter 11.

Genesis 11 · chapter mention

Because in Genesis chapter 11, we read about an attempt to build a city or to build a tower,

Genesis 11 · chapter mention

and the top of it was going to reach right up into the heavens.

It came to be known as the Tower of Babel.

Babel means confusion or scattering.

Let me just read these words in Genesis 11.

Here were the people of that time a long, long time ago.

And when they came to a certain place, they said,

Come, let us make bricks, and we'll burn them thoroughly.

So they had bricks.

And then they said,

Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens.

And let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed and scattered over the face of the whole earth.

They were afraid of being scattered, separated from each other over the whole earth.

And so they tried to make a place where they would be safe and where that wouldn't happen.

And it's a passage that tells us about an attempt to produce safety without God.

In fact, it tells us something important there, that the Lord came down to see the city that they were attempting to build,

and the very thing that they were afraid of and they were trying to prevent, the Lord actually caused.

He gave them all sorts of different languages.

They couldn't understand each other, so they were scattered abroad on the face of the earth.

Now, that tells us something very important today.

We need safety.

We need security.

We need salvation.

But we can't have that without God.

If we try and build salvation for ourselves, that's going to end in failure and disaster.

Because here they were trying to build this city with the top of it reaching up to heaven

in order to try and make for themselves a place of safety.

Now, the Bible tells us that our place of safety, of salvation, is in Jesus.

Jesus is the one.

When we come to believe in Him, to trust in Him, to give our lives to Him,

then we are within safety.

We have salvation.

No one can take that away from us.

And then whatever happens, we know that that's going to be always true of us,

that we will be safe in Jesus.

So today, for the adults and for myself and for yourselves,

we are here to build up our lives not by forgetting God, but by actually trusting in God.

Because when we try and build up without God, inevitably we're going to fail and it'll bring disaster.

And we will fail in a way that will actually not have salvation,

but have what the Bible calls the opposite of that.

We will be lost.

We will not be saved.

And so today, you have this huge advantage or privilege to know about Jesus, to learn about Jesus,

but it's so that you can come to have God in your life and not leave God behind and build up your lives with God at the center and foundation of your life.

So we're going to say the Lord's Prayer then.

And then we'll actually have another singing after that when you go through to your classes.

So let's say the Lord's Prayer together.

Our Father, our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.

Amen.

We're going to sing again.

This time we're singing from Psalm 106.

This is in the Scottish Psalter, Psalm 106.

Psalm 106.

Again, we're standing to sing.

Amen.

God's mighty works who can express the show for all this great.

Blessed are they that judgment keep, and justly do always.

Remember me, Lord, with that love which I to thine does pay.

With thy salvation, O my God, to visit me draw near.

That I thy chosen's good mercy, and in their joy rejoice.

And live with thy new merit as triumph with cheerful voice.

I'm going to read now from God's word in the book of Psalms.

Two Psalms, firstly Psalm 48, and then Psalm 87.

First of all, Psalm 48.

Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God.

His holy mountain, beautiful in elevation, is the joy of all the earth.

Mount Zion in the far north, the city of the great king, with her citadels.

God has made himself known as a fortress.

For behold, the kings assembled and came on together.

As soon as they saw it, they were astounded.

They were in panic.

They took to flight.

Trembling took hold of them there, anguish as of a woman in labor.

By the east wind, you shattered the ships of Tarshish.

As we have heard, so have we seen.

In the city of the Lord of hosts.

In the city of our God, which God will establish forever.

We have thought on your steadfast love, O God, in the midst of your temple.

As your name, O God, so your praise reaches to the ends of the earth.

Your right hand is filled with righteousness.

Let Mount Zion be glad.

Let the daughters of Judah rejoice because of your judgments.

Walk about Zion.

Go round her.

Number her towers.

Consider well her ramparts.

Go through her citadels.

That you may tell the next generation that this is God.

Our God forever and ever.

He will guide us forever.

And if we turn to Psalm 87, we'll read through that short psalm as well.

Psalm 87.

Psalm 87.

Psalm 87.

Psalm 87.

Psalm 87.

Psalm 87.

Psalm 87.

Psalm 87.

Psalm 87.

Psalm 87.

On the holy mount stands the city he founded.

The Lord loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwelling places of Jacob.

Glorious things of you are spoken, O city of God.

Among those who know me, I will mention Rahab and Babylon.

Amen.

Behold Philistia and Tyre with Cush.

This one was born there, they say.

And of Zion it shall be said, this one and that one were born in her.

For the Most High himself will establish her.

The Lord records as he registers the people, this one was born there.

Amen.

And may God bless to us these readings of his word.

Let's again join together in prayer.

We give thanks, O Lord our God, as we call upon your name again.

We give thanks that we belong to your church in this world.

We give thanks for the teaching of your word in regard to belonging to your own believing people.

We give thanks today for the many privileges that are ours and for the many promises that your word sets out for those who trust in you.

We thank you today for the opportunity again to worship you together.

And we thank you for the way in which we are able to do so, using the resources that you have given us in your word.

And to call upon you in prayer and to sing your praises.

And to have your word expounded.

Lord, it is our great privilege to be gathered together here today again.

Help us, we pray, to avail ourselves of this opportunity to make maximum use of it.

We thank you, Lord, for the way that you continue to bless us from week to week.

And for your patience with us and your long-suffering toward us.

For the way that you repeatedly bring us before your word.

And bring your word to our minds and laid upon our hearts.

Lord, we come today confessing that we are unworthy of the least of your mercies.

We come confessing our own sins.

Confessing our many failures and shortcomings.

The many ways in which we know we sin against you.

In our very thoughts we sin against you.

We sin against you in the words that we speak from time to time.

In a way that is ill-advised and not in accord with righteousness and truth.

We sin against you in our behavior, in our relationships.

We, Lord, don't have the ability to number the many sins that we commit against you.

As each day and each week and each year goes by.

But we give thanks today that your mercy far exceeds our sins in their greatness or in their number.

We thank you today that your word teaches us that your justice and your mercy reach the clouds.

That they are greater than anything that we ourselves may engage in.

We thank you today for your mercy.

We thank you for your forgiveness of our sins.

For your cleansing by your Holy Spirit.

By your truth of our hearts and lives.

From sin and from the effects of sin.

Help us, we pray, always to come before you conscious that you are the one who calls us into your presence.

That with you there is forgiveness.

So that you may be feared.

That we may revere you.

That we may honor you.

And that we may pay homage to you at all times.

Bless us, we pray today, as a people, as a congregation.

Oh, Lord, we ask that you would give us today your blessing through your Spirit.

To be with us as we gather.

And with those who are unable to gather with us physically.

Bless them where they are.

We ask that you would bless the means that you have given us, Lord.

Of people in their homes.

Being able to share in the services.

And we thank you for those who simply cannot be with us through illness of different kinds.

And, Lord, we ask your blessing for them today.

And as your gospel reaches them, we pray that it may truly be precious once again to them.

We pray for those who are ill at this time.

Remember them, we pray, O Lord, in hospital.

Those at home or those in care homes.

We commit them to you and ask that the care they receive may be blessed to them.

And that we may all be grateful and thankful to you.

For your continuing goodness, Lord, in providing us with so many resources.

We pray today also for those of our number, O Lord, who are not here and not watching online.

We pray for those damaged by the COVID pandemic particularly.

Those who have slipped away from following you, from confessing you,

from being meaningfully part of your gathered church.

Lord, we pray for them today.

We ask that you would recover them.

We pray that your grace, Lord, will be with them.

So as to shield them, to protect them, but to bring them back into your ways, O Lord.

We pray for those who have difficulties of their own health as well today.

Remember those who have issues of mental health.

We commit them to you, Lord, and ask that you'd bless them.

We pray that your word may be precious to them.

And we ask that they may draw their strength from yourself.

We give thanks that you know us so intimately, so perfectly in the workings of our mind and hearts,

in our emotions, in our concerns, in everything to do with us.

O Lord, we give thanks that your knowledge of us is perfect.

And we give thanks that you are able to meet every detail of our need throughout all the circumstances of life.

Remember those today who mourn the passing of loved ones.

Lord, in our communities, we are so conscious that there are families from day to day and week to week

who miss loved ones and who have bereavement to contend with.

We ask that that will be so for those today, Lord, who have these circumstances in their experience.

Bless, we pray, those who tend to our needs at such times.

We give thanks for the undertaker's staff, and we thank you for their own contribution, O Lord, to our well-being.

As we need their services from time to time, we thank you for them and for the provision you have made for us in that.

We thank you, Lord, today that we can call upon you on behalf of many who don't pray for themselves.

And we pray for our world.

We pray for our nation.

We pray for our governments.

We pray for those in authority of different kinds over us,

those who have the task of maintaining law and order.

We pray for our police force.

We pray for our ambulance service.

We pray for all those resources that are this time so stretched and so short-staffed.

And we ask, O Lord, that all the emergency services will know your blessing

and will know your provision to continue to follow them.

And we ask that you'd bless now our gathering here today.

We pray that you'd bless those, O Lord, who were mentioned in our intimations today.

We pray for Dooney.

We give thanks for his time as treasurer.

We pray that you'd uphold him at this time and that he may know your grace, O Lord, for his recovery.

We thank you for that measure of recovery that he already knows.

We pray, too, Lord, for Gordon as he takes over.

We thank you for his willingness to do so.

And we pray for him, not only in that role, but also as a counselor.

And all others who serve in the core of the two.

We pray today for them, Lord, and ask that you'd bless them.

We ask, too, for Ian as he takes on gift aid, treasurer duties.

We pray that you'd bless him, Lord, in that task.

And help him and all of them together as they look after these aspects of the congregation's well-being.

We thank you, Lord, for the generosity of your people.

We pray at this time for those who are facing hard times financially.

Bless those, Lord, facing loss of work.

We pray for those who find the cost of living increased to be such a challenge in their homes and families.

We ask that you'd bless them.

And those who are unemployed and looking for work, we remember them in your presence.

We pray that you'd continue, Lord, to provide for them and to encourage them and to be their portion.

And so, go before us now, we pray.

Look upon us in your mercy and guide us into your truth.

And all for Jesus' sake.

Amen.

Well, we're going to have one more singing before we come to look at Psalm 87.

This singing is from Psalm 132, and as you find it on page 423.

We're singing verses 13 to 18.

For God of Zion hath made choice, there he desires to dwell.

This is my rest, here still I'll stay, for I do like it well.

That food I'll greatly bless, her poor with bread will satisfy.

Her priests I'll clothe with health, her saints shall shout forth joyfully.

Verses 13 to the end of Psalm 132 to God's praise.

For God of Zion hath made choice, there he desires to dwell.

For God of Zion hath made choice, there he desires to dwell.

This is my rest, here still I'll stay, for I do like it well.

How good and great, he bless her poor, with bread will satisfy.

And there will I make day this home.

who'll be nice, there he does, or тысяч would perish.

For God for blessing me, for him that mine amointed is,

A love poured in the light

As with our garment diamond rose

With shameless Henry's own

But yet the crown that he can wear

Upon him flourish shall

Now will you turn with me please back to the book of Psalms and Psalm 87

And looking at this short psalm as we read through it a short time ago

We're just continuing with our short series of studies on Scripture portraits of the church

We've already seen three from one version, 1 Timothy 3.15

And we've seen some of the imagery there, some of the illustrations, if you like, that the Bible uses

To describe God's church

We looked at the church described there as a household

And also as the pillar and buttress of the truth

Looking at the different aspects in which these are important elements of the church's life

And the Bible's illustrations, of course, are always the best for us

I know we try and hopefully get illustrations that we can use in the sermons that we preach

So that hopefully that will help to blend in with the words of Scripture and the message itself

But the Bible's own illustrations are so brilliant

And by far better than any other illustrations you can get to illustrate the truth of God for us

And here we also have an illustration of the church or a portrait of the church

And it's actually a portrait that combines two things

It is a portrait of a city in which God has His dwelling

But there is also an element of, you might say, mothering or motherly care

On the part of the church for those who belong to the church

Because it speaks about those who were born there in Zion

And being born there means being born but looked after by the church herself

In the imagery of her being a mother

Which, of course, as we'll see, takes in our responsibility to look after each other

As those who belong to God's church in this world

So as we look at these images in the psalm

I want to look at just three things to try and bring out the teaching of the psalm in that regard

First of all, this is God's city

On the holy mount stands the city He founded

The Lord loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwelling places of Jacob

Glorious things of you are spoken, O city of God

So the emphasis there, obviously, is on the city

Zion

Zion is often used, the word is used often interchangeably with Jerusalem

Because Mount Zion, outside Jerusalem, where the temple was situated

Sometimes the word Zion, sometimes it's the word Jerusalem

But in the spiritual meaning of them, especially in the book of Psalms and the prophets

They really stand for the people of God in covenant with Him

Not just the place, but the people who gather in that place

Who belong to God as His people

And we saw in our first study that it's so important that we realize the church is people, not buildings

That it's important that the church is comprised of people in covenant with God

And not the buildings in which they meet

Although that's sometimes referred to as the church, of course

So here is the city of God, God's city

Secondly, there's an emphasis, verses 4 to 6

On the mother city of God's children

The place where God's people are nourished, brought up, and nurtured

Just as a mother takes care of her children

So the church is responsible to take care of those who belong to her

And thirdly, you find in verse 7

That it's a city of joy and life

For life and joy

Singers and dancers alike say

All my springs, all my well springs are in you

Let's try and unfold some of the teaching in those three points

First of all, it's the city He founded

Now we sang already in some Psalms of Zion earlier on

And how Zion, despite its small size comparatively

To those enemies that came to attack from time to time

Nevertheless, God looked after his city

God looked after Zion

Zion was very small compared to the likes of Babylon

Or Nineveh or these great cities in the world of these times

But it's mentioned this year

God founded this city on the Holy Mount

In other words, there's a stability about this city

Which is brought out by the fact that it mentions on the Holy Mount

The city of Zion

Zion, a place built upon the mountain

Not just elevated, but also secure in terms of where it is anchored

And of course that spiritualized is really and is proper for us to spiritualize

That's what the Bible does

It reminds us that when God establishes us as a people

He establishes us on a sure foundation

It's not something like we saw with the children

The Tower of Babel

The attempt of human beings by their own ingenuity

To try and provide security for themselves

To try and actually provide a basis for life

On which they could safely build

And that passage and others tell us

You just can't build that for yourself

You need to belong to the city of God

You need to belong to the people that God is anchoring firmly in himself

On the mount that he himself is

The rock that he himself is

And of course you carry the imagery of Zion

As a city

And the church as a city

You carry that forward

Indeed the Bible does it for us

When it speaks of heaven as a city

You go to Revelation

And you find a description there of heaven

Set out in terms of it being a city

And you recall what's said in Hebrews chapter 11

Hebrews 11 · chapter mention

About Abraham especially

And Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob

They traveled about different places

They didn't have a place that they could actually settle in

And this is what it says about Abraham

He dwelt in tents with Isaac and Jacob

Heirs with him of the same promise

What promise?

The promise of a lasting inheritance

For he was looking for a city that has foundations

Whose builder and maker is God

And in that wonderful chapter

Chapter 11

That list

That wonderful logbook if you like

Of those who lived by faith

You come to the middle of the chapter or thereabouts

It tells us that those who

Actually came to know the Lord

They might have had opportunity to return

To go back

But they didn't want to do that

They were looking for a homeland

And so God is not ashamed

To be called their God

For he has provided for them a city

He has made for them

He has created for them a city

When we call God today

Our God

When you call God

My God

You're using covenant language

You're using the language of citizenship

You're using the language of belonging to God's church

And you're looking forward to a city

That has foundations

To heaven

Whose builder and maker is God

And you notice what he says here

The Lord loves the gates of Zion

More than all the dwelling places of Jacob

Now often the gates of a place in the Old Testament

Mean the important center place of that city

It's not just gates in the sense of which

Gates were placed on the walls for security

The gates were often where the council met

Where the important people who took the decisions met

In the city

The gates of Jerusalem

The gates of Zion

Are where the business of the place takes

The business of the place occurs

Where decisions are taken

So it's really saying

The Lord loves the gates of Zion

He loves the people

He loves what's going on in Zion

More than all the dwelling places of Jacob

Because Jacob you see

As we mentioned with Abraham as well

Went from place to place in tents

Dwelling places you could just lift up and take with you

Because they were looking forward to permanence

Looking forward to stability

That would last for them

A city that has foundations

Whose builder and maker is God

And now he's saying

God loves the gates of Zion

Why does he love the gates of Zion

More than all the dwelling places of Jacob

Because he has fulfilled his promise

That he would actually come to speak

Of a place where he would build

A temple would be built for him

Where his people would gather

Where they wouldn't have to go from place to place

Where they would no longer be traveling

Through the wilderness

Where they would be settled in the land of promise

And he loves the gates of Zion

More than the dwelling places of Jacob

Doesn't mean he didn't love the dwelling places of Jacob

But it does mean that

When they settled and built a temple

And worshipped in Zion

God's love was focused upon them

It's a covenant community

In relationship with God

Isn't that such a precious thing for yourself

And for myself

And for ourselves

We shouldn't really be thinking

So much in individual terms

As in the congregational sense

Because as we gather here

We're gathering here as a covenant community

As a people who stand in covenant with God

As baptized members of His church

Most of us at least

And that means that in that covenant

We have with God

God is our God

We can take Him as our God

He delights in being known as our God

And in His love He has provided salvation for us

In Jesus Christ

It says glorious things of you are spoken

O city of God

What glorious things

Well especially those things

That are mentioned then

In the following verses

But glorious things

Are spoken of the church

Because the church's future

Is amazingly glorious

You see all of these enemies

That try to actually deal with Zion

And wipe out Zion

And the same down through the ages

Wiping out the church

If it were possible

Which it isn't

Denominations come and go

But God's church remains

And as long as sun and moon endure

God will have a covenant

People somewhere in the world

Until the end of the world

You see here is Zion

This tiny place

Compared to Babylon

Or the might of the Assyrians

Whatever it was

Whatever

People were attacking her

And yet she survived

Look at the apostles

Look at that small group

Of people gathered

After Jesus' resurrection

Before He ascended to heaven

And then even afterwards

Look at them gathered there

Before the day of Pentecost

Before the Spirit came with power

What are they in number?

They're so small

They're so insignificant

In comparison to the world around them

How were these people

That small group of people

Ever going to produce something

Ever going to be something

Meaningful in that great world?

Well if you look at the history

Of the church

That's something you see

All the way down to the present day

Why is there a church?

What's the reason

The church continues to exist?

What's the reason

Despite all the attempts

To actually do away

With the gospel

And do away with the church

How come it's still there?

How come we still have

A believing people

Left in the world

In covenant with God?

Because God

The Most High

Establishes her

That's why

It's God's church

That's what He said to Peter

Wasn't it?

Matthew 16

I will build

My church

Jesus said

And the gates of hell

Shall not prevail against it

You see using

The gates in the same way

As it's used in the psalm here

The gates of Zion

The gates of hell

The powers of darkness

The powers of enmity

To the gospel

All the different ways

In which the

The thinkings

The intrigues

The plans

The purposes

Of the kingdom of darkness

In which they conspire together

Against the church

And we're still here

We don't take pride

In being here

It's not our

Doing as such

But God has seen to it

That He will establish

His church

Glorious things of you

Are spoken

O city of God

And when you go

And when you go

Into the New Testament

And onto the book of Revelation

And find the imagery

There described

Where heaven is described

As a city

With all this wonderful

Emphasis on

The most precious stones

And gold

And all the rest of it

These are just images

Of something far better

Than diamonds and gold

In themselves

It's the presence of God

Life with God

Salvation

Through Christ

Glorious things

Are spoken

Of the city of God

Aren't you privileged today

To be a citizen of Zion

To be a citizen of the church

To be brought up

Under the teaching

Of the gospel

To be in covenant

With God

And to have these promises

Addressed to you

As believers

But it's also

Secondly

The mother city

Of God's children

You see this

Emphasis from verse 4

Among those who know me

I mention Rahab

And Babylon

Philistia

And Tyre

With Cush

This one was born there

They say

And of Zion

It shall be said

This one

And that one

Were born in her

For the most high

Himself will establish her

The Lord records

As he registers

The people

This one

Was born there

Three times

You have mentioned there

This one was born there

Because Zion is a

Spiritually a place

Of living people

People come to

Spiritual birth

Through belonging

To the church

And even if you

Are outside of the church

Completely

And never belong

To the church

And God starts working

In your life

A person's life

Anybody out there

Today who's never

Been to church

Who's never heard

The gospel

And God comes

Into their life

Well then they're

Joined to the church

They come to belong

To Zion

They come to be a part

Of this covenant

Believing community

You can never separate

The church

And what the church

Is

From rebirth

From being born again

This is what

It takes us to

The New Testament

But

Look at what it's saying

There

Mentioning

Rahab, Babylon,

Philistia, and Tyre

Most of these

Were enemies of Israel

Enemies of the Jewish

People of Zion

And yet it speaks here

Of a great intake

You'll find that

In the prophets

Likes of Isaiah

Isaiah 2 · chapter mention

Chapter 2

Chapter 25

Chapter 56

And of course

In the New Testament

Ephesians

Ephesians 2 · chapter mention

Chapter 2

The death of Jesus

Is the means

By which God

Has brought together

And joined together

Jew and Gentile

Alike

Within the one church

And so important

To the apostles

That there is

Only one church

One believing people

Of God

However many

Denominations

There may be

But there are

There is only

The one believing

People of God

Why was that

Important to the apostles?

It was important

Because

They saw it

That God's

Zion

God's church

Was one

Right through

From the Old Testament

Into the new

And on into eternity

They weren't thinking

Of the church

Of the Old Testament

As a different church

To the church

Of the New Testament

In its essence

They are the people

Of God

And so that's

What remains true

For ourselves

We come today

To be God's

People

In covenant

With himself

And as we do so

We connect with those

Who've gone before us

And that's another

Image that the

New Testament uses

God willing

We'll come to look

At that one too

The image of the church

As a body

The body

Of Christ

The body

That's joined together

Different parts

But all functioning

As one

Well there's the intake

Of the Gentiles

Of which you and I

Ourselves are part

The Gentiles being

All those who are not Jews

Apart from the Jewish people

Everybody else in the world

Were known as the Gentiles

The Gentile world

This is what God had

In his purpose

To bring Gentile

And due together

To be one believing

People in his name

And of course

The emphasis

In the New Testament

Of being born again

You see how it's

Mentioning here

The register

That God keeps

The Lord records

As he registers

The people

This one was born there

Where?

In Zion

They belong to his church

And it's interesting

Isn't it

That there's an emphasis

There on the people

Together

Congregationally

Corporately

The totality

If you like

Of the people

And yet

There's also

This wonderful emphasis

Individually

The Lord records

As he registers

The people

This one

And that one

Was born there

Because when you come

To be born again

And when the Lord

Takes note

Of your spiritual rebirth

That he brings about

And when as it were

He records

Your birth certificate

In his register

In heaven

You're there

As an individual

It belongs

To this larger group

In other words

God is actually saying

That each one

That is born

Is precious to him

It's pastorally

Significant

To God himself

Because it means

Every single one

Of these individuals

Born in Zion

Are precious to him

And have his full attention

They have his care

And full attention

As he actually records

That they are his people

That they belong to him

That they are the born

Children

Of Zion

You know

One of the things

That I

Fail to appreciate

Myself

Is the

Relevance

And importance

And the privilege

Of belonging

To the church

Of belonging

To God's people

In this world

Of having my place

Amongst those people

Of whom this is said

And other things

Are said

We sometimes

You know

Find it all too easy

Just to have

A criticism

Of the church

And that's sometimes

Very rightly the case

Because we all need

Sometimes

To be criticized

And to find fault

With us

But what a huge

Privilege it is today

For you and for me

To belong

To this people

To be a citizen

Of Zion

To be born

In the church

Of God

To be looked

After by God

To have God's

Full attention

As he brings up

His children

Spiritually

For himself

And

That image

Of the church

Is so important

For ourselves

Because

It's not just

A case of

Looking at

An image

When you go

To the New Testament

And when you go

To a passage

Like

Colossians chapter 3

Colossians 3:12

Verse 12

This is really

What it comes to

When you find

Zion

Being

The place

Or the people

In which we are

Nurtured and nourished

Spiritually

Remember how

Paul there writes

As follows

Put on then

As God's chosen ones

Holy and beloved

Compassion

Kindness

Humility

Meekness

And patience

Bearing with one another

And if one has a complaint

Against another

Forgiving each other

As the Lord

Has forgiven you

So you also

Must forgive

And above all these

Put on love

Which binds

Everything together

In perfect harmony

And let the peace

Of Christ

Rule in your hearts

To which indeed

You are called

In one body

And be

Thankful

You see there is

The church looking after

Looking after

Its own members

Looking after

Those who belong

As children

To the church

How they look out

For each other

How they actually

Remember each other

How they help each other

How they forgive each other

How they deal with

One another

On the pattern

Of how God

Has dealt with them

How we all feel in this

We all have to accept

That we don't measure up

As we should

To these great words

But it's our privilege

Nevertheless

To be here

In order to try

And as far as possible

Do that

And be the church of God

And show ourselves

To

To

To be

In the privileged position

Of being Zion's children

Of whom glorious things

Are said

The church

To put it another way

Ought to be

A safe place

People think nowadays

And speak nowadays

Of having a safe place

Having a place

Where they find safety

Whether it's mental health issues

Spiritual issues

Physical issues

Relationship issues

Whatever

But the church

Must be a safe place

And we must project

That it is a safe place

A place where people

Will have

Their own situation

Dealt with

Honestly

Seriously

Lovingly

Tactfully

Patiently

All those things

This is

The mothering qualities

Of Zion

Of the people of God

Together

As we seek to

Grow

In being nourished

Through God's truth

And thirdly

It's a city

Of life

And joy

He says here

In verse 7

Singers and dancers

Alike

Say

All my springs

Are in with you

There's a picture

Of that

Part of the imagery

It's a picture

Of a joyous

Celebration

Of life

Talks there

About wellsprings

All my wellsprings

Are in you

Just like you find

A spring

Or a fountain

Bubbling up

Through the ground

And providing

It's refreshing water

So

David is saying

So

The psalmist

Is saying

This is how it is

With the church

All my wellsprings

Are in you

What does he mean

By that?

Well he means

That God

Actually provides

The water

Of life

For us

But it comes

To us

Via his church

It comes to us

Through his word

Through his word

Preached

Through his word

Read

Through his word

Sung

And through the

Sacraments of

Baptism

And the Lord's

Supper

The springs

If you like

Situated in the church

Through which God

Brings nourishment

To our souls

And here is

The psalmist's

Confession

All my

Wellsprings

Are in you

Singers and

Dancers alike

Say this

Doesn't mean that

Stornway Free Church

Is going to introduce

Dancing

Into its

Services

This is just

An imagery

Of great

And wonderful

Celebration

Singers and

Dancers together

As they celebrate

Something that is

Really meaningful

And express

Such great joy

Well he's saying

This is what

Characterizes

Zion

This is what must

Characterize the church

It is a place

Of great joy

A place where there's

Vibrancy of life

As God

Fuels or

Provides

The streams

Of blessing

The streams

Of life

Through the church

Through the

Ordinances he's

Given to his church

And of course we come

This Lord's

Day to remember

That God willing

Another communion

Is anticipated

Next Lord's Day

So here we are

Today

At one of the

Wellsprings

In the gospel

In the word

Preached

And here we are

Looking forward

Next week

To another one

At the Lord's

Supper

Along with the word

May we say

With the psalmist

All my wellsprings

Are in you

The church I belong to

The church of Christ

The church of God

May our mind be

Truly set

Believingly

And longingly

Upon God

Blessing

These wellsprings

To us

On us

Drawing the water

From these great

Wells of salvation

That through the church

Come to be enjoyed

By God's people

You remember

The woman of Samaria

In John chapter 4

John 4 · chapter mention

Sitting there

By the well

And the Lord

Comes along

Enders into

Conversation with her

As only he could

And eventually

Draws her to the point

Where he says to her

When she mentioned

The Messiah

The Savior

I who am speaking

To you

I am he

And in the conversation

She said

Lord give me more

Of this water

So that I don't need

To come here

To draw water anymore

She didn't quite follow

What he was saying

At that point

And he said to her

Whoever drinks

Of this water

That's the water

Of this well

This literal water

Whoever drinks

Of this water

Shall thirst again

But whoever drinks

Of the water

That I shall give him

Shall never thirst

But it will be in him

A spring of water

Welling up

To eternal life

I've mentioned

Many times already

A place that's

Quite precious to myself

A spring of water

Bubbling up

Through the sands

Down at Airtongue

Where I was brought up

There last week

In fact

Went down just again

To see it

Despite the fact

That for generations

The sea has been

Coming in

To cover that

Little spring of water

Covers it up

And then the sea

Goes out again

And still that water

Keeps bubbling up

And it's like that

In your soul

As a Christian today

When you're in

Covenant with Jesus

When you're born again

When your life

Is secure in him

Whatever things

Wash over your life

From time to time

And let's face it

There are many people

Here who know

Better than I do

Of the sheer difficulties

And challenges of life

But whatever water

Wash over you

To cause distress

And trauma

And pain

And challenge

You will always find

Where God places

Spiritual life

That it cannot

Be extinguished

It keeps welling up

And I'm sure

Most if not all

Of you today

Are thankful

In some regard

For that

In some way or other

That you can say

Of your life

Lord

I'm so thankful

That when things

Were critical for me

And when I faced

A challenge

That was far greater

Than I could cope

With myself

Your spring of water

Kept flowing

Your spring of life

In my soul

Kept bubbling up

Kept feeding me

Kept me in life

All my wellsprings

Are in you

The psalmist

Is saying

Now you have been

Sitting

By a well

Today

Where the water

Of life

Is placed

By God

You've been sitting

At the well

Of the gospel

You've been sitting

Beside

One of the

Wonderful provisions

Of God

One of these

Wellsprings

That he has placed

In his church

But it's one thing

To be sitting

Near the well

That's another thing

To drink of it

And I hope today

That no one here

Has left this building

Without drinking

Of Christ

Without drinking

These precious waters

These wellsprings

In the gospel

That he's placed

In the church

That's why we're here

That's what it means

To us

To belong to the church

It's where God

Flows life

Into our souls

And you notice

That the title

Of the song

The title of the psalm

Is simply

A psalm

Of the sons

Of Korah

And then it says

A song

Very simple

But very profoundly

Important

Because all the

Great truths

That we have

In this psalm

The great truths

About God's city

God's church

Being a city

Well founded

Well placed

And situated

And stable

The great truths

Of the church

Being a place

Where people

Are nourished

Spiritually

In the gospel

There's great truths

About a place

Of joy

And of

Vibrancy

Of life

God is saying

That's for you

To sing about

That's for you

To channel

Into your praises

Of God

Because that's why

It's here called

A song

And as we come

In a few moments

To our final singing

Today

To conclude

This service

Sing

Of the privilege

Of the privilege

Of belonging

To the church

Doesn't matter

What you might say

Your quality of voice

Is

Or even if you think

You don't have a voice

At all

Of any

Of any quality

Sing it

Let it out

Make sure

God hears you

Singing

Of what it means

To you

To belong

To God's church

To God's city

To God's mother city

To God's place

Of joy

And celebration

Of life

May God bless

His word to us

Once again

We're singing now

In conclusion

From Psalm 46

Psalm 46a

In the Sing Psalms

Version of Psalm 46

That's on page 59

Verses 4 to 7

A river flows

Whose streams

Delight the city

Of our God

The holy place

In which the Lord

Most High

Has his abode

God is within

His holy place

The city will not yield

For God will come

At break of day

To be her help

And shield

On to verse 7

The Lord Almighty

Is with us

To strengthen

And sustain

For Jacob's God

Our strong defence

And fortress

Will remain

These verses

Then in conclusion

Again we stand

To sing

A river

Close to

Saints

Delight

The city

The city of the God

The holy place

In which the Lord

Most high

Hath is upon

God is within

God is within

His holy place

The city

Will not yield

For God will come

The kingdom's day

To be her help

To be her help

And shield

The nations are in disarray

The kingdom's day

The kingdom's day

The kingdom's disappear

God speaks

The kingdom's day

The kingdom's day

The kingdom's day

The kingdom's day

God is within

The kingdom's day

Lord Almighty

The kingdom's day

The kingdom's day

The kingdom's day

The kingdom's day

The kingdom's day

The kingdom's day

For Jacob's day

The kingdom's day

The kingdom's day

The kingdom's day

The kingdom's day

And fortress

Will remain

After the benediction

I'll go to the main door

This morning

Now may the grace

Of the Lord Jesus Christ

The love of God the Father

And the communion

Of the Holy Spirit

Be with you now

And evermore

Amen

Amen

Amen

Amen

Amen

Amen

Amen

Thank you.