Summer Playlist, July 23
Summer Playlist Vol 2: A Pilgrims Soundtrack
Psalm 121
July 23th, 2023
Who makes pilgrimages? Pilgrims do.
What is a pilgrim? Someone who travels to a sacred place for religious purposes.
Hebrews 11:1-13 (NIV) Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. 2 This is what the ancients were commended for. [Commended for what? Moving forward into the daily unknown with forward walking faith] 3 By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.4 By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead. 5 By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away.” For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. 6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
7 By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith. 8 By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. 9 By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. 11 And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she considered him faithful who had made the promise. 12 And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.
13 All these people were still living by faith [they stayed true to the path] when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them [they can be seen in part] and welcomed them from a distance [the joy of a promise can come before the outcome of the promise], admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. [This place wasn’t their home, they were just passing through] 14 People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. 15 If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.
The 2 Faceted Pilgrimage.
1) Physical Pilgrimage: They recognized that this place wasn’t their home. Their home was being prepared for them in heaven.
2) Spiritual Pilgrimage: They were continually being shaped into the people God had intended – the NT saints would have understood this to mean being shaped into the image of Christ, followers of the Way.
Our 2 Faceted Pilgrimage
1) This place is not your home – don’t get too attached or too despondent of its current condition.
2) We are growing as we are going. Each new day, each new obstacle, each new victory all have the opportunity to shape us into the image of Christ.
Psalm 121
1 I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? 2 My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. 3 He will not let your foot slip— he who watches over you will not slumber; 4 indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. 5 The Lord watches over you— the Lord is your shade at your right hand; 6 the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. 7 The Lord will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life; 8 the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.
Pilgrimage
A. Eyes Up to YHWY our Sovereign Creator
1 I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? 2 My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.
What are the consequences of not believing in YWHY as Lord? Other than the obvious, consider these 4 things.
If there is no God then there is no order.
If there is no order than everything is random/chance, including yourself.
If everything is random/chance there can be no life purpose.
If there is no order and no purpose than we just eat, drink and then we die.
No wonder so many people live without hope.
Sovereign = independent, autonomous, self-governing, free, self-determining, supreme, dominant, ascendant, predominate, absolute
Pilgrimage
B. YHWY is our Guardian
3 He will not let your foot slip— he who watches over you will not slumber; 4 indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. 5 The Lord watches over you— the Lord is your shade at your right hand; 6 the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.
Pilgrimage
C. YHWY is our Preserver
7 The Lord will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life; 8 the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.
Benediction
“May the Lord bless you and keep you. May He make His face shine on you, be gracious to you, turn His countenance to you and grant you peace” Numbers 6:24-26.
+ “in your rising up and your lying down. In your going out and coming in both now and forever more.” Various Psalms
Where are going? How are you going?
I don’t want to live feeling helpless, I want to live with courage and confidence and I can because – He’s sovereign.
I don’t want to live lost, wandering about, I want to live on purpose and under His protection and I can because HE is my Guardian.
I don’t want to live drained and afraid of what tomorrow might hold and I can because He preserves and sustains me.