Unity among God’s people is precious! – Psalm 133:1-3
Unity among God’s people is precious! – Psalm 133:1-3
By Pastor Lee Hemen
March 22, 2020
There is nothing better than seeing a family that loves one another. As I was at the local park last summer I watched as a young family came down to the park to play. It was precious to see them play, laugh, and just be a family. In a world where we are now being encouraged to distance ourselves socially because of COVID-19 and some because they can’t seem to live without their online social networking it is good to experience the unity among God’s people and just how precious it is.
David as Israel’s king I am sure often felt cut off from being able to just be himself. Like our President who gets negative response no matter what he seems to do, David felt the isolation of his office as Israel’s king. Yet in the midst of his loneliness and isolation he knew that unity among God’s people is precious! Let see what David wrote…
READ: Psalm 133:1-3
As we face the days ahead as a church with what is going on and in looking for a new pastor it is good to remind ourselves…
I. We have the goodness of unity! (v. 1)
A song of ascents. Of David. How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!
1. I am truly saddened not to be physically able to be with you all at church. There is something truly special about God’s people coming together in worship that is uplifting and inspiring. And during these times it is also calming and comforting. The Hebrews loved to sing songs (Psalms) as they ascended or walked up the hill to the temple in order to worship together. This is why this Psalm of David is called “A Song of Ascents” because it is one they would later sing as they went to worship. Can you imagine the impact this has on God’s people and how it would help them focus on what they were doing? It is one reason I truly enjoy singing on Sundays during worship! I like to hear God’s people praising him through music because the sheer joy one is experiencing comes out in our singing. From Moses on we see God’s people encouraged to “sing to the Lord”! And notice that David cannot help himself when he is in the presence of God’s people walking up to worship their God together! He just has to sing out loud: “How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!” This is why it is such a joy for me to be with you all on Sunday mornings and even if we are separated because of a viral threat we are still together singing the praises of the Lord! David exclaimed how wonderful it is for believers to dwell together in unity. And it is. Nothing is sweeter than God’s people coming together to do his work and will or to praise him in his house! How good it is indeed! Never forget during these times because of who we are we have the goodness of unity!
EXAMPLE: Did you know that many biblical scholars think that Paul’s words in Philippians 2:1-11 are actually the words to an early hymn he wrote that was sung in the early church. There is strong evidence to suggest that this is true. Paul begins this hymn by singing: “If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. (Philippians 2:1-2 NIV)” Like David, Paul saw that as God’s people we have the goodness of unity!
Let us not grow weary because we have to be apart for a small amount of time but rather let’s focus on the joy that will be ours when we are together again! In fact, we learn from David that…
II. We have the example of unity! (v. 2)
It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron's beard, down upon the collar of his robes.
1. How would you describe the blessings of God in your life? For each us we may say similar things like family, relationships, church, Jesus, grandkids, or such but while each is similar sounding each is different for each one of us. The reason is simple: We are different people with different experiences, families, and such yet we share a commonality of being blessed. David describes them “like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron’s beard, down upon the collar of his robes.” The blessings God pours into our lives. Whether it is finding solace in a walk, the comfort of a pet, or the joy of family or friends each of these are the “precious oils” God pours into our lives for us to enjoy. Sadly, some of us may only see it as an oily mess but we should not! The people, the things, the moments you have right now are a blessing from God. Each one is precious and should be totally enjoyed for what it is. A messy child brings a smile to our face. A dog that does messy things brings laughter. Why then should we not enjoy even the messy moments of life that occur? Even these can bring joy if we like James remind ourselves to “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. (James 1:2-3 NIV)” David’s Psalm reminds us we have the example of unity!
EXAMPLE: Whether we are apart or together we are still part of the body of Christ right here at GBC. When I am away from my family for whatever reason I know I am still part of their lives. We are still family. And it is true with our church as well. For David being with God’s people was like precious expensive oil that was poured out onto a person’s head to express just how much they were loved. Our precious oil is found in one another as we pour ourselves out as a fragrant offering into each other’s lives. And it is here in David’s words we have the example of unity!
III. We have unity with the Lord! (v.3)
It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the LORD bestows his blessing, even life forevermore.
1. Here in the Northwest we have large mountains. Some even keep their snow throughout the summer and have skiing year around! One of my favorite mountains is Mt. Rainer. It is not only beautiful it is huge! I never fully appreciated just how large it was until I was on a Navy vessel off the Washington coast and Mt. Rainer seemed to rise up out of the ocean the closer we got to land! For the Hebrews, Mt. Hermon was a majestic sight that could be seen from just about anywhere within Israel. While not tall compared to our mountains here in the Northwest it was special to them! The rain, snow, and even the morning fog or low clouds collected on its flanks and fed the streams of Israel and the surrounding area. Water was precious for crops and for drinking. So the blessings of God as seen in “the dew of Hermon [as it was] falling on Mt. Zion” where the temple of God was built! Like the heavy dew God’s blessings surrounded and fell on God’s people! David understood what his symbolism meant. He wanted others to experience the joy of God, “For there the LORD bestows his blessing, even life forevermore.” As believers we enjoy to “dew” of the Lord always! It falls on us daily no matter how we feel about our situation. Viruses, national politics, or even panicky people should not dissuade us in trusting in him and seeing his blessings in our lives. Just as the dew of Hermon was heavy and symbolized what was freshening and invigorating in life, the refreshing influence of worshiping together as God’s people on the Hebrew nation was similar to the dew on dry vegetation! What a fitting symbol of the Lord’s blessing on his people! Take heart dear child of God, we have unity with the Lord!
EXAMPLE: As I have stated before as individuals we may not always agree on everything but we are in total unity because of our faith in Jesus. We are unified in Christ whether we are apart or together. As we face the coming days looking for a pastor, getting through these troubled times, we are united in him who loves us more than we can imagine. I want to leave you with the comforting words of Paul: “For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen. (Ephesians 3:14-21 NIV)” We have unity with the Lord!
Conclusion:
We have the goodness of unity! We have the example of unity! We have unity with the Lord!
---
This article is copyrighted © 2020 by Lee Hemen and is the sole property of Lee Hemen, and may not be used unless you quote the entire article and have my permission.
By Pastor Lee Hemen
March 22, 2020
There is nothing better than seeing a family that loves one another. As I was at the local park last summer I watched as a young family came down to the park to play. It was precious to see them play, laugh, and just be a family. In a world where we are now being encouraged to distance ourselves socially because of COVID-19 and some because they can’t seem to live without their online social networking it is good to experience the unity among God’s people and just how precious it is.
David as Israel’s king I am sure often felt cut off from being able to just be himself. Like our President who gets negative response no matter what he seems to do, David felt the isolation of his office as Israel’s king. Yet in the midst of his loneliness and isolation he knew that unity among God’s people is precious! Let see what David wrote…
READ: Psalm 133:1-3
As we face the days ahead as a church with what is going on and in looking for a new pastor it is good to remind ourselves…
I. We have the goodness of unity! (v. 1)
A song of ascents. Of David. How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!
1. I am truly saddened not to be physically able to be with you all at church. There is something truly special about God’s people coming together in worship that is uplifting and inspiring. And during these times it is also calming and comforting. The Hebrews loved to sing songs (Psalms) as they ascended or walked up the hill to the temple in order to worship together. This is why this Psalm of David is called “A Song of Ascents” because it is one they would later sing as they went to worship. Can you imagine the impact this has on God’s people and how it would help them focus on what they were doing? It is one reason I truly enjoy singing on Sundays during worship! I like to hear God’s people praising him through music because the sheer joy one is experiencing comes out in our singing. From Moses on we see God’s people encouraged to “sing to the Lord”! And notice that David cannot help himself when he is in the presence of God’s people walking up to worship their God together! He just has to sing out loud: “How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!” This is why it is such a joy for me to be with you all on Sunday mornings and even if we are separated because of a viral threat we are still together singing the praises of the Lord! David exclaimed how wonderful it is for believers to dwell together in unity. And it is. Nothing is sweeter than God’s people coming together to do his work and will or to praise him in his house! How good it is indeed! Never forget during these times because of who we are we have the goodness of unity!
EXAMPLE: Did you know that many biblical scholars think that Paul’s words in Philippians 2:1-11 are actually the words to an early hymn he wrote that was sung in the early church. There is strong evidence to suggest that this is true. Paul begins this hymn by singing: “If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. (Philippians 2:1-2 NIV)” Like David, Paul saw that as God’s people we have the goodness of unity!
Let us not grow weary because we have to be apart for a small amount of time but rather let’s focus on the joy that will be ours when we are together again! In fact, we learn from David that…
II. We have the example of unity! (v. 2)
It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron's beard, down upon the collar of his robes.
1. How would you describe the blessings of God in your life? For each us we may say similar things like family, relationships, church, Jesus, grandkids, or such but while each is similar sounding each is different for each one of us. The reason is simple: We are different people with different experiences, families, and such yet we share a commonality of being blessed. David describes them “like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron’s beard, down upon the collar of his robes.” The blessings God pours into our lives. Whether it is finding solace in a walk, the comfort of a pet, or the joy of family or friends each of these are the “precious oils” God pours into our lives for us to enjoy. Sadly, some of us may only see it as an oily mess but we should not! The people, the things, the moments you have right now are a blessing from God. Each one is precious and should be totally enjoyed for what it is. A messy child brings a smile to our face. A dog that does messy things brings laughter. Why then should we not enjoy even the messy moments of life that occur? Even these can bring joy if we like James remind ourselves to “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. (James 1:2-3 NIV)” David’s Psalm reminds us we have the example of unity!
EXAMPLE: Whether we are apart or together we are still part of the body of Christ right here at GBC. When I am away from my family for whatever reason I know I am still part of their lives. We are still family. And it is true with our church as well. For David being with God’s people was like precious expensive oil that was poured out onto a person’s head to express just how much they were loved. Our precious oil is found in one another as we pour ourselves out as a fragrant offering into each other’s lives. And it is here in David’s words we have the example of unity!
III. We have unity with the Lord! (v.3)
It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the LORD bestows his blessing, even life forevermore.
1. Here in the Northwest we have large mountains. Some even keep their snow throughout the summer and have skiing year around! One of my favorite mountains is Mt. Rainer. It is not only beautiful it is huge! I never fully appreciated just how large it was until I was on a Navy vessel off the Washington coast and Mt. Rainer seemed to rise up out of the ocean the closer we got to land! For the Hebrews, Mt. Hermon was a majestic sight that could be seen from just about anywhere within Israel. While not tall compared to our mountains here in the Northwest it was special to them! The rain, snow, and even the morning fog or low clouds collected on its flanks and fed the streams of Israel and the surrounding area. Water was precious for crops and for drinking. So the blessings of God as seen in “the dew of Hermon [as it was] falling on Mt. Zion” where the temple of God was built! Like the heavy dew God’s blessings surrounded and fell on God’s people! David understood what his symbolism meant. He wanted others to experience the joy of God, “For there the LORD bestows his blessing, even life forevermore.” As believers we enjoy to “dew” of the Lord always! It falls on us daily no matter how we feel about our situation. Viruses, national politics, or even panicky people should not dissuade us in trusting in him and seeing his blessings in our lives. Just as the dew of Hermon was heavy and symbolized what was freshening and invigorating in life, the refreshing influence of worshiping together as God’s people on the Hebrew nation was similar to the dew on dry vegetation! What a fitting symbol of the Lord’s blessing on his people! Take heart dear child of God, we have unity with the Lord!
EXAMPLE: As I have stated before as individuals we may not always agree on everything but we are in total unity because of our faith in Jesus. We are unified in Christ whether we are apart or together. As we face the coming days looking for a pastor, getting through these troubled times, we are united in him who loves us more than we can imagine. I want to leave you with the comforting words of Paul: “For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen. (Ephesians 3:14-21 NIV)” We have unity with the Lord!
Conclusion:
We have the goodness of unity! We have the example of unity! We have unity with the Lord!
---
This article is copyrighted © 2020 by Lee Hemen and is the sole property of Lee Hemen, and may not be used unless you quote the entire article and have my permission.
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