well tonight i invite you to turn to psalm 92 i asked this morning for some feedback as to what to do that was a bad idea it's a really bad idea i had everyone tell me every every other thing so i'm going to give it to the elders how about that and we'll see what they say but if it goes as planned we'll be starting a new series next sunday night and maybe um well i'm leaning toward bringing together the catechism with romans so we'll see but psalm 92 tonight and uh we'll be giving our attention to this i always think it's important to constantly be reminded of this great blessing in our lives because it is not one that is easily appreciated and we'll be looking at this from psalm 92 tonight found on page 589 let's give our attention to the word of the lord a psalm a song for the sabbath it is good to give thanks to the lord to sing praises to your name oh most high to declare your steadfast love in the morning and your faithfulness by night to the music of the lute and the harp to the melody of the lyre for you oh lord have made me glad by your work at the works of your hands i sing for joy how great are your works o lord your thoughts are very deep the stupid man cannot know the fool cannot understand this that though the wicked sprout like grass and all evildoers flourish they are doomed to destruction forever but you o lord are on high forever for behold your enemies o lord for behold your enemy shall perish all evildoers shall be scattered but you've exalted my horn like that of the wild ox. You have poured over me fresh oil. My eyes have seen the downfall of my enemies. My ears have heard the doom of my evil assailants. The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree and grow like a cedar in Lebanon. They are planted in the house of the Lord. They flourish in the courts of our God. They still bear fruit in old age. They are ever full of sap and green to declare that the lord is upright he is my rock and there is no unrighteousness in him may the lord bless the hearing of his word tonight well why has there always been such a cloud over this issue of the sabbath day and why has this always been such a debate an argument among christians as to whether it should be kept why do we even hear the word sabbath and get a little bit anxious maybe at times for some christians as if that's a bad word and we should just use lord's day why sabbath why is that there's so much uneasiness with the word sabbath and why so much at times agitation over the call to honor this great command of the fourth commandment especially because the whole day is meant to be a blessing to us the whole day was intended to be a blessing to us understanding sunday as the christian sabbath and set apart to the lord is really kind of foreign to christians in our time foreign to christians in america at least i won't get into the eric little story which i usually tell on the sabbath the sabbath is not a day for running and i could have said last week the sabbath is not a day for football but this is exactly the environment that we're in and we have suffered for it we have suffered for this probably in ways that would surprise us if we really could see there was no practice of sabbath in egypt you realize when they were in bondage they got free from it they didn't have to honor the sabbath pharaoh was in command the lord breaks their bondage and he immediately before the law is given in exodus 20 tests them in the wilderness with regard to the sabbath about picking up food on the sabbath to test them to see what was in their hearts to test them whether they would live by the word of the lord to test them whether they would rest and the lord was teaching them something important he was teaching them to trust him he's teaching them that he would care for them he was teaching them to stop which is what sabbath meant meant cease for a bit and rest why such a burden why such a burden um you know how the typical jewish sabbath was observed this is how the typical jewish sabbath was observed and you'll notice here um the talmud describes the typical jewish practice they viewed the sabbath as a beautiful bride that would be greeted every week with joy they would speak of the sabbath as a she she is coming they said in fact in one of their prayers here's one of the prayers of the jewish sabbath come let us welcome the sabbath in joy and peace like a bride radiant and joyous comes the sabbath it brings blessings to our hearts workday thoughts and cares are put aside the brightness of the sabbath light shines forth to tell us that love abides within our homes in that light all our blessings are enriched our griefs and trials are softened they would have um sabbath blessings pronounced four of them then a sabbath meal was shared they would have prayer services they would even have a ceremony that would say goodbye to the sabbath called the havdalah the separation we're we're leaving the sabbath today and it was a sad time for them it was celebrated at nightfall blessings over wine spices they would light the havdalah candle everyone would depart to their homes and they would say shuvua tov a good week a good week to you the sabbath was about festive rest and it was about enjoyment of god that's how they understood it we're not getting into the abuses of what the pharisees did to it tonight which is where typically we get all hung up but notice tonight in the psalm we have the only psalm that has a superscription like this that says this is a psalm for the sabbath this is a psalm specifically designated to be sung on the sabbath it's the only one and then what follows is a great description of what the blessing of the day should be like for us and that's my great purpose tonight is to encourage us on what this day should be like for us if someone pressed me said well where do you find this command to gather in the evening on the sabbath i might come to psalm 92 for it speaks of it especially when it's designated this way as a psalm to end the sabbath a psalm to end the day of rest that the lord has given to us and that's how we begin tonight with the psalm where it begins notice the celebration that it begins with the happiness that it calls us to enjoy it begins by saying it is good to give thanks to the lord to sing praises to your name almost high to declare your steadfast love in the morning and your faithfulness every night by night the old covenant sabbath we know took place on the seventh day which was of course we know they celebrated on saturday throughout the new covenant what we see is this same sabbath principle at work where the new testament church was gathering together on the first day of the week the day meaning the same principle of ceasing or desisting desist desist and it was celebrated because of it being the day of resurrection so that we began our weeks not ending our weeks with the good news we begin our weeks resting we begin the first day of the week resting that's a message they found to be very important in the new covenant that because of the resurrection we begin with rest now now some might say well where do you find that it's precisely in the new testament and i think it's interesting to me at least that in Matthew 26 we read after the Sabbath on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene and Mary the other Mary went to the tomb well week really isn't the best translation there they really don't have the Greek word for week it actually reads literally after the Sabbath on the dawn of the first of the Sabbaths so you can at least say they called it the first of the sabbath that's how it literally reads in the original the psalm here is describing the blessing of worshiping the lord on the sabbath it's never something that was lost or replaced in the new covenant it's not as if coming before our maker was now something we would be freed from this whole day was to be set apart to the lord this whole day was to stop and to cease and to think and to praise and to acknowledge the Lord it was notice the psalmist's attitude here to it which is the real hurdle in overcoming this great issue his attitude to this to this great issue a song for the sabbath his attitude was it was precious to him he loved it he loved to be in the lord's house singing his praises singing is important notice verse 13 they flourish where in the courts of our god in the courts of the lord that's speaking of the saints coming together as a people and worshiping the lord and enjoying the lord hearing him speak the word of life to them to do as the psalmist says to declare god's loving kindness in the morning and his faithfulness at night so if it is to be a song for the sabbath and you applied that to what is said here they began the sabbath day by celebrating the lord's loving kindness his covenant faithfulness there was a um a reason that the old puritans used to view sleep like death as death you when you sleep every night you sort of go into this tomb of death they used to speak of and in these contexts in their lives you never knew because of disease and sickness and difficulty whether you'd awake in the morning every day isn't this precious every day here's how the lord gives you a new beginning in life every single day it's a brand new beginning do you look at life that way previous day may have been awful the previous day may have been full of sin the previous day may have been full of misery hard decisions guilt and and and and every day when you get up in the morning it's a brand new beginning that'll really refresh how you look at life that was one of the ways they looked at life but think of this now every sabbath we are awakened to be reminded of our eternal rest that was the purpose of the sabbath we're awakened to be reminded of our eternal rest and that leads to celebration the psalmist says we celebrate the covenant love the covenant faithfulness of the lord and then at night as we close out this great day we conclude that day by celebrating his faithfulness to us because on that day of rest we were fed manna from heaven on that day of rest our hearts were cheered from all the burdens of life on that day of rest we were given freedom and release on that day of rest we experienced great blessings from the lord and at night we came together to celebrate that faithfulness as families and as gathering as god's people we were given manna this all anticipated the eternal rest to come it's just true that in life everyone's searching for the meaning of life and everyone's searching for happiness in life and we try to fill that with many different things. We have all these things in society that people try to do to fill the void that is in their hearts, the void that is in their lives, that deep down in their hearts they can't find an answer. And we find here that the psalmist is describing it for us. I found true happiness in life. I found true joy. I have found what ultimately satisfies my life. The psalmist has found it, and he speaks of it especially in reference to coming to the house of the Lord. Notice, it is good to sing your praises. Good doesn't really convey it. It's delightful. It's splendid, he says. It's a splendid experience of life to be able to give thanks to your name, O Most High. And to know that God receives that. It's precious. It's the most fulfilling, the most delightful, the most splendid, the most precious thing that I could do in life. People ask me often, what can or can I do on the Sabbath? And that certainly has a place. That certainly there is instruction to be given for that. But I think the place we should begin is it should be a day of praise. it should be a day of praise it should be a day of reflection it should be a day of resting ceasing from the normal activities of life that burden us that trouble us that confuse us that cause great anxieties in life a day of enjoying god it's a day of getting outside of ourselves maybe if you're a little bit like me what i end up doing when i'm alone and in my weeks is i navel gaze i'm always looking at problems and i'm always looking at me and this is a day of getting outside of oneself you need that and here we're getting at the end for which we were created it'd be a terrible thing to go through life not knowing what your purpose is in life what meaning of life is what is the value of life what am i doing with my life does my life have real meaning and purpose the psalmist is confessing the great truth really of the Westminster that especially I get to fulfill that great end I get to fulfill that great purpose of enjoying God and glorifying him on the Sabbath day it satisfies every need of the human heart It fills every longing. It fills the emptiness and void that's there. And the answer to the question is here, that the psalmist is magnifying the Lord. The psalmist is praising the Lord. But I want you tonight to look at the day differently with me. I want you to say with the psalmist every Saturday as you're anticipating the coming day of the Lord, to think about here what the psalmist says, how lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord. My soul longs, yes, thirsts for the courts of the Lord. One of the special things about Psalm 92 that you'll notice here is how much the psalm celebrates the works of God's hand. For you, O Lord, verse 4, have made me glad by your work. Think about that. We're resting to enjoy his work. Have you looked at it that way? The one who is working. This is what Jesus said. My father and I are working. We're resting to enjoy the works of his hands. At the works of your hands, I sing for joy. It's a beautiful thought that one of the things that we rarely do in this life, and you have to tell the new generation, close the screen, just go outside, and remember there's a sky up there. Did you know that? and there's all sorts of clouds up there well not in southern california there's beauty all around you god's works are all before you and and he's celebrating the works of the lord in creation and you think of the providence and in salvation the psalmist is reflecting on these things think of something like isaiah 40 have you not known have you not heard has it not been told you from the beginning have you not understood from the foundations of the world It's he who sits above the circle of the earth. All its inhabitants are like grasshoppers. He stretches out the heavens like a curtain and spreads them out like a tent to dwell in. To whom then will you liken me? Or to whom shall I be equal, says the Lord? Lift up your eyes on high and see who's created everything. Who brings out their hosts by number and calls them by name by the greatness of his might and the strength of his power not one is missing i think one of the great things we can do on the sabbath is look at the creation around us look at the power of god's hand upholding all of this remember in all this world of worry and fret and rulers and kingdoms and and anxiety the works of the lord are set in front of you a little tilt of your earth or think think of all the things that could happen that could go wrong in the world how he upholds it all in his hand what a reason to praise him the psalmist is thinking deeply about the works of the lord and that there really is is is no real reflection in life until i consider him god has put eternity in our hearts and there's this sense think of this great truth the work of salvation that he's done for us writing it on our conscience what is right and what is wrong nobody is truly settled in life with happiness until you know you're redeemed from your sins you're saved god does a marvelous thing like he did this morning you know what did he do this morning he cleared away all the worries of life and he called us to himself and what did he say my kingdom is near my kingdom has come to you i am preaching the gospel of good news to you i've gathered my flock and the gospel of good news comes and an effectual call comes in our lives he creates faith in our hearts and he assures us of redemption through the blood of his son on this day he preserves us in love we get to celebrate all of his works that he constantly does on this day i remember um a saint from this congregation years ago as i was um he's no longer with us but i was preaching on the woman at the well i would have never known that this saint that this sermon would affect him so deeply but i had a call the next week he had been on it had been on his mind all week and he said you preached that woman at the well this last week pastor she was restless she was searching her life was full of idolatry and jesus gave her living water and he said that's me the lord did that for me the other day on the sabbath he gave me living water i was so moved by that i just remember the the joy in that man Think about what he would have missed if he missed that sermon. Every week, that's what God's doing for you. There's a great contrast in the psalm. The psalms are so helpful because they contrast two different paths in life. Constantly. It begins in Psalm 1. The sad reality is, many people are going through life and they don't know this. Look at what he says. Verse 6. Some of the old translations are a little kinder and say the senseless man does not know. I like the ESV because I like to be a little more strong. The stupid man doesn't know. The stupid man cannot know this. He's stupid. Why is he stupid? Well, because he doesn't understand and he's purposely rejected. the purpose of his existence. Notice what it says here. The fool cannot understand that though the wicked sprout like grass and all evildoers flourish, they're doomed to destruction. But you, O Lord, are on high forever. It's a contrast of two kinds of people in life. Those who have come to know the Lord and understand the Lord and celebrate the Lord and enjoy the Lord and enjoy forgiveness and enjoy peace. What's that worth to you? The greatest value of life has been achieved. And God puts all that in contrast to the stupid man on the Sabbath. What's he doing? Hebrew literally means a brute beast. He's a brute beast. He is saying those who have turned away from the Lord, they're no better than the beast of the field. You ever watched a beast in the field? You ever watched a cow? You ever watched a bull? What are they doing? The head's always down. And they're always chewing, aren't they? A senseless man does not know. Doesn't know what? The kind of life described in this song. I think that's the saddest reality of life. You know it. It's not that they just don't get it. It's a willing choice to be senseless in this life. Blind to spiritual realities. Blind to the works all around them. Blind to the purpose of life. Romans 1, they've taken it and suppressed the truth in unrighteousness. And Isaiah says for the senseless people, think of Isaiah, there's no peace or rest. Ever thought about that? There's no rest for the wicked. No rest. they busy themselves in vain. For all the comforts we have in life and for all the gadgets we have to make life easier on us, we're stopped and asked, why is everyone so busy? And why is everyone so tired? My wife tells me to knock it off at times, you know. Stop saying that. It's true. I've got to get back to the Sabbath. don't I? Why are we so busy? We run around everywhere. Might I suggest that we live in an age of great depression and of great anxiety and of great stress and of great problems and in a time where the doctors diagnose medicines like candy because everyone is running around frantically never taking time to rest. It's really an attitude of the heart. The Sabbath tests the heart. We are run down and we are discouraged when work was intended to be a blessing from the beginning. But we're tired and we're filled with fears and the world presses in on us and the problems come and we become so earthly and we worry about earthly problems and everything becomes earthly minded. We become absorbed into the world. And that's the path of the wicked because they have no perspective about life there was um a university recently planning a big series in the philosophy department oh boy the series is premised if god loves us they ask think about this i mean they could have handed this couldn't handle this better to me if god loves us then why isn't the existence of god more evident to us so they're going to gather philosophers all over the world and they're going to figure this out surely it says an all-powerful god could make himself more widely known if he wanted to and one would think that a god who loves would want to make himself more widely known. May I introduce you to Sabbath? What do you think the Sabbath is? What do you think his word is? Every Sabbath, God speaks to us. Every Sabbath, God speaks to us. And he answers the most important questions of life for you why is there evil why is there suffering why is there pain why is there sorrow why is there death why so much misery and then he comes and he says i know children that's why i've sent my son and i want my preachers to preach him because that's the answer we didn't set this up this would be quite a thing to think that chris gordon set up something like this we come we sing we read the word and a man preaches to you for a good long time for what end that you would know your god who do i take delight in says the lord those who know me those who understand me where does that come this reality is so beautiful those who come to know the lord and his saving love think of what the psalmist says who does the lord take delight in in this life that's a big question one of the psalmist psalms says something very beautiful those who know my covenant love my kesed my steadfast love in these do i take delight of all things he could have said and what does this psalm begin with it's good to celebrate that covenant love on the Sabbath. Well, what is the outcome of all this? It's Psalm 92, verse 12. The righteous, in contrast, so beautiful, flourish like the palm tree and grow like a cedar in Lebanon. They are planted in the house of the Lord. they flourish in the courts of our god they still bear fruit in old age they are ever full of sap and green to declare that the lord is upright he is my rock there's no unrighteousness in him see that's the total opposite experience for those who know the lord are not senseless their heads are not down in the grass they know his loving kindness and they know his faithfulness and great things he is doing for you i want you to hear that tonight great things he is doing for you they will be planted where in the house of the lord flourishing in the courts of our God well it's that one ending of psalm 16 that is so beautiful that doesn't change in death psalm 16 ends by saying something so wonderful about this great truth you have made known to me the pathway of life in your presence there is fullness of what joy at your right hand are pleasures forevermore you're planted there you hear it that's what he's doing for you god's faithfulness shines all through his sheep it shines where they gather that they will still be able to declare in all the hardships of life the lord is upright the lord is our rock the lord is our deliverer he is our salvation what a purpose on the sabbath to be refreshed to be flourishing to bear fruit in old age you yes you elderly saints elderly saints you matter you are important to the kingdom of god you encourage us you you you strengthen us it is precious to see some of our dear old saints in upper 90s walk into the church in evening with their walkers while others still have not come to appreciate this we have to encourage those who haven't we have to. And you elderly saints are. We are like trees planted in the house of the Lord. We are doing what we're created to do as much as we can still in this life, still struggling with the problem of sin. We're glorifying God. We're enjoying Him. So I ask this tonight. I encourage you tonight. When every Sabbath day comes, see what God is doing for you. Anticipate it with gladness. It's sad to forsake it. It's sad. It's a senseless person. He's blessing you. He's encouraging you. He's strengthening you. He's feeding you with the manna from heaven so you don't have to work. Anticipating what? entering your eternal rest which was the very message in the wilderness for israel i'm going to take care of you i'm going to provide for you and soon you're going to enter the promised land rest i want you to rest now i want you to enjoy the rest now as our heidelberg says to rest from your evil ways every day of your life this is what the sabbath teaches us through his spirit and to begin in this life to enjoy the eternal Sabbath that he has won for you that he's been achieved for you through the work of Christ no wonder he calls us to call the Sabbath a delight it's meant to bring you to your Savior and rest. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, thank you for the Sabbath. Thank you for encouraging us in this rest. Only those, Lord, who find it to be a burden and those, Lord, who call it a burden are missing out on the greatest blessing of life. Thank you, O Lord, for giving us a rest that anticipates what is to come and that ultimately You want us to rest. You want us to stop. You want us to enjoy You, to be blessed with the truth. Help us, O Lord, and in this land, in the churches, might we see a great turnaround in this country if the Christians again began to call the Sabbath a delight. Help us, O Lord, that we may do that in the escondido urc in jesus name we pray amen