 |
 |
|
communion with god David VanAcker, Pastor of Discipleship Grace Church, Sunday Worship Psalm 36:7-9 December 28th, 2008
Psalm 36:7-9 How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings. 8 They feast on the abundance of your house, and you give them drink from the river of your delights. 9 For with you is the fountain of life; in your light do we see light. Main Points 1. Communion with God is, “The mutual sharing of those good things which delight” both God and us. 2. Communion with God is only possible for Christians. 3. There are practical steps that we can take toward communion with God. Introduction I’ve been asked to speak to you today about having a daily time of intentional, uninterrupted, focused time with God. These times are often called “quiet times” or “daily devotions”. The idea is fairly simple: We love and serve a personal God who delights to hear our prayers and communicate with us (primarily through the Bible). Setting aside time each day for this type of interaction just makes sense. In fact, I’m going to close my message today with a plea for all of you to do just that. I’ll also offer some practical tips about how to make it happen. However, “this type of interaction” can easily remain or become nothing more than an impotent religious exercise if it is not viewed and pursued in the right context. So, I’m going to spend the bulk of my time this morning talking about the broader relational context from which quiet times or daily devotions should flow; something that others have called, “Communion with God”. A word of introduction on the title… This phrase (“Communion with God”), which is also the title of this sermon, is meant to be accurate, but a bit confusing. The phrase, “Communion with God” (which I borrowed from John Owen and others) is not normal language for most people. We don’t often hear people outside or inside of the church using this terminology. This is good (for my purposes this morning) though because I’d like for all of you to consider what I’m about to say without a lot of baggage that might come from other, more familiar, phrases or terms. So if you aren’t familiar with the phrase “communion with God”, good. And if you are familiar with it I’d ask that you test your understanding of it against our Scripture passage(s) for this morning (Psalm 36:7-9). A word of introduction on the Psalms… If you know anything about the Psalms you know that many of them are songs, written by King David, pleading with God to spare his life from his enemies. There is often a tone of deep desperation and despair in David’s voice. One who has not been schemed and plotted against by another, one who has not been the object of the loathing of another, one who has not been hunted by another, cannot write the things that David wrote. Consider David’s words in Psalm 31: Psalm 31:9-13 Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am in distress; my eye is wasted from grief; my soul and my body also. 10 For my life is spent with sorrow, and my years with sighing; my strength fails because of my iniquity, and my bones waste away. 11 Because of all my adversaries I have become a reproach, especially to my neighbors, and an object of dread to my acquaintances; those who see me in the street flee from me. 12 I have been forgotten like one who is dead; I have become like a broken vessel. 13 For I hear the whispering of many- terror on every side!- as they scheme together against me, as they plot to take my life. …In Psalm 35: Psalm 35:1-8 Contend, O LORD, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me! 2 Take hold of shield and buckler and rise for my help! 3 Draw the spear and javelin against my pursuers! Say to my soul, "I am your salvation!" 4 Let them be put to shame and dishonor who seek after my life! Let them be turned back and disappointed who devise evil against me! 5 Let them be like chaff before the wind, with the angel of the LORD driving them away! 6 Let their way be dark and slippery, with the angel of the LORD pursuing them! 7 For without cause they hid their net for me; without cause they dug a pit for my life. 8 Let destruction come upon him when he does not know it! And let the net that he hid ensnare him; let him fall into it- to his destruction! And even in the beginning of our Psalm for this morning we read of David’s familiarity with the schemes of the wicked: Psalm 36:1-4 Transgression speaks to the wicked deep in his heart; there is no fear of God before his eyes. 2 For he flatters himself in his own eyes that his iniquity cannot be found out and hated. 3 The words of his mouth are trouble and deceit; he has ceased to act wisely and do good. 4 He plots trouble while on his bed; he sets himself in a way that is not good; he does not reject evil. However, sandwiched between laments and cries to God David consistently declares the greatness and sufficiency and sovereignty and sweetness of God. That is, in the midst of his anguish, David often pauses to reflect on or remind himself of or bask in the reality that nothing is outside of God’s grasp. There is no army too strong, no situation to dire, and no enemy too wicked for God. Psalm 36:7-9 is an example of such a time of reflection, remembrance, and basking in the gloriousness of God for David. Listen again to his words: Psalm 36:7-9 How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings. 8 They feast on the abundance of your house, and you give them drink from the river of your delights. 9 For with you is the fountain of life; in your light do we see light. In Psalm 36:7-9 we get to peak in on a time of communion between David and God. This morning I want to define and describe this communion with God, I want to talk about who can have this kind of communion with God, and I want to challenge you to consider some practical ways to pursue this kind of communion with God. Definition of Communion with God What does it mean to have communion with God? John Owen gives us this remarkable, even if intimidating, definition, communion with God is “the mutual sharing of those good things which delight” both God and us. In other words, communion with God is primarily or principally about sharing delight with God! This is the language of (Psalm 36) verse 8. “They feast on the abundance of your house, and you give them drink from the river of your delights.” Consider for a moment the implications of this passage. Dwell on it. Think about the magnitude of it. When I read passages like this I need to scream at my soul, “Wake up. Wake up!” In God there is a feast of abundance and a river of delights which He intends to share with us. God offers to share the things that bring Him pleasure! Communion with God, at its heart, is about eating and drinking with God from the bounty of God. Consider for a moment the bounty of God… “To the LORD your God belong heaven and the heaven of heavens, the earth with all that is in it” (Deuteronomy 10:14). And… “The heavens are yours; the earth also is yours; the world and all that is in it, you have founded them. 12 The north and the south, you have created them…” (Psalm 89:11-12). Oh, the abundance of the bounty of God which we are called to delight in with God. God, who owns the heavens and the earth and all that is in them, calls us to drink deeply with Him from his delight in them. Consider communing with God by sharing his delight in the universe that he created as David does in Psalm 92:4-5, “For you, O LORD, have made me glad by your work; at the works of your hands I sing for joy. 5 How great are your works, O LORD!” Awesome! But there’s more. Oh, there’s much more! More than the things of God, more than fruits of His creation (as much as He delights in them) however, we are called to share in that which brings God the most pleasure. He offers to commune with us by sharing that which can truly and eternally satisfy: Himself. God offers Himself to us to delight in every moment of every day. Or, as John Owen says, “Our communion with God lies in his giving himself to us and our giving ourselves and all that he requires to him.” Indeed, consider this God and join me in demanding that our souls wake up… Nehemiah 9:5-6 "Stand up and bless the LORD your God from everlasting to everlasting. Blessed be your glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise. 6 "You are the LORD, you alone. You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them; and you preserve all of them; and the host of heaven worships you. Romans 11:33-36 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! 34 "For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?" 35 "Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?" 36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. Psalm 19:1-5 The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. 2 Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. 3 There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard. 4 Their measuring line goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them he has set a tent for the sun, 5 which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber, and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy. Psalm 29:1-11 Ascribe to the LORD, O heavenly beings, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength. 2 Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness. 3 The voice of the LORD is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the LORD, over many waters. 4 The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is full of majesty. 5 The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars; the LORD breaks the cedars of Lebanon. 6 He makes Lebanon to skip like a calf, and Sirion like a young wild ox. 7 The voice of the LORD flashes forth flames of fire. 8 The voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness; the LORD shakes the wilderness of Kadesh. 9 The voice of the LORD makes the deer give birth and strips the forests bare, and in his temple all cry, "Glory!" 10 The LORD sits enthroned over the flood; the LORD sits enthroned as king forever. 11 May the LORD give strength to his people! May Job 5:8-11 8 "As for me, I would seek God, and to God would I commit my cause, 9 who does great things and unsearchable, marvelous things without number: 10 he gives rain on the earth and sends waters on the fields; 11 he sets on high those who are lowly, and those who mourn are lifted to safety. Psalm 40:5 You have multiplied, O LORD my God, your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us; none can compare with you! I will proclaim and tell of them, yet they are more than can be told. Psalm 89:5-14 5 Let the heavens praise your wonders, O LORD, your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones! 6 For who in the skies can be compared to the LORD? Who among the heavenly beings is like the LORD, 7 a God greatly to be feared in the council of the holy ones, and awesome above all who are around him? 8 O LORD God of hosts, who is mighty as you are, O LORD, with your faithfulness all around you? God is (this list was taken from Wayne Grudem’s, “Systematic Theology”): Independent (Acts 17:24-25) – God does not need anything. Unchanging (Psalm 102:25-27) – God never changes. Eternal (Psalm 90:2) – God has no beginning and no end. Omnipresent (Jeremiah 23:23-24) – God is always everywhere. Simple – God is not made up of parts. Omniscient (1 John 3:20) – God knows everything. Truthful (John 17:3) – God never lies. Good (Luke 18:19) – God is worthy of approval. Loving (1 John 4:8) – God gives of Himself to others. Merciful, Gracious, Patient (Exodus 34:6) – God is good toward those in distress (merciful), toward those who deserve punishment (gracious), and God is good in that He withholds punishment from sinners for a time (patient). Holy (Exodus 26:33) – God is completely separate from sin. Peaceful (1 Corinthians 14:33) – God is ordered. Righteous and Just (Deuteronomy 32:4) – God does what is right. Jealous (2 Corinthians 11:2) – God continually seeks His own glory. Omnipotent (Genesis 18:14) – God is able to do everything that He wills. Perfect (Matt 5:48) – He completely possess all excellent qualities. Beautiful (Psalm 27:4) – God is the sum of all desirable qualities. Glorious (Isaiah 43:7) – God is awesome! …and he offers all of this, all of Himself, to us…to commune with us…to “share of those good things which delight” both God and us. Wake up soul! Communion with God is only possible for Christians. Who may share in this communion with God? Who is the “they” and the “them” of verse 8? “They feast on the abundance of your house, and you give them drink from the river of your delights.” From this passage we can see that this sweet (constant) communion is offered to all who recognize and experiencing the steadfast preciousness of the love of God (v7). It is offered to those who find themselves humbly trusting in the sufficient protection of the infinite shadow of God’s wings (v.7). It is offered to those who have drunk from the fountain of life (v.9). It is offered to those who, in the light of God, see light (v.9). But who can recognize and experience the precious love of God, rest in the shadow of God’s wings, drink from the fountain of life, and dwell in the light of God? This kind of infinite and eternal communion (sharing of delights with God) is offered (IT’S PROMISED) to all who will trust in Jesus for the forgiveness of their sins. This communion with God is the inheritance that we receive, by grace through faith, in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 1:11-23). Thus, while it is true as Owen reminds us that, “This communion will be perfect and complete [only] when we enter into the full enjoyment of Christ’s glory [heaven]…[and consequently that] this communion is now only partial because we presently only enjoy the first-fruits and dawnings of that future perfection,” nevertheless, the smallest taste of the pleasures of God infinitely surpasses the greatest delicacies that this world has to offer. That is, with the Holy Spirit as the down payment of our inheritance Christ-followers can begin to nibble and sip today. We can taste and see today. Because of the cross we have access to the blessings and delight of God. While we will not fully share in it until heaven, we can share to an amazing degree in God’s pleasure in God’s bounty today! Cry out to Jesus today so that you too can be forgiven of your sins and know this sweet communion. practical steps that we can take toward communion with God. Finally, I want to challenge each of you to consider beginning or, if you already are, increasing the intensity of a specific kind of communion with God: a daily time of intentional, uninterrupted, focused pursuit of this communion with God. That is, I want you to consider having a daily quiet time or daily devotion. That is, while communion with God is meant to be constant, every moment of every day, while we eat and drink, think and pray, rise and go down, work and play, setting aside a specific time to pursue this communion can be a remarkably fruitful discipline. If you are not already doing this, please consider… 1. Setting aside a chunk of time each day (I’ve found that the more consistent the better) to pursue communion with God. If you are brand new at this consider 10-15 minutes/day. 2. Devoting a portion of this time to reading from your Bibles. The bible is God’s word to us; it is the primary means by which he communicates his thoughts and feelings and desires to us. It is important to go slowly enough to really consider or meditate on what you read. Linger on certain passages. Pursue understanding. It is helpful to have a study bible or a simple commentary. It is wise to have a Bible reading plan (one that takes you through the Bible in a set time). Finally, it is crucial to focus on applying the Bible passage that you read. We are not to be just hearers of God’s Word, but doers! 3. Devoting a portion of this time to prayer. Consider praying through the Bible passages that you read. In other words, if you read a passage on faith, pray that God would give you and those around you the kind of faith mentioned in the passage. View your prayer time as an expression of your dependence on God and your desire for Him to commune with you. Also consider praying for the needs of Grace Church, your family and friends, the Christians throughout the world, and those who are not Christians in your neighborhood and around the world. 4. Devoting a portion of this time to worshiping God. Again, consider pausing during your Bible reading and prayers to declare the greatness of God to God. If you read about God healing someone, worship Him for his healing power, goodness, mercy, and love. If you pray for a friend who is not a Christian, worship God for saving your soul by the death of His Son, Jesus. Joe Mancusso has graciously put together a simple quiet time or devotional guide for us to go through. In it is a passage of scripture to consider, a brief thought on the passage, a place to jot down your thoughts and prayers, and a bible reading plan for each day. This will be a great help, we believe, to get you started. Remember, the aim is not getting through an exercise, but communing with God. Wake up soul! If you are already having an intentional time of communion with God, consider… 1. Crying out to God to increase your desperation for and delight in Him through these times. It can be so easy to slip into a cold rut or routine. 2. Crying out to God to help you uncompartmentalize this time. It can be so easy to view our quiet times or devotions as a chunk of our day rather than a part of our constant communion with God. 3. Crying out to God to give you grace to hold on to for the day. It can be so easy to not take every thought captive, to test every word, to own every emotion, and to be a good steward of every moment. We need the grace of God for this to happen. Consider remaining engaged with God (through prayer and the Word) until he grants you the grace that you need for the day. 4. Crying out to God to use consistency in these times as a regular blessing for others. Consider committing to remain engaged with God (through prayer and the Word) until He grants you grace for another and then commit to radically (and recklessly if need be) pursuing another for the purpose of giving that grace. Conclusion As I said at the beginning of this message, this specific kind of communion flows from and leads to a life of communion with God and points to the perfect, heavenly communion promised to all who are in Christ Jesus. I’ll close with the words of John Owen that ring so true in my heart and mind, “I pray that the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has, by the riches of his grace, brought us from a state of enmity into this glorious fellowship with himself, may give you such a taste of his sweetness and excellence in this communion as to be stirred up to a greater longing for that eternal enjoyment of him in eternal glory.” WAKE UP SOUL! |
