Lenten Midweek - 1 (2024)
Psalms of Ascent • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Psalms 120-122
Psalms 120-122
My Brothers and Sisters in Christ, tonight we begin our journey in the Psalms as we ascend to Jerusalem with Christ our Lord. He has set his face toward Jerusalem and begun this ascent. To understand the geographic of this region, it is important to remember that it is on a mountain top. Well over 2000’ above sea level, and to the south of it, is one of the lowest points on earth, the dead sea. This regions geography is quite varied but Jerusalem is a city on a hill that you can see from some distance.
In each one of these psalms, we find that they point us ahead to what Christ is going to do as He ascends to Jerusalem for us. That his suffering and his passion is interwoven throughout these passages, and what the Messiah must endure for the sake of all the world is revealed. As we look at all 15, we will see how these pointed ahead to what Jesus would do for us at Calvary. Since the Psalms have served as the prayer book of the Church, we will have a brief meditation on each, and then pray for what it teaches.
In Psalm 120, the Lord approaches the city of Jerusalem for our sake, but it is a city that is run by liars, and the deceitful men. You have the Romans who are present there, who proclaim that their leader, Caesar Tiberius, is the son of God, and they worship him as a deity. We know how miserably the Romans treat the religion of the Jews for Pilate sent soldiers into the temple to kill men who had gone to offer up sacrifices to the Lord and mingled their blood with the sacrifices. An abomination in God’s sight, and yet these are not the worst that Jesus has to deal with.
In the city are men who belong to the Pharisees and Sadduccees who hate and despise him. For He has been showing that their teachings are false, and that though they use the name of the True God and teach from the Torah and the Prophets, by their lives they make mockery of it. They place burdens upon the people of God that are too hard to bear, and even they don’t carry them.
They have neglected the weightier matters of the Scriptures such as mercy and grace all so that in their own eyes they might be good and righteous, and for this Jesus condemns them. They are waiting for this moment that Jesus will finally be within their grasp that they might put him to death. That His teachings, and His miracles might be stopped, and they can reclaim power for themselves.
So in our first Psalm, Christ calls out to the Lord to deliver him from their lying lips and their deceitful tongues. Now Jesus will suffer their upon the Cross and they will put him to death, but God will not forget His Son, but raise him to the shame of those teachers. The sharp arrows and the burning coals that will come will tear down the temple and the city in which they trusted as the Romans tear it apart.
Let us pray, dear heavenly father, as Christ prays to be delivered from His enemies and those who hate him, we ask that you also keep us from those who have lying lips and deceitful tongues. Do not let us fall into the same trap that they did, of denying Christ, or being only followers on the outside. Lest we too perish, rather change our hearts, to cling to Jesus and all that He has done. For He is our prince of peace, and those who reject Him find only conflict with you. May that peace which surpasses all understanding guard our hearts and minds in you O Lord. Amen.
Next Psalm 121, as the pilgrims lift up their eyes to the city on a hill. they are looking for help from the holy city, and the temple of the Lord. For who is the defender an rescuer of every person that is in need. This is who Jesus relies on as He approaches the city. For man will not rescue him from the coming tribulation. Quite the opposite the disciples will abandon him. The government will fail him, and the religious leaders who should stand upon God’s word and call out for truth will instead shout, Crucify Him, Crucify him!
It is the Lord that is our keeper, who will keep Jesus safe. Even though Jesus will go down into the grave where neither sun nor moon will strike him. Rather the Lord is the one to whom Christ looks in his hour of need. For even though it is the Father’s will to crush Jesus for our iniquities, the Lord also promises to raise His servant from the dead. The Father did not abandon his son to the grave but rescued him from all danger.
Even though Jesus goes into the city where prophets go to die, He knows that this is the Will of His Father in order to save mankind. We should not be surprised when evil rears its head against the Church and against Christians for this happened even unto Christ our Lord. God brought Him through safely.
Knowing that the Lord is our keeper, and the keeper of all his children is of great comfort. For one who is baptized is brought into the family of God as his child. Even though all the world might turn against us, God watches over his children, and even though they may take our life, we are not afraid for God will bring us through even death. This has been the hope of many Christians when our abilities fail, we know that they rest safely in the arms of their heavenly father.
Let us pray, dear heavenly father. As the pilgrims would lift up their eyes to the city of holy jerusalem, and the temple of God. We ask that you lift up our eyes to see Christ who has been lifted up for us. Let not fear take from us our comfort and hope that is found in you and your promises. Rather let us remember that you neither sleep, nor slumber, and that you are the one who watches over your children. Keep us safe from all evil, and even when death comes for us and those we love, keep safe in the promise you have given of eternal life. In Jesus name. Amen.
Finally Psalm 122, Jerusalem was to be a city of peace and a place of blessing for the people of God. A place that was blessed for all of God’s people by the name of God. Yet the corruption and sin that were made manifest there at Jerusalem remind us all of the power of sin. This city that was to be the city of David, that housed the temple of the Lord, the house of God had instead turned against the Lord’s anointed, Jesus.
They were to go up there to give thanks to God for all that He had done for them, and all the blessings that He had bestowed upon the people and receive again his holiness, and the blessing of His name. Jerusalem was supposed to be the city of peace, and there was supposed to be peace within its walls, but because of sin, the people had become hostile to God and the Savior. The Israelites wanted to blame the problems on Rome, because that was more convenient than admitting that they had closed their eyes to the truth, that the real issue was the sin that exists inside of everyone’s heart.
We see this as well within the Church, when we are quick to point our fingers out at others for the failures within the Church, but Christ calls us to repent. To look first inward and address the sin that exists within our own heart. To remove the plank that is in our eye before we go to remove the speck that is in our brother’s eye. For the Church is to be a place of peace for God’s people for this is the house of God, a place for the people of God to come together in fellowship.
This isn’t accomplished just by human efforts, for before we can peace between each other, first there must be peace with God. That peace is found through Jesus who is our prince of peace, who is ascending to Jerusalem for you. So let us pray for that peace here in this life, and in the New Jerusalem that is part of Christ’s eternal Kingdom.
Dear Father in heaven, you sent your Son to be our prince of peace, who would secure peace for your people through the Cross. May that peace with which Jesus secured by His blood, and by his innocent suffering and death, be a comfort to us in our distress. May that peace overflow from our hearts to each of our brothers and sisters here at St. Matthew that when divisions and disagreements arise that we may seek peace for, and when we sin against one another, grant to us both repentant and forgiving hearts, for you desire your church to be one. In Jesus name. Amen.