Mt. Lebanon United Presbyterian Church     
 
Pastor Tim Janiszewski - "Determination in Work and Worship"

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Messages of Grace

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This Sunday
Sept. 4, 2016



Sermon Title:
"What's so special about Jesus?"



Scripture:
Psalm 132  
Picture
August 31, 2016
 
Dear MLEPC Members and Friends:
 
This Sunday we worship the Lord on the middle day of Labor Day Weekend. Most Americans will enjoy having Monday off from work for the official Labor Day observance. If you will, Labor Day is the one national holiday that serves as a sort of secular Sabbath Day; it is a day of rest from labor in recognition of work done throughout the year. Our Christian faith actually is much more generous than our civil law in that we recognize fifty-two "labor days"--days of rest from labor--throughout the year. We put down our work in order to worship the Lord on each and every Sunday. At least, this is the main biblical reason and the biblical mandate for "remembering the Sabbath, to keep it holy" (Exodus 20:9-11).
 
It is interesting that our Bible passage for this coming Sunday incorporates themes of work and worship. In verses 1-9, the psalm writer tells of work done by King David with the greatest of determination. David was fully committed to seeing a house built for Yahweh God, namely, the Holy Temple that was to stand in the midst of the capital city of Jerusalem. Psalm 132 gives report that David made an oath and vow to God to build God this magnificent dwelling place. In fact, David determined that he himself would not build a permanent house/palace for the kings of Israel until after the God of Israel was fully "settled" in his house/temple. God first, the king second--this was David's priority. And historically this actually came to pass. David's son Solomon completed the building project on the temple for God before he then turned to build a palace for the kings of Israel.
 
One of the primary reasons that David was so determined to do this work of building a house/temple for God was that for a long, long time, God had no dwelling place. While the Hebrews were enslaved in Egypt, there was no location for the worship of God. When the Hebrews journeyed for 40 years from Egypt to the Promised Land, God dwelled in a tent of sorts called the tabernacle. During another period of time, the dreaded Philistines captured the Ark of God's Presence and held it captive in their land. Thereafter, the Ark was kept in a man's house in the little town of Kiriath-Jearim.
 
Out of love for the Lord, David had had enough. He would not rest until God was provided with a suitable place to dwell. He brought the Ark up from Kiriath-Jearim, dancing before the Ark in worship with all of his might. And then David set everything in place to launch the building of the Jerusalem Temple. But great David died before construction began, leaving the work to his son, King Solomon. David was a man determined in his work for Yahweh's honor and glory. In this he leaves behind a powerful example to apply to our lives. What is the work God gives us to attempt out of our love for the Lord? Do we pursue it with the passion and focus displayed by David? Do we place our labor for the Lord above our personal comfort and individual accomplishment? In what ways do we say to ourselves, "I will not rest until I've finished the job for my Lord and Savior?" Determination!
 
Yet in addition, let's not miss the fact that David worked with determination in order to provide a place of worship for God's people in the Lord's very Presence. He toiled so that the people would have a magnificent place to adore Yahweh every week when they were called to "remember the Sabbath Day, to keep it holy." David exerted himself to provide a place of rest for God and a worship place on the day of rest for the people of God. Surely, this likewise calls us to be determined when it comes to our worship together on one day in seven. We are to be determined not only to work for the Lord, but also to rest in the Lord as we gather each Sunday morning. We make it a priority over other options such as sleep, chores, and sporting events. In our culture, we must be determined in worship as well as in work!
 
King David knew the work God had called him to do, and he pursued it with passionate determination. King David knew the worship God had called him to offer on the Sabbath Day, and he practiced it with passionate determination. May the same passionate determination mark our work for and worship of the Lord this week and throughout our lives.
 
Pastor Tim
 
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