Trinity 8 You are Secure in God's Mercy.

[msethsmile]

For the second week in a row, the Holy Spirit has written about false prophets--God must be serious.

Nowhere on this earth can you find absolute security from loss. Our sin has brought about this insecurity.

Psalm 48 is a celebration of perfect security (spiritually), provided by the mercy God has shown us, in Christ, our Savior and LORD.

Psalm 48
A Psalm. A song of the sons of Korah.

8. As we have heard, so have we seen in the city of the LORD Almighty, in the city of our God: God makes her +secure+ forever. 9. Within Your temple, O God, we meditate on Your unfailing love. 10. Like Your Name, O God, Your praise reaches to the ends of the earth; Your right hand is filled with +righteousness+. 11. Mount Zion rejoices, the villages of Judah are glad because of Your +judgments+. 12. Walk about Zion, go around her, count her towers, 13. consider well her strong walls, view her fortresses, that you may tell of them to the next generation. 14. For this God is our God for ever and ever; He will be our guide even to death.

+abcd+ are cross words

V8-9. As a member of the Holy Christian Church (the New Testament 'Jerusalem' of above), you trust in Jesus for salvation. "God makes her secure forever." (V8). We can't do anything to makes our salvation secure--completely the work of God. Jesus established our salvation when He cried out from the cross, "It is finished!"

Jesus made full payment to the Father on our behalf, with His holy life and innocent blood. The Father accepted that payment because Christ is not only the Son of Mary; He is also the Son of God.

What about the temple mentioned in verse 9? The physical temple has been gone for thousands of years. Christians don't need a physical temple building since we are living temples of the Holy Spirit.

(1 Cor 6) "Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God. And not your own. You were bought at a great price. Therefore, glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which belong to God."

V10-11. God's name is His reputation, made up of all the revelation He gives us about Himself, both in the creation, and in Holy Scripture. Praise comes to God from every believing heart to the ends of the earth. "Your right hand is filled with righteousness;"--all saving power belongs to God. He gives it, where, when, and to whom He chooses. He has chosen to uphold you in that power thru His Word (Baptism* and Lord's Supper*) *my fellowship believes, teaches and confesses forgiveness of sins thru these sacraments, others do not teach so.

Mt Zion, villages: refer to saints on earth and in heaven; who rejoice together, that God is merciful to judge us, not based on our behavior; but on the atoning work of Jesus, on our behalf, which pays for our sins.

V12-13. This is God's invitation; examine the evidence of the perfect spiritual security that is yours,...at the blood stained cross and empty tomb of Jesus Christ. He encourages us by keeping us secure and surely He will bring us home to heaven safely.

What does God want us to do? "Tell it to the next generation." Not only your family but also friends, strangers, and anyone willing to listen. What do you say? "Come to heaven with me! I am going there, because Jesus paid my way, and He has paid your way too."

V14. A profession of faith for all believers. The gods of the world are idols (idol literally means 'nothings'). We find security in full measure in the only true and living God; His creating, Redeeming, and Sanctifying work.

We do live in an insecure world, due to sin. From a heavenly perspective, we live in a time of perfect security, perfect certainty, God will take you home to heaven for Christ's sake..

excerpts sermon 8/2/20

[msethsmile]

"The sons of Korah", who wrote this Psalm under the Holy Spirit, would know about false prophets. Their relative, Korah, rebelled against the leadership of Moses--and ultimately God, who appointed Moses. Korah and much of his family were swallowed up by the earth, alive. His relatives that did not participate in the uprising became stalwarts of the Church.