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Dwelling In the House of the Lord

Wayne Galloway
06/21/20 - Sunday Morning Worship

Dwelling In the House of the Lord

Psa. 27:4

 

Introduction:

 

1.  When I was a child my mom and dad would visit around at the homes of various family members. 

      a.  On a rainy or snowy day we might spend the whole day at Uncle Dean’s and Aunt Ruby’s

           or Uncle Otis’s and Aunt Opal’s.

      b.  Sunday afternoon’s were sometimes consumed with shorter visits at more distant relatives

           houses also known as Aunt and Uncle, but who weren’t really my aunt and uncle, but

           carried these titles just the same.

      c.  The visits were generally pleasant, sometimes boring, and sometimes exciting, like when

           we got to go for a ride in Uncle Harry’s Model T Ford.

2.  While I enjoyed the visits, I can’t say I ever wanted to live with any of these folks.  Perhaps you had some family that you actually would have liked to have lived with.  The circumstances in those homes must have been quite attractive to you.

3.  Such seems to be the case for king David.  Twice in the Psalms he refers to “dwelling in the house of the Lord.” 

     a.  The first instance is in Psa. 23.  Read 4-6.  . . . a place of protection, comfort and blessing.

     b.  The second instance is in Psa. 27.  Read verse 4.   . . . he prays that he might dwell in the

          house of the Lord.

4.  He wants to behold the beauty (delightfulness) of the Lord and to meditate in His temple.

5.  But this is not everyone’s desire.  Not everyone finds the Lord’s house a delight.  My cousin Tony found my uncle’s house a delight and lived there most of the time.  But it was not a place that I would have wanted to live, mainly because Tony was there most of the time.

6.  Is the Lord’s house a place of delight for you?  Is it a place that you want to dwell or a place that you had really rather avoid?

 

Discussion:

 

I.  The Lord’s house is undesirable to some.

 

     A.  The godless does not take delight in the Lord because his ways are not the ways of the

           Lord (Job 27:8-10).

           1.  The godless tend to flock together and take delight in one another.  Look around you.

                Who are the companions that you hang out with?

           2.  Story of the Polly the parrot.  Polly’s owner was a farmer who had been having trouble

                with crows in his corn.  Frustrated he grabbed his gun and shot into a group of crows

                 that were eating his corn.  That night Polly came limping home with a broken wing. 

                 When asked what had happened.  Polly said, “Bad company.  Bad company.”

            3.  With whom do you enjoy spending your time?  Would they enjoy spending time in the

                 Lord’s house?

      B.  Those who delight in falsehood and deceit do not find delight in the Lord’s house. (Psa.

            62:4).

            1.  The Lord’s house is a place of truth.

             2.  Falsehood, lack of genuineness and sin is disclosed in the Lord’s house (1 Cor. 14:24-

                  25).

             3.  In the Lord’s house our ways come under scrutiny.  There is a call for correction.

        C.  Those who delight in war do not delight in the Lord’s house (Psa. 68:30).

              1.  We generally think of war as between nations, but wars are often fought on a more

                    personal level, between individuals, family members, work associates.

              2.  The house of the Lord calls for peace and it calls on you to secure it.

                    a.  By being gracious (Matt. 5:38-48).

                    b.  By giving up your “rights” (1 Cor. 6:1-8).

                    c.  By doing good (Rom. 12:14, 17, 21).

              3.  If you delight in war you will find the Lord’s house uncomfortable.

 

II.  The Lord’s house is delightful to some because of what is found there.

  

      A.  The law of the Lord (Psa. 1:2; 119:16, 24, 35, 47, 70, 77, 92, 143, 174; Jer. 15:16).

      B.  Doing the will of God (Psa. 40:8).

      C.  Studying the works of the Lord (Psa. 111:2).

      D.  The things that the Lord delights in.

            1.  Just weights (Prov. 11:1).

            2.  Those who deal faithfully (Prov. 12:22).

            3.  Prayer (Prov. 15:8).

            4.  Loyalty rather than sacrifice (Hos. 6:6).

            5.  Lovingkindness, justice, righteousness (Jer. 9:23-24).

       E.  A test.  Do you delight in the Lord’s day?  If you do not delight in the Lord’s day then

            you will not take delight in the Lord, nor in dwelling in the Lord’s house.  Isa. 58:13-14.

            “For our grandparents religion was an experience.

            For our parents it was who they were.

            For us it is an inconvenience.

            For our children it will become a nuisance.” 

 

III.   The identity of the Lord’s house.

 

        A.  Certainly not a physical house.  The Lord does not dwell in houses made with hands (1

              Kings 8:27).

        B.  There is a sense in which the people of God are the house of God (Heb. 3:6; 1 Pet. 2:5).

        C.  There is a sense in which the people of God go to dwell with Him in the afterawhile (Jn.

              14:2; 1 Thess. 4:17).

        D.  To dwell in the house of the Lord involves being with the Lord; identifying with Him,

              longing for continued, on-going closeness with Him.  Only those who delight in Him

              and in His ways long to dwell in His house.  They are the ones who have developed

              confidence in Him.  They are the ones who trust Him.  Their desire is evident in this

              life.

 

Conclusion:

 

1.  Be careful not to fool yourself into believing that you long to dwell in the house of the Lord when in fact you enjoy living in the house of the Devil.

2.  Do not think that if you find doing the will of the Lord unpleasant, that you would enjoy dwelling in the house of the Lord.

3.  Too many think of dwelling in the house of the Lord as being able to do any and everything that pleases them. 

     a.  Some are going to be disappointed because dwelling in the house of the Lord involves

          doing what pleases the Lord.

     b.  If you enjoy what pleases the Lord then dwelling in the house of the Lord will be a delight.