July 3, 2011
SOVEREIGN GRACE BAPTIST CHURCH
LOCATION
Rocky Hill Firehouse, 2nd Floor
150 Washington Street
Rocky Hill, New Jersey, 08553
Telephone: 615-513-4464
Schedule of Services
Sunday 10 AM Bible Class
Sunday 11 AM Morning Service
Thursday 7 PM Midweek Service
THE BUILDER AND KEEPER
Psalm 127: 1-5
Notice the heading. This was most likely a song of David for his son, Solomon. David wanted to build a house for the LORD and the LORD said, “No.” David was prohibited from building God’s house because David was a man of war. By Adam’s one transgression we are born men of war: enmity against God. Our labor is vanity. Instead, the Lord promised David a son, Solomon, who would build the Lord’s house (2 Samuel 7: 12-13). Solomon is a type of Christ who builds and keeps God’s house and city made up, not of sticks and stones, but his elect children (Acts 2:30; Zechariah 6: 12-13; Luke 1:31-33).
Except the Lord Build the House (Psalm 127: 1-2)
Go to the council of peace before the world was made. Behold, God the Father saying to God the Son, “Except God himself, in the person of his Son, build the house the children chosen of God who make up his house, labor in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.” Now, behold the Son of God, who is Wisdom from eternity, looking into time upon the children of men saying “I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit.” (Ecclesiates 1: 14) Indeed, “Except I, the LORD, build the house, they labor in vain.”
He Giveth His Beloved Sleep (Psalm 127: 2)
Solomon’s name means rest, peace and quietness (1 Chronicles 22:9-10). God the Father gave Christ his Beloved sleep in the midst of his enemies while he walked this earth. Christ wrought peace between his elect and God by his obedience unto death. And giving Christ to build the house of God, he gave to his beloved sheep rest in Christ. Christ finished the work. He is the Peace of full justification from all our sins. Peace of perfect righteousness. Peace that fills the heart by the Spirit of God
Heritage of the LORD (Psalm 127: 3)
First, Christ is THE child who is God’s heritage, his portion. The only begotten Son of God is THE Firstfruit of the womb. God’s reward given by God to himself is his Son (Matthew 3: 17). God gave his son to declare his glory, to declare his righteousness in being just and the Justifier of all who believe. Even when we were enemies, the child born, the son given, reconciled to God all the children given him of God in eternity (Romans 5:10). Shall God--who gave his Son, his portion, his firstfruit, and who is satisfied with the reward of his Son’s perfect obedience—withhold anything from those whom his Son redeemed? Never! (Romans 8:32). Secondly, the children given to Christ by God in eternity are his heritage, the firstfruits of his labor, his reward: by election, by purchase, by adoption (Ephesians 1). God’s house is not one of sticks and stones but of the elect children of God redeemed by Christ and built up in him through the word of the gospel (1 Peter 2:5; Isaiah 8: 18; 53: 11).
Arrows in the Hand of a Mighty Man (Psalm 127: 4-5)
The mighty man is God our Savior, Jesus Christ. His arrows are the children in his hand by which he builds up his house and keeps his city. His quiver is full and there shall not be one empty space (John 10: 27-29). God made this promise to Abraham, “thy Seed shall possess {cast out, consume, destroy} the gate of His enemies; And in thy Seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;” (Genesis 22: 17-18)—that Seed is Christ (Galatians 3: 15) and the elect of God redeemed by Christ Jesus are among all the nations of the earth. The Son of God, the Lord Jesus, came forth and not only spoke with the enemies in the gate, but by his one sacrifice for the sin of his people, he destroyed the gate of his enemies so that even the gates of hell shall not prevail against his city, his church (Matthew 16: 18). The Spirit of God breaks down the gate in the hearts of his people, birthing his children with a new heart, making them no longer ashamed of the testimony of Christ Jesus the Lord, but standing in Christ the Way we speak with the enemies in the gate (Isaiah 45:17).
A Song from God to His Child (Psalm 127: 1-5)
Every believer is a laborer and watchman in whatever capacity God has placed us in: pastor, husband, father, son, brother, wife, mother, daughter, sister or a combination. He gives us responsibility in the various offices, but which has the power, the mighty man or the arrows? Can we possibly do what God alone must do?
God makes his children into wise master builders and faithful watchman but no matter how God has gifted his child of mercy, no matter how experienced we may be, God will make us to know: Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. (Psalm 127: 1) When God makes us fall flat on our faces so that all we can do is look up to God so he giveth us sleep. After the correction, God always gives sweet rest in Christ and rest in the arms of God is sweet sleep! Oh, what a building! What a keeping of his city! What children is the fruit of righteousness God produces in the hearts of his own.
Indeed, God gives us our natural children. Oh, but what a gift is a born-again child of God’s grace! Upon the conversion of many under his preaching, Robert McCheyne wrote: “Lord, I thank thee that thou hast shown me this marvelous working, though I was but an adoring spectator rather than an instrument.” When God has brought us to the end of ourselves, he may just use us as arrows in his hand, but he will see to it he receives all the glory so that though we labor more abundantly than they all, we will say with Paul, “yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me” (1 Corinthains 15: 10).