The LORD's Day August 12, 2007

The Goodness and Pleasantness of Love Among God’s People

Psalm 133

I love the way the Psalmists (particularly in the Psalms of Ascents) tie in the topography of Israel with spiritual truths. Last week “as the mountains surround Jerusalem”. This morning: “as if the dew of Mount Hermon were falling on Mount Zion”.

He is speaking of the wonder of the love of Jesus between His followers. (John 13)

Good= agreeable (to the senses ex/ Taste and see that the LORD is good), pleasant (to the higher nature), valuable, right (ethical), appropriate, beneficial

Pleasant= delightful, sweet, lovely, agreeable, beautiful (physical), singing, sweetly sounding, musical

Now the two mountains the Psalmist speaks about here are very different.

Mount Hermon- towers above everything in northern Israel, and above the whole country for that matter at 9,230 feet. So if you head up from the Dead Sea (the lowest point on the surface of the earth where it is 80+ degrees you can, in a few hours be in a blinding snow storm on top of the roof top of Israel.

There is lush green vegetation from the sparkling waterfalls flowing into inviting pools at its base. There is some kind of snow at the peak almost all year round.

Mount Zion- is located in Jerusalem’s southwest corner. Its name means “fortress mount”. Jerusalem is mostly dry and built of limestone. Pools are in the city but they are from underground springs. There is no body of water in the vicinity.

Yet they share some common things: Mt. Hermon is where Jesus was transfigured. Mount Zion is looked at as representing Israel’s hopes in her Messiah.

The weather conditions of Mt Hermon on Mount Zion bring thoughts of a number of things as they illustrate the goodness and pleasantness of brothers dwelling together in unity.

1. It is Good and Pleasant because that is what it is in its essence.

The dew of Mount Hermon falling on Mount Zion What a site that would be When God’s people love one another it is site to behold Art Alexander upstate NY Billy Lawton with Vivian Carpenter: “That’s beautiful!”


Good= agreeable (to the senses), pleasant (to the higher nature), valuable, right (ethical), appropriate, beneficial

Pleasant= delightful, sweet, lovely, agreeable, beautiful (physical), singing, sweetly sounding, musical

It is an intrinsic good. It is just simply good and pleasant when Gods people love
one another. It is not a matter of “what is this good for?...” It is good.

We don’t have to look further than this but we will in moment. But let’s dwell here for a few seconds.

Some things are valuable based on time and conditions. Barry Bond’s baseball cards will go up in value as time goes on. The ball he hit this week breaking Hank Aaron’s record is already valued at about ½ million dollars. It went from about 7 dollars to $500,000 with a swing of the bat. Hank Aaron’s cards are not what they were once were. The fact that Barry Bonds surpassed Aaron this week as all time home run king makes this so. But the pleasantness goodness of brothers dwelling together in unity have no bearing on circumstances. It is a good thing whatever the circumstances are. Those are the things of eternal value. The books that stand the test of time are the greatest books. LORD of the Rings, The Pilgrim’s Progress, My Utmost for His Highest and so on are the books worth reading over and over again. The popular books of the day are wood, hay and stubble for the most part. The ones that stand the test of time have great value.

The dwelling of brothers in unity have great value. It is touching on an eternal quality of the LORD.

2. It is Good and Pleasant to the LORD.

When brother dwell together in unity, when God’s people love each other, it pleases Him. In Zephaniah 3.17 The LORD your God is with you, He is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with his love, He will rejoice over you with singing. There is rejoicing in the heart of God when His people are one in mind and spirit. This is Jesus’s prayer, (John 17.20-23) I pray also for those who will believe in Me through their message, 21that all of them may be one, Father, just as You are in Me and I am in you. May they also be in Us so that the world may believe that You have sent Me. 22I have given them the glory that You gave Me, that they may be one as We are one: 23I in them and You in Me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that You sent Me and have loved them even as You have loved Me.

It pleases the LORD when there is harmony and peace between His people. When the Family of God is at peace with each other there the desire of Christ for His Church is coming about.


3. It is Good and Pleasant because much of Satan’s work is short circuited when it happens. II Corinthians 2.11

There are a number of things the enemy seeks to do. I think often we put more emphasis on his lesser strengths and ignore some of the more destructive ones.

One thing the enemy tries to do is sow discord among God’s people. That is how sin began and that is something he continues to work at. He has even done it regarding spiritual gifts. I have seen and you have too how gossip aids him in this work. It separates close friends.

Another tactic of the enemy is right alone the lines of the first and that is to puff God’s people up so that some will think they are superior to each other. I can tell you on the basis of God’s Word that if you have those feelings they are dead wrong It is sin Its base is pride. I have seen him use that too. He has suggested people with a certain gift are spiritually superior to others who do not have it. He has gotten people with certain personal convictions or even preferences to impose them on others by making them feel less of a Christian for not agreeing with them. This was a sin of the Pharisees.

Ah but when brothers dwell together... there is harmony and a forgiving attitude... there is the concern of the glory of God and His Name. There is humility.

Satan is out to kill, steal and destroy. The LORD is working to bring life and restoration to souls.

Pray for the LORD to frustrate the plans of the devil and then join the LORD in the answer by seeking to obey this Psalm.

4. It is Good and Pleasant for what it produces

The fruit of the Spirit is love. Brothers (sisters) dwelling together in unity is love being expressed.

As we said in the Bible Studies this past week, we think often about how love works among us but we do not think often enough about how our Father in heaven looks down upon us and is blessed or grieved in the behavior He sees from His children.

Do we think about things being delightful, beautiful and lovely to the LORD? Or are we thinking about what we need and that only? When we move from being served to be servants we are thinking about how we can please Him.

You know when you love someone you like to do things that make them happy. You desire to see them blessed in their hearts. Our love for Jesus ought to produce this desire in us. I am so blessed when I hear of things like Mary pouring the perfume on Jesus. Did you catch Jesus’ words lately, “She has done a beautiful thing to Me.” To Jesus this was precious. It was an excellent thing. It was magnificent. He admired what she did. It surpassed everything done to Him.
It was genuine. It came from the heart.

I love these selfless acts, not programmed but so spontaneous
*The AIDS Orphanage where Theresa worked in Nairobi.
*Dr. Aileen Coleman in Jordan working with the medical needs of the shepherds.
*Pastor Henry Wilk buried with his prayer journal. Kathleen his daughter...


5. It is Good and Pleasant for Brothers to dwell together in unity because that is what they were created to do.

Adam and Eve were in the Garden. They were naked and not ashamed. There was innocency and complete openness with each other. Ever since the fall of man, our relationships have been tarnished. First thing Adam did was blame Eve. Then one of their sons killed the other son. It has gotten worse from then on. The world has never been at peace since that first sin.

The only way to redeem bad relationships is to have them cleansed by God and washed in the blood of Jesus Christ. He turns the hearts of people in love toward each other.

We were created to love God and love one another. Jesus said that is what the whole of the law and the prophets pointed to. This what heaven will be. The LORD looks down from His throne. He is looking for love from us and love towards each other. One day all things will be renewed to the way they were before sin came and ate up the human race and its relationships.

Pray until you have these words of Jesus working in and flowing from your life...

You have heard that it has been said, You shall love thy neighbor, and hate your enemy.

But I say to you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

That you may be the children of your Father which is in heaven.

Matthew 5.43-45

Pray that you will be filled with the Holy Spirit and that the fruit of the Spirit
which is love is coming forth from your life to every person in your life,
even your enemies

Start with your brothers and sisters in Christ and let the LORD move you out from there.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The LORD’s Day
August 12, 2007

We Worship In Singing
We Worship In Prayer
We Worship In Hearing the Word of God
The Goodness and Pleasantness of Love Among God’s People Psalm 133

*Tithes and Offerings can be placed in the box at the rear of the sanctuary*
Please join us for coffee and bagels downstairs if you are visiting today.

V
This Week
Bible Reading Psalm 135-137

Monday Men’s Prayer Meeting 6:30am in the church basement
Wednesday Bible Study -7:30pm at the parsonage
Thursday Bible Study 10:30am in the church basement
Next Lord’s Day
Morning Prayer- 10am in the church basement
Morning Worship- 10:30am(Sunday School for Children)
Spanish Service- 4pm

In Your Prayers For All of God’s People
Remember the men serving in the armed forces: Bradley, Julia Bujold’s grandson with Special Forces in Afghanistan, home on leave right now, Ken Brown, Pastor’s friend’s son on his third tour of Iraq- He will be there until October. Please pray for the whole family. Billy Knapp, Jr. in Iraq with the Marines (neighbor of the church and Pastor- Billy’s sister graduated from Good Shepherd). Matthew Klaus, brother of Good Shepherd parent in Iraq as a firefighter for Haliburton. Pastor’s nephews’ and niece’s cousin Kim’s husband, Jay, in Iraq. Pray for them and the others away from their families. Praise God for keeping David Louis, Jake Morgan and Tom Hindelang safe during their times in Iraq. Christine Frankland, Katharina’s daughter undergoing treatment for leukemia. Kathy, Ziggy and Margot’s daughter-in-law, under the doctor’s care for fibromyalgia. Pray for Eloise Brooks in Sunrise Manor undergoing rehab. They have begun the process of fitting her for the prosthesis. Remember Jean Louis as both he and Eloise are on dialysis. Grace Martin, Edie Raevis’ daughter, undergoing treatment for pain management on her back. Edie’s daughter’s mother-in-law, Millie Espisito undergoing chemotherapy- thank God for answrs to prayer this week . Reginald Mooney, friend of Terri and John Garry, with a tumor in his kidney. Please remember Pastor’s friend Kim Richardson’s (who is recovering from a heart attack) daughter, Kelly, undergoing chemotherapy. Please remember this whole family in prayer.. Iola’s results of blood work were good. Jeannie Rocarro recovering from surgery. Pastor Jerry Bonfiglio’s family who has been through so much grief this summer... Leah May’s cousin, Joan, respiratory problems, now in rehab. Lucy Mancini under doctor’s and Orthopedic Specialist’s care and physical therapy for pain and injuries resulting from the accident. The Cat Scan came back normal - thank the LORD . She is scheduled for an MRI tomorrow. Mary Butler, Pastor’s family’s former neighbor from Bellmore and dear family friend, recovering from surgery removing a tumor in the colon as well as removal of gall bladder and appendix.

If you would like to help with the Sunday Morning Bagel ministry see John or Terri Garry.


Notes on Our Time in the Word of God This Morning:
The Goodness and Pleasantness of Love Among God’s People

Psalm 133

Pastor’s messages are now available online:
http://thesundaymorningmessage.blogspot.com/
Church e-mail: bayshorenaz@rock.com
Church Phone: 631-969-1730
1314 Pine Acres Boulevard, Bay Shore, Long Island, NY 11706-5436

Whatever you do, in word or deed, do all for the glory of God