Songs for the Journey: Sermons on the Psalms of Accents
Reading: Psalm 133

Psalm 133 paints a beautiful picture is of God’s people dwelling together in unity. David viewed such unity as God’s blessing from above! In context it is most likely referring to the unity that resulted from David’s ascension to the throne of Israel. Up until that point is Israel’s history unity had proved very difficult to attain, & as history continued the unity proved impossible to maintain. However, as Christians we do not only read this Psalm looking back at a beautiful moment in Israel’s history. We read it looking forward to a lasting unity that has already been initiated & one day will be fully realised in Christ. Christ is the only King who can unite God's people forever! 

Songs for the Journey: Sermons on the Psalms of Accents
Reading: 2 Samuel 7 & Psalm 132

Psalm 132 reminds us of the bigger story Christians are now part of in Christ. It is rooted in an historical account from Israel’s past (2 Samuel 7) & points forward to things that could & can only be fulfilled in Christ! The first part of the Psalm focuses on David’s vow to build a dwelling place for God, the later part focuses on God’s sure promise to David & in the middle we find a prayer for God to fulfill his promise! Every time the pilgrims repeated this Psalm, they were reaffirming their trust in God’s commitment & ability to fulfill the promise he made to David! 

Songs for the Journey: Sermons on the Psalms of Ascents
Reading: Psalm 131

The way to God's best is not found in aspiring to greatness as the world does. It's found in weaning ourselves off pride, selfish ambition & grandiose ideas of ourselves to simply rest content in God's care. One person notes that Psalm 131; “models the ideal frame of soul before God." Like David, we need to learn to calm & quieten such desires in our souls & learn instead to content ourselves in God’s love! Trusting him to establish us in his way & at his time. 

Songs for the Journey: Sermons on the Psalms of Ascents
Reading: Psalm 130

Psalm 130 helps us know who God is & declares to us that no matter how deep we have sunk God can still hear our cry, forgive our sin & fully redeem our life when we cry out to him for mercy! ​

Songs for the Journey: Sermons on the Psalms of Ascents
Reading: Psalm 128

​Psalm 127 gave us an example of the negative results of an unhealthy fear – worry – & gave us the antidote. Psalm 128 now shows us the positive fruit of a healthy kind of fear, what the Bible calls ‘the fear of the LORD’ & teaches us it is the basis of a truly a blessed life! However what does it mean to fear the LORD? This sermon answers the question while pointing to the blessedness that belongs to everyone who truly fears the LORD.

Psalm 127 is written to remedy the painful restlessness which can result from worry by giving us a vision of God’s providential care. The remedy is not working harder or longer, it’s trusting in God’s care. The Psalm highlights three ways God’s care comes to us in very ordinary ways; work, security services & family. Yet what the Psalmist wants us to see most is that behind, above & beyond each of these is the LORD who is the primary carer of those who trust in him.  

This message overviews the ministry of John the Baptist with the aim of showing it was a revelation of Jesus Christ that marked this key character in the Bible out. Like John we each need a revelation of Jesus Christ if we are to truly live for God & know his purpose for our lives.

​The Bible talks about mountain moving faith, but it also talks about faith that makes us like an immovable mountain – that’s the kind of faith we find in Psalm 125! Psalm 125 is a song designed to envision & strengthen God’s people to keep trusting in him, even when we find ourselves under wicked rulers! It does so by assuring us we remain secure, that wicked rulers that come & go. Therefore, as God’s people we should not do wrong but pray, do good & keep trusting him.

In this encouraging message visiting speaker Stephen Mawhinney unpacks the story of  the healing of the man who was lame from birth recorded in Acts 3. The man was looking for money but Jesus was looking for him & through Peter & John he received healing in the name of Jesus! His life was never the same again. In the message Stephen also testifies to the power of Jesus transforming his own life after many years away from God. 

We all love a good underdog story. No one wants to watch a movie were the Goliath characters win, no neutral sports fan wants the favourites to thrash the underdogs! There is just something in us that loves to see the underdog beat the odds. Maybe it’s because we can identify more with being the underdog. The Bible is full of underdog stories, yet the big difference in the Bible’s stories is not luck or sheer determination, but God – God is the hero of every underdog story in the Bible! Psalm 124 encapsulates this so well. Psalm 124 is a song for God-trusting underdogs everywhere who find help & victory in the name of the LORD against all the odds! 

​Songs for the Journey: Sermons on the Psalms of Ascents
Reading: Psalm 123

Christians are worshiping servants of the Most High. Psalm 123 helps remind us of this as it encourages us to look up to God for mercy, mercy in the sense of help. The Psalmist was living in a time when God's people were suffering contempt & scorn, things we can experience as Christians in this present world. Like the Psalmist we can express our frustration to God & look to him for help. This will help us remain patient amidst scorn, contempt or persecution.  

In this message visiting speaker Paul Cullen unpacks & applies Psalm 126. The Psalm is a lament that recalls a previous time of God's mercy on his people while asking for fresh mercy today. The Psalmist desires to be like a stream bed, that while dry for a season is restored to its original purpose & fruitfulness by God's intervention. That as God's people sow in tears they will reap with shouts of joy as God answers their prayers for restoration.  

Have you ever experienced the joy being somewhere you've always wanted to be & the surreal excitement of knowing you’re actually there? That will help you understand how Jewish pilgrims felt when they arrived in Jerusalem! What we essentially have in Psalm 122 is a song expressing the sheer joy of being in Jerusalem & the unity experienced there, as well as prayer for the peace & security of Jerusalem. From a whole Bible perspective such joy & unity will be fully realised, & this prayer fully answered, when as God’s people we stand within New Jerusalem with all the redeemed of every nation, tribe & tongue to worship under Christ our eternal King!

Songs for the Journey: Sermons on the Psalms of Ascents
Reading: Psalm 120

Psalm 120 is the first of a collection of Psalms known as the Songs of Ascents (Psalm 120-134). This group of Psalms, written at different times by different artists, became the songs Jewish pilgrims sang on their way up to Jerusalem for major festivals. Psalm 120 was originally written by someone a long way from Jerusalem, likely in the time of the exile, so it's fitting this Psalm begins this collection. The author is clearly distressed with lies & deceit & has had his fill of residing among those opposed to God’s way of peace, he expresses all this very strongly. It’s okay for us to feel like this & express it to God in prayer. However, like the Psalmist we also need to trust in God's deliverance, leave justice with him & remain committed to peace! This Psalm helps us remember as Christians we do not fit comfortably in the present world because we are resident aliens, pilgrims on our way to the New Jerusalem!