Biblical Text: Psalm 122:1

I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord.

From the first verse, we sense the sheer excitement of the Psalmist in this 122nd Psalm. Unlike other Psalms, you don't have to wait until you get down to the five or tenth verse to experience the joy and spirited emotion of the writer. You can almost hear the rise in his tone as he articulates the ecstasy of his worship experience, saying "I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go unto the house of the Lord".

There is some controversy about the author of this beautiful poem. It is most generally attributed to David. Those who hold this view say that when David speaks of the House of the Lord he is referring to the city of Jerusalem, because Jerusalem was considered the Holy City or the City of God. That would seem a logical conclusion since the temple had not been built under David's kingship of Israel. If David did in fact write this psalm, it's clear that he associated the entire city of Jerusalem with the presence of God, and as he approached the city limits, his recorded words reveal that he was overwhelmed by the very thought of where he was headed. I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go unto the house of the Lord.

On the other hand, some scholars say that this psalm was not written by David&that it was written at a much later period, perhaps the period of the post exile. They say that in all probability, when some of the captives were allowed to return to their homeland in the 5th century B.C. as they neared the city and anticipated viewing the remains of Solomon's magnificent temple to God, they burst forth in spontaneous song as they sang with unbridled emotions: I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go unto the house of the Lord.

I don't know who wrote the 122nd psalm, but whoever wrote it, whether it was David or one of the exiles led by Ezra, Zerubbabel or Nehemiah, it was someone who experienced the unparalleled joy of God's presence when he entered into the house of the Lord.

If this psalm had not already been written, I would have written it myself this very morning. When I drove into the parking lot, an image of our sanctuary filled my memory, and I could hardly contain my emotion. This is God's house, the place where we come to ask His blessings on our newborn children&the place where we come to seek refuge from Satanic attack&the place we come to worship the One who holds the world in the palm of His hand. I could hardly wait to open the door and come inside. If these words had not already been penned, I would have written them myself - I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go unto the house of the Lord.

Let me share a bit more about this unparalleled joy I experienced as I approached and entered this building. I know it's just a building made of stone and mortar, but it's also a building dedicated to God. It's where God carries on His business. God has set up headquarters here. He maintains an office here, and every time I enter, I can feel His divine presence.

The first thing you notice when you enter the church are the stained glass windows. Their variegated color suggests the universality of God's love. The royal blue symbolizes a sky that was painted without brush on creation morning. The green reminds me of our spirit's ever-renewing spring that comes after a dismal winter of loss or separation. It also reminds me of the green pastures into which my Savior leads me as I wallow in the prosperity of His blessings. The orange, cherry and peach remind me of the fruits of the Spirit - love, joy and peace. The purple reminds me of the passion of Christ, as He stood before Pilate. The crimson and the red remind me of His precious blood, that ran down Calvary's cross to save me from my sins. Even the gold casts mental images of a city I will see one day - the city of God, whose streets are paved with gold.

The beauty of the sanctuary moves my heart, but it's not the only reason I am glad to be in the house of the Lord. Each time I approach the building, a smile comes across my face as I anticipate what will be going on inside. My heart anticipates the grand crescendo of the pipe organ, the melodious voices of the choir, and the unbridled joy of the congregation, as we worship in song.

You can be sure someone will be reading God's word. They will be reading from that book someone once described as a roadmap that leads from earth to glory. It's the book that's been called the blueprint for peace and happiness. It's the Book that contains our recipe for salvation. And when God's Word is read from the book, it offers comfort to the oppressed, strength to the downcast, and encouragement to the weary. Then the Word is topped off with the icing God calls prayer. We pour out our hearts to the One who has the power to uphold us and remold us, to shake us and remake us!

The singing, the reading of the word, and the praying are all part of the worship experience, but then there's the preaching! The preacher breaks the bread of life to us, standing there in the pulpit - that holy place where God delivers His message to the one who is called into obedience. The preacher stands, having studied to show himself approved unto God as a workman who has no reason to be ashamed - and he entrusts himself to God, who will use him to rightly divide the word of truth.

And in case you're wondering about the content of his message, he's always preaching about a Savior named Jesus! He's preaching about Mary's little boy who was born in Bethlehem and wrapped in swaddling clothes. He's preaching about a boy-wonder, who at the age of 12, had more knowledge than the greatest scholars in Jerusalem. He's preaching about a God-man who walked upon the water and calmed the angry sea. He's preaching about a man who opened blind eyes, unclogged deaf ears, cut loose stammering tongues, healed sick bodies, and raised bowed down heads.

Yes, he's preaching about a man called Jesus. He's preaching that old, old story of Jesus and his love. The congregation may change, but the message - that sweet story of salvation, never changes. That's why I'm glad to come into the house of the Lord. There's sure to be some preaching going on!

And I'll tell you something else that will be going on. Souls are being saved; backsliders are being reclaimed; the hearts of Christians are being revived. This Christian manufacturing center is a rehab house for the down and out. You can come in here raw material and go out a finished product! You can come in here lost and go out found - by Jesus! You can come in here a hell-bound sinner and go out a heaven-bound saint! You can come in here steeped in sadness and sorrow and leave here with joy and hope for tomorrow!

There's yet another reason why I was glad when they said unto me, let us go into the house of the Lord. I know this is God's headquarters and I know there's some singing going on. I know there's some bible reading going on. I know there's some praying and preaching going on. I know that sinners are being led to Jesus Christ! But before this morning is far spent, there might be some shouting going on. I can't predict it with a degree of certainty - I realize that we don't have the reputation of being a Holy Ghost headquarters, but who knows? Some of us might suddenly be overwhelmed by the goodness of God, and we won't be able to control the outpouring of joy. Some of us won't have to do more than reflect on how God woke us up this morning and started us on our way, and before we know it, we'll find ourselves unable to hold our peace. There'll be some shouting going on in here! There might be somebody who's not ashamed to raise his hands to the heavens and say, "Thank you Jesus!" There might be somebody who's not too stiff to get limber - who's not too tight to turn loose - who's not too sophisticated to become liberated - who's not too pretty to get ugly - who's not too high-up to get down.

There might be some lady here who's not afraid to mess up her make-up. There might be somebody in here who will allow the Holy Spirit to have His way so that you'll laugh when you're not tickled, run when no one is after you, cry when there's no pain in your body. There might be some shouting in here! And it will be because, "I was glad when they said unto me, let us go into the house of the Lord!"

But wait a minute! My greatest joy - the reason I'm really excited to be here, is because I realize this is a dress rehearsal. All we are doing here is just a rehearsal for what we will do THERE! This sanctuary is a symbol of heaven's New Jerusalem. These glowing lights remind us of the light of God's countenance that illuminates heaven. As the ushers open the doors for each worshipper, they re-enact the moment when God will open the pearly gates of heaven and welcome us in. As the choir marches in, the synchronized swaying of their robes reminds me that one day I'm gonna put on my robe, and tell the story, how I made it over!

I can't hold my peace now. I can't stand here without feeling my hands get lighter as they reach toward my Father!
I can't hold my peace - I can't come in here and not thank Him for rescuing me.
I can't hold my peace - I know its just a rehearsal, but its REAL to me!
I can't help myself. Hallelujah! Thank you Jesus! I just want to See Him!

"Oh I want to see him
Look upon his face
There to sing forever
Of His saving grace
On the streets of glory
Let me lift my voice
Cares all passed
Home at last
Ever to rejoice."