God who builds house (psalm 127:1-2 )

God who builds house (psalm 127:1-2 )

 

 1Unless the Lord builds the house,
They labor in vain who build it;
Unless the Lord guards the city,
The watchman stays awake in vain.
² It is vain for you to rise up early,
To sit up late,
To eat the bread of sorrows;
For so He gives His beloved sleep.

 

Intro)

 

1. Psalm 127 was recorded by most wise man king Solomon.

   Today’s verses are what King Solomon experience with his knowledge and life and made conclusion of it. This verse seems like it’s for one or certain group, but it can go furthermore and relate to nation and whole world’s history.

 

2. In this world everyone seeks for happiness, and building happy house and settlement will be what everyone wants as well. To build happy house it requires effort, but more importantly did it result success?

 

3. Verse 1 Solomon says, 1Unless the Lord builds the house, They labor in vain who build it. Let’s think about the reason why God needs to be the center and how to do it.

(Body)

A)Build it on our own.

 

Do it our way is using effort. In Genesis 3:17 God says to Adam and Eve.  “Cursed is the ground for your sake;
In toil you shall eat of it All the days of your life.” Therefore, everyone needs to work hard with sweat to live.

 

But all this hard works does not guarantees happy settlement; therefore we are in cycle of sadness, tiredness, worry, anxious.

 

 

In Genesis 47:9 Jacob faces king Pharaoh ⁹ And Jacob said to Pharaoh, “The days of the years of my pilgrimage are one hundred and thirty years; few and evil have been the days of the years of my life, and they have not attained to the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage.”

 

 

Today’s verse 1 says ‘Unless the Lord guards the city,
The watchman stays awake in vain.’ To keep the success we need to protect our success.
 

 

In history of mankind, strongest and most wealthy empires spent countless effort to build it and keep it protected, but all fall down like Egypt, Babylon, and Rome.

 

Even today, people created international organization to prevent the war in this world such as UN, but there are terrorism, and war. Pollutions are growing and diseases. We are living world that is unpredictable.

 

Therefore, God says, 1Unless the Lord builds the house,
They labor in vain who build it;
Unless the Lord guards the city,
The watchman stays awake in vain.

When we serve God truly finally we can enjoy the success without concerns.

 

B)Let’s think about house that God builds.

 

1. Solomon said without God’s help our labor will be in vain, but with God’s help it will be blessed, and people God loves will earn sleep. Who is loved by God? It is a person who pleases God.

 

So, David says in Psalm 37:4-5, ⁴ Delight yourself also in the Lord,
And He shall give you the desires of your heart.

⁵ Commit your way to the Lord,
Trust also in Him,
And He shall bring it to pass.

 

 In fact, the way for God to build our house is quite simple, become who pleases God, and have faith in God and depend on him. These simple ways will get you success with blessing, and peace.

 

 

When Stephen was stoned to death God opened heaven’s door and showed Jesus who was standing right to God. When Stephen saw it he was not afraid of death, but had face of an angel. When he passed away God took him to his place.

 

 When Jesus was facing his death In the Garden of Gethsemane and was praying alone ⁴³ Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him.

 

When Saint Paul was young he was doing his best to build his house, but he knew that was all in vain after he known Jesus. He considered labor that building house as feces. And he said ¹³ Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, He knew matter of death and living is on God’s will, so although he was locked up he was happy that he could handle God’s mission he was happy.

 

In old days Pyongyang City in N. Korea used to be called as Jerusalem of the East, because of how revival it was, but 3 major churches agreed to Proposal for a shinto shrine worship of Japan and had cursed and fall down.

The place used to be called as Jerusalem of the East became evil and cursed communist’s land. God’s grace has left this proves that without God’s protection and blessing it’s all in vain.

 

 

Even today Korea is in danger of war. North Korea is threatening South Korea that they will make it into fire. North Korea made few nuclear weapons and made Ballistic missiles.

Isn’t this scary? In this fearful reality how we are living in? Not so much worries. In foreigner’s eye Korean people have quite of balls.

 

Why won’t we afraid of it? It is because South Korea’s churches are awake and pray. As long as we love and make him happy we will be safe and blessed and gives us sleep in peace.

 

 

Psalm 3:4~8David says, ⁴ I cried to the Lord with my voice,
And He heard me from His holy hill. Selah

⁵ I lay down and slept;
I awoke, for the Lord sustained me.
⁶ I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people
Who have set themselves against me all around.

⁷ Arise, O Lord;
Save me, O my God!
For You have struck all my enemies on the cheekbone;
You have broken the teeth of the ungodly.
⁸ Salvation belongs to the Lord.
Your blessing is upon Your people. Selah

Hallelujah!

 

And author of Psalm chapter 23 says,

 

The Lord is my shepherd;
I shall not want.
² He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
³ He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.

⁴ Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

⁵ You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
My cup runs over.
⁶ Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
And I will dwell^[a] in the house of the Lord
Forever

Con)

 

Only God give us peace, happiness, satisfaction of all. God exists in now and after death. He will be with us at all the time. Anywhere we are at either Korea or United States God is the same God as always.

 

Loving everyone! Live in God’s arms, look at our God only, please him, if then we will be in peace in any circumstances. God will bless our family and house as we build it. Let us pray.

 

By Ik s. Ahn 020417