"Usher Me Into The Presence of The Lord"
2 Chronicles 29:6-11
I have chosen for a topic today, "Usher Me Into The Presence of The Lord."
Today, we are here to uplift an annual celebration of Christian service-ushering. Though it may not be what some of your family, friends, peers, and even select church leaders may deem as one of the most glamorous auxiliaries on the church’s roster of ministries, know that God holds you in high regard. Anytime you can recognize the need to extend the hand of fellowship and hospitality to your neighbor, God holds your service in high regard.
The Bible tells us that we should be careful of how we treat strangers, for we may be entertaining angels unaware. And since man was made a little lower than the angels, we ought to be careful of how we treat those who enter the doors of our dwelling places. If you know the true definition of service as it is used in the Christian vernacular, you know then, that service equates itself to ministry. You do know that ushering is a ministry, do you not? But, what happens when we grow weary in our serving? Well, let’s take a closer look.
Perhaps there is no one like this at Mt. Pisgah, but I’m told that at times, certain people find it difficult to get motivated Sunday after Sunday, month after month, day after day, hour after hour, minute after minute, right down to second after second to render their reasonable service. I’m not talking about what some of you may think of as over and beyond the call of duty service, rather I’m speaking of reasonable service. To be more specific, the service of ushering.
It’s no fun when you have to stand on your feet for long periods of time. You smile at people as you meet and greet them on the church steps and at the door and they look at you as if to say, "What are you looking at?" "What are you so happy about?" It’s laborious when you stroll down the aisle to lead someone to a seat and they behave as if they don’t want any assistance from you, or when you lead them to their pew, people, taking up space, and refusing to issue an SOS, meet you there. I am not talking about a rescue attempt; rather I’m speaking about those persons who refuse to Scoot Over Some.
As humorous as these scenarios may or may not seem, there is one thing for sure, we can find a bit of truth in all of them. As we examine today’s text, let’s observe how our scripture focuses resemble our modern day circumstances. Sit back and use your sanctified imaginations, if you will, as I set the stage for you :
As the curtain rises on the scene of today’s text, we observe our young brother Hezekiah succeeding his father Ahaz as King of Judah. A position I am sure came with its share of setbacks. Hezekiah has inherited the position of filling his father’s shoes, a man of great position and authority, yet one whose reputation was not so praiseworthy. If you would take the time to read the entire 29th chapter of 2Chronicles when you get home, you will see a son who’s father’s past mistakes, hardened heart and corrupt leadership had great potential of being a generational curse on young Hezekiah’s life. In fact, the mistakes of his father’s past could be the very things that could virtually destroy him before he was fully able to prove himself as Judah’s new and improved leader. Yet, Hezekiah made a name for himself by turning his people away from the wickedness of his father Ahaz and restoring worship back into the temple. In fact, if you would take the time to do the research, 2Kings, chapter 20 teaches us that the Lord prolonged Hezekiah’s life for doing right after he was initially predestined to meet an early death.
Remember this, because I hope it’s going to minister to your spirit later on. What this means for those of you who hold offices of leadership and service here at Mt. Pisgah or where ever your church home or place or worship may be, particularly ushering, it’s important that we gain an understanding of our brother Hezekiah and the admonishment he renders to the Levites. There’s a message in these passages of scripture for you today, and that is, you’ve got to have pure motives in order to usher someone into the presence of the Lord.
Regardless of your past mistakes, the faults of those who have proceeded you and/or what you perceive to be unpardonable circumstances, you must present yourself aboveboard if you want to be in position to lead others to the Lord. No, I’m not saying you have to be perfect because God says to come as you are. However, I heard someone say a long time ago, it’s a highway to heaven and none should go up there but the pure in heart.
So, my brothers and my sisters, what we need to realize is that all of the things that are keeping you from experiencing the Lord’s presence, are really your Ahazes.
* Bad attitude-Ahaz
* Too tired to do the Lord’s work-Ahaz
* Can’t get along with anybody-Ahaz
* Do you know people who keep complaining about persons, places, things and circumstances, but when they show up it only causes more hell and confusion?-Ahaz
Why not lay down your Ahazes, and pick up an Hezekiah attitude? Once you begin to walk in the newness of the Lord, you won’t be able to tolerate Ahaz any longer!
You see my brothers and sisters, I am convinced that the ministry of ushering goes far beyond what we comprehend as meeting and greeting people at the door, rather it’s about ushering someone into the Lord’s presence. I am also convinced that in order to usher someone into the Lord’s presence, we have to know how to get there ourselves. Psalm 100 tells us that we are to enter his gates with thanksgiving and into his courts with praise. Yet, how can you enter into the Lord’s presence if you have not embraced the importance of praise and worship? As good as the Lord has been to all of us, we can’t afford not to praise him.
Many of you sitting here right now, know if it had not been for the Lord on your side, God only knows where you would be and what you would be doing right now. Perhaps you are still too stubborn to give God some praise, but there’s somebody who knew you when, whose soul has looked back and wondered on more than one occasion how you got over. Oh, I know you’ve looked at yourself and wondered the same thing. Like Hezekiah, we have got to come to recognize that the things that haunt us from our past can not take priority over what we need to do this day to usher someone into the Lord’s presence.
My brothers and my sisters know this-You must be transformed by the renewing of your mind in order to receive the daily bread the Lord has to give you, this day. Servants of God, you must not neglect your duties any longer! The Lord has chosen you to stand in his presence, to minister to him, lead the people in worship and make offerings unto him! The scriptures go on to say in verse 15 that the Levites got right to work. The question for you today is; are you not ready to have the life of your Christian service extended?
Like young Hezekiah, the life of your ministry may have been issued what looks like a death sentence, but because you have made the choice to do right by the Lord, your years will be prolonged. Well, my good sister, I hear what you’re saying, but how is it that you expect us to move from door keeping to ushering someone into the Lord’s presence? It’s about time you asked. There are 3 very important principles you need to know in order to understand how to lead or be lead into the Lord’s presence:
¨ In order to be in the presence of the Lord, you’ve got to have private devotion and preparation. If you desire to be in the Lord’s presence, you have got to move from religion to relationship. Anyone can go through life doing the same things, the same way, day after day, year after year without skipping a beat. That’s called religion. Though when you and the Lord have spent intimate time together, so much that he knows your wants and the desires of your heart in order to bless you, but you also know his wants and desires and live in obedience in accordance to his word, that’s called relationship. You must become intimate with the Lord.
A spiritual mentor and sister of mine in the ministry by the name of Elder Tonya Burton, recently shared with me that if the Lord was to give us his definition of intimacy, he would probably describe it as in-to-me-see. You have got to prepare yourself by first spending some personal time and devotion with the Lord before being able to effectively share him with someone else. How can you lead someone somewhere you’ve never been before and how can two walk together, unless they agree?
My next point is this:
¨ You’ve got to experience a transformation, and not just a transfer. Romans 12:2 tell us in part, to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. So many of us make the mistake of thinking just because we don’t do, say, or think the way we used to, in the places we used to, then we must be all right. We fail to recognize that in a lot of instances, we’ve just stop thinking those thoughts and doing those things in former places. Yet, like little snails, we leave the residue of our past experiences wherever we go.
Tell your neighbor, "a person like that hasn’t been transformed, just transferred." A tree is known by the fruit it bears.
Once we come into a full and mature understanding of this concept, we then will be able to usher others into the Lord’s presence.
Last, but not least:
You’ve got to be able to let others know that rest and refuge can be found in the Lord’s presence. Renown Pastor and Bishop T.D. Jakes tells a story of how when his wife Serita lost her mother, he tried addressing her grief with elaborate gifts, trips, dozens of roses and all kinds of superficial pacifiers in order to cheer her up. He went on to say, though his gestures of love and concern were as sincere as could be, nothing seemed to soothe his wife’s aching heart. She finally told him that all of the gifts and acts of love were appreciated, but what comforted her the most is when he ushered her into the presence of the Lord. It was when she would hear him preach and speak the word of God into her life and the lives of other hurting people; she felt the most comforted and relieved.
So often, we miss our opportunity to minister to the needs of others because we think it takes some grand act of holiness. We think we’ve got to talk just right, pray just right, sing just right, look just right, etc., etc., What we fail to detect is the awesome power we have to speak peace and comfort to any situation by attacking the lies of the devil with the word of God. Once we’re able to truly realize that the word of God is the balm that heals every hurt, pain and situation, it’s then when we will be able to usher others into the presence of the Lord.
If by any chance I’m ever invited back to Mt. Pisgah, know that I would really appreciate it if somebody would show me to my seat. However, what the Lord and I would appreciate more than anything else is if you’ll just usher me into his presence. Servants of God and Ushers of the Kingdom, continue to live for the day when the world will proclaim, as a result of your ministry and gracious hospitality the words found in the United Methodist Hymnal, number 328:
Surely the presence of the Lord is in this place;
I can feel his mighty power and his grace
I can hear the brush of angel’s wings
I see glory on each face;
Surely the presence of the Lord Is In this place!
Usher me into the Presence of the Lord! May the Lord God bless you and forever keep you in his presence.
Amen
