Isn’t He Beautiful?
Sermon for 11/27/2005
Psalm 27:4
Introduction:
What is beauty? Socrates began to discuss what beauty is. Plato believed that beauty only exists when you compare objects to each other. After further consideration, Plato came up the most logical of all the philosophies, that beauty cannot be defined in this world.
WBTU:
A. Psalm 27:4
1. One thing I have desired or ask of the Lord. That will I seek after.
a) Now this statement doesn’t make a lot of sense when we look at other Scriptures. David asked for many other things from the Lord.
b) No, what David is discussing what the driving motivation of his life is. What is his one all consuming passion? When all is chipped away and we examine the driving force behind David, what do we find? What is David’s goal in life?
2. That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.
a) David loved church, in his day it was the tabernacle or temple, but he loved to get together for worship. Many people in our day have terrible thoughts of even going to church let alone being there all the days of their lives.
b) Does he want us all to quit our jobs and come and live here at the church and just worship our lives away?
c) No, David is not talking necessarily about a physical place like a temple or a church building, but he is talking about being in the presence of the Lord. He is talking about walking in the Lord’s light forever.
d) Whatever we do needs to be done for the Lord’s glory in this life, but in heaven we will always be in the presence of the Lord.
3. To seek him in his temple, meditate in his temple, “to inquire in his temple” is used in most translations.
a) Prayer can be a frustrating experience. WE talk and we ask for guidance and the Lord does not come in an audible voice and make it plain to us what his will is. In the Old Testament he did and even in the New Testament, but today he speaks through the Bible. Beyond the Bible he communicates in the circumstances of life and the peace of our spirits.
b) Sometimes I have two directions that I can go in life and I don’t feel good about either one. Always second guess myself. Lord, was this really what you wanted me to do?
c) David wants to know the Lord’s will crystal clear. Not just to know it but to do it. In heaven that will be the case.
4. To gaze upon the beauty of the Lord.
a) The Amplified version says, “To behold and gaze upon the sweet attractiveness and the delightful loveliness of the Lord”
b) Young’s literal translation says, “To look on the pleasantness of God.”
c) New Living Translation says, “Delighting in the Lord’s perfections”
Thesis: let’s talk about the beauty of the Lord
For instances:
I. Some of the elements of the beauty of the Lord
A. Perfection. Plato said that this world is a poor reflection of another world. He called the perfect world the world of Forms. This other place had perfect representations of what we see here in this material world.
B. Isn’t that what beauty is all about here? Ladies, isn’t it true for one to be beautiful, there has to be just the right dimensions, the right measurements, the right angles and the right fractions of inches on the face. No one is perfect in beauty in the body.
C. Beauty is also in the eye of the beholder. A woman might not be that beautiful in the body but with her personality and charm she more than makes up for it.
D. Now God is spirit. Therefore, the Lord’s beauty is spiritual because God doesn’t literally have a body. Isaiah said of the Messiah, God’s Son, (Isa 53:2) He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. However, the Lord is described as beautiful. The Lord’s beauty must be found in the spiritual area.
E. (Mat 5:48 NIV) Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
F. The Lord is attractive, beautiful because he is perfect. He is perfect in:
1. Knowledge. (Isa 40:14 NIV) Whom did the LORD consult to enlighten him, and who taught him the right way? Who was it that taught him knowledge or showed him the path of understanding?
2. Holiness. When it is said that we are holy it means that we are set apart for God. When we talk about the Lord being holy it means that he is pure, free from anything that taints, impairs, infects, free from defects, faultless, free from sin or guilt, blameless. (Rev 4:8 NIV) Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under his wings. Day and night they never stop saying: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come."
3. Power. (Rev 1:8 NIV) "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty."
4. Righteousness. He is always right. (Psa 119:142 NIV) Your righteousness is everlasting and your law is true.
5. Justice. (Psa 98:9 NIV) he (God) comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples with equity.
6. This could all be frightening, but the Bible says more about God. He is perfect in wisdom. (Dan 2:20 NIV) Daniel said: "Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his.
7. Perfect in love. (Psa 100:5 NIV) For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.
8. In mercy. Don’t get what we deserve. (Psa 25:6 NIV) Remember, O LORD, your great mercy and love, for they are from of old.
G. Not even the possibility of imperfection can be found within His being. To say that God is perfect is to say that there is no way in which God can be better.
H. When we look at people we can see that they excel at this or that, but they do not excel in everything. The Lord is perfect in everything and all his attributes are in one harmonious whole. The colors of the rainbow are beautiful when viewed one by one. However, they are most beautiful when viewed as one, as a rainbow. In this same manner, all the perfections of God produce a glorious beauty far surpassing any attribute examined alone.
I. (Psa 85:10 NIV) Love and faithfulness meet together; righteousness and peace kiss each other. How can righteousness and peace kiss each other? If the Lord does what is right we are all condemned and there is no peace in that.
II. Where can the beauty of the Lord be seen?
A. In his creation. The mountains, the beaches, the sky, the animals, the plants.
B. In his law. He gave us these things for our good and the result of following the Law is love for God and love for our neighbors.
C. Most importantly in the Christ.
1. Perfect in wisdom, knowledge. (Col 2:2 NIV) My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ,(Col 2:3 NIV) in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
2. Holy. (Heb 7:26 NIV) Such a high priest meets our need--one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens.
3. Power. (John 13:3) Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; (1 Cor 1:24 NIV) but to those whom God has called Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
4. Righteousness. At Jesus’ crucifixion. (Luke 23:47) The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, "Surely this was a righteous man."
5. Justice. (2 Tim 4:1) God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead,
6. Perfect in love. John 3:16 and (1 John 4:9 NIV) This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. (1 John 4:10 NIV) This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
7. Perfect in mercy. We don’t get what we deserve, but we do get what we don’t deserve, that is grace. (John 1:14 NIV) The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.(John 1:16 NIV) From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another.(John 1:17 NIV) For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
D. In the gospel.
1. The gospel is the good news about Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection.
2. (1 Cor 15:1 NIV) Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand.(1 Cor 15:2 NIV) By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. (1 Cor 15:3 NIV) For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, (1 Cor 15:4 NIV) that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,
and that he appeared to (many)
3. This is a beautiful picture of what happens to us. We die to our old life, bury it in the watery grave of baptism, and then rise to a new life of victory over sin through Christ. Plan of salvation.
4. It is a beautiful picture of what will happen to us at the second coming. Those who have died in Christ will rise out of those graves with a new body and a new existence in heaven. As Christ was buried, resurrected and ascended into heaven so will we one day.
III. Some wondrous facts on the beauty of the Lord.
A. It never deceives.
1. Many times when we think of beauty we think of makeup, mascara, beauty products that cover up what is really underneath. If the barn needs painting.
2. The Lord’s beauty is not like that, it is not covering up some wrinkles or pox marks. The Lord is pure and holy and his beauty shines through.
3. Titus says that God does not lie and he also will not deceive.
B. It never fades.
1. Many forms of beauty fade away if they are not maintained. Building crumble, sculptors deteriorate, paintings fade from exposure to sunlight.
2. God’s beauty and God’s inheritance will never fade away.
C. It never loses its power.
1. Andrae Crouch- It reaches to the highest mountain. It reaches to the lowest valley.
The blood that gives my strength from day to day, It will never lose its power.
2. The Bible mentions that he has eternal power.
D. It never disappoints.
1. The Bible mentions that God’s hope will not disappoint us.
2. God is Good-Gaither Vocal Band
"God is Good, Yes He is He’s Good All the Time God is Good, You know He is
He’s good all the time You can search the whole world over And no greater friend you’ll find He’s not good just once in awhile, He’s good ALL THE TIME!!!!!"
Invitation Song
Isn’t He? by John Wimber
Isn’t He beautiful? Beautiful isn’t He? Prince of Peace, Son of God, Isn’t He?
Isn’t He wonderful? Wonderful isn’t He? Counselor, Almighty God, isn’t He? Isn’t He? Isn’t He?
