I Will Dwell in the House of the Lord Forever
As Christmas is just 7 days away, I want to start with part of the Nativity story that we often sing about this time of year and see pictured on Christmas cards. The shepherds, who were tending their flocks in the fields by night, were the first ones to see and hear the celebration in heaven when Jesus, God with us, was born on earth! Isn’t that amazing! When the Good Shepherd arrived, he invited the ones who look after flocks to come and see. In Luke 2:8-20 we read:
“And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. [The Message version says here that ‘God’s glory blazed around them.’] But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.’ Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.’ When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.’ So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. [The Message version says here that, ‘They told everyone they met what the angels had said about this child. All who heard the sheepherders were impressed.’ It is astounding that anyone would be impressed with what shepherds said, because they were considered to hold a subordinate position in society.] But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. [The Message version puts it this way, ‘The sheepherders returned and let loose, glorifying and praising God for everything they had heard and seen.’]”
Gill’s Exposition points out that it was to the shepherds that the first notice of Christ’s birth was given; not to the princes and chief priests, and learned men at Jerusalem, but to weak, mean, and illiterate men. God chose to give this honor to humble shepherds, who tasted of dwelling in the house of the Lord forever that night! David, himself a shepherd, begins and ends Psalm 23 with a positive, buoyant affirmation –
- The Lord is my shepherd
- I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever
As those who belong to Christ, we, the sheep of the Great Shepherd, can be so utterly satisfied with our lot in life, so fully contented with the care we receive, so much “at home” with the shepherd that we can be completely devoid of desire for a change of caregiver or location. In simple, direct, rather rough ranch language, our author Philip Keller puts it like this, “Nothing will ever make me leave this outfit – it’s great!”
The shepherd, too, has developed a great affection and devotion to his flock. He would never think of parting with such sheep. Healthy, contented, productive sheep are his delight and profit. The bonds between shepherd and sheep are so strong that they are literally permanent. Praise God for His beautiful promise that we will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
What exactly is the house of the Lord? Many would understand the house of the Lord to refer to a place where the people of God meet, a church or sanctuary. Certainly David may have had this in mind, and it is a pleasant and delightful thought to be found here. But David, writing from the point of view of a sheep, is thinking back over all the seasons of the year in the life of the flock. Many of David’s psalms are full of complaints, but this is full of comforts, and the expressions of delight in God’s great goodness and dependence upon Him. Christians over the centuries have sung this psalm and we can, too, with great pleasure and satisfaction.
The Lord has taken us from the green pastures and still waters of the ranch, up through the mountain passes onto the high tablelands of the summer range. Autumn has come with its storms, rain, and sleet that drive the sheep down the foothills and back to the home ranch for the long, quiet winter. In a sense this is coming home. It is a return to the fields, corrals, barns, and shelters of the shepherd’s home. The shepherd’s alertness, care, and energetic management has brought the sheep home safely through all seasons of the year, with their hazards, dangers, and disturbances.
It is with deep peace, contentment, and serenity that we, the sheep who belong to the Good Shepherd, can say, “I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” It’s as though we’ve come home and are standing at the fence, bragging to less fortunate neighbors on the other side. We can boast in the Lord about the wonderful year He’s given us and our complete confidence in our owner.
We should be proud to belong to Christ. Why shouldn’t we feel free to boast to others of how good our Shepherd is? We should be bold to state fearlessly that we are so glad we are His. By the peace, contentment, and serenity of our lives we should show what a distinct advantage it is to be a member of His “household,” of His flock.
The Good Shepherd has been good to us! We’re going to boast in the Lord this morning! How has the Good Shepherd Jesus Christ has been good to you in 2011? Is there some special way in which He has provided for your welfare? Did He bring you through some kind of hard experience? Is there some circumstance through which your confidence in Christ increased this year? Can you describe how glad you are that you are His?
Philip Keller in his book recounts a neighbor’s flock that was under the care of a careless shepherd. As winter, with its cold rains and chilling winds came on, his neighbor’s sickly sheep would stand huddled at the fence, their tails to the storm, facing the rich fields in which Keller’s flock flourished. Those poor, abused, neglected creatures under the ownership of a heartless rancher had known nothing but suffering most of the year. They had experienced gnawing hunger all summer. They were thin and sickly with disease, scabs, and parasites. Tormented by flies and attacked by predators, some were so weak and wretched that their thin legs could scarcely bear their scanty frames.
In their eyes lurked the slender, faint hope that perhaps with a bit of luck they could break through the fence or crawl through some hole to free themselves. Occasionally this would happen – when the opportunity arose, his neighbor’s emaciated, dissatisfied, hungry sheep would slip around the end of the fence, and come sneaking in to gorge themselves on Keller’s rich green grass. But their condition was so pitiful and pathetic that the sudden feast of lush feed often proved disastrous. Their digestive systems couldn’t handle it and it was sometimes fatal. Even when Keller attempted to assist some sickly sheep by carrying them to the neglectful shepherd, instead of nursing them back to health, the heartless owner simply pulled out a sharp killing knife and slit all their throats. What a picture of Satan who holds ownership over so many.
Jesus said in John 10:7 that He is the gate for the sheep. Keller’s neighbor’s straying sheep had not come into his ranch through the proper gate. He had never let them in. They had never really been his. They had not come under his ownership or control. If they had, they would not have suffered in such a way. Even starting out under his management they would have been given very special care. First they would have been put on dry, limited rations, then they would gradually have been allowed green feed until they were adjusted to the new diet and mode of life. But instead, they tried to get in on their own. It simply spelled disaster. What made it doubly sad was that they were doomed anyway. On the neighbor’s impoverished ranch, they would have starved to death that winter.
This is what it is like for those apart from Christ. Satan is the heartless owner of a wretched ranch. He doesn’t care one bit about people’s souls or welfare. Under his tyranny there are countless hungry, discontented hearts who long to enter into the household of God – who ache for His care and concern. There is only one way into this fold, through the owner, Christ Himself – the Good Shepherd.
When we think of our neighbors just over the fence, what is our impact upon them? Are our lives so serene, so satisfying, so radiant because we walk and talk and live with God, that they long for that kind of life? Do they see in us the benefits of being under Christ’s control? Do they see something of Him reflected in our conduct and character? Do our lives and conversations lead them to Him and into everlasting life?
The word for “dwell” in the Hebrew carries with it the idea of returning to a former place of residence. Psalm 23:6 (The Message) – “I’m back home in the house of God for the rest of my life.” When God created mankind, He placed us in a beautiful garden with freedom, peace, joy, and loving relationship with Him. The way this last line is worded evokes the image of a priest returning from captivity to live in the temple in order to serve God for the rest of his days. The Lord wants us to have confidence that under His care we don’t ever have to go back to captivity – He has returned us to our true home in Him forever.
Dwelling in the house of the Lord forever also speaks of living our lives in God’s constant service. God freely gives us His joy and peace which we can fully expect to receive when in the presence of the Most High. His desires become our desires when we are in His presence. The Lord invites us to be His followers and His friends. He wants us to be able to confidently say, “I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever,” because heaven, which is God’s dwelling place, will be our eternal home too. In this simple promise we have the prospect of the perfection of bliss in our eternal dwelling. God sends goodness and mercy to us here on earth, but when our time on earth is over, we are going to a better place, to dwell in the Lord’s house forever. We are pleased with what we have here; we’re pleased even more with what we hope for! All this, and heaven too! We serve such a good Master!
I want to close with another beautiful thought that comes out from this verse. The Amplified Version translates it this way: “through the length of my days the house of the Lord [and His presence] shall be my dwelling place.” David tasted what it was like to live in the presence of the Lord. In Christ we have the privilege of being in the presence of the Lord both now and forever. When we think of the house of the Lord as being in the presence of the Lord Himself, we realize that not only is the Good Shepherd always on the scene, but that He is always alert, aware, and watchful over each sheep at all times. This diligence given by a master who never slumbers or sleeps (Psalm 121:4) assures each sheep of excellent care. This constant awareness of the Lord’s presence automatically eliminates most of our worries about difficulties and dangers, and gives us a deep security and serenity.
The presence of the Lord guarantees that we will not lack anything we need. There will be abundant green pastures. There will be still, clean waters. There will be new paths into fresh fields. There will be safe summers on high tablelands. There will be freedom from fear. There will be healing for flies, disease, and parasites. There will be quietness and contentment.
Psalm 27:3-6 (The Message) – “When besieged, I’m calm as a baby. When all hell breaks loose, I’m collected and cool. I’m asking God for one thing, only one thing: To live with him in his house my whole life long. I’ll contemplate his beauty; I’ll study at his feet. That’s the only quiet, secure place in a noisy world, the perfect getaway, far from the buzz of traffic. God holds me head and shoulders above all who try to pull me down. I’m headed for his place to offer anthems that will raise the roof! Already I’m singing God-songs; I’m making music to God.”
The thriving Christian walk can be summarized as, “Live in constant awareness of God’s presence.”
The Holy Spirit who lives in each Christ-follower gives an inner consciousness of Christ’s presence in our lives. We can grow in sensitivity and responsiveness to His inner voice. We can make a habit of being aware of Christ within us as He empowers us to live a full and rewarding life in cooperation with Him. As we respond to Him in humble obedience, we discover that life becomes increasingly satisfying and worthwhile. We can grow in both assurance and adventure. There is also the awareness that amazingly, God is all around us. We live completely surrounded by His presence. Our lives are open to Him, and we live open to both His intimacy and His inspection. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, is conscious of every circumstance in our lives. He attends us with care and concern because we belong to Him. And this will continue through all eternity, because we will dwell in the house and in the presence of the Lord forever! Praise Him!
In conclusion, let’s celebrate the Good Shepherd together with this medley from Carman . . .
Tell me the story of Jesus,
Write on my heart every word.
Tell me the story most precious,
Sweetest that ever was heard.
Tell how the angels in chorus
Sang as they welcomed His birth.
Glory to God in the highest!
Peace and good tidings on earth!
I love to tell the story –
‘twill be my theme in glory,
To tell the old, old story
Of Jesus and His love.
Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged;
take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful
who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness;
take it to the Lord in prayer.
What a friend we have in Jesus,
all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,
all because we do not carry
everything to God in prayer.
