Assembling for Joy
Sermon Recording
Sermon Outline
Speaker: Rev. Scott Strickman
Sermon Series: Psalm 84
Psalm 84 (ESV)
1 How lovely is your dwelling place,
O Lord of hosts!
2 My soul longs, yes, faints
for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and flesh sing for joy
to the living God.
3 Even the sparrow finds a home,
and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may lay her young,
at your altars, O Lord of hosts,
my King and my God.
4 Blessed are those who dwell in your house,
ever singing your praise! Selah
5 Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
in whose heart are the highways to Zion.
6 As they go through the Valley of Baca
they make it a place of springs;
the early rain also covers it with pools.
7 They go from strength to strength;
each one appears before God in Zion.
8 O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer;
give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah
9 Behold our shield, O God;
look on the face of your anointed!
10 For a day in your courts is better
than a thousand elsewhere.
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
than dwell in the tents of wickedness.
11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
the Lord bestows favor and honor.
No good thing does he withhold
from those who walk uprightly.
12 O Lord of hosts,
blessed is the one who trusts in you!
Sermon Outline
Our longings prompt us to assemble regularly in the presence of God.
1. An internal prompt
v2 “my soul longs, yes, faints, for the courts of the Lord”
v2 “heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God”
v3 “even the sparrow finds a home… at your altars”
2. A matchless priority
v10 “a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper…”
3. A whole life habit
v4 “blessed are those who dwell in your house ever singing your praise!
Prayer of Confession
O Lord of Hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in you. Our hearts long for your courts, but we confess we have sought to satisfy our longings in other places. Our faith is weak and we have made the wrong things our priorities. We have neglected worship. We have made idols of things that are not worthy of devotion. We have willingly done what you have forbidden and warned us about. Forgive us our many sins. Forgive our half-hearted religious life. Forgive our folly. O Lord, give ear to our prayers, and satisfy us with your goodness. We thank you for your invitation to walk with you, and for a place among your people. Be with us as we look to you for joy and strength. Amen.
Questions for Reflection
What are the most important things you do each week? How many of them are exciting? How many are ordinary (or even boring)?
Why is worship a first priority? What sorts of things happen when we meet for worship that are a help for the rest of the things you do during the week?
What do you find more compelling than what God offers you? Where do you seek satisfaction in life?
Do you believe that a day in God’s presence and among His people is better than a thousand elsewhere? What do you find most compelling, exciting, wonderful, etc. in Christianity?
How has Jesus made it possible for you to have a place among God’s people? Do you understand his invitation? Do you recognize that he has made it so that nothing should keep you from coming? Where are you still holding back, and why?
What can you do to make your life of faith more joyful and energizing?
How can you improve your worship engagement and experience? What expectations or attitudes should you have when coming to church? How can you prepare for worship? What sorts of things should you prioritize to make the most of your time at church?
How can you increase the connections between what happens at church and what you do the rest of your week? What should you try to take hold of in church that will be a part of everything else you do?