Title: Gates of God's Court
Content Title: Gate of God's Court
Bible: Psalm 100:1-4
The Jerusalem temple had several levels of courtyards. There was a courtyard of the Gentiles, and there was a place where the Gentiles could enter.
There is a courtyard where Jewish women can enter, called the Women's Court. There is a courtyard where Jewish men can enter, called the Court of Israel. There was a courtyard where the priests could enter, called the Court of the Priest. And the Most Holy is a place that only the high priest can enter. No one is going anywhere. Identity is a right. Status is earned by the grace of God. We have been given the status and conditions to enter the palace of God. We strive to enter the court of God and share the grace by examining the conditions.
First, his door is a door of thanksgiving.
“Enter his gates with thanksgiving” (verse 4). The gate of the kingdom of God is the gate of thanksgiving. Only those who are grateful can enter that door. When you enter that door, your gratitude abounds. I am grateful to enter that door. The gate of the kingdom of God is always the gate of thanksgiving through which only those who give thanks can enter. Jesus tells Peter in Matthew 16:19, “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” The key to heaven is the key to unlocking heaven. The pass to enter heaven is 'thank you'. Gratitude is the key and the number
Second: His door enters with praise.
“Enter his courts with praise” (verse 4), “Give thanks to him and bless his name.” It means that only God is the object of eternal thanksgiving. Psalm 100 is a poem of thanksgiving. But look at the theme of this poem. The whole earth is called to sing joyful hymns. To whom do you sing praises? to Yahweh. Who do you serve with joy? Serve Jehovah. Praise arises where there is gratitude and respect. Only God is to be praised, and He is also the God to whom we should praise. A hymn cannot exist without an open mind. There is true praise when we open our hearts wide to the Lord and give our hearts to the Lord.
Third: It is the door to joy.
“Serving the Lord with joy” (verse 2), overflowing with thanksgiving fills us with joy. The expression and actions of a person full of joy are exhilarating and empowering their position and their work. On the other hand, when there is no joy and the heart is full of sorrow, it becomes silent, moves less and does not do its job properly. A person who is full of joy no matter what obstacles there is does not think much of the obstacles, but a person without joy is bound to complain even in small circumstances.