Title I Rejoice (Psalm 122:1-9)
I approached a person who was on the verge of fate. And when I asked if he would go to heaven if he died now, he said that he could not go because he had too many sins. I asked him if he wanted to go to heaven, and he said yes. Then I asked him if he would do that because he would take off his burden of guilt and teach him the way to heaven, and he replied that he liked it and would do it. We preached the gospel and prayed together. I asked again. When I asked if he wanted to go to heaven now or if he wanted to go after living a few more years in good health, he said he wanted to live longer and then go back. Then he told me that from now on, looking to heaven and going on a pilgrimage until the day I die is the life of faith. Today's text is a song sung by people who are on a pilgrimage to heaven.
Life is a pilgrimage. Here is the secret to going on the pilgrim's path with joy and joy.
I. Pilgrims enjoy riding the rhythm of history.
The people of Israel lived in captivity in Babylon, but by God's grace they were freed and returned to Jerusalem. At this time, they sang together the song that David had sung when he went up to the temple.
I rejoiced when people said to me, Let's go up to the house of the LORD. It is fun to ride the rhythm of history. History is like a river flowing according to the will of God. The path of life that follows God's will is enjoyable and joyful. But the road to breaking God's will or going backwards is arduous, dangerous, and tiring. Muslims have a tradition of making a pilgrimage at least once in their lifetime.
The mosque in Iran is Mashad, about 600 km southeast of Tehran. It is said to be the tomb of Muhammad's eighth disciple. I've been here with pilgrims. On the way, they slept on the road at nightfall, socialized with fellow pilgrims, and were happily and joyfully on the road. But as a foreigner, I was tired even if I went by car, and I couldn't even enter the square where the tomb was. The reason is that they did not participate in the history of the pilgrimage or rhythm with the flow like them.
Music also has rhythm. It is pleasant and enjoyable to ride the highs and lows of notes, and fast and slow rhythms. Even when playing the piano, if you play the rhythm, the beauty of the melody is sweet. However, if you hit the keys with too much force, you will hear a noise, or if you don't step on even one pedal properly, you won't be able to rhyme. Such music is just loud and annoying. The pilgrim's path also flows according to the rhythm of history, the will of God, and it is enjoyable to ride the rhythm.
II. Pilgrims are happy only when they are in harmony and harmony.
The tense of the text is in harmony with the temporal harmony of the past and the future. It is a song of harmony that harmonizes not only in time but also in space with neighbors. Paul emphasizes that as a Christian, a pilgrim must lead a virtuous life. The American cartoon character Charlie looked at the pile of presents on the Christmas tree and asked his mother. When Mom sees a Christmas tree, what comes to her mind? Then Mom replied that it reminds me of Christmas when I was a kid. There is a picture of Charlie muttering to himself that, in fact, I am greedy for gifts... In fact, Christmas is about remembering the childhood of Jesus 2,000 years ago, and at the same time thinking about today's neighbors and the coming Lord in harmony. So prepare for tomorrow and repent of the past.
III. A pilgrim is a traveler on the path of suffering for a purpose.
A pilgrim is one who goes to heaven. A pilgrim is a person who goes on the path of faith to accomplish God's will. A pilgrim is one who prepares for Christmas to receive the coming Jesus. One theologian said that Christians were sent to fulfill the purpose of being a Christian. The first purpose is to establish God's sovereignty in this world, the second is to change the world according to God's will, and the third is to become a life movement, that is, a cause of salvation. This is also the purpose for which Jesus came into the world.
Today is the second Sunday of Advent. We are now on a pilgrimage to welcome the coming Lord. We must ride the flow of history that is made according to the will of the Lord. And you will have to harmonize the past and the future with your neighbors. There is no doubt that the Holy Spirit is with us as an invisible companion on our pilgrim path, as we vigorously walk toward a clear purpose.