We are so glad to be with you this morning. It is a privilege for me to stand in this pulpit. And my brother's words were kind. He is dear to me. I feel in ways like a little brother to him, especially with ecclesiology. He is an example to me. I have learned so much from him already and am eager to learn more. And here we are, yes, right here, right now. Here in the Lord's house, here together, right? Together in unity. Before the throne of God above, and Christ Jesus, our Lord at his right hand, Yes, to Mount Zion we have come, the heavenly Jerusalem. What privileges are ours, what a weight of glory. A weight of glory rests on Christian worship. If we have the spirit, if we believe the true gospel and understand what it means to dwell together in unity. as brothers and sisters in Christ. So come with me to Psalm 33 if you're not there already. When Paul asked me, he asked me months back what psalm I wanted to preach, I selected this one because I knew it was right after T4G. And it was, A great blessing to be there by his invitation. I wouldn't have been there, not because I didn't desire to go, but I think without that invitation, I wouldn't have been at the conference. And it was such a blessing to be with all of you who were there, to travel with Tim Lloyd to and back, and those of his family. But this was the Psalm. that I couldn't help myself in choosing this one. This is, to me, the Together for the Gospel psalm. And yet, the reality this psalm is celebrating is it's, first of all, it's not, first of all, an application at a big conference event, but in local churches, Lord's Day by Lord's Day, or the blessing of being together, this pilgrim brotherhood, as we will see. How would you describe it, can I ask you this morning? How would you describe this brotherhood, sisterhood, Christian unity? If you were to describe it and what it means to go to church, if someone were to ask you tomorrow, You said, well, I was at church. You know, they say, what'd you do this weekend? And you say, well, it was the Lord's Day yesterday, and I was at church. And if they asked you, like, well, what was it? What was it for you, to you? How would you answer? What adjectives would you use? I hope your answer would be something like, I hope your answer would be something like what we find here in Psalm 133. So let's read. A song of a sense of David. Behold how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity. It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes. It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion. For there the Lord has commanded the blessing, life forevermore. Let's pray. God, thank you for the great privileges and blessings that come with gathering together this Lord's Day. Thank you for your words. Speak to us now. Show us Christ. Show us the meaning of Christian unity, of our brotherhood and sisterhood as pilgrims of Zion. In Jesus' name, amen. What a precious and pleasant blessing when pilgrim brothers are together in the gospel. That's the headline. What a precious and pleasant blessing when pilgrim brothers And that includes sisters, you understand. I feel like I need to make like the ESV footnote, right, in the New Testament, right, with Adolfo, you know, where it's like brothers and sisters. So I will speak of brotherhood often this morning, but the sisters are included too. What a precious and pleasant blessing when pilgrim brothers are together in the gospel. And that was mentioned at the conference, that how can we be together for the gospel unless we're together in the gospel? It's the same gospel we believe and confess. So we're just going to take this statement apart now. What a precious and pleasant blessing when pilgrim brothers are together in the gospel. We'll take it apart as we work our way through the psalm. First I wanted to focus on that descriptor, pilgrims. We are pilgrims. And I find the cue to that in the title to the psalm, A Song of Ascents. This is one of a number of songs that bear that title, a number of psalms. It's 120 to 134, there are 15 of them. And each one bears this title, Song of Ascents. They are songs of going up. Some by David and written by others, and yet they're marked out, these 15, as these songs, I believe, for pilgrims on their way. to the feasts in Zion, going to worship as they would, right? And going up to the city. For those great days, they'd be gathered together, the worship of the Lord, the blessings and joy together there in the city. And these Psalms have certain marks to them. Most of them are short Psalms. They're short, they would be memorable. They'd be ready at hand if you were traveling to bring the psalm to mind. And they give great truths for pilgrims to meditate on, pilgrims on the way. I thought of that old hymn. I'm pressing on the upward way. New heights I'm gaining every day. Anyone grow up singing that hymn? Okay. But as it turned over in my mind, that's not quite a realistic description of our pilgrimage as Christians. You know, it's not gaining new heights every day. Along with heights come depths. Along with our risings in our Christian pilgrimage are heavenward journey. There are fallings and risings. There are dangers. difficulties and delays as well as delights for faithful pilgrims. Much more realistic, I think, is Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress, right? Where there are wonderful scenes of comfort and joy, but there's also the slough of despond. There's the valley of humiliation. There's Doubting Castle. And even more importantly, I believe that's what these psalms present to us. They present the full range of this reality as pilgrims. And I wanna come back to that, but for now, if I can just note in one of these psalms, in Psalm 121, this is a psalm we know well, right? I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? When our family was walking through the Psalms and we came to this Psalm, I was helped in understanding that probably the picture we have here is a pilgrim beginning on his journey and he's lifting up his eyes to the hills where there are dangers. He's facing his fears. Where will my help come from? And we know it comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth And then when it speaks of he will not let your foot be moved, he who keeps you will not slumber, the sun not striking you by day, the moon by night, the psalm kind of opens up once we have that pilgrim vision in front of us. So I believe these Psalms speak in very meaningful ways to us today as pilgrims. And that is clearly the vision of our Christian life in this world. That is the tension of the already and the not yet. Is it not? Of living between two worlds, enjoying the blessings of heaven yet still on this earth, in the midst of all those realities, in the midst of trials and temptations of all kinds. I'm concerned with your pastor for some who have a vision in the church today, in the evangelical church and the reformed church, who have a vision that doesn't bear out that reality, that New Testament reality, for us as the church in this world. We are pilgrims, and we are pilgrim brothers, right? As Psalm 133 speaks of, we are brothers dwelling in unity. Behold how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity. Are these just brothers in a family? Is this kind of a sort of, it's nice when families get along. Is that the point in Psalm 133? I don't believe so. I believe the vision of Psalm 133 is larger than that. A broader vision for Israel's sons, a spiritual brotherhood. I believe it's spoken of again in earlier Song of Ascent. Now 122. Look at Psalm 122 in verse three. Jerusalem, built as a city that is bound firmly together, yes. This is a firmly bound brotherhood. Verse four of that psalm says, to which the tribes go up to the city, the tribes of the Lord, as was decreed for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the Lord. So that vision of the tribes, the sons of Israel and daughters going up to the city, and it's bound firmly together with a shared vision, with a shared theology. And I believe these Psalms point us to such a shared theology, which we'll get to in a moment. Another key in this psalm is of these brothers, the one who's speaking of the brothers is David. A song of ascents of David. So this is one of David's songs of going up. This could well have to do with his ascension to the throne and the uniting of Israel under his reign. I think we'll see some marks of that. But I can't help but think of David's brotherhood as the pilgrim king, when in his fugitive days he was fleeing from Saul, right? He was on the run, hiding away. Do you remember in 1 Samuel 22, when he had escaped to the cave of Aduyam, And when his brothers and all his father's house heard it, they went down there to him. And everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was bitter in soul, gathered to him. And he became commander over them. And there were with him about 400 men. And they became a brotherhood. They became a mighty brotherhood, did they not? Later you find in 2 Samuel chapter 23, 1 Chronicles chapter 11, the description of mighty acts by these men who served David, God's chosen king. That was the impact of his leadership. Yet he not only filled their hearts for courage, for those things, but with devotion to the Lord's worship. And David loved the Lord's worship, did he not? So what he is celebrating, as the psalm opens, behold how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity. Are together, together in Zion, together before the Lord. Together in worship, together in the knowledge of him, in the truth. And I just wanna chart that out just briefly. I wanna do not a pilgrim's journey, but a kind of flyover of the pilgrim psalms, just to get a little taste of the theology of these psalms. So if you'll just kind of turn back to Psalm 120, and we're just again going to take a quick journey. What is this pilgrim vision? shared by David, the pilgrim king, and his brothers. What is the theology in which it was forged? Well, pilgrims belong to the Lord and his city, and so they know the distress of the pilgrimage in this world. They know the schemes of their enemies, as in Psalm 120, and their hope is in the Lord alone to deliver them. In Psalm 121, they know the Lord is their helper and their keeper in all their comings and goings, from beginning to end of the pilgrimage. It is the Lord who keeps our life. In Psalm 122, here is that note of worship. I was glad when they said to me, let us go to the house of the Lord. Is that how you felt, going to church? I was glad. Our feet are standing, we're in, we're within the gates of Jerusalem. You can feel the thrill in this psalm of coming to worship the Lord. It speaks of the house of David, so the pilgrims love the Lord's King. They pray for the peace of his city. They seek its good. Psalm 123, pilgrims, again, in facing the contempt of the proud, look as servants to our master. Marie describes it as the eyes of a maid servant to the hand of her mistress. We look to the Lord for mercy. He is supreme over his pilgrims. And in Psalm 124, that means if the Lord had not been on our side, we would have been swept away. The flood would have swept us away. That's why in Psalm 124, he blessed the Lord who has not given us as prey to their teeth to be devoured by them. Psalm 125, true pilgrims who walk in the King's holy highway. And we heard the mention of that in Isaiah. But pilgrims who walk in this way, they abide immovably. They're like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever. They're committed to godliness in their pilgrimage. Psalm 126, the tears of pilgrims matter. Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy when the Lord restores the fortunes of his people. And we wait for the Lord for those seasons. We wait for the Lord. The Lord is the one who does great things for us and fills our hearts with joy. In Psalm 127, pilgrims have a vision for godly family life. This is in Psalms 127 and 128. In 127, it begins with a trust in the Lord because apart from him, we labor in vain, parents. We parent on pilgrimage, trusting in the Lord to build the city, to watch the walls, and to bless us to future generations when it speaks of children, the heritage of children. That's where pilgrims, that's the walk of pilgrims, the walk of faith, surrounded by so many things in this world. I think of mothers in this congregation, in the midst of all those things, all the things you face, bringing up children in such a world as this. Our trust is in the Lord. And in 128, the answer to it, the blessing of everyone who fears the Lord, who walks in His ways, that beautiful, fruitful picture of godly family life. Again, four generations. Psalm 129. The efforts of persecutors to destroy the Lord's pilgrims are ultimately fruitless because of the Lord. He's the one who cuts the cords of the wicked. Psalm 130, Psalm 130, where do pilgrims cry from the depths when we have sinned, when we have fallen, when we are burdened by guilt, by doubt? It is to the Lord, if he would mark iniquities, who could stand? But with him there is forgiveness, so that he may be feared. And in him we hope, oh, we hope in him for full and plentiful redemption, do we not, brothers and sisters? That's the pilgrim way. over this long and dangerous journey. Our hope is in Him, and that's why we wait for Him more than the watchman for the morning. In Psalm 132, we find in the Psalm of David, a weaned pilgrim, a mature pilgrim though, a mature pilgrim, humble, calm, hoping in the Lord alone. In Psalm 132, a longer psalm, it's the longest of them, it is the city that pilgrims love, and again, her king, and again, her worship. The brotherhood in Psalm 133 and the unity, and then in Psalm 134, the chief end of pilgrims, which is to bless the Lord who blesses us. From whom all blessings flow, we bless him. So that gives you a picture of the range of pilgrim theology. It is doctrinal, it is practical, it is experiential. And that is what binds pilgrim brothers together. That is where the blessing of this psalm is found. If you do not have such unity, such a brotherhood together, the blessing will be missed. But what is this blessing for those who know it, who dwell together in such unity, in such a shared vision as pilgrims of Zion, pilgrims of the King? Oh, it is a good blessing. It is precious. The blessing is precious. Notice how it's described in verse two. After that opening exclamation, we now have these two pictures, right? They are comparisons. It's like these two things. Like the precious oil on the head running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron. running down on the collar of his robes. That word precious in verse two is the same word, it's the Hebrew word tov, the same word as the word good, behind the word good there in verse one. How good, yes, how precious. So I think the sense here of precious, of the idea of good, this good oil, is it is fine, it is excellent, it is yes, sacred. David, in his imagination, goes back, right, to a scene. If we can see it in our mind's eye, in Exodus 29, the anointing of Aaron. You notice specifically he mentions Aaron, the high priest. His consecration for service at the Tent of Meeting. Find in Exodus 29, it says, then you shall take the garments and put on Aaron the coat and the robe of the ephod and the ephod and the breast piece and gird him with the skillfully woven band of the ephod. You shall set the turban on his head, put the holy crown on the turban. You shall take the anointing oil and pour it on his head and anoint him. And we find the fulfillment of it in Leviticus chapter eight. The anointing of Aaron for his service. This sacred anointing oil, that's how it's described in Exodus 30. Sacred anointing oil blended as by the perfumer. A holy anointing oil. Brothers and sisters, our unity Our unity as pilgrims, our unity in Christ is precious. It has a set-apartness to it. It is a sacred blessing and therefore sanctifying to us. And we could even bring in from that imagery of the oil, it's fragrant to the Lord, it is pleasing to Him. If we could unpack that further, in Exodus 19.6, if you remember, Israel was called by the Lord a kingdom of priests. This is a priestly privilege, especially understanding that in new covenant terms, through the gospel, every believer a priest to God in his kingdom. So it is sacred. It has a holy weight to it. Christian unity. Our brotherhood. It has the weight of truth and of love for the things of God. It is marked by a sober bracing strength. And even has what we might call a hortatory quality to it. I thought of some texts in Hebrews 10, of course in Hebrews that imagery with the Levitical imagery and all the meaning for it in relationship to Christ. and relationship to us as his church, how they unfold in Hebrews, and thinking of Hebrews 10, let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful, and let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the day drawing near. When I was growing up, and hearing that verse in church, often the basic sense for me was, you know, we should get together, right? You should go to church. But we shouldn't miss why. We shouldn't miss the blessing that is there, the blessing that is here for us. That priestly, sacred, sanctifying gift we have in Christ as we encourage one another, as we are braced and strengthened, as we are edified and fortified in the Lord. That's what it does for us. And this matters because of earlier in Hebrews how he says, take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God, but exhort one another every day, as long as it is called today, that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. We want to hold our original confidence firm to the end, do we not, brothers and sisters? then we come and we enjoy the blessing of Christian unity. It's the sacredness in fellowship together. Oh, how it strengthens us, every one of us. And I think the oil coming down pictures that beautifully, does it not? If we think of Aaron's garments, if we think of the tribes, right, and the ways that represented all the tribes of Israel, it was embedded in his garments, right? And if we think of the oil coming down over all his garments, it is for all, it is for all. I believe that was David's statement in Psalm 133. It's for him and all the brothers to the least. For children this day who believe, who enjoy this blessing of Christian unity, and oh how it sanctifies, how it strengthens us. We got a taste of that at T4G, I was so grateful. The more I hear of even the story of Grace Covenant Baptist Church, as I was fellowshipping with Tim, especially on the way back from the conference, It strengthens my heart. It fills me with courage. And I need that as a missionary. I need that blessing in fellowship with you. Is this brotherhood so precious to you? This concord as pilgrims, this fellowship? So precious that you could receive the harder things? The reproofs and corrections that come through it? Sacred and sanctifying, not easy to receive? Is it that good to you? That precious? You see what he's doing? As he celebrates it, he's wooing us to pursue Christian unity, fellowship, to pursue the blessing that comes within this bond, this firm bond together. So our pilgrim brotherhood is precious for its sacred and sanctifying character. Then it is pleasant, verse three, it is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion. Now that's interesting because Hermon is way up in the north, right? It was, as one commentator says, proverbial for its heavy dew as the tallest peak in Israel. So he speaks of the dew of Hermon which falls on the mountains of Zion. How are we to understand it? The dew of that mountain and Zion way down in the south, in the dry south, Or perhaps we might see again the reach to all of the people, the northern and southern tribes in Israel. Speaking of unity, I wonder though if even in the mention of Hermon and it's renowned for its heavy dew, that then he turns to the mountains of Zion again in that drier area, but this is our heavy dew. The blessing we enjoy, that pleasant blessing we enjoy, We are together as brothers and sisters in God's city, together for worship and for fellowship. Oh, how refreshing it is. Yes, reviving. As the Duke could have that kind of impact on the vegetation in these areas. Our united brotherhood refreshes us, rejoices our hearts, revives us. I've been walking through Acts in a seminary class, and when Paul, when he arrives, he's nearing Rome, and after all his trials and after that dangerous journey by ship, and as he's coming, The brothers there, when they heard about us, came as far as the Forum of Appius and three taverns to meet us. On seeing them, Paul thanked God and took courage. Isn't that beautiful how Paul was refreshed as he was earlier in even in his missionary journeys, coming back around to the church in Antioch, staying there no little time, And that's what I love, coming back to Grace Covenant Baptist. The fellowship we enjoy together, it refreshes me. And there are times when we are spiritually dry and desperately need it. 2 Timothy chapter one is such a time for Paul. We were hearing a number of references to this letter at the conference of Paul's last words in this last letter to Timothy before he dies. And in chapter one he says, may the Lord grant mercy to the household of Anessa for us, for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains. But when he arrived in Rome, he searched for me earnestly and found me, how Christ-like, to seek for Paul until he found him, to refresh him then. That's the kind of brother I want to be. And what a blessing it is, is it not? When you've received that from others, received it from Christ through others, oh, our pilgrim brotherhood is, yes, precious for its sacred and sanctifying character, and it is pleasant for its refreshing and encouraging character. It is indeed a blessing. Now we're coming to the close, and this is connected with that statement. There in Zion, the Lord has commanded the blessing life forevermore. It is a blessing. Christian unity, Christian brotherhood, sisterhood, our togetherness, our fellowship as pilgrims, again, it is a blessing. Brothers and sisters, it comes down to us. Did you notice that in the psalm repeated? There was the oil coming down, coming down as it, or running down as it mentions twice, and then the dew coming down or falling on the mountains of Zion. Yes, it comes down. It's like all God's good and gracious gifts. It's not contrived, it's not manufactured. It comes down by His grace in Christ. Tim and I were fellowshipping, I think it was when traveling to T4G, and we mentioned Romans 10. The righteousness based on faith says, do not say in your heart, who will ascend into heaven? That is to bring Christ down. Or who will descend into the abyss? That is to bring Christ up from the dead. But what does it say? The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart. That is the word of faith that we proclaim. And we wanna remember that as pilgrims. It's going up, right? It's the journey and it's hard, it's dangerous. But the blessings of it are not earned, right? No, they are blessings enjoyed by God's grace. and thought of John 1 16 there from the gospel where you are where you are at right now for from his fullness we have all received grace upon grace including the grace of Christian unity and the fellowship we enjoy So remember that in all our goings up together, the blessings come down to us in Christ and they are blessings that are forever, forever we will enjoy this fellowship in unity. Forever we will enjoy it. We enjoy it now, Lord's Day by Lord's Day, as your pastor mentioned earlier, Lord's Day by Lord's Day, as we come together, as we come to the city, yet on earth, but in the presence of the heavenly hosts and our King. As we come to Zion here on earth and then finally being gathered into Zion at the King's return to enjoy it forevermore. It is as everlasting as the life we have in our King. You notice the blessing commanded life forevermore. So it's fellowship, it is brotherhood, sisterhood, Christian concord, the communion of saints. We believe in the communion of saints and joy forevermore. It is as everlasting as the life we have. Then we could speak as David. The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places. Indeed I have a beautiful inheritance. a beautiful inheritance, but it will be enjoyed corporately with my fellow saints. So truly, how precious, how pleasant it is when pilgrim brothers are together in the gospel And that is because of our firstborn brother, Jesus. In him, the promises of the Lord, in this and all the pilgrim psalms, the blessings, the longings of our hearts as pilgrims, their longings before Christ, before his coming, In him they are fulfilled. We had mentioned the priestly privilege it is. Oh what a privilege it is for us because there is a greater high priest than Aaron. Again, in Hebrews, his glory, his superiority is presented to us, proclaimed to us by the preacher in Hebrews. The priest, the great high priest after the order of Melchizedek, he has an eternal priesthood. So again, it is no wonder the life and fellowship are forevermore. We can imagine almost if we picture it in the language of Psalm 133, the oil of the Spirit flowing down from the head, Christ, to the body, to all the members. It comes truly from our head. He is the ultimate pilgrim king. David was the pilgrim king. He had a brotherhood, it is true. But David failed, didn't he? He failed the brotherhood. We need only mention the name Uriah, that loyal servant, that faithful brother. And David betrayed him. He betrayed the brotherhood. And to turn the words of McShane, the seeds of such black betrayal lie in each of our hearts, brother, sister. That should lie heavy on our hearts, lest our selfish desires, our pride, our bitterness in holding a grudge against our brother or sister, would tear apart this beautiful unity, this brotherhood and sisterhood we have. I come back to these words time and again in the hymn by the Gettys, Beneath the Cross. In that verse, you know, where beneath the cross of Jesus, his family is my own. One stranger's chasing selfish dreams, now one through grace alone. How could I now dishonor the ones that you have loved? That's what I feel in my heart toward the pastors and churches who are partnered with us in the gospel, toward our African brothers and sisters and truly a sweet fellowship we enjoy there. with them. How could I now dishonor them? Oh Lord, give me grace to not do so. Preserve me. But of course, where we turn then is to David's son, the ultimate pilgrim king, who left heaven, pitched his tent among us on earth, had nowhere to lay his head, laid his life down for his brothers. Think of him in the garden, sweating drops of blood, with that cup before him. And I can just, in one respect, turn it in my mind as the father holding that cup out, drink this for your brothers. For your brothers. And he drank it. For the joy set before him, the joy of bringing many sons to glory, the joy of becoming the head of a new brotherhood, and building God's new human society as we heard in Ephesians 2 as was read to us. how beautifully again this unfolds in the message of Hebrews and the superiority of our great high priest and king. I love the language in Hebrews chapter two, verse 11. For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers. He's not ashamed this morning to call us brothers. sisters, saying, verse 12, I will tell of your name to my brothers in the midst of the congregation. I will sing your praise. Oh, brothers and sisters, how precious and pleasant to hear his voice over ours in this congregation, this Lord's day. I couldn't help but think, in Isaiah 62 again, the Lord will delight, right? Your God will delight over you with singing That is our brotherhood. So that's why it's in the gospel, that's where we turn. So that we may continue to grow into this, to pursue it, and enjoy the blessing, how precious and pleasant it is. No wonder it exercises poetic gifts, as it did for David, so it did for, in the case of Richard Baxter. I'm going to just close with some of his poetic words describing it. He wants not friends, okay, now wants there means lacks. He wants not friends that hath thy love and may converse and walk with thee and with thy saints here and above, with whom forever I must be. Within the fellowship of saints is wisdom, safety, and delight. And when my heart declines and faints, it's raised, it's raised by their heat and light. As for my friends, they are not lost. The several vessels of thy fleet, though parted now by tempest tossed, shall safely in the haven meet. We still are centered all in thee, though distant members of one head. Within one family we be, and by one faith and spirit led. And how about this last verse? The heavenly host's world without end shall be my company above, and thou my best and surest friend who shall divide me from thy love. Amen. And what a pledge of his love we have in our Christian brotherhood, in our unity, in the gospel. Hallelujah, let's pray. God, thank you for our blood-bought brotherhood. Thank you for our firstborn brother and how he, by his death, became the head of the new brotherhood. unites us together, though so diverse our backgrounds be. And even our ethnicities. Lord, thank you for how wonderfully the gospel unites us and what precious and pleasant blessings we enjoy in fellowship together in the communion of the saints. So thank you. for these things by your spirit, communicate them to us and motivate us all the more to pursue them that we may know the sacred and sanctifying blessing, the refreshing, encouraging, reviving blessing of Christian unity and fellowship week by week, Lord's Day by Lord's Day. and be faithful as pilgrims on the King's holy highway. For his name's sake, in his name we pray, amen.