The Word of God comes to us tonight from Psalm 87. Psalm 87. I would ask you to take your copy of God's Word and turn to this psalm. You'll notice a little inscription above it, and we're pretty certain that this is, we're in the original text, actually, that the psalm of a song of Korah, these were things that they actually sang, these singers that were there at the temple, these special people that God had set apart. But you'll notice that in my book it says, above it, giving it a title, which is not inspired, it says, glorious things of you are spoken. Here's God's word. On the holy mount stands the city he founded, The Lord loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwelling places of Jacob. Glorious things of you are spoken, O city of God. Among those who know me, I mention Rahab and Babylon. Behold, Philistia and Tyre and Cush. This one was born there, they say. And of Zion it shall be said, This one and that one were born in her. For the Most High Himself will establish her. The Lord records as He registers the people. This one was born there. Singers and dancers alike say, All my springs are in you. Interesting. Let's pray together. Father, as we come to this portion of your word, we pray tonight that we might have our eyes opened again to behold wonderful things from this portion of your inspired and errant authoritative word, and that you would remind us that we do not live by bread alone, by every word rather that proceeds from your mouth. And we pray, oh God, that you would be our teacher tonight, and that you would enable us by your spirit and by your grace to lead tonight's saying, glorious things of thee are spoken, Zion, city of our God. Hear our prayer, for we pray in Jesus' name, amen. One of my favorite hymn writers is John Newton. You'll remember that John Newton was a former slave trader who came to saving faith in Jesus Christ many years after that. Two of his hymns that I treasure the most are Amazing Grace, How Sweet the Sound That Saved a Wretch Like Me. The other one that I like that Newton wrote is Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken, Zion City, of our God, the slave trader became a slave to the Lord Jesus Christ and served Him and wrote hymns to His glory and honor. And the hymn, Glorious Things of You are Spoken, Zion City of our God, is about Christ's church. And what I want you to see tonight is that even in the Old Testament, As you read Psalms like this, you're seeing God work out his plan of salvation that he intended from very beginning of human history. You're going to see that as we work our way through this, that you're going to move all the way from Mount Zion in Jerusalem to a heavenly city that is above, where we will spend all eternity in the presence of our God and our Savior. the Lord Jesus Christ. As we think our way through this tonight, I want you to see that this psalm is about Christ's church. It's about Christ's body. It's about Christ's city. About Christ's people. And this psalm actually motivated one of the greatest early theologians to write a book. Now, not many of us read the theology of St. Augustine as they call him today, but Augustine was a great man. And he wrote a book many, many, many years ago called The City of God. And in this profound work, he made a statement that he said all of the sons of Adam and the daughters of Eve live in one of the other cities. He says, all of you live, basically, in the city of this world, or in the city of a world to come. And tonight, as you think about that, as you understand, yes, we live here, the United States of America, we live in the state of Mississippi, we live in Yazoo City and surroundings, we live in Jackson, Mississippi, but this is not our home. This is not our home. We have an eternity before us, and this psalm wants us to look at three things about God's glorious and great city of the future. What we're gonna look at as we look at this psalm is we're gonna look at three things. Okay, here are my three points that I hope to open up that make some sense to you. We're gonna take a look, first of all, at a glorious city. and then we're going to look at a gathered crowd, and then we're going to look at a great celebration. A glorious city, a gathered crowd, and a great celebration. And as we work our way through the text of scripture, I want you to examine your heart tonight, and I want you to ask yourself a serious question or two. I want you to ask, am I a citizen of Zion? Am I a member of the heavenly city, even as I live my life upon this earth? Can you sing from your heart the words that we're going to sing later from the hymnal, Savior, if of Zion's city I through grace a member am, let the world deride our pity. I will glory in your name. Fading is the worldling's pleasures. All its boasted pomp and show, solid joys and lasting treasures, only Zion's people know. That's what I want you to ponder. In the first place, as we look at our text, let's look at this glorious city. Verses 1 through 3. It's very easy to read these two as we go through it. On the holy mount stands the city he founded. The Lord loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwelling places of Jacob. Glorious things of you are spoken, O city of our God. You know what this says? It basically says that God has laid the foundations of Zion. Verse one can be translated, his foundation is on the holy mountains. or on the holy mountain stands the city he founded. The reality that's being stressed here is God is the one who established Zion. Now understand that we're talking about the Old Testament. But it was his choice, it was his doing, and it was according to his purposes that God met with his people in a special place during the time of the Old Testament. In the days of the Old Testament, God established a visible place where his presence would be made known. You'll remember that when the children of Israel came out of the land of Egypt, they had a tabernacle that was set up and God would move with the Holy of Holies and with the Ark of the Covenant as they went from place to place. The presence of God in the midst of the people, there was a tabernacle and there they were to worship God. You'll also remember that that tabernacle was replaced when the children of Israel entered into the land of Israel by a temple. And God's special meeting place with His people was in Jerusalem on Mount Zion. It was there that they heard the Scriptures read. It was there that they heard the Scriptures explained. They did not have Bibles of their own. Now there were some things out in synagogues and places, but this was the place where God met with his people in a special, real way. His revelation, his word was pictured there. His redemption was pictured there through the sacrifices that they offered at the temple and at the tabernacle. His rule was there because that was the seat of his presence. It was the capital city. It was the holy residence of the king. It was the holy hub of Israel's life. And he says, on the holy mountain stands the city he founded. The Lord loves the gates of Zion. The gathering place for the people to worship him. The place where God dwelt and his people met with him on a constant basis. But you know, this is a symbol. It's a picture. And one of the things they taught us when I was in seminary, maybe they didn't teach us super duper well, but I had to learn, was the development of a theology that is Christ-centered, as one reads the Bible, a biblical theology that ties things together. And what's happening here is this is a symbol of greater glories yet to come to Israel. It's a symbol of the work that was fulfilled in the work of Christ. You see, the scriptures, when they describe Christ as He comes, says this, And the Word became flesh and tabernacled among us, and we beheld His glory. That's the way John begins a part of his gospel. We understand that Jesus Himself said to people, Destroy this temple, and in three days I'll raise it up. Jesus knew that he was the one that would be worshipped no longer anymore in one single place. But he would be worshipped among the nations of people in the future, in different places on this earth. And now his temple is established even in the lives of his people. The book of Hebrews reminds you of that. is not your body. A temple of the Holy Spirit dwells in you. So, we're not to come to a mountain that we can't touch, you know, like they did in the Old Testament. But basically, we understand that all those people in the Old Testament were looking for another city. A builder whose maker was God. And when you read the book of Hebrews, you see that all over the place. It says that Abraham was looking for a greater city. It says that in the Old Testament, that the heavenly city, that Zion basically becomes the church of God that he founded and upon which his blessings rest. And I could go on and on trying to bring up passages even in the book of Hebrews to show you this kind of thing. But let me tell you where it ultimately takes you. It takes you to a new Jerusalem that is above, whose builder and maker is God, where all the people of God in the future and in the past will come together in heavenly Zion, And we will worship and enjoy God forever and ever and ever and live under his promises and blessings in ways that we cannot comprehend, in ways that we cannot even imagine for the rest of our lives. It's something he's founded. It's something he's prepared for his people. And in all the ages in which they've lived, He has been in the presence of His people, with His people, now in His people, wherever they might be, and promising that He's going to bring them one day all the way home. But not only did He found it, but it says that He loves His people, verse 2. The Lord loves the gates of Zion, more than all the dwelling places of the earth. He takes a special delight in his people. I was so moved by Will's prayer. I've been moved by Will my whole life. And I appreciate him deeply. The Lord, our God, is immensely, immensely present with his people and he loves them. They are his special delight. When we come into his presence and worship him, we are precious to him. I think you need to think that way. As you're gathered here together as a congregation, you're precious in the eyes of the living and true God. He loves you. If you belong to Jesus Christ, he loves you deeply. His people are precious to him. One of my friends visited the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in California. I don't think I've ever been able to go see Ronald Reagan's Presidential Library. I loved him as a person. And Ronald Reagan had a deep, deep love for his wife. He was kind of a gaga about her. You know, he, Nancy, Sometimes President Reagan would write her three or four love notes every day. Now here's the President of the United States of America writing love notes to his wife three or four times a day because he loved her. The man leading the free world in some of the most difficult times we ever went through. Three or four times writing love notes. He delighted in her. Well, the Lord delights in you. If you belong to the Lord Jesus Christ here tonight, you're his bride, you're his church, and he loves the people of Zion. He loves those who belong to him, those that he's called and loved from before the foundation of the world. He delights in them. And if you're a Christian here tonight, he delights in you. And you may say, well, I'm mixed up and I've got all these. He delights in you if you belong to Jesus Christ tonight and are sitting here in this time of worship. He's like a doting husband. He delights in his bride. You're precious to him. And he has a high estimation of you. if you belong to his son, Jesus Christ, who died for you. And this is what's being expressed in this psalm by the psalmist, even in the Old Testament. But now, let's move to point two. Let's look at a gathered crowd. A gathered crowd, that's verses four through six. Among those who know me, I mentioned Rahab and Babylon. Behold, Philistia and Tyre with Cush. This one was born there, they say. And of Zion, it shall be said, this one and that one were born in her. For the Most High himself will establish her. The Lord records as he registers the people. This one was born there. You hear the repetition? What does he keep saying over again? He's talking about people being born into that church. And it's so interesting to me that as we meet the inhabitants of Zion, and this is in the Old Testament, it goes all over the world. See, in those days, yes, the Jewish nation had been particularly set apart by God and the Gentiles. But God's vision is so much bigger. And he wanted his people to realize it, even in the days of the Old Testament. This city, this Zion, is filled with all kinds of people. They're from everywhere. The inhabitants. Five different people groups are mentioned in these verses. Listen, Rahab. Now Rahab basically was a nickname for Egypt in those days, down to the south. They had come out of Egypt in the days of Moses. The term Babylon to the east. You know where Babylon is, kind of east of Israel? The two superpowers of the Old Testament, Egypt and Babylon, They're gonna have people in Zion. And then he says more. He says Philistia, even the Philistines who were always battling in the days of David and the days of judges, people that they annihilated most of, even some from Philistia, will be in the heavenly Zion. Tyre, that means to the north. A proud, worldly, kind of sophisticated group that we really don't know a lot about from history, but it's there, it was Tyre. And then the most mysterious of all is Cush. In the days that the psalm was written, Cush was a place that wasn't even on their radar screen, but they heard that there were people who lived there. And the picture here is basically this. The psalmist talks about the fact that God is going to gather his people from all over the world to be a part of his heavenly city and to be a part of his eternal church and his church upon the earth. He uses the term birth three times, verses 4, 5, and 6. They are born into Zion. They are native citizens. They're not second class people. The psalmist is looking way past the day in which they were living to when the dearth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. And when we understand that God is a God, who gives a new birth. And unless a man is born again, he cannot enter the kingdom of heaven. But God by his spirit can give people life, all kinds of people, all colors of people, all ranks of people, all nations of the earth. And God has been doing that work ever since our Lord Jesus Christ returned to heaven. And he continues to do that work tonight. He continues to give a new birth for unless a man is born again, he cannot enter the kingdom of heaven. And yet our God, our sovereign God, our gracious God, our loving God is calling unto himself a multitude of people that no man will ever be able to number. And they will be in Zion. You know, missions was even in the Old Testament. They were given views, a picture of the day when the nations would be gathered. and people's names. Look at this, a picture of people's names being registered in books. Verse six, the Lord records as he registers the people's. This one was born there. What book is this? What book? Well, the book of Revelation talks about the book of life. The book of life. which was written before the foundation of the world, that in that name, in the Lamb's book of life are the names of all who will ever believe in the gospel of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Here again, God is kind of doting over how much he loves his people, people of the world. people who will come to him. I have four children and I love them dearly. I know their names and I can tell you where they were born. Josh was born in Jackson, Daniel was born in Centerville, and Jonathan and Carrie were born in Yazoo City and delivered by Will Thompson. I know them and I delight And I love to remember them by name. But we are born into a kingdom. And in that kingdom, we find our greatest identity. Yes, our families are vital and important. But we find our ultimate identity is to be found in Jesus Christ. the Savior of His people. So you see a glorious city. You see a gathered crowd from all the nations. And thirdly, you see a grand, glad celebration. Look at verse 7. Singers and dancers alike say, all my springs are in you. The Bible doesn't condemn singing and dancing. I'm not a very good dancer, but one day I will be, I guess. But what this is saying and what the language is pointing us to is that in this city, there's going to be joy. That's what's going to be there, the Zion. Those who are born of God, those who know Christ, those who are registered by God are singing and dancing on the streets and saying, all my springs are in you, oh God. All my fountains of joy are found in you. I don't know 100% what heaven's going to be like. I don't think we can comprehend it. And I think that's the reason why the Bible does. It tells us a bunch of things, but it doesn't tell us a lot because I really don't believe that we who live on this earth can comprehend it. The height and breadth and depth of the love of God for his people and how to communicate to us living in this world where we have hours and minutes and seconds and we've got to do this and got to do that and we've got to eat and we've got our lives so dictated by time. But what he wants you to know here is that you're going to find fountains of joy and all that you need in the Lord God Almighty and His Son Jesus Christ and the provision that you will have throughout all eternity. Our thirst, and what he's saying is Our thirst has been met, and it's satisfied forever. All my springs of joy are in you. Augustine wrote something else that's pretty important at one point in his life, and it's just a very simple sentence. He said, our hearts are restless until they find their rest in you. Our hearts are restless speaking of God, until they find their rest in you. I think about this verse about springs of joy and what I can hear Jesus, not literally, but because this word teaches that I can hear Jesus standing up there in Jerusalem in the city and saying, if anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the scripture says, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water. I can see him standing with that woman at the well. Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again. Whoever drinks of the water I give him, it shall spring up to eternal life. Those born of God will see him. as the source of their salvation, spiritual life, constant joy. Do you know that tonight? Do you know that God loves you? Do you take credit for who you are and what you are? Do you believe that God has loved you, saved you, brought him to yourself? Do you think any of your accomplishments that you've done on this earth are what's gonna save you? As my dear brother was praying, all of our righteousness, the Bible says, are as filthy rags. A Christian's a person who trusts in Jesus Christ from the very get-go as he understands the gospel. Yes, we make progress in holiness. Yes, we want to be a more holy people. But we'll always be able to say, nothing in my hand I bring. Simply to thy cross I cling. Have you celebrated the grace of God in your life? Are you overwhelmed that he would love you? Do you see him as the source of your salvation and spiritual life? Do you know it? Do you know it? Is it a grace that never, it's a grace that never fails because basically it comes from an inexhaustible supply. of who God is and what God is for his people. That song goes, who can thank while such a river ever flows their thirst to surge, grace which like the Lord the giver, none but Zion's children know. I want to ask you some questions as we conclude. The question are these. Do you have a high evaluation of the church and of the future and of Zion? Do you have a high expectations of the mission that he's given to us as we live out our lives in the church here on earth? Do you strive now as you live your Christian life to see Indeed, that her glory be known upon the face of the earth and that your Savior be known among the people. I must take you to the future. Even though we're a part of Zion now, we like Abraham know that we're pilgrims here and we're looking for a greater city as builder and maker as God. While I was in Yazoo City, I taught my children a song to sing if they ever got lost. Josh and Daniel could get lost pretty quickly in our neighborhood. I said, if you ever get lost, here's what I want you to do. I'll just take Josh for an example. Here's what I want you to sing. Somebody walks up to you, I want you to sing. Josh justly is my name, is my name, is my name. 746-7640 is my telephone number. Sometimes we get lost and disoriented. And we need to be reminded that we're members of Zion, the city of our God, the heavenly Jerusalem. This is not our home. We're marching there. Dear, dear friends, you're not home yet, and you're told to fight a good fight and run a good race, but you do know that there awaits Zion in all of its glory and all of its beauty. and that the best is yet to come for all the sons of Adam and all the daughters of Eve who have believed in the Lord Jesus Christ. And as you sing the song at the end, solid joys and lasting treasures, none but Zion's children. No. Are you marching to Zion? Let's pray. Father, at the end of the book of Revelation, John wrote these words. He said, then I saw a new heaven and a new earth. For the first heaven and the first earth had passed away and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city. New Jerusalem. Coming down out of heaven from God prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. Later on, you say in that same passage, come and I will show you the bride, the wife of the lamb. He showed you the Holy Jerusalem coming down from heaven from God. Oh, Lord God, as we see that described in the book of Revelation, we are simply reminded that there will be a day when the new heavens and the new earth will yield for your people everlasting rest, everlasting peace, everlasting joy, everlasting comfort, And help us as your people to feed upon that tonight as we end this Lord's Day. Help us to be reminded that indeed the best is yet to come for the people of God. We're all growing older. We all will face death. But help us to know that solid joys and lasting treasures, only Zion's children Thank you for your word, and take it deeper into our hearts that this preacher's able to push it. And remind us of your goodness tonight in Jesus' name.