A sermon preached at Holy Trinity, Norwich, on Sunday 8th August, 2021.

Are you a confident Christian?

I know of no better recipe for confident Christianity than this ancient psalm.

It teaches us that we can be

1. Confident in our mission, v1-2

 A Trinitarian truth, Gen 1:1f.

In the New Testament, it is especially the role of the Son that is brought forward for our attention and admiration:

Jn 1:3 – ‘Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.’

Col 1:16 – ‘All things have been created through him and for him.’

Heb 1:2 ‘whom God appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe’

Christ has a rightful claim on everything, and everyone.

The Jewish people needed to hear this.  ‘A light to the nations’.

We need to hear this.  Don’t let anyone tell you that your Christian faith is fine, so long as you keep it to yourself!

2. Confident in our access to God, vv3-6

Queen Esther knew that she risked death by seeking uninvited access to King Xerxes.

But what about this God who owns the earth and everything in it?  Who has access to him?  Who may ascend to his throne?  Who may stand in his presence?

Only one whose behaviour is unimpeachable, whose thoughts are untainted, whose worship is unadulterated, whose speech is beyond reproach.

Where can such a person be found?  Who can attain to this standard?

David has not forgotten that he is a sinner.  The very next psalm makes this clear:

Psa 25:6 Remember, LORD, your great mercy and love,
for they are from of old.
7 Do not remember the sins of my youth
and my rebellious ways;

The key is found in v5 – ‘He will receive vindication (righteousness) from God his Saviour.’

This points us to Jesus, our sinless Saviour:

1 Pet 3:18 – ‘For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.’

We all must come by forgiveness of sin, or we cannot come at all.

What place then for doing good?  It is the essential evidence, necessary accompaniment, inevitable outworking, or a work of grace in our hearts.

The order is always: grace, then gratitude.

3. Confidence in our final destiny, 7-10

The scene changes from God’s people approaching God’s dwelling place to God himself returning to it in victory.

What would this have meant then?  A picture of the Ark of the Covenant being brought up to Mount Zion with great celebration (2 Sam 6).

Consider the journey taken by Christ:

In his incarnation he is a human Saviour

In his death he is a suffering Saviour

In his resurrection he is a living Saviour

In his ascension he is a victorious Saviour

And those who are in Christ share in his victory.

Hebrews 2 represents Jesus as returning to his Father, declaring: ‘Here am I, and the children God has given me.’

Indeed, in him we are ‘more than conquerors.’

Who welcomed the King of glory?

Who will welcome him now?

Will you share in his victory? – ‘more than conquerors’