327: Josh Robinson – Exhortation: A Green Olive Tree in the House of God (Psa. 52)

1
00:00:13,300 –> 00:00:14,700
Welcome to good Chris Selfian
talks.

2
00:00:14,700 –> 00:00:15,980
I’m Levi.
I’m Chris.

3
00:00:16,180 –> 00:00:18,380
I’m Jason.
And I’m Brian, thank you for

4
00:00:18,380 –> 00:00:21,180
joining us this week.
On this podcast, we select one

5
00:00:21,180 –> 00:00:24,700
talk a week to help us get the
Bible in our Daily News feed.

6
00:00:24,900 –> 00:00:28,500
Each week we post a talk that we
previewed from suggestions sent

7
00:00:28,500 –> 00:00:29,940
in by.
Listeners from around the world.

8
00:00:30,060 –> 00:00:33,700
Then we record a short intro
beforehand as a personalized

9
00:00:33,700 –> 00:00:36,500
recommendation to you on why we
are sharing the talk.

10
00:00:36,620 –> 00:00:39,640
And now let’s talk more about
this week’s talk.

11
00:00:50,440 –> 00:00:52,240
Hello.
This is Rutha Chris Atwood back

12
00:00:52,240 –> 00:00:55,240
with another talk to share with
you for this week.

13
00:00:55,240 –> 00:00:58,600
We’re listening to an
exhortation that was given by

14
00:00:58,600 –> 00:01:03,800
Brother Josh Robinson at the
beginning of 2023, and the topic

15
00:01:03,800 –> 00:01:09,760
of this one is taken from Psalm
52 and the title is A Green

16
00:01:09,760 –> 00:01:14,320
Olive Tree in the House of God.
Now what I really appreciate

17
00:01:14,320 –> 00:01:17,680
about this exhortation is how
impassioned Brother Josh is

18
00:01:17,680 –> 00:01:21,760
about the heartfelt appeal he is
making to us and those that were

19
00:01:21,760 –> 00:01:27,040
listening live.
And to also make a point of

20
00:01:27,040 –> 00:01:31,920
focusing on our perspective when
it comes to serving in the House

21
00:01:31,920 –> 00:01:38,600
of God, to make sure that we are
being outward facing and looking

22
00:01:39,200 –> 00:01:44,520
and being introspective as well
about how it is that we impact

23
00:01:44,520 –> 00:01:47,600
those around us.
The value of the community that

24
00:01:47,600 –> 00:01:50,800
we have and the faith that we
have and the family that we’ve

25
00:01:50,800 –> 00:01:53,320
been called to is so incredibly
important.

26
00:01:53,360 –> 00:01:59,320
And Brother Josh did a fabulous
job outlining that by looking at

27
00:01:59,320 –> 00:02:01,560
the example of David in Psalm
52.

28
00:02:02,720 –> 00:02:04,960
I want to also especially thank
Brother Josh.

29
00:02:04,960 –> 00:02:07,480
Because this.
Was sent in as a recommendation.

30
00:02:07,480 –> 00:02:10,160
However the original recording
was missing the first like

31
00:02:10,240 –> 00:02:14,160
3:00-ish minutes of the talk,
which was his opening remarks,

32
00:02:14,160 –> 00:02:16,960
which kind of derails it
otherwise.

33
00:02:17,600 –> 00:02:21,840
And brother Josh was very nice
to re record those opening few

34
00:02:21,840 –> 00:02:23,480
minutes and we were able to edit
those back in.

35
00:02:23,480 –> 00:02:26,200
So if you notice after the first
few minutes the audio sounds

36
00:02:26,200 –> 00:02:28,400
different.
Or he recorded it after the fact

37
00:02:28,400 –> 00:02:31,920
and then we’ve spliced it into
the exhortation as it was

38
00:02:31,920 –> 00:02:34,560
recorded live when he gave it.
So thank you, brother Josh, for

39
00:02:34,920 –> 00:02:36,600
getting that over to us.
So.

40
00:02:36,600 –> 00:02:39,040
That we could share this.
Exhortation with everybody.

41
00:02:39,760 –> 00:02:42,800
So with that, I will now turn it
over to Brother Josh for his

42
00:02:42,800 –> 00:02:46,160
exhortation entitled A Green
Olive Tree and the House of God.

43
00:02:46,560 –> 00:02:53,080
Let us begin with two questions.
The first question, did you want

44
00:02:53,080 –> 00:02:55,960
to be here this morning?
It.

45
00:02:55,960 –> 00:02:57,600
Can be an effort making.
Sure we have.

46
00:02:58,040 –> 00:02:59,680
All the belongings for the whole
family.

47
00:03:00,040 –> 00:03:02,600
Planning ahead for lunch.
Finding a seat where we feel

48
00:03:02,600 –> 00:03:05,560
comfortable.
Sometimes you have other

49
00:03:05,560 –> 00:03:07,520
commitments that pull us in
different directions.

50
00:03:08,320 –> 00:03:13,560
Coming here can be difficult.
Sometimes it’s an issue of

51
00:03:13,560 –> 00:03:18,480
wanting to be here that for
whatever reason, we are hesitant

52
00:03:18,480 –> 00:03:22,640
to walk in the door to see a
particular person or to interact

53
00:03:22,640 –> 00:03:27,040
with others.
A second question.

54
00:03:29,160 –> 00:03:35,120
What simile or metaphor would
describe you in the ecclesia?

55
00:03:36,400 –> 00:03:38,840
Perhaps we are an ecclesial.
Pillar stable.

56
00:03:38,840 –> 00:03:42,080
And unwavering amongst change
around us, others might.

57
00:03:42,200 –> 00:03:44,160
Lean on us for support.
And advice?

58
00:03:45,440 –> 00:03:48,640
Perhaps we are the ecclesial
hand, putting our hand up first

59
00:03:48,640 –> 00:03:50,680
whenever a volunteer is needed.
For a job.

60
00:03:52,160 –> 00:03:55,520
Perhaps we are the ecclesial
elephant with a memory.

61
00:03:55,520 –> 00:04:01,360
For every speaker, every topic.
Every event, perhaps we are the

62
00:04:01,360 –> 00:04:04,920
ecclesial gardener, going around
and checking on the well-being

63
00:04:05,520 –> 00:04:10,440
of every member, sharing a word
or deed to help them grow

64
00:04:12,400 –> 00:04:13,440
perhaps.
We are the ecclesial.

65
00:04:13,440 –> 00:04:16,560
Spreadsheet keeping everything
organised and running smoothly.

66
00:04:17,200 –> 00:04:22,240
Or perhaps we are the ecclesial
flower, creating a happy, even

67
00:04:22,240 –> 00:04:25,960
beautiful environment.
We can all think of our own

68
00:04:25,960 –> 00:04:29,400
analogies.
Or perhaps the analogy is not so

69
00:04:29,400 –> 00:04:32,560
positive.
Perhaps via the ecclesial

70
00:04:32,560 –> 00:04:36,200
parasite taking but never
giving.

71
00:04:38,160 –> 00:04:42,480
Perhaps the ecclesial skeptic
always making negative remarks

72
00:04:42,480 –> 00:04:46,400
and not listening to replies.
Perhaps the ecclesial millstone

73
00:04:47,040 –> 00:04:51,640
a heavy burden on everyone else.
Perhaps the ecclesial thorn

74
00:04:52,440 –> 00:04:58,080
causing hurt and damage, or the
ecclesial weed a nuisance,

75
00:04:58,080 –> 00:05:00,280
depriving others of energy and
time.

76
00:05:02,480 –> 00:05:05,760
How did David though?
Describe himself within the

77
00:05:05,760 –> 00:05:10,480
ecclesia.
Well in Psalm 52 and verse 8 he

78
00:05:10,480 –> 00:05:15,000
says I am like a green olive
tree in the House of God.

79
00:05:15,840 –> 00:05:19,000
And in Psalm 50. 2 The whole.
Context is about the.

80
00:05:19,000 –> 00:05:21,440
Treatment of the priests how
Doeg had.

81
00:05:21,440 –> 00:05:25,240
Acted in the House of God.
And it is in this house that

82
00:05:25,240 –> 00:05:28,840
David is wanting to be a green
olive tree.

83
00:05:30,280 –> 00:05:33,880
And we want to look at this
metaphor this morning of I am

84
00:05:33,880 –> 00:05:36,920
like a green olive tree.
And we find that the context is

85
00:05:36,920 –> 00:05:40,440
within the ecclesia, and we want
to look at each element of this

86
00:05:40,440 –> 00:05:43,760
metaphor.
To help us with how we should

87
00:05:43,760 –> 00:05:48,960
behave within the House of God,
because we want to cultivate.

88
00:05:49,400 –> 00:05:53,360
An environment where everyone
wants to be here.

89
00:05:55,680 –> 00:05:57,880
So So what is the the context in
Samuel?

90
00:05:58,800 –> 00:06:03,280
Well, the whole context of Psalm
52 is from first book of Samuel,

91
00:06:03,280 –> 00:06:07,680
chapters 21 and 22.
It’s one of the most mournful

92
00:06:07,680 –> 00:06:09,360
events in the priesthood, is it
not?

93
00:06:09,520 –> 00:06:12,960
It was going to be an entire
line of priests wiped out.

94
00:06:13,600 –> 00:06:17,120
Doeg saw the priests at Nob
harbouring David and he told

95
00:06:17,120 –> 00:06:22,080
Saul and then taught Saul in his
jealous rage said to slay them.

96
00:06:22,960 –> 00:06:25,760
The other servants would not,
but Doek did.

97
00:06:26,120 –> 00:06:28,720
He went and killed all the
priests except Tobiatha.

98
00:06:29,480 –> 00:06:33,240
And let’s turn to 1st book of
Samuel and chapter 22 because

99
00:06:33,240 –> 00:06:36,440
this is this is the only comment
we get in the Samuel record of

100
00:06:37,080 –> 00:06:40,680
of what David thought of the
situation.

101
00:06:42,520 –> 00:06:48,720
The first book of Samuel and
chapter 22 and the end of the

102
00:06:48,720 –> 00:06:58,400
chapter beginning of verse 20.
And one of the sons of

103
00:06:58,400 –> 00:07:01,800
Ahimelech, the son of a hight up
named Abiatha, escaped and fled

104
00:07:01,800 –> 00:07:04,560
after David.
And Abiatha showed David that

105
00:07:04,560 –> 00:07:06,360
Saul had slain the Lord’s
priests.

106
00:07:06,920 –> 00:07:10,800
And David said unto Abiatha, I
knew it that day when Derek the

107
00:07:10,800 –> 00:07:15,960
Edomite was there, that he would
surely tell Saul, I have

108
00:07:15,960 –> 00:07:21,040
occasioned the death of all the
persons of thy father’s house.

109
00:07:22,520 –> 00:07:26,520
Abide thou with me.
Fear not, for he that seeketh my

110
00:07:26,520 –> 00:07:32,240
life seeketh thy life, but with
me thou should be in safeguard.

111
00:07:34,200 –> 00:07:39,000
This is the only comment we get
in the book of Samuel about

112
00:07:39,000 –> 00:07:41,560
these events.
And, and this is where Psalm 52

113
00:07:41,920 –> 00:07:46,200
fits in, because in Psalm 52,
David doesn’t hold back.

114
00:07:46,200 –> 00:07:47,760
He gives us more thoughts on the
event.

115
00:07:47,760 –> 00:07:52,120
He gives us a lot more thoughts
on this character of Doeg, of

116
00:07:52,160 –> 00:07:56,960
all he did, his criminal, his
evil acts, the drama, the

117
00:07:56,960 –> 00:08:01,800
emotion, although there in these
few phrases, is contained more

118
00:08:01,800 –> 00:08:07,480
fully in Psalm 52.
And what do we see in Psalm 52?

119
00:08:07,480 –> 00:08:11,040
If we turn back there, we see
Doeg, the typical Edomite

120
00:08:12,280 –> 00:08:16,280
vicious hating of Israel,
apostates just like Esau and the

121
00:08:16,280 –> 00:08:23,120
whole of the Edomite nation.
But so often we might have come

122
00:08:23,120 –> 00:08:26,920
across Psalm 52, we might have
read it in our readings, heard

123
00:08:26,920 –> 00:08:30,200
exhortations on it.
And we so often focus on Doeg,

124
00:08:30,560 –> 00:08:34,159
we we focus on him, we learn to
hate him as David did.

125
00:08:34,960 –> 00:08:37,720
But how often do we look at this
response of David in verse 8 and

126
00:08:37,720 –> 00:08:40,880
9?
The contrast is there in the

127
00:08:40,880 –> 00:08:45,960
Psalm.
So for instance, Doeg, whose

128
00:08:45,960 –> 00:08:50,200
tongue is boasting in verse one,
it’s scheming, it’s sharp in

129
00:08:50,200 –> 00:08:54,560
verse 2.
What does David’s tongue do in

130
00:08:54,560 –> 00:08:57,880
verse 9?
It praises God in verse three.

131
00:08:57,880 –> 00:09:00,120
Do egg loves evil more than
good?

132
00:09:01,200 –> 00:09:06,200
In verse 9, David loves the name
of God because it is good.

133
00:09:07,120 –> 00:09:09,280
He defines good by the name of
God.

134
00:09:10,000 –> 00:09:12,160
Do egg in verse 5 would be
destroyed forever.

135
00:09:13,080 –> 00:09:15,680
David, what will he do forever?
Verse 9?

136
00:09:15,680 –> 00:09:19,680
He will praise forever.
Do egg in verse 5 would be

137
00:09:19,680 –> 00:09:22,520
plucked up.
He will be rooted out of the

138
00:09:22,520 –> 00:09:25,560
land of the living.
David in verse 8 would be

139
00:09:25,560 –> 00:09:28,960
planted like a green olive tree
in the House of God.

140
00:09:30,400 –> 00:09:34,160
Verse 7 Doeg didn’t make God his
strength, but David.

141
00:09:34,400 –> 00:09:37,760
David was fully reliant.
He trusted in the mercy of God

142
00:09:37,760 –> 00:09:38,920
forever and ever.
In verse 8.

143
00:09:39,960 –> 00:09:43,120
We know in Samuel that that Doeg
didn’t care about the priests of

144
00:09:43,120 –> 00:09:46,800
God, but David valued God and
his house.

145
00:09:47,840 –> 00:09:53,440
Doeg wanted a good name before
Saul, but David, he wanted a

146
00:09:53,440 –> 00:09:58,560
good name before his guard.
He wanted to wait on God’s name.

147
00:09:59,400 –> 00:10:03,960
And so we have this contrast
that Doeg in verse 5 would be

148
00:10:03,960 –> 00:10:06,720
plucked up, would be rooted out
of the land of the living, while

149
00:10:06,720 –> 00:10:11,120
David would be a firmly fixed
green olive tree.

150
00:10:11,640 –> 00:10:14,360
Doeg, who had been so
destructive in in plucking up

151
00:10:14,360 –> 00:10:17,560
the priests from their dwelling
place and rooting them out of

152
00:10:17,560 –> 00:10:20,400
the land of the living will, God
would root him out.

153
00:10:20,400 –> 00:10:23,280
God would do the same to him as
he treated others.

154
00:10:25,600 –> 00:10:30,640
But we might think, surely Doeg
is an extreme example.

155
00:10:32,120 –> 00:10:34,600
Does such a thing happen in our
Ecleses today?

156
00:10:36,280 –> 00:10:38,360
Why does this all specifically
apply to us?

157
00:10:40,200 –> 00:10:43,800
Well, think of the words at the
end of Matthew chapter 24 verse

158
00:10:43,800 –> 00:10:47,120
48 to 51, because we are warned
of people like Doek in the

159
00:10:47,120 –> 00:10:51,720
brotherhood in the last days.
Matthew 24 verse 4851 talks

160
00:10:51,720 –> 00:10:55,440
about this evil servant who
shall say in his heart, my Lord

161
00:10:55,440 –> 00:10:58,760
delayeth his coming, and shall
begin to smite his fellow

162
00:10:58,760 –> 00:11:01,840
servants.
We have the description in the

163
00:11:01,840 –> 00:11:07,440
last days of a servant very much
like Doek smiting his fellow

164
00:11:07,440 –> 00:11:11,160
servants, and that servant
likewise would be cut asunder,

165
00:11:11,160 –> 00:11:14,680
just as Doeg would be removed
and plucked out of his place.

166
00:11:16,520 –> 00:11:20,760
But the question is, well, how
do we smite our fellow servants

167
00:11:20,760 –> 00:11:26,120
today?
Thankfully, we don’t feel the

168
00:11:26,120 –> 00:11:31,160
edge of the sword too often, but
we might feel the edge of sharp

169
00:11:31,160 –> 00:11:40,120
criticism or accusations or
comments that lack a perspective

170
00:11:40,120 –> 00:11:47,240
of the bigger picture.
Perhaps even more so, we can

171
00:11:47,240 –> 00:11:52,600
smite our fellow servants with
our lack of enthusiasm when they

172
00:11:52,600 –> 00:11:58,760
make suggestions we’re just
indifferent or or they plan

173
00:11:58,760 –> 00:12:02,160
ecclesial events, ecclesial
outings on this Saturday, and we

174
00:12:02,160 –> 00:12:03,760
have something else we’d we’d
rather do.

175
00:12:05,680 –> 00:12:08,960
Perhaps we smite our fellow
servants by ignoring them

176
00:12:08,960 –> 00:12:12,960
altogether, that we have the
people that we like to talk to,

177
00:12:14,240 –> 00:12:17,720
that we like to have over and we
ignore the rest.

178
00:12:20,840 –> 00:12:25,000
And, and sometimes it is those
that labour within the eclosure

179
00:12:25,000 –> 00:12:30,360
that can be smitten the most.
And so we must make the clear

180
00:12:30,360 –> 00:12:34,040
decision whether or not we
support or smite those that

181
00:12:34,040 –> 00:12:40,600
labour.
And what we see in Psalm 52 is a

182
00:12:40,600 –> 00:12:43,360
wonderful example of, of, of the
saying that whilst we can’t

183
00:12:43,360 –> 00:12:46,680
change the behaviour of others,
we can change ourselves.

184
00:12:46,880 –> 00:12:48,960
We whilst we may look at the
behaviour of others and think,

185
00:12:49,200 –> 00:12:52,320
why are they doing that?
How can you possibly act in such

186
00:12:52,320 –> 00:12:55,040
a way?
We can ensure that we are very

187
00:12:55,040 –> 00:12:56,680
different.
And, and this is the contrast we

188
00:12:56,680 –> 00:12:58,840
have.
David verse one to seven

189
00:12:58,840 –> 00:13:03,840
describes Doeg, describes Doeg,
his evilness, his wickedness,

190
00:13:04,640 –> 00:13:09,400
his self centeredness.
And verse 8 begins with that

191
00:13:09,400 –> 00:13:13,320
contrasting word.
But while he can’t do anything

192
00:13:13,320 –> 00:13:16,640
about Derek, he can do something
about himself.

193
00:13:17,960 –> 00:13:23,960
But I am like a green olive tree
in the House of God.

194
00:13:25,440 –> 00:13:27,600
And this is David’s personal
reflection on what, on what he

195
00:13:27,600 –> 00:13:31,680
can do in the context of, of
ecclesial strife, ecclesial

196
00:13:31,680 –> 00:13:36,040
struggles, in the context of, of
one that’s going around smiting

197
00:13:36,600 –> 00:13:40,240
the fellow servants.
And it’s this positive contrast

198
00:13:40,240 –> 00:13:42,880
that we, we, we have to look a
little bit more at, at this

199
00:13:42,880 –> 00:13:46,400
morning.
And David is saying that he’s

200
00:13:46,880 –> 00:13:49,520
not just planted, but he’s like
a tree.

201
00:13:50,440 –> 00:13:52,760
He’s not just like any tree,
but, but like an olive.

202
00:13:53,240 –> 00:13:57,360
He’s not just like an olive
tree, but he’s a green olive

203
00:13:57,360 –> 00:14:00,440
tree.
In each element of of this

204
00:14:00,440 –> 00:14:03,440
analogy, we’re being drawn to
spiritual characteristics.

205
00:14:03,440 –> 00:14:06,600
We’re being drawn to lessons
that continue to highlight the

206
00:14:06,600 –> 00:14:09,160
contrast between David and
Stoeck.

207
00:14:10,680 –> 00:14:13,120
So therefore we ask the
question, well, what’s this

208
00:14:13,120 –> 00:14:15,600
element of being green?
When David says he is green,

209
00:14:16,560 –> 00:14:19,840
what does that mean?
Strong’s definition says it

210
00:14:19,840 –> 00:14:24,160
means to be luxuriant, fresh,
verdant, flourishing, or new.

211
00:14:25,120 –> 00:14:27,920
The same word green as used
elsewhere of trees in the Bible,

212
00:14:29,200 –> 00:14:32,320
Deuteronomy 12 verse two or
First Kings 14, various other

213
00:14:32,320 –> 00:14:35,120
places in Kings and Chronicles,
Jeremiah, we find that the

214
00:14:35,120 –> 00:14:38,560
context of idols being planted
under every green tree.

215
00:14:39,880 –> 00:14:41,880
Why is that?
Well, that’s because they’re the

216
00:14:41,880 –> 00:14:45,200
places that looked good.
Every green tree, they look good

217
00:14:45,200 –> 00:14:48,560
and appealing.
Psalm 92 verse 14 uses the same

218
00:14:48,560 –> 00:14:51,920
word green in the context of
trees that are also planted in

219
00:14:51,920 –> 00:14:53,440
the House of God.
We’ll look at that a little

220
00:14:53,440 –> 00:14:56,320
later, but it just translates
the word as flourishing,

221
00:14:57,200 –> 00:15:00,440
flourishing trees.
Jeremiah 17, verse 8.

222
00:15:00,440 –> 00:15:03,720
The greenness is a a
demonstration of the vitality of

223
00:15:03,720 –> 00:15:05,600
a tree.
When a tree is described as

224
00:15:05,600 –> 00:15:10,480
green, it’s described as as
having life in it, even in a

225
00:15:10,480 –> 00:15:14,720
time of drought.
Likewise in in Hosea 14 verse 8,

226
00:15:14,960 –> 00:15:19,280
the renewed Ephraim taken back
into the arms of God after he’s

227
00:15:19,280 –> 00:15:20,840
healed.
The backslidings after he’s

228
00:15:21,160 –> 00:15:26,520
forgiven them is described as
green, a symbol of new growth,

229
00:15:27,200 –> 00:15:30,000
new life, literally turning over
a new leaf.

230
00:15:31,680 –> 00:15:34,160
But let’s come to one that’s a
little closer to Psalm 52.

231
00:15:34,160 –> 00:15:42,840
Psalm 37, please.
And we see another use of the

232
00:15:42,840 –> 00:15:46,480
word green.
But this is going to be a

233
00:15:46,480 –> 00:15:52,000
contrast to Psalm 52, Psalm 37,
verse 35.

234
00:15:52,000 –> 00:15:54,920
It says I have seen the wicked
in great power and spreading

235
00:15:54,920 –> 00:16:01,400
himself like a Green Bay tree,
and it’s brother Dudley Fifield,

236
00:16:01,720 –> 00:16:04,200
in his book on the Praises of
Israel that comments on this

237
00:16:04,200 –> 00:16:07,120
contrast.
He says the Bay tree is an

238
00:16:07,120 –> 00:16:10,560
Evergreen and so perhaps it
conveys the conviction of the

239
00:16:10,560 –> 00:16:14,000
wicked that they will never be
moved, determined to live their

240
00:16:14,000 –> 00:16:16,600
lives as they were, they were
going to continue forever.

241
00:16:19,080 –> 00:16:23,920
The olive is also an Evergreen,
he says, and it is said never to

242
00:16:23,920 –> 00:16:27,920
die, for it sends forth fresh
shoots in even when cut down.

243
00:16:28,800 –> 00:16:31,760
It would therefore be a fitting
symbol for the righteous who,

244
00:16:31,760 –> 00:16:35,160
though they fall 7 times, rise
up again.

245
00:16:36,760 –> 00:16:38,800
So what do we see?
But in the fact in, in the

246
00:16:38,800 –> 00:16:42,800
wickedness, in the wicked, the
greenness is a facade.

247
00:16:43,120 –> 00:16:46,480
It looks good, it looks
permanent, but it’s all show.

248
00:16:48,120 –> 00:16:50,400
And so taking all these
elements, this element of, of

249
00:16:50,400 –> 00:16:54,000
freshness, of newness, of, of
flourishing, do you see the

250
00:16:54,000 –> 00:16:58,000
contrast that David and God is
is painting in Psalm 52?

251
00:16:59,040 –> 00:17:02,960
David is full of new growth,
encased in glorious foliage in

252
00:17:02,960 –> 00:17:07,520
comparison to Doeg, who might
look leafy, but on the inside

253
00:17:07,520 –> 00:17:10,839
he’s dead.
He’s soon to be plucked up and

254
00:17:10,839 –> 00:17:14,200
removed.
Or in terms of characteristics,

255
00:17:14,200 –> 00:17:18,800
we might say that David is young
and innocent, but Doeg is a

256
00:17:18,800 –> 00:17:22,160
seasoned, godless and worldly
individual.

257
00:17:24,960 –> 00:17:30,600
What might being green look like
in the in the ecclesia, in the

258
00:17:30,600 –> 00:17:35,520
House of God today?
Well, David is like the vibrant

259
00:17:35,520 –> 00:17:38,880
youth who considers the ecclesia
as a real haven.

260
00:17:39,560 –> 00:17:42,600
It’s a place of encouragement, a
place of healing, a joy to

261
00:17:42,600 –> 00:17:47,720
attend.
But sometimes in our lives,

262
00:17:47,720 –> 00:17:50,400
through the truth, we can, we
can lose that enthusiasm, that

263
00:17:50,400 –> 00:17:56,280
that vibrancy, that energy.
We can become more sceptical and

264
00:17:56,280 –> 00:17:59,800
cynical.
Think about maybe when you join

265
00:17:59,800 –> 00:18:03,640
this ecclesia, everyone seems so
friendly, seemed so welcoming.

266
00:18:03,960 –> 00:18:05,240
It seemed like a great place to
be.

267
00:18:05,280 –> 00:18:09,720
We, we want to join.
But then over time, you, you get

268
00:18:09,720 –> 00:18:13,320
to know that maybe my brother
and sisters are a little bit

269
00:18:13,320 –> 00:18:14,800
flawed after all.
Fancy that.

270
00:18:16,640 –> 00:18:18,640
Perhaps we begin to work with
them on committees.

271
00:18:20,080 –> 00:18:23,280
Perhaps we see a bit more of
human nature coming to the

272
00:18:23,280 –> 00:18:25,600
forum.
We show them that ourselves.

273
00:18:26,560 –> 00:18:29,520
And sometimes we can lose that
vibrancy, we can lose that

274
00:18:29,520 –> 00:18:33,440
newness, and we can start
focusing on the negatives

275
00:18:33,440 –> 00:18:36,040
instead of the positives.
And even if we don’t say it

276
00:18:36,040 –> 00:18:42,280
aloud, we can pull others down
in our thoughts, as Derrick did.

277
00:18:44,200 –> 00:18:46,680
We had an exhortation recently
that challenged us for the week

278
00:18:47,160 –> 00:18:49,480
to talk positively about others
in our ecclesia.

279
00:18:51,240 –> 00:18:56,360
How often do you talk about
positives in the ecclesial house

280
00:18:56,440 –> 00:19:01,600
instead of ecclesial issues?
Maybe things to discuss over

281
00:19:01,600 –> 00:19:03,280
lunch?
Well, what are some of the

282
00:19:03,280 –> 00:19:06,440
amazing positives of the
ecclesia that God has given us?

283
00:19:07,440 –> 00:19:10,160
Is it the friendliness that
although we might be shy, there

284
00:19:10,160 –> 00:19:15,000
is always someone to talk to?
Is it the encouragement we so

285
00:19:15,000 –> 00:19:16,640
regularly get from the word of
God?

286
00:19:17,720 –> 00:19:20,560
Is it the enthusiasm of the
Sunday school teachers that they

287
00:19:20,560 –> 00:19:23,200
go an extra mile for their
little classes?

288
00:19:23,760 –> 00:19:27,320
Or is it the faithful older
brother or sister who comes week

289
00:19:27,320 –> 00:19:29,520
in, week out, rain come rain or
shine?

290
00:19:30,840 –> 00:19:33,880
Is it the fervor to preach?
There are many elements of

291
00:19:33,880 –> 00:19:38,440
greenery, of vibrancy, of
newness, of life within the

292
00:19:38,440 –> 00:19:41,680
ecclesia that we can be positive
about.

293
00:19:43,120 –> 00:19:49,960
We can all be green within the
ecclesia, but there’s another

294
00:19:49,960 –> 00:19:54,240
detail in this analogy.
He is a green olive.

295
00:19:56,240 –> 00:19:57,480
David’s.
David’s not just comparing

296
00:19:57,480 –> 00:20:01,320
himself to any tree, but the
olive specifically.

297
00:20:02,680 –> 00:20:04,760
Well, what do we learn about the
olive through Scripture?

298
00:20:06,040 –> 00:20:08,880
Genesis chapter 8.
The olive was the sign of the

299
00:20:08,880 –> 00:20:12,120
rejuvenated earth.
When the dove came back to the

300
00:20:12,120 –> 00:20:16,040
ark with the olive leaf, the
olive had had weathered the

301
00:20:16,040 –> 00:20:18,720
flood and it was sprouting
again.

302
00:20:20,240 –> 00:20:23,960
In Exodus 27 and verse 20 the
the olive was a source of oil

303
00:20:23,960 –> 00:20:27,080
representative of the word of
God that the the olives were

304
00:20:27,200 –> 00:20:30,640
were pressed and it was for the
lampstand to burn continually

305
00:20:31,120 –> 00:20:34,760
from the oil.
In Judges 9 verse 9 the olive

306
00:20:34,760 –> 00:20:39,680
tree is described as having
fatness abundance.

307
00:20:41,400 –> 00:20:43,840
In First Kings chapter 6 we find
that it was olive wood that

308
00:20:43,840 –> 00:20:47,000
Solomon used to carve the Oracle
on which the Ark of the Covenant

309
00:20:47,000 –> 00:20:49,040
sat.
It was olive wood that he used

310
00:20:49,040 –> 00:20:52,280
for the doors with carvings of
the Caribbean on each olive

311
00:20:52,280 –> 00:20:55,520
wood.
The very beautiful ornate wood.

312
00:20:57,760 –> 00:21:02,120
In Psalm 128, verse 3, the
Olivers seen as a simile for

313
00:21:02,120 –> 00:21:06,800
young children round about the
table in a family that God has

314
00:21:06,800 –> 00:21:14,240
blessed a fruitful family in in
in Hosea 14 verse 6, the olive

315
00:21:14,240 –> 00:21:17,240
tree is described as a beautiful
tree.

316
00:21:18,720 –> 00:21:22,880
In Romans 11, verse 14, verse
17, the olive is a tree

317
00:21:22,880 –> 00:21:27,280
described as having fatness or
the ESV actually calls it a

318
00:21:27,280 –> 00:21:31,760
nourishing root for those who
are to be grafted in to the

319
00:21:31,760 –> 00:21:35,880
eclosure.
And let us go to 11 passage

320
00:21:36,040 –> 00:21:39,200
Jeremiah.
Let’s go to Jeremiah Chapter 11.

321
00:21:39,200 –> 00:21:43,440
What do we learn about the olive
tree in the book of Jeremiah?

322
00:21:45,200 –> 00:21:49,760
We’re seeing these themes of of
fruitfulness, of fatness.

323
00:21:51,320 –> 00:21:56,200
What does Jeremiah say?
Jeremiah Chapter 11 and verse

324
00:21:56,200 –> 00:21:58,200
15.
And interestingly enough, it’s

325
00:21:58,200 –> 00:22:01,200
the only other time in Scripture
that we get this phrase, a green

326
00:22:01,640 –> 00:22:05,640
olive tree.
You can see that there in verse

327
00:22:05,640 –> 00:22:09,400
16.
So Jeremiah 11, verse 15 says,

328
00:22:10,080 –> 00:22:12,080
what hath my beloved to do in
mine house?

329
00:22:12,400 –> 00:22:14,960
Oh, the context again is in the
House of God.

330
00:22:15,280 –> 00:22:18,320
What a what a similarity, seeing
she hath wrought lewdness with

331
00:22:18,320 –> 00:22:20,600
many.
And the holy flesh is passed

332
00:22:20,600 –> 00:22:25,640
from thee when thou doest evil,
then thou rejoicest another echo

333
00:22:25,640 –> 00:22:29,280
of Doeg of the evil that he
committed in the in the House of

334
00:22:29,280 –> 00:22:31,280
God.
And they’re rejoicing over the

335
00:22:31,280 –> 00:22:34,480
evil just in the same way that
Doeg boasted himself in

336
00:22:34,480 –> 00:22:39,680
wickedness in Psalm 51.
The Lord called thy name a green

337
00:22:39,680 –> 00:22:42,840
olive tree, fair and of goodly
fruit.

338
00:22:44,280 –> 00:22:47,120
With the noise of great tumult
He hath kindled fire upon it,

339
00:22:47,360 –> 00:22:48,560
and the branches of it are
broken.

340
00:22:49,320 –> 00:22:51,280
For the Lord of hosts that
planted thee have pronounced

341
00:22:51,320 –> 00:22:53,960
evil against thee, for the evil
of the House of Israel and of

342
00:22:53,960 –> 00:22:56,840
the House of Judah, which they
have done against themselves, to

343
00:22:56,840 –> 00:22:59,640
provoke me to anger in offering
incense unto bail.

344
00:23:00,760 –> 00:23:02,600
What?
What’s this passage saying is

345
00:23:02,600 –> 00:23:05,000
that God was looking to Israel
as a green olive tree.

346
00:23:05,000 –> 00:23:11,080
For what?
For goodly fruit, but there was

347
00:23:11,080 –> 00:23:13,720
none on it.
Instead they loved evil.

348
00:23:14,000 –> 00:23:16,360
They were boasting themselves in
mischief like Doig.

349
00:23:16,960 –> 00:23:20,560
And another interesting parallel
with this chapter is that verse

350
00:23:20,560 –> 00:23:25,200
21 to 23 talks about the men of
Anoth, which we know were the

351
00:23:25,200 –> 00:23:29,520
priests from Jeremiah.
One verse one and the edge of

352
00:23:29,520 –> 00:23:33,000
the sword being brought against
the city of the priests.

353
00:23:33,800 –> 00:23:36,360
Another parallel with with Psalm
52.

354
00:23:37,560 –> 00:23:41,280
And what are we reading here but
the fact that Israel instead of

355
00:23:41,280 –> 00:23:44,080
being a nation of Davids, they
were a nation of do eggs.

356
00:23:44,600 –> 00:23:48,080
They were called to be green
olive trees and instead they

357
00:23:48,080 –> 00:23:51,640
were mischievous and they hurt
one another.

358
00:23:54,280 –> 00:23:57,000
But what’s particularly
interesting to us is the fact

359
00:23:57,000 –> 00:23:59,880
that they were rejoicing in the
House of God.

360
00:24:01,080 –> 00:24:03,560
That’s what we read at the end
of verse verse 15.

361
00:24:04,760 –> 00:24:09,480
We might say, well that’s
vibrancy, that’s life, that’s

362
00:24:09,480 –> 00:24:14,920
greenness in the House of God.
But there were no fruits, there

363
00:24:14,920 –> 00:24:19,680
were no godly fruits or goodly
fruits in that house.

364
00:24:21,400 –> 00:24:26,640
So what would be like a green
olive tree in the House of God

365
00:24:26,640 –> 00:24:28,160
today?
What would an olive look like

366
00:24:28,360 –> 00:24:31,960
today?
Well, it it might be simple to

367
00:24:31,960 –> 00:24:35,400
say this, but firstly there’s a
there’s a demonstration of fruit

368
00:24:35,400 –> 00:24:39,200
within the ecclesia to be an
olive within the ecclesia.

369
00:24:42,040 –> 00:24:47,720
It can be easy in life to spend
so much time, so much energy on

370
00:24:48,400 –> 00:24:51,960
our friends, our family, maybe
helping other work colleagues

371
00:24:51,960 –> 00:24:56,080
out, doing a few extra hours and
we can get to the point that

372
00:24:56,480 –> 00:24:58,160
we’ve almost exhausted
ourselves.

373
00:24:59,120 –> 00:25:04,360
So that when it comes to bearing
fruit within the ecclesia, we

374
00:25:04,360 –> 00:25:09,840
have almost nothing left to give
but fruit.

375
00:25:10,920 –> 00:25:14,400
The practical outworking of
God’s command needs to be

376
00:25:14,400 –> 00:25:17,120
demonstrated by each member
within the ecclesia.

377
00:25:18,680 –> 00:25:20,200
The ecclesia is like any
relationship.

378
00:25:22,040 –> 00:25:23,920
There needs to be giving from
every member.

379
00:25:26,640 –> 00:25:30,480
And Dowig, we said he looked
leafy, he looked green.

380
00:25:30,960 –> 00:25:34,080
He seemed like a good, obedient,
notable servant.

381
00:25:34,600 –> 00:25:36,800
From the outside he looked good.
In fact, that’s how we’re

382
00:25:36,800 –> 00:25:39,840
introduced to him in First
Samuel 21, verse 7, which says

383
00:25:39,840 –> 00:25:43,400
he was the chiefest of the
herdsman. 00 La La, what a what

384
00:25:43,400 –> 00:25:45,680
a what a man, the chiefest of
the herdsman.

385
00:25:46,240 –> 00:25:48,680
Doe egg.
Let’s, let’s sit at his table

386
00:25:48,680 –> 00:25:50,640
next time we have a meal
together.

387
00:25:52,200 –> 00:25:54,080
He looked the part.
He sounded the part.

388
00:25:54,720 –> 00:25:58,320
What we find in First Samuel 21
is he even attended the

389
00:25:58,320 –> 00:25:59,920
Tabernacle.
He was there at the House of

390
00:25:59,920 –> 00:26:01,720
God.
He even followed the Sabbath.

391
00:26:01,920 –> 00:26:07,360
Oh no, I’m detained.
Although we wonder why such an

392
00:26:07,360 –> 00:26:09,120
apostate man was even in the
Tabernacle.

393
00:26:10,000 –> 00:26:13,280
In fact, from a from a distance,
he looked like a green tree.

394
00:26:13,280 –> 00:26:14,840
He could have even been a green
olive tree.

395
00:26:15,840 –> 00:26:20,640
But when we got closer, when
David got closer, there was no

396
00:26:20,640 –> 00:26:22,360
soundness.
There was no fatness.

397
00:26:22,360 –> 00:26:24,600
There was no fruit.
There was no abundance.

398
00:26:25,080 –> 00:26:27,880
There was no nourishing root.
He was no olive.

399
00:26:29,520 –> 00:26:32,920
No one would ever survive being
grafted onto the rootstock of

400
00:26:32,920 –> 00:26:36,960
Doek.
And this is the marvellous

401
00:26:37,040 –> 00:26:40,280
description that we have in in
Scripture of the olive, this

402
00:26:40,280 –> 00:26:42,520
fatness, this abundant, this,
this fruitfulness, this

403
00:26:42,520 –> 00:26:46,440
nourishing root that that others
can come and, and be grafted

404
00:26:46,440 –> 00:26:50,040
into this olive, other branches,
other trees grafted in.

405
00:26:50,360 –> 00:26:53,440
Romans 11 uses it as an example
of the Jews and the Gentiles

406
00:26:53,440 –> 00:26:56,600
being grafted together.
But doesn’t it also apply in an

407
00:26:56,600 –> 00:26:58,880
ecclesial, in an ecclesia
made-up of Gentiles?

408
00:27:00,240 –> 00:27:05,560
Have you ever thought about how
we can be a nourishing route in

409
00:27:05,560 –> 00:27:08,680
the ecclesia?
How others might be able to be

410
00:27:08,680 –> 00:27:14,760
graft unto us?
Because there are there are

411
00:27:14,760 –> 00:27:18,280
people that need that.
There are people who are new to

412
00:27:18,280 –> 00:27:20,920
the truth.
There are those who are newly

413
00:27:20,920 –> 00:27:25,080
baptised, there are those who
maybe have grown a little more

414
00:27:25,080 –> 00:27:28,760
disconnected.
Not to mention that the fact

415
00:27:28,760 –> 00:27:32,280
that we even need to strengthen
the bonds that we already have

416
00:27:33,000 –> 00:27:37,600
being grafted on to one another,
and it needs to be the duty of

417
00:27:38,160 –> 00:27:41,920
each ecclesial member.
And sometimes we might have a

418
00:27:42,000 –> 00:27:45,000
slightly warped perception of of
this idea of being graphed on

419
00:27:45,800 –> 00:27:49,480
because sometimes we’ve seen a
group of 20 or an eclisure of 50

420
00:27:49,600 –> 00:27:52,480
or an eclisure of 200 try and be
grafted onto one person.

421
00:27:52,920 –> 00:27:54,920
You know, there might be one
particular speaking brother that

422
00:27:55,120 –> 00:27:56,720
the whole ecclesia wants to be
graphed on.

423
00:27:56,720 –> 00:27:58,880
They’re going to be grafted onto
that nourishing route.

424
00:28:01,240 –> 00:28:05,240
But you don’t see 200 trees.
It’s trying to be graphed under

425
00:28:05,240 –> 00:28:08,680
1 olive.
No, it’s something that we each

426
00:28:08,680 –> 00:28:16,240
need to do individually, an
ongoing nourishing influence to

427
00:28:16,880 –> 00:28:22,600
a smaller number.
So in in the ecclesia, is there

428
00:28:22,600 –> 00:28:28,400
a specific person, or maybe no
more than five people that we

429
00:28:28,400 –> 00:28:34,600
look out for, that we as
individuals seek to nourish and

430
00:28:34,600 –> 00:28:39,480
support?
Does our input, our presence,

431
00:28:40,240 –> 00:28:45,240
our warmth provides nourishment?
If you’re not sure what to do,

432
00:28:45,240 –> 00:28:50,400
what to say, think about people
who have nourished our spiritual

433
00:28:50,400 –> 00:28:55,000
walk.
Can we pass on those lessons to

434
00:28:55,000 –> 00:28:59,920
someone else?
We each need to be a nourishing,

435
00:29:00,560 –> 00:29:03,240
fruitful olive in the House of
God.

436
00:29:05,760 –> 00:29:08,160
And now we come to the final
detail in this analogy.

437
00:29:09,320 –> 00:29:12,480
He’s not just green, He’s not
just a green olive.

438
00:29:13,120 –> 00:29:17,280
He’s a green olive tree in the
House of God.

439
00:29:18,520 –> 00:29:21,920
Why is the metaphor of a tree
planted in the House of God such

440
00:29:21,920 –> 00:29:26,120
an appropriate metaphor?
Well, Job 19 and verse 10 says

441
00:29:26,120 –> 00:29:28,200
that his hope has been removed
like a tree.

442
00:29:28,880 –> 00:29:30,560
He says he feels completely
uprooted.

443
00:29:30,960 –> 00:29:34,240
The hope that was once something
permanent, something dependable,

444
00:29:34,240 –> 00:29:37,680
something reliable, resilient,
now gone.

445
00:29:39,600 –> 00:29:41,920
Well, Psalm one, we sang about
it.

446
00:29:42,280 –> 00:29:45,440
The righteous who meditate in
God’s law day and night are like

447
00:29:45,440 –> 00:29:47,600
this tree planted by rivers of
water.

448
00:29:47,920 –> 00:29:50,600
Not only are they rooted and
fixed, but they have a constant

449
00:29:50,600 –> 00:29:53,040
source of nourishment and
nourishment and enrichment.

450
00:29:55,000 –> 00:29:59,560
But let’s turn to Psalm 92 and
let’s have a look at another

451
00:29:59,560 –> 00:30:03,880
Psalm which talks about the
righteous as trees in the House

452
00:30:04,120 –> 00:30:12,800
of God.
Psalm 92 and verse 12.

453
00:30:17,320 –> 00:30:21,080
The righteous shall flourish
like the palm tree.

454
00:30:22,640 –> 00:30:24,600
He shall grow like a cedar in
Lebanon.

455
00:30:25,920 –> 00:30:28,520
Those that be planted in the
House of the Lord shall flourish

456
00:30:28,520 –> 00:30:32,200
in the courts of our guard.
They shall still bring forth

457
00:30:32,200 –> 00:30:37,560
fruit in old age.
They shall be fat and

458
00:30:37,960 –> 00:30:42,760
flourishing.
There’s 2 two more types of

459
00:30:42,760 –> 00:30:45,880
trees that the righteous are
likened to, the palm and the

460
00:30:45,880 –> 00:30:48,640
cedar.
The palm that’s able to weather

461
00:30:48,640 –> 00:30:51,960
all sorts of storms, all sorts
of winds due to the way it’s

462
00:30:51,960 –> 00:30:59,440
able to flex.
Or the cedar, a tree known for

463
00:30:59,440 –> 00:31:05,120
its height, for its strength,
for the ability to build with

464
00:31:05,120 –> 00:31:07,880
it.
And where are these trees?

465
00:31:08,920 –> 00:31:13,840
They’re planted in the House of
of God, just like David in Psalm

466
00:31:13,840 –> 00:31:16,120
52.
And if we’re in any doubt, we

467
00:31:16,120 –> 00:31:18,840
have this lovely Hebrew
parallelism which says they

468
00:31:18,840 –> 00:31:22,480
shall flourish in the courts of
our God.

469
00:31:25,400 –> 00:31:27,200
And how are they described in
verse 14?

470
00:31:29,240 –> 00:31:31,040
They’re still bringing forth
fruit in old age.

471
00:31:32,520 –> 00:31:34,560
Age is not a hindrance to
bringing forth fruit.

472
00:31:35,880 –> 00:31:39,400
They are fat and flourishing and
and that word flourishing, the

473
00:31:39,400 –> 00:31:44,560
same word as green in Psalm 52
and verse 8.

474
00:31:45,520 –> 00:31:49,640
They are green trees in the
House of God.

475
00:31:50,880 –> 00:31:53,160
They are planted in the House of
the Lord.

476
00:31:54,000 –> 00:31:56,040
And So what do we know of a
tree?

477
00:31:56,400 –> 00:32:00,760
But it’s this rooted permanence
that a tree has.

478
00:32:00,760 –> 00:32:04,880
And, and the analogy and this
part of the metaphor of, of the

479
00:32:04,880 –> 00:32:08,440
tree is about our commitment to
our ecclesia.

480
00:32:09,800 –> 00:32:12,960
Because sometimes we can think
that it’s, it’s the speakers

481
00:32:12,960 –> 00:32:15,840
that keep the ecclesia going.
They’re the ones we come to

482
00:32:15,840 –> 00:32:18,480
listen to each week.
Sometimes we think that it’s the

483
00:32:18,560 –> 00:32:20,320
ABS that keep the ecclesia
going.

484
00:32:21,200 –> 00:32:25,920
They make all the administrative
decisions, but no, it it’s the

485
00:32:25,920 –> 00:32:30,280
commitment of all who turn up
and do their duties that keep an

486
00:32:30,280 –> 00:32:32,400
ecclesia going.
It’s the commitment of of

487
00:32:32,400 –> 00:32:34,520
regular attendees that keep an
ecclesia going.

488
00:32:35,120 –> 00:32:37,640
It’s the commitment of those who
provide meals for the sick, the

489
00:32:37,640 –> 00:32:40,160
unable, or the lonely that keep
an ecclesia going.

490
00:32:40,520 –> 00:32:42,840
It’s the commitment of those who
talk to the mothers with young

491
00:32:42,840 –> 00:32:45,560
ones, making sure that they have
support and encouragement that

492
00:32:45,560 –> 00:32:51,440
keep an ecclesia going.
There are many things, many

493
00:32:51,440 –> 00:32:54,600
types of commitment that keep an
eclosure going.

494
00:32:55,520 –> 00:32:57,920
And sometimes there are
circumstances which prevent us

495
00:32:57,920 –> 00:33:01,240
committing to the eclosure.
We we decline roles or we find

496
00:33:01,240 –> 00:33:02,760
feelings.
And sometimes these

497
00:33:02,760 –> 00:33:04,880
circumstances are are outside of
our control.

498
00:33:05,680 –> 00:33:09,040
We might have the burden of
sickness, family

499
00:33:09,200 –> 00:33:12,720
responsibilities, maybe that
outweigh the norm, children

500
00:33:12,720 –> 00:33:16,800
requiring more attention, or
perhaps we’re struggling in the

501
00:33:16,800 –> 00:33:22,000
faith.
But sometimes we bring we bring

502
00:33:22,000 –> 00:33:26,400
circumstances upon ourselves,
don’t we, that hinder our

503
00:33:26,400 –> 00:33:31,160
commitment to the ecclesia.
Perhaps we choose a job or a

504
00:33:31,520 –> 00:33:34,480
career path that’s more
demanding than others, and we

505
00:33:34,480 –> 00:33:37,960
know that it it might impede our
ability to give to the ecclesia.

506
00:33:39,080 –> 00:33:44,200
Or perhaps we we we book regular
weekends away, or perhaps we

507
00:33:44,200 –> 00:33:46,440
choose to visit other ecclesia’s
rather than our own.

508
00:33:48,200 –> 00:33:50,680
Sometimes we can bring these
circumstances upon ourselves

509
00:33:50,680 –> 00:33:53,760
which challenge our ability to
commit to the ecclesia.

510
00:33:53,760 –> 00:33:57,880
I think of the Apostle Paul,
even though he was moving about

511
00:33:57,880 –> 00:34:01,040
so much, we we think of his
missionary journeys, he actually

512
00:34:01,040 –> 00:34:03,800
spent a, a long time, a
considerable time in each place.

513
00:34:04,280 –> 00:34:06,200
We might say it was, it wasn’t a
fleeting visit.

514
00:34:06,200 –> 00:34:09,960
He had time to put down roots in
each ecclesia.

515
00:34:11,280 –> 00:34:13,840
And because of that he knew the
ecclesias.

516
00:34:14,600 –> 00:34:17,600
And because he knew the
ecclesias, the care of each of

517
00:34:17,600 –> 00:34:24,920
them came upon him daily.
And what do we see in Psalm 52?

518
00:34:24,920 –> 00:34:26,719
And what do we see in the life
of David?

519
00:34:26,719 –> 00:34:30,520
We see a tree stoically planted
in the House of God.

520
00:34:30,520 –> 00:34:34,480
Do you remember what you read in
the first book of Samuel,

521
00:34:34,480 –> 00:34:37,120
chapter 22, verse 22 of what
David said to Abiathan?

522
00:34:39,040 –> 00:34:43,400
David makes his comment.
I knew it that day when Doek the

523
00:34:43,400 –> 00:34:48,199
Edomite was there, that he would
surely tell Saul, I have

524
00:34:48,199 –> 00:34:51,560
occasion to the death of all the
persons of thy Father’s house.

525
00:34:53,400 –> 00:34:57,880
If you think you had even one
life on your conscience, how

526
00:34:57,880 –> 00:35:01,160
would that would plague you?
How that would plague me?

527
00:35:03,080 –> 00:35:07,800
Think of what’s now in David’s
mind, all the what if scenarios.

528
00:35:08,360 –> 00:35:10,280
What if I hadn’t gone to the
Tabernacle?

529
00:35:10,600 –> 00:35:13,520
What if Doek had not been there?
What if I had been more

530
00:35:13,520 –> 00:35:16,360
secretive?
Would the priests have survived?

531
00:35:17,640 –> 00:35:21,360
Think about the mental turmoil,
David thinking it probably would

532
00:35:21,360 –> 00:35:24,440
have been best if I hadn’t gone
there that day.

533
00:35:25,520 –> 00:35:28,680
Is that what David thought?
We don’t have a response in

534
00:35:28,680 –> 00:35:31,880
Samuel, but what do we have?
We have a response in Psalm 52.

535
00:35:32,320 –> 00:35:36,000
What does David say?
No, I am like a green olive tree

536
00:35:36,480 –> 00:35:41,600
planted in the House of God.
There is no doubt in David’s

537
00:35:41,600 –> 00:35:47,480
mind, even though him being
there had caused and occasioned

538
00:35:47,480 –> 00:35:51,400
the priest to be killed, it it
was not on his conscience but on

539
00:35:51,400 –> 00:35:55,960
souls and on doex.
Being in the House of God was

540
00:35:55,960 –> 00:36:01,040
still the correct decision, a
lesson for us.

541
00:36:01,040 –> 00:36:06,640
Whenever ecclesial life is
tumultuous, being here is still

542
00:36:07,400 –> 00:36:12,320
the correct decision.
And although David did wander

543
00:36:12,320 –> 00:36:15,720
around the wilderness, we know
his heart was always in the

544
00:36:15,720 –> 00:36:18,560
House of God.
Think of these other comments in

545
00:36:18,560 –> 00:36:22,160
other psalms.
Psalm 23, verse 6.

546
00:36:22,200 –> 00:36:26,760
David says, Surely goodness and
mercy shall follow me all the

547
00:36:26,760 –> 00:36:29,840
days of my life, and I would
dwell in the House of the Lord

548
00:36:29,840 –> 00:36:33,200
forever.
Psalm 26, verse 8.

549
00:36:33,760 –> 00:36:37,760
Lord, I have loved the
habitation of thy house, and the

550
00:36:37,760 –> 00:36:39,120
place where thine honour
dwelleth.

551
00:36:41,240 –> 00:36:45,680
Psalm 27 verse 4 One thing have
I desired of the Lord, that will

552
00:36:45,680 –> 00:36:49,800
I seek after, that I may dwell
in the House of the Lord all the

553
00:36:49,800 –> 00:36:52,600
days of my life, to behold the
beauty of the Lord, and to

554
00:36:52,600 –> 00:36:56,760
inquire in his temple or
another.

555
00:36:56,760 –> 00:36:59,240
Psalm of David, Psalm 122 and
verse one.

556
00:37:00,200 –> 00:37:04,800
I was glad when they said unto
me, Let us go into the House of

557
00:37:04,800 –> 00:37:12,840
the Lord.
How we act, how we react, what

558
00:37:12,840 –> 00:37:20,080
we do, whether we are a green
olive tree or not, so often

559
00:37:20,720 –> 00:37:23,920
impacts how other people view
the ecclesia.

560
00:37:26,000 –> 00:37:31,120
It so often impacts whether or
not other people want to be

561
00:37:31,120 –> 00:37:35,480
here.
And in all that we’ve considered

562
00:37:35,480 –> 00:37:38,240
this morning, we we pray that we
might foster an environment

563
00:37:38,240 –> 00:37:41,200
within our ecclesia where where
people want to come, where they

564
00:37:41,400 –> 00:37:43,080
can be strengthened in their
walk.

565
00:37:43,520 –> 00:37:47,040
We want to foster an environment
when that when someone says,

566
00:37:47,200 –> 00:37:49,880
let’s go, let’s go to the
meeting, we’re glad when they

567
00:37:49,880 –> 00:37:54,320
say that to us.
So what have we seen from the

568
00:37:54,320 –> 00:37:57,960
example of David, a green olive
tree in the House of God

569
00:37:57,960 –> 00:38:01,240
compared with Doeg?
Well, firstly, the idea of being

570
00:38:01,240 –> 00:38:04,200
green is about, it’s about
trust, it’s about life, it’s

571
00:38:04,200 –> 00:38:09,760
about vibrancy instead of
nonchalance and scepticism.

572
00:38:11,440 –> 00:38:14,320
There is the olive, which is
about being fruitful, about

573
00:38:14,320 –> 00:38:20,160
being nourishing rather than
having a facade and

574
00:38:20,400 –> 00:38:24,560
disconnectedness.
And lastly, the tree element,

575
00:38:25,160 –> 00:38:29,560
Speaking of permanence, Speaking
of commitment rather than

576
00:38:29,560 –> 00:38:35,440
transiency and disinterest.
And we turn our attention this

577
00:38:35,440 –> 00:38:38,480
morning and and think of the
emblems of the Lord Jesus

578
00:38:38,480 –> 00:38:41,960
Christ.
We think of his life, we think

579
00:38:41,960 –> 00:38:44,920
of His death, His resurrection.
We think of His ministry.

580
00:38:45,400 –> 00:38:48,440
We think of the fact that in
Isaiah 53 verse 2, He is

581
00:38:48,440 –> 00:38:52,480
described as a tender plant.
He was always fruitful in every

582
00:38:52,480 –> 00:38:57,760
good work.
And Christ has zeal, a zeal for

583
00:38:57,760 –> 00:39:02,840
His Father’s house.
But the contrast with John

584
00:39:02,840 –> 00:39:08,600
chapter 2 and Psalm 52 is the
fact in John chapter 2 verse 15,

585
00:39:08,600 –> 00:39:10,800
that Christ makes a whip of
small cords.

586
00:39:11,280 –> 00:39:13,840
He drives the money changers,
the merchants, the animals out

587
00:39:13,840 –> 00:39:16,600
of the temple.
Christ is the one smiting others

588
00:39:16,600 –> 00:39:20,880
in the House of God.
And the reason?

589
00:39:21,600 –> 00:39:24,160
Because they were making His
Father’s house a den of thieves.

590
00:39:25,040 –> 00:39:28,680
Christ was driving out the weeds
and the thorns.

591
00:39:29,280 –> 00:39:33,000
Christ was creating an
environment in which the green

592
00:39:33,000 –> 00:39:41,440
olive trees could thrive instead
of being squeezed by the greedy,

593
00:39:41,440 –> 00:39:45,960
thorny money changers.
Christ was zealous about making

594
00:39:45,960 –> 00:39:49,840
the House of God a House of
prayer, a haven for the weary, a

595
00:39:50,160 –> 00:39:54,840
place to draw the meek, a place
for those who seek.

596
00:39:56,920 –> 00:40:03,680
If we have any doubt that Christ
was interested in how each of us

597
00:40:04,520 –> 00:40:08,720
behave in the House of God, we
have that example to look to.

598
00:40:09,480 –> 00:40:13,160
There was a driving passion in
Christ for how people treated

599
00:40:13,160 –> 00:40:18,640
each other in God’s house.
So now we come to take the

600
00:40:18,640 –> 00:40:25,880
emblems and may we examine
ourselves in the light of our

601
00:40:25,880 –> 00:40:29,680
Masters example.
And may we ponder.

602
00:40:31,280 –> 00:40:36,360
Am I?
Like a green olive tree in the

603
00:40:36,360 –> 00:40:54,110
ecclesia of my God.
Thank you for listening to the

604
00:40:54,110 –> 00:40:55,710
good Chris Adelphian Talks
podcast.

605
00:40:56,510 –> 00:40:58,990
We hope this talk helped you in
your walk and brightened your

606
00:40:58,990 –> 00:41:01,350
day.
If you would like to hear more,

607
00:41:01,350 –> 00:41:03,070
please subscribe for new
episodes.

608
00:41:03,520 –> 00:41:06,720
We are on all major podcast
platforms and also on YouTube.

609
00:41:07,840 –> 00:41:10,320
If you enjoyed this particular
talk, please share it with

610
00:41:10,320 –> 00:41:12,240
someone else who you think might
enjoy it too.

611
00:41:13,160 –> 00:41:15,880
For show notes on the talk you
just listened to, visit

612
00:41:15,880 –> 00:41:19,760
[email protected]
or check out the Show Notes

613
00:41:19,760 –> 00:41:23,480
section of your podcast player.
Please share your thoughts on

614
00:41:23,480 –> 00:41:26,520
the talk from this week on our
Facebook or Instagram pages

615
00:41:26,520 –> 00:41:29,440
where we are at Good
Christadelphian Talks or leave a

616
00:41:29,440 –> 00:41:32,240
comment on our YouTube channel
where these talks are posted as

617
00:41:32,240 –> 00:41:33,960
well.
If you enjoy listening to the

618
00:41:33,960 –> 00:41:36,600
talks that we post and hear one
that you think we should share,

619
00:41:36,840 –> 00:41:39,600
please tell us about it.
You can send us a suggestion

620
00:41:39,760 –> 00:41:43,200
using the Contact us tab on our
website or message us on any of

621
00:41:43,200 –> 00:41:45,880
our social media accounts.
Thank you for listening.

622
00:41:46,160 –> 00:41:48,080
God bless and talk to you next
week.