The True Resting Place

Psalm 127:1-5
August 22, 2021
James Shin

Sermon Script

During the last two months, we covered the Psalm of David and the Psalm of Asaph. Now, We will cover the Psalm of Solomon.

So, today, with you, I hope to learn who God is and who we are from what Solomon learned throughout his life.

Brothers and sisters, How much do you know about Solomon? Or, what do you know about Solomon?

He was a king who accomplished many things. He was a famous builder, not a bodybuilder, but a constructor.

For example, He built houses and planted vineyards for himself. He also made gardens and parks, and planted in them all kinds of fruit trees.

And, he made pools from which to water the forest of growing trees.

Moreover, Solomon built the temple of the LORD which his father David could not do. Solomon also built the royal palace for himself.

It took seven years to build the temple of the Lord, and around thirteen years to finish his royal palace.

He spent almost 20 years in construction. Not only the temple and palace, he also devoted himself to building cities and walls. He was a Man of Construction.

The meaning of his name Solomon is from Shalom meaning “Peace.”

In the beginning of his kingship in Jerusalem, He used to find his true peace in the wisdom of God.

Solomon asked for wisdom and knowledge of God so that he could govern his nation.

To such a king, God blessed him.

However, at some point, he began to find his Peace and Rest with the wisdom of this world.

He began to find his Rest in his achievement in his house and in his glory.

He worked hard for his own name and glory.

Later, Solomon found out that all his works were meaningless before the eyes of the Lord.

In the book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon says, “Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity. What does man gain by all the toil at which he toils under the sun?”

He built many great things, he governed his city, he worked hard as a king, but later he realized that his works and achievements were meaningless.

In today's passage, he keeps saying, “vain, vain, vain.”

The word of Vain appears three times from verse 1 through verse 2.

He is emphasizing the emptiness of all his works.

He learned that unless the Lord works, his work is meaningless.

He learned that truth through his experience.

Then, what can we learn from Solomon's experience written in this Psalm?

There are Three Things I want to share with you from this Psalm.

First, God Builds and Protects His people according to His purpose and will.

Verse 1 states, Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.

Earlier, I already told you Solomon built his royal house for thirteen years. Solomon might want to have a rest in his new great royal palace.

Being at home gives us rest. Home is our place of rest. After work or after school, we love to go home, and we want to take a rest at home.

Home is our best place for rest.

I will definitely go home after church.

We sometimes enjoy our free time at home. Home is our resting place.

Home is a comfortable place. Home is important in our daily life.

So, many people wish to get their own house. They work hard to purchase houses.

And, people protect or secure their houses. They maintain the houses.

People want their rest to be secured. People work hard for their current or future rest.

People think and make a plan for their retirement.

Brothers and Sisters, What is your house? In other words, What do you build for your rest? What do you protect for your rest?

Is it education? Do you build your academic skill and experience at school?

Is it a job? Do you build your career?

Is it a promotion? Do you build your ability and experience at work for future promotion?

Or, Is it a relationship? Do you build your relationship with your spouse or with your lover?

Solomon found out that all his works were meaningless before the eyes of the Lord.

Solomon found out that all his works were vanity because his purpose was not on God, but on himself.

With God, our house becomes meaningful, but without God, our house becomes meaningless.

With God, our work becomes meaningful, but without God, our work becomes meaningless.

We build our lives by ourselves. We tend to protect ourselves when we are anxious about tomorrow.

Brothers and sisters, let us not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself.

God, who is the builder of the church, also protects His church. He protects His people.

Second, God gives a Rest to His people.

Because God builds and protects us, we take a rest in Him.

In the passage, Verse 2 states, “It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep.”

We sometimes do not sleep well to achieve our goals. When we are busy, we often go to bed late, and we often get up early to go to work.

For students, during midterm or final, they sleep late to study, and get up early to take exams.

For me as a pastor, I sometimes sleep late to prepare sermons, and get up early to go to church.

So, please understand me even if I look tired.

We sometimes give up our rest to achieve something. To graduate school, to get a job, or to take care of our family.

We sacrifice our time and rest for what we value.

Verse 3 states, “Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward.”

The author Solomon suddenly moves his topic to children.

Then why is he dealing with children in his psalm?

Solomon knew well that every parent is busy taking care of their children. He knew that parents love their children.

There is one famous story you might have heard at least once before.

When two women came with a baby to find out the real mother, Solomon found out who the real mother was with his wisdom.

At that time, there was no DNA tester; therefore, it was not easy to find out the real mother!

So, Solomon said, “Get me a sword. Cut the living child in two, and give half to the one and half to the other.”

Then, the real mother said, “Oh, my lord, give her the living child, and by no means put him to death.”

And, the other woman said, “He shall be neither mine nor yours; cut him!”

If you want to read the whole story, you can find it in the book of the first king in chapter 3.

Solomon knew well about parental love; in other words, he knew that all parents love their children.

Are there any parents who want their children to die? Certainly Not!

Solomon knew well that every parent works hard to take care of their children.

In the beginning, I already said that people want to have a home.

Not only physical houses, but also many people want to have their own family.

There are many people who want to start a family.

After marriage, many husbands and fathers work hard to support and protect their families.

First-generation immigrant parents worked hard for their children.

They worked hard all day.

For them, their children were the fruit and reward; so they worked hard with love and responsibility.

Mothers cannot sleep well to take care of their children all day and all night.

Mothers have to change diapers and give milk to their babies.

When a baby is sick, the mother has to take care of her baby all night long.

The priority of parents might be their children.

Parents want to give their children good things.

In Matthew 7:11, Jesus says, “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!”

Parents want to give their children good and healthy food. They wish to give their children a good education.

They want their children to see and experience good things.

All parents want their children to be happy.

So the parents work hard for their children.

We sometimes go late to rest, and rise up early to work, to labor, and to build and protect something we value.

Rest is a blessing from God. Good sleep is important. Rest improves our brain function. Rest strengthens our immune system. Deep and long rest refreshes us.

These days, many people struggle with sleeping and resting. Moreover, people sometimes take sleeping pills to fall asleep, to take a rest.

We cannot find our rest in this world because we are not of this world, but of the Kingdom of God.

Brothers and sisters, our God gives us a rest.

Transitional Statement: Then, How does God give us rest? In what way, did we get rest from God?

Third and lastly, the people of God take a rest in Christ. Jesus is our true rest. God has given us a rest through His beloved Son, Jesus.

Jesus worked hard not for his rest, but for our rest.

Jesus emptied himself, by taking the form of servant, being born in the likeness of men.

Jesus, under the law, lived according to the law on our behalf throughout His life.

Jesus fulfilled the scriptures and crucified on the cross on our behalf.

Brothers and sisters,,,,Can we find any rest in his earthly life?

Verse 2 states, “It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep.”

In the verse, who is the beloved? It is Jesus.

This verse shows the Father and Son relationship.

The father was well pleased in His beloved Son.

And, the father gave a rest to His beloved Son who fulfilled the will of His father.

The father gave him a rest by making him to be seated at right hand.

The father exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name.

Brothers and sisters, we are also well pleased before the eyes of the Father through and in Christ.

We are well pleased not because we are righteous but because Jesus is righteous.

So, we take a rest through union with Christ.

We take a rest in Christ who worked hard for the people of God.

We take a rest by walking with the spirit of Christ.

We take a rest because Jesus still works in us for our salvation.

It is not us who work out our salvation, but it is Jesus who works out our own salvation by interceding for us at the Right Hand of God.

The meaning of the name Solomon is from Shalom meaning “Peace.”

He used to find his true peace in the wisdom of God.

However, at some point, he began to find his Peace and Rest with the wisdom of this world.

He began to find his Rest by himself by working out for his own glory.

He built houses and planted vineyards for himself. He also made gardens and parks, and planted in them all kinds of fruit trees.

Moreover, he spent around thirteen years building his royal palace while he spent only seven years in the construction of the Temple of the Lord.

What can we tell from the difference of the two construction times?

He spent more time in his own house. He poured his strength into his glory. His concern was only his glory.

He tried to find his rest with the wisdom of this world; So, he built his royal house, royal palace.

Brothers and Sisters, People want their rest to be secured. People work hard for their current or future rest.

But, we cannot find our rest in the wisdom of this world.

But rather, we can find our rest in the wisdom of God.

Then, what is the Wisdom of God?

Jesus is the wisdom of God.

We can find our rest only in Jesus.

Jesus, who is the cornerstone of His church, also built His church.

Jesus, who is the builder of His church, also protects His church.

He protects our salvation and faith by working out on our behalf.

Rest is given to us because we have become the beloved children through the union with Christ.

Because Jesus still works, we enjoy the rest in him.

When we leave our life to Jesus, we enjoy the rest.

Highland, Let us remember that Jesus is our True Resting Place.

Soli Deo Gloria