Mid-week Advent 1 Sermon - 12.03.2025

 Chief Mountain

House of the Lord

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

Our introit, Psalm 122, is a Psalm of Ascents, and is attributed to David. Psalms of Ascent have to do with going into God’s house. Into the tabernacle in David’s day or going into the temple after it was completed. These Psalms prepare the heart and mind toward God, to meditate upon His mercy and what was going to take place in God’s House.

 This Psalm was written by David 1000 BC. This is one of David’s prayer-songs as he ascends, that is, as he comes into God’s house. He is glad to go into the House of the Lord.

 One of the things in this prayer is for the peace of Jerusalem.

What does that mean?

 You have probably seen phrase, “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem,” or heard it spoken. Maybe you know songs which have the line “pray for the peace of Jerusalem” in it.

 It quoted very often today. We spoke about Jerusalem as a hotbed of conflict a couple weeks ago. Many would say that religious conflict taking place there, with Jews on one side and Muslims on the other. Many  Christians claim to be standing in the middle trying mediate both sides.

 We could spend some time talking about the differences between Judaism, Islam, and Christianity – but if you want that discussion, join us for one of the Bible studies. That time a better venue for discussion.

 So, what do most people think about when they talk about “praying for the peace of Jerusalem?” Most think it is all about the cessation of hostilities in the middle east, involving Israel and most specifically Jerusalem.

 That is indeed a laudable goal! It would be great if all hostile intents against other people would come to an end, but not just there. It would be incredible if people stopped killing one other for any reason at all!

But, when we see this phrase in Scripture, when David ‘prays for the peace of Jerusalem’ as he ascends into God’s house, is he praying that the shedding of blood by violence and war in Jerusalem come to an end? I suppose secondarily.

I love etymology – that is, picking words apart to examine their roots and original meanings. Compound words can be very intriguing. There is so much to be learned. David did not speak English. So, in the simple phrase we translate as, “pray for the peace of Jerusalem,” we do not see the poetic word-play at work.

Our English word ‘peace’ is actually ‘shalom’ in Hebrew and Aramaic. Now, consider the more complex word – j Jerusalem. If we break it into the two constituent parts we have Yah-roo and shalom. Yes, the word we translate as ‘peace’ is right there in the name. The first part of the word means foundation. So, yah-roo-shalom, or Jerusalem, literally means foundation of peace.

This means that the phrase, “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem” is a play on words. It is truly saying, “pray for the peace of the foundation of peace.”

Did you catch that? Maybe we could say it this way, “Pray for The Peace that comes from the Foundation of Peace.”

Jerusalem is not just any city. In God’s plan of redemption and eternity, Jerusalem has always been more than just that city positioned on a particular hill that now happens to be in the nation of Israel.

That hill is called by Isaiah the Chief mountain. We also learn that this mountain of the house of the Lord will be established as His chief mountain! It shall be lifted up above all other hills! All the nations will come to it – many people will come to it.

To consider this mountain we must remember God's earlier promise to Abraham about his Descendant through whom all the nations in the Earth will be blessed.

Remember God’s command to Abraham to go up to a particular mountain which He will show him to sacrifice Isaac, his only son whom he loves! It is a foreshadowing of God sacrifice of His only Son whom He loves.

It is this hill to which Abraham was directed. It is Jerusalem and the same hill where Christ is led to be crucified.

Here is the Chief Mountain, here is the mountain of the house of the Lord. It is in the coming of the One who was foretold that this place becomes God’s “foundation of peace” this Yah-ru-shalom 

It is the Chief Mountain for on this mountain will come the city of Jerusalem - the foundation of Peace! Here will be brought about the peace foretold by the angels to the shepherds on the Judean hillside, the peace on Earth Good Will toward man. 

Yeah, another passage from Scripture where peace is misinterpreted by modern usage! Not peace by the cessation of all conflicts between different people. This peace sung by the angels, is peace from God, bringing good will to appease God’s wrath against men! It is the same peace which surpasses all understanding as Paul declares in his letter to the Philippians.

Sunday’s and today’s Gospel lesson have Jesus riding into Jerusalem to the shouts of, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the Highest.” They wanted a Davidic kingdom on earth, deposing their Roman overlords. They wanted peace, but so that they ruled!

We know Jesus is riding into Jerusalem in majesty for a purpose. He will be crowned king – with thorns. He will take His scepter – the cross. And He will begin His reign in majesty by conquering your worst enemies with His suffering and death.

We like the world’s idea that this is the holiday season. Of course, we’ll correct it a bit and make it the Christmas season, but we agree with what the world thinks about it.  It is a time of rejoicing and peace – with peace defined as no more killing and violence. It is a time to give till it hurts making sure all people have food, clothing, and can get gifts.

These are indeed laudable things. I beg God for all these things. But that still doesn’t get to the root of the problem. Those are the symptoms of the greater problem, sinfulness. Without sinfulness their would be perfect peace, peace with God. And if we were all at peace with God in perfect holiness, we would also freely love our neighbor. Without sinfulness, living in perfect love toward one another, all the ills of society would be gone – we would care for one another in the selfless love of God in Christ Jesus.

God gets to the root of the problem on His holy mountain. He gets to the root of the problem on His chief mountain. Christ gives His life unto death to restore to us the relationship with God that was broken in the garden by the evil of disobedience. He takes our sinfulness to the cross, shedding His blood as the atoning sacrifice – He makes that hill to be His Chief Mountain.

God takes care of the greater problem, the root of the problem, and so we desire to be in His house, the House of the Lord. Because here – in His house – we receive peace  from God!

As we receive what Christ purchased – forgiveness and life – we are taught His ways. As we are filled with Christ – we walk in His paths.

Come to the Chief mountain – come into the House of the Lord – receive His gracious gifts and be at peace with God. And when you leave this place, live in that peace given to you, in love toward your neighbor.

While we abide in this vale of tears, let us pray for the Peace of Jerusalem. Let up pray for the peace of God’s foundation of peace. Cause when Christ comes again God’s peace will reign in all men raised to Life eternal with Christ in all His holy mountain. In prayerful hope and expectation we pray;  Come, Lord Jesus, yeah quickly! Let us ascend into the house of the Lord for all eternity!  In the name of Jesus. Amen.