(Clip) Sitting In the Presence of the Lord
Zac Poonen emphasizes the transformative power of simply sitting in the presence of the Lord, beholding His glory, and recognizing our own need for His righteousness.
This sermon emphasizes the deep desire to dwell in the presence of the Lord, seeking only to behold His beauty and glory without asking for anything, as exemplified by figures like Moses and Isaiah. It highlights the transformation that occurs when individuals encounter the glory of God, leading to a realization of their own need and a shift in perspective towards true righteousness found in Jesus Christ.
Full Transcript
There is only one thing I desire. I don't desire to be king. I don't desire to be an elder.
I don't desire even to live. These enemies kill me, that's fine. I will only seek one thing from my Lord and that is that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.
Like we heard, not to ask Him for anything, not to tell Him anything, just to sit and behold the beauty of the Lord and meditate in His temple. How many of you know how to do that? We need a generation growing up who knows how to sit in the presence of the Lord, asking for nothing, saying nothing, just saying, Lord, let me see Your beauty, let me see Your glory. Moses had that desire, Lord, show me Your glory.
God said, you can't see my glory and live, but I will show you a small portion of it. The greatest men whom God has used in church history are those who have had a longing to see the glory of God and when they see the glory of God, they see their own need, like Isaiah. One day he saw the glory of God and he was never the same after that because he saw what he was.
And I believe that is why even a man like Paul, on one hand he could say, like he said in Acts 23 verse 1, all my life I have lived with a good conscience. What does that mean? I have never taken the Lord's name in vain, I have never worshipped idols, I have honored my father and mother, I have never committed adultery, I have never murdered anybody, I have never stolen, I have never borne false witness in court against anyone, I have kept the Sabbath faithfully, and then one day I found Christ, and found all that was rubbish that I could glory in, that I found the righteousness of Jesus, and I am justified. God looks at me as I have never sinned in my life, and that same man in the same breath would say, Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am number one.
Sermon Outline
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I
- Desire to dwell in the house of the Lord all days
- Not asking or telling, but simply beholding God's beauty
- The need for a generation that knows how to sit in God's presence
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II
- Moses' longing to see God's glory
- God's partial revelation of His glory to Moses
- The impact of seeing God's glory on great men of faith
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III
- Isaiah's encounter with God's glory and self-realization
- Paul's testimony of his past righteousness and new identity in Christ
- Recognition of being the chief of sinners despite former good conscience
Key Quotes
“I will only seek one thing from my Lord and that is that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.” — Zac Poonen
“We need a generation growing up who knows how to sit in the presence of the Lord, asking for nothing, saying nothing, just saying, Lord, let me see Your beauty, let me see Your glory.” — Zac Poonen
“Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am number one.” — Zac Poonen
Application Points
- Practice sitting quietly before God daily, seeking to behold His beauty without distractions or requests.
- Allow encounters with God's glory to reveal your own need for His grace and righteousness.
- Embrace humility by recognizing your sinfulness and the sufficiency of Christ's salvation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean to sit in the presence of the Lord?
It means to quietly behold God's beauty and glory without asking for anything or speaking, simply enjoying His presence.
Why is seeing God's glory important?
Seeing God's glory reveals our own need and sinfulness, leading to transformation and deeper dependence on Him.
How did Moses experience God's glory?
God told Moses He could not see His full glory and live, but allowed Moses to see a partial manifestation of it.
What changed in Paul after encountering Christ?
Paul realized that his former righteousness was worthless compared to the righteousness found in Jesus, acknowledging himself as the chief sinner.