This is part of the worship series,
"Psalm 23"
Series Introduction
Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5
Week 6 | Week 7 | Week 8 | Week 9 | Week 10
Week 11 | Week 12
Week 12
Our Forever Home
“And I will dwell in the house of the Lord
Forever” (Psalm 23:6b, NKJV).
Weekly Email
The psalmist has described his experience with God: the shepherd and the gracious host. He has seen God’s mercy and goodness following him down the road of his life, and now he names the destination towards which his life will lead: the house of the Lord. This house is not a temporary respite, a hotel, or vacation house. This is where he belongs unlike he’s belonged anywhere else. The psalmist’s God is also your God. The house of the Lord is also your forever home. Spend some time this week considering the hope and promise contained in this final verse.
Sermon
John 14:1–7 "A Place for You"
Sermon notes by Rev. Chelsey Harmon are available from the Center for Excellence in Preaching.
Children’s Message
Today we are going to talk about the very last part of Psalm 23: “And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever” (Psalm 23:6b).
Until this last verse, the writer of Psalm 23 has talked about what God has done in the past and what God is doing for the psalmist in the present. But for the last verse he begins to think about the future. He says God’s blessings will pursue him all his life, and then he thinks even further into the future, past the end of his life, and he says that even after his life ends, God will still be there. And the best thing he can think of to describe what that will be like is to say we get to live together with God in God’s home.
What does the word “home” make you think of, or how does it make you feel? [Possible answers: family, safety, happiness, pets, etc.] The house of the Lord is going to be all those good feelings without any of the bad feelings like “Oh, darn; I have to do my homework now,” or “Back to the place where I’m in charge of cleaning my room every week.” The house of the Lord is where we feel like everything is right, we are safe, and we have everything we need. That gives all of us something very special to look forward to.
Song Suggestions
“Better Is One Day” Redman
“All Are Welcome” Haugen
“The LORD My Shepherd, Rules My Life” Idle
“Like a River Glorious” Havergal
Prompts for Reflection
Journaling Prompt: Rewrite Psalm 23 with your name or the name of a loved one in the place of “I” and “me,” using whatever translation feels most familiar to you. If you are feeling creative, paraphrase the psalm, putting it in language that feels natural to you. You could also adapt the metaphors to things that are especially meaningful to you. Perhaps you feel God is like your doctor or your parents or your teacher. However you adapt this psalm, spend some time considering how claiming this psalm for yourself deepens the reality of the promise of that final line: YOU will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. Faith Practice: Engaging Scripture
Wonder Prompt: Read Revelation 21:1–5, which in a wonder-ful way elaborates on what dwelling in the house of the Lord forever might be like. Here are some wondering questions to consider: What do you wonder about the new heaven and the new earth or the house of the Lord? What will it be like to have God dwelling among us for eternity? Can you imagine a world without death and pain? What might daily life look like in that world? Faith Practice: Wonder
Artwork/Math Prompt: One way we can begin to approach the concept of “forever” is through fractals. If you know someone who understands the math behind fractals, be sure to ask them about it. The short version is this: a fractal is a shape that repeats at smaller and smaller scales indefinitely. A snowflake is a good example: as each arm of the crystal grows, it branches out in the same pattern, just smaller and smaller. Natural fractals are found in things that branch out (like some plants) or spiral tighter and tighter (like seashells). No matter how deeply you zoom in, you can find the same pattern. If you are a creative type, try making a fractal. Design a snowflake or a plant or a seashell with a pattern that repeats as it gets smaller and smaller. See how long you can keep going with the pattern. Think about that pattern repeating forever at a smaller and smaller scale. Does this deepen your appreciation of the concept of dwelling with God forever?
Revised Common Lectionary
Psalm 23
Years A, B, C: Easter—Fourth Sunday of Easter
Year A: Season after Pentecost—Proper 23 (28)
Year B: Season after Pentecost—Proper 11 (16)
John 14
Year A: Easter—Fifth Sunday of Easter
