The Bethany Bullet Sermon Message - Week of June 7, 2020
Link to Worship Video for 6/7/20 – HERE
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Link for printing Sunday’s Bulletin for 6/7/20 – HERE
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Link to Bible Discovery Resources for 6/7/20 – HERE
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V V V
11 or 12
weeks ago we entered a time that we agreed was a Psalm 46 moment. It felt like everything was crumbling!
Since then we’ve seen markets fall, personal economies collapse, individual
lives in upheaval with job loss, increases in depression, abuse and despair.
Of course, we’ve also seen vile, criminal behavior that undermines the
noble calling of policing and taints law enforcement officers.
We've also seen vile, criminal behavior that undermines the noble cause of
protesting injustice that taints law abiding protesters. Little did we
know 11 or 12 weeks ago that the Psalm 46 moment in which we were living was
going to be truly become the Psalm 46 moment in which we are living today.
The words of the 46th Psalm are a source of
strength during our weakness, a shelter from the whirlwind around us, and a
solace midst devastation because the God who spoke them, who fills their
promises is our strength, shelter and solace midst the turmoil around us
and…our world is in turmoil.
The
Psalmist writes about global events that have deep, powerful and disruptive
personal impact. True if the Psalmist were writing today he may have
juxtaposed the “gladness of the City of God” with the sadness filling the
cities of men. He might have noted not only an earth that melts but
hearts that melt at the sins of racism and radicalism that can leave one to
wonder what is happening to humanity…we can hear the uproar, will the kingdom
fall? Hearts are melting.
The Psalmist bookends his analysis of anarchy of the days
with these words, God is our refuge and strength, a very present help.
After recognizing a world filled with rage, tottering and melting the Psalmist
concludes with the assurance that the
Lord is with us; that God is our
fortress! Yet, in the middle of the Psalm, the author quits talking
and God Him speaks: “Be still, and know that I am God.” Be still!
When everything is shaking it seems and sounds counterintuitive - but there are
two takeaways that are essential for our days, we acknowledge them when we began
this journey and it’s fitting to remember them today!
First, God’s got this moment! He has before and
He shall again. God’s got this moment, but what will be the enduring
images of this moment? Yes, we’ve all seen the horrifying, criminal act
of one sworn to uphold the law - kneeling on a man’s neck, ending the life of
one he was sworn to protect. We’ve also seen officers kneeling for
a moment of prayer with protesters and guard members marching with those crying
out for justice and change. We've seen protesters attempting to protect
property that did not belong to them from looters and rioters seeking to
criminally claim for their own that which did not belong to them. We've seen
strangers become neighbors by showing up with a broom and bucket helping clean
up, joining to stand up and raising a voice to speak up for others.
God is in the midst of this moment...and one of
the most powerful ways He is in the midst of this moment is through the actions
of His people. Be still does not
mean do nothing...rather it means trust fervently that God's got this...AND
He will manifest Himself in this moment…through a people after His heart…that’s
you. People who will step up and speak up for others, even those they’ve
never met and may share little with others than being created in the image of
the same God, given life by the same Spirit and redeemed by the blood of the
same Savior’s.
Second
thing to embrace in this call to be still…don’t miss this…this is a moment for you to get God!
When the world is SO NOISEY, when there is so much coming at you all at once,
when you are close to feeling defeated and depleted He shall yet be
exalted. He is the one who is rock solid and true in an unstable world,
and He is the one with you. He is the one who moves us to join the
Psalmist and say…we will not fear!
In these Psalm 46
days we are a bookend for someone’s tumult! We are their source of
stability. Because we are His and we trust that He’s got this
moment and in Christ Jesus we know we’ve got Him.
A Prayer for these Days:
Almighty God
who spoke in a whisper, hear our cries; cries of despair perhaps barely even
audible, cries of pain so loud they echo. Lord as You wept over
Jerusalem, we know even now Your heart breaks over the brokenness sin and
injustice cause, may it break our hearts as well. Lord we look at outward
appearances, You Lord, look at the heart. Give us new eyes to see as You
see Lord. Send Your Spirit to root out the seen and unseen sins of
ignorance, intolerance, hatred, apathy and racism in our world and even in the
Church. May we celebrate each individual, created in Your image and
redeemed with Your blood, as our brother and sister and make us a more complete
people as we stand together. Almighty,
Triune God we pray that You would restore order to our streets, our
communities, our homes, our minds and hearts. Restore civility to our
conversations, deliberations and actions. May Your justice overflow and
bring healing to our madness. Restrain the forces of anarchy, violence and destruction.
Quench the fires of anger and rage that burn within us. Drive from our hearts
the evil by which we dehumanize others. Rally us, who believe that all
people are created in Your image, to speak boldly that all people might receive
equal justice and treatment. Restore the dignity of our humanity,
won by Your Son, and teach us to embrace one another regardless of color or
creed or class even as He has embraced every nation, tribe, people, and
language in His all-reconciling Death. Have mercy upon us all, for the sake of
your Son, the Prince of Peace and the world’s Redeemer, Jesus Christ.
-Amen
To
read statements from both the President of the PSW District and LC-MS regarding
these Psalm 46 days click HERE and
follow the links.
Pr.
Kevin Kritzer
Worship Resources for Sunday, June
14th
will be up on Bethany’s website by
midday Saturday, June 13th!
posted by Aimee Coleman @ 12:30 PM
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