First Reading: Revelation 14:6-7
6I saw another angel flying directly overhead, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people. 7And he said with a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come, and worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water.”
Psalm 46
1God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. 2Therefore we will not fear, though the earth be moved, and though the mountains be toppled into the depths of the sea; 3Though its waters rage and foam, and though the mountains tremble at its tumult. 4The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold. 5There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High. 6God is in the midst of her; she shall not be overthrown; God shall help her at the break of day. 7The nations make much ado, and the kingdoms are shaken; God has spoken, and the earth shall melt away. 8The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold. 9Come now and look upon the works of the Lord, what awesome things he has done on earth. 10It is he who makes war to cease in all the world; he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear, and burns the shields with fire. 11“Be still, then, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations; I will be exalted in the earth.” 12The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold.
Second Reading: Romans 3:19-28
19Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. 20For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. 21But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it — 22the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. 27Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.
Gospel: John 8:31-36
31Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 33They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?” 34Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. 35The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. 36So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”
A Safe Location
With a good deal of news reporting being focused, these past few weeks, on the destruction that occurred after hurricane Helene, I’m sure that you, like me, have heard the numerous testimonies that have come from the affected areas. Story after story tells of the tragic loss of property, and in too many cases, the loss of life. As of mid-week, this week, there are 95 confirmed deaths, and 26 are still unaccounted for.
Having taken supplies into three of the affected areas, I can share firsthand the destruction and devastation, the terrible toll on people’s lives, that hurricanes and tornados can do to an area. I can also share with you the amazing outpouring of love and support that people have given to help those in need. I thank God for not only for the love shown by this congregation, but from so many who have generously given to help in starting to rebuild the lives of those devastated by this storm.
I know from talking with the volunteers in the donation centers the impact your gifts have had on those in need. However, the one thing we cannot give, through our gifts, is the security these people are seeking. Repeatedly I’ve heard the same theme in their questions, “where can I be safe.” Many of these people have lived in the same area all their lives. They live on property that was given to them by their parent’s parents. The vast majority will say they have never knew this could happen to the place where they live. No one has ever heard of this happening before. Before long, you’ll hear the question, if I’m not safe here, then where can I be safe?
Where can I be safe? This is a more universal question than one might think. In most cases it has nothing to do with the most recent hurricane. Our world is filled with violence, crime, wars, and threats from all sides; all of us want to know that our home is safe, our family is safe, that those we love are protected. In preparing for this morning, I ran across some witty suggestions in the form of signs you can post to help you protect your property. Perhaps you’ll find one of these signs helpful.
Sign #1. Dear Mr. Butcher, starting tomorrow, please leave three pounds of meat for Brutus. Two pounds only makes him angry and vicious! Sign #2. Dear Mr. Mailman, please be sure to keep all parts of your body well clear of the mail slot opening. PS. Is there any sign of that book we sent for, “The Care and Feeding of Wild Jungle Cats”? Sign # 3. Selma, don’t come in! The boa constrictor got loose again. Sign # 4. Dear Mr. Exterminator, be very careful when you go inside! The termites have eaten through most of the floorboards, and if you aren’t careful, you’ll fall into the basement where all the rats are! Or sign # 5. To whom it may concern: some of the items in this house have been engraved with a Federal Identification Number. Others have merely been wired to explode when touched. Good luck.
Some of these may work for you; using a sign to deter a thief just might do the trick. However, this still doesn’t answer the question that plagues people’s minds, where can I be safe? This leaves us to ask, does it seem that people today are more afraid than they used to be? One summer evening during a violent thunderstorm a mother was tucking her small boy into bed. She was about to turn off the light when her son asked, with a tremor in his voice, “Mommy, will you sleep with me tonight?” The mother smiled and gave him a reassuring hug. “I can’t dear, I have to sleep in Daddy’s room.” A long silence was broken at last by a shaken little voice saying, “The big sissy.”
I’m not saying that we’re becoming a nation of sissies, I’ve seen far too many examples of bravery and self-sacrifice to categorically say that. However, we must acknowledge that people do seem to be more afraid than ever before. During my childhood, we never locked the doors to the house, and the keys to the car were either in the floorboard or up under the sun visor. My, how things have changed.
Now we have dead bolts for our doors, car alarms, cameras, and security systems to help us feel safe. Fences have gotten taller, and porches have gotten smaller. People are home-schooling their children in record numbers–partially out of fear–fear that a classmate may go on a rampage–fear of the drug culture that has evolved among many of our young–fear of social agendas being taught, and unsavory influences being forced on our kids. And this deep concern isn’t limited to our physical safety, it’s also being felt in areas like the environment.
Have you noticed that people seem more concerned about the condition of our environment than ever before? Consider the growing number of people consuming filtered or bottled water and organically grown food. People look for things like non-GMO on the food labels or search to see if certain preservatives are included. I do understand the need to improve the quality of our diet, or to avoid certain ingredients for allergy reasons. The question is, do we trust the FDA to do their jobs to monitor and control what goes into the things we buy? The point is, there is a trust issue being experienced in our world and it affects each of us daily.
I’ll refrain from talking about the current immigration situation, vaccinations, and the current political climate since election day is right around the corner. Instead, what I will say is what I always say. If you haven’t already done so, please go and vote, and remember, if you don’t vote you have no right to gripe! The bottom line is that many today are afraid and suspicious that our leadership, and the experts we rely on, aren’t giving us all the facts about what’s going on, the truth about the things we take into our body, or about what’s really going on around the world. People feel betrayed, lied too, and live in fear of what’s to come. And this uncertainty we live with robs us of peace.
Fear is indeed a terrible thing. Fear keeps us from living life to the fullest; it keeps us from pursuing our dreams. Fear causes us to second guess our lives, the information we receive, and the decisions we make, it causes us to settle for second best in life. I was reading recently about a pair of dice which are enshrined on a velvet pillow under glass in the Las Vegas Desert Inn. It seems that back in 1950 an anonymous sailor made twenty-seven straight wins with the dice at a game of craps. Now some of our more knowledgeable people will have to tell the rest of us exactly what that means, but according to the report I read, the odds against such a feat are 12,467,890 to 1. Here’s what is interesting. Had the sailor bet the house limit on each roll he would have earned $268 million, in 1950! That would be the same as winning $3.5 billion today. As it was, he was so timid with his wagers that he walked away from the table with only $750.
Now I believe you know me well enough to know that I do not endorse gambling, but consider this. That sailor could have made $268 million dollars, but he only made $750 because he was too timid, too conservative with his money. I believe we can draw a parallel from the sailor and what so often happens in the church. We could do such great things for Christ, but the first question that’s always asked, is, “Who’s going to be willing to oversee the project” (Time). The second question asked is, “Will we have the support for the endeavor?” (Talent). And the third question that’s asked is, “Where will the money come from?” (Tithe).
Now to set your mind at ease; yes, we are in the midst of developing our annual budget. And no, I’m not here today to introduce you to some new project for you to support. The Finance committee, as it does every year, will be sending to the council a well-thought-out budget for them to consider and bring to you in December. My point today is, sometimes we’re too timid in our planning and budgeting that God doesn’t have anything to bless. Sometimes, we’re so timid, we won’t attempt anything for which we need to depend upon God.
As I’ve said to you in the past, good stewardship is about three things, Time, Talent and Tithes. All three resources are needed and necessary when it comes to meeting the needs in God’s kingdom. This congregation is amazing when it comes to providing financial support. When you see a legitimate need, you give generously. As I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, because of this congregation’s generosity, we have assembled or finished the assembly of some 150 Flood Buckets, assembled or will assemble almost 300 Hygiene kits and paid for the fuel and rental of two box trucks and one trailer so we could transport three loads of supplies the areas affected by the hurricane. The question is, are we as generous with our talents and time as we are with our financial resources?
Writer Jim Stovall addressed this concern. Stovall notes that truly successful people have the same fears and doubts that unsuccessful people have. They get scared. They wonder about things. The difference is, they don’t let their fears and doubts stop them from pressing forward! They do something with their lives, and they take risks despite their fears.
Stovall once interviewed actress Katharine Hepburn. He asked her, “What makes you so special?” Her answer was quite interesting. She said, “Most actresses of any skill look at my work and find themselves saying, “‘I could have done that.’ The difference is,” she continued, “I did it, and they didn’t.” Stovall believes that what she said is true for most great people. Others can always look at their work and say, “I could have done that.” But, they didn’t. Successful people overcome fears and do what they set out to do, no matter how scared they may be while doing it. Fear is a terrible thing.
Fear causes us to settle for second best. Fear often keeps us from answering God’s call. As one person has written, “We can sing nine million heartfelt choruses of ‘Our God is an Awesome God,’ and yet still cower in fear when God actually calls us to trust in Him. We think our faith is rock-solid so long as it doesn’t require us to leave our comfort zone, so long as it doesn’t require us to expend any more time than the bare minimum. “Our most common responses to God when He places a radical call on our lives are,” Stovell continues, is ‘Not me, not there, or not yet.’” Or we say. “Choose someone who’s smarter, or younger, or braver, or more spiritual, or who’s not as busy as I am.” I hate to be the one to point this out, but we’re all busy. And I’ll ask you the same question I ask myself, busy doing what?
God places His call on this denomination, on this congregation, and on each of us as Christians. We’ve been commanded to Go. Go and teach, go and make disciples, go and care for those less fortunate. This command requires more than a donation in the offering plate, it requires a commitment of time and talent as well. What is it that keeps us from fulfilling God’s command to step beyond these walls and go? Is it fear?
At the Mission Region Convocation this year we will be focusing on the ministry opportunities in our own back yards. Our Mission Region, like its congregations, is good at supporting ministries around the country and around the world. But, what about those ministries that are right in our own community? Pastor Jason Dampier, a name you may be familiar with since he was the associate pastor for 5 years at Holy Trinity, Gastonia, is now the pastor of Word of God Lutheran church in Peach Tree City, Georgia.
14 years ago, one individual, a lay person in that congregation, saw a need to minister to those on the Autism spectrum. It started with a single child. Today they have more than 60 people in this program and their VBS is so successful that they must turn people away each year. They have 6 separate groups ranging in struggles from non-verbal to highly functional and each of these groups meet at least once per month. It requires a considerable amount of time and volunteer work.
It takes commitment, it requires the giving of one’s time and the sharing of one’s talents, not just for one week, or one month, but for years. The ministry is a success because the members of Word of God are willing to give generously of their time, talents and financial support. So, what ministry opportunities are right here in our back yard? What is God calling us to do in this community to meet the needs of our neighbors? And just as importantly, are we willing to commit our time, talents, and financial support to meeting this need, or will we let fear of the unknown, or fear of failure, rob us of the blessings and joys of working in God’s kingdom?
Let’s take away the unknown for a moment and address an immediate need here in Western North Carolina. Who is willing to give up one or two days a week for the next few weeks to go into the hurricane affected areas and help sort donations at a distribution center in Swannanoa, Creston, Black Mountain or any of the 15 or more distribution centers in the mountains? These centers are in desperate need of volunteers to receive donations, sort those donations, and then distribute those donations to those in need.
In some areas, many people are cut off from the main roads and have no way of driving to the distribution centers. They need volunteers to load up their vehicles and deliver supplies to those in need. The point I’m making here is, giving food, cleaning supplies, and hygiene items are only one part of the need. These items must get into the hands of those who are hurting before they do anyone any good.
The work of God’s kingdom requires more of us than giving of our financial resources, it also requires our time and talents. It takes all of us working together to meet the needs of others. What’s holding us back from stepping out in faith and asking what God is calling this congregation to do? What mission opportunity is right here in our back yard that we can be a part of?
Too often, we let fear keep us from answering God’s call. It’s no wonder the Bible says, “Fear not!” so many times. Let me reread the first four verses of our Psalm reading assigned for this week: “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.” “God is our refuge and strength:” the Son’s of Korah knew who it was that they could turn to when fear got in their way of answering God’s call to ministry.
Fear can keep us from doing anything in this life, and it can rob us of the joy that comes from working in God’s kingdom. As I’ve mentioned, I’ve now driven two box truck loads of supplies into the affected areas in Northwestern North Carolina. The first trip I can plead ignorance for making such a delivery. I didn’t really know just how bad some of the roads were: powerlines down along and across the roads, guardrails gone with a 100’ or more drop into the valley below, half the road gone, downed trees narrowing an already narrow road, other large trucks passing within inches of you going the other way.
I could have allowed the fear caused by that first trip to keep me from making that second run. But what would have been the result? The need is great. God placed the opportunity before me. You and many others provided the supplies. What if I had let fear keep me from doing what needed to be done and trusting that God would provide for my safety and give me strength?
Fear is a terrible thing. Fear can rob us of the joy we can have when we’re a part of, and see first-hand, God’s love in action through us. I think it’s okay for us to be a bit selfish and feel the joy of handing a person in need those things that they require just to survive another day. It’s okay to feel the joy of seeing the results of giving hope to a family that suddenly sees a light at the end of the tunnel by helping them clean out their flood damaged home.
Peace and joy are God’s gifts to us as we reach out to underserved communities and share with them God’s love through our gifts of time and talent. When we use our time, talents, and financial support to answer God’s call, God’s gift to us is the joy we receive by seeing the delight and relief in others as we give Glory to God. And who knows, we just might be the one to answer that ever present question, where can I be safe, by sharing God’s words of comfort, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”
Amen