SERMON: ANTICIPATING HOPE

 

Naylor Community Christian Church

Naylor, Georgia

 

I.  Introduction

            -- turn in Bibles to Zephaniah 3:14-17

 

Zephaniah 3:14 Sing, Daughter Zion;

    shout aloud, Israel!

Be glad and rejoice with all your heart,

    Daughter Jerusalem!

15 The Lord has taken away your punishment,

    he has turned back your enemy.

The Lord, the King of Israel, is with you;

    never again will you fear any harm.

16 On that day

    they will say to Jerusalem,

“Do not fear, Zion;

    do not let your hands hang limp.

17 The Lord your God is with you,

    the Mighty Warrior who saves.

He will take great delight in you;

    in his love he will no longer rebuke you,

    but will rejoice over you with singing.”

 

            -- Dorothy Sayers wrote a series of detective novels based on the adventures of her fictional character Lord Peter Wimsey – in her books, Wimsey is an aristocrat in England in the 1920s – the younger son of a duke who is trying to find his purpose and meaning in English society – as the younger son, he does not have the ability to help with the estate or enter into politics – and he eventually finds himself in the Great War as an intelligence officer, but is unfortunately wounded and sent back home

            -- finally, while searching for something to do with his life, Wimsey is thrust into the middle of a mystery and proves adept at solving the crime and helping the police apprehend the criminal – his adventures continue through several novels and short stories, which were moderately successful for Sayers

            -- despite his success in solving crime, Wimsey remains an unhappy person as he cannot find someone to love him for who he is – and Sayers portrays him as an unhappy, broken bachelor, constantly looking for companionship and more to life than just solving crimes

            -- about halfway through the eleven book series, a new character appears – a woman – Harriet Vane – a female mystery writer and one of the first women to attend and graduate from Oxford University – in the books, Harriet and Wimsey fall in love and his life takes a turn for the better – Harriet’s love heals his broken spirit and restores his faith in humanity – and together they continue to solve mysteries as they go through life hand-in-hand

            -- people wondered at the appearance of this new character in the series after Sayers had had such success with Lord Peter Wimsey as the main character in her books – who was she? – why was she introduced?

            -- in reviewing the backstory of Harriet Vane, there are interesting parallels between this fictional character and Sayers herself – like Sayers, Harriet is a graduate of Oxford University – like Sayers, Harriet is a writer of mystery novels – like Sayers, Harriet was an enthusiastic believer in the power of love to heal hearts and souls – and, comparing the two, it became obvious what Sayers had done

            -- looking at the life of the character she had created – Lord Peter Wimsey – and at his unhappiness and distress, Sayers heart was broken – she fell in love with her chief character, and didn’t want to see him in this condition – but it was too late to change his personality or his story, so she did something remarkable – she put herself in the story in the character of Harriet Vane so that she could save him through her love¹

 

            -- this is exactly what God did with us – when God created this world, He placed us in it to enjoy this world and to enjoy our relationship with Him – but when sin and death entered the world through the fall of man in the garden of Eden, that relationship was broken and mankind and all creation was damaged – things began to go wrong

            -- rather than being the people of joy and love and hope that He called us to be, mankind continually turned away from God and followed a path of heartbreak and despair, with our sins leading to injustice and violence and evil

            -- time after time, God sent His messengers to us to turn us back to Him – to call out to us to come back to our true love – but we wouldn’t hear – we couldn’t hear – and mankind continued down its destructive path that destined us for hell and eternal separation from God

            -- finally, God did the unthinkable – He did the only thing that He could do that might possibly make a difference in our lives – just like Sayers wrote herself into the Lord Peter Wimsey stories in the character of Harriet Vane, God wrote Himself into our story in the person of Jesus Christ

            -- He loved us so much that He came on His own, to show us His love and to show us the way to redemption and deliverance from sin and the path to eternal life through Him

            -- and now, because of Jesus – because of His death and resurrection – because of His love – we look forward with hope to the day that He returns and takes us to be with Him forever as His bride and His church

            -- we see the promise of that day and the love of God for us clearly in this passage from Zephaniah – and I wanted us to take a moment and to consider this passage today as we look forward to the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons and rejoice again in the Savior who came into our story to redeem us from the path that we were on

 

II.  Scripture Lesson (Zephaniah 3:14-17)

            -- Zephaniah is a book that we rarely turn to in the church, but it is a book that answers life’s most perplexing questions – Zephaniah is one of the twelve minor prophets in the Old Testament -- the minor prophets is the term used for the last twelve prophetic books of the Old Testament -- they are called “minor,” not in terms of their importance, but because of the length of the book -- these are all small books with few chapters, but it includes such notable authors as Jonah, Habakkuk, Zechariah, and Micah -- Zephaniah is one of these authors

            -- Zephaniah prophesied during the reign of King Josiah in the nation of Judah – Josiah was the last godly king in the nation, and it is after his reign that things start to take a definite negative turn in the kingdom, eventually leading to the destruction of Jerusalem and the Jewish temple by Nebuchadnezzar, Emperor of Babylon

            -- looking ahead to the trials and tribulations that are to come on the nation of Judah because of their idolatry and turning away from God, Zephaniah answers the questions that we all ask during times of trouble and heartbreak – sickness and death – why is this happening? – and will this ever end?

            -- so, the majority of the Book of Zephaniah – from Zephaniah 1 through the eighth verse of Chapter 3 – we read about the judgment of God on the nation of Israel and the world as God ordains the exile of the people of the people of Judah as a consequence of their sins and proclaims God’s wrath on the nations surrounding Judah during these final days of the nation

            -- this time of trials and tribulations also foreshadow the coming Great Tribulation that we see prophesied in the Book of Revelation -- when God’s wrath will be poured out against all the nations because of their sin and their rejection of His Son Jesus Christ

            -- the basic premise and warning of the Book of Zephaniah is that judgment is coming -- that the wrath of God is coming to purge the earth of sin and evil in order to cleanse and purify the earth in preparation for the second coming of Jesus

            -- but after his dire prophetic pronouncement of God’s wrath and tribulation coming against the earth, Zephaniah answers that question, “When will it end?”, with this final section pointing to the restoration of God’s people and our lives with Him in eternity

 

            -- if you would, look back with at the Book of Zephaniah – Zephaniah 3:14 – and let’s consider the end of tribulation – the end of heartbreak and violence – the end of injustice – when the love of God is made manifest in our lives and in this world and all of creation is redeemed forever

 

            -- verse 14-16

 

Zephaniah 3:14 Sing, Daughter Zion;

    shout aloud, Israel!

Be glad and rejoice with all your heart,

    Daughter Jerusalem!

15 The Lord has taken away your punishment,

    he has turned back your enemy.

The Lord, the King of Israel, is with you;

    never again will you fear any harm.

16 On that day

    they will say to Jerusalem,

“Do not fear, Zion;

    do not let your hands hang limp.

 

            -- speaking through the prophet Zephaniah, God calls out to the people of Israel and tells them to sing and be glad – to rejoice with their whole hearts – because He has taken away their punishment – He has turned back their enemy

            -- keep in mind, this is written to a people who are about to go into exile in Babylon – their entire world is about to be destroyed as Jerusalem and Judah are going to be conquered by King Nebuchadnezzar and as their whole way of life – economic – social – and religious – is about to be turned on its head

            -- in the future, the people of Israel will weep in the land of their captivity as they suffer for their sins – as they serve as slaves and servants for Babylon – as they are far from their homeland

 

            -- we see this pictured for us in Psalm 137:1-4 – let me read that to you now

 

Psalm 137

1 By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept

    when we remembered Zion.

2 There on the poplars

    we hung our harps,

3 for there our captors asked us for songs,

    our tormentors demanded songs of joy;

    they said, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!”

 

4 How can we sing the songs of the Lord

    while in a foreign land?

 

            -- this was the state of the people of God when they were in exile in Babylon – they wept because of the judgment that had come upon them – their hearts were broken – and hope was far away – they lived lives of misery and trial and tribulation – it felt like nothing would ever be right again

 

            -- we get that – we feel that – because we live in a fallen world that is still touched by the ravages of sin and death – all around us we see the misery that continues since the garden of Eden – we see and feel and experience the pain and the grief of living in this place

            -- our lives are filled with trouble – with trials and tribulations – with natural disasters and violence – with crime and war – with hatred and injustice and evil

            -- how do we sing in the midst of a life like this? – how can we find joy living in this world today?

 

            -- here in verse 14, God calls out to His people – to the faithful remnant of the nation of Israel – and tells them to shout and be glad – to rejoice with all their hearts – to sing once again because of His great victory over their enemies – because He has taken away their punishment

            -- this verse speaks of the redeeming grace we have through Jesus Christ – for it was because of His death on the cross in our place – it was because of His body which was broken for us and His blood which was shed for us – that the penalty for our sins was paid – our punishment was taken away – and with the resurrection, Jesus emerged from the grave the victor over sin and death – our eternal enemies who have stalked us since the fall in the garden of Eden were defeated and turned back – and we stand in victory with Christ

            -- and so, God tells us to be glad and to rejoice in the victory with our whole hearts – to lift Him up in honor and glory and worship – to praise His name for what He had done for us – and to stand on the promise He gives us here that He is with us – never again will we fear any harm because He is our King and Savior and Redeemer

 

            -- and not only has our punishment been taken away and our enemies of sin and death turned back, but our relationship with God has been restored – notice here that God calls the people of Israel, “Daughter Zion” and “Daughter Jerusalem” – pointing to their place in the family of God

            -- gone are their sins – gone are their enemies – and gone is their separation from their Creator and God and King – they are once again part of His family – restored through the saving grace of Jesus Christ Himself

 

            -- the scene we are given in this passage is one of joy and love and exultation and happiness -- we will finally experience the true meaning of the emotions expressed in the song, “Oh, Happy Day”: 

 

“Oh, happy day

Oh, happy day

Oh, happy day

 

When Jesus washed

Oh, when He washed

When Jesus washed

My sins away, yeah

 

He taught me how, how to watch

How to fight and pray, fight and pray

And living rejoicing everyday

 

Oh, happy day

Oh, happy day”²

 

            -- keep in mind, this is a Jewish prophet speaking to the Jewish people -- this passage is, first and foremost, concerning the return of the Jewish people to the true Messiah -- it speaks of the joy they will experience as they come to know Jesus and see the long-awaited for redemption of Israel

            -- however, this passage also speaks to us, because our joy will be made complete when we are finally joined with our Lord and Savior in the heavenly kingdom -- what Zephaniah says the Jews will experience and do in these verses can certainly be extended to us, although we can never share the joy they will feel as they see Jerusalem and Israel redeemed and restored as promised by God to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and to the remnant that experienced the exile into Assyria and Babylon

 

            -- the scene around the throne proclaimed to us here will be one of exultant praise -- Zephaniah tells us we will sing and rejoice at our salvation made whole -- eternity with Christ will be a time of “unsurpassed joy”³ -- as J.B. Phillip wrote: “only a redeemed people can truly sing” -- Zephaniah tells us that the Lord, the King of Israel, would be with us -- we will live with Him and in Him -- we will truly experience Jesus’ words where He told us He would never leave us nor forsake us -- and we will truly know Him as Immanuel -- God with us forever

 

            -- so, when will this happen? – Zephaniah tells us right here in verse 16 – “On that day” – what day? – the Day of the Lord

            -- the Day of the Lord is a prophetic term that we see in the Bible – in both the Old and the New Testaments – referring to the day that Christ will return again – the time when heaven and earth will be recreated and God will dwell with us and live with us forever as our King and our God

            -- this will be the time when the prophecy of Philippians 2:9-11 will come to pass:  “Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name -- that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth -- and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father”

            -- this will be the time that we read about in Revelation 21, when there will be a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth will have passed away – and the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, will come down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband – this will be the time when God’s dwelling place will now be among His people and He will dwell with them – they will be His people and God Himself will be with them and be their God – He will wipe every tear from their eyes – there will be no more death or mourning – crying or pain – for the old order of things will have passed away

            -- this is our hope -- this is our dream -- this is what the prophets in the Bible looked for at the coming of the Day of the Lord -- and this is what we look for when we pray for the return of Christ and pray in the Lord’s prayer, “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven…”

 

            -- limp hands here in verse 16 refers to hopelessness – it refers to surrender in the face of an enemy – and God promises once again here that we will no longer have to fear any harm – our hands will not have to hang limp – because everything will be new and our relationship will be fully restored on that day – the Day of the Lord

            -- these verses are verses of joy and hope for those caught in the midst of the storms of life -- it is light for those in the darkness -- it is salvation and redemption from the trials and tribulations of earth

 

            -- as someone once wrote: “You may be downcast, despairing, depressed, or disillusioned this day, but look up dear one, for a new day is dawning -- a day of righteousness and truth and justice in the presence of the Righteous One Himself, the long awaited and longed for Messiah -- Hasten that glorious day, Lord God, when our mourning is turned into dancing!”⁴

 

            -- verse 17

 

Zephaniah 3:17 The Lord your God is with you,

    the Mighty Warrior who saves.

He will take great delight in you;

    in his love he will no longer rebuke you,

    but will rejoice over you with singing.”

 

            -- on that day – the Day of the Lord – the Day of our redemption and restoration as the people of God – we will know God as He is in our midst as our God and King and as the Mighty Warrior who saves – Paradise will be restored – and the Lord’s prayer will be fulfilled, as God’s Kingdom and will are done on earth as they are in heaven

 

            -- hidden here in this verse in the Book of Zephaniah is one of the greatest thoughts in all the Bible – we read here that God takes great delight in us – He loves us and He likes us – He is filled with love for us – and God will rejoice over us with singing

            -- don’t miss what that verse is saying – we always talk in the church about how we should be giving God all the honor and glory and praise – how we should sing in joy to God for who He is and what He has done – but have you ever thought that God is so in love with you – He so desires your presence – He so longs to be with you – that He takes great delight in us and sings over us?

            -- on that day, when we live with God in eternity, He will sing love songs to us – His love will overflow and fill us with His presence – and we will enjoy His goodness and His love forever

 

            -- one final thing I want you to see in this passage -- there is a parallel between verses 14 and 17 -- look at the similarities between the two:

-- in verse 14, we rejoice in God and sing to Him – in verse 17, He rejoices in us and sings over us

-- in verse 14, we are glad and rejoice with all our hearts – in verse 17, God delights in us and rejoices in our presence

-- and together with God, we join a heavenly chorus of love and experience true love and belonging for all eternity – singing a duet with God as we enjoy the perfect relationship that we were created for in the beginning – God with us and us with God, forever

 

III.  CLOSING

            -- in 1 Corinthians 13:12, the Apostle Paul wrote, “For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face – now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known”

            -- that is where we are living at this time – in a world that is darkened with sin – seeing only reflections and glimmers of the hope that await us while still surrounded by darkness and trials and tribulations

-- the thought of this reminds me of the story of Fanny Crosby -- Fanny was the author of over 9,000 hymns in her life – and even though her sight was taken from her as a child as the result of a medical error, she was able to look past her condition and the darkness of her world to visualize the light to come and the beauty of Christ’s blessings – often with more clarity than those around her who could actually see

            -- in her hymns, Fanny wrote of visions of rapture that burst on her sight – and how she watched and waited, looking above, for the sight of her Lord and Savior – and she reminded us in her hymn, “To God Be the Glory,” “[that] purer and higher and greater will be, our wonder, our transport, when Jesus we see.”

 

            -- the message for us in this passage from Zephaniah is that even though things may be bad right now – even though we may walk through a dark and troubling world – there is hope on the horizon – and we need to keep our eyes firmly fixed on the promise that awaits – the blessed hope we have in Christ – the redemption and restoration and salvation that He has given us

-- the vision that Zephaniah gives us here in verses 14-17 is a glimpse of our future – a glimpse of the joy that awaits us on the Day of the Lord, when Christ shall return and all will be made right again

            -- so, take heart in the Lord – put your faith and trust in Him – and know that – no matter what trials and troubles you are walking through – no matter what season you may be in in your life – that God is with you – He takes great delight in you – He loves you and is rejoicing over you with singing

            -- and one day, we will be in His presence and all will be made right -- and we will join in the heavenly chorus around His throne as we sing and praise His holy name with His angels and all creation                      

-- let us pray

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1 Adapted from Tim Keller, "Dorothy Sayers Illustration," (8-17-15)

2 http://www.metrolyrics.com/oh-happy-days-lyrics-aretha-franklin.html

3 NIV Study Bible

4 Precept Austin website:  http://www.preceptaustin.org/zephaniah_3_commentary

 

SERMON: MINDFUL MOMENTS OF PRAISE AND THANKSGIVING

 

Naylor Community Christian Church

Naylor, Georgia

 

I.  Introduction

            -- turn in Bibles to Psalm 111:1-10

 

Psalm 111:1 Praise the Lord.

 

I will extol the Lord with all my heart

    in the council of the upright and in the assembly.

 

2 Great are the works of the Lord;

    they are pondered by all who delight in them.

3 Glorious and majestic are his deeds,

    and his righteousness endures forever.

4 He has caused his wonders to be remembered;

    the Lord is gracious and compassionate.

5 He provides food for those who fear him;

    he remembers his covenant forever.

 

6 He has shown his people the power of his works,

    giving them the lands of other nations.

7 The works of his hands are faithful and just;

    all his precepts are trustworthy.

8 They are established for ever and ever,

    enacted in faithfulness and uprightness.

9 He provided redemption for his people;

    he ordained his covenant forever—

    holy and awesome is his name.

 

10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;

    all who follow his precepts have good understanding.

    To him belongs eternal praise.

 

 

            -- G.K. Chesterton wrote, "When it comes to life, the critical thing is whether you take things for granted or take them with gratitude."

            -- as someone I love and respect pointed out in a lengthy rant on Facebook one time, “I don't know why there has to be so much negativity!!! Nobody is every happy with anything, constant complaining” -- and she has a point

            -- we are a nation of whiners and grumblers -- we’re not happy unless we’re getting our way, and even if we get our way, we’re still not thankful -- we consider getting our way as nothing more than our God-given right -- an entitlement – something that we deserve simply because of who we are or where we live

            -- and when we don’t get it, it makes us grumpy and turns us into Negative Nellies, who complain about everything and everyone

 

            -- but such thinking is not scriptural and flies in the face of what God’s word teaches -- the Bible says that God is patient and long-suffering, but even God’s patience is tried when His people murmur and complain over the littlest slight or perceived injustice or discomfort in their lives -- just read the Old Testament and see how God responded to the nation of Israel’s constant whining and complaining

            -- He doesn’t like it and He doesn’t like it for a reason -- He is our God and our Creator -- He has blessed us with so many things that our hearts and souls should be responding every moment of every day with praise and thanksgiving, but yet, while we find time to complain on Facebook, we rarely find time to take a moment and count our blessings and truly thank God for who He is and what He has done

            -- so, as we are starting to turn our thoughts to Thanksgiving this year and as we recognize just how much we might have been complaining and grumpy about life lately, I thought it was fitting to take a moment and talk about this holiday and how, as God’s people, we are supposed to be living counter-culturally in this land – rather than murmuring and complaining about every little thing, we should be leading the way by showing people how to thank and praise God every day

 

            -- I really like the thought that was in a devotional I read about Thanksgiving -- the author wrote, “It could be argued that one way we know we are growing spiritually is when we look forward to Thanksgiving as much as most children look forward to Christmas” -- and let me pause in the midst of this quote to commentate -- the author doesn’t mean we are looking forward to Thanksgiving because it is a time to over-indulge in eating turkey and dressing and other goodies and to watch football with family and friends -- no, they meant to look forward to Thanksgiving as a time to actually give thanks to God -- revolutionary thinking, huh?

            -- to continue with their quote:  “It could be argued that one way we know we are growing spiritually is when we look forward to Thanksgiving as much as most children look forward to Christmas -- It isn't hard to get enthusiastic about all the good things you expect to receive [at Christmas] -- It takes more spiritual maturity to look at the good things you have already received and say "thank you" with the same enthusiasm.”

 

            -- this morning, I wanted us to start this month’s theme of praise and gratitude by looking at Psalm 111, which encourages us to be people of praise

            -- so, if you would, join me now in Psalm 111, starting at verse 1, and we’re going to go through this verse by verse

 

II.  Scripture Lesson (Psalm 111:1-10)

            -- verse 1

 

Psalm 111:1 Praise the Lord.

 

I will extol the Lord with all my heart

    in the council of the upright and in the assembly.

 

 

            -- this Psalm from an unknown writer begins with a command to the people of God -- “Praise the Lord”

-- it’s no great feat of biblical interpretation to understand that the Psalmist is urging us to remember God and to praise Him -- to lift Him on high -- to give Him honor and glory and thanksgiving for what He has done and for who He is

-- to praise God like this is the foundation of our Christian life -- to praise God is to live in the presence of God at every moment of every day – remembering what He has done and lifting His name on high -- so the writer begins this Psalm with this command – “Praise the Lord” – and notice that the word “Lord” in your Bible is in all caps – that is referring to the Lord God Almighty, calling Him by His high and holy name, Yahweh

 

            -- this command, “Praise the Lord,” is actually just one compound Hebrew word -- “Hallelujah” -- Hallelu means Praise -- Yah refers to God – so, Hallelujah literally means, “Praise God”

            -- to demonstrate that God demands praise from all His creation can easily be seen by the writer’s use of this word to start this Psalm -- Hallelujah is the only word in the world that is pronounced the same and means the same thing in every language – last week, as we were discussing All Saints Day and remembering the Kingdom of God and the saints that are part of His kingdom, we were reminded that we are part of a whole – that together with all the other believers in this world – past, present, and future – we make up the body of Christ – His Kingdom on earth – His church

-- and I think that when we see the word hallelujah and know that it is pronounced the same and means the same in every culture and country and language – this confirms that we are all part of His Kingdom -- and we are all called to thank Him and praise Him with our whole being – one body – one people – united in praise and worship to God

            -- and keep in mind we are told here in this psalm to praise God as a command -- this is a reminder to us that we should praise God even when we don’t feel like it -- praise Him in our trials and sufferings just as we praise Him when we feel blessed -- praise Him at all times -- as Deut 6:13 commands, “Honor the LORD your God, worship only him, and make your promises in his name alone.”

 

            -- the Psalmist goes on to write, “I will extol the Lord” – extol means to praise enthusiastically – so, when the Psalmist says he will extol the Lord, he is saying, “I will not only praise the Lord – I will praise Him enthusiastically – I will praise Him with my whole heart – I will praise Him with all that I am” -- even if others don’t, I will still praise God -- I will not hesitate to do what is right -- I will lift God on high -- I don’t care what the rest of you do -- I don’t care what the rest of you think -- I am going to praise the Lord, my God

 

            -- “in the council of the upright and in the assembly” -- the Psalmist says he is going to praise God, whether in the company of a few or in a corporate worship setting like this -- the example that he is giving us here is that praise should always be on our lips and in our hearts whether we are alone, with a few friends, or in the company of many believers as part of the church

 

            -- verse 2-4

 

Psalm 111:2 Great are the works of the Lord;

    they are pondered by all who delight in them.

3 Glorious and majestic are his deeds,

    and his righteousness endures forever.

4 He has caused his wonders to be remembered;

    the Lord is gracious and compassionate.

 

            -- in these verses the Psalmist lists the reasons why we should praise the Lord -- and there are three words that stand out to us here -- works, deeds, and wonders

            -- verse 2 talks about works -- works are what God has done for His people -- the way He has worked in our lives -- the blessings He has given us in the past

            -- verse 3 talks about deeds -- the writer expounds on God’s deeds and righteousness -- the focus of the word “deeds” in this verse in the original Hebrew is on salvation and redemption -- when it links deeds with the righteousness of God, it is literally talking about God’s faithfulness in fulfilling His promises of deliverance, redemption, and salvation

            -- verse 4 talks about wonders – the wonders of God, referring to His saving acts -- the miracles and signs He performs on our behalf – knowing that this Psalm was written to the people of Israel, God’s chosen people, when the writer pens these words and tells them to remember God’s wonders, they would immediately think of the deliverance of Israel from Egypt -- of God’s mighty wonders through the plagues He sent against Pharaoh -- the parting of the Red Sea -- the miracle of the manna and the quail and the water from the rock during their wilderness sojourn -- the crossing of the Jordan River into the Promised Land -- the wonders of God are the miracles He brings about in our lives

            -- the Psalmist tells us we need to ponder God’s works and deeds and wonders -- we need to consider them -- to seek them out -- to learn to open our eyes to see the blessings and the presence of God -- to recognize what He has done for us

            -- to do that, the Psalmist says, leads your heart to sing out in praise as we delight in the blessings of God

 

            -- something I’ve been reading a lot about lately is this concept called mindfulness or mindful meditation -- it is the current buzzword in popular literature -- I’m seeing it pop up on health and wellness blogs and even in the medical literature as they extol the virtues of this type of meditation

            -- the idea is to live in the moment -- to live in the present -- at every moment of the day to recognize where you are, what is going on around you, and to reflect and enjoy the moment – just yesterday, I read that this is the newest TikTok trend among the youth – to sit quietly in the moment for 15 minutes with no media – no screens – no noise – no distractions – just sitting still in the moment for 15 minutes and then reflecting on the experience

-- this idea of mindfulness certainly has spiritual application in our lives, because mindful meditation should lead to mindful moments of praise -- as we stop in the moment and just look around us and consider the blessing of God – when we pause and think about God’s grace and mercy in our lives and how He has blessed us through His works and deeds and wonders, we can’t help but thank God and sing praises to His name

 

            -- in his book, “Love Does,” Bob Goff pointed out something that I had never considered before -- while not using the term mindful meditation, Bob encouraged his readers to slow down and look around for God’s blessings -- he pointed out that the flowers growing by the road may have been ordained by God before the creation of this world to be in that exact spot as you go by just to bring color and life into your life -- that the sunrise or sunset that causes you to top and stare is a singular moment in time, given solely by your Creator for you -- no one else can experience that moment as you can -- it is a gift from God

-- we need to learn to live in the moment like that – to open our eyes – to see His blessings and His grace – His works, and deeds, and wonders – and to praise Him for His presence in our lives

            -- remembering and seeing God’s presence is a big part of what we do in the church -- spiritual markers abound in our lives -- as the Psalmist says here, God reminds us of His presence through wonders and signs -- He causes us to remember Him even in the midst of our busy lives – we just need to learn to see the signs of His grace around us

            -- to paraphrase a song lyric from Steven Curtis Chapman, “God’s fingerprints are everywhere – we just need to look for them”

            -- the sacraments and the means of grace are reminders to us of God’s presence and of His wonders and mighty acts in our lives -- as we share in Holy Communion -- as we participate in baptism – as we gather in fellowship and worship -- we are reminded of God’s faithfulness and redeeming work and we lift Him up in praise, giving Him all the honor and glory for what He has done

 

            -- in this next section, the Psalmist gives us further examples of God’s faithfulness that are worthy of our praise

           

            -- verse 5

 

Psalm 111:5 He provides food for those who fear him;

    he remembers his covenant forever.

 

            -- the word translated as “food” can also be translated as “spoil,” referring to goods and material possessions that God has gifted us – so, the Psalmist is not limiting his recognition of God’s blessings to us as just what God has given for us to eat, but rather he is urging us to remember all the blessings in our lives -- the tangible blessings of providence that keep us alive daily -- the material blessings of food and clothes and shelter -- all of this comes from the hand of God and we need to thank Him for these

            -- these are signs of the covenant, of God’s promises to us – and in referring to the covenant in this verse, the Psalmist is primarily emphasizing the covenantal promise of salvation -- of the forgiveness of sins -- of eternal life with Him

-- what we should take home from this verse is that the daily blessings of food and shelter and clothing – of homes to live in – of friends and family – of jobs and financial resources – all of these things are blessings that are part of the new covenant we have through Jesus

            -- this verse is all-encompassing -- we receive encouragement in the present as we consider the blessings He has already given in the past, which leads to confidence for the future as we reflect on God’s promise through His covenant

 

            -- vs. 6

 

Psalm 111:6 He has shown his people the power of his works,

    giving them the lands of other nations.

 

            -- to make his point, the Psalmist reminds those who are hearing his words of an example of God’s covenant blessing to their own people, the nation of Israel – verse 6 is a reminder of God’s faithfulness in bringing them into the Promised Land – not because of anything they had done – but simply because of the grace and mercy and power of God

            -- this verse is a reminder to us that God has already shown His power and greatness in His works and deeds and wonders in our pasts, too -- we can trust God with our future because He has proven His greatness in our past – and by remembering His grace to us then, we can have faith that He will take care of us in the future

-- we can praise Him for the past and we can praise Him for the future, because we have the foundation of God’s past works, deeds, and wonders that point to His providential grace in the future  

            -- the Psalmist is trying to impress on the people of Israel here that they could trust God with their future because He had delivered them many times before as He led them into the promised land – and we can do the same, as we remember and praise God for His past deliverances even as we look forward to future blessings

 

            -- vs. 7

 

Psalm 111:7 The works of his hands are faithful and just;

    all his precepts are trustworthy.

 

 

            -- God’s works are faithful and just -- in other words, God treats us fairly -- God does not exalt one above another – God does not show favoritism

            -- in William P. Young’s book, “The Shack” -- my favorite part of this book is when the main character mentions someone by name to God and He responds, “I know him -- he’s my favorite” and then when he mentions someone else, God says “Yes, he’s my favorite” -- we’re all God’s favorite -- we are all loved by Him fully and equally -- as someone once quipped, “Our pictures are all on God’s refrigerator” – when God is talking to the angels, it’s our pictures He pulls out to show them because He loves us and is proud of us

            -- God is impartial -- he is faithful and just -- He causes the rain to fall on the just and the unjust -- and He died on the cross for all -- even for that person you don’t like -- even for that person you don’t think can be saved – even for that person that came from another land – even for that person who voted differently than you – He died on the cross for everyone -- even for you

            -- His blessings and His promises are faithful and just and for all

           

            -- the Psalmist points out that God’s precepts are trustworthy -- the term precept is referring to God’s word -- God’s commands -- God’s instructions and principles for living as found in His word

            -- God’s commands – God’s precepts -- are “trustworthy” -- we can trust them because they are faithful and just -- they are not given to harm us, but to help us and keep us on the right path – as Jeremiah 29:11 tells us, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” -- God is on our side – His words are faithful and just -- and his precepts are trustworthy and given for all of us

 

            -- vs. 8

 

Psalm 111:8 They are established for ever and ever,

    enacted in faithfulness and uprightness.

 

            -- God’s works and His blessings are steadfast and faithful and trustworthy for ever and ever -- we can trust in them – they are not like shifting sands, which are here today and gone tomorrow – the works and the blessings of God are like a firm foundation – a rock under our feet – we can stand on this rock and trust that it will be there – it will not fall – it will not fail

-- the Psalmist’s point here is that God’s blessings and precepts have been our firm foundation and something that we could trust in throughout our lives -- they are with us now -- and they will be there in our future

            -- our God is the same yesterday, today, and forever -- He will never change and His grace and providence in our lives will be constant -- God is faithful to us and deserves our praise and thanksgiving

           

            -- vs. 9

 

Psalm 111:9 He provided redemption for his people;

    he ordained his covenant forever—

    holy and awesome is his name.

 

 

            -- the greatest work, deed, and wonder God has done is His redemption carried out through His Son Jesus Christ – the forgiveness of our sins – the promise of eternal life with Him – this is the reason we gather on days like today – this is the reason we trust in God and put our faith in Him – this is the reason we put our hope in Him -- as Job said in Job 13:15, “though he slay me, yet will I hope in Him”

-- if God does nothing more for us than save us through Jesus, He has blessed us beyond eternity -- what more do we need, really, than the promise of eternity with Him? -- what can man do to us in the face of the certainty of eternal life?

            -- our trust is in His redemption -- our hope is in Him -- and we should lift Him on high every single moment of every day in praise for our salvation and redemption

            -- notice one thing here – it says that God “provided” redemption -- to provide something doesn’t mean it is used or received -- God’s redemption has been given – it has been offered – it has been provided -- but it’s still up to us whether we pick it up or not – whether we receive this gift from God and trust in it for our eternity – or if we reject it and ignore it and continue to go our own way

 

            -- you can see the Psalmist’s praise for God overflowing in this verse – he begins to use words to describe the goodness and greatness and mightiness of God such as holy and awesome -- transcendent -- omnipotent -- omnipresent -- worthy of our awe -- worthy of our worship and praise

-- when we recognize God as holy and awesome and lift Him up in praise, our praises join with the heavenly chorus around the throne, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty” 

 

            -- vs. 10

 

Psalm 111:10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;

    all who follow his precepts have good understanding.

    To him belongs eternal praise.

 

            -- the fear of the Lord -- in his book, “Mere Christianity,” C.S. Lewis wrote about the numinous -- the recognition by all people everywhere that there is something or someone greater just outside the door – he pointed out that every culture in the world – every person in the world – recognizes that there is Something out there beyond us – beyond the physical world – beyond our senses

            -- have you ever been alone – perhaps at night – perhaps in nature – all by yourself – and all of a sudden, you get the feeling that you’re not alone – that something is there with you – you get goosebumps – you get a heightened sense of awareness – you know that there is something there that you just can’t see – that’s the feeling of the numinous

 

            -- and while this feeling can come upon us when we encounter any spiritual presence outside of ourselves – whether good or bad – the term numinous specifically is referring to the universal concept of a God that is above us and around us and with us – as Wikipedia explains, the idea of the numinous “is used to describe the power or presence or realization of a divinity”

            -- Lewis goes on in his writings to point out that the numinous -- this awareness of divinity -- awakened a special kind of fear that leads to awe -- that’s what the Psalmist is getting at here

 

            -- when you start living with open eyes and open hearts – when you become aware of the presence of God around you – when you are mindful of Him in your daily lives – then the fear of the Lord -- the awareness of His power and greatness and presence in our lives – comes upon you

-- this fear – this feeling of awe and wonder at being in the presence of God is defined here as the beginning of wisdom because this is the beginning of a righteous relationship with Him

            -- as we come to know God in a real and personal way – as we experience God in our lives -- as we see God and recognize Him around us every day -- we begin to live in awe of who He is and what He has done and our hearts and souls immediately respond with praise

            -- we follow His precepts -- not as a means of salvation -- but because we seek to honor and please our God and Creator – for the same way that children obey their parents – they don’t obey their parents to get out of punishment – they obey because of love – because of the relationship – and it’s the same with us as we begin to live in God and for God and with the awareness of God around us

            -- we live in the fear of the Lord – we live in praise of God – we obey His precepts and His commands – not to avoid pain and punishment – but because to do so is a means to show our love and honor and respect to Him – we do what God tells us to do because we trust Him and put our hope in Him

            -- the Psalmist closes this Psalm with the phrase, “To Him belongs eternal praise” – eternal praise – never-ending praise – praise for all eternity

-- all praise, at all times and forever, belongs to God and God alone -- He is our God, our Creator, our Redeemer, our Sustainer, our Provider, Our Lord, and our Savior -- and He is worthy of all our praise and thanksgiving

 

III.  Closing

            -- Jennifer Stellar, an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Toronto, wrote an article recommending that we all conduct “spring cleaning” for our minds – she says:

 

“We share a universal problem right now.  We’re all busy and stressed, and maybe even more a self-involved because of the pandemic.  Social isolation may be contributing to a tendency to ruminate more or even be narcissistic, which is related to ego.  But experiencing awe can “quiet that ego.”

 

-- The article concludes:

 

“Researchers define awe as the mostly positive emotion you feel when you’re in the presence of something so vast you can’t immediately understand it.  Awe is often found in nature – the experience of watching the sun rise over the ocean on an empty beach or taking along hike in a dense forest.  But it can also be experienced by looking at a cityscape, listening to music or absorbing a piece of art that transports you to a sublime place.  It can make you feel small (in a good way), reminding you there’s something bigger out there.”²

 

            -- I think Jennifer Stellar has stumbled upon a greater truth without recognizing it – a truth that we see so clearly here in this psalm

            -- this experience of awe that she speaks of – that she finds in nature or in watching the sun rise over the ocean on an empty beach – while taking a long hike in a dense forest – we know as the presence of God

            -- for the fear of the Lord – the awe of being in His presence – is the beginning of wisdom and the gift that He has given to His people

            -- Stellar is right – we need awe – we need to experience it to ground us and to make us better and whole and right again – but the awe that we need to seek is in the Lord

            -- and when we begin to open our eyes and see His many blessings – when we open our hearts and receive the goodness of His love and grace and mercy – this feeling of awe will overwhelm us – and the fear of the Lord will lead us to cry out in praise and worship to the God who made us and loves us and is with us always and forever

 

            -- this is what Thanksgiving should be about – not turkeys and football and stuffed stomachs – but pausing in the midst of our lives to seek God and to experience His presence and to sing out praises and worship as we extol Him with our whole hearts and our whole lives

            -- so, with those thoughts, we’re going to close in prayer, and then we’ll join together in our final hymn of praise as we remember God and thank Him for who He is and what He has done for us

            -- and remember to always thank God with a grateful heart – to not take His blessings for granted – but to see them as the good and gracious gifts from a loving Creator that they are – and to introduce the fear of the Lord and true thanksgiving and praise into your family gatherings this year

 

            -- let us pray

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1 TODAY IN THE WORD DEVOTIONAL, http://www.todayintheword.org

2 Modified from Sadiya Ansari, “The Awesome Benefits of Awe Walking,” Best Health (4-7-21)

SERMON: REMEMBERING THE SAINTS – ALL SAINTS DAY

 

Naylor Community Christian Church

Naylor, Georgia

 

I.  Introduction

            -- turn in Bibles to Hebrews 11:32-12:3

 

Hebrews 11:32 And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah, about David and Samuel and the prophets, 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. 35 Women received back their dead, raised to life again. There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection. 36 Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37 They were put to death by stoning; they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— 38 the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground.

 

39 These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, 40 since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.

 

Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

 

            -- this weekend marked the official start of the fall holiday season, as cooler weather welcomed in Halloween celebrations throughout south Georgia – whether you realize it or not, Halloween is a major holiday here in the U.S. – people spend a lot of money on Halloween each year, with over $9 billion dollars poured out annually for candy, decorations, and costumes – probably more this year if you’ve priced candy lately -- and when it comes to decorations, more people decorate their homes for Halloween than for any other holiday except Christmas

            -- most people consider Halloween a harmless, fun holiday where we dress up in costumes and go trick-or-treating and watch scary movies -- but you'll always hear from a group of people that feel Halloween is evil and should not be celebrated or promoted by Christians – that’s why a lot of churches don’t have a Halloween celebration on October 31^st, but instead call it “Fall Festival” -- like changing the name does anything when you’re still encouraging kids to come out to your church in costume and get candy on Halloween night – but in celebrating Fall Festivals instead of Halloween, they’re actually neglecting a religious holiday that has been celebrated in the church for centuries

 

II.  Historical Origins of Halloween and All Saints Day

            -- in case you’ve been unsure about Halloween and whether it’s okay for Christians to celebrate and participate in Halloween events on this night, I wanted to take a few moments to talk about Halloween and, more importantly, the religious holiday of All Saints Day that follows Halloween on November 1^st

-- let’s begin by considering what the name Halloween means – I really like etymology – studying how words were derived and how people came up with them, especially town names, because I think you can learn a lot about things if you know why they are called by this particular name and not another

-- think for a moment about the breakdown of the name Halloween – what that word means

– Hallow, of course, means “holy” – like when we pray in the Lord’s prayer, “hallowed be Thy Name,” meaning “Holy be Thy Name”

-- “een” is a suffix that is a contraction meaning “evening” – so, Halloween is technically “Holy Evening” and is recognized as the night before the Christian holiday of All Saints Day, which is traditionally celebrated on November 1st

            -- before we get into the history of Halloween and why I believe it is okay for Christians to recognize it and celebrate it, let’s look first at the religious holiday, All Saints Day

 

            -- throughout church history, various churches and organizations would set aside special services to recognize and remember the saints of the church, especially those who had been persecuted for their faith – these services were informal – and churches would celebrate the saints on different days and in different ways, although most of them would do so around Easter or Pentecost

            -- in the 800s, the churches in the British Isles formalized the date for recognizing the saints of the church and all of them began celebrating their version of All Saints Day on November 1^st – the reason the churches in the British Isles chose this date was because of the ancient Druid celebration of Samhain [Spell Samhain] – pronounced "Sow-In" or "Sah-win" and not "Sam-Hane" --

            -- Samhain [Saw-win] was a Gaelic celebration at the end of the harvest season, typically celebrated from October 31st through November 1st – the timing of this pagan holiday puts it right in the middle of fall -- half-way between the autumnal equinox and the winter solstice

            -- in Druid pagan theology, Samhain [Saw-win] was the god of the dead -- and the druids believed that on October 31st, Samhain [Saw-win] would send the spirits of the wicked back to earth to torment people as the days began growing shorter and darkness increased on the earth

-- in order to protect themselves from these evil spirits, the people would light bonfires on the hills as a means of bringing light to the darkness and warding off evil spirits – additionally, they would dress up and put on costumes to disguise themselves to keep the evil spirits from knowing who they were -- the thought was that if the evil spirits couldn't recognize them as humans, they would leave them alone

 

            -- as Christianity spread into Ireland and Scotland in the British Isles, the early Christian missionaries -- think St. Patick here -- were confronted with this pagan holiday, which was basically celebrated by everyone, including the newly converted Christians – it was ingrained in their culture, and everyone participated in it – which put the church in a quandary -- what could the church do about this festival? -- how could the church counter this pagan theology?

            -- well, the answer is they co-opted it -- they took Samhain (Saw-win) over and Christianized the date and the celebration – they told the Christians to begin celebrating this night as the evening before the holy holiday of All Saints Day – which all the churches in the British Isles began recognizing as a holiday on November 1^st

– in doing so, the Christian church took the original pagan influences of this day and turned them into a Christian observance, nullifying the pagan theology and introducing a Christian understanding for Samhain [saw-win]

-- as this change took over and more and more Christians accepted it throughout the British Isle, it naturally started to spread beyond the British Isles to other churches in Europe – it became so popular that in the eighth and ninth centuries, Pope Gregory III and Pope Gregory IV issued decrees moving All Saints Day, an established Christian holiday, from May 13th to November 1^st to align it with the celebrations established by the churches in the British Isles

-- while doing so, the Catholic church understood the traditions of people dressing up and disguising themselves associated with Samhain (saw-win) and now Halloween, so, rather than fighting against these traditions, Pope Gregory III said that Christians could continue to dress up and wear disguises, but they should dress up as saints and not as evil spirits, in keeping with Halloween being the evening before All Saints Day ^{1, 2}

            -- with these changes and acceptance by the entire Catholic Church, Samhain [Saw-win] ceased to exist, and Halloween formally came into existence -- so, regardless of what a lot of people think, Halloween is a Christian holiday -- it is not the same thing as Samhain [Sow-win] -- it is a distinct Christian celebration held the night before All Saints Day, the day we recognize and remember the saints of the church – if it helps, you can think of Halloween as a redeemed pagan holiday

 

            -- in the time remaining, I want us to turn our attention to the religious holiday of All Saints Day – while All Saints Day is officially on November 1^st – the day after Halloween – churches celebrate this day on the first Sunday in November – so, sometimes it is on November 1^st or, as it is this year, another day

            -- All Saints Day is not a familiar holiday for many of us in the Protestant Church, but it is making a comeback, although we have a different understanding of what a saint is than the Catholic Church

-- when we celebrate All Saints Day, we are recognizing God’s truth that we are all saints in His kingdom – and on this day, we celebrate God’s redeeming grace in our lives and we remember the church universal -- those believers who have gone before us and who established the foundation of the church -- as well as those believers who currently make up the entire body of Christ, especially those who are being persecuted for their faith

            -- in many churches, All Saints Day is a day to remember the saints of that particular congregation who have passed away in the past year

 

III.  What is a Saint?

            -- so, what is a saint? -- -- What comes to mind when you hear the word “Saint?”

-- when the world hears someone called “Saint,” most of them think of about an extremely holy person like Mother Teresa or Pope John Paul II or Francis of Assisi -- men and women canonized by the Catholic Church and elevated to their special status of “saint”

            -- this concept of a Saint as promulgated by the Catholic Church has become so predominant in our society that this colors what we think when we hear someone described as “Saint” -- even though most of us Protestants understand the biblical definition of a saint as someone who is a believer in Christ -- we still tend to use the word in the same way as the Catholic Church -- we talk about Saint Augustine -- St. Valentine -- St. Francis -- and while these men were certainly saints, we need to recognize what a saint really is according to the Bible

 

            -- the first thing you should know is that the word saint is never singular in the Bible -- it is always plural -- there is no such thing in the Bible as Saint John or Saint Paul or Saint Matthew -- the Greek word that is translated as saints in our Bibles is Hagio-- it always occurs in the plural form and it always refers to the true believers in the church

-- in the introduction of his letter to the Ephesians, Paul wrote to “the saints in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus,” speaking of all the believers who gathered together in worship in that place

            -- Hagio literally means “set apart” or “holy” -- it refers to someone who has been set apart and sanctified by the grace of God – so, a saint is simply a believer of Christ – a Christian -- someone who has been set apart from the world and made holy through washing in the blood of the Lamb -- if you have accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior and trust in Him for your salvation, you are a saint -- that is the biblical definition of a saint

            -- as Scott Jensen pointed out, “it is not how we live that makes us saints, but how Christ lived for us, died for us, and rose for us -- your baptism into Christ makes you a saint -- your eating and drinking the flesh and blood of Christ makes you a saint -- your being absolved of your sins makes you a saint.”³

            -- so, the first point I want you to get about the concept of saints is that the Bible never sets apart singular individuals in a church and calls them “Saint” as a title or honorific -- when the Bible uses the word saint, it is always plural and is always used to refer to a group of believers

 

IV.  Scripture Lesson (Hebrews 11:32-12:2)

            -- but the definition of a saint in the Bible doesn’t really stop there -- I believe the Bible teaches there is more to being a saint than just sitting in a church service on Sunday morning

            -- Hebrews Chapter 11 has been called the chapter of faith in the Bible -- if you just skim through this chapter, you’ll see the word faith used over and over again -- it is in this chapter that we are given the definition of faith in Hebrews 11:1 -- “Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see” -- and then it goes on to list what we call the “heroes of the faith,” those men and women who lived out their faith in such a way they were recognized by both God and man

            -- we read here of the faith of Abel and Enoch -- of Noah and Abraham -- the faith of Moses -- the faith of the Israelites who went into the Promised Land and established the nation of Israel as commanded by God -- and we read of the faith of many unnamed men and women who stood for God in the face of persecution

 

            -- look back at Hebrews 11:32 and let’s read that passage again

 

Hebrews 11:32 And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah, about David and Samuel and the prophets, 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. 35 Women received back their dead, raised to life again. There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection. 36 Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37 They were put to death by stoning; they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— 38 the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground.

 

39 These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, 40 since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.

 

            -- what is the common denominator of these Christians – these saints that the writer of Hebrews mentions here? -- it’s faith -- particularly, the faith that these individuals had that was so strong that they believed and trusted in the promises of God even though there was no physical evidence or sight to prove their faith

-- this lines up with what the writer of Hebrew says is the definition of faith – “being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see”

            -- these men and women trusted in God’s promise even though they never saw the promise fulfilled – what they had was true faith – and I think that this is what defines whether someone is a true saint or not – do they live their lives standing on the promise of God over the realities of their situation? – do they trust and believe in God and His promises even when they can’t see Him?

            -- that is what makes a person a saint – not when the Catholic Church canonizes someone and says they are a saint – not when someone’s name is merely on a church roll or they happen to come to church on a regular basis – a person is a saint when they have true faith and are living their lives for Christ – that is the true definition of a saint

 

            -- so, what does it mean to celebrate such saints on All Saints Day? -- look at Hebrews 12:1

 

Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

 

 

            -- “therefore, since we are surrounded by such as great cloud of witnesses”

-- there are two things I want you to see there in that phrase

 

            -- first, the writer of Hebrews is referring us back to Hebrews Chapter 11 – to the list that he gives of the heroes of faith -- he is pointing them out to us -- not to exalt them or to lift them up – not to say that they are better than us or more holy than us -- but to make the case that we, as the living saints of the church, are to imitate them – that we are to look at how they lived and how they stood on their faith in God even when times were bad – that we are to live just like them in our lives and with our actions and our behaviors

            -- and, to be honest, it should be easier for us to live out our faith today than it was for those men and women the writer mentions in Chapter 11

            -- for one thing, we have seen the Promise -- we have seen the fulfillment of the promise they longed for -- we have seen the Messiah -- we have been touched by the living Christ -- although we may not have seen Jesus in the flesh as the early disciples did, we have seen and felt Jesus in our lives as He has touched us and ministered to us through His grace

            -- and, also, we have God’s Holy Spirit living within us to help us live out our lives of faith -- the men and women written about in Hebrews Chapter 11 didn’t have the Holy Spirit indwelling them – before the Cross, the Holy Spirit did not indwell believers but would come on them and His grace would empower them for the moment -- they didn’t have His presence with them 24/7 like believers do now

-- as Christians on this side of the cross, we have been empowered and graced with the actual presence of God in our lives 24/7 -- and so we should be living out our faith in even greater ways than the heroes of the faith we read about in this chapter

 

            -- the second thing this phrase, “since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses,” calls to mind is the reference to the church universal – what the Apostles Creed calls “the holy catholic church,” with catholic meaning universal

-- this phrase reminds us that this gathering here this morning is not the whole church -- we are merely part of the church -- part of the body of Christ as a whole – we who are gathered here today at Naylor Community Christian Church are joined together with believers across this entire world to make up the entire body of Christ – the church universal

            -- and this phrase reminds us that the church doesn’t just exist at this moment in time -- the church and the kingdom of God is timeless -- it is made up of all the saints -- all the believers -- of all time -- past, present, and future – those who have died and gone on to their heavenly reward – those present on earth right now – and those who will become Christians at some point in the future

            -- the writer of Hebrews is making the point that we are connected to these heroes of the faith because we are part of one body, sanctified and set apart by God to be the light bearers in this dark world

-- those who have gone before us still live and still serve God and are still part of His Kingdom, although they may be physically absent from us -- and what we do as believers of Christ here on earth reflects on the church as a whole

 

            -- because of the witness of the saints listed in Chapter 11 – because of their examples of faith -- the writer of Hebrews goes on to tell us to do as they did -- to throw off anything that is hindering our walk with Christ -- to cast off the sins that so easily entangle us – and to fix our eyes on Jesus and run towards Him

            -- that is why I contend that being a saint is more than just being saved -- to be a saint means you actually live out your faith -- you actually stand on the foundation of the church and the promise of God and you live it out daily in your life -- to be a saint is to be different -- to be a saint is to be a witness in this world of the saving power of Christ

            -- I like what William Barclay said -- “A saint is someone whose life makes it easier to believe in God” -- we should all be saints like that

 

V.  Closing

            -- when I served at Wright’s Chapel Methodist Church, the first thing that struck me when I walked into their sanctuary were the stained glass windows that surrounded the congregation -- the windows showed pictures from Jesus’ life and if you followed them around the room, you would see the entire story of His life, from His birth to His resurrection -- but the other thing you would see in these pictures were the heroes of the faith, the disciples and saints who lived out their lives in obedience to Christ’s call

 

            -- thinking about saints in stained glass windows reminds me of the story of a young boy and his grandfather who were taking a tour of a large cathedral in Europe -- like Wright’s Chapel, this cathedral had expansive stained glass windows showing the saints of the church -- and, as they walked along, the young boy asked his grandfather, “Who are the people in these pictures?” -- “They’re saints” -- “Oh,” the boy said, “Saints are people the light shines through”

            -- what a perfect definition of a true saint -- a person the Light shines through

            -- that is who the heroes of the faith in Chapter 11 were -- and that is who the writer of Hebrews is calling us to be -- men and women of faith -- true believers -- saints

 

            -- this morning as we set aside a day to remember and recognize the saints of the church and our calling to live out our faith as modern day saints, I wanted us to share together in Holy Communion

            -- Holy Communion is a means of grace – a time when we commune with each other and remember who Christ is and what He has done for us -- a time when we remember His death and resurrection -- a time when we remember our experiences with Him

            -- but it is more than that -- it is also a time to affirm who we are as believers -- to stand up and affirm our faith – to come together as one body and one people -- not separated by time or place -- but joined together through Christ our Lord

            -- as the body of Christ on earth, we are one with all of the heroes of the faith in Hebrews Chapter 11

            -- one with all those men and women who have gone before and who lived their lives faithfully for the gospel

            -- one with all the men and women in this world today who call upon the name of Jesus and look for His soon return

            -- and one with all those who will believe because of our witness and our testimony in this world

            -- when we come together to celebrate the sacrament of Holy Communion, we are reminded that we are all saints called to be witnesses of His love – and to live our lives in such a way that the light shines through us

 

            -- therefore, as we share in this holy sacrament -- this sacred moment with God -- let us remember and let us cast off anything that is hindering our walk with Him -- let us put aside our sins -- and fix our eyes on Jesus -- and live our lives as the saints that the Bible tells us we are

            -- let us pray

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1 Alan Rudnick, "7 Reasons Why a Christian Should Celebrate Halloween," http://www.alanrudnick.org/2010/10/28/7-reasons-why-christians-should-celebrate-halloween/

2 Wikipedia articles:  https://en.wikpedia/org/wiki/* -- Samhain; Halloween; Easter; Christmas#Relation_to_concurrent_celebrations

3 Scott Jensen, “All Saints Day Sermon” http://www.sermoncentral.com/sermons/all-saints-day-scott-jensen-sermon-on-apologetics-general-74229.asp?page=0