“Safety in times of uncertainty”
A response to the shootings in Las Vegas
October 8, 2017
Psalm 46
Last week Patti and I were blessed to spend a week surrounded by God’s majesty at a wonderful place called the Wind River Ranch in Estes Park Colorado
Over the course of 5 days we experienced a peace
And an easiness that was much needed
Everything about the Ranch
From the staff
To the horses
The scenery and the food
And even the gentle wind on the wind chimes that soothed our souls was refreshing
After several days of awesomeness
Being surrounded by people who love God and are allowing themselves to be used by God
People who despite differences in theology
Differences in where they call home and how they experience life
And how they do ministry
People with the true love of Christ living in them
We as well as the pother couples
Felt at home
Safe
At peace and loved
Then a few days later
Last Sunday evening
Something happened that changed those feelings
Evil rose up
And for a moment
Evil Caused Fear
Evil Caused Anxiety
Evil made us feel vulnerable
Unsafe
And Evil caused so many more emotions to well up inside of us
And I have no doubt
The same and many other emotions welled up inside of each of you
The evil act of one person
Caused
Fear to grip our nation
This act caused
A feeling that no place is safe
This act caused a feeling of anger
This act caused Uncertainty
This act caused us, if just for a moment to feel unsafe in this world
It is safety and uncertainty that I want to address today
I am sure that all of you have noticed the 59 empty chairs that are here today
They are here for a visual of just how the act of one person
A person so filled with evil
Changed the lives of so many
59 people are no longer drawing breath on this
Over 500 others have injuries and some may yet die
Thousands who were there in Los Vegas on Sunday night will live forever with the memories
And the nightmares
And millions
All over the world
Patti and I and each of you included
Will look at safety and certainty
In a different light
Look at these empty chairs as I preach today’s message
Place yourselves in the seats and the shoes of those who could be filling them
Place your selves in the shoes of those who will miss and grieve those who are no longer with us
Today
Will we deal with safety and uncertainty
Psalm 46 came up several times I n our sessions last week at the ranch
Renau and Brook Van Der Rite from Mosaic Church in Orlando Florida
Helped each Pastor and wife at our retreat take a new and fresh look at
Our own relationship with Jesus
And also at what we are called to do
And how we have been blessed by God
To be allowed to play a part in our own salvation and our own growth in God
God saved us by his Grace
Though the faith that he –Gave--- us
Today it is my desire to remember that ---Grace
Today it is my desire to remember those that have been lost
But more importantly today it is my desire to remember
What Jesus gave to redeem us
The safety and certainty that he died to give us
Please open your bibles to Psalm 46
And read with me the entire Psalm then we will take a deeper look
Psalm 46
God is our refuge and strength,
always ready to help in times of trouble.
2 So we will not fear when earthquakes come
and the mountains crumble into the sea.
3 Let the oceans roar and foam.
Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge! Interlude
4 A river brings joy to the city of our God,
the sacred home of the Most High.
5 God dwells in that city; it cannot be destroyed.
From the very break of day, God will protect it.
6 The nations are in chaos,
and their kingdoms crumble!
God’s voice thunders,
and the earth melts!
7 The LORD of Heaven’s Armies is here among us;
the God of Israel[b] is our fortress. Interlude
8 Come, see the glorious works of the LORD:
See how he brings destruction upon the world.
9 He causes wars to end throughout the earth.
He breaks the bow and snaps the spear;
he burns the shields with fire.
10 “Be still, and know that I am God!
I will be honored by every nation.
I will be honored throughout the world.”
11 The LORD of Heaven’s Armies is here among us;
the God of Israel is our fortress.
Verse 1
“God is our refuge and strength,
always ready to help in times of trouble.”
This world is filled with troubles
And we as believers are not immune from them
Many of those who lost their lives in Sunday were believers
Many those who are now mourning their deaths were believers
Being a believer does not make us immune to troubles
But as believers these troubles should draw us near to God
Not drive us away
Jesus said
You will have troubles
But
To be strong because he has overcome
And so we will overcome
John 16:33b
“Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”
Because Jesus overcame the evil of this world
Because he overcame the cross
Because he overcame the grave
Because he overcame the evil and everything man and Old Slick could throw at him
Because he gave his life
And because he offered life to all who will believe
His overcoming offers us safety and certainty
He is our refuge and strength
He is always there to help us in times of trouble
Verse 2
“So we will not fear when earthquakes come
and the mountains crumble into the sea.”
Psalm 23:4
“Even when I walk
through the darkest valley,[a]
I will not be afraid,”
Psalm 118:5-6
“In my distress I prayed to the LORD,
and the LORD answered me and set me free.
6 The LORD is for me, so I will have no fear.
What can mere people do to me?”
Placing all of our faith and trust in God
Trusting him to help us in the storms of life
In the storms
In the hard times
Crying out to him for certainty in uncertain times
Crying out for his refuge
His safety-- in the storms
While may be not bring understanding
Brings about a contentment that
Displaces fear
And it is then that
We can praise him
While the earth caves in around us
And the darkness and evil of this world presses in
Verse 3
“Let the oceans roar and foam.
Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge!”
The believers
Those who trust fully in God
Can proclaim
I don’t get it God
I don’t understand any of it
But
I want you will God
Bring it on world
Bring it on Satan
Because God
I know you have got this
You and you alone are my safe place
You and you alone are my certainty
Verses 4-5
A river brings joy to the city of our God,
the sacred home of the Most High.
5 God dwells in that city; it cannot be destroyed.
From the very break of day, God will protect it.
As followers of Christ
We have the certainty of Heaven
The certainty of everlasting life
The safety of our Father’s arms
---Forever-----!!!!!
Listen
The living water
Jesus Christ
Gave us the right to dwell in that city
To be in the presence of God almighty
Washed clean by the blood
Restored into the proper relationship with our Father
Not perfect
But perfectly forgiven
In this we can be certain
In this we can find safety
Verses 6-7
The nations are in chaos,
and their kingdoms crumble!
God’s voice thunders,
and the earth melts!
7 The LORD of Heaven’s Armies is here among us;
the God of Israel[b] is our fortress.
The world we live in is filled with wickedness
Evil of all kinds
Nations and leaders rise and fall
Economies fail
Leaders become corrupt
Wars
And poverty and famine
Abound
And in the midst of this uncertainty
The world shudders in fear
The world
The unbelievers
Place their trust in man and his governments and his money
And Psalm 46 says
God is in charge
Not them
Psalm 46 says that their kingdoms will fail
That he pulls the strings
That if we want certainly
If we want safety
It is only found in him
Luke says in Acts 4:12
12 There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.”
He is our safe place
He is our refuge in times of trouble
He is our Fort
He is our strong tower
He is I AM
Verses 8-9
Come, see the glorious works of the LORD:
See how he brings destruction upon the world.
9 He causes wars to end throughout the earth.
He breaks the bow and snaps the spear;
he burns the shields with fire.
The certainty of God is this
Evil will fail
Read the book of revelation
In the end we win
For the time being evil believes it has won a victory
And in the eyes of many
It has
But
God will win the war we must look past the evil and see the glory
How can we do that
How do we do that?
Verse 10
“Be still, and know that I am God!
I will be honored by every nation.
I will be honored throughout the world.”
Listen
The world is noisy
Things and people and problems are constantly trying to get our attention
To distract us from the important things
Listen
Turn off the news
Turn off the noise
Be still and listen
God shows himself daily
Hourly
Moment by moment
To those who seek him
We must
Stop
Pay attention
Listen
And respond to his voice
One day
All will proclaim his name
One day all will bow
But for many
One day will be too late
Verse 11
“The LORD of Heaven’s Armies is here among us;
the God of Israel is our fortress.”
God is with us
He is our certainty
And our safe refuge
As we prepare to celebrate the Lord’s Supper together
Please search your hearts and make sure you are in a place to take of this remembrance
According to scripture
1Corithians 11:27-31
27 So anyone who eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord unworthily is guilty of sinning against[g] the body and blood of the Lord. 28 That is why you should examine yourself before eating the bread and drinking the cup. 29 For if you eat the bread or drink the cup without honoring the body of Christ,[h] you are eating and drinking God’s judgment upon yourself. 30 That is why many of you are weak and sick and some have even died.
31 But if we would examine ourselves, we would not be judged by God in this way. 32 Yet when we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned along with the world.
Play song- How deep the Fathers love for you
Please listen to the words of this song
And deal with any issues or feeling you may be experiencing
And come to the table with a clean hearty and clean hands
If your heart is prepared please join us in this time of remembrance
1 Corinthians 11:23-24
On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took some bread 24 and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and said, “This is my body, which is given for you.[f] Do this in remembrance of me.”
1 Corinthians 11:25
25 In the same way, he took the cup of wine after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood. Do this in remembrance of me as often as you drink it.”
1 Corinthians 11:26
26 For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing the Lord’s death until he comes again.
As I close today
Look again at the empty chairs
Many of those who would fill those chairs did not know Jesus as savior
And many of those who lost their lives
By no action of their own
While simply going about their day
Sealed their eternity
Do you know that you know that you are saved?--------
Have you made the decision to trust in Jesus?--------
If so
Are you telling others how to receive eternal life?
Are you telling others how to find certainty in uncertain times?
Are you telling others how to find safety in the chaos?
As simple word from someone who cared could have made all the difference in the outcome
Close from the heart
Pray
