Word of Salvation – September 2021

 

Our Refuge and Strength

 

Sermon by Rev W P Gadsby on Psalm 46

Scripture Reading: Psalm 46

 

Introduction:

On 31/10/1517 (“Hallowe’en” – the day before All-Saints Day) Augustinian priest and professor, Father Martin Luther posted his 95 “Indulgence” Theses on the university notice-board in Wittenberg. He wanted to provoke a debate with colleagues about what he regarded as a travesty: the church-approved selling of “indulgences” to raise funds. The Theses, were copied, printed a distributed far and wide, fuelling discontent with the Roman Church’s policies. In God’s providence, Luther’s action sparked that spiritual revival and church renewal that we now call the Reformation.

His actions led to the might of the Roman Catholic Church being turned against him, including excommunication by the Pope himself in 1520.

Despite his suffering and threats to his life, Luther survived. About 10 years later he composed the words and music to his famous hymn, ‘A Mighty Fortress is our God.’ Sometimes called the “Battle Hymn of the Reformation,” it’s a paraphrase of Ps.46…

READ PS.46.

World is going through some trying times, with illness and death from corona virus. Fear is in the air we breathe. Times like this can fill us with confusion, and upset our emotional balance. Where can we go to find a place of calm and stability? How can we find a place to soothe our sorrows and calm our fears?

There are many words of comfort for believers in God’s Word, and the best comfort is to turn our attention again to God himself: he is the refuge and strength of his people.

In this Psalm, we read these simple but profound words, “Be still, and know that I am God.” In the eye of the cyclone, there is a place of comfort and safety, a place of refuge. “Be still, and know that I am God.”

God Our Strong Fortress:

The Psalmist speaks of a world turned upside down: READ VS.2-3.

(Peter writes:) “When my wife and I were in NZ in 2019, visiting Queenstown, we felt the earth tremble. It was a 5.6 earthquake deep off Milford Sound, and not very strong where we were. I have never experienced a real earthquake – maybe you have. The earth shakes, great crevices open up, buildings collapse, water and gas mains burst. Surely, there can be little that is more terrifying!”

Where can we find safety in the earthquakes of life? A sudden death; a devastating accident or sudden sickness; the loss of a child; dismissal from a job; an unfaithful spouse? Everyone should expect bad things to happen in this bent and fallen world. Where can we go?

Shall we flee to the mountains? But even they can be cast into the heart of the sea. Jesus said that on Judgment Day, many will seek refuge in the mountains: Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us,’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us’ (Lk.23:30). But even the mountains won’t be safe on that Day. How much less our achievements, our wealth, our social standing, even our church or family connections.

And while we don’t like to think about it, death comes to us all, sooner or later. When it comes your turn to die, all the riches of the world will not save you. No medical technology will postpone that day that God has ordained. So where then is there safety and security?

The Psalmist gives the answer: READ V.1. Is he your refuge and strength? Yes? He will be your help in times of trouble!

Down through the ages of the church, Christians have had to face death. Some were martyrs who trusted in Jesus Christ to save them, even if they lost their lives in this world. These men and women placed their trust in the Rock of Ages, Jesus, who is the same, yesterday, today and for ever.

Whether in peace or war, in safety or times of tumult, they found their comfort in God’s Son, the Good Shepherd who laid down his life for his sheep. They could say confidently, O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?’ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1Cor.15:55-56)

Put your trust in Christ when you are strong and healthy, and you will be ready to face those evil days when they come. Are you trusting him today? Is your life in his hands?

God is not looking for perfect people, but for those who own up to their own sins, and trust the Lord Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world, the Rescuer of sinners. He gave his life on the cross and rose in triumph from the dead. He can keep us safe in life and in death.

But how about you? Are you safe? Is God your refuge and strength, your fortress of safety? Jesus the Rock invites us to come to him, to find strength, and hope, and comfort in him. “Come to me,” he says. “And I will give you rest.”

Our Comfort:

The Psalmist affirms that God is “a very present help in trouble” (v.1). Literally, “in trouble he will be found a help – exceedingly.” Whether trouble comes in midst of life, or at its end, overwhelming help, exceeding grace is to be found in God. He can send us help when we call on him.

What is this help? From the crashing of tumult in vs.1-3, we now read of peace, like a river. READ V.4. There is a stream of water that gives life and refreshment to the soul.

We read in 1Chron.32 – in about 700BC, that the Assyrian army under Sennacherib threatened to invade Jerusalem. Godly King Hezekiah made preparations, giving instructions to his workmen. They blocked off the city’s water supply, to deny the invaders access to water, and dug a tunnel over 500m long to carry water from the Gihon spring to the Pool of Siloam, inside the city. (Hezekiah’s tunnel is still there today.) This gave the inhabitants a secure water supply for the impending siege, and it surely would have brought comfort to the people.

Was the Psalmist referring to something like this? Some kind of physical relief or help? No! He tells us what gladdens the hearts of God’s people: READ V.5. As a stream of flowing (or, living) water brings refreshment and life to a city, the Lord brings gladness and hope to his people, his church.

In OT times, God dwelt in the midst of his people: the Temple was his ‘holy habitation.’ It was a replica of the original creation, when God walked in the garden with Adam and Eve. And it was a picture of the new creation, in which righteousness will dwell for ever. Where God’s covenant promise will be gloriously and finally fulfilled: “I will be your God, and you shall be my people; and I will dwell with you.”

Where do we find the presence of God today? Where is the temple-presence of God? 

Jesus’ words to the Samaritan woman echo the words of this Psalm, and of Eze.40: “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.”

The Lord Jesus is the true temple: dwelling of God with man. He came and “tabernacled” with mankind (Jn.1:14). He said, “Destroy this temple and I will raise it again in three days… the temple he had spoken of was his body.” (Jn.2:19-21).

The Lord Jesus is the “place” where we can meet God; to come to God, we must come to him. He said, “No one comes to the Father except by me” (Jn.14:6). And he will give us the water of life, the living water. What is that?

Here are his wonderful words, recorded in Jn.7:37-39, On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me; and let him who believes in me drink. As the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

What is the stream that gladdens the hearts of God’s people? It is the Holy Spirit of Christ, given to all who put their trust in the Lord Jesus. The Spirit is the stream of divine strength, comfort and blessing which runs through the hearts of true Christians.

Believers know the love of God which surpasses understanding in the secret depths of their hearts. In God’s love they know they have security and safety; acceptance and forgiveness; comfort in times of trouble.

Brothers and sisters: God wants you to know that comfort as you take refuge in him. The storms of life cannot touch your heart, when Christ is dwelling there, by his Spirit. Let your prayer to the Father echo Paul’s: that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith… (Eph.3:16-17)

How may we experience this blessing? We need to carve out time to commune with God. READ V.10

Be Still:

We are all unique individuals, and we all deal with loss or grief in different ways. Some may retreat within themselves, and fall into a deep sadness. Others may try to lose themselves in frenetic busy-ness, trying to forget the pain.

But in a world full of tumult, God says, “Be still.” Remember who I AM: “Be still, and know that I am God.”

We may be disturbed by wars, and terrorism - “The nations rage, the kingdoms totter…” We can too easily forget who is Sovereign over this world: “…he utters his voice, the earth melts.” That’s how powerful he is!

And so, with the writer to the Hebrews, “we can confidently say, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?’” (Heb.13:6)

But how do we get to that place of peace and comfort in God? Be still, and know that I am God. Find a place where you can be still; where you can think about God, and remember that he is the refuge and strength of his people who put their trust in the Lord Jesus. Where we can dwell on his precious promises. In that place of quietness, we can remember and give thanks for the good times. We can even give thanks for the hard times, when the Lord sustained us, and taught us about himself, ourselves and others. It’s a time to give thanks for a special friend; a father; a husband or wife, an elder or pastor.

In that place of inner peace and stillness, we can affirm again, and echo the repeated words of Psalmist, “The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.”

Conclusion:

The Battle Hymn of the Reformation is also a profoundly comforting Psalm for God’s people. In this Psalm, God calls you and me to take stock, and to take refuge in him. To be still in his presence…

If you belong to Jesus, then God is with you. His Spirit dwells in your heart. The blessings of God flow from his throne by Jesus Christ: peace with God, love, joy. Security and significance.

PS.36:8-9 speaks of the privileges of God’s people: READ Do you know these things? ‘Be still’ literally is ‘cease striving.’ First, listen to God’s promises, and trust him. Our refuge and strength is God the Son, Jesus Christ. He said, ‘I will build my church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against her.’

Do you know him? Are you trusting him? Yes? Then do not fear: though the earth itself be convulsed, and all the forces of nature come against us, we will not fall. Christ is our strong rock: nothing can bring him down! Come to him; trust in him; and he will give you the water of life. He will give you rest.