Sermon – Psalm 46, Matthew 7:21-29

Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard

Sermon – Psalm 46, Matthew 7:21-29

Eagle Rock Presbyterian Church

June 1, 2008

The psalm Steven read to you this morning was attributed to the children of Korah, the Korahites. It turns out that three thousand years ago King David appointed Korah’s children to handle the music ministry in worship. Korah’s children continued to sing and play instruments for Solomon after the temple was built. I am happy to report that this tradition of having Cora and her children offering music in worship to God continues in this church today.

Please pray with me. Lord Jesus we know that you are the way, the truth and the life. Lead us in your way, by your truth, and toward the lives you would have us lead. Put our lives together again when they appear to be falling apart. Be for us a firm foundation and stronghold against evil. We pray this in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, amen.

Matthew 7:21-29 ²¹ "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. ²² On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many deeds of power in your name?' ²³ Then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; go away from me, you evildoers.' ²⁴ "Everyone then who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. ²⁵ The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on rock. ²⁶ And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on sand. ²⁷ The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell-- and great was its fall!" ²⁸ Now when Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were astounded at his teaching, ²⁹ for he taught them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.

Today is June 1. This is the beginning of the hurricane season in the Atlantic and the east coast of the United States is bracing for another season of devastating storms, winds and floods. In the Midwest we have already seen gigantic tornados racing across the plains leaving behind a wake of destruction. Here on the west coast the lack of rain has caused the vegetation on the hills to dry out. When this dry vegetation is combined with the heat and strong winds of summer we brace for the fires that will race across the southland. Those fires leave behind unstable earth that wants to slide into the sea carrying everything with it. And of course we live on top of a great seismic fault that periodically shakes everything to pieces. In this environment it is no wonder that our lives often seem to be falling apart; we become unglued and look to God to put everything back together. No wonder we all feel insecure.

We all want to feel secure. We need to know that we have a warm place to sleep tonight, that we will have sufficient food to satisfy our hunger. We need to know that everything will be all right. So we work hard, very hard, to make ourselves as secure as possible. We spend years educating and preparing ourselves for careers. We save and invest our money to be able to buy a home, educate our children, and provide for our own retirement. We work hard all of our lives to make us feel secure that if misfortune should befall us we can weather the storm and survive.

But what if despite all of our efforts and hard work it is just not enough. What if the mortgage requires two incomes and a spouse divorces or dies? Where will you live? What if your back and neck are injured in a fall and you cannot work and the disability check is not enough to live in an apartment? Where will you go? What will you do?

Most of us are blessed with sound bodies and good minds. We have been successful in raising families and setting aside enough to get us through. But even with all of this we cannot rest secure because we know that the day will come when fire blazes through this town or the ground shakes or illness strikes and everything we have counted on is gone in a flash. So we build strongholds for protection. Maximize contributions to the 401k. Hire more police to deal with the gangs. Earn another degree. Buy more insurance. Move to Arizona. We try all of these and so much more, but our insecurity remains. We fear that we may loose it all. For all of us whether we are rich or poor, live in a nice house or on the street, have work or are facing unemployment, we feel a deep insecurity that just won’t go away. We have a nagging fear that we haven’t done enough to prepare. We might lose it all.

Last year I worked for Rev. Roberto Colon at Faith United Presbyterian Church. Rev Colon emigrated from Puerto Rico two decades ago to attend Fuller Seminary. He stayed in the United States to work with the homeless in Los Angeles. Later he became pastor of Iglesia de la Comunidad in Glendale and moved his congregation to Highland Park to join with Faith United in a joint ministry to that community. He and his church had a home, a charismatic pastor, and sufficient financial resources to grow the combined ministry. They were secure. But this security could not be counted on. Six month ago Rev. Colon was taken off an airplane at LAX and rushed directly to the hospital with respiratory problems. He was placed on a respirator and has been in an intensive care unit with his wife Noelia at his side. The security that Rev. Colon and his family and church thought they vanished in an instant.

According the psalmist there is only one place where we can go and be free of fires and earthquakes, and mudslides, and tornadoes and hurricanes and illness. There is only one place where we can feel secure and know that if we were to lose everything we would still be ok. There is only one place where we are not threatened by disease, or unemployment, or bankruptcy. The psalmist calls this place the “City of God”. The City of God can never be shaken because it is where God lives. This city will never be destroyed by fire, or flood, or wind, or mudslide because God provides the sure foundation. No nation or gang can hurt it inhabitants because God protects this city with a heavenly army. Those who reside in the City of God will feel secure because God is their defender and strength.

So how does one enter this wonderful city where our fears calmed and we can feel secure. Some believe that coming here to church allows us to enter the City of God, here where we declare Christ to be our Lord and Savior, here where we cast out evil spirits and pray for healing. Certainly this must be the City of God where we at last will find our security. But shockingly for us Jesus says that this is not the case. Coming here to worship and learn correct theology in not enough to make us feel secure. We will not leave worship today with a passport to the City of God.

According to Jesus the only way to enter God’s city is by doing God’s work. We are to do the work of justice and righteousness by caring for those less fortunate than ourselves. Jesus is teaching us a great lesson. If we are concerned about our own security we will be less secure, but if we are concerned about the security of others we will find security for ourselves. So if we care for those who are hungry then we will not fear that we will have nothing to eat. If we care for those who are homeless then we will not fear losing our homes to fire or foreclosure. Our security comes from making others feel more secure. All of this happens because our feeling of security ultimately comes not from our own hard work or from the things we acquire or even from our belief in Jesus. Rather our security comes from following God who loves us so much and wants us to love others.

This is the lesson the Rev. Colon has learned. Now that he can no longer count on his health and being able to make a living from his church he has had to rely on God as his sole foundation. With God’s help he is now off the respirator and has begun walking with assistance, and Noelia has been able to go home for the first time in months. They now know that money and good health are not something to be relied upon. Only by doing God’s work of loving and caring for those who desperately need our love can we find a firm foundation for our lives.

We are about to gather around the table of our Lord. Everyone is invited to join feast. Whatever your needs are this today I invite you to bring it to this table. If you need a place to live or meal to eat bring those concerns to Jesus as you approach this table. If you are facing illness or a shortage of money bring those concerns right here. And as you eat the bread and drink the wine you will begin to feel the security that comes from following Jesus who leads us to our unmovable foundation, the love of God.

Father in heaven, be for us a mighty stronghold and a firm foundation. Help us to follow in the way of Jesus. Fill us with a feeling a security as go into the world to care for those are most insecure. And allow us to enter your city where nothing can be shaken, amen.