Sermon – Psalm 52 – Warning to the Powerful

Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard

Pitts Creek and Beaver Dam Churches

Sermon – Psalm 52 – Warning to the Powerful

July 21, 2013

Two weeks ago we talked about inalienable rights. These are rights given to us by God. We institute government to protect and preserve these rights. And so the powerful have a responsibility to listen to God and do what God wants. We saw that God desires that we care for the marginalized in our society, the poor, the needy, the widow, the orphan and the alien living in our land. But the powerful do not always listen to God's voice. There are numerous examples throughout scripture and in our own history of powerful people exploiting the poor for their own gain. And it is to these people that the psalmist today gives a warning. We will get to this warning to the powerful, but first let's pray.

“Grant unto us, O Lord, to be occupied in the mysteries of thy heavenly wisdom, with true progress in piety, to thy glory and our own edification. Amen.” (John Calvin)

There is an ancient story about the abuse of power which is recorded in the Book of First Samuel. Saul is the king, and David is his general. David has been so successful in his campaigns against the Philistines that his popularity among the people has soared. There is a popular song going around that says, 1 Samuel 18:7 "Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands." As you might imagine Saul is very jealous of David. And this jealousy quickly turns to fear and then to hatred. Saul wants David dead.

So David flees and is in hiding. And he travels to Nob, to meet with the High Priest, Ahimelech. There are three things that David needs. First, he needs Ahimelech to inquire of God what David should do. Second, he needs food for his men. And third, he needs a weapon which the people will recognize as the weapon of a ruler. Ahimelech does these things for David. The High Priest enters into the presence of God and asks for instructions for David. He took the day-old bread that had been placed in front of the Ark of God and gave it to David for his men to eat. And he gave David the sword of Goliath, the Philistine giant David had killed with a slingshot. With the blessing of God, food to eat, and Goliath's sword, David was ready to take his rightful place as king.

But there was a problem. While David was visiting the priest, Ahimelech, there was another visitor there at the same time. It was Doeg, the king's top shepherd. Doeg told Saul what he had seen. And King Saul ordered Doeg to kill Ahimelech and all the priests of Nob, which he did. As the top shepherd of Israel, Doeg had the responsibility to care for the vulnerable. But he was more concerned with power, and used violence to get it. And so David wrote a warning to Doeg and all people of power.

Psalm 52 ^NIV Psalm 52:1 For the director of music. A maskil of David. When Doeg the Edomite had gone to Saul and told him: "David has gone to the house of Ahimelech." Why do you boast of evil, you mighty man? Why do you boast all day long, you who are a disgrace in the eyes of God? ² Your tongue plots destruction; it is like a sharpened razor, you who practice deceit. ³ You love evil rather than good, falsehood rather than speaking the truth.

As we have seen in the Book of Psalms all power and authority on Earth comes from God with the expectation that this power and authority will be used for God's purposes. But sadly, we see that this power is often abused and God ignored. When this happens innocent people get hurt. The priest of Nob had done nothing wrong when they were murdered by Doeg at Saul's command. In his powerful position Doeg had the responsibility to care for the priests. He knew full well what God wanted done. But he wanted power and wealth and so carried out the king's shameful orders.

Usually people who ignore God's law try to hide their sin. But when the powerful go against God they boast about what they have done. They usually lie to make it sound better. When powerful people do something wrong they are ofter not bothered with any guilt. They say “the ends justify the means” and go on. And so they boast of their evil deeds, happy that their wretched plans have succeeded.

We have all heard stories of the powerful who prey on the weak. There is the home contractor who comes to your door offering to fix your roof ,who then disappears with a large down payment never to be seen again. And there is the financial adviser who gets members of the church to invest in his company and then skips town with the money. I've even heard of charities asking for contributions for worthy causes where no help is ever provided. Scams are rampant in and out of the church and those who run them have no shame and boast of what they have done. Let's return to the psalm.

⁴ You love every harmful word, O you deceitful tongue! ⁵ Surely God will bring you down to everlasting ruin: He will snatch you up and tear you from your tent; he will uproot you from the land of the living.

How do we protect ourselves from the unscrupulous evil doers who would separate us from our money? We could put our hope in money trusting that if we have enough we can get through. But the more we money have the bigger the target we are. Money makes it more likely that we will be defrauded and lose it. The more money we have the greater the boasts of the powerful when they take it away from us. The psalmist, wisely, wants us not to trust in our own resources, but instead to put our trust in God. Only God can effectively deal with the evil of the powerful. And God will deal with them. What they have will certainly be taken away. There ill gotten gains will be lost. The psalmist puts it this way.

⁶ The righteous will see and fear; they will laugh at him, saying, ⁷ "Here now is the man who did not make God his stronghold but trusted in his great wealth and grew strong by destroying others!" ⁸ But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God's unfailing love for ever and ever. ⁹ I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God's unfailing love for ever and ever. I will praise you in the presence of your saints.

The promise of scripture is that if we put our hope in God we will recognize the evil schemes when they are hatched against us. And we will learn to fear them, a fear that helps us to avoid them. Thus protected we laugh at the powerful when they try to harm us because we know that God is with us, and God's justice will prevail. Put you hope in God and receive the assurance that all will turn out alright.

For the powerful who harm the weak their gain is short lived. What they take will be taken from them. Doeg decided to follow Saul rather than God. And so when God made David king Doeg lost everything he thought he had won. The priests of Nob were avenged.

So if you are powerful remember that God wants you to care for the poor. If you exploit the poor for your own gain you are making God your opponent and you will lose everything. But if you follow God's wishes and care for the powerless you will be richly blessed by God.

If you are not powerful remember that God will take care of you. And if you are exploited, God will be on your side and his justice will prevail. You will praise God for his unfailing love. And you will boast about the power of your God.

Let us pray. Father in heaven we ask that you speak to the powerful of their obligation to the weak. Punish those who ignore your teachings and bless those who follow your word. We ask that you protect and bless the powerless in our world. We look forward to the day when your justice will prevail. This we pray in the name of your son who became weak and vulnerable on the cross to demonstrate your great strength. Amen.

Sermon – Psalm 82 – Inalienable Rights

Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard

Pitts Creek and Beaver Dam Churches

Sermon – Psalm 82 – Inalienable Rights

July 7, 2013

On July 4, 1776 the Continental Congress, meeting in Philadelphia, made a declaration of independence from the tyrannical government of King George III of England. King George had asserted that his right to rule was given to him by God. The men who met in Philadelphia that day disagreed. They believed that God grants right to individuals and that government is instituted to preserve, protect and defend these rights. Thomas Jefferson put it this way. “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

Years later a group of men gathered to write a constitution that would create a government that would guarantee these God given rights. They believed that God has given us the right to assemble and speak the truth. We have the right to worship as we chose. We have the right to the private use of our homes free from unwarranted government searches and seizures. And we have the right to defend ourselves and our families with our guns. The framers believed that all these rights came from God and they instituted a government to ensure them. Today we will look at some more inalienable, God given rights, but first let's pray.

“Grant unto us, O Lord, to be occupied in the mysteries of thy heavenly wisdom, with true progress in piety, to thy glory and our own edification. Amen.” (John Calvin)

Psalm 82:1 - 83:1 ^NIV Psalm 82:1 A psalm of Asaph. God presides in the great assembly; he gives judgment among the "gods": ² "How long will you defend the unjust and show partiality to the wicked? Selah ³ Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. ⁴ Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked. ⁵ "They know nothing, they understand nothing. They walk about in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken. ⁶ "I said, 'You are "gods"; you are all sons of the Most High.' ⁷ But you will die like mere men; you will fall like every other ruler." ⁸ Rise up, O God, judge the earth, for all the nations are your inheritance.

According to the psalmist, inalienable God given rights must be guaranteed to the weak, the orphan, the poor, the oppressed, and the needy. This is a list of those in society who cannot care for themselves. In ancient times the poor and the needy had the God given right to the gleanings in the field after the harvest. The people of God remembered living in poverty in Egypt when they were often hungry and had little to eat. They wanted to make sure that in Israel and Judah everyone would always have plenty to eat. So God told farmers not to harvest all the way to the edges of their fields, and if something fell off their wagons they should leave it on the ground. This way the poor and needy would find something to eat.

But sometimes the poor and needy were exploited for personal gain by evil men. Some people would lend the poor money at high interest rates that could never be paid back. Some people would not let the poor from foreign countries glean their fields. Some people would take a coat from a poor person as a pledge for a debt and not return it on a cold winter night. Some employers would not pay their poor workers their daily wage at the end of the day. The poor and needy are often filled with sorrows and troubles.

Who are the poor and needy today? How are they fed? How can they stay warm on cold nights? They are all around. You see them every day. There are people with mental illnesses who cannot hold onto a job. There are people trying to raise families while their spouses are in jail or run off. There are children with no parents, living in one foster home after another. Who cares for these who cannot help themselves.

For the most part we let government take care of the problem. And God certainly hold government responsible. The federal Department of Agriculture supplies bulk food to food banks and food stamps directly to the poor. The State of Maryland food banks delivers food to church and non profit organizations to supplement this. County government fund offices of social services to ensure that people get the services they need.

Psalm 82 was written in the context of the poor not getting enough to eat. Listen to the first three verses again. “God presides in the great assembly; he gives judgment among the "gods": ² "How long will you defend the unjust and show partiality to the wicked? ³ Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed.” So God has come to hold people responsible for the poor not being fed.

The people being judged are called “gods” with a little “g”. Who are these gods? First of all we know that there is only one God, with a big “G:. This is the creator God we worship. But who are these lesser gods? Some argue that these are the lesser gods of the nations whom the kings of the world mistakenly worship. This is a possibility. Others have argued that the psalmist is referring to the kings themselves who mistakenly think that they are gods. This too makes sense. But there was a first century rabbi who had a very interesting interpretation of who these “gods” are. His name was Jesus, and gave his surprising interpretation in the context of an argument with some Pharisees. According to Jesus these “gods” in Psalm 82 refer to everyone who has received the word of God. So that means that we are the “gods”, little “g”. God has come to judge us because we are the ones God has given the responsibility to care for the poor and needy, the widow and orphan, and the alien in our land.

As we gather around this table today we believe that we are lifted up by the Holy Spirit into the presence of God. We stand before the throne of God awaiting his judgment. We will be judged by how well we have cared for the weak in our society. What will you say when God asks you to account for what you have done for the poor and needy?

Here in Pocomoke there are opportunities where you can give your time and money to help the poor. Samaritan Shelter provides rooms where people can stay temporarily while they are looking for work. They serve meals to the community and have a food pantry where people can get groceries to feed their families. Miracle Deliverance Temple has the Helping Hands Outreach Ministry on Market Street where they operate a food pantry several days a week. We can get involved with one of these. Or we can do something on our own. There is no reason why we couldn't cook a free lunch once a month and invite the poor and needy into our building for food and fellowship. There is no reason why we couldn't get food from the Maryland Food Bank and have our own emergency pantry.

This past week I met with Melissa Johanning who manages the relationships with nonprofits and churches for the Maryland Food Bank in Salisbury. They sell food at a nominal cost to cover their own expense and will deliver it to our door. All we would have to do is invite people to come and get it and keep track of who do.

So I challenge you to think about who the poor and needy are here in this community, and how does God want us to serve them? Today we are feasting at the table God has prepared for us. This would be a wonderful time to ask God what it is that he wants us to do. The need is great. The opportunities are numerous. And we have the responsibility.

The right to have enough food, and the right to have a warm place to sleep are inalienable, God given rights. We have been commissioned by God to preserve, protect and defend these rights. And God will judge us on what we do. Let us pray.

God in heaven, as we approach your throne today help us to see the weakest in community and place in our hearts a burden to care for them by satisfying their needs for food to eat and a warm place to sleep. Bless us with opportunities to serve the poor here Pocomoke though our efforts and our church. We pray this is the name of the one who brought good news to the poor, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Sermon – Psalm 77 – Turning to God

Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard

Pitts Creek and Beaver Dam Churches

Sermon – Psalm 77 – Turning to God

June 30, 2013

For several weeks now we have been looking at the Book of Psalms. We have found that worship prepares us for the storms of life. It teaches us to pray to our creator God. Worship fills us with memories of that God which fills us with hope when we need it the most. But what happens when we face a crises and we have no memories of God, or the memories we do have our insufficient to give us the hope we need. Are we then without hope? Do we then fall into despair? I think not with a loving God. We will see how this works, but first let's pray.

“Grant unto us, O Lord, to be occupied in the mysteries of thy heavenly wisdom, with true progress in piety, to thy glory and our own edification. Amen.” (John Calvin)

Psalm 77 NIV For the director of music. For Jeduthun. Of Asaph. A psalm.

1 I cried out to Go for help; I cried out to God to hear me. 2 When I was in distress, I sought the Lord;
at night I stretched out untiring hands, and I would not be comforted. 3 I remembered you, God, and I groaned; I meditated, and my spirit grew faint. 4 You kept my eyes from closing; I was too troubled to speak. 5 I thought about the former days, the years of long ago; 6a I remembered my songs in the night.

The psalmist is having a sleepless night. He is tossing and turning, and his troubles, whatever they are, are keeping him awake. So he started to pray, cry out to God in prayer. But this didn't work. He still couldn't get to sleep. He drew on his memories of God for comfort, and he began to sing the songs of God he had learned. But these memories and songs did not take away his pain. Sleep remained elusive.

Psalm 77:6b My heart meditated and my spirit asked: 7“Will the Lord reject forever? Will he never show his favor again? 8Has his unfailing love vanished forever? Has his promise failed for all time? 9 Has God forgotten to be merciful? Has he in anger withheld his compassion?”

The psalmist is experiencing a crisis. God seems so far away that the psalmist fears he has gone for good. This is what happen to people who do not know God. When disaster strikes, and it always does, they have no God to turn to. They no memories to serve as a foundation of hope. All they are left with is themselves and their own experiences there is nothing beyond them.

I am concerned about many of the children growing up today. My generation went to church when we were growing up. But many young people today have never been to church and do not know what church is. They do not know God. They only know about themselves and the things they process. This is fine so long as they have the health and money they need. But if they lose their health or their money what do they have to fall back on? For many they fall back on their parents. But eventually their parents will not be able to care for them. And then they will be truly alone without parents, church or God. When sleepless nights come they will not turn to God in prayer, and they will not be filled with hope.

Christians are not immune from this. For many of us our memories of God and of worship will be so thin that they will be useless on those inevitable sleepless night. This is what the psalmist has experienced. He has called upon his memories of his creator God, but it hasn't work. And he expresses his fear in verse 10, which I will read from the Revised Standard Version, which I think has the best translation of this verse.

Psalm 77:10 RSV And I say, “It is my grief that the right hand of the Most High has changed.”

The psalmist greatest fear is that God is no longer faithful. The God he remembered from worship and song is no longer there to save him. God can no longer be counted on. Maybe there is no

God. And so the psalmist tosses and turns throughout a sleepless night worrying about himself and his troubles convinced that God will not be there to help. What do you do at times like these when you even doubt that God exists? Where do you turn for help? What is your source of hope?

Psalm 77 NIV 11 I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. 12 I will consider all your works and meditate on all your mighty deeds.” 13 Your ways, God, are holy. What god is as great as our God? 14 You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples. 15 With your mighty arm you redeemed your people, the descendants of Jacob and Joseph.

What they psalmist has done was to change his focus. In verses 1-9 he focused on himself. “I cried out”. “I sought”. “I stretched”. “I would not be comforted.” And as long as he thought about himself God seemed to be missing. But then he changed his focus. He began thinking not about himself, but about God. “You … perform miracles”. “You display your power”. “You redeemed your people”. The psalmist chose to stop thinking about himself and start thinking about God. So too with us. When we think that God is far away, or that God is missing, or that God has changed it is because our focus is on ourselves. We are thinking about our grief, our pain, our concerns. And if that is all that we think about then it is no wonder that God seems to be somewhere else. But we can choose to focus our attention, not on our own needs but on God. And if we do that our memories of God will return and we will be filled with hope.

Psalm 77 NIV 16 The waters saw you, God, the waters saw you and writhed; the very depths were convulsed. 17 The clouds poured down water, the heavens resounded with thunder; your arrows flashed back and forth. 18 Your thunder was heard in the whirlwind, your lightning lit up the world; the earth trembled and quaked.

Notice how there is not a single “I” “me” or “my” in all of this. The psalmist has chosen to focus his attention only on God. This has relieved him from thinking only about himself. He is now thinking about God and all that God is doing.

Psalm 77 NIV 19 Your path led through the sea, your way through the mighty waters, though your footprints were not seen. 20 You led your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

So the transition is complete. The psalmist had only focused on himself. When he did this the only things he could see were his own problems. But he chose to think about God instead. And this freed him to remember all that God had done which filled him with hope. This is offered to us as well. Whenever we are overwhelmed by our own problems we can choose to just think about those problems and be filled with despair. Or we can choose to think about God and be filled with hope. The choice is ours.

My hope is that the people who do not know God will find him during those sleepless nights of despair. This is why it is so important for you to share your faith with others. If people don't come to church, you may be the only way they will know about God. So look for opportunities when you can share your faith with others. Start Bible studies in your homes and businesses. Give away Bibles to friends. Invite people you know to church. And enter into sacred conversations about God with people outside of the church. Your faith, your memories of a faithful God, your prayers will make all the difference when a person of no faith needs God. They will turn to the Bibles you gave them and remember the conversations they had with you. Then they will be able to turn their focus away from their troubles toward God. This is what we call conversion. It is the first step toward becoming a Christian. The non-Christians we know desperately need our help to find their creator God. Help them by sharing your faith and leading them to the only God who can save them, our Lord Jesus Christ.

Father in heaven, we ask that you help us to focus our attention on you rather than ourselves. Help us to share our faith with others so that they will find you when they need you. Make us instruments for bringing others to the saving faith in Jesus Christ. Amen.