Saturday, May 17, 2014

Sermon - Psalm 23 - When the Ship Goes Down

Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard
Beaver Dam and Pitts Creek Churches
Sermon - Psalm 23 - When the Ship Goes Down
May 11, 2014

I am continuing today with my sermon series on the psalms of Easter. These are psalms that remind us of the promise to all who believe in Jesus Christ that they will be resurrected from the dead to live eternal life. Today we will look at our favorite of these psalms, the 23rd. But first let's pray.

Generous God, thank you for the gift of this new day. Help us to watch for your signs and wonders in the world today, and fill our heart with gladness and generosity, that we may generate good will wherever we go. Amen.1

The Rev. Robert J. Bateman immigrated to America from England in the 1880s. He was a missionary and evangelist. His passion was to bring the good news of Jesus Christ to the poorest people. He would go from town to town, find the poorest neighborhood, and preach the gospel from the back of a wagon. In 1896 he arrived in Knoxville TN and began his work among the poor in a section of town called the Bowry. While in Knoxville, Bateman founded the People's Tabernacle. There the poor could find food, shelter, clothing, and strong advice. Bateman was attempting to transform a neighborhood from one of whorehouses and gambling parlors into one that glorified God.

Rev. Bateman eventually left Knoxville and ministered in other towns before settling in Jacksonville Florida to continue his work. In February of 1912 he returned to England for the first time since he left to check out some mission opportunities. These didn't pan out so he returned to his work in America aboard the ocean liner, Titanic.

According to his sister-in-law, who was traveling with him, Rev. Bateman, on Sunday, April 14, conducted the only worship service on the ship. After it hit an iceberg, Rev. Batemen helped his sister-in-law get in a lifeboat and gave her his Bible, the only Bible to survive. Several weeks later his body was recovered from the Atlantic. His Bible was returned to his wife who gave it to Baxter Seminary. It was on display this past week at the Titanic Museum as part of their celebration of the National Day of Prayer. Actors portrayed the frightening scene on board the Titanic that day. And rose petals were placed around the Bible in memory of Rev. Batemen.2 3

Rev. Batemen was filled with faith, but he went down with the ship. We will never know what he said or did or thought in those hours while he waited for certain death. We have all experienced the death of loved one. And we know that one day we too will one day die. So what should we do and think and feel as we approach our own deaths?

There are some who will approach death in fear. They fear the unknown. They wonder if the next life will be better or worse than this one. So they resist death for as long as they can. Others approach death with resignation. They convince themselves that there is nothing after death. When they die, they believe their life is finished. But we who believe, as we approach death, we are filled with peace because we know that the next life will be fill with joy. We die in the confidence of the resurrection to new life. We know that even though we will die, we will live again resurrected, in the Kingdom of God coming to earth. We are so certain of this that we memorize and say over and over again the 23rd psalm.

Psalm 23:1-6 NIV Psalm 23:1 A psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 3 he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

The psalmist is saying that the God we worship takes care of us the same way a shepherd cares for his sheep. God gives us food to eat, water to drink, and safe places to stay where we are protected from predators. But he does far more than keep us alive physically. He is concerned about our feelings and behavior. He wants us to experience joy through obedience of his commands.

When we approach death God wants us to know that he is with us throughout the process. He does not want you to be afraid. Rather he wants you to know that the Good Shepherd is there to beat back death with his rod and staff. To help us remember this he invites us around the communion table and his Holy Word.

As David approached death he was comforted by all this. He was certain that God's goodness and mercy would not abandon him in the grave. This was based on his strong faith in the creator's ability to recreate our bodies in the resurrection. The promise of eternal life gave him confidence and he was able to approach death with joy. His life was not finished. He had nothing to fear, because God was with him. This is the assurance that we have as believers in Jesus Christ. We have nothing to fear from death because Jesus defeated it. Our Good Shepherd will guide us all the way to new life.

I 'd like to finish with a final story. In my first year as a pastor I was invited to Montevista Grove to lead worship in their nursing home. Montevista Grove is a community of retired Presbyterian pastors, church workers, and their families. I knew many people there from my internship at Pasadena Presbyterian church. And I looked forward to this opportunity. When I arrived the director of the nursing facility told me what to expect. He said that I should not expect any response from the congregation because most were in various stages of dementia and would have no idea what was going on. About a dozen people in wheel chairs were brought into the room where I has ready to preach on the 23rd psalm. As I preached it looked like most of them had fallen asleep. But I decided to try something. I asked them to say with me the 23rd psalm. At which point everyone in the room responded by saying it from memory. They weren't asleep.

The 23rd psalm is the favorite psalm for most Americans. The reason for this was that in the Civil War so many men died and their were so many funerals that pastors and congregations would say it over and over again. It became the way we verbalize our hope in the resurrection from the dead. It gives us great confidence as we approach death. And so we continue to use it in funerals and memorial services to this day.
So remember there is no reason to fear the grave. God is with you. God will guide and protect you. And God will preserve your soul in heaven until the glorious day when all thing on earth are made new in the resurrection.

Let us pray. And join with me if you can.

Psalm 23:1-6 KJV Psalm 23:1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. 3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. 5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

Creator God we thank and praise you for gift of life. And we thank and praise you for the gift of Jesus Christ who will lead us to eternal life in the recreation of our world. Be with us as our Good Shepherd through all of this. This we pray in his name. Amen.

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