Sermon Psalm 24 Biblical Transitions: To Whom Do You Belong?

Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard

Sermon: Biblical Transitions: To Whom Do You Belong? – Psalm 24

Pitts Creek and Beaver Dam Presbyterian Churches

January 25, 2015

This morning I will be completing my series of sermons on biblical transitions. And this is appropriate because my wife and I and this church are entering a transition today. The church is beginning a transition to a new pastor, whom God will identity soon. Your session has lined up some excellent pastors for this transition. The Rev. Donna Bowers will be in this pulpit next week. I am beginning a call as Interim Pastor of the church in Ocean City. As we go through these transitions, prayer is essential. So 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 24:1-10 ^NRS Psalm 24:1 The earth is the LORD's and all that is in it, the world, and those who live in it; ² for he has founded it on the seas, and established it on the rivers. ³ Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD? And who shall stand in his holy place? ⁴ Those who have clean hands and pure hearts, who do not lift up their souls to what is false, and do not swear deceitfully. ⁵ They will receive blessing from the LORD, and vindication from the God of their salvation. ⁶ Such is the company of those who seek him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob. Selah ⁷ Lift up your heads, O gates! and be lifted up, O ancient doors! that the King of glory may come in. ⁸ Who is the King of glory? The LORD, strong and mighty, the LORD, mighty in battle. ⁹ Lift up your heads, O gates! and be lifted up, O ancient doors! that the King of glory may come in. ¹⁰ Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah

For the last month we have been looking at biblical transitions. We started with the transition of the people of God as they brought the Ark of the Covenant across the Jordan into the Promised Land. God had the law which had governed their lives written down for them to observe as they settled in their new land. God told them to be bold and courageous, to remember that God is always with you, and to have no fear. Then we saw how the people of God in the first century feared that they could no longer pray to God when they were no longer able to enter the temple. The author of Hebrews assured them that Jesus Christ was their high priest and would continue to relay their prayers to God. And last week we read the letter to the exiles in Babylon from Jeremiah telling them to trust in God, live normal lives and pray for their oppressors. All of this constitutes biblical wisdom which we can use as we experience transitions in our lives.

In today’s scripture we see a joyous transition. The Ark of the Covenant representing the presence of God is being brought into Jerusalem. The people of God have transitioned from living in a loose federation of tribal states into a single nation led by King David with Jerusalem for its capital. The arrival of the Ark into Jerusalem indicated that God was the true king over this nation. And so this was a time of great celebration with singing and dancing and worship.

As the Ark started it journey to Jerusalem King David asked the people to remember that they were God’s people. And the God they worshiped was none other than the creator of the universe and their own creator. This meant that their God was the owner of the entire world and everything in it. And all the people of the kingdom of God belong not to themselves but to God.

So as we approach transitions in our lives we must remember that we too belong to God. We are not in control of our own lives. Rather we are God’s people and participants with God in the world that God has made. And the church is owned by God as well. No one here should think that they own this church. The session does not own the church. The presbytery does not own the church. The pastor certainly does not own this church. Nor does the congregation own this church. This church is owned by God and will be used by God for God’s purposes. And each of you is owned by God and will also be used for God’s purposes. So as you experience transitions remember that you and the entire world belong to our loving God.

As the Ark neared Jerusalem King David asked the people of God if they were worthy to ascend the hill of Jerusalem to be in the presence of God. David told them that to be worthy to enter into the presence of God they must have clean hands and pure hearts. In other words all their works must be done for the glory of God, and these must be motivated by their love of God and their love for one another. This means that everything we do must be done for the glory of God out of our great love for God and our love for our neighbors in here in Pocomoke. This is evident every Sunday as we satisfy the community’s hunger for the Word of God and the salvation of Jesus Christ as we worship together.

Our love of God requires that we worship and confess that our creator God is the only God. When we experience transitions in our lives we must never turn away from God and worship idols. We must not put our faith in money, or jobs, or government, or relationships, or education, or anything else that we might value more than God. We must always be motivated by our love of God and the command to love our neighbors.

When King David and the Ark of the Covenant arrived at Jerusalem he ordered the ancient gates of the city to be opened. He announced that the King of Glory had arrived to assume power over the nation. A voice from the city wall asked for the identity of this King of Glory. King David said that the King of Glory was none other than the Lord, God of Israel, who had led his people to victory over their enemies and blessed them with peace and prosperity as a mighty nation.

The news that the Lord God of Israel had arrived in Jerusalem echoed throughout the city, and the gates were opened. The Ark of the Covenant was brought into the city and a great joyous festival erupted celebrating the presence of God with them. And this same joy and excitement is experienced by this church as it assembles in worship each Sunday. We worship joyfully welcoming our God right here in this sanctuary.

So the wisdom we have received from King David, which we can use whenever we face transitions, is to remember that we belong not to ourselves but to our God. We must keep ourselves holy during transitions remember that all we do is for the glory of God motivated by our love of God and our love for one another. And whenever we face transitions remember that in worship we come into the very presence of God and this gives us great joy and confidence so that we can approach transitions with boldness, confident that God is with us. So have no fear because whatever happens we always have Jesus Christ as our Great High Priest. And live your lives normally remembering to pray for those who anger you. If you follow this wisdom all transitions in your lives will go well with you and you will be richly blessed by our creator God.

Pitts Creek and Beaver Dam Presbyterian Churches have had a rich history and an exciting present, but what about the future. What will happen to us in the years ahead? The promise of scripture is that one day Christ will return and bring all of heaven with him to earth. There will be no more death, nor pain, nor suffering, nor mourning nor crying because this will be a time of great joy as God comes to live with us. We know this because Jesus Christ, who was present with God at creation, serves us today as our High Priest, and will one day make all things new. In worship we encounter Jesus who wipes away our tears and brings us the joy of being in the presence of God. So let’s rejoice that God is with us and has plans for our glorious future. Let's pray.

Lord Jesus Christ we acknowledge your presence with us this day and ask that you lead us as our High Priest +and into the presence of God. We ask that you give us courage to boldly walk into our future without fear. We ask that you be with us as we lead our lives and lead us into the glorious future that was planned for us before creation. We love you O God and ask that you help us to love our neighbors here in Pocomoke. We pray all of this in the name of our one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.

Sermon – Jeremiah 29:1-14 – Biblical Transitions: Exile

Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard

Sermon – Jeremiah 29:1-14 – Biblical Transitions: Exile

Pitts Creek and Beaver Dam Presbyterian Churches

January 18, 2015

I am continuing today with our look at biblical transitions. The purpose of this series of sermons is to look at what God says to people who are experiencing transitions in their lives so that we may obtain wisdom for dealing with our own transitions. This will help to prepare us as we face our own transitions in our own lives.

Two weeks ago we saw that the people of God were transitioning from the wilderness to living in the Promised Land. God gave them a written record of the instructions for life that he had communicated to Moses and then told them to be bold and courageous, remember that God is always with you, and have no fear. Then last week we saw that the Jews, who were the earliest followers of Jesus, were concerned when they were no longer able to go to the temple in Jerusalem to see a priest for the sacrament of sacrifice for the forgiveness of sin. The author of Hebrews told them that their High Priest was now Jesus Christ who had experienced their joys and concerns as a human and now, as our ascended Lord, communicates our prayers to God. Today we will be looking at a third biblical transition as the people of God are taken into exile in Babylon. But before we get to this please pray with me.

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)

Jerusalem was in trouble. The last king had formed an alliance with Egypt betting on their protection in a volatile situation. But he lost the bet. Now Babylon was the undisputed power in the region. The new king, just 18 years old and on the throne for just three months had an important decision to make. He knew that Jerusalem could not resist the massive army coming his way. But his prophets were telling him not to worry because God would protect them as God always had in the past. Only the prophet Jeremiah saw what was really happening, that the people had turned away from God. He told them that this time God’s protection would be removed.

God had decided that his people should experience a time of exile. So in 597BC God enabled King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon to besiege the city of Jerusalem and carry off to exile the king, his family, all his wealth, the government officials and anyone who could contribute to Babylonian society. Left behind were the poor, the needy, the widows, the orphans, the disabled, the mentally ill and anyone Babylon did not want. The prophet Jeremiah, who had forecasted all of this, remained behind in the city. He then wrote a letter to the exiles in Babylon. Here is what he said.

Jeremiah 29:1-14 ^NRS Jeremiah 29:1 These are the words of the letter that the prophet Jeremiah sent from Jerusalem to the remaining elders among the exiles, and to the priests, the prophets, and all the people, whom Nebuchadnezzar had taken into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon. ² This was after King Jeconiah, and the queen mother, the court officials, the leaders of Judah and Jerusalem, the artisans, and the smiths had departed from Jerusalem. ³ The letter was sent by the hand of Elasah son of Shaphan and Gemariah son of Hilkiah, whom King Zedekiah of Judah sent to Babylon to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon.

It said: ⁴ Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon:

⁵ Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat what they produce. ⁶ Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. ⁷ But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.

⁸ For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Do not let the prophets and the diviners who are among you deceive you, and do not listen to the dreams that they dream, ⁹ for it is a lie that they are prophesying to you in my name; I did not send them, says the LORD.

¹⁰ For thus says the LORD: Only when Babylon's seventy years are completed will I visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place.

¹¹ For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the LORD, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope. ¹² Then when you call upon me and come and pray to me, I will hear you. ¹³ When you search for me, you will find me; if you seek me with all your heart, ¹⁴ I will let you find me, says the LORD, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, says the LORD, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.

Jeremiah made it clear in his letter that it was coming directly from God. This was important to the people in exile because they must have wondered if God had abandoned them. We often experience this feeling of abandonment in the midst of transitions. We or a loved one gets sick and we wonder where God is. A relationship comes to an end and we pray and pray and pray and wonder if God is still listening. A job is lost and we wonder if God still loves us and wants to bless us. But Jeremiah assures us that God is with us even at those times when God seems so far away.

A great grandmother comes in to see the pastor. Her heart problem has not gotten any better. But this is not what she wants to talk about today. She just had a call from her daughter with bad news. Her new great granddaughter, who was born just a couple of months ago, was sick, very sick. The doctors think that the baby has cancer and have started aggressive treatment. Their granddaughter and great granddaughter was in danger of dying, and they wondered where God was.

The pastor, like Jeremiah before him, reminded the great grandmother that God has never left, that God loved her and the young baby very much, and that in God’s time everything would turn out alright. But for now they should wait and pray confident that in some way God would act.

Jeremiah also told the people that even though they were experiencing a major transition they should continue to lead normal lives. God told them to buy homes, get married and have children. The people probably expected that someone would rescue them soon. But God was telling them not to expect to go back to the way it was. The new situation would last for a long time, maybe beyond their lifetimes. So the people were to live for the long haul, confident in God’s faithfulness to one day restore them to the Promised Land, and to keep his promise that David’s descendants would remain on the throne forever. So God’s people were not to worry, rather they were to continue to live normal lives even in their new circumstances.

A young man came to see the pastor. His brother had come for a visit and he had had enough. The young man started fighting with his brother fought almost as soon as he arrived. So the pastor told him about an old television show called “The Odd Couple”. It was about two men who shared an apartment. One was neat and clean almost to a fault. Everything was put in its place. Dust never had a chance to land on the furniture. The apartment was always in order. But the other was a slob. He dropped his clothes on the floor, washed dishes only when he had to, and filled the apartment with cigar smoke. As you might imagine, these differences often led to very funny situations. But these two men were able to live in the same apartment without being angry all the time because they chose to overlook their differences so that they could get along.

This followed the wisdom of Jeremiah who knew that the exiles were angry at their captors. Jeremiah told them to choose not to dwell in anger and conflict, but choose to live lives of normality at peace with each other, confident that God would one day may everything right. So the pastor told the young man to accept the differences he had with his brother so that they could visit each other in peace.

Jeremiah then told his people to do something that must have surprised them: pray for the welfare of Babylon. This had to be very difficult. They had been hurt on many levels and had to be very angry at the Babylonians for taking them into exile. Most, probably, wanted to get back at the Babylonians in some way. Maybe they were ready to start an insurgency with terrorist attacks and suicide bombers. Maybe they were planning to assemble an army in the wilderness. Maybe they wanted to passively resist by not cooperating with their captors. But God wanted them to live peacefully with the Babylonians. This required forgiveness and prayer. And praying for an enemy’s welfare is the best way of dealing with anger, because you just can’t remain angry at people you pray for.

A woman came to see the pastor. She hadn’t slept in a couple of days. She had found out about incidents of terrible sexual impropriety in her family. She was so angry she could just scream. The pastor talked with her for several minutes to calm her down and then listened patiently as she told her terrible story. The pastor then told her to pray for her family, especially the ones who had hurt her so much. The pastor told her that she could not change the situation so she had to rely on God, and prayer was far more constructive than anger. This was the message Jeremiah had from God for the exiles. Rather than living in anger for what the Babylonians had done, the exiles were to pray for their captors, because this would allow their hearts to heal and prepare them for their eventual return to the Promised Land.

So as transitions occur in our lives always remember that even though God seems far away God is really with you ready to forgive and waiting for you to return to his loving arms. When in transition live your lives normally. Do not let anger overwhelm you, but accept the changes knowing that somehow this is in God’s plan. And always remember to pray for the people you are most angry with, confident that God’s justice will one day prevail. Prayer is the best way of dealing with your own anger. The promise of scripture is that if you follow this wisdom transitions will go well with you. Let's pray.

Father in heaven, we pray that as we face transitions in life that you will be close to us and not far away. We ask for help as we live our lives normally accepting changes as they come. And we ask that you help us to pray for those we are angry at so that we will experience not anger and conflict but peace and rest. We pray this with your Son our High Priest. Amen.

Sermon – Hebrews 5:1-10 – Biblical Transitions: Our Great High Priest

Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard

Sermon – Hebrews 5:1-10 – Biblical Transitions: Our Great High Priest

Pitts Creek and Beaver Dam Presbyterian Churches

January 11, 2015

This morning I am continuing with my series of sermons on the topic of biblical transitions. We all experience transitions in our lives. We feel ok, get sick and then get better. We get into relationships, fall out of relationships and get into them again. We all get older every day and this pushes us into new stages of life. Transitions are a part of life. So it is important to see what God says as people transition from one stage of life to another.

Last week we looked at Moses’ transition as he was no longer able to get around and accompany God’s people into the Promised Land. So God had Moses write the law down so that these instructions for life could accompany the people as they transitioned from being nomads in the desert into being settled farmers and shepherds in the land God had promised. And God gave them three pieces of wisdom for dealing with transitions: be bold and courageous, remember that God is with you, and have no fear.

Today we will be looking at another transition. This one was happening to the Jewish followers of Jesus who found they could no longer enter the temple in Jerusalem and then watched with horror as the temple was destroyed leaving them without a way to communicate with God and know that God was ready to forgive them of their sins. But before we get to this very important work, please pray with me.

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)

Hebrews 5:1-10 ^NRS Hebrews 5:1 Every high priest chosen from among mortals is put in charge of things pertaining to God on their behalf, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. ² He is able to deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is subject to weakness; ³ and because of this he must offer sacrifice for his own sins as well as for those of the people. ⁴ And one does not presume to take this honor, but takes it only when called by God, just as Aaron was. ⁵ So also Christ did not glorify himself in becoming a high priest, but was appointed by the one who said to him, "You are my Son, today I have begotten you"; ⁶ as he says also in another place, "You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek." ⁷ In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. ⁸ Although he was a Son, he learned obedience through what he suffered; ⁹ and having been made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him, ¹⁰ having been designated by God a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.

I have been watching a transitions occur in our church. There are people who never went to church who are now attending regularly. The children are growing up and asking more questions about our faith. People who once just sat in the pews are volunteering for service in the church. The list goes on and on. These transitions occur because the Word of God is proclaimed here every Sunday, and the Holy Spirit uses this proclamation to transform both the listeners and the preacher. Transitions are a normal and necessary part of the church. Let's look at the church's beginning and see some the transitions that occurred back them.

In the first century the Jews, who became the first followers of Jesus Christ, experienced a major transition. In the year 70AD the Roman Empire used military force to subdue a rebellion and in doing so destroyed the Temple in Jerusalem. This caused a major disruption in the way the people of God related to God because a sacrament that God had provided and the people depended on for forgiveness was gone forever.

In ancient times God had provided the people with the sacrament of sacrifice for the forgiveness of sin. The process was simple. When people became aware that they were separated from God, as a result of their sin, they would come to the temple in Jerusalem and present a goat or a lamb to the priest. If they were too poor to afford a goat or a lamb they could bring a couple a birds or even a container of flower. The priest would then sacrifice the offering on the altar and burn the blood of the sacrificed animals, the smoke of which symbolized the prayers of the people going up to God. Then the priest would enter the Holy of Holies into the presence of God and deliver the prayers of the people. The priest then would return to the people and speak the words that sealed the gracious love of God on God’s people, “you are forgiven”. Sacrifice was a sign and seal of God's desire to forgive people who confess and repent. But with the destruction of the Temple this sacrament disappeared forever. There were no more altars, no more priests, and no more sacrament of sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins.

The author of Hebrews was a pastor who needed a way to assure his people that God loved them very much and still graciously forgave of all their sins. But with no priest and no temple, how could he assure his congregation? He did what all good pastors do; he meditated on God’s word to find something from God that would comfort his people. And he found this in the second psalm.

Psalm 2:7 ⁷ I will tell of the decree of the LORD: He said to me, "You are my son; today I have begotten you”.

Jesus, the begotten son of God, was a flesh and blood human. He experienced joy and pain, even the pain of death. He went through his own transitions in life. He felt the loss of a dear friend, Lazarus, and the great joy of the people he healed. Jesus could have used his power as God, but chose the path of humility and experienced our weakness. Because of all of this Jesus can empathize with us and understand us. And thus Jesus has the experience needed to hear and understand our prayers as our high priest. Moreover the resurrected and ascended Jesus Christ can deliver our prayers not in a symbolic Holy of Holies in a temple in Jerusalem but in the real Holy of Holies in heaven. So Christ would be the perfect high priest. The pastor who wrote Hebrews wanted to proclaim this to his people, but there was a problem.

The author of Hebrews knew very well that Jesus could not be our High Priest. His Bible, our Old Testament, was very clear that God only calls High Priests from the tribe of Levi. And high priests must be descendants of Aaron. But Jesus was not of the tribe of Levi; he was from the tribe of Judah, descended from King David. Jesus could be the king and the long waited for messiah, but he could not be the high priest who brings our prayers to God. The pastor who wrote Hebrews knew that he still did not have a way to tell his people that God hears their prayers, and forgives their sin. So he went back to meditating on the Word of God.

As the author of Hebrews searched the scripture he ran across a Psalm that was very familiar to his congregation. It was Psalm 110. Jesus had said that this psalm was talking about himself. But the author of Hebrews’ eye fell on a different verse that he had not noticed before.

Psalm 110:4 ⁴ The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind, "You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek."

There was the answer that he was looking for. Jesus was a priest but not of the line of Aaron. Jesus was called by God to the priesthood of Melchizedek. Melchizedek was a priest who ministered to Levi’s great-grandfather Abraham. He was the king of Salem who blessed Abraham after a battle. And Abraham responded with the gift of a tithe, ten percent. Therefore Jesus was called by God to a priesthood far older and more important than the levitical priests of Israel. Melchizedek is the Hebrew word that means “king of righteousness”, and Salem or shalom is the Hebrew word that means “peace” and “well being”. So Jesus was called by God to be a priest of righteousness from the land of peace and well being.

The pastor who wrote Hebrews then told his flock that just as Jesus had often prayed for his people while on earth, Jesus is now praying for us to God as our Great High Priest. Jesus has the experience to be a priest because of his experience of being a man. And Jesus has been called by God to the priesthood of the ancient order of Melchizedek. And therefore if we confess our sins and repent, Jesus will hear those prayers, draw upon his own experiences to understand what we are going through, and will communicate our prayers to God the Father. Then you will hear the ancient priestly words spoken by Jesus through the mouth of his pastors who say “in Jesus Christ you are forgiven.”

This is why we reenact the ancient sacrament of sacrifice every day at this church in worship and early morning prayers. We begin each day by confessing our sins both together as a congregation and silently as individuals. These prayers are heard by Jesus, who understands what we are experiencing, communicates our prayers to God, and speaks to us the words of forgiveness.

So as you experience the transitions in your lives and as the church experiences transition in pastoral leadership, remember that your Great High Priest does not change. Your prayers will always be heard by Jesus, a priest of the order of the king of righteousness from the land of peace and well being. Jesus will know what you are experiencing because he experienced it too. And Jesus will communicate your prayers to God and you will hear the ancient words, “you are forgiven.” Let us pray.

Lord Jesus we come to you today with our prayers and our sacrificial offerings. We ask that you hear our petitions and bring them to God. And we long to hear from you that God hears our prayers and forgives us. Amen.

Sermon – Deuteronomy 31-34 – Biblical Transitions: Moses to Joshua

Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard

Pitts Creek and Beaver Dam Presbyterian Churches

Sermon – Deuteronomy 31-34 – Biblical Transitions: Moses to Joshua

January 4, 2015

We have all experienced transitions in our lives. Our first transition occurred at birth when we emerged from our mother’s womb and entered a world full of light and sound and other frightening things. Do you remember your first day of school, or the day you went off to college? How about when you started your first job or entered the military? We have positive transitions: getting married, becoming a parent, finding a job. And we have negative transitions: losing a job, ending a relationship, the death of a loved one. Everyone experiences transitions in their lives, and therefore it is helpful to see what God says to people in the Bible who are experiencing transitions. But before we get to this important work please pray with me.

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)

Deuteronomy 31:1-8 ^NRS Deuteronomy 31:1 When Moses had finished speaking all these words to all Israel, ² he said to them: "I am now one hundred twenty years old. I am no longer able to get about, and the LORD has told me, 'You shall not cross over this Jordan.' ³ The LORD your God himself will cross over before you. He will destroy these nations before you, and you shall dispossess them. Joshua also will cross over before you, as the LORD promised. ⁴ The LORD will do to them as he did to Sihon and Og, the kings of the Amorites, and to their land, when he destroyed them. ⁵ The LORD will give them over to you and you shall deal with them in full accord with the command that I have given to you. ⁶ Be strong and bold; have no fear or dread of them, because it is the LORD your God who goes with you; he will not fail you or forsake you." ⁷ Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel: "Be strong and bold, for you are the one who will go with this people into the land that the LORD has sworn to their ancestors to give them; and you will put them in possession of it. ⁸ It is the LORD who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed."

Moses was approaching a transition. He had been active all of his life. For 40 years he was raised not as the son of a slave as he had been born, but in the Egyptian royal household as the adopted son of a princess. For another 40 years he guided his father-in-law’s sheep as they grazed in the wilderness. And combining these experiences of leadership and shepherding he led God’s people through that wilderness for yet another 40 years. But now at age 120 the Bible says that Moses was “no longer able to get about”. His eyesight was still good. He was still potent as a man. But he must have been experiencing problems walking and so his ability to accompany a nomadic people on the move was limited. He was experiencing a transition from being very active and independent to being inactive and dependent on others.

Even at this stage of his life God had one final task for Moses to do. Moses was to have all of the laws which God had given the people while they were wandering in the wilderness written down on sheep skins and rolled up into scrolls. These scrolls were to be given to the church workers from the tribe of Levi to be placed with the Ark of the Covenant and preserved in perpetuity. The elders of the twelve tribes were to study these scrolls and have them read to the people every seven years so that the people would know how God wanted them to live their lives. These scrolls were known as the way of life or instructions for life, which in Hebrew is called the Torah. And these rules of life are still available for us to follow, and are contained in the first five books of our Old Testament, Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy.

The reason that God wanted these scrolls prepared and preserved was to ensure that his people would know how to live their lives as transitions occur. God knew that the Israelites were about to transition from being a nomadic people wandering in the wilderness to being a settled people in the land that God had promised. God wanted them to have a set of instructions for living their lives. And God has preserved these instructions for us so that we too have instructions for living our lives.

The task of bringing the people of God into the Promised Land was given to Joshua. Joshua had been a young man when the Israelites left Egypt and showed his courage and faith as a spy sent by Moses to checkout the Promised Land. He urged the people to enter the land immediately, confident that God would lead them to victory, but they refused. Now nearly 40 years later Joshua was ready to accompany the Israelites as they crossed the Jordan River and settled in the land they had been promised.

It may appear that leadership was being passed from Moses to Joshua. But this would be incorrect. Neither Moses nor Joshua was the leader of the Israelites. This was not the death of one king and the rise of another. Both Moses and Joshua had important things to do, but the Bible is clear that the true leader of the Israelites was neither of them. The true leader of Israel was their God. And if God was there leader then was no transition in leadership. This is an important principle for us to remember: that no matter what transitions we face, God always remains the same and is our Lord.

As Moses and Joshua faced transitions in their lives God told them to do three things: first, to be bold and courageous, second, to remember that God is with you, and third, to not be afraid. Let’s look at each of these.

When facing transitions in life we should be bold and courageous. I have known people who fear retirement because they just don’t know what they will do when they retire. So they keep working at jobs they dislike rather than boldly entering active retirement. I know someone who loves hunting and fishing. A few years ago he bought a house high in the mountains of western Virginia were he spends most weekends and his vacation time. He continued to work at a job that he didn’t really like, but it paid well and had good benefits. Recently he decided that the joy of spending his time in the mountains, hunting and fishing, was far greater than the benefits of earning more money. So he boldly took early retirement and is now enjoying his new home in the mountains and his new life. So as we approach transitions in our lives let’s be bold and see transitions as opportunities for new joyful experiences. Let’s be courageous and tackle transitions with enthusiasm.

God also told Moses and Joshua that he would always be with them. No matter what transitions we experience God is faithful and is always there to bless us. I have a friend who experienced a devastating divorce. At first he eased his pain by drinking alcohol, but that just created other problems. He had been a Christian and often prayed, but after the divorce God seemed very far away. Then he became involved with a new church. He made friends and developed an active social life. And he developed a closer relationship with God realizing that God had always been right there with him even as he experienced his greatest despair. So as we approach transitions in our lives we should always remember that God is with us. God is faithful and just and loves us very much.

And finally God told Moses and Joshua to not fear. Whenever we are faced with major transitions in our lives paralyzing fear cannot be far away. I remember many years ago falling off a bicycle. I broke my collar bone, and was afraid to get on a bicycle again. Every time I tried to ride I would panic and fall off. But many years later, as my faith grew stronger, I wondered if my trust in God could overcome my fear. I bought a bicycle. It took me a few days to get used to riding one again. But eventually my balance returned and I could ride with enjoyment rather than fear. The knowledge that God was with me helped me to overcome my fear. So as we approach transitions in our lives we should have no fear because we know that God is right there with us.

Next month, this church will be experiencing a transition of it own. I will be leaving this pulpit. As we approach this transition I charge you to be bold and courageous. We have restarted a Pitts Creek choir and launched a band at Beaver Dam. We have morning prayer groups and evening Bible studies. We have active programs for children at both churches. And we do numerous special events. I challenge you to keep these ministries alive and continue to bring new people to this church.

As you do these things remember that God is the leader of this church, and even though pastors might change, God’s leadership does not change. God remains forever faithful and will lead this church into an exciting future. And with God in control there is no reason to fear this transition. Change in pastoral leadership can lead to anxiety, but if your focus is always on God’s Word and God’s presence in worship, then there is nothing for you to fear.

When Joshua went with the people of God into the Promised Land God told him that no one would stand in their way as they claimed God’s promises to their ancestors. God told Joshua to be bold and courageous in battle. God reminded Joshua that God would be with them throughout the war. God told Joshua not to fear the enemy because the Lord, God of his ancestors was leading the way. God also told Joshua to take the book of the Law that Moses had prepared and see to it that the people obeyed all these instructions. God promised his people success and prosperity in all that they would do if they just followed the commands he had given to Moses. And God fulfilled his promises blessing his people richly with the land God had promised. This promise is offered to us as well. Meditate on the Word of God and live your lives as God has instructed. Then God will bless you with success and prosperity in all you do. Let's pray.

Father in heaven we come to you today boldly in worship. We acknowledge your presence here with us, and this gives us confidence which overcomes our fears. We have meditated on your Word this day and pledge to you to follow these instructions as we live our lives. And we claim the promise of your blessing of success and prosperity as your obedient people. In your son’s name: Amen.

Sermon Luke 2:22-39 People in the Church

Jeffrey T. Howard

Pitts Creek and Beaver Dam Presbyterian Churches

Sermon Luke 2:22-39 People in the Church

December 28, 2014

The church consists of people. Each person in the church is given specific gifts from God. These gifts are used together to do what churches do. New members of a church are constantly bringing new gifts into the church. Long term members have shared many gifts over the years. Today we will look at two long term members of the church. Their names are Anna and Simeon. We will get to this, but first let's pray.

In you, O God, I will greatly rejoice: in speaking, I will greatly rejoice; in silence, I will greatly rejoice; in travels, I will greatly rejoice; in resting, I will greatly rejoice; in working, I will greatly rejoice; in leisure, I will greatly rejoice; in duties, I will greatly rejoice; in freedom, I will greatly rejoice. O God, my whole being exults in you, and my life shall evermore declare your praise, my light, my love, my joy. Amen.”¹

Luke 2:22-39 ²² When the time of their purification according to the Law of Moses had been completed, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord ²³ (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, "Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord"), ²⁴ and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: "a pair of doves or two young pigeons." ²⁵ Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. ²⁶ It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Christ. ²⁷ Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, ²⁸ Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: ²⁹ "Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. ³⁰ For my eyes have seen your salvation, ³¹ which you have prepared in the sight of all people, ³² a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel." ³³ The child's father and mother marveled at what was said about him. ³⁴ Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: "This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, ³⁵ so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too."

³⁶ There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, ³⁷ and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. ³⁸ Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem. ³⁹ When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth.

Let’s start by looking at Anna. You could find Anna in the temple at any time. She was there day and night. She must have loved talking to all those people who came for temple sacrifice. Obviously she loved to talk. Luke says that she talked with everyone there. And she loved to tell stories. She told Mary and Joseph about her father, and tribe, and about her husband who lived just seven years. In addition to telling stories she spent a great deal of her time fasting and praying. And when you spend enough time in prayer something happens to you. You begin to develop a relationship with God. God speaks to you. And you can discern God working in the community around you. This is what has happened to Anna. She has spent so much time in prayer that she now sees God at work everywhere she looks. Other people have begun to recognize Anna’s ability. They call her a prophet.

Churches need prophets like Anna. They need people who have been in the church for a long time and remember the old stories. Churches need people who pray a lot and come to the church often because over time these people develop the skills a church needs to see God at work in the world. Beaver Dam and Pitts Creek are blessed with prophets, members who have been here so long, have prayed for the church year after year, and therefore can see God at work in Pocomoke.

Now let’s turn to Simeon. Simeon is a worker at the temple. Simeon is not a priest, but he is there for Mary’s purification after childbirth. Luke tells us that Simeon was “righteous and devout”. My guess is that he has been doing things around the temple for years. Maybe he started lighting the wood stoves when he was a kid. Maybe, over the years, he had delivered tables to the marketplace or gathered food for the poor. When you spend enough time doing things around the church something begins to happen. According to Luke, Simeon was filled with the Holy Spirit.

Churches need people like Simeon. Not only do they do much of the work around the church like picking up supplies, leading the choir, teaching the kids, or passing out food, but they also begin to understand where God is leading the church. With Simeons in the church we know where we have been and where we are going. Simeons are needed when change occurs in the church because their steady hands and long experience guide the church into an uncertain future.

A church is blessed by God when Annas and Simeons are present because they see what God is doing in the world and they know where the church is headed.

Now let’s turn to Mary and Joseph. We all know Mary and Joseph. These are Jesus’ parents. We have just come though Advent when the church talks about these two a lot. But let’s look closely at these two because they have undertaken a long and difficult road to get themselves to the Jerusalem temple.

If you asked Mary and Joseph, “where are you from?” they would probably answer, “Nazareth”. But if you pressed them a little they would say “Bethlehem”. My home is here in Pocomoke. But it would not take long for you to find out that my home is really Washington DC. That is where I grew up and where my Dad lives. I have only been in Pocomoke for five years. So, why did Mary and Joseph live in Nazareth not Bethlehem? The king at that time was Herod. Herod wanted his kingdom to be not just a province of Rome, but a rival to the splendor and majesty of Rome. He embarked on massive building programs. The Jerusalem Temple doubled in size and he built a palace for himself right next to it. Around 4 BC a city was being built in the far north province of Galilee called Sephorous. Workers were needed from all over the kingdom. Some of the workers on this city settled in a nearby town called Nazareth. Mary and Joseph were probably the children of the immigrant construction workers who settled there

.

As immigrants Mary and Joseph were subject to harsh government policies. According to Luke all immigrants were required to return home to be registered. We often think of this as a census, Mary and Joseph had to fill out a few forms. But in reality it was more like deportation. There were forced to make the long difficult trek all the way back to Judea and their home town of Bethlehem.

Compounding their problems was Mary’s pregnancy which had entered the ninth month, and Mary and Joseph had yet to marry. After arriving in Bethlehem the couple could not find a place to stay and slept with animals. Mary gave birth to a son and placed him in a stone animal feeding trough we call a manger. But Mary and Joseph remained observant Jews and had their son circumcised according to law, and now they have taken the Samaritan route back home so that Mary could have her ritual cleansing, a month after giving birth to a son, in the Jerusalem temple.

We have families like Mary and Joseph living in Pocomoke who are suffering. They are poor. They are unable to find jobs. They struggle to pay rent and utilities. Many are black or mixed raced. I wonder if we would welcome a poor family into our church the way Simeon and Anna welcomed a poor family into their church.

For many years we have been a church of Annas and Simeons in a community of Marys and Josephs. For this church to thrive in this neighborhood it must be a church that brings Mary and Joseph together with Simeon and Anna. So let's open our doors and welcome the community in.

I can remember a Christmas Eve several years ago. Two men who had never been to church came in for an evening service and stayed for dinner. One of the men told me that he had grown up in that community and played basketball behind the gym. In the 1970s when the community began to change and became more Hispanic his family moved away. He returned to the neighborhood recently, and came to church for the first time. Sitting next to him at dinner was man who came to the community in the 1970s from El Salvador. I realized that these two had feared each other for 40 years. But that night they worshiped and ate together. What brought down the walls that divided these two? It wasn’t me or the beautiful music or even the food. What united these two men was Jesus Christ who, since he was just one month old, has been bringing diverse people together into church

.

When Simeon saw Mary and Joseph bring their baby into the temple he realized that everything had changed. Simeon had been waiting for Israel’s messiah, a messiah who would come and overthrow the Romans restoring the Davidic dynasty to Israel. But as he looked at the one month old Jesus, old Simeon knew that the messiah had come, but not to overthrow Rome. No, the messiah had come as a savior for all people, of all nations. The messiah was going to reveal God not just to Jews, but also to the all Gentiles including the Romans. This was a revolutionary thought. Christ had come not to throw the Romans out but to bring them into the worship of Israel’s God.

As the church of Jesus Christ we are about the business of breaking down walls. Here in Pocomoke we have an excellent opportunity to see what Christ can do with a church that removes the walls that separate people. This is not our church or their church. This is Jesus’ church, and Jesus is the messiah for all people from all nations. Christ has come to unite us in one faith, one church, Mary and Joseph and Anna and Simeon worshiping together in one place one God.

Let's pray with Simeon:

Now, Lord, you let your servant go in peace:

your word has been fulfilled.

My own eyes have seen the salvation

which you have prepared in the sight of every people;

A light to reveal you to the nations

and the glory of your people Israel. Amen.

1Feasting on the Word Worship Companion: Liturgies for Year B, Volume 1 © 2014 Westminster John Knox Press p52.