New Covenant Presbyterian Church
Sermon Psalm 121:1-2 “Does God Care About Me?”
September 16, 2018
Listen to this sermon.
Last week we began Believe the Story of the Bible to Become Like Jesus in our Christian education classes and in worship. We asked the question, “Who is God?”. We worship the creator God who is one being in the community of three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This God created us in his image to live in community with each other in families, neighborhoods, and churches. God creates communities in his image of grace, love, and fellowship.
Today we will ask the next logical question, “Does this God of the Bible care about me?”. We will get to this, 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 are three questions we will be asking today: First, “Is God Good?”. Second, “Does God care about me?”. And Third, “Does God have a plan for my life?”. Let’s look at each of these.
Is God good? Let me tell you a story. God had promised children to Abram and Sarai. Their descendants would number more than all the grains of sand in the sea. But as they grew older with no children they became impatient and decided to take matters into their own hands. Abram and Sarai conspired to have Abram get a slave, Hagar, pregnant so that he would have his child. Hagar conceived and bore Abram a son, Ishmael. As you might expect Sarai regretted her decision and was very jealous of Hagar and her son.
Years later Sarai had her own son. She laughed so hard when she knew she would have a baby in her old age she named her son with the Hebrew word for laugh, Isaac. Once Isaac was born there was no longer any need for Hagar and Ishmael in the family. So they were sent out. And you would expect that this would be the end of their story. The biblical focus will be on Isaac and his family. But we have this curious story from Genesis
9 But Sarah saw that the son whom Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham was mocking, 10 and she said to Abraham, “Get rid of that slave woman and her son, for that woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac.”
11 The matter distressed Abraham greatly because it concerned his son. 12 But God said to him, “Do not be so distressed about the boy and your slave woman. Listen to whatever Sarah tells you because it is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned. 13 I will make the son of the slave into a nation also because he is your offspring.”
14 Early the next morning Abraham took some food and a skin of water and gave them to Hagar. He set them on her shoulders and then sent her off with the boy. She went on her way and wandered in the Desert of Beersheba.
15 When the water in the skin was gone, she put the boy under one of the bushes. 16 Then she went off and sat down about a bowshot away, for she thought, “I cannot watch the boy die.” And as she sat there, she[c] began to sob.
17 God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. 18 Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation.”
19 Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. So she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink.
20 God was with the boy as he grew up. He lived in the desert and became an archer. 21 While he was living in the Desert of Paran, his mother got a wife for him from Egypt.
So what do you think? Is God good? I think so. He took this boy, born in the sin of adultery, and blessed him richly. And God blesses us too. So I think we have to conclude that God truly is good.
Now, let’s turn to the next question. Does God care about me? Consider these words of the psalmist from the familiar King James Version.
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 forever.
God blesses us with many things. He has given us a world where we have plenty to eat and drink. It is filled with beauty in streams and forests and beaches and mountains and everything else. God has forgiven our sin and restored our relationship with him. God gently guides us with his word. God protects us from evil. God blesses us with families, neighborhoods, and churches. And God promises us eternal life. So what do you think? Does God care about us? Of course, God cares for all of us.
So far we have found that God is good and God cares about us. That leaves us with one more question. Does our good God who cares for us have a plan for our lives? Listen to this story from the first chapter of Jeremiah.
4 The word of the Lord came to me, saying, 5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart. I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”
6 “Alas, Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am too young.”
7 But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. 8 Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord.
9 Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, “I have put my words in your mouth.
God chose Jeremiah to be a prophet before he was even born. God revealed this plan to Jeremiah when he was still a child. And God promised to give Jeremiah the gifts he needed to do what God wanted him to do. So God had a plan for Jeremiah’s life.
God has certainly had a plan for me. I spent a great deal of time trying to implement my own plan. I wanted a successful business and a family. But time after time something came up to block me. It seemed like I was always going uphill. But then one day I realized that God wanted me to serve his church. I was ordained a deacon and became a Bethel teacher. Then I went to seminary and began the process to become a pastor. Since then God has blessed me with a wonderful wife and ministries where I can serve his kingdom. I know now that God had a plan for my life all along. And I am certain that God has a plan for all of your lives as well.
So what have we learned today? We know that the God of the Bible is good. God cares for you and me. And God has a plan for our lives.
Listen to these wonderful words from the 121st Psalm.
Psalm 121
A song of ascents.
1 I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
3 He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;
4 indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The Lord watches over you—
the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
6 the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.
7 The Lord will keep you from all harm—
he will watch over your life;
8 the Lord will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.
Let’s pray. Father in heaven we praise you for your goodness. We thank you for caring about us and blessing us with a plan for our lives. Bless us each day as we live out your plan assured that you will always care for us. This we pray filled with your spirit and in your Son’s name. Amen.
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