This sermon is on line as a recording on the St Andrew's website... so feel free to listen to it.
Today marks
a significant step in the life and journey of the Presbyterian Church here in
Whangarei.
If you
could imagine going on a tramp, walking through the bush and coming to a fork
on the track... three paths come together and unite for the way forward. That
is where we are today.
Those
tracks meet on a hill side, and from here we can see where we’ve come from and from
here we can see where we have been, how we got here, and from here we can catch
a glimpse of where we are going. That is where we are today.
So that’s a
great place to stop and to look around and take stock; to remember the journey
so far and those who have walked it with us.
To celebrate and commemorate what we have shared and achieved, before we
turn and walk together the new track that is before us. That is what we are
doing today.
In 1 Samuel
7 after a significant victory over the Philistines, but still with so many more
challenges to come, the prophet Samuel raises a stone which he calls Ebenezer,
which means “thus far God has helped us”. Today is an Ebenezer moment… it’s not
an ending, it’s that remembering ‘so far God has helped us’. It’s the telling
of the story of that help which gives us Hope as we turn and face the future, as
we embark on the next phase of the journey together as one. As we start this
new adventure, this new chapter following Jesus as one church.
It’s
appropriate that our bible reading for today is Psalm 121. Because Psalm 121 is
a song from the road. It is a pilgrim’s song. A psalm of ascent, part of a
collection of psalms in the wider book that was used as pilgrims came to
Jerusalem for one of the big festivals.
It’s a
psalm that seems to fit right where we are at today. The Psalmist has been on
this long epic journey, and the caravan he is part of stops for the night, and
as the desert starts to cool the heat haze dies down there for the first time
he can see the hills of Judea, there for the first time he sees his destination
Jerusalem far off in the distance up the top of those mountains.
The journey
is far from over, but here he or she is at this juncture. The road behind was
long, full of highs and lows, good times and hard yards. The road ahead still
seems long and difficult, if they were coming up through Jericho, then it was a
dangerous route, Jesus parable of the Good Samaritan takes place on that road
up to Jerusalem from the kings way in the Jordon valley, and it rang true for
his hearers because of the danger of robbers and thieves.
I don’t know
about you but I don’t like hills, I like being on top of them. Being new to Whangarei, I just love coming over the Brynderwyns and having your breath taken away as you see the mystical. almost otherworldly Whangarei heads dark green against the blue of the pacific. But walking up hills, not so much.
But also for
the psalmist there is a sense of anticipation and hope, of exhilaration… here
is the destination that the pilgrim has been dreaming of has been working
towards and journeying to, this is where God is calling them to go. His vision and purpose is renewed. Facing what lies ahead the psalmist says I
look to the hills where does my help come from’
Almost in
answer you could see the sun setting and the stars come out and the Psalmist
looks up and realizes that beyond the mountains and even the stars that his
help comes from the maker of heaven and earth. From the almighty creator of all
there is.
Maybe, the
spirit lead him to look and see the leader of the caravan, going about his
tasks setting up the camp, cooking the dinner, establishing guards against the
dark night, and The psalmist is reminded that God has been like that guide.
The psalm
changes from first person to second person, here is God’s answer. All the way
God had watched over them… The way that
the path has been planned and picked out even though rocky terrain and up steep
narrow hill sides…The Lord will not let your foot slip… When the pilgrim slept
someone kept watch… The Lord does not slumber of sleep… During the long desert
journey they had been provided shelter… they slipped, slopped, slapped and
slurped…and prevailed over the deadly desert sun… At night they had heard the howl of Jackel the roar of lion under
the moon but were not harmed…The Lord watches over you… the sun will not harm
you by day nor the moon by night… All along God had guided and sheltered and
cared for the pilgrim…
The Pilgrim
psalmist remembers the words of blessing that they would have received as they
left on this journey, and acknowledges that they could trust God for the rest
of the journey.
“the Lord
will keep you from all harm”
He will
watch over your life;
The Lord
will watch over your comings and goings
both now
and forever more.”
It’s almost as if he turns to the
pilgrims who will follow and says, That God can be trusted for the whole of the
journey. It didn’t mean there wouldn’t
be hard times and dark dangerous nights and hot desolate desert times, but God
is there to see them through.
The psalmist turns to us and says we
can trust in God’s keeping through the whole of life’s journey… It has spoken
that hope into my life as my Mum asked me to read it at my father’s funeral,
for her. It was read at her funeral as well… read as an affirmation of the
Lord’s keeping and help.
Jesus would have known and used this
psalm. Even on his last journey to Jerusalem, knowing that God could be trusted
even though his path lead through the cross and that valley of suffering and
death. But on to resurrection and new life and new creation and hope for
humanity…
It is the story of the church down
through history… Paul knew this psalm as well and you can hear it echoed in our
new testament reading today, from the book of Philippians… “ we can have
confidence that the one who has started a good work in you will carry it to
completion on the day of Christ Jesus’.
It is for us today… We look back and
we see that God in Christ has been with us by the Holy Spirit and has kept us,
has journeyed with us and been our help and our keeper. We are here now and we
can see that Christ is with us, calling us on into a new Hope filled future and
we can have confidence that God will continue to keep us, lead us, guide us. God
watches over our goings out … our stepping through the door of farewell and
change, and our comings in, that stepping out onto the new path and new journey
and new adventure together…
I want to finish with a short clip
from the film the Hobbit: an unexpected adventure, which encapsulates where we
are at so wonderfully… Bilbo Baggins played by Martin Freeman, wakes up,
realizes that his guests have left on their quest… takes one last look around his
safe comfortable home Bag End and well let’s see what happens … (insert clip)
We can trust in God to keep us will
you come on an adventure with me…
Lets pray
Lord,
We thank you for all you have done
and all you have lead us through that has bought us to this place and this time
today.
For joy filled celebrations, for
heart felt commemorations,
For your spirit’s presence, leading
and guiding
We thank you for companions on the
road,
Challenges faced and victories won
For growth and new life
For Christ glorified, in this place
and through this people
Lead us onwards, in fresh vision and
mission
Seeking God’s best for Whangarei and
beyond
be our hope and our help watch over
our comings and goings
now and forevermore
amen
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