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Our text this morning is the forty-sixth Psalm, which is the inspiration for the great Reformation hymn by Martin Luther “A Mighty Fortress” The Psalm begins this way:
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear,
Though the earth be removed,
And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
Though its waters roar and be troubled,
Though the mountains shake with its swelling.
Therefore we will not fear,
Though the earth be removed,
And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
Though its waters roar and be troubled,
Though the mountains shake with its swelling.
This is your word heavenly Father, sanctify us by your truth, your word is truth. Amen.
Beloved in Christ: People are scared. It’s all about to come crashing down you know. Everybody knows that things are bad. The Mayans predicted it, right? 2012 the calendar runs out! That guy Camping prophesied the end of the world was going to happen a couple of weeks ago, again. Ok, so he was wrong, again. Superbugs, super-weapons, 500 foot tall tsunami, magnitude 10 earthquakes, choose your poison. I’ve found myself in weird, unexpected conversations as I was breathlessly informed–how there are mylar strips embedded in our paper money and how these strips can read the numbers off of your credit cards when you put them together in your wallet and then the computer codes on the back of traffic signs then read the information transmitted from your money as you drive by! Conspiracies and the unlikeliest catastrophe somehow makes more sense than the chaotic emotion of undefinable dread.
What is the ultimate source and foundation of the fear that haunts us? While bad things may most certainly be going on out there in the world, I would challenge you to consider something that I think is commonly overlooked: the true source of your darkest fear is within yourself. All the evil which we see happening around us, the conspiracy theories which continually present themselves as truth, and the real conspiracy of wickedness which so harms the common affairs of our action and behavior and word spoken and done out of evil motivations–all these are the outward evidence of the inward existence of sin– the sin which has been your constant companion since you were woven together in your mother’s womb. You know fear, because you are a sinner. This is common to all of us, for we are the offspring of a race fallen since the Garden. And because we are sinners, because we fall short of the Glory of God and His perfect Law, we have good reason to fear. In our sinfulness we see the ever present threat of punishment and eternal death before us. Sin makes us spiritually blind because death fills our spiritual field of view. No matter where the sinful man looks he sees the result of his sin which is death, and so he is fearful and filled with the vision of evil and conspiracy permeating the whole world.
Because of sin, we see disaster on every side, and, to use Luther’s words “devils all the world should fill, all eager to devour us...” Nevertheless, the message our Lord sends us through this forty-sixth Psalm is one which is ultimately reassuring. Each of us, in our own heart has felt the dreadful fear which is the message of the Law. God’s Word delivers a new message:
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear,
Though the earth be removed,
And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
Though its waters roar and be troubled,
Though the mountains shake with its swelling.
Therefore we will not fear,
Though the earth be removed,
And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
Though its waters roar and be troubled,
Though the mountains shake with its swelling.
God is for us. And more than lending us moral support, He is our refuge, our strength, to use Luther’s paraphrase, “A mighty fortress is our God, a trusty shield and weapon.” No matter what happens, as you remain in Him, you shall be kept safe from the root of the threats you know too well, revealed through the fear which fills each sinful heart. We know the message of God’s Holy Word, that we were lost and helpless in sin and the fear which filled our hearts was wholly justified for we faced eternal death. But God loves and saves us. He was born among us and fulfilled the Law in our place, He suffered willingly for you and died that you should live. Through His life, death, and resurrection Jesus has made Himself your hiding place. He has weathered the full attack of sin and death and in Him, covered in His blood, you no longer need fear. He has saved you.
But what form has this salvation taken? What is the entrance into this mighty fortress which Jesus for your sake has become? The Psalm continues:
There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God,
The holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High.
God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved;
God shall help her, just at the break of dawn.
The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved;
He uttered His voice, the earth melted.
The LORD of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our refuge.
The holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High.
God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved;
God shall help her, just at the break of dawn.
The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved;
He uttered His voice, the earth melted.
The LORD of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our refuge.
What is this river whose streams make glad the city of God? This is a description of Holy Baptism, which is the foundation of the city of God. The glad city of God is the Church– the holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High. And this holy place, this Church is not merely an institution, this is not merely a sanctimonious club meeting that we've gathered for, for as the Psalm says "God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved;" You have received the life of Christ in the washing of your rebirth in holy Baptism, and you all together are now made the Bride of Christ, and in this hope, this reality, and this blessing we shall not be moved. We shall be like a tree, planted by the water, for God is with us, He has rooted us in the banks of this holy river, and here He feeds us with all good things even as the storm of sin and death rages all around. Come what may, even if the earth itself should melt away, the Church of Christ shall remain, for we are kept safe for eternity in the blood of the Lamb, Jesus our Lord.
This is no mere wish or dream. The Church–the assembly of the believers around the Word of God, the Gospel of Jesus, delivered through the Holy Mysteries of Grace, the Keys, which open heaven's gate, the water, which washes us and clothes us in the Son of God, the bread and wine which feed us on the body and blood of Jesus– this is the breaking through of heaven on earth. What happens in the Church is the perfection of the saints, the cleansing of sinners, the renewing of hearts and minds, the strengthening of human spirits by the Power of the Holy Spirit and the formation of the people of God as the Bride of Jesus Christ our Lord. In this place, this time, this reality which transcends this world and brings to us God Himself with all His gifts and all His love we take refuge from the world and are revealed as the children of the King. God’s children for Jesus’ sake. Christ’s bride by the power of the Spirit. Living sacrifices set apart and made holy unto God by the blood of Jesus that we die to this world and live to eternity.
But in the world, people still fear. In the world, sin still thrashes and destroys and murders. It all seems so out of control. In the world it would seem that God is losing everything, even the life of His beloved Son, and that we too shall lose everything. But in the face of the world, sin, death, evil, in the face of the devil himself, we remember that God truly is in control of His creation and will not surrender even the least of those whom He has called. As the Psalm continues:
Come, behold the works of the LORD,
Who has made desolations in the earth.
He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two;
He burns the chariot in the fire.
Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!
The LORD of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our refuge.
Jesus Christ has eternally defeated the evil one, and we live in Him. He shall not fail us for He has already defeated death itself and gives us life. No matter how bad or fearsome things may seem, no matter what may be taken, we lose nothing for we have Jesus, and He has us. As Luther wrote:
The Word they still shall let remain
Nor any thanks have for it;
He’s by our side upon the plain
With his good gifts and Spirit.
And take they our life,
Goods, fame, child, and wife,
Though these all be gone,
Our vict’ry has been won;
The Kingdom ours remaineth.
The peace of God which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Amen.
