November 24 *Colossians 1.11-20, Jeremiah 23.1-6
“Thanksgiving – Ruler and Rescuer” Pastor Jacqueline Hines
At the last youth rally in Maryland that I attended, there
were about four very creative workshops that one could choose from. The
workshop I attended along with the youth, included a dramatic
presentation. There may have been 500 joy-filled tweens and teenagers in that
room all waiting for the presenters to begin. Suddenly, with no warning, a
teenager stood up from his seat in the middle of the crowd and let out a
hair-raising scream. “Jesus, help me!” I
will never, ever forget the sight of Jesus running from a far corner of the
room. With lightning speed he made his way through the crowd to the one who had
bravely cried out to him. The drama
captured the intensity of our need to be rescued and Jesus’s eagerness to be
there for us.
Winter is on its way. Already in the back of our minds, we dream
of a giant snowfall that might rescue us from the hustle and bustle of our
lives. Children wear their pajamas backwards in hopes of having the whole day
off to sled and make snow angels. Colleagues welcome a day to work in until the
roads are clear.
At any given day, there are different situations and circumstances
for which we would love to be rescued. Paul tells the church at Colossae
(in the area of modern day Turkey and Greece) that Jesus has rescued us
from darkness, but not just the darkness. He has rescued us from the power
of darkness, which is the authority to command devilish imps who are often in
fellowship with the Prince of Darkness. The power of darkness is an evil physical
and spiritual force that has authority to move as soon as it becomes dark, to
bring Hell’s misery and mental anguish. At the cross, we have been rescued
from the power of darkness.
Being rescued from the power of darkness is not to be
confused with being rescued from having problems in our life. Scripture tells
us that our days are short and full of trouble, that many are the afflictions
of the righteous, but the Lord delivers us out of them all, weeping may endure
for the night, but joy comes in the morning.
Sometimes a Divine rescue does come with all the
relief and fanfare that we expect. We
hear the sound of a mighty rushing wind as Jesus rushes like lightning to be by
our side. Other days, we may be at our wit’s end, crying out, “My God, my God,
why have you forsaken me.”
We may long to be rescued from physical pain, utter disappointment,
financial distress, frustration, fear or failure. Whatever it is, we want out.
We want the dark days to end and the light at the end of the tunnel to quickly
appear. During those times, the one who rules the universe also becomes our rescuer.
We are rescued from the power of darkness in at least three ways.
We are rescued - number 1 through the Word, number 2 through God’s will, and
number 3 through worship.
Scripture tells us that God’s word is a lamp at our feet, and
a light on our path. God’s Word helps us live a life worth living. The more I
read God’s word, the more alive I feel. The more I meditate on God’s Word, the
closer to God I feel. The more I study it, the deeper the wisdom seems to be.
There is great wisdom in the Ten Commandments alone. The
first four of the Ten Commandments demand that we have the utmost respect for
God. The last 6 of the Ten Commandments command high standards for
respecting each other. There is nothing old fashioned about God’s word. Who
among us could name even one blessing anyone has ever received by disrespecting
God or others?
Who among us can listen to the evening news without being
horrified by man’s inhumanity to man? Who can witness, without shuddering, the
acts of utter contempt and depravity perpetrated by lost souls who know not
what they do? Chances are good that there is someone in your circle of
influence that needs to be rescued. Pray, pray, pray that they notice that
God’s Word has rescued you. We are rescued from the power of darkness first
through the Word of God.
Secondly, we are rescued from the power of darkness through
the will of God. No matter where we go or who we are, we cannot escape
the sense that at any moment, our will can be overruled. We plan a
picnic and the rain comes. We plan a marriage and it dies on the vine. We plan
financial security and the bottom falls out. We plan for health and the doctors
haven’t a clue. There are those days when our good will is quickly
overruled, and we plunge into what seems like endless depths of darkness and
despair.
We wonder if the God of the universe has trashed us
and left us for dead. Thoughts creep into our despairing minds. Just maybe, we
think, another child of God is more important than we are. Nothing could be
farther from the truth.
One of my favorite stories is of a speaker who held up a $20
bill before his audience and asked “Who wants this $20 bill.” Hands started
going up. He said, "I am going to give this $20 bill to one of you, but
first, let me do this." He proceeded to crumple the $20 bill up. He then
asked, "Who still wants it?" Still the hands were up in the air.
"Well," he replied, "What if I do this?" And he dropped it
on the ground and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe. He picked
it up, now all crumpled and dirty. "Now who still wants it?" Still
the hands went into the air.
No matter what the speaker did to the money, people still
wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth $20. Many
times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt by the
circumstances that come our way or the decisions we make. *
We may feel worthless, but no matter what happens, we will always
by worthy of love, deserving of good things, and precious in the sight of God
and in the sight of all those who call themselves a child of God, who walk in
the footsteps of Jesus. No matter what comes our way, we will never be without
God’s love and tender care. God’s love
will always outshine or darkest moments. Just because we do not see God’s hand
does not mean we are not still in his heart. Just because we cannot see the sun
shining does not mean we are not experiencing its benefits.
In northern Chile, between the Andes Mountains and the
Pacific Ocean, there is a narrow strip of land where the sun shines every day.
It rarely rains. The sun shines brilliantly and the sunsets are ever so
picturesque. Storms pass right over and heavy fog stays far away. This strip of land is sort of “protected” from
ever having a dark day. You might think
that it would be the most beautiful land in the world, but it’s not. It’s a
sterile and desolate wilderness because constant sunshine hinders streams of
water, and without water nothing grows there.*
Even when the days are dark and cloudy, God has a purpose and
a plan. As Betty Jo Borzick reminded me this week from the songwriter, “I
believe with every drop of rain that falls, a flower grows.” Streams of tears
are not taken lightly by God. God is working something out for us. Psalm 56
tells us that ever tear we shed is kept in a bottle and stored in God’s record
book. God has a most precise purpose and compassionate plan. We are rescued
from the power of darkness by God’s sheer will to love us dramatically.
God’s word rescues us, God’s love rescues us,
and thirdly, worship rescues us. Worship happens when our hearts are
grateful. When we understand that we belong to God and that all that we have
and all that we are and ever will be we owe it all to one who is infinitely
greater, one who may overrule, but who will also overwhelm us with love.
A man was trying to persuade another to attend church. He
said, "Don't you think you owe the Lord something?" The other man answered,
"Yes, I suppose so, but God isn't pressing me as hard as my other
creditors!"
True - and God never will. God will never send you a bill, or
send out somebody to collect what you owe him. He doesn't keep reminding us how
deeply we are in debt. This is something he would like for us to find out for
ourselves.
It is one thing to be told that we have a lot to be
thankful for; it is quite another to make the discovery on our own. We can be
told and not be convinced, but what we discover on our own, is a lesson
we don’t forget easily. Each of us needs to discover for ourselves that we are
deeply indebted for the many blessings we have.*
God is worthy of our worship – that is our humble prayer, adoration,
praise, and thanksgiving in even the darkest circumstances. Worship helps us
keep that conversation with God and one another healthy and strong, fervent and
meaningful.
You remember the song "Just A Little Talk With
Jesus"
I once was lost in sin, but Jesus took me in
And then a little light from heaven filled my soul.
He bathed my heart in love, and wrote my name above
And just a little talk with my Jesus made me whole.
(Now let us) have a little talk with Jesus (let us) tell him
all about our troubles
(He will) hear our faintest cry (and we will) answer by and
by
(Now when you) feel a little pray'r wheel turning
(Then you'll) know a little fire is burning.
(You will) find a little talk with Jesus makes it right.
We are rescued through God’s word that rules us, through
God’s will that love us, and through our worship that keeps the fires of our
love burning like the noon day sun. Amen.
*Sermons.com
