A Song of Ascents

THE JOY OF KNOWING AND SHARING GOD

Annual Meeting Sermon

April 28, 1991

A Song of Ascents Psalm 126

When the Lord brought back again the captive ones of Zion, we were like those who dream. The our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with joyful shouting; then they said among the nations, "The Lord has done great things for them."

The Lord has done great things for us; we are glad.

Restore our captivity, O Lord, as the streams in the South.

Those who sow in tears shall reap with joyful shouting. He who goes to and fro weeping, carrying his bag of seed, shall indeed come again with a shout of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.

This is A Song of Ascents, to be sung on the way to worship in Jerusalem. I'm not sure how many of you sing on your way to Sunday morning worship, but it might not be a bad idea.

This is one song to get you ready to come into God's Presence; it tells of

I. WHAT THE LORD HAS DONE

— The Lord has done great things for us...

No doubt this has been a mixed year for the church, for you, for me as individuals. But along with the pain, there has been a Presence! It is GOOD to remember that God is with us.
God is with us as a people:
1. A growing missions awareness: Nielsens/ Stephanie Brank taken from our "cozy family" bring us closer to Manila; Restricks were "ours" for a year— now we are "with them" in Portugal. Todd Wanner in Honduras.
  The Scotts (Jon, Margaret, Andrea, David, JOEL, Nathan) have helped us see real live missionaries with a passion for God's work; W&W to Azores. God HAS done great things!
2. An opening door in Codman Square; this is not the time to go into great detail, but suffice it to say that the possibilities are great if every person will care and pray and obey! Dennis Scott, Merritt Nielson, (Neale McLain)
God did a great thing for us in the trauma of the Persian Gulf last winter; how soon we forget the trauma! Armageddon loomed large! SCUDS fell in Israel. Saddam Hussain was an unknown quantity. The euphoria of "unification" in Europe evaporated. We dare not forget! God answered our prayer; there is a respite!
The Psalm of Ascents also speaks of what God would have His people to do:

II. WHAT THE LORD WOULD HAVE HIS PEOPLE DO

" . . . go forth weeping, bearing precious SEED . . . "

It is important that we GO FORTH. There is a semi-popular gospel song that says "My house is FULL, but my fields are EMPTY!" The command of Jesus was that we are to: "Pray the Lord of the harvest to send forth laborers!"
"Going forth" speaks of the TASKS of the church. No less— no more! They all need to be done!
But going forth is not quite enough; we are to go forth WEEPING. The tasks of the church are never to be done "coldly" or in JUST a professional manner. We are dealing with persons, made in God's image.
"Weeping" speaks of finding God's compassion to make the tasks more than "jobs" but missions of love.
But GOING and WEEPING are necessary-but-not- sufficient! There is a final, vital ingredient!
THERE IS THE MATTER OF SEED! The SEED is the LIFE! The SEED is the Gospel! Not simply the written Word, but that is vital! Not simply Good News in human words of wisdom— but LIFE!
SEED = LIFE LIFE = KNOWING GOD
KNOWING GOD = (God INHABITS His Word; as we read Christocentrically we come to know Jesus!) Jesus Christ living within us! The INCARNATIONAL KNOWLEDGE OF GOD! THAT IS THE SEED!
CAN GOD REALLY LIVE WITHIN US?
There really is no substitute for INCARNATION! There is no short cut to knowing God as personally resident! INCARNATION is not a lesson which gifted people can by-pass. The knowledge of God is itself the basis of wisdom.
If we think because God has gifted us with large dimensions of thought we are qualified to KNOW (UNDERSTAND) GOD then we are exactly reversed!
God does not consist of our ideas of infinity and immensity and omnipresence! Rather, we inform those ideas by coming to KNOW God, and God INHABITS His written Word, and illuminates it by His Holy Spirit.

[There are a lot of Abe Lincoln stories, and it is impossible to know how many if not most are apocryphal. But Lincoln doted on his children; he loved his son Tad. Tad took a Private in the Army through the sentries into Lincoln's office, because Tad KNEW Abraham Lincoln in a way no scholar ever has known him!]

There is just a little more in this Song of Ascents- beside PRAISE for what God has done, and an OUTLINE OF THE TASKS at hand, there is

III. ASSURANCE THAT GOD WILL GRANT HIS PEOPLE SUCCESS

"...shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing sheaves"

Many churches — all churches one would presume— want success in their endeavors. But as long as they (we) define success on our terms it will be elusive.
Many churches think that seminars and studies and techniques are where we begin for success. These things have their place. But we begin with the basics: success is finding and doing God's will here and now! And if we (1) have SEED and (2) will GO and CARE, then we shall succeed! The word is DOUBTLESS!
Remember: INCARNATIONAL! We have to know God! He has to get on the inside of us! We can win if we have the good SEED!
Then think: RELATIONAL! You and I don't have to go to Manila! (At least I don't think YOU do!) But where we GO we can CARE! And if we Go and if we CARE and if we have the good SEED, then the word is DOUBTLESS! Prayer: Thank You, Father, for what YOU have done for us this year! Forgive us for where we may have limited You— where we have tried to make YOU in OUR image!

Live in US! Inhabit our CHURCH! And somehow make US in YOUR image we pray! We pray in Jesus' name. Amen

#3 To God Be the Glory (Great Things He Hath Done)