CHRIST IS OUR ONLY HOPE
PSALM 46:1
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
In the name of Jesus:
Governor Jan Brewer of the state of Arizona, in remarks to the citizens of her state in the wake of the tragic deaths last weekend said in her state of the state: “ Tragedy and terror sometimes come from the shadows – and steal our joy and take away our peace.
This past weekend's events have caused me – caused all of us -- to reflect on many things, including how we respond to those terrible events. Our response is led by prayer and comfort for the families. “ Patricia’s death has stolen our joy and has taken away our peace. Dave, Sandra, and Jennifer, to Patricia’s family and friends, your grief is unimaginable. How do we respond? To whom should we turn? God tenderly invites you to turn to Him. Your hope, our hope, is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth. God invites you and all who mourn today to come to Him, for God is our refuge and strength, our very present help in times of trouble.
There is a hymn in the historic Church’s liturgy, which dates to the 14th. Century. It is called the Media vita in morte sumus. It’s very words direct us to God in the time of death. The hymnist writes: “In the midst of life we are in death, from whom can we seek help? From you alone, O lord, who by our sins are justly angered, Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and merciful Savior, deliver us not into the bitterness of eternal death.” We sinful human beings deserve no good thing from God. Today we are broken but not defeated, for our help is in the name of the Lord.
Death brings home to us the reality of our own frail nature. Each and everyone of us must die. So how do we respond? Where comes our help? Our help is not found in the wisdom of other people, in our own strength, even in our own death. To all assembled here and to especially the young people today, I want to say most clearly, your death is not an answer. If you have ever contemplated taking your life, please do not. There are people, who love you, who will listen, who will help. Most importantly, God loves you. God is your help and will be your help. Your help is in the Lord. Our death is not the answer to any problems or trials that we face. God’s death, though, is the answer.
For the Bible says that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Jesus died for you. God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, so that whoever believes in Christ will have eternal life. In your distress, in your grief, go to the Lord, for He loves you with an everlasting love. Listen to God’s tender invitation: “Come to me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” The Psalmist writes: “Out of my distress I called on the Lord; the Lord answered me and set me free.
6 The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?
7 The Lord is on my side as my helper; I shall look in triumph on those who hate me. 8 It is better to take refuge in the Lord
than to trust in man.
9 It is better to take refuge in the Lord
than to trust in princes.” Elsewhere we read the Psalmist who writes: “Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord!
2 O Lord, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my pleas for mercy! 3 If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities,
O Lord, who could stand?
4 But with you there is forgiveness,
that you may be feared. 5 I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
and in his word I hope;
6 my soul waits for the Lord
more than watchmen for the morning,
more than watchmen for the morning. 7 O Israel, hope in the Lord!
For with the Lord there is steadfast love,
and with him is plentiful redemption.
8 And he will redeem Israel
from all his iniquities.”
How do we know this? We know this because of God’s certain Word. The Scriptures tell us of the sign of God’s love: “This is a sign to you, you will find the Baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger. To you has been born in the city of David the Savior, Christ the Lord.” Christ is our Lord and Savior. He loves sinners with an everlasting love. He loves you with an everlasting love and this is His promise: “37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. 40 For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” John 6:37-40
God saves sinners. Christ came to save sinners. In His death and resurrection, God has the only answer to our death and grief. It is Jesus. Christ became sin for us that we might be God’s children. Christ saves sinners. Christ delights in living with and in sinners. Christ is the only Hope for sinners.
Patricia was a child of God. Her favorite hymn was Amazing Grace. “Amazing grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me, I once was lost but now am found was blind but now I see.” Through the love and care of Dave and Sandra Patricia came to a saving faith in Jesus Christ. Know this for certain, dear friends, Jesus loved Patricia and Patricia loved the Lord Jesus! She is with the Lord today, because of God’s amazing grace in Jesus Christ. By grace we have all been saved, through faith in Christ. And just as Jesus rose from the grave, so too His promise to Patricia, and to each and every one of us who believe in Jesus is that He will raise us up on the Last Day. Dave, Sandra, and Jennifer, on that Day when Jesus comes He will make all things new. For our Redeemer lives! Keep trusting in Jesus, for whoever is faithful unto death He will give the crown of everlasting life. You will hold Patricia’s hand again and see her in the flesh, for our Redeemer lives!
Even now, Jesus is your refuge in death. Even though you walk through this dark valley God is with you. For the Lord is your Shepherd. He is with you to be your ever present help in this time of trouble. So trust Christ. He knows our frame, He remembers that we are dust. He abounds in steadfast love for you. He is your refuge and strength. And that “neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39.
Amen
Lord God, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that Your hand is leading us and Your love supporting us, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen
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