Pastor Rich's Sermon - Sunday, September 23, 2001

Comfort is so often relative. Some people found comfort this summer by basking in the sun, while others found it by retreating into the air conditioning. Some people define comfort as curling up with a good book, while others define comfort as talking a quiet walk. Some people take comfort in hitting the ski slopes on a snowy winter’s day, while others take comfort sitting in front of a fire enjoying a hot chocolate. Merchandisers use your comfort as part of their sales pitch with regards to cars, airplane travel, soaps, detergents, foods, the list goes on and on. Some people are taking comfort in our country’s military, while parents, spouses and children of service men and women are finding little comfort as they watch their loved ones go off to war. While our ways of comforting ourselves usually offer us some relief the truth of the matter is that we need comfort in the context of relationship.

This has become so evident particularly in light of the horrific events of September 11. People have found comfort in joining together in prayer, in coming to church, in attending candlelight vigils, in gathering with friends and neighbors, in wanting to help, in offering comfort.

The scenes of the armory in NYC where relatives have gathered awaiting news of their loved ones, scenes that are being repeated in the homes through this tri-state area and across the world clearly depict comfort as being relational.

This should not come as any surprise, because Psalm 23 and the Parable of the Prodigal Son clearly depict God’s comfort as relational.

Look at the 23rd Psalm. You can list the ways God comes near and gives comfort to His sheep, to you and me.

“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.”

God will satisfy every need I have.

“He makes me lie down in green pastures.”

God will provide me with rest.

“He leads me beside still water....
He leads me in paths of righteousness.”

God will direct my steps, my life.

“He will restore my soul.”

God will restore, refresh, and renew my life.

“Even though I walk through
the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil for You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.”

Death casts a frightening shadow over us because we are entirely helpless in its presence, yet God promises to be there to walk us through death’s dark valley and bring us safely to the other side. God offers us eternal comfort as well as earthly comfort. Using his rod, his strength to defend and his staff, his compassion to comfort us. A truth that is evident in the following story.

A young boy was hospitalized with cancer. The chaplain stopped by for a visit. The boy proudly showed him how he had learned and reminded himself of the first five words of Psalm 23. Using his fingers he said,

“The Lord is my shepherd.”

The chaplain noticed that when he said the word My, he did not just point to the finger, but closed his ring finger with his other hand. The chaplain inquired why. The boy said, “It shows my relationship with Jesus.” Sadly the boy died shortly there after. When the chaplain entered the room he noticed the boy had died holding his ring finger.

This story and the psalmist show us a picture of God as a relational God who longs to meet our every need. This is repeated in the parable of the prodigal son.

Vs. 20 “But while he, the sinful younger son,
was still a long way off,
his father saw him
and was filled with compassion for him;
he, the boy’s father, ran to his son,
threw his arms around him and kissed him.”

The father's compassion for his son is evident in his hug and kiss and the father’s further actions.

“The father said,
‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him.
Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.
Bring the fattened calf and kill it.
Let’s have a feast and celebrate.’”

Every action of the father was a declaration that the father, had compassion on his son. He welcomed his son back, not on his son’s terms, to be a servant, but on his own terms,

“this son of mine, is alive again.”

Psalm 23 and the Parable of the Prodigal Son are only two of many Biblical stories that reveal God’s comforting compassion. Each gospel is filled with real life stories of Jesus having compassion and comforting widows, the sick, the tortured, the possessed, the lonely, the outcast. It was those stories and Paul’s own encounter with the all compassionate and comforting God which lead him to write,

“Praise be to the God and Father
of the Lord Jesus Christ,
the father of compassion
and the God of all comfort,
who comforts us in all our troubles,
so that we can comfort those in any trouble
with the comfort we ourselves
have received from God.”

God’s comfort does not exempt us from troubles. God’s comfort means so much more. It means strength, encouragement, and hope to deal with our troubles. It means comforting others who suffer similar troubles.

God’s compassion and comfort is what will help you and me, it is what will help this country heal from the horrific atrocities of September 11th. We must seek God’s comfort. We must expose our lives to the truth of Psalm 23 and Luke 15. We must focus our thoughts on God’s promises of comfort.

Promises like those found in:

Isaiah 43:2 “When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;
when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.
For I am the Lord, your God,
the Holy one of Israel, your Savior.”

2 Corinthians 4:10-11
“We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus,
so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.
For we who are alive are always being given over to death
for Jesus’ sake,
so that His life may be revealed in our mortal body.”

Psalm 9:9-10
“The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed,
a stronghold in times of trouble.
Thos who know Your name will trust in You,
for You, Lord
have never forsaken those who seek You.”

Our God, who is our refuge and our strength, a very present help in trouble, is the same God who says through the prophet Isaiah,

I, even I, am He
who comforts you.
(Isaiah 51:12)

Amen