Minister's Rhonda's sermon - Sunday, November 18, 2001

Preachers have a hard time these days. Ministry is a rewarding vocation and brings a great deal of joy and satisfaction, but it has always been a difficult and burdensome call. Just helping people through the everyday ups and downs of life is demanding enough. Trying to be encouraging, trying to be supportive, trying to anticipate the needs of people and trying to stand in the gap and fill those needs. It is a tough profession. And the trouble that our country has experienced recently makes it even more difficult to stand before a congregation week after week and give folks some glimmer of hope of better days when bad things just keep happening. It is hard to find a song in the midst of so much trouble.
Yet, even with all of the trouble we’ve had these past few months, Americans are far better off than most of the world. I can only imagine other countries that have constantly been at war or in a state of civil unrest. I can only imagine countries that have been torn apart, bombed, raided, and left in piles of rubble. I can only imagine how people feel who have been forced by government, military, or harsh circumstances to flee their countries, flee their homes and become refugees in foreign places. The Israelites in Babylonian captivity said, “How can we sing the Lord’s song in a strange land?” So, in the midst of our trouble, we must recognize that this country has been blessed. God has shown grace and mercy to this country since it was founded. And I daresay that part of the reason is because it was founded on the right principles.

Oh, but somewhere along the way, church, we have strayed from those principles. We have allowed the glint of gold, the charisma of capitalism, and the lure of lasciviousness to turn our minds from the truth of God to the wisdom of the world. You’ve seen some of the slogans that permeate today’s money and sex conscious society:

In God we trust…
all others pay cash.

When the going gets tough,
the tough go shopping.

So many men (or women),
so little time.

Show me the money!

Honk if you’re -----

Some of these signs make you laugh, some make you blush (maybe) and hopefully some make you feel downright ashamed that anyone would have that on their car or wear it on a t-shirt. But they are indicative of how far off-course our society has drifted.

People that have remained steadfast in God look around at the world today and hardly recognize it. It seems the whole world has gone mad and as some of the old folks would say “to hell in a hand basket.” It must seem to some that they are in a strange land. How can we sing the Lord’s song in this place--this society that has lost its direction and forgotten its God? The psalmist today tells us that we can sing a song of praise because even though it seems like we have lost our footing and are sliding uncontrollably down a slippery slope, God still reigns. We are reminded today that God has not left us to our own devices, but promises to come and judge the world with righteousness. There is a glimmer of hope. Better days are coming!

This psalm is a song of joy. It is an offer of praise and thanksgiving to God. The psalmist exhorts the congregation to “sing to the Lord a new song” and to “make a joyful noise to the Lord”. It is a very happy, very exciting psalm. But that last verse may make you shudder. It is hard to read about God coming and judging the world without thinking what the implications are for you.

Well, it should help to know that the last verse

“He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples
with equity”

is referring to qualities of God, not our qualities. Thank goodness! That means we will be dealt with equally by a just God, a righteous God. That means that a person’s worldly position, power, or influence will have no leverage before the judgment seat. Acts 10:34 states that God is no respecter of persons. That means God shows no partiality based on your status in society. There will be only one thing that counts when you come under God’s judgment and that is are you in the Kingdom?

The psalm says in verse 2 that

“his right hand and his holy arm
have gotten him the victory”.

The “right hand” in scripture is used to denote authority and power. We use it even today to speak about someone on whom we can depend and on whom we place reliance to get things done. We say she or he is my “right hand”. But this verse has a special connotation because we are told in the Gospels and in the Book of Revelation, that Jesus, having completed the work for which he came to earth, now sits on the right hand of God. Jesus made the once and for all sacrifice when he died on the cross for our salvation. And now he sits on the right hand of God the Father. By God’s Right Hand, that is Jesus Christ, God has secured the victory and Romans 8:37 says,

“that in all these things, we are
more than conquerors through
him who loved us.”

Oh, somebody ought to shout about that! That is something to get excited about, church! God has the victory! And God’s victory is our victory over death and condemnation.

The psalmist goes on to say that God has made known his victory and revealed his vindication in the sight of the nations. How has God’s victory been revealed? John 1:14 says,

“The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us. And we beheld his glory…”

We have seen God’s victory in the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus came into the world and said if you have seen me, you have seen the Father. He came to teach us about loving one another and finding perfect freedom in God. He came to exemplify a God-committed life. He came to die, so that we might live. And so the psalmist encourages us to praise God for the victory, for he is coming to judge the world with righteousness. This is not something to be feared, it is something to be celebrated. That is why the people should praise him. That is why the whole earth should praise him. The oceans should roar and hills should sing because God is coming in victory!

God’s coming in victory means a final end to the evil that has pervaded and perverted our world. It means an end to the suffering that has plagued many. It means an end to starvation and an end to homelessness. It means an end to lawlessness, crime, and terrorism. God is coming to claim those who are in the Kingdom. And your place is reserved if you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior and as your Lord. If you belong to Christ, you have a seat in the Kingdom. There’s no other claim you need to make. Verse one says,

“sing to the Lord a new song”.

You are singing a new tune because you have been made new. First Corinthians 5:17 states that if

“anyone is in Christ, there is a
new creation:
everything old has passed away;
see, everything has become new!”

It doesn’t require that you live a perfect life as Jesus did. It only requires a sincere heart to be a follower of Christ. It only requires belief that The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us as the only begotten Son of the Father. It requires your belief that Jesus took upon himself the sin of the world and died on Calvary. It requires your belief that he was raised on the third day. Jesus’ resurrection is our assurance of eternal life. And now he sits on the right hand of the Father waiting until his enemies are made his footstool. Sing unto the Lord a new song, for his Right Hand has gotten him the victory!

If you’re in the kingdom, the judgment of God holds no dread for you. That is why we pray “thy Kingdom come”. The sooner, the better! We rejoice to see God’s coming because God’s coming means better days. We can, as the psalmist instructs, praise God with song and melody. We can make a joyful noise unto God and celebrate God’s victory. We can sing a new song to our God because old things have passed away and all things are made new!

I know it looks like and may even at times feel like God has forgotten us in this world that seems alien. But Jesus said,

“And lo, I am with you always,
even unto the end of the age.”

So lift up your praise to God, even in a land that seems strange. Sing unto the Lord a new song, for Jesus is coming soon.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

Amen