00:00:00.000 - 00:00:52.440

[Music] [Music] ♪ I love you ♪ ♪ Oh, oh, oh ♪

00:00:52.440 - 00:02:09.740

♪ Jesus ♪ (dramatic music) [Music] [Music]

00:02:10.460 - 00:02:38.340

We love you. [Music] Jesus, I love you. In you I will abide.

00:02:44.840 - 00:03:31.180

Jesus, I love you. Safe in your arms I'll hide. Jesus, I love you. Your love, your love is so sweet and true.

00:03:37.160 - 00:04:37.540

And Jesus, I love you at all. Yeah, I do. Jesus, I love you because your name is so sweet. Jesus, I love you.

00:04:37.540 - 00:05:33.480

You've made my life complete. And Jesus, I love you. You're true when the prince of beauty. Jesus, I love you.

00:05:33.480 - 00:06:07.960

And oh, yeah, I do. [Music] [Music] [Music]

00:06:07.960 - 00:06:31.960

[Music] I love you. Oh, I love you. You see me there.

00:06:31.960 - 00:06:55.200

And here. I love you. ♪ You brought me to life ♪ ♪ Oh, you brought me to life ♪

00:06:55.200 - 00:07:20.960

♪ You brought me through ♪ ♪ Oh, Jesus ♪ ♪ You are love ♪ ♪ Oh, yes ♪

00:07:22.260 - 00:08:31.420

We continue our sermon series based on the book of Psalms. We come today to prayerfully consider the 46th number of the Psalms. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea. Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake

00:08:31.420 - 00:09:19.900

with the swelling thereof. There is a river, the streams whereof make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the Most High. God is in the midst of her. She shall not be moved. God shall help her and that right early. The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved. He uttered his voice, the earth melted. The Lord of hosts is with us, the God of Jacob is our refuge.

00:09:19.900 - 00:09:59.580

Come behold the works of the Lord what desolations he has made in the earth. He maketh wars to cease until the end of the earth. He breaketh the bow and cut it the spear in sunder. He burneth the chariot in fire be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the heathen. I will be exalted in the earth. The Lord of hosts is with us. The God of

00:09:59.580 - 00:10:51.520

Jacob is our refuge. The subject of the message secure from all along. The testimony of the psalmist here in this particular hymn may well be called that of the testimony of one who is engaged in conflict. It may be looked upon as a battle hymn. While we observe the fact that the forces of

00:10:51.520 - 00:11:24.120

contradiction are at work. The hymn "A Mighty Fortress is Our God" written by Martin Luther is based on this particular psalm. It is one of the most popular hymns of the church, one that was looked upon in a sense as the theme of of the Protestant Reformation.

00:11:24.120 - 00:11:43.320

A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing. Our helper he amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing. But still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe.

00:11:43.320 - 00:12:05.440

His craft and power are great. and armed with cruel hate on earth is not his equal. Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing.

00:12:05.440 - 00:12:26.240

Were not the right man on our side, the man of Christ, of God's own choosing. Doth ask who that may be? Christ Jesus it is he, Lord Sabaoth his name from age to

00:12:26.240 - 00:12:51.880

age the same and he must win the battle. Now when Martin Luther wrote these words He was facing stiff and stubborn opposition. He was standing up against many of the corrupt practices that existed in the church.

00:12:51.880 - 00:13:16.240

He had the opposition of some of the most powerful people of his time. Yet in the midst of all of these contradictions, He dares sing a song of faith, saying a mighty fortress is our God.

00:13:16.240 - 00:13:50.200

Now when we consider the circumstances that Luther faced, the fear no doubt of being excommunicated from the church, of being ostracized, of being isolated, of being forsaken, of being humiliated, all of those things are in the picture. But in spite of all of this, Martin Luther sings a song of faith and confidence. What do we do when we find ourselves in

00:13:50.200 - 00:14:37.380

situations where our courage is tested? When we come up against some of the most powerful institutions of our society. When we are to stand against the corrupt practices, when we find that we are in the midst of danger, oh I'm sure that most of us spend considerable time and energy, money, trying to be as secure as we can possibly be. At this

00:14:37.380 - 00:15:15.740

particular time, security is at the top of our national agenda. Yeah, it's a matter of priority not only here in this country but among the nations of the world. President Reagan has announced his Star Wars program and it is thought by many that we need the Star Wars in order to have star peace. We want to make America secure. I noticed a

00:15:15.740 - 00:15:36.360

a outstanding one of our national newspapers had an ad complimenting the president on his tough stand for security measures in this country over against the Soviet Union.

00:15:36.360 - 00:16:01.880

What we have proposed however has met with a counter proposal. All of this having to do with arms and the reduction in arms, all having to do with security. Reinhold Niebuhr says that the irony of American history is that at the time when we have more

00:16:01.880 - 00:16:43.140

weapons than at any other time in our history, we are more secure than we have been at any other time in our history. So we really seek security in a world of insecurity. We insure our property against fire, flood, hail, but we are not really sure that we are secure. We get the best insurance and money can buy but that

00:16:43.140 - 00:17:22.980

does not really mean that we are free from all alarm as far as security is concerned. And so the the psalmist here looks at the world he looks at the world with all of the circumstances and all of the contradictions and he ventures to sing a song of faith. We have just witnessed a terrible catastrophe in

00:17:22.980 - 00:17:55.180

Mexico we saw it on our screens, an earthquake. Buildings that were well built as far as the architect was concerned in many instances but the ground underneath them was shaken. Who can keep the ground from shaking? Many lost their lives and when we think about that you know we wonder why does this

00:17:55.180 - 00:18:33.940

happen? That's a mystery. We have our scientific explanations regarding earthquakes and so on, but we can't really rationalize national catastrophes. There is not only an earthquake, but there is a volcano that erupts and many lives are lost. There are floods that come. We had one here some time ago in our own city.

00:18:33.940 - 00:19:05.220

Millions of dollars in damages. We've just witnessed a few days ago a terrible hurricane that came and some lives were lost and there were millions of dollars in damage. Theologically we can't explain this. Natural evil all of these causes the earth shakes, floods come, all of these things happen this is a mystery

00:19:05.220 - 00:19:40.980

and some people become frustrated confused and they begin to despair but the psalmist in the midst of all this says God is my refuge. God is my help and strength no matter what happens I will embrace God. In other words in the midst of all of the mysteries of life, in the midst of all of the mysteries and the

00:19:40.980 - 00:20:12.780

contradictions that are happening around me. I don't understand them, but I will embrace God. So the only way that one can really be secure from all alarm is to somehow embrace God. And when you embrace God you embrace the great mystery. And embracing the great mystery you are able to relate to the one that in spite of

00:20:12.780 - 00:20:51.340

what happens can give you the strength to stand when the foundations all around you are being shaken. Now we face certain storms in our time. You look at the social scene and all of us recognize the fact that we are engulfed by stormy weather. There are gloomy clouds that hover over us, strong winds of conflicting political ideologies

00:20:51.340 - 00:21:31.820

and economic systems. The sea is buffeted about with waters that are roaring, guerrilla warfare. We read from day to day of diplomats that are slain, innocent citizens are kidnapped and held as hostages, the tempest is raging. The storms of our time have contributed to a growing sense of insecurity, and we wonder

00:21:31.820 - 00:21:51.780

about the future. Well, we have a great deal of concern about Social Security. time to time people who have looked to the Social Security program as to give them the kind of protection that they have looked forward to having in their

00:21:51.780 - 00:22:15.660

retirement years and from time to time people are saying well now Social Security is not going to be around and many have been fearful as to what's going to happen to Social Security. We have the radical right on the one hand and the liberal left on the other and the moral majority in between and all of

00:22:15.660 - 00:22:47.340

these are signs of the times and the Psalmist somehow looks at all of the confusion and strife, he looks at the circumstances that contribute to the calamities that surround him and he says with bold faith and invincible courage I will not be alarmed by what happens around me no matter what happens. Though the waters roar and be troubled, though

00:22:47.340 - 00:23:26.180

the earth shakes and though the mountains are pushed into the very midst of the sea, I'm not going to be disturbed. by what's happening I'm not going to be disturbed because I am fully confident that there is a river, the streams whereof make glad the city of God. There is a river. See Jerusalem doesn't have a river running through it. We know the

00:23:26.180 - 00:23:54.780

value of a river having the Colorado here runs through it. I lived in Waco we had the Brazos and the city could take a great deal of pride in saying that it was situated on the bonnie banks of the Brazos and we are glad that we have beautiful Colorado here and in the ancient cities there were those that

00:23:54.780 - 00:24:27.900

could boast of their rivers. The great Nile River in Egypt that was Cairo could boast of the Nile. Rome could boast of the Tiber and Babylon could boast of the Euphrates. They all could have their rivers and of course there's a certain amount of security in a river. If you're in battle one of the things people have to

00:24:27.900 - 00:24:55.240

rely upon is a good water supply. It's a means not only of transportation but it's a mean of sustaining the life of the city. And all of these have their rivers and Jerusalem has no river. And one of the things the enemy always tried to do was cut off any water supply to Jerusalem, let the people suffer, starve, faint along

00:24:55.240 - 00:25:31.880

the way. But he said, "No, no, all of these things may happen. There is a river that God has provided Jerusalem, a river, the streams whereof may gladden the people of God." that when all of these things are taken against in the midst of all of the forces of opposition and things that are done to try to see to it that we don't make it, that God provides a way for us. Who knows that better than us? So many

00:25:31.880 - 00:26:11.600

things have been taken, in other words it was never meant that we would survive everything was taken away from us. Our language was taken away. We were robbed of our culture and yet in the midst of all of it we can say there is a river, the streams whereof be glad, the city of God. God somehow gives us joy in the midst of all of the vicissitudes of life we can sing a song of faith and confidence that God is in

00:26:11.600 - 00:26:47.400

the midst of her. If you really want security the psalmist is saying is that somehow your security rests in the sovereignty of God. That God rules. God has the whole wide world in his hand and that God is our help and in other words not only is he our help, does he have all the resources that we need but he can

00:26:47.400 - 00:27:21.540

provide it right early. Right, right, just when you need him most he's right there to step right in God is our ready help. So when we look at life we can rest on the sovereignty of God. Say this is my father's world oh let me never forget although the wrong seems off so strong God is the ruler yet and so that is the

00:27:21.540 - 00:27:48.220

psalmist said the Lord of hosts is with us the God of Jacob is our refuge come on and behold the mighty works of God you see he makes the walls to cease and he takes those instruments of war like the bow and and the chariots and he he destroys the bow he burns up the chariot and God establishes peace God is with us

00:27:48.220 - 00:28:14.420

the Lord of hosts is with us the God of Jacob is our refuge. That's good news brothers and sisters. Oh I'm sure that that many times there's tumult all around us and there's tumult that seems to shake us on the very ground that we stand but we can rest secure that God is with us and that's enough. That's enough.

00:28:14.420 - 00:28:34.340

That's enough that God is there and somehow we can rest on God and somehow even though the waters are being moved and though the mountains are being shaken and though we find kingdoms rising and falling, God is still here. He's still on the throne.

00:28:34.340 - 00:28:48.340

And that's good news. [Priest] That's good news. [Man] Yes, Lord. [Priest] As we come now to the hymn of invitation, [Priest] we ask you to accept that God who has revealed himself through Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord.

00:28:48.340 - 00:29:25.000

[Music] (choir singing) ♪ May the living God ♪ ♪ Love you to death ♪

00:29:25.000 - 00:29:47.660

♪ Love you to death ♪ ♪ He will love you to death ♪ ♪ Love you to death ♪ ♪ Love you to death ♪

00:29:47.660 - 00:30:08.640

♪ Love you to death ♪ ♪ Let fear ♪ ♪ Go on over ♪ ♪ We will ♪

00:30:08.640 - 00:30:29.120

♪ We will ♪ ♪ Oh, we'll be there ♪ ♪ I love you ♪ ♪ To be the part of you ♪

00:30:29.120 - 00:30:55.460

♪ I love you ♪ ♪ Hallelujah, hallelujah ♪ ♪ This day will be a glorious day ♪ ♪ Hallelujah, hallelujah ♪

00:30:58.940 - 00:31:21.200

♪ God will take care of you ♪ ♪ Through every day ♪ ♪ God will ♪ ♪ He will take care of you ♪

00:31:25.340 - 00:31:54.560

♪ God will take care of you ♪ - May we bow our heads. Gracious God, our Father, we thank you that in the midst of the tumult of our world,

00:31:54.560 - 00:32:41.320

world, that you are still on the throne, that you rule in righteousness, you rule in love and peace. We thank you that as your servants, we have the privilege of coming to your table to receive food, to receive strength, to receive increased assurance, to help us face the battles of

00:32:41.320 - 00:33:24.260

this life. Bless us now as we commune, purify our hearts, grant us that love that will not let go, that we may be servants of the word in a more meaningful way in the days to come. Amen. Jesus took the bread, blessed it, break it.

00:33:24.260 - 00:33:41.900

So ministering in his name. (speaking faintly) so that they can divide it among themselves. Likewise, I'm going to go through the cup

00:33:41.900 - 00:33:50.020

and give you disciples. And then bring in the same light and give you this cup. Thank you, all of you.

00:33:50.020 - 00:34:01.240

(bell tolling) (ominous music) (eerie music) [MUSIC PLAYING]

00:34:01.240 - 00:34:37.040

(door creaks) (ominous music) (ominous music) [SILENCE]

00:34:37.040 - 00:35:20.400

Jesus said to his disciples, "Except you eat my body and drink my blood, you cannot be my disciple." Those that heard it said, "This is a hard saying. Who can bear it?

00:35:20.400 - 00:35:54.040

Who can do this?" Many of them went back and walked no more with him. Jesus said to the twelve, "Will you also go away?" Simon Peter answered and said unto him, "Lord, to whom shall we go?

00:35:54.040 - 00:36:19.700

Thou hast the words of eternal life. We eat of Jesus' body. His body is his word. We eat his word.

00:36:19.700 - 00:36:37.100

We take it into our lives. We feed upon it. We are strengthened by it. His Word.

00:36:37.100 - 00:37:18.580

It is through His Word that the church lives. His blood, His sacrifice, His suffering in the world. When we come to the table of the Lord, it is for each one of us a time of dedication, dedication to the task that he assigns us of being workers together with him,

00:37:18.580 - 00:37:45.260

participating in the sufferings of humanity for the redemption, for the reconciliation of God's people. There's anyone in the audience who should be served who has been overlooked would you raise your hand?

00:37:45.260 - 00:37:56.080

[VIDEO PLAYBACK] (footsteps) (eerie music) (eerie music)

00:37:56.080 - 00:38:34.760

[music] Let us commune together. [MUSIC PLAYING] Amen.

00:38:34.760 - 00:39:03.280

Let us stand now as we sing our communion hymn on page 12 in your bulletin. [MUSIC PLAYING] [ Music ]

00:39:03.280 - 00:39:38.560

We rise to respond to common accord, Confronted by Him who gives us His word. His truth is foredoing, by Him we are moved, and call to interpret the meaning of love.

00:39:38.560 - 00:40:13.360

He calls us to live a city of earth, where love will surround each man from his birth. He holds us, conceals us, to be love and kind, to share with the living His bread and His blood.

00:40:13.360 - 00:40:33.360

We rise to translate from praise into giving, ♪ Prepare to go out ♪ ♪ We follow the team ♪ ♪ From Sunday to Monday ♪

00:40:33.360 - 00:41:13.360

♪ The challenge remains ♪ ♪ We worship with hope ♪ ♪ While service begins ♪ [ Music ]

00:41:13.360 - 00:41:25.040

(orchestral music) (orchestral music) (orchestral music) (orchestral music)

00:41:25.040 - 00:41:58.500

[MUSIC PLAYING] [MUSIC] ♪♪ ♪♪

00:41:58.580 - 00:42:18.580

[MUSIC PLAYING] [MUSIC] [MUSIC PLAYING] (people chattering)

00:42:18.580 - 00:42:30.640

(people chattering) (dramatic music) (audience chattering) (audience chattering)

00:42:30.640 - 00:42:50.060

[MUSIC] [Music] (orchestral music) [MUSIC PLAYING]

00:42:50.060 - 00:43:02.140

(orchestral music) (people chattering) (people chattering) (audience chattering)

00:43:02.140 - 00:43:14.380

(audience chattering) (people chattering) (audience chattering) (orchestral music)

00:43:14.380 - 00:43:26.300

(orchestral music) (audience chattering) (orchestral music) (orchestral music)

00:43:26.300 - 00:43:39.120

(audience chattering) (audience chattering) (people chattering) [MUSIC PLAYING]

00:43:39.120 - 00:44:15.000

[MUSIC PLAYING] [Music] [BLANK_AUDIO]