"Goodwill" - Psalm 23; Acts 2:43-47
Sermon by Alex Evans, Pastor
Second Presbyterian Church, Richmond, VA
From Sunday, May 3, 2020
Texts: Psalm 23; Acts 2:43-47
“GOODWILL”
For the second time in two months, the lectionary – which suggests common Scripture readings for the church community – gives us today, Psalm 23. We also had this favorite psalm, you might recall, on one of the first Sundays when community worship was curtailed, in those early days of isolation and separation. And today, on the 4th Sunday of Easter, we have it again – and sung so well today by Erin.
Psalm 23 – beloved by faithful people across the ages - remains clearly a cherished hymn for the Jewish community across so many centuries. So when we read and sing this psalm as Christians, we are linking our lives with the Jewish community. As we do this, it is helpful to reflect on the nature of the Jews’ history with God.
Remember, they were a people who were called Israel. Israel means, “those who have struggled with God.” The Jews – Israel -struggled for a home that they were always trying to get into, hold onto, or get back to. They struggled for peace, for food, and for a future. These stories run all through the Old Testament. Most important, they often struggled with their faith in God.
Basically, like us, the Jews –Israel - had a hard time believing that the Lord was their Shepherd. They had a hard time – imagine it - trusting that God would lead them to still waters, and green pastures, or that goodness and mercy would always follow them. Rather, they frequently found themselves in wilderness places – and we do this too. They often found themselves in turmoil, hungry, lost, or in exile, even chasing other gods. And – according to the Biblical story - God would bail them out - offer them care and guide them home.
So, they kept coming back to worship, and saying these words: “the Lord is my Shepherd, . . . goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.” The words become formative and faithful for all of us. If we say them, . . . maybe, just maybe, . . . keep saying them, those truths will shape our lives.
God shepherds us – to green pastures and still waters. What a wonderful thought. We love the idea - that God always cares for us, provides for us, comforts us, and saves us.
But that is not often where we find ourselves, is it? The confidence in God’s loving care – GOODWILL – so often escapes us.
Clearly, the current COVID-19 crisis has been so unsettling. My goodness! The deaths, the hardships, the data, the sheer numbers of cases worldwide, the uncertainties about how this ever ends – it is all so staggering and overwhelming. The economic casualties, the lingering questions about the virus itself, the great confusion about life going forward – it is all so complex and even discouraging.
And, . . . so very much is being revealed in these days – about our healthcare system and its inherent problems, . . . the great injustices in our society, . . . . the racial disparities, . . . the great challenges and needs for effective leadership.
Is goodness and mercy following us all our days? We wonder.
The late psychologist Rollo May has written, “Humans are the strangest of all of God’s creatures, because they run fastest when they have lost their way.”
And that – running fast when we have lost our way - is how we get into real trouble. It is then – lost and running fast - that we make the worst mistakes - with critical decisions, with relationships, family, work and life. The same could be said of churches, schools and governments. When we are lost and running fast – we get more lost. Not convinced that the Lord is leading us to green pastures, we veer way off course; we try a short cut; we might even disperse like terrified sheep. (see C. Barnes, Christian Century, Feb 13, 2002)
But, affirming, believing, that God is with us is what gives us encouragement and inspiration in these continuing days of chaos and uncertainty.
Reminding ourselves, believing, that God provides for us is what gives strength to medical workers to keep going in this crisis. It is what sustains grocery workers, and bus drivers, and others to keep doing their jobs in these days.
Believing that God’s goodness and mercy cover us is what gives us quiet confidence to keep staying in place – for health and safety reasons – especially when loud voices in the culture clamor about re-opening for the sake of the failing economy.
Believing that God guides us home intends to give us a faithful foundation for the living of our days, always, . . . . but especially now.
Life is not easy. But the Lord promises to Shepherd us. May we trust our lives to God’s GOODWILL, and find God’s peace, all of us!
We have a second lesson today – from Acts 2. Listen:
42They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles. 44All who believed were together and had all things in common; 45they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, 47praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.
This is the Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Psalm 23 is all about God’s GOODWILL that showers our lives now and forever. And God’s GOODWILL demands and expects that we live with boundless GOODWILL also.
The setting of this Acts passage – you may recall - is a few weeks following the resurrection of Jesus. The disciples were filled – with the experience of the risen Jesus, and with the movement of the Spirit empowering them - with a new sense about life, about a way to live in the world.
It says, “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching.”
The teaching always reminds us about the GOODWILL of God. AND – the teachings remind us that God cares about compassion, justice, equality, and hope for everyone.
The GOODWILL of God always calls forth GOODWILL from our lives - generosity, justice, and hope.
Remember the prophet’s question - “What does the Lord require of us? To do justice, love kindness, walk humbly with God.”
God’s GOODWILL. Our GOODWILL. They go together.
Then, it says, “Awe came upon everyone.” The Greek word here for “awe” is phobos – which gives us the English word phobia, which is closely related to the word “fear.”
We know about FEAR in these days – fear of the virus, fear about the economy, fear about what happens next, fear about our loved ones.
Did “fear” – phobos - come upon everyone following the resurrection, in the call to be the church in the world?
Well, not “fear” meaning “afraid and dread”- that emotion that we know lately so well. Clearly, there was present among those disciples a powerful sense that 1) God is real, 2) God is at work, 3) God is serious about what God expects of us.
So the word is Phobos – but it is less FEAR and more AWE. It really means reverent attentiveness. So filled with a sense about God – the people were powerfully moved to live differently – with amazing GOODWILL! AWE came upon them – and – look - they started living life toward God – loving God and loving in the world as God’s people. AWE came upon them and they began to take up the work and words of Jesus – the sick are loved and cared about, the lame walk, goods are shared, people expressing amazing GOODWILL toward one another, and the Kingdom of God emerges in the world.
Did you catch that? They were together, they had everything in common, meaning they shared everything with each other, caring mostly about those who had needs. And they spent time together in the temple – studying and praying, breaking bread and singing with glad hearts, praising God and having the GOODWILL of all people.
They re-situated their lives – not according to the world, or a crisis, or their personal desires – but according to God. GOODWILL.
Generosity, love and sharing, giving and serving, singing and celebrating life – what a description! And, it says - GOODWILL toward all people.
Here is the way to think about it – the GOODWILL of God that we see so well in Psalm 23 – steadfast love and care – intends to lead absolutely and without doubt - to the radical and amazing GOODWILL that we extend to others in generosity and hospitality.
OK – what does this look like – in these days? What does this mean for our lives?
Throughout this pandemic, we have seen many things. We have seen and heard so many lies. We have seen and learned about verbal and physical abuse of Asian Americans. We have seen hoarding – food, toilet paper, protective medical gear. We have seen angry protests. We have seen gun purchases spike. We have seen lots to remind us that selfishness and greed and meanness can become us.
But we have also seen amazing words of truth and honesty. We have seen so many acts of compassion near and far – “look for the helpers” Fred Rogers reminds us. We have seen many expressions of care and support – toward those suffering from the illness, from job loss, from other challenges. We have seen “a spike in kindness” – people doing things for the sick, the needy, even restaurants cooking for medical workers, police officers, and more. We have seen people connecting like never before too – and being generous. We have seen GOODWILL toward all people.
Scripture reminds us always – we situate our lives in the GOODWILL of GOD – and that leads us, in all times, in every season, to orient our lives on GOODWILL toward others.
Let’s keep fully and solely focused on the amazing GOODWILL of God and how every moment of our lives can be filled, by God’s Spirit, with GOODWILL toward others. May it be so!! Amen.
Prayer – We believe Lord; help our unbelief. And re-frame our lives, by your Spirit, for faithful, focused living – sharing your goodwill always, following Jesus. AMEN
Dr. Alex W. Evans, Pastor, Second Presbyterian Church, Richmond, VA preached this sermon during Sunday morning worship on May 3, 2020. This is a rough manuscript.