"Essence of Faith in Frenetic Times" - Psalm 8; Roman 5:1-11

A Sermon by Alex W. Evans, Pastor

Second Presbyterian Church, Richmond, VA

From Sunday, June 12, 2022

Texts: Psalm 8; Romans 5:1-11

“Essence of Faith in Frenetic Times”

            A moment ago, we saw some splashing in the baptismal waters. What a great image – I think Jesus loves us indeed splashing in the baptismal water, as Tanner and Wyatt had fun doing today.

Then, following the baptism of Tanner Alexander, we stood and sang those simple and memorable words: “Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so.”

            We have sung these words often at the baptismal font. It is a simple affirmation – “Jesus Loves me this I know” – and that affirmation intends to hold us, shape us, sustain us all our days.

            Maybe you have heard the story about the very famous theologian, Karl Barth, who had written so many volumes of theology, known as Church Dogmatics.  Karl Barth’s theology was so extensive, so expansive, so comprehensive.

Karl Barth was asked, when he was lecturing here at Union Seminary in 1962, if he could summarize his theology – a lifetime of thinking, teaching and writing about God. Barth said, “Yes, I can. In the words of a song I learned at my mother’s knee: ‘Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.”

            Nice answer from a loquacious, major theologian!

But, . . . . it is easy to minimize those familiar words – “Jesus Loves Me” – when we find ourselves in the chaos, confusion, and crises that come our way.

            Those words – “Jesus love me” – are not the first words that come to mind when I imagine the horrific scene inside the Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, TX; more victims slaughtered by a young man with an assault rifle.

            “Jesus Loves Me” are not the first words on my tongue when I listen to testimony, and watch videos again about the January 6, 2021 assault on the US Capitol, and the assault on the democratic process that continues in these days.

            Those words – “Jesus loves me” – might be super helpful and true, but they are not generally our first thought when we read about the continuing destruction . . . the horrific crisis in Ukraine.

“Jesus Love me this I know” is likely not our first tune to hum when we fret about rising inflation, . . . or worry about the heat index creeping up so fast and realize that our globe really is in crisis. 

            Those words – “Jesus loves me” – seem to drift away, maybe even are forgotten, . . . when the diagnosis comes, . . . . or the confused thinking of our loved one just gets worse, . . . . . or as the treatments just go on and on.

            It is wonderful and sweet and appropriate to sing “Jesus Loves Me” at the Baptismal font with a young family. It is so good to bask in those words always.

But, . . . when we find ourselves amidst frenzy and crisis, when we find ourselves in troubling times, it can be hard to see through the storms . . . to the abiding love of God. When we are covered up with weighty matters, it is hard to feel the buoyancy of God: God’s care, God’s promises, God’s presence and peace.

            But isn’t this why we keep coming together, to link our lives with all those who have come before us into this beautiful space, to sing and pray? We always need the abiding buoyancy of God to be growing within us, because life can become complex, even overwhelming.

            Today’s first lesson – Psalm 8 – reminds us of something very important: our God is a big God. “When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have established, what are human beings . . . that you care for them?”  All things are “under God’s feet” and human beings are, amazingly, God’s beloved creatures.

            We are so good at making God so small. We have all gotten adept at even dismissing God from our lives. Or, . . . and maybe worse . . . . we assume we know God so well and can get ourselves quickly on God’s side on all the small issues that seem to be ours. The psalmist wants to put a check on that. The psalmist asserts that God reigns in heaven and earth; God is majestic and over all – far bigger than we can ever understand.

I take great comfort in that message. We worship and serve a big God, both majestic and attentive in all the earth.

            And our second lesson today – from Romans – may be one of the best summations of the whole gospel – the essence of faith. Look and listen as I read from chapter 5:

Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. 3And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.

6For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare to die. 8But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us.9Much more surely then, now that we have been justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from the wrath of God. 10For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more surely, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life.11But more than that, we even boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. 

This is the Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

This is a beautiful affirmation of faith! In fact, I might ask, what else do we need to know?!

            Hear that first line again – “therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God.” We do not have to achieve peace with God on our own. Peace with God comes to us by grace – God gives us peace with God. That means – it is not our doing. It is God’s doing. And God has done it – put us right with God. No difficulty or demon can change that. Moreover, God is not some angry, aggressive deity ready to condemn us – like some people want to say. We are given peace with God – it comes as a gift to each of us. And, at it says, we “boast in our hope” of sharing in God’s glory.

            This is to remind us – life is held always by God. God – the big God of the universe - actually also cares for you and me and every human being. This is the promise. We have been given access to God, and God’s love and care forever – such that we can boast in our hope of sharing God’s life, God’s glory forever.

            “And not only that,” this passage continues, “but we also boast in our sufferings,” because suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, “and hope does not disappoint us” because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit.

            Now, . . . no one likes suffering. I am not sure “boasting in our sufferings” even makes much sense. When we suffer – we are NOT usually inclined to boasting. When we suffer, if you are like me, it is far easier to be discouraged, to complain, to ask “why me?”

            But, friends, suffering comes to all of us. And suffering is all around us.

No matter what the world tells us, no matter what we might want, there is no charmed life where everything is perfect, where life is just full of beautiful sunsets, beautiful people and fine food. No, to live is to enjoy so much. But to live is also to suffer. To love is to experience loss; to go through our days is also to experience sadness, and disease, and setback and even crises.

So, Paul says, as faithful people, we “boast in our sufferings” because suffering produces endurance, and character and then hope. We can “boast” because our lives are enfolded forever in God’s life. Suffering is not the last word – that is always the promise of God. Sadness and disease and loss and heartache, even death, do not hold the day. That is the promise of Easter. God is ever mindful of us. God never leaves us alone. God’s Spirit is poured upon us. Our lives are held always in God – in God’s hope, in God’s glory.

So, character and hope intend to shape us – not discouragement and despair. Character and hope intend to form everything about us.

Recently, I came again upon a certain phrase that seems to align with both passages today – “our lives are humming with reverence.” Think on that for a moment. Let that phrase sink in: “our lives are humming with reverence.”

No matter the storms that come our way, no matter the crises that we may be worried about – personal or national, intimate or global (and there can be plenty to worry about) – our lives are humming with reverence because God, the God of the universe is ever mindful of us. Our lives are humming with reverence because, while suffering may come our way, suffering does not win; God does. Our lives are humming with reverence; therefore, we should always be about character and hope.

We are called – all of us – to keep looking beyond the crises and storms of life to the abiding buoyancy of God’s love and care. God – the big God who set the moon and the stars - is ever mindful of us. We have been given peace with God. While we were sinners, Christ died for us. While we might feel lost, we are found by God’s amazing grace. This is the message the sustains us. This is the essence of our faith, and we certainly need it in frenetic times.

So let’s keep at it – keep focused on God - because our lives are humming with reverence. And let’s stay focused on character and hope – because that is what our world needs most.

Think about character – character has to do with the core of who we are. Humming with reverence, we are called not just to do good in the world, we are called to be good – to be better than we have been, to keep working on ourselves so that we can become what God wants us to be. Character is about a quiet, humble sense of what is right and wrong – and continually working on what is right, and just and honorable. Has there ever been a time when this is more needed from God’s people?

Character is knowing that it is better to give than receive; it is better, as Jesus tells us, to let go of life to find it. Character is loving intimately, and sacrificing self in the service of others, and living in obedience to God – who set the heavens and the earth. Character is about a cohesive life – inside and out, that honors others, respects creation, works for justice, walks kindly, lives humbly.

How much does our world need more character from us?

And hope. Paul says hope does not disappoint us.

Hope affirms that God established the moon and the stars, and the same God is ever mindful of us and our particular situations. Hope affirms that we have been given peace with God. Hope reminds us that nothing can separate us from God’s love – not heartache, not tribulation, not the messy stuff of life that gets all our attention; not anything in all creation can separate us from God. That is hope – enough hope to sustain us, forever.

Friends, our God reigns. Trusting in God’s steadfast love and abiding grace, we seek to become the people God made us to be. Look, we can spend our time on meanness, on judging others, on being exclusive and condemning of those different than us.

Or we can focus on character and hope.

We are God’s beloved, what do you think God calls us to do?

Amen

Prayer of Commitment: Holy God, pour out your Spirit upon each of us. Renew us, refresh us, mold us, as faithful people who trust you and serve you all our days, following Jesus. Amen

Alex Evans, Pastor, Second Presbyterian Church, Richmond, VA preached this sermon during Sunday morning worship on June 12, 2022. This is a rough manuscript.