St. James Presbyterian Church,
Dawson Creek, B.C
1501-108 Ave
Box 838, V1G 4H8
(250) 782-4616,
Cell 403-835-7235
June 13, 2021
Pastor Terry Hagen
Sermon We Live by Faith
Scripture
Psalm 20, Ezekiel 17:22-24, 2 Corinthians 5: 6-17, The Gospel of Mark 4:35-41
Our sermon title today is “We Live By Faith.” That reference is found in
2 Corinthians 5:6-9: and I will share that with you now.
Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. For we live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it.
I have shared a few verses that relate to the title of our sermon today and hold it up as a reminder when we consider the decision of General Assembly and this year’s great departure from the values our denomination has held in the past. I will not speak to the matter directly today since Lorna has already done so in her report on General Assembly. I know that each one of you will take time to consider the significance of this break from the doctrine which the PCC has held on marriage since 1925 when the Presbyterian Church was reformed. I will speak to the matter next Sunday after you have had time to consider this change and I will share with you a bit of what I have been working on since the General Assembly of 2018. Today I will simply say that this is the direction our denomination has chosen to take. It is not the direction that I will take. Even though you may be disappointed in GA’s decision I would ask that you return again next Sunday to hear what I propose . Then you can consider your options.
Each one of us has a journey of faith to live out and each one of us must make our own choices others cannot make them for us.
So once again I say the title for today’s sermon is “We Live By Faith” and I think it is most appropriate for today.
Our first reading is from Psalm 20: I will share the full Psalm again. While we understand this Psalm in the context of the time that it was written much of what is said can be applied to the 21st century as well. At first we may not feel very victorious this day; however, verses 1&2 are encouraging May we find comfort in knowing that our prayers are heard.
And finally in verses 6: Now this I know: The Lord gives victory to his anointed. He answers him from his heavenly sanctuary with the victorious power of his right hand
Verse 9Lord, give victory to the king! Answer us when we call!
May the Lord answer you when you are in distress; may the name of the God of Jacob protect you. May he send you help from the sanctuary and grant you support from Zion. May he remember all your sacrifices and accept your burnt offerings. May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed. May we shout for joy over your victory and lift up our banners in the name of our God. May the Lord grant all your requests. Now this I know: The Lord gives victory to his anointed. He answers him from his heavenly sanctuary with the victorious power of his right hand. Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm. Lord, give victory to the king! Answer us when we call!
What makes our second passage from Ezekiel so interesting is that it is actually prophetic of the Davidic lineage.
Ezekiel 17:22-24
“ ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I myself will take a shoot from the very top of a cedar and plant it; I will break off a tender sprig from its topmost shoots and plant it on a high and lofty mountain. On the mountain heights of Israel I will plant it; it will produce branches and bear fruit and become a splendid cedar. Birds of every kind will nest in it; they will find shelter in the shade of its branches. All the trees of the forest will know that I the Lord bring down the tall tree and make the low tree grow tall. I dry up the green tree and make the dry tree flourish. “ ‘I the Lord have spoken, and I will do it.’ ”
Our third reading from 2 Corinthians 5:6-17 This is a wonderful passage and as I mentioned earlier it is the source of the title for our sermon today. “We Live By Faith” and the verse concludes “not by sight” Paul goes on to say we would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. I will also cross reference with a couple of other short similar passages that Paul has written to other congregations. Philippians 1:23-24: I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. And another quote of Paul’s from Hebrews 11:1-3: Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for. By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.
Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. For we live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade others. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience. We are not trying to commend ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity to take pride in us, so that you can answer those who take pride in what is seen rather than in what is in the heart. If we are “out of our mind,” as some say, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
And our final reading from The Gospel of Mark 4:35-41. This is another passage that this time requires the Apostles to live by faith. Just as we sometimes struggle with faith issues ourselves , we see that the Apostles also struggled with faith issues even when it came to the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ. Mark does a wonderful job of creating a powerful image of the Christ. The miracle of calming the storm.
That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”
All Glory be to Thee O Lord. Amen.
.