{"id":382,"date":"2020-08-09T17:59:59","date_gmt":"2020-08-10T00:59:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/peoriapresbyterianchurch.org\/wordpress\/?p=382"},"modified":"2020-10-12T18:09:13","modified_gmt":"2020-10-13T01:09:13","slug":"sermon-august-9-2020","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/peoriapresbyterianchurch.org\/wordpress\/weekly-sermon\/sermon-august-9-2020\/","title":{"rendered":"Sermon August 9, 2020"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Cry of the Community
Sermon August 9, 2020
By Dr. Terry Swicegood\u00a0<\/strong>
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019ve been looking at the Book of Psalms over the past several Sundays. \u00a0 \u00a0There are 150 Psalms all in all. \u00a0 The Psalms were written across a long period of time from the era of Moses around 1445 B.C. (Psalm 90), to the return of the Jews from captivity in Babylon in 536 B.C. (Psalm 126). Many of the Psalms were written during the time of King David around the years 1020-971 B.C. although some of the Psalms are attributed to David, his authorship is questioned by most scholars.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is a Psalm? \u00a0A Psalm is a conversation with God, thanking God, questioning God, accusing God. \u00a0Psalms were used as songs in temple worship, very much like our hymns in Sunday worship. \u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The OT scholar Walter Brueggemann has developed a most\u00a0helpful way of categorizing the Psalms. \u00a0He says that the content of the Psalms mirror where we find ourselves at any given time. \u00a0 There are times when everything is going great guns, when life is full of rainbows and roses. \u00a0Brueggemann calls this blessed time in our lives \u201ca place of orientation.\u201d

Then there are times of disorientation when things are just rotten. \u00a0At those times life is unpredictable and chaotic. \u00a0 We\u2019re in the middle of that\u00a0time now as the pandemic rages.\u00a0

And third there are time when we discover that God has been with us all along, that God has picked us up off the mat when we were sure we were down or the count. \u00a0Brueggemann calls this a place of reorientation, a place when we feel God\u2019s presence more palpably than ever before.

Orientation, Disorientation, Re-Orientation.

The Psalms of disorientation fall into two categories. \u00a0Individual laments and community laments. \u00a0A quick word about laments. Laments are painful cries of the heart, an expression of deep sorrow and regret. \u00a0

Last week we looked at some Psalms of individual lament. \u00a0Today, we will look at Psalms of community lament.

For most of recorded history, the people of Israel have been vulnerable. \u00a0In ancient times and in modern, Israel has been situated at the crossroads of the Middle East, sandwiched between hostile neighbors on the north, south and east. \u00a0

And so, it was Israel found itself at war with voracious Babylon in the 6th century B.C. \u00a0 Read about it in II Kings 25. \u00a0The Babylonian army laid siege to Jerusalem until its walls were breached in the summer of 587 BC. \u00a0The prominent citizens of Jerusalem were taken captive and carted off to Babylon, where they lived out their lives in exile

But the worse part of it all was that the magnificent temple of Solomon, the symbol of Jewish identity and faith was torched \u00a0and burned to the ground. \u00a0
It would be like an enemy of our country razing the capitol building in Washington. \u00a0The capitol, just like the Temple of Jerusalem, is not just a structure. \u00a0It\u2019s a symbol of everything we hold dear as a people. \u00a0

Here\u2019s how the Psalmist describes it: (Psalm 74). \u00a0

the enemy has destroyed everything in the sanctuary.
Your foes have roared within your holy place;
\u00a0 \u00a0 they set up their emblems there.
At the upper entrance they hacked
\u00a0 \u00a0 the wooden trellis with axes.
And then, with hatchets and hammers,
\u00a0 \u00a0 they smashed all its carved work.
They set your sanctuary on fire;
\u00a0 \u00a0 they desecrated the dwelling place of your name,
\u00a0 \u00a0 bringing it to the ground.
They said to themselves, \u201cWe will utterly subdue them\u201d;
\u00a0 \u00a0 they burned all the meeting places of God in the land.<\/em>

The whole community was devastated by this loss and destruction. \u00a0

Psalm 74, although written by an individual, expressed the distress of\u00a0the whole nation. \u00a0We are to look at this Psalm as the combined voice of thousands of people. \u00a0

As you look at the mind-set of the ancient Israelites, you see something quite remarkable. \u00a0As Americans we are rugged individualists. \u00a0We think, first of all, about how something affects us; or how we affect something. \u00a0We are a \u201cMe First\u201d people.\u00a0

The Israelites, in contrast, viewed themselves first and foremost as part of the community of faith; their identity was defined by the community. \u00a0

Let me give you two contemporary examples. \u00a0One Sunday, a\u00a0woman in my church accosted me after worship complaining about the prayer of confession. \u00a0The words of the prayer of confession that day went something like this:

Almighty \u00a0 \u00a0and \u00a0 \u00a0most \u00a0 \u00a0merciful \u00a0 \u00a0Father, \u00a0we \u00a0 \u00a0have \u00a0 \u00a0erred \u00a0 \u00a0and \u00a0 strayed \u00a0 \u00a0from \u00a0 \u00a0Your \u00a0 \u00a0ways \u00a0 \u00a0like \u00a0 \u00a0lost \u00a0 \u00a0sheep. \u00a0 \u00a0We \u00a0 \u00a0have \u00a0 followed \u00a0 \u00a0too \u00a0 \u00a0much \u00a0 \u00a0the \u00a0 \u00a0devices \u00a0 \u00a0and \u00a0 \u00a0desires \u00a0 \u00a0of \u00a0 \u00a0our \u00a0 \u00a0own\u00a0\u00a0hearts. \u00a0 \u00a0We \u00a0 \u00a0have \u00a0 \u00a0offended \u00a0 \u00a0against \u00a0 \u00a0Your \u00a0 \u00a0holy\u00a0\u00a0 laws. \u00a0 We \u00a0 \u00a0have \u00a0 \u00a0left \u00a0 \u00a0undone \u00a0 \u00a0those \u00a0 \u00a0things \u00a0 \u00a0which \u00a0 \u00a0we \u00a0 \u00a0ought \u00a0 \u00a0to \u00a0 have \u00a0 \u00a0done; \u00a0 \u00a0and \u00a0 \u00a0we \u00a0 \u00a0have \u00a0 \u00a0done \u00a0 \u00a0those \u00a0 \u00a0things \u00a0 \u00a0which \u00a0 \u00a0we \u00a0 ought \u00a0 \u00a0not \u00a0 \u00a0to \u00a0 \u00a0have \u00a0 \u00a0done; \u00a0 \u00a0and \u00a0 \u00a0there \u00a0 \u00a0is \u00a0 \u00a0nothing \u00a0good \u00a0 \u00a0in \u00a0 us. \u00a0 \u00a0O \u00a0 \u00a0Lord, \u00a0 \u00a0have \u00a0 \u00a0mercy \u00a0 \u00a0upon \u00a0 \u00a0us, \u00a0 \u00a0miserable \u00a0 \u00a0offenders. \u00a0 Spare \u00a0 \u00a0those, \u00a0 \u00a0O \u00a0 \u00a0God, \u00a0 \u00a0who \u00a0 \u00a0confess \u00a0 \u00a0their \u00a0 \u00a0faults. \u00a0 \u00a0Restore \u00a0 those \u00a0 \u00a0who \u00a0 \u00a0are \u00a0 \u00a0penitent; \u00a0 \u00a0according \u00a0 \u00a0to \u00a0 \u00a0Your \u00a0 \u00a0promises \u00a0 declared \u00a0 \u00a0unto \u00a0 \u00a0men \u00a0 \u00a0in \u00a0 \u00a0Christ \u00a0 \u00a0Jesus \u00a0 \u00a0our \u00a0 \u00a0Lord. \u00a0 \u00a0Grant \u00a0 that \u00a0 \u00a0we \u00a0 \u00a0may \u00a0 \u00a0hereafter \u00a0 \u00a0live \u00a0 \u00a0a \u00a0 \u00a0godly, \u00a0 \u00a0righteous, \u00a0 \u00a0and \u00a0 \u00a0sober \u00a0 \u00a0life; \u00a0 \u00a0to \u00a0 \u00a0the \u00a0 \u00a0glory \u00a0 \u00a0of \u00a0 \u00a0His \u00a0 \u00a0name. \u00a0 \u00a0Amen \u00a0<\/strong>

She particularly objected to the \u201cmiserable offenders\u201d part. \u00a0She didn\u2019t think of herself as \u201cmiserable offender.\u201d \u00a0

I offered her a quick church history lesson. \u00a0I told her that this was a prayer which first appeared as the General Prayer of Confession in the Anglican prayer book of 1552. \u00a0I went on to say that not every word of every prayer we pray in worship is meant to point to us as individuals but rather is a communal \u00a0prayer, aimed at whole community; it\u2019s the community of faith that falls short; it\u2019s the community of faith that disobeys God\u2019s commandments, it\u2019s the community of faith who are the \u201cmiserable offenders.\u201d

As you might imagine, I didn\u2019t convince her one whit. \u00a0She was an American, and her attitudes and actions were influenced by her own her own inviolable\u00a0ego. \u00a0\u00a0

A second example. \u00a0 \u00a0I have a wonderful colleague with whom I served at Pinnacle Presbyterian In Scottsdale. \u00a0The Rev. Kelsy Brown has recently gotten a new call as pastor of Mission Del Sol Presbyterian in Temple. \u00a0She had just begun her ministry there in March when the pandemic closed the church down.

An 85 year old woman came to her and told her that she wanted the church to open back up. \u00a0She told Kelsy, \u201cI\u2019m now 85 years old. \u00a0I don\u2019t have much longer to live. \u00a0 Attending worship is one of the most joyful and meaningful parts of my life.\u201d

Kelsy responded kindly and gently: \u201cI understand, and I miss worship, too. But closing down the church demonstrates our regard for the whole community. \u00a0It is entirely possible that one of your fellow members, even without symptoms, can transmit the virus to many others.\u201d

And so it is that we wear masks, that we don\u2019t smoke in public, that we don\u2019t drive 20 mph over the speed limit, not just to protect ourselves but to protect others. \u00a0It\u2019s all about the community. \u00a0 \u00a0

We have never been more aware than we are today that we are all individual threads sewn into the fabric of humanity. \u00a0What affects one affects all. \u00a0

And \u00a0so it is out of consideration for our brothers and \u00a0sisters everywhere that we wash our hands, we stay six feet apart, and wear our masks.

One final note: \u00a0 Every Psalm of lament except for Psalm 88 concludes with an affirmation that God is with us, that no matter how bad it is, God will infuse us \u00a0with his peace, power and poise. \u00a0Here\u2019s how Psalm 85 puts it:\u00a0

Restore us again, O God of our salvation,
\u00a0 \u00a0so that your people may rejoice in you
Show us your steadfast love, O Lord,
\u00a0 \u00a0 and grant us your salvation.

For the Lord \u00a0 for he will speak peace to his people,
\u00a0 \u00a0 to his faithful, to those who turn to him in their hearts.
The Lord will give what is good,
\u00a0 \u00a0 and our land will yield its increase.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Cry of the CommunitySermon August 9, 2020By Dr. Terry Swicegood\u00a0 We\u2019ve been looking at the Book of Psalms over […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_price":"","_stock":"","_tribe_ticket_header":"","_tribe_default_ticket_provider":"","_tribe_ticket_capacity":"0","_ticket_start_date":"","_ticket_end_date":"","_tribe_ticket_show_description":"","_tribe_ticket_show_not_going":false,"_tribe_ticket_use_global_stock":"","_tribe_ticket_global_stock_level":"","_global_stock_mode":"","_global_stock_cap":"","_tribe_rsvp_for_event":"","_tribe_ticket_going_count":"","_tribe_ticket_not_going_count":"","_tribe_tickets_list":"[]","_tribe_ticket_has_attendee_info_fields":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-382","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-weekly-sermon"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/peoriapresbyterianchurch.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/382","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/peoriapresbyterianchurch.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/peoriapresbyterianchurch.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/peoriapresbyterianchurch.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/peoriapresbyterianchurch.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=382"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/peoriapresbyterianchurch.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/382\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":383,"href":"https:\/\/peoriapresbyterianchurch.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/382\/revisions\/383"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/peoriapresbyterianchurch.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=382"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/peoriapresbyterianchurch.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=382"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/peoriapresbyterianchurch.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=382"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}