"Keep Me
Safe"
a condensed version of the
sermon delivered by Rev. Kirk Moore on Sunday, July 1, 2007 at Union Congregational Church in Somonauk, Illinois.
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I’ve been spending a whole lot of time thinking about the Psalms this summer. This week it’s a Psalm that’s all about comfort and trust. Psalm 16 is a great one to read over and over much like so many read, say aloud or sing Psalm 23. Both Psalms are filled with celebration and assurance that God blesses and cares all.
I’ve only been here serving as your pastor for 5 ½ months. But already I’ve seen so much to celebrate. We’ve come together and increased our attendance on Sunday morning. We’ve grown spiritually in our Lenten studies. We’ve been active in the community with the Ham Dinner, pancake breakfasts, choirfest, Lion’s club, Maundy Thursday service, Vacation Bible School and this week’s garage sale. We’ve increased our giving (sure, we have lots more to do in that regard, but we’re moving in the right direction.)
I love this congregation. I love this church.
I’ve just returned from the United Church of Christ’s 26th General Synod – a biannual gathering of the denomination to worship together and to discuss and vote on resolutions – Statements and positions about issues related directly to our denomination and to issues that relate more broadly to the world. We had wonderful celebrations – hearing from speakers like Bill Moyers, Barack Obama, Marian Wright Edelman and Lynn Redgrave. We were blessed with wonderful music from the worship band and from the genius of Ken Medema. Ken has a gift for writing and then singing songs that wrap up what a speaker has spoken about immediately at the end of the speaker’s speech. When Ken sang we were moved in extraordinary ways. Sometimes we laughed – many times our eyes were filled with tears.
We also celebrated in our resolutions – calling for an end to the war, an end to torture in the Philippines (and everywhere else, for that matter) A call to ban the use of depleted Uranium in the manufacture of weapons, A call to a more humane US immigration policy, no change in our stand on same-gender marriage and others -- including a call to more appreciate the diversity of opinions on these and other issues within our denomination.
I love this denomination.
Around this time of year in the US we’re celebrating our independence. The patriotic words, sounds and signs are everywhere. Even in this time of conflict over our country’s leadership and over the wars we are involved in, it seems that people are still ready to celebrate. We wave flags, sing patriotic songs, attend and march in parades and "oooh" and ahhhh" at the sight and sounds of fireworks. We remember the sacrifices of those who helped build and those who protect out nation.
I love this country.
Love for country, denomination and church are wonderful. We can have wonderful celebrations and be joyful with each other.
But it is easy sometimes to take our joy and turn it into something that becomes vitriolic *caustically and spitefully celebratory (Look at me – using the big words!) and arrogant.
Our love of church, denomination, country and even our love of God and God’s presence can turn into something other than praise for our creator.
Instead of celebrating what we’re doing as a church and looking for more ways to reach out in love to God and all, we could start thinking, "Look how much better we are than all those other churches." But that’s not what we are about as God’s people.
Instead of celebrating the expression of God’s extravagant welcome for all in our denominations, we could start thinking, "Anyone with an opinion other than mine obviously has it wrong. How could they ever believe that way?" We could seek to get rid of anyone who doesn’t think the way we do. But that’s not what we are about as God’s people.
Instead of celebrating the liberty and independence we have in the United States, we could start thinking, "All the people in other countries are nuts for not doing things the way we do them. Anyone who doesn’t think the way we do will get what they deserve." But that is not what we are about as God’s people or as citizens of this nation.
Instead of coming to God in humbleness and praise, we can look at Psalm 16 and think, "I would never do the bad things the psalmist wrote about." Instead of blessing God and serving God we can look at Psalm 16 and think, "God is on my right hand – approving of all the things I do all the time." But I don’t think that’s what God’s desire for us is.
I believe that we as a church are called to live out our faith and to live out our love in the community – reaching out to all with God’s love and inviting them to experience a community with extravagant welcome.
I believe that we as a denomination are called to work together on the things we agree on and to serve together as God’s people even when we have trouble agreeing.
I believe that we as a country are called to care for the poor and the exploited here and throughout the world. We are called to be a powerful example of peace and cooperation even when we disagree on things.
I think that we as God’s people are called to look at Psalm 16 and think, "God gives me guidance. God gives me joy. God is the one who gives me a place to rest and keeps me safe.
I want to give us a few phrases to say this week – phrases to repeat in prayer time or phrases to put up on the refrigerator or somewhere else we might read them often. They’re the opening and closing lines from today’s Bible reading:
Or maybe we can say it like this:
You bring me joy, God. Please guide me, protect me and keep me safe.
© 2007 Union Congregational Church, All Rights Reserved