Emmanuel
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Dearly loved people of God,
· This spring I read this psalm with Tom and Mary
· I drew a parallel between the earthquake the psalmist mentions and Tom’s illness
“God is . . . an ever-present help in trouble.”
(Psalm 46:1, NIV)
o At the time, I didn’t know that Tom was a draeger man at Westray Mine where the earth literally did give way, killing Michael MacKay and 25 others in 1992.
o But this is the promise of God: He IS with us and WILL BE with us; “an ever-present help in trouble.”
· Despite how good it sounds, sometimes it gets uncomfortable to be aware of God’s closeness.
o God is big and holy
§ “He lifts his voice, the earth melts”
§ “He breaks the bow and shatters the spear.”
o God is ALL-MIGHTY. He is also holy.
He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”
(Psalm 46:10, NIV)
o How can God, big and holy, come close to fragile people? esp. people who are less loving than we were created to be?
§ I caught myself this week doing and saying things that make me ashamed; esp. with God as close as he says
§ You can judge your own situation, but for me
· I know I don’t love God fully;
· don’t fully love my neighbour as myself.
o In the past two days we’ve been sharing good memories of Tom. There’s a lot about him we love.
§ But, much as we love him, not many would claim Tom was perfect, either.
§ How can God’s promise to be close to humankind be comforting to people like Tom, and me, and you?
o The comfort comes from God’s promise to be with us. God in all his majesty and holiness stoops to be close to humankind.
§ Around Christmas, you’ll hear Jesus called Immanuel.
· It’s a Hebrew title
· Literally, “God with us”
· Jesus is God himself, he came to live with us, his creatures
§ God the Son came to be our refuge from accusation, judgement, and death
§ Jesus went to the cross to shield us from punishment.
§ Our punishment was placed on Jesus at the cross.
§ He rose again, demonstrating that our debt was paid.
o Because Jesus took our sin, God’s bigness and holiness is no longer frightening. No bigger comfort than that Jesus – our refuge – is close by. God is our ever-present help in trouble.
o Most people find death frightening. Tom lived with knowledge of his death since his diagnosis. So did you, Mary, and all the rest of us.
o Yet the promise we found in Ps 46, the promise that encouraged Tom this spring, is that God is with us
· That’s the only comfort I can offer you now that Tom has died. God has called Tom home. Now that Tom is with God, he sees his God and Saviour face-to-face.
o That’s great for Tom. It’s hard for the rest of us; especially for Mary and those of you who were really close to Tom.
§ He bragged about you.
§ He loved playing pool with you and biking.
§ He loved it when you threw the big fundraising party this spring.
§ You’ll miss him. Tom’s death leaves a hole.
o But in Jesus’ name, I assure you, in your grief, in those moments when Tom’s death hurts, God is with you. God is our refuge and strength.
o Let this be your confession and hope:
The Lord Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
(Psalm 46:11, NIV)