Sermon Tone Analysis

*PSALM 46 “SAFE AND SECURE SAINTS” SEPT 9, 2007 SUMMER IN THE PS.*

 

*/PSALM 46:1 - 47:1 /*/ NKJ *PSALM 46:1* TO THE CHIEF MUSICIAN.

A PSALM OF THE SONS OF KORAH.

A SONG FOR ALAMOTH.

GOD IS OUR REFUGE AND STRENGTH, A VERY PRESENT HELP IN TROUBLE.  2 THEREFORE WE WILL NOT FEAR, EVEN THOUGH THE EARTH BE REMOVED, AND THOUGH THE MOUNTAINS BE CARRIED INTO THE MIDST OF THE SEA;  3 THOUGH ITS WATERS ROAR AND BE TROUBLED, THOUGH THE MOUNTAINS SHAKE WITH ITS SWELLING.

SELAH  4/

/ /

/THERE IS //A RIVER WHOSE STREAMS SHALL MAKE GLAD THE CITY OF GOD, THE HOLY PLACE OF THE TABERNACLE OF THE MOST HIGH.  5 GOD IS IN THE MIDST OF HER, SHE SHALL NOT BE MOVED; GOD SHALL HELP HER, JUST AT THE BREAK OF DAWN.

/

/ /

/ 6 THE NATIONS RAGED, THE KINGDOMS WERE MOVED; HE UTTERED HIS VOICE, THE EARTH MELTED.

7 THE LORD OF HOSTS IS WITH US; THE GOD OF JACOB IS OUR REFUGE.

SELAH  8 COME, BEHOLD THE WORKS OF THE LORD, WHO HAS MADE DESOLATIONS IN THE EARTH.  9 HE MAKES WARS CEASE TO THE END OF THE EARTH; HE BREAKS THE BOW AND CUTS THE SPEAR IN TWO; HE BURNS THE CHARIOT IN THE FIRE.  10 BE STILL, AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD; I WILL BE EXALTED AMONG THE NATIONS, I WILL BE EXALTED IN THE EARTH!  11 THE LORD OF HOSTS IS WITH US; THE GOD OF JACOB IS OUR REFUGE.

SELAH  /

 

INTRO:

 

*A MIGHTY FORTRESS*

WORDS AND MUSIC BY MARTIN LUTHER, 1483–1546

ENGLISH TRANSLATION BY FREDERICK H. HEDGE, 1805–1890

 

OCTOBER 31, 1517, IS PERHAPS THE MOST IMPORTANT DAY IN PROTESTANT HISTORY.

THIS WAS THE DAY WHEN MARTIN LUTHER, AN AUGUSTINIAN MONK AND A PROFESSOR OF THEOLOGY, POSTED ON THE DOORS OF THE CATHEDRAL OF WITTENBERG, GERMANY, HIS 95 THESES (COMPLAINTS) AGAINST THE TEACHINGS AND PRACTICES OF THE MEDIEVAL ROMAN CHURCH.

WITH THIS EVENT, THE 16TH CENTURY PROTESTANT REFORMATION WAS FORMALLY BORN.

THE PROTESTANT REFORMATION MOVEMENT WAS BUILT ON THREE MAIN TENETS:

•     THE RE-ESTABLISHMENT OF THE SCRIPTURES.

•     CLARIFYING THE MEANS OF SALVATION.

•     THE RESTORATION OF CONGREGATIONAL SINGING.

“A MIGHTY FORTRESS” WAS WRITTEN AND COMPOSED BY MARTIN LUTHER.

THE DATE OF THE HYMN CANNOT BE FIXED WITH ANY EXACT CERTAINTY.

IT IS GENERALLY BELIEVED, HOWEVER, TO HAVE BEEN WRITTEN FOR THE DIET OF SPIRES IN 1529 WHEN THE TERM “PROTESTANT” WAS FIRST USED.

THE HYMN BECAME THE GREAT RALLYING CRY OF THE REFORMATION.

A MIGHTY FORTRESS IS OUR GOD, A BULWARK NEVER FAILING; OUR HELPER HE AMID THE FLOOD OF MORTAL ILLS PREVAILING.

FOR STILL OUR ANCIENT FOE DOTH SEEK TO WORK US WOE—HIS CRAFT AND POW’R ARE GREAT, AND, ARMED WITH CRUEL HATE, ON EARTH IS NOT HIS EQUAL.

DID WE IN OUR OWN STRENGTH CONFIDE OUR STRIVING WOULD BE LOSING, WERE NOT THE RIGHT MAN ON OUR SIDE, THE MAN OF GOD’S OWN CHOOSING.

DOST ASK WHO THAT MAY BE? CHRIST JESUS, IT IS HE—LORD SABAOTH HIS NAME, FROM AGE TO AGE THE SAME—AND HE MUST WIN THE BATTLE.

AND THO THIS WORLD, WITH DEVILS FILLED, SHOULD THREATEN TO UNDO US, WE WILL NOT FEAR, FOR GOD HATH WILLED HIS TRUTH TO TRIUMPH THRU US.

THE PRINCE OF DARKNESS GRIM—WE TREMBLE NOT FOR HIM; HIS RAGE WE CAN ENDURE; FOR LO! HIS DOOM IS SURE—ONE LITTLE WORD SHALL FELL HIM.

THAT WORD ABOVE ALL EARTHLY POW’RS—NO THANKS TO THEM—ABIDETH; THE SPIRIT AND THE GIFTS ARE OURS THRU HIM WHO WITH US SIDETH.

LET GOODS AND KINDRED GO, THIS MORTAL LIFE ALSO; THE BODY THEY MAY KILL; GOD’S TRUTH ABIDETH STILL—HIS KINGDOM IS FOREVER.

*/FOR TODAY:/* DEUTERONOMY 33:27; 2 SAMUEL 22:2; PSALM 46; ISAIAH 26:4

BREATHE A PRAYER OF THANKS TO GOD FOR REFORMERS SUCH AS MARTIN LUTHER, WHO LAID THE FOUNDATIONS FOR OUR EVANGELICAL FAITH.

PRAISE HIM ON THIS REFORMATION DAY FOR THIS TRUTH—

[1]

 

EXPL: WONDERFULLY PLACED BETWEEN PSALM 45 AND PSALM 47 \\ \\

PSALM 45, GOD IS REVEALED TO US AS BEING THE GREAT KING.

\\ PSALM 47, GOD IS REVEALED TO US AS BEING THE ALL POWERFUL, & OVER THE NATIONS.

\\ PSALM 46 TELLS US THAT GOD IS GOD, V. 10 SAYS, “BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD.

THIS PSALM WAS WRITTEN AFTER HEZEKIAH HAD PRAYED AND GOD SENT ONE ANGEL TO DESTROY 185,000 ASSYRIANS.

\\ \\

THIS PSALM IS DIVIDED INTO FIVE SECTIONS….

GOD’S PROTECTION

GOD’S PARADISE

GOD’S POWER

GOD’S PEACE

GOD’S PRAISE.

AND TEACHES US THAT WHENEVER DISASTER…WHETHER NATURAL DISASTER OR TERRORIST DISASTER….AND ALL HOPE SEEMS LOST…GOD HAS ALL THINGS UNDER CONTROL.

GOD CAN AND WILL HANDLE ALL THINGS ACCORDING TO HIS PERFECT WILL…ALL WE HAVE TO DO IS TO TRUST AND LEAN AND DEPEND ON HIM BECAUSE HE IS OUR REFUGE, OUR HIGH TOWER, OUR SOLID ROCK OUR MIGHTY FORTRESS.

PROP: THE LESSON IS…ULTIMATELY WE ARE SAFE AND SECURE IN THE SAVIOR.

GOD KNOWS HOW TO PROTECT HIS PEOPLE.

INTER: IF GOD PROTECTS HIS PEOPLE, HOW SHOULD WE LIVE AS HIS SAINTS?

TS: AS WE LOOK AT THE PSALM…WE WILL LEARN WHAT IT MEANS TO LIVE AS  SAFE AND SECURE SAINTS.

*MP I. WE ARE FEARLESS V. 2-3.*

ILL: *WHAT AMERICANS ARE AFRAID OF*

THE SUNDAY SUPPLEMENT MAGAZINE, /USA// WEEKEND, /RAN A COVER STORY IN ITS AUGUST 22–24, 1997 ISSUE, ENTITLED “FEAR: WHAT AMERICANS ARE AFRAID OF TODAY.”

IN A SCIENTIFIC POLL, THE MAGAZINE UNCOVERED THE THINGS AMERICANS FEAR MOST:

•     54% ARE “AFRAID” OR “VERY AFRAID” OF BEING IN A CAR CRASH.

•     53% ARE “AFRAID” OR “VERY AFRAID” OF HAVING CANCER.

•     50% ARE “AFRAID” OR “VERY AFRAID” OF INADEQUATE SOCIAL SECURITY.

•     49% ARE “AFRAID” OR “VERY AFRAID” OF NOT HAVING ENOUGH MONEY FOR RETIREMENT.

•     36% ARE “AFRAID” OR “VERY AFRAID” OF FOOD POISONING FROM MEAT.

•     35% ARE “AFRAID” OR “VERY AFRAID” OF GETTING ALZHEIMER’S.

•     34% ARE “AFRAID” OR “VERY AFRAID” OF PESTICIDES ON FOOD.

•     33% ARE “AFRAID” OR “VERY AFRAID” OF BEING A VICTIM OF INDIVIDUAL VIOLENCE.

•     32% ARE “AFRAID” OR “VERY AFRAID” OF BEING UNABLE TO PAY CURRENT DEBTS.

•     30% ARE “AFRAID” OR “VERY AFRAID” OF EXPOSURE TO FOREIGN VIRUSES.

•     28% ARE “AFRAID” OR “VERY AFRAID” OF GETTING AIDS.

•     25% ARE “AFRAID” OR “VERY AFRAID” OF NATURAL DISASTERS.

OTHER FINDINGS:

•     IS THE WORLD A SAFER PLACE THAN WHEN YOU WERE GROWING UP? NO, SAY 9 IN 10 AMERICANS.

•     4 IN 10 PEOPLE FEEL UNSAFE TAKING A WALK ALONE AT NIGHT WITHIN A HALF-MILE OF HOME.

•     1 IN 4 WOMEN THINKS SHE HAS BEEN FOLLOWED BY A STRANGER IN THE PAST YEAR.

•     1 IN 5 FEARS BEING CAUGHT IN A BOMBING IN A PUBLIC PLACE.~*[2]

THE TEXT SAYS ELOHIM IS OUR SHELTER, OUR SHIELD, OUR STRONG ROCK WHO IS HERE AND NOW WILLING AND READY TO HELP, ENCLOSE AND COVER US FROM THE TIGHT PLACES OF LIFE.

WHEN WE FIND OURSELVES BET.

A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE, HELPLESS, GOD IS READY TO ASSIST AND AID.

IMP.

GOD IS OUR STRENGTH; EVEN WHEN THE WORLD IS OUT OF CONTROL GOD IS IN CONTROL BECAUSE HE HAS PERMANENT STRENGTH.

AND THE ENEMIES OF THE WORLD HAVE TO GO THROUGH THREE…”FATHER, SON AND THE HOLY SPRIT.

THE LORD TOLD JOSHUA…BE STRONG AND OF GOOD COURAGE, DO NOT BE AFRAID, NOR BE DISMAYED, FOR THE LORD YOUR GOD IS WITH YOU WHEREVER YOU GO

 

PS.

SAID, SOME TRUST IN CHARIOTS, SOME IN HORSE BUT WE WILL REMEMBER THE NAME OF THE LORD OUR GOD.

PAUL TOLD TIMOTHY…GOD HAS NOT GIVEN US A SPIRIT OF FEAR BUT OF POWER, LOVE AND A SOUND MIND.

APP: HAVE FAITH IN GOD,  DON’T FEAR BUT BUILD UP YOUR FAITH IN GOD.

HAVE FAITH IN GOD AND DON’T WORRY.

GOD IS OUR HELP IN TROUBLE; IF YOU WORRY, YOU ARE ON YOUR OWN.

DON'T LIE AWAKE AT NIGHTS WORRYING ABOUT HOW TO SUCCEED; JUST STAY AWAKE DAYS.

DON'T WORRY ABOUT KNOWING PEOPLE; JUST MAKE YOURSELF WORTH KNOWING.

DON'T WORRY WHAT THE WORLD IS COMING TO; BE CONCERNED WHAT IT HAS ALREADY COME TO.

 

WORRYING DOESN'T GIVE YOU ANYTHING BUT WRINKLES; SOMETHING ELSE TO WORRY ABOUT.

ONLY HE WHO CAN SAY, "THE LORD IS THE STRENGTH OF MY LIFE," CAN SAY, "OF WHOM SHALL I BE AFRAID?"

 

   -- ALEXANDER MCCLAREN, CHRISTIAN READER, VOL.

32, NO. 3. SEE: PS 28:8; 46:1; 118:13; 2 CO 12:9.

ILL:

 

*II.

WE ARE JOYFUL V. 4-5*

/THERE IS //A RIVER WHOSE STREAMS SHALL MAKE GLAD THE CITY OF GOD, THE HOLY PLACE OF THE TABERNACLE OF THE MOST HIGH.  5 GOD IS IN THE MIDST OF HER, SHE SHALL NOT BE MOVED; GOD SHALL HELP HER, JUST AT THE BREAK OF DAWN.

/

 

THERE WAS NO RIVER IN JERUSALEM, BUT THERE WAS A SPRING…THE SPRING OF GIHON THAT WAS CHANNELED …..1777 FT LONG…INTO THE CITY TO BRING WATER …AND COVERED SO IT COULD NOT BE TAINTED BY THE ENEMY.