July 10, 2005
“Thy Word is a Lamp unto My Feet”
Psalm 119: 105-112
1. When I met with my first church - in the interview someone said that what they wanted was for me to “preach the word of God.”
That comment has stuck with me … ever since. And I have long pondered what exactly that means … to “preach the word of God.”
Of course, we all know what that means … or sort of know, I guess.
And this phrase is so commonly used that it has become a kind of clique.
So, this morning … I would like to try to unpack that phrase … (as they way) … and ask the question … what does it mean to “preach the word of God.” – Or better yet, “what is the word of God?” And where or how is it to be found?
In fact, countless books have been written about how to preach, what to preach, and why preaching is necessary (or not). Just about as many as have been written about prayer …
And yet, I confess that it is still a bit of mystery … this thing call “the word of God.” And maybe, as I will suggest, that is okay. Because, God is a mystery … and therefore God’s word is a mystery as well. And yet, we very much need to hear it … God’s word that is … don’t we?
2. Well, part of the problem is that the word is preached by human beings … of course … unless you think that the pastor is more than human … (which he or she is not, I remind you) …
Paul makes this clear in his letter to the Thessalonians when he writes:
13And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe.
Eugene Peterson translates it this way:
When you got the Message of God we preached, you didn't pass it off as just one more human opinion, but you took it to heart as God's true word to you, which it is, God himself at work in you believers!
So, somehow, what is preached is not just the word of the preacher … but something more … it is, somehow, God who is speaking … at least that it the idea.
3. So this is something important … this business of preaching … for it is one of the ways that we are able to understand what God is saying to us … today … about how to live … and many other things.
Yet, it is not an easy thing to understand – this business of preaching.
One of the great preachers … of another generation. Dr. Paul Scherer, for many years taught homiletics (which is the art of preaching) at Union Seminary in New York. He writes in his book, The Word God Sent:
Before the Word of God can get itself lived, it needs to get itself believed – and what is believed is not always lived. But before it can get itself believed, it has to get itself heard – and what is heard is not always believed. Farther back than that, however, is the hurdle which is our chief concern: before the Word of God can get itself heard, it must get itself said – and what is said is not always heard.
Well, there you have it … and you can read the whole rest of the book … and still not fully understand … what is going on … for, as I have come to understand, unfortunately, is that preachers tend to talk a lot … especially if they have been doing it for a long time … at least some preachers … and then there is also the danger of liking to hear yourself talk … another downfall of preachers …
Actually, the best advice I heard … came from a older lady who after I had preached a sermon … said, “Good sermon Eric … but it was a bit too long, just remember nobody saved after the first twenty minutes!”
4. So, what I want to say this morning is that in my opinion, preaching is not exactly what it sounds like. It is not speaking for God. At least not for me. But, rather, preaching is an effort to bring you, the listener, into contact with God and THEN GET OUT OF THE WAY.
Or, to create a situation which will cause you to reflect upon your relationship with God so that you will hear God’s word for you, today, as it pertains to some aspect of your life.
Now, this is not easy. After all, most of us don’t always want to hear what God is going to say to us … maybe because of what we think God is going say … On the other hand, chances are that what we want to hear is what we THINK WE WOULD LIKE GOD TO SAY TO US … which would be much more comforting … But if we only come to church to hear what we want to hear then we really aren’t coming to hear GOD’S WORD – ARE WE?
The quickest way around that problem, of course … is to not come to church!
The other way around it is … for the preacher to preach what people want to hear … instead of God’s word …
For instance … I was reading this past week about Joel Osteen … who is one of the latest of the “super preachers” … and has this 30,000 member church in Texas … which he inherited from his father …
5. According to the Christian Century article … Rev. Osteen always preaches pretty much the same sermon … in various forms … which says that God want everyone to be happy, successful, healthy, and the way to achieve this is to pray a lot, have faith … and go to his church. And Pastor Osteen also smiles a lot and seems very sincere … which, I am sure he is … because it obviously works for him, so far.
Well, there is a recipe for success. And a lot of very successful people go to his church … including famous movie stars and athletes. Can’t beat that, can you? And they get to hear exactly what they want to hear – which is that God wants them to be successful. After all, who can argue that God doesn’t want us all to be happy, healthy, and successful? After all, God loves us, right?
But, is this the word of God? Is this what the Bible says? Or is it just what most Americans would like to believe?
Or, to put it another way, is this what Jesus was all about? Was Jesus message that by becoming one of his followers or disciples … we would be happy, successful, and healthy? Well, not quite, I think.
Secondly, the other problem with Rev. Osteen’s gospel of success is that it places a terrific burden on people to actually be happy, successful, and healthy. What if you are not? Too bad! You must have done something wrong … or not prayed hard enough … or not had enough faith … that’s a tough situation to be in … because either you have failed or God failed you … and we know God doesn’t fail … right?
So, as we used to say … “It’s all your fault!” Ever heard that before?
6. But, what if God’s word to us is not just about being successful …but rather about being faithful … and that although God does not guarantee everything to be hunky dory … God does not abandon us in the midst of difficulty, either.
And, what if Jesus’ death on the Cross … was not just about worldly happiness, or worldly success, or being physically healthy ( for after all Jesus was not successful and he didn’t talk about happiness as the ultimate goal of life …)? What if Jesus’ message was about God’s kingdom which is in our midst?. What if Jesus message … was that God’s word is ever present … and will guide us through life … and will strengthen us … and preserve us … and bring joy into our hearts … even in the midst of trouble … suffering … misfortune … and failure …
In fact, what if God’s word to us … is present irregardless of our worldly circumstance … and it is free to everyone … who is willing to be open … to it … and this word … is so powerful … that it will take away our fear … and preserve us in danger … and guide us in time of trouble.
As Martin Luther wrote it in his famous hymn: though the powers of darkness are grim … we tremble not … for God’s word, above all earthly powers … abideth … the spirit and gifts are ours … thru him who with us sideth … Let goods and kindred go … this mortal life also … the body they may kill … but God’s truth abideth still … his kingdom is forever.
Now Luther was not really talking about success, happiness, or health … No, he was talking about the soul … and how nothing can destroy us … when God is on our side …
Sounds a little grim … but back in Luther’s time there was no modern medicine, no air conditioning, no pre packaged food, and the Black death was ever present …
7. So, hearing God’s word was very important for Luther … just the same as it is today … especially when we are sick or in trouble … or uncertain about where our life is going …
Why?
Think about it? Why is hearing God’s word so important? Why is even just one word … even … so important?
BECAUSE IT MEANS GOD IS PRESENT!!! THAT’S WHY! Just one word … and we know God is present. And if God is present … then everything will be okay … for God has not abandoned us. WE are not alone. God cares for us … Even if we are not successful, even if we have failed, even if we are sick … even if we are going to die … it will be alright … if God is there … and that is what Jesus came to say and why he died on a cross!
Stop and think for a moment how one of our first experiences in life … as a child … is being sick … and how having a parent or some adult come into our room … and how just hearing a word … of comfort … is so reassuring.
So, the same is true as adults … for instance, when we are troubled and a friend calls on the phone … what is it that we want? But to know that someone is there who understands … in other words we want a healing word … a word of comfort … one little word … which means “I care” – which means “You matter” – which means “I love you.”
Tell about wedding … affection … sound of ones voice … affection is the first form of love we experience. Just the sound of a voice can make the difference.
8. Now, I think we are getting closer to what God’s word is all about …
So, now suppose, we are uncertain … about what to do in life … about a specific decision we have to make … or what life means …
Or, in my case … when I was wondering whether to go back into the ministry after having been away for twenty years … and wasn’t sure what to do … It is in times like this that we want a word … of assurance … we want a word … of guidance … we want a question answered …
And into this situation …it comes to us … like a lamp unto our feet … a light unto our path … just like in Psalm 119.
And so, for the preacher … the task is to somehow endeavor to shed a little light … on our situation … and to reveal the possibility of God’s presence …
Now this need we have for a word from God … implies that at certain times in our life … and maybe most of the time … we are not always sure of where we are going … at least spiritually …
Why else do we need a lamp? … the lamp of God … which is the word of God?
9. But what is this word of God? How can we hear it? How can we know that we have heard it? How can we know that it is God?
After all, there are so many voices … such as all the modern popular preachers … and the self help talk shows … and magazines … and friends and acquaintances who want to give us advice …
So many voices … that increasingly … people actually are trying to get away … and they are going on retreats and to meditation centers … in order to get away … from all the preaching … and talking and CNN … and depressing world news which comes at us 24/7 …
Nowadays, people are seeking tranquility … and silence in order to hear God’s word … like Elijah in the cave where he heard the “still small voice of God” – (only Elijah wasn’t going on a spiritual retreat … he was actually running away … and God followed him … and spoke to him!)
So, we have to be careful … about all the messages … that we are not confused … and misled.
Therefore, it is not my purpose here to have you necessarily hear God’s word in the sermon … right here at this moment. Nor do I want to take credit for what God might be say or do … Because try as I will, I cannot make God miraculously appear out of thin air … like in the Wizard of Ox.
Rather, my purpose is to prepare you … to create in you the possibility … of hearing God’s word … and to point you in that direction.
My purpose is to allow you to be open … and to believe that it can happen … so that when it happens – you will be prepared.
Because, who knows when God will speak?
10. All that I can say … is that God is always at work … in the world … speaking a word to us …
And the problem, it seems, does not lie with God … so much as with ourselves much of the time … because we are not prepared to hear God’s word … because we are too busy with all our affairs and worries and problems …
So, what are we to do?
One way to hear God’s word is to pay attention to the Scriptures … this is a good place to start. For they are the record of God’s word as it came first to the Hebrews and then to the followers of Jesus.
The Bible is the word of God recorded as he spoke to Moses … and to the prophets and to Jesus … and yet the Bible is not the word of God … literally, as some people think … it merely contains the accounts of how God’s word was spoken and how it was received.
So it is that the writer of Psalm 119 … says … “Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet.” And so the psalm implies that God speaks to his people … and his word … is active … and life changing … and healing … and challenging … and comforting …
And, for we who are Christians … we also say … that Jesus is the Word of God … or as John puts it …
14The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
11. So, Jesus is the ultimate revelation of the word of God … even though God was also at work in the world before Jesus … in the psalms and in the prophets …and in the Law of Israel – the Commandments … given to Moses …
And so Jesus … is God’s word to us … that is clear…
Yet, we need to be careful … about this … because there are many interpretations … of Jesus … and Jesus himself warned us to be wary … for “many will come saying I am He.”
And, also, Paul who cautioned his churches to beware of “false teachers” and “super Christians” … (that’s what he called them). And who has not met some of those … who are “super Christians …”
And so today we have all kinds of people who would like to speak for God … and proclaim God’s word … and many who are willing to believe almost anything if someone says that it is “God’s word.:
It’s sad … how much foolishness and deception is practiced in the name of God … isn’t that true? Here is a quote for today:
Ann LaMott wrote recently that:
If the God you believe in hates all the same people you hate … then you know you have created God in your own image.
12. So we have to be careful in identifying too closing with the preacher as the Word of God ...
For God is more than any one person … or church … and so is Jesus.
Yet, at the same … and this is important … we need to trust in our own prayers …
This past week I was reading a little mediation by a UCC pastor, Rachel Srubas, who is an ordained minister in Arizona. She told how she grew up in a non-religions family and how she struggled to learn how to pray and eventually even went on to become a minister. Yet she continually struggled with prayer, until one day it came to her while she was in the shower! --- Like I said, you never know when God will speak!
Her story is that prayer begins not with competence … but with an earache … an ache in the ear of the heart … as she puts it.
Is your heart aching? Do your ears yearn for a message of truth? Do you long for God to speak a healing word? And yet, are you afraid to ask God for what you need? Are you afraid that your prayers … are not good enough? Or that you don’t know what to say? Or that your words aren’t articulate enough?
“Pray as you can,” she writes. “Prayer can take many forms … but never think that you have it down cold,” she reminds us.
13. In fact, she says, “I do not fully know how to pray as I ought … but I trust that God’s spirit will intercede for me …” she writes.
And, to be honest, quite often I think the same is true of preaching. So often I despair of how I can get across just what is important … and then I realize that it’s not all up to me … just like in prayer … I can only take it so far … then God has to take over.
So, while preaching can take many forms … it is not an end in itself … I think. It is a place to begin.
Preaching is something like prayer … it starts with an earache … a sense of something missing … a need to hear God speak …
It starts with a feeling of being alone … of being lost … of being confused … with a need for direction … and a need to hear God speaking … that still silent voice … which is the Word … which we long to hear. That word which is the reassurance that despite our circumstances … God is present and we are in His Care.
14. As I said, it’s hard to communicate … exactly what God’s word is all about … one of the better efforts comes to us from the popular Christian singer, Amy Grant … in her song, “Thy Word is a Lamp.” It goes like this:
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path …
When I feel afraid and think I’ve lost my way … still you’re right there beside me, and nothing will I fear as long as your are year.
Now I will not forget your love for me and yet my heart forever is wandering. Jesus be my guide ... and hold me to your side …
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path …
Let us pray…
