By The Rev. Dr. Paul A. Leggett
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Sermon Text: Psalm 139:7-12
Sermon Theme
The apostle Paul says that God “fills all in all” (Ephesians 1:23). Jesus himself says to the disciples, “I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). Our Catechism says that God is “everywhere present.” The theme of this year’s Vacation Bible School is “Camp E.D.G.E.,” which stands for “Experience and Discover God Everywhere.” What does it mean to say that God is everywhere? First, it means that God is indeed everywhere present, but he is not present everywhere in the same way. Second, there is only one purpose to God’s presence and that is to show his love. Third, we may have difficulty perceiving God’s presence at various points in our lives, but God is always with us. Even when God is silent, he is still present. God never stops loving because God is love.
Sermon Outline
- Presence. God is not part of the world. He is the creator of the world and he is still present in the world. In reality, there is a twofold description of God’s presence in Scripture. God’s presence may be active or passive. God has built freedom into creation. God therefore limits his own freedom to allow for ours. God is passively present when the serpent deceives Eve and Adam. Yet he is actively present after the fall when they hear him walking in the garden. They attempt to hide from God but their efforts are futile. God is everywhere.
- Purpose. The summation of who God is is found in the statement, “God is love,” I John 4:8. We may reject God, but he never stops loving us. God in his basic reality exists as love. The Father loves the Son, the Son loves the Father and both love and are loved by the Holy Spirit. Jesus goes to the cross out of love for us. This is why we need to love each other. This is not love in an emotional or romantic sense. This is the love that builds up, affirms, cares for and welcomes. At the same time, love is not indifferent to sin or injustice. Yet “love covers a multitude of sins.” God does not force his love upon us. No matter what circumstances we are in, we are sustained by the truth that God loves us with an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3).
- Perception. To say that God is always present with us does not mean that we are always aware of his presence. The psalmist was taunted by his enemies with the cry, “Where is your God?” (Psalm 42:10). There are often times when we are not aware of God’s presence. God may even be silent at times, but even so, God is always present. We are confronted here with two mysteries. One is that of human freedom. The other is the freedom of God. The only response to these mysteries is God’s promise, “I will never leave you or forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5). God’s word reassures us that we are never alone. “God is with us” is not only a promise. It is a name, Emmanuel, the name of Jesus Christ who is with us to the end of the age (Matthew 28:20).
Questions for Us
- How does the fact that God is "everywhere present" affect the way we live our lives? Why do we delude ourselves into thinking that we can keep secrets from God?
- This week is Vacation Bible School. The first hymn most of us learned was "Jesus loves me." Does this truth inspire our hearts? Does it continue to give us confidence? How does it enable us to love one another?
- What do we do when God seems remote or absent? What would you say to someone who says, "I think God has forgotten me"?
