Rev. David Holwick R "Distinguished Servants" Ceremony
First Baptist Church
Ledgewood, New Jersey
May 16, 1993
Psalm 121
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I. Uncertainty of modern life. 121:1
A. Terrible feeling to be all alone, thinking no one cares.
B. People seek help, none answer. (NYC incident)
II. Is your God big enough? 121:2,4
A. The God of Psalm 121 is the God of creation.
1) He made it, and he continues to control it.
B. He is the God of the nations.
1) The God of the Bible is not just God for Europe and America.
a) He must be acknowledged the world over.
b) He calls nations to account.
2) He establishes rights for all people.
a) When God is forgotten, human rights are forgotten.
III. Is your God small enough? 121:5
A. Does your God care about YOU?
1) Many see God as the Great Designer, little more.
2) If he created distant galaxies, what would he care about
our scrawny concerns?
3) The God of the Bible is a personal God.
a) He sent Jesus to die for you PERSONALLY.
B. God is a watcher.
1) We don't like to be watched - Big Brother syndrome.
a) "Be Careful Little Hands What You Do..."
b) Usually, we are hiding something.
2) God's watching is meant to be comforting.
a) He watches to protect us, not to catch us.
b) He pays constant attention - no sleeping.
c) Note emphasis - mentioned 5 times.
Sam Watkins is a native Liberian, and was an electrical engineer
with responsibilities in the national communication grid of
Liberia.
In 1989 a coup toppled the government following a civil war and
the military took over.
Sam began noticing that neighbors were disappearing in the middle
of the night and their bodies were turning up in deserted alleys.
He himself felt safe, but he began to be concerned.
Being an electrical engineer, Sam had wired up a surveillance
system so he could check out his visitors.
(You might say he did his own watching.)
One night a heavily armed soldier showed up at his front door.
He looked menacing, but Sam had nowhere to go, so he prayed and
opened the door.
The soldier stood there with an automatic weapon hanging from one
arm.
He said, "I would like to talk with you."
Sam let him in, but had a sinking feeling in his gut.
As he sat on the sofa, streams of sweat cascaded down his arms.
The soldier said, "Do you remember me?" Sam didn't.
"You came and gave out Bibles at my barracks two years ago.
I read mine, and now I am a Christian and I wanted to come and
tell you so."
Sam's pools of sweat turned to perspiration of joy.
A wave of relief swept over him.
He proceeded to tell Sam that he was part of the President's
special security squad.
Each night the highest officials in the government gathered in a
secret room and drew up a list of the political opponents who
were to be killed.
The previous night, Sam Watkin's name had come up.
Sam's sweat began dropping again and a severe depression came
over him.
The soldier told him he must leave the country immediately and as
secretly as possible, and that he would help him.
It would not be possible to take any belongings with him.
As a matter of fact, they would have to go underground and stay
at safe houses until he was out of the country.
This is what Sam did, and now he works in New Jersey, and with
the local Gideon chapter.
As good as we might watch out for ourselves, can we do better than
God?
#2490
C. God sweats the details.
1) He is concerned about our foot slipping.
2) The harm he keeps us from must be seen from whole perspective.
a) Note paradox of Luke 21:18 - hairs on head, yet death.
b) Ultimately, nothing can harm a Christian.
IV. Does your God control the future? 121:8
A. God protects us "now and forevermore."
B. If he does, should you be fearful right now?
C. Trust in God puts things in a different perspective.
Dave Roever (pronounced Reever) grew up in Christian home, married
high school sweetheart, went to Bible college, and got drafted.
He decided to enlist in Navy, took SEAL training and was assigned
to river warfare.
His buddies were all corrupt and took shots for social disease,
but Dave remained faithful to his wife.
They called him "Preacher-Man."
While on a patrol one day he prepared to throw a phosphorus grenade
to clear a booby-trapped area.
It went off in his hand (a sniper may have shot his hand) and
burned up half his body.
The right side of his face was burned down to the skull, his chest
was blown off so he could see his heart beating.
He threw himself into the water only to see the phosphorus burning
intensely white even under water.
They pulled him back in the boat and medevaced him to a hospital.
Two weeks later they opened up his chest and he caught on fire
again from concealed phosphorus.
(The doctor's report testifies to this.)
He burned all the way through the gurney and fell on the floor.
Thirteen other patients were taken with him to an intensive care
unit in Houston, and twelve died there.
One wife came up to her wounded soldier, was disgusted and never
came back.
Dave's wife whispered, "I love you, Davey."
He regained sight in his right eye, had his face reconstructed,
wears a plastic ear and hairpiece, but can play piano dramatically.
His wife gives this invitation:
"Everyone is going to serve a god.
You may not serve the same God I serve.
You may serve Buddha, or Allah, or the god of Mars -
he was the god of war and violence.
We act like the god we serve.
If you are a violent person, you're serving the god of Mars.
There's another god called Venus, the goddess of sex.
I want you to think about this:
When you are lying in a battlefield, legs and arms blown off,
lying there dying, Is your god big enough to pull you through?
If the god you serve cannot care for you,
I suggest you change gods now,
and serve the One who will take care of you,
who will pull you through in difficult circumstances."
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*********************** Notes ****************************
Kidner, "Psalms"
I. Protection is a burning issue for pilgrims.
A. Hills- a place of refuge or a menace?
B. Either way, God is better: living help, primary, personal,
wise, and immeasurable.
II. Rest of psalm leads into an ever expanding circle of promise.
A. God is closer than the hills.
B. Israel's privilege is applied to individuals.
1) Kept from all evil doesn't imply a cushioned life, but a
well-armed one. Cf. 23:4, expects dark valley but can
face it.
2) Cf. Luke 21:18f, where God's minutest care is in same breath
as prospect of hounding and martyrdom (21:16f).
III. Psalm ends with a strong pledge. Deliverance
A. Going and coming: more than 'everything,' it draws attention to
one's ventures and enterprises (cf. Ps 126:6). Also, to
pilgrimage and return.
B. Protection starts "from now", and continues without end (not just
to the end of time), like God himself.
Copyright © 2024 by Rev. David Holwick
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