Sermon Text, Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
Dear Festival Worshippers:
We shall not let evil men, the rain, nor the fact that someone made off with the money for the lunch today, destroy our determination to celebrate. God wants us to celebrate!
It is, therefore, with great joy that we come together today to celebrate the 75th anniversary of this beloved congregation. I am personally delighted to be here and to be a part of the festivities.
We come to praise the Lord and thank Him for the great blessings He has bestowed upon Holy Cross for these 75 years. When I look back and think of that little handful of people gathered in the Reque home on East Washington Avenue and then see what has taken place, I marvel at what God has done. We say with the Psalmist, "Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory for thy mercy, and for thy truth's sake." Psalm 115:1
The text which I have chosen covers all the conditions which Holy Cross has experienced throughout the 75 years of its history. Let us therefore speak of the Past, the Present and the Future as they relate to the history of the congregation.
For the first part of our sermon today, let us consider the past.
HOLY CROSS, A REFUGE IN TIME OF DISTRESS
Shortly after the church was organized in 1926, our country plunged into the great depression. In May of 1933 Rev. Ylvisaker wrote in the church paper, "some of us have not worked for three weeks; some for three years. Some of us are losing our homes; others have not been able to pay their rent." After that, in the life of this new mission, the country was plunged into World War II and many boys were called to serve. After that came the Korean Conflict, and then Viet Nam, and then Desert Storm. All through those years the congregation gathered here and heard the Word of the Lord and their souls were comforted. The congregation was reminded of the words of our text: "God is our refuge and strength." And now we have another special need for strength and courage, namely the terrible tragedy that took place on September 11th. The devil and evil men have brought this about. We therefore need to come to the Lord in fervent prayer and ask for His help. Here again we turn to His Word which calls us to believe that
"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." Psalm 46:1
And that He will cause all things to work out for our good. Romans 8:28. We need to pray for our beloved country and our president and leaders.
In addition to these world conflicts, think of the many personal troubles that have been brought here to the Lord. If we could only know what has been on the hearts and minds of all the people who have come here, these past 75 years. People have been struggling with family problems, with sickness and death, with sorrow and tribulation of all kinds. How many times have we sung:
Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged -
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
And let us not forget how every Sunday we come here with sin on our consciences. The Law of God has thundered from the pulpit and we have said within ourselves, "God be merciful to me, a sinner." And then we heard the blessed words, "Though your sins be as scarlet they shall be white as snow. Though they be red like crimson they shall be as wool." Isaiah 1:18. And we heard the blessed message about Jesus. Jesus, the Lamb of God, who took away the sin of the world. Jesus, by whose blood we are cleansed. Jesus, who has made us his own through baptism. Jesus, who gives us His very body and blood for the forgiveness of sin.
This congregation was named after a church in St. Louis, Missouri, where Rev. Ylvisaker was attending the seminary. It had the name Holy Cross. And, so he chose that name for this church. He undoubtedly wanted nothing more than that the people should look to the cross of Christ for their salvation. And often in my ministry here, I used the expression, Cross Eyed Christians, meaning that our eyes should be focused on the cross where Jesus died to save us.
Yes, at Holy Cross for 75 years hearts and souls have been comforted and strengthened, remembering that God is our Refuge and Strength.
NOW FOR PART II
LET US SEE HOW HOLY CROSS IS OUR
REFUGE AND STRENGTH TODAY
We live in a mad, mad, mad, world. We are traveling through life at such a fast pace we don't have time to think about the meaning of it all.
A year ago in July, I was standing in the Schipol Airport in Amsterdam and I watched people coming and going. They were rushing to catch their planes, a hot dog in one hand, a computer in the other, a cell phone under their chins, flight schedules hanging from their pockets, rumpled suit and neckties askew. They were living in the fast lane. We read about office workers that have given up eating breakfast. No time for that. One lady has a bowl of cereal by the shift in her car. She takes a bite when she stops for a red light. By her computer at her desk stands food. Soccer moms are starting to evaluate their children's after school activities - soccer, football, dance lessons, music lessons, homework, baby-sitting, no time for play.
And, what is all this leading to? Author C. Leslie Charles wrote a book entitled, Why is everyone so cranky? He points out that one of the effects of the pressure to do more, go faster, and take on more work is that we get angry. He says we are living in an epidemic of rage. You can read about it almost every day. Drivers in cars battle because one cuts the other off. Two shoppers in a checkout line get in a fight over who shall be first. A continental airlines pilot is forced to land because a passenger throws a can of beer at the flight attendant and then bites the pilot. A Massachusetts father beats another father to death in an argument at their sons' hockey practice. (Not in the game, mind you, but at the practice.) A famous basketball coach loses his job because he can't control his anger.
So there is road rage, airplane rage, sports rage, even funeral rage, as people get angry when they have to stop for the procession.
Why is all of this? Author Charles writes that there are two causes: Time and Technology. We don't have enough time, and technology barges in on the time we do have. He writes, "Cell phones, pagers, and high tech devices allow us to be interrupted anytime, anywhere." You are trying to have a quiet meal in a restaurant and someone next to you is carrying on a meaningless conversation with his two year old for all to hear. And going to Sweden or Norway doesn't help. They are the most advanced of all in this technology. Teachers over there are concerned because students can cheat by calling a classmate in the same room, during a test, on a cell phone, that doesn't ring!
And let us not think that this is going to slow down. The Kiplinger newsletter says it's going to get worse. Now we have wireless instant messaging. Much faster!
And all of this effects us. We get under too much pressure. We get frustrated with slow pokes. We get angry with them. We lose patience, become arrogant, we develop an in-your-face attitude. These are sinful attitudes in our hearts. They show a lack of love and patience. And this is sin.
When Jesus was leading his disciples after they had been particularly busy He said to them, "Come apart for awhile to a desert place and let us rest for awhile." So we need to come apart and rest from the pace of life. We need to sit down in God's house and let Him speak to us. Here He forgives our sins and helps us think about what is really important. We are reminded and fortified to believe that God is our Refuge and Strength.
AND NOW, PART III
HOLY CROSS MUST CONTINUE TO BE A
LAUNCHING PAD,
AS IT WERE, SO THAT WE GO OUT FROM HERE TO
DO SOME GOOD IN THE WORLD.
We are not to let our anniversary occasion become a time to sit back and think that there is nothing more that we can do.
In a cathedral in Copenhagen, Denmark, there is a huge statue of Christ. It is that familiar one of Christ, with arms outstretched, saying to people, "COME UNTO ME all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28
A beautiful picture of the gospel! It was sculpted by the famous Thorvaldsen. Replicas of it are found in many churches. But then when you go out the door of that cathedral there is on the wall a small bronze plaque on which is inscribed the words, "Glemme ikke a gjore vel." Don't forget to do good.
Hebrews 13:16.
I used this illustration once before, years ago at Holy Cross. And a short time later a dear lady gave me this present, a nice needlework plaque. She had sewed the words, "Don't forget to do good" on the cloth for me. It now hangs inside my office, by the door, so that every time I go out, I see it. It reminds me of the Holy Cross and our purpose in life. What a powerful illustration this is, that once we have come to Jesus, His love motivates us to go out and do good!
Where shall we start to do good? Home is the best place to start. There is your dear wife. Doesn't the Bible say, "Husbands love your wives even as Christ loved the church." Show that love now. Don't wait to inscribe it on her tombstone! Wives are to love their husbands. The Lord gave you this man. You should love him and care for him all his live. And together you should love your dear children. Love will motivate them better than anything else.
The Bible says, "Do good unto all men." It also says, "Be kindly affectioned one to another." Some of my colleagues in Mankato come to Holy Cross occasionally to preach or visit. When they come back, they will stop in at my office and comment that the people at Holy Cross are so friendly and kind. I hear this again and again, and it makes me so happy. I tell them that is why I stayed for 32 years!
As you begin this next chapter in the life of Holy Cross, may the same spirit of love and kindness continue. And may the Word of God that is preached here, always remind you of that blessed truth:
God is our Refuge and Strength, a very present help in trouble." Psalm 46:1
Amen.
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