Psalm 118 | Ebenezer: Till Now The Lord Has Helped Us

Pastor Mike and Holly would like to reconnect with old friends at MEFC through a time of food and fellowship on Saturday October 14th at 4:30 p.m. at the church. Please RVSP Barb Goulet to let her know you are coming or if you are willing to help out

Talk about calendar of events.

I want to start my message by describing the state of our nation:

Trust in the US government is at an all-time low.

The country is sharply divided

Moral decay

Gas prices are high & the US economy is unstable.

You might think I’m talking about 2023, but I’m actually referring to 1973!

Trust in the US government is at an all-time low. Watergate investigation is taking place. President’s Nixon's cover-up and abuse of power led to his resignation the following year.

The country is sharply divided. Vietnam War: Ongoing war; Young people are being drafted, some citizens are protesting against the war while others support it.

Moral decay. On January 22, 1973, in a decision known as Roe v. Wade, the United States Supreme Court ruled that a woman had a constitutional right to abort her baby. The ruling effectively legalized abortion nationwide.

Gas prices are high & the US economy is unstable. 1973 US energy crisis begins: Oil shortages, high prices due to OPEC embargo, gas rationing, economic impact; spurred energy reforms.

At first glimpse, next year looks bad. The economy will probably slide into a mild recession in the first half of the year, with a slight drop in the real gross national product. President Nixon's second full‐fledged recession will be brief, and in the second half of 1974 economic activity should pick up speed. Unemployment will rise throughout the year. Inflation will worsen. Profits will drop a bit. (New York Times, December 30, 1973)

There is something else going on in 1973....

On July 31, 1973, a group of eight people met in the home of Rev. Merlin Egland (pastor of the Hancock Evangelical Free Church) to discuss the beginning of an Evangelical Free Church in Morris. The desire was to plant an evangelical church in Morris, reaching out to those in the community. There was a particular interest to reach those involved with the University of Minnesota at Morris.

I need you to know something very important that I found in a folder titled, “MEFC History.”

The Morris Evangelical Free Church began as a prayer. Axel and June Pearson prayed for Morris for years...

On August 5, 1973, the group held its first worship service at the Stevens County Courthouse community room. On December 2, 1973, services were moved to the Otter Tail Power Building Company.

By May 23, 1974, a constitution was adopted for MEFC and on September 1, 974, pastor Robert Ellis was called to began serving as the first full time pastor. The total church budget for 1974 was $7,412.94; offerings totaled $10,288.49

Jane Oleen, secretary of the MEFC Board wrote at the time:

"Highlights of the past year (1974): we have grown from a group of 12 interested Christians wishing 10 begin a work in Morris, to a congregation of 50 worshippers and friends forming the Morris Evangelical Free Church. We have had a year of many joys, of sharing in marriages and births and welcoming new friends to share God's Word with. We have received the blessings of being served by two of God's assistants - Rev. Merlin and Lois Egland. When God decided we should branch out, He saw to it that our prayers, and those of a family in Miramar, Florida, became a working force at the same time. The Ellis family met with the Morris Free Church family and joined forces. God has blessed us financially, enabling us to purchase needed equipment - mimeograph machine, typewriter, and organ. He has seen to it that our needs are always met. Now as we close out this year 1974 and begin a new, may we ask God's blessings and continued assistance…for without His guidance. we are nothing.”

There is also a Bible study group going on at this time at the UMM (nearly 70 students at their weekly praise time). At one time there were 10 different Bible study groups meeting in the dorms. Later these groups would officially register with the University as Intervarsity Fellowship.

On February 26, 1975, MEFC made the decision to purchase 4.8 acres of land just south of the Villa of St. Francis (West Wind Village). Ground was broken for construction in July 1975.

Again from the 1975 annual report:

“If you consider the fact that we had a new church building under construction and no money to pay for it, to that add the extra expenses incurred such as the parking lot fill, etc., we as humans surely would have failed. Praise God that He was always there with His guiding and directing, and well rewarding our stepping out in faith.”

The first worship service was held in the new facility one year later on February 29, 1976 with 92 people in attendance.

In 1979 pastor Floyd Hackett became the second pastor at MEFC. Pastor Hackett wrote in the annual report that year,

“The world’s economy is in a state of turmoil, but praise God because His economy is very stable! All the resources we need to remain within His perfect will are available… I suggest a goal for us in 1980 is to be found faithful, available, teachable, which in turn will result in a smooth, orderly, healthy and vigorous, body of believers, serving Our Lord and Savior....”

FYI, Jim Aanerud became church chairman at the this time.

1982 was a year of struggle and growth for MEFC (finances, inflation, and some doctrinal differences).

Pastor Floyd Hackett summed it up this way:

“The struggles of 1982 have produced a challenge, but praise god He does not stop working with us but continues to develop us for his glory!”

Pastor Merle Christianson arrived in March 1985 as the third pastor at MEFC but resigned the year after due to a constant sinus condition exacerbated by the cold winter.

Mike Sager served as the fourth pastor at MEFC from 1986-2005. The Christian education wing took place under his leadership.

In the 1999 Annual Report Pastor Mike wrote,

“I want to ask you to continue to pray for two areas that we need to grow in as a church body: one is prayer and the second is a passion for the lost. …These are two great areas we dare not neglect.”

Pastor Marlin Mohrman served as the fifth Senior Pastor from 2007-2022. Two building expansions took place under his leadership: The Fireside Room & The Fellowship Hall along with extra classroom spaces.

In 2007 there was renewed emphasis on prayer which led to the formation of our Prayer Team.

In 2009 church voted to begin a Spanish speaking ministry. The first Spanish service was launched in May 2010.

So much more that can be said about the history of our church, but I now would like to turn our attention to the Scriptures with the remainder of our time.

When I think about 50 years of God’s faithfulness at MEFC, I think Ebenezer.

The word Ebenezer is found in 1 Samuel 7:12 “Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen and called its name Ebenezer; for he said, “Till now the Lord has helped us.””

Ebenezer means, “Stone of help.” Samuel uses a stone as a way to celebrate and remind people that the reason why they are experiencing victory in their lives is not because of their own wisdom and power. Rather, Samuel reminds the people of God that the reason whey they are standing is because “Till now the Lord has helped us.”

Morris Evangelical Free Church, never forget that the reason why we are here is because “Till now the Lord has helped us.”

As we look forward to the next 5 years, 10, years, 25 years, 50 years; we must never take our eyes off the Lord. Our devotion and loyalty must be to God and God alone.

Our passage this morning is Psalm 118.

A little background: The liturgical section inclines most scholars to think that the psalm was originally composed for some special ceremony, such as laying the foundation of the new temple (cf. v. 1 with Ezra 3:11), or the dedication of the new temple (Ezra 6:16–22). (ESVSB)

The Psalm was also used during the Passover celebration which means that Jesus and his disciples sang it at the Last Supper before they departed for Gethsemane.

3 life lessons found in Psalm 118

Morris Evangelical Free Church, celebrate what the Lord has done

God’s people celebrate by giving thanks to the Lord.

Psalm 118:1 “Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!”

Psalm 118:19 “ Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter through them and give thanks to the Lord.”

Psalm 118:21 “I thank you that you have answered me and have become my salvation.”

Psalm 118:28 “You are my God, and I will give thanks to you; you are my God; I will extol you.”

Psalm 118:29 “Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!”

This psalm celebrates God’s goodness and his steadfast love.

Not the first time.

When the Ark of the Covenant was was brought to Jerusalem under King David’s leadership:

1 Chronicles 16:34 “34 Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!”

When the temple was built and the Ark of the Covenant was installed in the new temple built under King Salomon’s leadership.

2 Chronicles 5:13 “13 and it was the duty of the trumpeters and singers to make themselves heard in unison in praise and thanksgiving to the Lord), and when the song was raised, with trumpets and cymbals and other musical instruments, in praise to the Lord, “For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever,” the house, the house of the Lord, was filled with a cloud,”

In 2 Chronicles 6 Salomon offers a prayer of dedication and it ends with the following words:

2 Chronicles 6:42 “42 O Lord God, do not turn away the face of your anointed one! Remember your steadfast love for David your servant.””

2 Chronicles 7:1–3 “1 As soon as Solomon finished his prayer, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple. 2 And the priests could not enter the house of the Lord, because the glory of the Lord filled the Lord’s house. 3 When all the people of Israel saw the fire come down and the glory of the Lord on the temple, they bowed down with their faces to the ground on the pavement and worshiped and gave thanks to the Lord, saying, “For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.””

In 2 Chronicles 20 we read that king Jehoshaphat and the people of God faced a great army. In the middle of a prayer meeting a Levite give’s a word a prophecy saying: “the battle belongs to God therefore God will fight for you.”

The next morning as the men of Judah are getting ready for battle, King Jehoshaphat encourages the people to trust in God and His Word.

The Levites go before the army sining a song. Can you guess the lyrics?

2 Chronicles 20:21 “...as they went before the army, and say, “Give thanks to the Lord, for his steadfast love endures forever.””

When the foundation of the second Temple was completed we read that the descendents of Asaph:

Ezra 3:11 “11 And they sang responsively, praising and giving thanks to the Lord, “For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever toward Israel.””

In the Psalms, the phrase “for his steadfast love endures forever.” appears 34x. 26x of those occurences are in Psalm 136.

Let me tell you a little about God’s steadfast love, his hesed.

Hesed, most important word in OT? Appears 250x (1/2 in Psalms). Hesed often describes God’s steadfast, loyal love for his covenant people. One Jewish scholar defines hesed as “a free-flowing love that knows no bounds.”(Arthur Green)

Hesed is a Hebrew word that no single English word can translate accurately. KJV, NIV, ASV, ESV, CSB, NLT

Love, lovingkindness, great love, marvelous love, steadfast love, unfailing love, faithful love, covenant of love, gracious covenant, loyalty, covenant loyalty, kindness, unfailing kindness, mercy, merciful, treated well, faithfulness, grace, favor, loyal, devotion, and goodness, just to name a few.

You can’t explain it nor contain it. “How wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ” (Eph 3:18)

Hesed: When the person from whom I have a right to expect nothing gives me everything (Michael Card)

God’s hesed is demonstrated in the person of Jesus through his death and resurrection.

Communion is an opportunity to see taste God’s hesed.

Morris Evangelical Free Church, continue to trust in the Lord

Vv. 5-18 it’s a personal testimony of what God has done.

Psalm 118:8–9 “8 It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man. 9 It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes.”

There is simply no comparison between the LORD (YHWH) and man. God’s personal name, YHWH, reveals that our God is, was, and always will be. While on the other hand, humans are mere mortals who are here today and gone tomorrow. Presidents and governors come and go. Church leaders come and go, but the Lord and his steadfast love remain forever.

Yet, if we are honest, the temptation to trust on earthly resources and allies is very real.

How do we counteract this tendency? Prayer!

Talk about:

Worship & Prayer night (Thursday Oct 19, 7 p.m.)

Prayer walk (Sunday Oct 22 | 1:30 p.m.)

Morris Evangelical Free Church, place Jesus as the cornerstone of your existence.

Psalm 118:22–23 “22 The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. 23 This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.”

Jesus spoke of himself as this cornerstone.

The apostles spoke of Jesus as the cornerstone.

The cornerstone is the first stone in a masonry foundation and it becomes the reference point for all other stones in order to know if everything else is straight and true.

The church must be build on Jesus and His word!

Our salvation

Our hope

Our faith

Our love

Our mission

Our values

May we continue to be a church whose cornerstone is Jesus and Jesus alone.

Communion:

Acts 4:11–12 “11 This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. 12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.””