1/24/2021

scripture verse comes from revised common lectionary this is set up in advance. Pastor Rob didn't select this verse out of the entirety in Scripture. Is it how God works? Imagine if you were going to lead a worship service that came back together after 11 weeks of not being together and this is the song.

my soul waits in silence forgot only

for him from him is my salvation.

The last 11 weeks is felt like waiting in silence, right?

He only is my rock and my salvation my stronghold I shall not be shaken.

How long will USA Women? You may murder him all of you. Like a leaning wall like a tottering fence. They have counseled only to thrust him down from his high position. They Delight in falsehood. They bless with their mouth, but inwardly they curse.

My soul waits in silence for God only. For my hope is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation my stronghold. I shall not be shaken. On God my salvation in my glory rest the rock of my strength. My refuge is in God. Trust in him at all times do people pour out your heart before him God is a refuge for us.

Man of low degree are only vanity and Men of rank are alive in the balance. They go up there together lighter than breath. Do not trust in oppression and do not vainly hope in robbery if riches increase do not set your heart upon them. Once God has spoken twice I have heard this. the power belongs to God

and loving kindness is thine O Lord.

For thou just a man according to his work? the 62nd psalm the word of God to the people of God Thanks be to God.

We have a lot to catch up about. 11 weeks is a long time.

We welcome some babies. We have some more to go.

Covid babies are arriving.

we've had some spend some time in nursing homes and rehab centers. which is The loneliest of lonely experiences right now.

God is at work.

butter spray Ord

Is the meditations of our hearts and the words of my lips be pleasing in your sight? our Rock and Our Redeemer amen

The psalmist rights?

I will not be shaken. I will not be shaken. Repeated time and time again. I will not be shaken.

Last 10 months have chicken us to the Core.

We worry.

We worry not just about our own faith. We worry about the faith generation to generation to generation, right? We worry.

Beer is here this morning. And she's Last In Worship, March 8th. 2020 pinhole months ago

Overton

it's almost an eighth of her life. And before then whether she wanted to go we're not 46 of the weeks were spending worship. every year

we worry about what it means for our children and our children's children to live out this Christian faith. Will they come back?

Will they will they come back? Will they take up this faith? Will they see what God is doing at hand?

I think so.

I think so because of this.

The amount that which we are rejuvenated on Sunday morning.

The amount that we are empowered through our worship of God by God to our discipleship. on Sunday morning

empowers us the other six days of the week.

and that the lack of that is what his felt so off for the last 11 weeks.

Not having that opportunity to come together for worship together to be empowered for the other six days.

It's not about the sermon. It's not just about the singing. It's not just about the prayer. That we do life together.

We do life together we care and love about a loved one another whether we know where they lived whether we know what their phone number is whether we're friends with him on Facebook or not.

What about those things? About us being a family of faith. I'm so happy to be in worship. I don't care what we argue about next.

Too close to home, my bad.

But I really don't. Because we called to be together. to worship to praise God God at work. And we are at work with God. Is the reality is we have been shaken to the Core?

Just like the psalmist who said I will not be shaken, but guess what? That meant they were shaking. Sonic sense like when you say you're not something that is a great example. Joe is for you have a lot of improvement in his ability to speak so much so that he now speaks back. Not always enjoyable and so something I have done that which tells you how bad things are at my house cuz I'm going to be a little telling her I say Joe who's in charge.

daddy Daddy's in charge Guess what? That means I don't feel like I'm in charge. I have to remind and just like shaking I will not be shaken. Because I'm shaken to my core.

Put my refuge my strength in my rock. That won't be shaken. Cuz that's God. In God's got this. got this

I don't know exactly what when we'll be able to take off her mask. And when we will be able to not have to socially distance. I know that we have plans if we have to go to less than 25 we're making plans to where we can maintain in person worship.

Can make any promises? But I can promise you that God's got this.

We have more people. Seeing their faith is what it looks like the other six days.

And what it means just for that one Sunday.

Yep, raise your hand if you've received a vaccine. Give us an arm hurt. I don't know. I thought everybody was a wuss when they got them and then they said your arm hurts and then I got mine and it really actually does hurt really bad. but

but I want to encourage you all when when time is to get the vaccine. And there's there's an ethical question. Right? Like what if you get a vaccine like what if you don't get a vaccine cuz you feel like somebody else should get it before you should write some people are worried about that. There's nothing since the other day that talked about how you cannot guarantee. But if you say no to a vaccine, in fact, it's not very probable that another person that is higher up on the list would get it as opposed to you. So if they call and they offer it or if you thinking about getting you qualify for it get it, okay. Get it will encourage you to do that.

The church is a source of information. Just like the source information for census source of information for wanting to encourage about getting vaccinated. Not that the communities in about food pantry in about backpack Ministry and things like that.

Because people look to the church for leadership. And I want to thank our leadership for all of the ways that they've continued in very very uncomfortable times. delete

offering oneself to share in leadership. not an easy task

the right now

we know that we can gather safely. and I don't know about you, but I was frustrated when we couldn't gather because we were doing everything right anyway, right? We're doing everything we can do. Everything we can do we do?

If God is our Rock.

Then what can shake us?

Not only what can shake us but what will overcome us?

nothing

nothing Qatar Foundation isn't in us. It's in God.

We continue to put one foot in front of the other. Fisher love Fisher life together

it feels good this morning. Gather together with people who say God is their Rock and their Foundation.

And there we may be shaken.

God love

continues

To give us our source of power in Hope.

there's a

opportunity we have as we continue to invite people back to worship. You can look around you can see that there's some empty seats, right? Can you get like two days heads up right two or three days heads up on this worship service, right? Next week Our Hope and prayers it is people are more comfortable that they will come as well.

We want people to understand it as we come back to worship together. We kind of join in together in a covenant. Okay, people need to know what they can expect when they come back to worship together. One of those things is that that we have no congregational singing, right? Using our hearts we can join together and then where's it at this point in time? We're just not going to sing as a corporate body. But also the masks. We agreed that we were Max.

Part of what we're inviting other people to do.

It is it's kind of like. Also, we socially distance.

Do people know when they come to worship? what to expect

in worship

as people become more comfortable. people will continue to return cuz I know one thing. Out of all of those Sundays we were apart. I never once felt better cuz I didn't go to church.

As people will feel safe.

Until then they're still part of our church family.

We still love and care for them.

Press brake.

Lord when we are

overcome with anxiety

when we are unsure.

of what forward looks like

when we feel

beating down

be our strength.

We are hope.

In Jesus name we pray. amen