Sunday, January 7, 2007
“Faith: Still Here”
Text: Joshua 4: 1- 9
Without a doubt all of us here today have a faith statement we can make on January 7, 2007 – we are still here. For some 2006 was a difficult year, you may have had challenges that seems insurmountable, but you are still here. You may have experienced an illness that had you down, but not out; you are still here. Some may have felt the unbearable – heartbreak, rejection, or defeat; but like a Phoenix rising from the ashes, you are still here. Some may have suffered the lost of loved ones and the pain is still an open wound; but you are still here. Some may have wrestled with an addiction that by any measure had the best of you, but you knew that you could beat it, and no matter how tough the struggle may have been, as long as you continued to fight, you knew you would make it, and through it all, you are still here. Some may have counted you out, some may have wanted you out, some sought to take you out; but look, you can say, I’m still here.
I believe the ability to say, still here, is a faith statement.
It’s a faith statement because some of you know that if it had not been for the Lord on your side. Where would you be?
It’s a faith statement because some of you know that in the midnight hour when you where all by yourself and nobody could hear you crying; it was God who wiped the tears from you eyes and became you comforting presence and assured you that everything is going to be alright; and you are still here.
It’s a faith statement because some of you know what it means to wake up in the morning and get out of bed; knowing that your bed was not a cooling board; and you are still here.
It’s a faith statement when as a Black Male, the statistics says that life expectancy in America for white females is 80yrs, for black females is 76 years, for white males is 75 years, and for black males is 69 years; and you have pasted that mark and some; you are still here.
On the other hand, I’m still here, can be an arrogant statement, if you believe that you pulled yourself up by your own bootstraps, if you believe you row your own boat, if you believe that the alarm clock woke you up. I’m still here, can be an arrogant statement, if you believe that the world owes your something, if you think everyone should applaud when you walk through the door, if you feel that nothing will happen unless you make it happen. I’m still here, can be an arrogant statement.
But, I’m not talking about it in that manner. For me, I’m still here is a faith statement. It’s recognizing that God has made a way out of no way. It’s recognizing that God has kept a hedge of protection around you. It’s understanding that you’re here only by the grace of God.
Does anyone know what I mean when I say; still here is a faith statement?
Don’t you remember when no one thought you would survive, the pressure was too much to bear, the loneliness was terrifying, and vultures hovered over your body, like a caucus on the road?
Don’t you remember when you where happy just to stumble into a watch night service with a testimony that you will try to live better, that you would forgo a dangerous lifestyle, that you would give up a life destroying habit or relationship?
Don’t you remember when New Year’s was the loneliness time of the year and instead of being in Church, you would be singing Old Lang Zang with someone, anyone, and anywhere?
I hope you understand that just to be able to say on January 7, 2007, I’m still here is a faith statement.
Don’t take it lightly, for Paul says it this way, “faith is the substance of things hope for, the evidence of things not seen.”
I like most of America marveled at the story of Wesley Autry of New York. Who sacrificed himself to save a young man, Cameron, on the New York subway? Cameron fell over the platform while having sieges and was in the path of an oncoming train. Wesley with no thought of his life and safety, jumped off the platform. Pulled the young man into a channel of the rail tracks, covered him with his body, as the trained rolled over him. I can imagine while lying on the young man with the train rolling over him, his two daughters on the platform being held by strangers. After the train passed, he could only sigh with a sense of relief. I’m still here!
I believe the ability to say, still here, is a faith statement.
Faith is a trust that has been affirmed by God.
No matter what - you can trust in God.
No matter what - God has been an ever present help in the time of trouble.
No matter what - God gives you shelter in a storm.
Faith is a belief that just when you need him most - God will answer prayer.
Faith is a belief that if you just trust and never doubt - God will see you out.
Faith is a truth confirmed by knowing that God’s eye is on the sparrow and you know he watches you.
Faith (In the words of Howard Thurman) is the yielding of the very nerve center of your consent, your existence, your will, your capacity to be, to God: knowing that since you come from God, and live in God, you will go to God one day.
I believe the ability to say, still here, is a faith statement.
As I mediated over this text, read this text, studied this text, I remember so clearly the Sunday when we entered this sanctuary after the renovation. We witness the awesome beauty of this our church. Rev. Dobson mounted the pulpit with pride in his every word and preached from this same text and emphasized, “What do you say when the children ask what these stones mean?”
We are heirs to a faith grounded in the crucible of struggle.
We are heirs to a faith fortified by the prayers of the righteous.
We are heirs to a faith that will not shrink, though’ pressed by every foe that will not tremble on the brink of any earthly woe. That will not murmur nor complain beneath the chastening rod, But in the hour of grief or pain, will lean upon its God; Lord, give us such a faith as this; and then, whatever may come, we’ll taste, even now, the hallowed bliss of an eternal home.
I know the ability to say, still here, is a faith statement.
When you look closely at this text, you are introduced to Joshua.
Joshua, like Moses before him, had the responsibility to lead the Hebrew people over a body of water. Unlike Moses who because of his faith was able to stretch out his arms over the water and the Red Sea was held back to allow the children of Israel to walk over on dry land.
In this story you find that the Priests had to step into the Jordan River. That an important point. With Moses as the leader, they benefited from his faith, but now after all God had done for them, they had to make their own faith statement and step into the water, not on dry land as in Moses’ day, but into the water.
That’s the nature of faith. An old Billy Holiday song said it this way, Mama may have, Papa may have, but God bless the child that has his own.
In life you have to have your own faith statement, your own faith experience, and your own faith foundation. You will find that in life you will have to come to the point where you will say without a shadow of a doubt, For Christ I live, and for Christ I die.
In life you will have to make your own faith statement and realize that God truly means what’s for you is for you. In life you have to have your own faith statement.
Let’s look closely at what happens. The priests step into the water with the Ark of the Covenant. The waters receded and the people are able to walk across the Jordan on dry land. The Lord tells Joshua to have the priest take 12 stones from where they stood in the Jordan River and carry them to the other side to where they will lodge that night.
When the children ask, what do these stones mean? We will be able to tell them that the Lord cut off the waters of the Jordan and the stones will be a memorial forever unto the Children of Israel.
This text has always captivated me and every time I would come into this Sanctuary, its meaning takes on a unique significance. Because the stones we see have been a place of public worships that has been a shelter for so many people for so long. Untold numbers of children have been nurtured within these walls.
We have a hall of fame lined with the people who have been living examples that God is not through with us yet and that we are all pressing towards the mark of the high calling.
This text, tell the children what do these stone mean, has always captivated my imagination. But, when I looked at the text, I realized that the stones where for public worship and that they where not the only stones used in the text that day.
There where two sets of stones. One set was carried by the priests for public worship. The other set was used by Joshua for private worship. Because the story says that Joshua took a set of stones and placed them in the place where priests’ feet stood and the text says that those stones are still there unto this day.
Public worship has its place – forsake not the assembly of the saints. But, private worship is your standing on the promises of God and you to say at the beginning of a New Year. Faith – Still Here!
Private worship is when it’s nobody but you and God. Private worship is the measuring rod that God uses to determine are you true to your commitment to serve him until you die.
Private worship is the time you spend in mediation, bible reading, praying, and listening to God.
Private worship has its own markers, has its own roadmap, blazes it own trail that you have been faithful and you are still here today.
Joshua knew that the public worship had significance, but it’s really means little without private worship. Joshua knew the miracle of deliverance required more of him.
Sometimes, you can’t wait to Sunday. Sometimes, you have to thank God right then on Wednesday.
Sometimes, you can’t wait until the congregational hymn is sung. Sometimes, you have to break out in your song right where you are.
Nobody but you and God knows what you have been through. Nobody but you and God know the trouble you’ve seen. Nobody but you and God were there when you could hear nobody praying.
Sometimes, you can’t wait for a crowd. Sometimes, you have to praise the Lord all by yourself.
Public worship has its place, but sometimes depth of commitment is formed in your private time with God, your private worship.
And Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests which bare the Ark of the Covenant stood: and they are there until this day.
I’ve taken too long; let me give you the three points for further study. To be able to say: because of faith, I’m still here means:
1. God Consciousness – Joshua, unlike many of us, praise God in the public arena. We thank God for the miracles, for the deliverance, for the bridges he makes to help us cross the trouble waters of our lives. But do we go make to the place where the miracle began. That’s the God consciousness God desires.
It’s one thing to thank God after he has delivered you. But, it’s more meaningful to go back to Stoddard Court, to Selma, to Rocky Mount, to Druid Hill, and thank God at the point of your blessing. Still here is a faith statement that says I have a God consciousness.
2. God Commitment – its one think to have a consciousness of God. It’s another to have a commitment to act upon that consciousness. When it was placed in Joshua’s spirit to make his own private memorial to the goodness of God. He didn’t wait for the priests to agree. He didn’t wait for the people to assembly. He didn’t stop to think even what people would think. When he realized that God had honored the faith of his people once again. He had his own private worship. He made his own private memorial. He placed the stones in the footsteps of the priests. God wants our commitment to him to be in spite of what people say, in spite of what people think, and even in spite of what people may do. Still here is a faith statement that says I have a God commitment.
3. God Conclusion – Throughout this sermon we have discussed still here, but the text says that the stones are still there. If we have a God consciousness, If we have a God commitment, we can only operate in the here and now.
It is God who concludes the matter and turns what we do here into there. You missed it. It is God who steps into our meager efforts here and transforms them into his heavenly purpose which is there. You missed the point again. We can say still here on Sunday, January 07, 2007; but we can not say with certainty that on Dec. 31, 2007 we are still there unless God in his benevolent mercy operates to bring that statement to conclusion.
The meaning of life is always God’s conclusion.
The tenure of life is always God’s conclusion.
The essence of life is always God’s conclusion.
Paul ends the matter this way, “he which has begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.”
I’m still here is a faith statement.
It’s still there is a God statement.
