“Goodness, Grace and Mercy” 2015

Psalm 23 Romans 8:5, 9-17

Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters; he restores my soul. He leads me in right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff— they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord my whole life long.

Romans 8:5, 9-17

For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. But you are not in the flesh; you are in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in you. So then, brothers and sisters, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh— for if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, “Abba! Father!” it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ—if, in fact, we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.

It was exciting and inspiring to celebrate Pentecost last Sunday.

The story of the Holy Spirit’s arrival is truly amazing ---

- experienced as the loud rush of wind and tongues of fire,

or Peter who in fear denied Jesus Christ in triplicate

is transformed and boldly proclaimed the Gospel truth,

the early apostolic church, that seemed so weak and vulnerable,

yet eventually grew to overcome the mighty Roman Empire,

and continues to make a difference in the world today.

It is a wonderfully remarkable, dramatic and amazing history

But my Christian life isn’t nearly that dramatic or exciting,

so how should we understand the work of the Holy Spirit today

in the ordinary and mundane of our daily lives 

where the power of the Holy Spirit

isn’t always so obvious, clear and dramatic?

When the Apostle Paul wrote to the Christians living in Rome,

this section of his letter is about the Holy Spirit

present and active in the life of every Christian.

 

In these verses, Paul defines

the difference between a Christian and a non-Christian

in terms of God’s presence, indwelling a Christian

using the metaphor of flesh and Spirit ---

- two fundamentally different and opposed ways and modes of living.

vs. 5, 9a

For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. But you are not in the flesh; you are in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you

Paul is using the word, flesh, as a metaphor to describe

life under the domination of this world’s ways and powers,

which defy God’s blessings, purpose, righteousness & love.

He is referring to our orientation and the values behind what we do.

He’s talking about how the things we want of this world

can drive and motivate us, our goals, dreams and desires,

even the things we fear or that make us feel anxious.

Flesh as he used the word

is a life under a bondage of external wants, urges and desires

that can keep us self-centered, this world focused,

and endlessly worried about proving our own worthiness.

Flesh is anything that can interfere or distract us from God,

and everything that leads us to doubt God’s word and promises.

In contrast, the Spirit, refers to the Holy Spirit of God,

the promised presence of God that indwells all Christians,

who nudges, speaks, calls, and opens Scripture to us.

It is the Holy Spirit who creates a hunger and longing in us

to grow deeper toward a more authentic Christian life…

… and we experience that presence of the Holy Spirit

when we accept the radical love of God’s grace and promises

God’s blessings of healing, hope and transformation:

as we are nurtured and guided along our spiritual journey

toward the meaningful and abundant life God intends for us.

Paul is writing about the battleground of our minds and desires…

… how the defective and deceptive values, loyalties, and longings

of our self-centered nature and of this world are in conflict

with allowing the Holy Spirit, God’s presence in is,

to guide us toward more Christ-like faithful living.

In this passage, Paul’s focus is on what motivates and drives us.

Is it our fears, wounds and desires of this broken world,

or is it gratitude and trust that God will do as promised

and accomplish in us what we cannot do for ourselves? …

… which as Paul explains to the Christians in Rome, vs. 6, 10-11

To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. … if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in you.

 

** That is the incredible promise

of God’s abiding grace, presence and purpose,

the power of the Holy Spirit dwelling with and in us…

…that is the grace-gift we all receive as believers.

The point is, the same power that raised Jesus from the dead,

is the Holy Spirit present and powerful in us, and with us,

who dwells in us to guide, teach and nurture our faith,

and who will most assuredly fully accomplish

and complete all that God has promised, in us.

Through the Holy Spirit we have been grafted

into the continuing story of God’s love,

to grow in hope and joy into His grace and salvation …

… which is the process of the Spirit at work in our lives

drawing us away from this world’s ways and thinking

toward entrusting ourselves to God’s care, will and purpose.

This section of Paul’s letter to the Christians living in Rome

is about consequences,

the implications of the Holy Spirit on a Christian’s life,

the Holy Spirit indwelling, the ongoing presence of God.

And what a great truth and promise of reconciliation and hope,

that God doesn’t ever give up on us,

but finds a way to overcome our weakness and failure.

“Since you can’t do it for yourself,

so I your God who loves you, I will do it for you.”

That is the message of the Gospel, that Jesus accomplished for us…

… vs. 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.

“the children of God” - that is the critical phrase in this passage.

Sometimes amid our struggles, failures, mistakes and losses,

we assume that God must be upset or disappointed in us,

since so often we go so much so very wrong,

and can be so easily distracted, angry, fearful …

… so much less than the best we imagine we could be.

But consider when your child was first learning to walk,

and the joyful excitement of those first steps.

And despite the joy of that first step,

most children will immediately stumble and fall.

Do you remember being angry or disappointed that your child fell?

Of course not, you love them and were thrilled that they took a step,

and you lovingly encouraged them to keep trying …

… and you knew that eventually they would walk and even run.

Do you think God would be any less loving with His beloved children?

Sometimes we struggle to accept and trust God’s gracious love.

But when our lives

have been touched and redefined by God’s grace,

it’s no longer about getting every aspect of life right,

but being led toward a relationship with God

marked by love, trust, hope, joy, gratitude …

… all of which are the task and the work of the Holy Spirit.

As I thought about that this week, it suddenly occurred to me

that in both the Old and the New Testaments,

this is explained and described again and again,

as God the Good Shepherd,

and we, the sheep of His pasture.

Here’s an idea, go through your Bible

and look up all the positive references to a shepherd,

and you’ll notice they are all what the Holy Spirit does;

and all the references to the Holy Spirit,

they all match the work of a good shepherd.

Now to be honest, I am not entirely pleased or happy

with that sheep and shepherd image and metaphor ----

- since in real life, sheep are usually dirty and smelly,

willful and obstinate, not the brightest even among animals,

and they tend to get themselves lost and into danger…

… and I am nothing at all like that.

One time when I was in the Sinai desert, and from out of nowhere

a young Bedouin girl showed up with some trinkets to sell,

along with a dozen scrawny little sheep trailing behind her.

Whenever one of our group would move or speak,

her little flock would be startled, uneasy and even shake.

But then she would cluck and her voice would soothe them by name,

and they would visibly calm and go back to their grazing.

There was an unmistakable and very special bond that they shared,

as they followed her around like puppies on a leash.

And in that incredibly harsh and fiercely foreboding environment

those timid little sheep were entirely dependent on

the protection, provision and care of their shepherd girl;

** exactly the relationship

between sheep and shepherd that the Bible describes.

Psalm 23:1 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want.

My God, my shepherd provides all that I need,

and under his loving care I lack nothing,

for my shepherd is steadfast, wise and faithful…

… the Holy Spirit is powerful and always present with me.

My Shepherd is always with me to guide and comfort me.

My shepherd knows me completely and loves me anyway,

providing for my care, growth and well-being.

 

vs. 2 "He makes me lie down in green pastures"

In real life, sheep are timid, skittish and easily startled.

Though they need to lie down for rest and digestion,

they won’t unless they feel safe and secure,

fed, watered, protected,

and that the shepherd is calm and nearby.

My Good Shepherd, the Holy Spirit is present with me,

and continuously creates conditions that permit me to rest & live.

vs. 2b "He leads me beside still waters"

a good shepherd knows where there is water - wells in the desert

and keeps sheep from polluted puddles of stagnant water.

This metaphor of the shepherd providing water is very rich,

- finding and leading to the water the sheep need

- protecting sheep from dangerous water

* a good shepherd is attentive in providing water for the flock.

vs. 3 "He leads me in the right paths"

Much of Palestine is inhospitable, a hostile desert wilderness

so the sheep must be constantly moved to fresh ranges

requiring travel along steep dangerous mountain paths.

We learn that we can trust the Holy Spirit to lead us through

all the difficult and dangerous wilderness places of life.

vs. 4 "Even though I walk through the darkest valley"

To reach grazing in fresh mountain pastures,

sheep must pass through dangerous crags, shadowy valleys

where predators may lurk in these narrow & tight places.

The sheep must trust the shepherd to protect and guide them,

and trust that after the journey through dark valleys

they will reach mountaintop of abundant rich pasture.

 

vs. 4 "Your rod and your staff -- they comfort me"

rod and staff are two separate shepherd tools

rod:

it’s like a club used against predators who threaten sheep

staff:

familiar stick w/ hook on it used in Christmas pageants

used to guide the sheep hook to pull from difficult places

vs. 5a "You prepare a table before me"

Before sheep can be allowed to graze on a range the shepherd

must check for poisonous weeds, snakes and other dangers.

vs. 5b "You anoint my head with oil"

Shepherds carry flasks of anointing oil,

a mixture of olive oil, sulfur and spices

that guards against fleas, flies, parasites

and helps heal cuts, scrapes and wounds.

vs. 6

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord my whole life long.

God’s goodness and mercy are wonderfully present

and through the Holy Spirit, God never gives up on me.

Should I wander or stray,

I am brought back, welcomed to return home.

And because the Holy Spirit-Shepherd is faithful and present,

and it is certain that I shall in the house of Lord forever.

Sometimes we get confused about details of theology and doctrine,

and our definitions and understandings can get a bit tangled.

But about the Holy Spirit, that doesn’t have to be complicated,

for as a good shepherd takes care of the sheep of his pasture,

so the Holy Spirit,

is always present to love, guide, protect and nurture us…

… as Jesus said and promised, John 14:26, John 10:27-28

But the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you.

My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand.