No Abandoned Souls

No Abandoned Souls!

Sermon Notes: April 20, 2008

Rev. Jim O’Neal, Senior Pastor

Sun Lakes United Methodist Church, 9248 E. Riggs Road, Sun Lakes, Arizona 85248 - (480) 895-8766

Psalm 16:1-11 NRSV

¹Protect me, O God, for in you I take refuge.

²I say to the LORD, “You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you.”

³As for the holy ones in the land, they are the noble, in whom is all my delight.

⁴Those who choose another god multiply their sorrows; their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out or take their names upon my lips.

⁵The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot.

⁶The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; I have a goodly heritage.

⁷I bless the LORD who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me.

⁸I keep the LORD always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.

⁹Therefore my heart is glad, and my soul rejoices; my body also rests secure.

¹⁰For you do not give me up to Sheol, or let your faithful one see the Pit.

¹¹You show me the path of life. In your presence there is fullness of joy; in your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

A. Introduction

1. Peanuts Comic Strip

a. Every year in the Peanuts Comic Strip around Halloween time, Linus gets caught up in the myth of the Great Pumpkin. He usually talks someone else like Charlie Brown or Sally into joining him in his pumpkin patch. Then Linus and his friends sit amidst the pumpkins all night waiting for the Great Pumpkin to rise up and shower them with toys. And every year the Great Pumpkin fails to show up. The result is that Linus’ friends get mad at him, call him names, and then leave him all alone in the pumpkin patch.

b. There is someone here today who feels like Linus abandoned by family and friends. There is another who feels utterly alone. There is probably some person who feels that they are caught up in hopeless circumstances. And there is someone, who though surrounded by family and friends, still feels a sense of not connecting. Also, some here are fighting such difficult illnesses that they are filled with dread. Then there is someone fighting a tough spiritual battle, who feels that God is just not there. And the truth is that all of us have had or will have such feelings.

2. Today’s Scripture: Psalm 16:9-11

a. Today’s Scripture gives us hope. King David gives us reassurance as he proclaims his faith in God: “My heart is glad, my soul rejoices, and my body dwells secure. For You will not leave my soul in Hell. Nor will You ever abandon me to death or anything else! You will show me the path of life. In Your presence is the fullness of joy and at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore!” (Psalm 16:9-11 Rev. Jim’s paraphrase)

b. The Bible proclaims three important truths to help us deal with those times in which we feel abandoned, depressed, or forlorn: God knows your situation. God will be there to help you! God will give you a reason to go on!

B. God knows your situation.

1. State Psychiatric Hospital

a. At the State Psychiatric Hospital, a man sat in the corner scratching himself for hours. One of the doctors came over and asked, “Why are you off in a corner all by yourself, scratching?” The man replied, “Because I’m the only one in the world who knows where I itch!”

b. God knows where you itch. God knows where you hurt. The Almighty knows you and your circumstances even better than you do. And God cares.

2. Kindergarten Teacher

a. Elizabeth Harrison taught kindergarten for many years. One day, as she did most days, she called her class to form a reading circle on the carpet in the middle of the classroom. As usual, Johnny ran over to sit right next to Miss Harrison. Now there was a new student named Mary Ellen. She was a timid child and very much frightened about being in a new school. Mary Ellen sat across the circle from her teacher and behind several other students. Miss Harrison asked the children to scoot over and include the little girl. Then she said, “Johnny, why don’t we let Mary Ellen sit next to me today. So how about you change places with her?” Johnny replied, “No Miss Harrison. I love you so much I want to be near you!” Miss Harrison encouraged Johnny to trade places and said, “Can’t your love for me stretch across the room?” Johnny moved and half way through the story book he raised his hand, and said, “Miss Harrison, it stretches!”

b. God’s love stretches even more. God knows you, your situation, and God’s love reaches out to embrace and affirm you.

C. God will be there to help you!

1. Suicidal Man

a. Paul Thomas’ wife died a year ago. Family, friends, and Church folks reached out to him with visits, phone calls and letters. Then a few months after the funeral the calls and visits stopped. Paul became depressed, and then suicidal. One day he got out an old gun and loaded it with bullets. He sat down with gun in hand and cried out, “God give me a sign, or I can’t go on!” Then there was a knock at the door. It was the mailman. The carrier said, “This letter has one of the old first class stamps on it. There’s 2 cents postage due.” Paul paid the paltry sum and then opened the letter. It was a sympathy card from his niece Jenny. The words and her personal note were so caring and moving that Paul sat down and cried for an hour. He then unloaded the gun and put it away. Next he called his niece. She was embarrassed. She had taken too long to get and sign the card, and then forgot to mail it. She later found the card, thought it was too late to send, and so had left the card on her desk at home. She was totally baffled until her son came into the room and confessed, “Oh mommy I saw the card and dropped it into the mail box on the way to school last week.”

b. Paul Thomas has no doubt that God answered his prayer through his niece’s sweet little boy. As the Bible promises, “Call unto me and I will answer!” (Jeremiah 33:3a KJV)

2. Dale Evans

a. Well known singers and movie stars, Dale Evans and Roy Rogers loved to take trips on cruise ships. Dale Evans wrote this: “Ships coming into port slow down to pick up the pilot – to take aboard a man who knows every rock and sand bar in the harbor, who can steer the ship safely to the dock. When the ship leaves the harbor, the same pilot comes aboard to take her out to deep water and the open sea. Then they drop the pilot. Dropping the pilot has always made me sad, whether it happens on a ship or in a human life. But picking up the pilot always thrills me! ‘Jesus, Savior, Pilot Me,’ I sang as a child, and it means more to me now that I have put away childish things. I suppose I picked up and dropped a dozen pilots for my life’s voyage before He came to guide me. Don’t we all? When the boy is six he wants to be a fireman; at ten he would be either a cowpuncher or President; at fifteen an astronaut, then a lawyer, doctor or minister. We all pick out our heroes and worship and imitate them -- dream that we may be like them when we grow up. We’d save a lot of trouble and frustration, if we would pick up Christ as our Pilot while we are still young. One of the big problems in human life is that we want to pick up The Pilot only when our lives are about to go on the rocks. We will experience His presence more surely if we have made a lifetime habit of having Him guide us through all of life -- smooth sailing, storms and all!”

b. So, who do you trust in? The Almighty wants to be your pilot and guide in life. The Creator of the universe loves you and wants to help. Stop trusting in false gods. Stop trying to do it yourself. Turn to God, who has promised: “I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Joshua 1:5b NIV)

D. God will give you a reason to go on!

1. Widow

a. A thirty year old woman named Connie was a member of a church I served some years back. Her husband died and she gave up. I remember her telling me, “I’ll never love again.” Connie began to sit on one of the front pews in the sanctuary with the older widows. Finally one of these seniors talked her into helping her teach the second grade Sunday School class. The children loved Connie and drew her out of her funk. She discovered she could love again. And Connie found her purpose in life. She went back to school and today is a very inspiring teacher.

b. If you turn to God and listen, God will give you guidance and direction in your life. The Lord will give you a reason to go on and the Lord will make it clear that He has a reason for you to be here.

2. Alcoholic finds hope!

a. Passed out and near death, a man was brought into a New York City hospital. The man had nearly drunk himself to death. After they had saved his life, the doctor went to his room to check on him. The man was sitting up in his bed. The doctor just shook his head and said, “You know this is your fiftieth visit.” The man replied, “I think that calls for a drink to celebrate!” The doctor replied, “I can’t give you a drink. You know that.” The fellow replied, “I’m hopeless, right Doctor?!” Then the doctor had an idea. He said, “I tell you what I will do. We have just brought in a young man, 19 or 20 years old. This is his first time. I want you to go and pay him a visit. Take a good look at him and have him take a good look at you. Maybe he won’t take the road you’ve taken.” The man queried, “You mean you’ll give me a drink, if I do that?” The doctor said, “Sure. You do that and I will get you a drink.” The old alcoholic went to see the young man. He said to him, “You know boy, you don’t want to turn out the way I did. I was young once. I had a mother who had dreams for me. And I had dreams. Now look at me.”

b. Then something happened. The old man felt he just had to save that boy. He made him a promise: “I’ll tell you what I’ll do. If you ever feel like you need a drink, you call me, okay?” The young adult said, “I’ll do the same for you.” And they did. The lad called up the old man and begged him to come over. He wanted a drink in the worst way. The old man sat with the young fellow until the desire passed. The lad did the same for the old man. This became a turning point for the man. He went on to become one of the founders of Alcoholics Anonymous. When he shared his life to save another man, he found his own sobriety, and a purpose from God for his life. When you answer God’s nudge and reach out to help others, God gives you hope and purpose to your life. As the Bible promises: “For I know the plans I have for you, says the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11 RSV)

E. Conclusion: Recap

1. God knows your situation.

2. God will be there to help you!

3. God will give you a reason to go on!