Reformation Sunday, 2010
Rev. Brian L. Kachelmeier
Psalm 46
In the name of Jesus. Amen.
On this Sunday, we talk about truth and faith. It has become common place to talk about letting the truth set us free. But, one must ask, “What is that truth that sets us free?” Is it knowledge? What does it set us free from? Is it political oppression? It has also become common place to talk about faith. Back in the 1980’s, George Michael sang a song called “Faith.” The chorus rang out, “Cause I gotta have faith…faith…faith…” At face value, it would seem that we could sing along with George Michael. However, once we look at the lyrics we begin to realize that this song is about dating and having faith that someone else will show up for him. He is talking about faith in faith. The object of faith is faith itself. He is encouraging us just to have the substance of faith.
Sometimes even in the church, people talk the same generic language about truth and faith. They may try to encourage one another by saying, “Stand up for the truth” or “Keep the faith” or “Ya just gotta believe.” But the real questions are, What is the truth I’m standing up for? Faith in what? Believe what? People may even boast by boldly saying, “I’m a believer.” But again the question must be asked. What does it mean to be a believer?
On this Sunday, we rejoice in the truth and the faith that has been proclaimed clearly since the 16th century Reformation. We do not set this day aside so that we Lutherans can thank God that we are Lutheran. This is not a German and Scandinavian Pride Day. We do not sing A Mighty Fortress because we think it has a catchy tune. We do not gather to boast in our faith in our own faith. No. We gather to learn and encourage one another in our faith in Jesus Christ who is the truth. We celebrate the Reformation in which the deformed teaching of the medieval church was reformed. The message that salvation was won by Jesus Christ on the cross and that salvation is freely delivered to us in the gospel and the sacraments. Once again the people of God were taught to have faith in the promises of God. Oh, yes we as Lutherans talk a lot about faith, but not faith in faith. We teach faith in the promises of God.
Let’s look at Psalm 46 of which the hymn A Mighty Fortress is based upon. It opens with these words, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1, ESV) In this Psalm, we see how the Lord teaches us this revealed truth. We would not and we could not know this from simple observation. It is a promise to be believed in. He is our God. He has created us and He has redeemed us.
Now it is easy for us to understand this imagery from an earthly perspective. If there is thunder and lightening outside, we can run inside to take refuge. If there is cold weather, rain, or snow in the outdoors we can run to the indoors to take refuge. Now earthly buildings give to us refuge from earthly calamities.
God is our refuge and strength from all spiritual calamities. In Him we take refuge from all our enemies. He is our strength against all of our enemies. Our enemies consist of the world, the devil, and our own sinful flesh. While we continue to live in this life, we are constantly under attack from these enemies. The Lord assures us that He is our very present help in trouble. He is not a God far off who does not care about our struggle. No, He is a very present help in trouble.
From an earthly perspective we easily understand the idea of someone being a very present help in trouble. For instance, if your car breaks down in the middle of nowhere, you’ll know how important a cell phone is in which you can call for help. You’ll also realize how significant a charged battery is and also how essential cell phone coverage truly is. These are all things that we take for granted on a daily basis. Yet, throughout all of life we have access to the Father through Christ by the Holy Spirit. There is not a place on God’s green earth that is out of his coverage. You won’t have to worry about charging your batteries either.
So after establishing this spiritual truth and promise, we hear the next set of verses in the Psalm starting at verse two. “Therefore we will not fear…” (Psalm 46:2, ESV) Notice how the word “therefore” follows the spiritual truth. If we understand that “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble,” … …therefore… …we will not fear. We build confidently upon the promises of God. If He is our refuge against our greatest spiritual enemies which can destroy the soul, then we need not fear the earthly troubles that can only destroy the body.
When you look around the earthly realm some of the most powerful things that can be experienced are either natural disasters or man-made disasters. On the one hand he describes the earth giving way, the sea roaring and foam, the mountains trembling and being thrown into the sea, the nations rage, and the kingdoms totter. On the other hand, he describes the river that brings life making the city of God glad. He utters His voice and the earth melts. Again, the promise is made that the Lord dwells in the midst of His people so that they shall not fear and be moved like the mountains. Here the Psalmist teaches us a contrast between the fallen creation and the Creator of all things.
Even if a natural disaster or man-made disaster takes our home, our possessions, our family, or even our own lives, we still have the kingdom of God for He is our fortress. Let the devil throw as much trouble at us as he will. He can harm us none. He’s already been defeated upon the cross.
Now this doesn’t mean that we believe that nothing bad will ever happen to us as believers in Christ. On the contrary, we continue to trust that God is our refuge and strength a very present help in trouble even when our car breaks down or worse things happen to us in this life. We are learning to have faith like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego who would not worship in the style of Nebuchadnezzar even though it meant the possibility of their earthly death in the fiery furnace. They confessed before the Babylonian King saying, “our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.” (Daniel 3:17-18, ESV) They trusted in the promise that God was their refuge and strength a very present help in trouble. They were confident that they were in the LORD’s hand. The righteous shall live by faith in this life and in the life to come. Those who believe in Christ shall live even though they die.
For this reason, it is said that the Lutheran princes sang A Mighty Fortress before entering the Diet at the city of Augsburg in 1530 in which they stood before the Emperor. About a century later, it is also said that the Swedish King Gustavus Adolphus had his troops sing this hymn before rescuing the Lutheran princes in the Thirty Years War from sure destruction by the so-called Holy Roman Empire. The Swedish King died in battle trusting in the promises of God.
This was all because of their faith in Christ. They believed that their God was the God of Jacob who was the God of Israel who redeemed them from Egypt who was the God who promised the Messiah who was the God who became flesh and dwelt among us as Immanuel who is the God who redeemed us by His shed blood upon the cross. This God was their fortress in which they took refuge from all earthly threats and even more from all spiritual threats. Their God is our God. Throughout life we boldly confess the words of Psalm 46 with them saying, “The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.” The Christian Faith is not part of the world of pretend and make believe. We put our lives on the line.
When I was a kid, I used to make a fortress out of the cushion from the living room couch. Now, this was a very shaky fortress. The slightest movement would bring the whole structure down. Every thing had to be still inside and outside my cushion fortress. This was no true refuge or stronghold. It was only for pretend. In contrast to a stone fortress, there is no comparison. A stone fortress can be a substantial refuge. Yet, even the best engineered fortress in the world will eventually crumble and be moved, especially when the weapons of modern warfare are utilized against it. There is only one fortress that can withstand all created forces and that fortress is our God. Nothing in creation can overpower Him. The great forces of nature, the military forces of the world, and even the evil spiritual forces of darkness cannot stand against Him.
The picture of God given to us in Psalm 46 is not one that portrays a soft, cuddly, cushion fortress. Instead, this picture portrays God as holy and omnipotent. He is all powerful. With God being the fortress, the question that continues to confront us is this: Are you inside the fortress or are you on the outside of the fortress? If you are on the outside, then you are an enemy of God that will be defeated. If you are in God taking refuge, then all of your enemies on the outside will be defeated.
The promise we have in our baptism assures us that we are in the fortress. We are in Christ. In Christ, we are friends with God and not enemies. In Christ, our enemies of the world, the devil, and our own sinful flesh will be defeated. The problem we face is that our own sinful flesh is engaged in espionage in our own hearts. It is trying to convince us to defect and leave the refuge of the fortress and apply for citizenship outside of Christ. We are constantly under attack.
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