FAQ's Sermon Series: "What Is a Worry?"

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions
"What Is a Worry?"
Philippians 4: 4-9
by Rev. Carson Overstreet
Van Wyck Presbyterian Church
June 10 , 2018

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near.

Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you. - Philippians 4: 4-9

One of the great privileges of the pulpit is for God’s Word to speak into the questions that our children, youth, and adults in the pews are asking. One question came in response to last week’s sermon about “Not Yet Knowing” in times of uncertainty: “What is a whrie (worry)?”


The Apostle Paul talks about worry in his letter to the Philippians. When he uses that word “worry” it means “to be pulled into different directions, or to be distracted by a concern.”

You know that feeling when the alarm goes off and you don’t want to go to school because you are worried about that test? Your tummy hurts, and you just want to hide under the covers.

Or when the teacher calls on you to give the answer and your heart races because you are worried that your answer won’t be the right one.

Or when we show up for the first day of a new job and our hands get all sweaty and clammy because we are worried that we might not fit in.

And parenthood worries are a whole other category. A friend recently shared, “Telling a parent not to worry about their child is like telling water not to be wet!”

It is human nature to worry. Our concerns run the gamut. And guess what? Our spiritual ancestors in the Bible had worries too.

The sisters Mary and Martha welcomed their dear friend Jesus into their home. Martha worried about making everything perfect for Jesus (Luke 10: 38-42).

If you dig into the Bible, you find that worrying is not just something that girls or women do.

God called Moses to lead his people out of Egypt. And Moses worried that the people would not listen to him. He worried that he had no qualifications to be a public speaker and leader (Exodus 4:1, 10).

God called Gideon to be a governor of Israel. And Gideon worried that he was not enough (Judges 6:15).

Naaman was the commander of the army for King Aram of Syria. He had quite a reputation for his strength as a mighty warrior. But he also had leprosy, a skin disease that made many feel weak and unaccepted. When presented with an opportunity for the prophet Elisha to heal him, Naaman worried. His emotions came out as anger because Elisha told him to wash and be cleansed in the Jordan River. Naaman was afraid to reveal his need for healing in a public place (2 Kings 5: 1-19).

The Psalmist had somehow missed the mark. He had made a wrong decision and did not know how to make it right. He kept his worries bottled up to the point that the worry bullies held him hostage (Psalm 32: 3-4).

And yet Scripture says that each of these worries did not have the final say.

The Apostle Paul knows we are prone to worry. So he says, “Do not worry about anything, but in everything… let your concerns be known to God” (Philippians 4:6).

Paul is not discounting our deepest concerns. It is so very important to really listen to one another’s worries with mutual affection and love.

Paul is talking about the level of worry that blocks the path towards living the abundant life that Christ promises. This kind of worrying is not productive because it disturbs our trust in God’s power. It will not add a single hour to our lives to help us fix our problems. (Matthew 6:27). When worry steals our days then it is time to get a new perspective.

Faith empowers us to reframe our circumstances. There are five keys to reframing worry.

1. Focus on the present. Jesus looked at Martha and said, “You are distracted by many things. There is only need of one thing.” Jesus lifted up Mary’s example of simply being present. God’s grace for the moment at hand is always worthy to take notice of. Breathe it in, and breathe it out. Being present with God guards our hearts from living in the past and getting too far ahead into the future.


2. Pray. One of my good friends often told her children and those she ministered to, “Have you prayed about it as much as you have worried about it?”

Prayer is being aware that the Lord is near. We are to share all of our concerns with God because the Lord cares for us (1 Peter 5:7). God hears. God knows. And God desires to live in relationship with us.

We share our shortcomings and God says, “I will be your mouth and I will teach you” (Exodus 4:12). We name our weaknesses and God says, “But I will be with you” (Judges 6:16). The Spirit moves us to be vulnerable to reveal we need help and God always honors the risk (2 Kings 5: 13-14). We confess our failures and God meets us where we are, forgives, and counsels us (Psalm 32:5, 8).

We pray about all this with thanksgiving. A thankful heart simply means our trust in God’s grace is growing day by day as we strive to live in the present.

3. Question. Is my concern a realistic outcome or is this a worst-case scenario? When the worry bully holds us hostage we go from one “what if” to another. It is a thought pattern that can be hard to break. It causes us to be ineffective.

For this very reason, we must make every effort to support our faith with goodness, and goodness with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with endurance, and endurance with a heart for God (godliness). For if these things are yours and mine and if these things are increasing among us they keep us from being ineffective and unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1: 5-8).

4. Dig. What is the root cause of my worry? For many of us, the root cause is thinking that we are not enough… I am not good enough, likeable enough, smart enough, strong enough, healthy enough, or financially stable enough.

Another common root cause of worry is that we have not accepted the circumstances for what they are. Sometimes it takes the help of a friend, a school counselor, a pastor, a support group, or a therapist. We need a safe space to talk, to be understood and to understand.

God can turn our worry into a wake-up call to trusting God a little more. Whatever our deep concern, God will not leave us stranded in this situation. As we grow to accept the reality of our circumstances, the Spirit will move us to make changes in the rhythm of life to address our situation constructively.

5. Change the script. Nicole Schwartz is a parent coach with a license in family therapy. She says that “children [and adults] who struggle with worry or anxiety often have a negative “worry script” playing in their head. We can overcome our fears by creating a new positive script.”

Instead of allowing our worry to dictate a negative outcome, faith gives us a new positive script. The framework of faith redirects our worry into hope.

The Apostle Paul says we do this by focusing on the things in life that are true, honorable, just, pure, pleasing, commendable, excellent, and praiseworthy (Philippians 4:8).

Focus on what is true. I did not do well on that test, but I am tired of that worry bully telling me that I am going to fail the class. That bad grade does not mean I will fail the class. I am smart, and a tutor will help me learn what I do not understand.

Focus on whatever is honorable. I am humbled by all my friends who know my situation and have been praying so much about this mess. This has been so hard. But I am in awe of the people God is bringing into my life at just the right time to encourage me and give me hope.

Focus on those things worthy of praise. This diagnosis scares me. I don’t want to be sick. But I am grateful that my doctor caught this and is creating a medical plan to help me get better.

The Psalmist reframes his trust in God saying, “The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands” (Psalm 138: 8).

When that worry begins to take on a life of its own, then call upon God. Allow this gift of faith to bring about a new perspective. Keep on practicing what God’s Word teaches and the God of peace will be with you and me one day at a time.

The hope is that as we frame our worry, it will be well with our soul.

May it be so for us today and every day.

In the name of God our Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer. Amen.

Sermon: Not Yet Knowing

Not Yet Knowing
Psalm 139: 1-6; 1 Samuel 3: 1-10
by Rev. Carson Overstreet
Van Wyck Presbyterian Church
June 3, 2018

O Lord, you have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from far away.

You search out my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, O Lord, you know it completely.

You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is so high that I cannot attain it. - Psalm 139: 1-6

Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord under Eli. The word of the Lord was rare in those days; visions were not widespread.

At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his room; the lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was.

Then the Lord called, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’ and he said, ‘Here I am!’ and ran to Eli, and said, ‘Here I am, for you called me.’ But he said, ‘I did not call; lie down again.’ So he went and lay down. The Lord called again, ‘Samuel!’ Samuel got up and went to Eli, and said, ‘Here I am, for you called me.’ But he said, ‘I did not call, my son; lie down again.’

Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, and the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him. The Lord called Samuel again, a third time. And he got up and went to Eli, and said, ‘Here I am, for you called me.’

Then Eli perceived that the Lord was calling the boy. Therefore Eli said to Samuel, ‘Go, lie down; and if he calls you, you shall say, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” ’ So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

Now the Lord came and stood there, calling as before, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’ And Samuel said, ‘Speak, for your servant is listening.’ - 1 Samuel 3: 1-10

He was a child of the promise and he was born on the wings of a prayer. His name was Samuel. In Hebrew it means “God has heard.”

And God did indeed hear. God heard Hannah’s cries as she poured out her soul before the Lord (1 Samuel 1:15). She longed to have a son to dedicate to the Lord’s service.

God also heard the cries of Israel as they strived and wrestled to understand their identity as God’s chosen people. Young Samuel received divine and human favor. He was chosen by God to speak truth to Israel’s uncertainty.

Today we see such a tender scene between Eli and Samuel. The two needed each other in a time of transition. Eli had long been a prophet to Israel. And now he was preparing Samuel to carry the prophetic torch next.

Eli was up in his years and as a result his eyesight was growing dim. I know many wise one among us here today who agree with me when I say, “It takes courage to grow older!”

Eli needed to see through young Samuel’s eyes. And Samuel needed Eli’s guidance for he did not yet know the Lord. The text says, “The word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him” (1 Samuel 3:7).

We all have life transitions where uncertainty makes our eyes grow dim. It feels like we are walking around in the dark; we are just trying not to stumble.

No matter what age we are or what stage of faith we are in, we are today or will be in a place of not yet knowing. In some way or another, we are all waiting for the word of the Lord to be revealed to us in our daily questions and struggles.

Some days the aches and pains of growing up and even growing older are just plain tough. Other days there seems to be so much conflict and sadness in the world. It makes us wonder if there are no more burning bushes, no more manna falling from heaven, no more rainbows in the skies reminding us of the hidden presence of God. There are days when it is just plain hard to hope. We cannot help but question where is God in the midst of it all.

The stresses of daily life create roller coasters of uncertainty.

The budget that was once steady is now strained by that unexpected change. The door to that job we have been hoping for has not yet opened. Family dynamics have their tug of war in our households and we do not know how to relieve the tension. The balancing act of life is like walking on a tight rope and we question our ability to even out our priorities and commitments. The diagnosis comes and grips the near future in fear.

It is quite a task to navigate through all our questions when life comes at us fast. You see – they’re the big questions with no easy answers.

But we are like Samuel. We all need someone to help guide us. We are trying to listen for God’s still small voice. We are trying to be attentive to where God is leading us to take the next right step. We are eager to listen for hope, but the fear and the doubt of not yet knowing can be louder than God’s whisper of grace.

This is what is called liminal space. It is a space of transition; a space of change; a space of preparing for the unknown.

John O’Donohue is an Irish poet and Celtic priest.

He writes these poetic words of blessing for this in-between space that he calls “Interim Time:”

No place looks like itself, loss of outline
Makes everything look strangely in-between,
Unsure of what has been, or what might come...

You are in the time of the interim
Where everything seems withheld.

The path you took to get here has washed out;
The way forward is still concealed from you.

As far as you can, hold your confidence.
Do not allow your confusion to squander
This call which is loosening
Your roots in false ground,
That you might come free
From all you have outgrown.

What is being transfigured here is your mind,
And it is difficult and slow to become new.
The more faithfully you can endure here,
The more refined your heart will become
For your arrival in the new dawn.[1]

As far as we can, we hold our confidence through this gift of faith. For the liminal space in which Eli and Samuel experienced, their confidence was knowing that the lamp of God had not yet gone out (1 Samuel 3:5).

Despite all that we have yet to know and see – faith gives us hope. God’s light shines in the darkness of uncertainty and that darkness – that uncertainty - shall never overcome it (John 1:5). The light of God’s promised love finds each of us and speaks to us in the midst of all the uncertainty.

It is Jesus Christ who shows up as the light of the world. His light binds us together as a community of faith to mentor and encourage one another. We need each other to see the light.

And so Jesus equips us to follow the light that has come into the world. As we grow in our spiritual maturity, God’s Word is slowly revealed to us through whispers of grace.

Christ speaks into that strained budget: “Do not worry about your life; the Father knows what you need. Do not focus on making ends meet – but strive first for the kingdom of God and everything will fall into place” (Matt 6:25,33).

We wait with confidence for that job opportunity because God know the plans he has for us to give us a future with hope (Jeremiah 29:11).

The fear about the diagnosis is calmed knowing someone is praying on our behalf for the peace of God to surpass our human understanding (Philippians 4:4-7).

As John Donohue says, “The more faithfully you can endure here – in the interim time - the more refined your heart will become.”

The interim places of life challenge us to be faithful to God alone; for our faith does not rest on human wisdom but on the power of God (1 Corinthians 2:5). We might see uncertainty ahead, but we walk by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7).

God’s Word is a lamp unto our feet and a light onto our path (Psalm 119: 1-5). As the Lord goes ahead of us, God is working things out.

God takes our suffering and struggles and produces endurance. We endure by God’s grace; for when we are weak that is when we feel God’s strength. That kind of endurance redefines our heart and builds up our character. And godly character produces hope. And hope does not disappoint because if God is for us then who can be against us? (Romans 5:3-5; 8:31).

The Lord God stood in the gap of the unknown between Eli and Samuel and the Lord God stands in the gap our uncertainties too. God not only stands in the gap with us, but also God will lead us through life’s uncertainties.

Scripture says God leads us out of the wilderness into God’s Promised Land. “The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be still” (Exodus 14:14). Be still and listen for God tell you when to go forward! (Exodus 14:15).

In all of our various places and stages of “not yet knowing,” God fully knows you and me. The Lord is acquainted with all our ways… The Lord hems us in, behind, and before and lays a hand of steadfast love upon us (Psalm 139: 1-6). And God will bring about God’s purposes in our lives in God’s timing to reveal God’s glory.

God’s Word challenges you and me to trust in the Lord’s presence, to look for the light of hope, and to listen for God’s whispers of grace. Let us hold our confidence by disciplining ourselves to remain in God’s Word.

The Good Book says we need the support of each other to do this. The love of Christ urges us on. And yet when we find ourselves in that interim time, the Spirit will quiet our hearts and help us to let go and let God.

The next time you see uncertainty do not fear. Trust God has got you. And let your prayer be, “Here I am. Speak Lord, your servant is listening.”

For God has heard and God is with us.

In the name of God our Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer. Amen.

Sources Referenced:

[1] John O’ Donohue, “Blessing the Space Between Us: A Book of Blessings” (New York: Double Day, 2008), pp. 119-120.

Sermon: What's Your Passion?

What’s Your Passion?
Proverbs 16:9; Matthew 28: 16-20
by Rev. Carson Overstreet
Van Wyck Presbyterian Church
May 27, 2018
Trinity Sunday

The human mind plans the way, but the Lord directs the steps. - Proverbs 16:9

Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshipped him; but some doubted.

And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’ - Matthew 28: 16-20

“The human mind plans the way but the Lord directs the steps.” These words from Proverbs 16:9 completely sum up the life of Jesus’ disciples.

From the beginning of Matthew’s Gospel, the disciples had planned to just live an ordinary life. They learned a trade and made a living with the gifts, resources, and family support they had been given.

None of them were looking for Jesus. But suddenly one day, Jesus showed up. Jesus met Peter and Andrew and James and John and even Matthew where they were. Jesus came alongside them and said, “Follow me” and I will take your God-given gifts and teach you how to use them to build God’s kingdom (Matthew 4:18-22; 9: 9-10).

Every time I read about the way Jesus called the disciples, I am fascinated that there were no excuses or balking, like you or I have given. The disciples did not know where Jesus would take them. The disciples did not know what they would have to give up. But there was something about Jesus they trusted enough to direct their steps.

All great leaders have a sphere of influence. And their influence is worth following if they have two character traits: passion and integrity. Passion is being moved to action at the risk of hurting or suffering for the cause. Integrity is having an attitude towards wholeness for self and others by adhering to moral and ethical principles.

Those whom Jesus called were drawn to his passion and integrity. The Son of God came to embody the power of God’s bold and steadfast love. God’s love changes everything. Standing in the presence of God’s love causes us to see ourselves and the world differently.

Have you ever met someone who embodies God’s love in such an authentic way that it left you saying, “I want that! I want what s/he has.”?

I think it was like that for the disciples. They saw Jesus embody God’s love in such a powerful way that they said to themselves, “I want to be like that.”

Matthew’s Gospel says that Jesus preached and lived by the Beattitudes – lifting up the most vulnerable into the strength of God’s promises. Jesus taught to look for the new thing God is doing in the world; be the light; always be humble and kind. Jesus taught the disciples four keys to living by godly integrity: pray, do not worry, serve God alone, and the Golden Rule (treat others the way you want to be treated).

Jesus taught the disciples the ministry of presence to bring about God’s healing. Jesus taught the disciples the power of God’s love is hidden in the ordinary places of life. He instructed the disciples to look for it and help others see it because it is in those places that the kingdom of God is breaking in and we could miss it.

As Jesus directed the disciples’ steps, he revealed the way ahead would not be easy. All who follow Jesus will need to deny themselves and live into the self-giving love of the cross. Jesus prepared the disciples to handle conflict with prayerful integrity. Jesus was bold to welcome the children and ensure their valued presence in God’s family.

Jesus’ passion and integrity directed the disciples’ steps into a new way of living. Jesus revealed our true humanity is to love God and love our neighbor as ourselves. That is the sum of the Law and the prophets; it is why we are called to follow Jesus. Therefore, we are sent to carry on Jesus’ ministry of making disciples of all nations.

We find Scripture’s marching orders in the same way the disciples did. We praise God for all God has done as our Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer. And we also doubt. We doubt that we are capable or even qualified to live up to and to live into the fullness of Jesus’ example and teachings.

Last Saturday The Most Reverend Michael Curry, presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church, had the great privilege of preaching the royal wedding homily for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle; the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

Curry spoke with such candor about the power of love:

But love is not only about a young couple. Now the power of love is demonstrated by the fact that we're all here. Two young people fell in love, and we all showed up….

But Curry also preached from a global pulpit. His words were filled passion to inspire the making of disciples:

Someone once said that Jesus began the most revolutionary movement in human history.

A movement grounded in the unconditional love of God for the world - and a movement mandating people to live that love, and in so doing to change not only their lives but the very life of the world itself.

I'm talking about power. Real power. Power to change the world.

"If you don't believe me, just stop and imagine. Think and imagine a world where love is the way.

Imagine our homes and families where love is the way. Imagine neighborhoods and communities where love is the way.

Imagine governments and nations where love is the way. Imagine business and commerce where this love is the way.

Imagine this tired old world where love is the way. When love is the way - unselfish, sacrificial, redemptive.

Curry delivered this sermon to more than 2 billion people globally. It is one of the most profound sermons I have ever heard preached. I have no doubt that some disciples were made and also encouraged that day!

Curry’s sermon inspired and challenged all who were listening to truly live into the transforming love of our Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer. I know I am not the only one who listened to those words and said, “I want to be a part of that. I want to be guided by that way of love!”

The Apostle Paul says that God has given each of us gifts – a manifestation of the Spirit for the common good (1 Corinthians 12:4-7).

That means that God has given you and me a unique way of sharing the power of God’s love. God has a plan to give you a future with hope to bring about God's purposes like no one else can do.

The truth of our texts today is that God inspires us to follow Jesus’ passion and integrity through that of others. God fuels our passion to be a part of something bigger than ourselves. God directs the steps of our lives and work to continue Christ’s ministry of making disciples.

Our hearts might plan the way, but God directs our steps to bring about God’s purposes in the ordinary places of life. It’s not always about what we say (about faith) but rather what we are teaching through our actions.

Frederick Buechner says, the kind of work God usually calls you to is the kind of work (a) that you need most to do and (b) that the world most needs to have done. ... The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world's deep hunger meet."

Over the past seven months I have seen all this come to life in a program called Leadership Lancaster. For the past thirty years, our local Chamber of Commerce has created an environment to intersect the diversity of work in our community with a passion of bettering Lancaster. I had the privilege of learning about Lancaster’s layers of infrastructure with 30 cohorts who work for a variety of businesses and non-profits here.

The President of Lancaster Chamber of Commerce is Dean Faile and he began this program with one question: “What is your passion?”

Another way of saying that is: What do you have a great love and concern for in which you are willing to give up your time, talents, and treasures to foster positive change here in in our community and beyond? It is a question that has made a profound impression upon my cohorts and myself.

I have had the privilege of meeting so many leaders in our community who intersect their talents and faith with passion and integrity. They serve the county in our school district, hospital, social agencies, the arts council, businesses and industry, the city and state government, the police and sheriff’s departments, and in the military.

None of the individuals I met are perfect; nor are any of these institutions. But the individuals I met through Leadership Lancaster are trying their best to love God and love neighbor as self.

Through their unique God-given gifts and passion, they are working together to do one thing…. (and I borrow the words of Debbie Jaillette, Executive Director of the Lancaster County Council of the Arts): that one thing is “Becoming a formidable force for good, community, love and family.”

And that my friend is what it means to live into the power of God’s love. To be a formidable force is what it means to follow Jesus and to make disciples of all nations. That is what it means to obey everything that Jesus commanded and point to the kingdom of God.

What is your passion that parallels Christ’s teachings? It may be welcoming children to help them feel valued. It may be blessing the poor in spirit. Where is God leading you to intersect your deep gladness and the world’s greatest need?

When God’s love guides our motivations and actions then the way of love directs our steps to be a formidable force for good in our families, community, and world – not just for the common good but for God’s good.

When love is the way then God’s kingdom breaks in a little more and we cannot miss it.

And we are inspired, our passion is rekindled, and our integrity is strengthened to be all that God is creating us to be.

May it be so for each of us today and everyday.

In the name of our Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer. Amen.

Sermon: We All Need a Pep Talk

We All Need a Pep Talk
Acts 2: 1-21
by Rev. Carson Overstreet
Van Wyck Presbyterian Church
May 20, 2018
Youth Sunday (Pentecost)

When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.

Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. Amazed and astonished, they asked, ‘Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs—in our own languages we hear them speaking about God’s deeds of power.’

All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, ‘What does this mean?’ But others sneered and said, ‘They are filled with new wine.’

But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them: ‘Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o’clock in the morning. No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:

“In the last days it will be, God declares,
that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh,
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
and your young men shall see visions,
and your old men shall dream dreams.
Even upon my slaves, both men and women,
in those days I will pour out my Spirit;
and they shall prophesy.

And I will show portents in the heaven above
and signs on the earth below,
blood, and fire, and smoky mist.
The sun shall be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood,
before the coming of the Lord’s great and glorious day.
Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Acts 2: 1-21


Robby Novack is fourteen years old. He has made quite a name for himself on you tube. When he steps in front of the rolling camera he becomes Kid President. In his dark business suit and red tie, Kid President looks at his global audience of all ages and says:

I think we all need a pep talk. The world needs to stop being boring. Yeah, you! Boring is easy, everybody can be boring. But you're gooder than that. Life is not a game people. Life isn't a cereal either. Well, it is a cereal. And if life is a game, aren't we all on the same team? I mean really, right? I'm on your team, you’re on my team.

This is life people, you've got air coming through your nose! You've got a heartbeat! That means it's time to do somethin'!

A poem. "Two roads diverged in the woods...and I took the road less traveled... AND IT HURT MAN! Really bad. Rocks! Thorns! Glass! My pants broke! NOT COOL ROBERT FROST!

But what if there really were two paths? I want to be on the one that leads to awesome.

It's like that dude Journey said, don't stop believing…

What will you create when you make the world awesome? Nothing if you keep sittin' there! This is why I'm talking to you today!

This is your time. This is my time. This is our time. We can make everyday better for each other. If we're all on the same team, let's start acting like it. We've got work to do. We can cry about it, or we can dance about it.

You were made to be awesome. Let's get out there! I don't know everything, I'm just a kid, but I do know this: It's everybody’s duty to do good, and give the world a reason to dance. So get to it!

The day the Holy Spirit was revealed to the church was like Kid’s President’s pep talk.

All those whom followed our Risen Savior knew firsthand the road less traveled. It hurt and yet it made all the difference. They had sacrificed a lot to claim Jesus Christ as the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). After our Risen Lord ascended to heaven to sit at the right hand of God, the disciples and apostles had no idea what would happen next.

Suddenly, Holy Spirit filled the room with the breath of God like a rushing wind. God’s power of love touched upon each one gathered. It brought everyone to their feet. The time of waiting was over. Holy Spirit made everyone’s heart beat a little faster. In that moment Creator God was breathing new life into the lungs of those men and women. The grace of Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit told them it was time to do something!

And it was Peter who gave the newly born church a pep talk. Peter told the church, ‘Don’t stop believing in God’s great vision of changing the world (Joel 2: 28-32). God’s Spirit would be poured out on everyone – our sons and daughters, women and men, the young and the old (Acts 2:17-18). Peter was proclaiming that the Holy Spirit was wrapping the church in God’s power of love.

The Spirit led the early church and is still leading us today on the path of awesome. It is awesome because God is the one paving the way forward. God is the one who show us signs of the Lord’s presence, the coming kingdom, and God’s ministry of reconciling all of creation and humanity back to God's intentions(Acts 2: 19-21). God's love never fails. As a result, everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

The past five months Carson Helms, Ashley Overstreet, and Mia Edwards have been reflecting on what we believe about God, Jesus, Holy Spirit, the Sacraments of Baptism and Communion, and the traditions of the Presbyterian Church. Once a month we have joined six other youth from our Presbytery to play games, build relationships, and learn about faith.

Carson, Mia, and Ashley – now it’s my turn for giving a pep talk! Today we celebrate the ways the gift of faith has shaped your lives through your families and your church family. I trust Holy Spirit is breathing new life into your soul. This gift of faith keeps you close to God’s heartbeat. As you follow Jesus’ teachings, they will remind you it’s time to do something with all you have learned!

Let this be known to you: God has already given each of you gifts and talents and passions to share with the church and the world. This is your time and God will continue to open your eyes to see God’s path that leads to awesome! God will work through each of you to share the good news that God’s love is still changing the world. God’s timing always has a sense of candor and humor. God will show each of you the next steps in your faith journeys in unexpected ways and through unexpected people . And God will help you know how you uniquely belong in serving the body of Christ!

And church – let this be known to each of us: we have promised to walk beside our youth in word and deed and with our love and prayers. Those Baptismal vows that we and the connectional church took imply we promise to raise and teach all of our children in the faith.

But those vows and our biblical text today also imply that we are to be open to our children and youth teaching us. God will teach us the way, the truth, and the life through the God-given visions and dreams of our children and youth. Our sons and daughters shall prophesy, revealing to us God’s Word, showing us God’s path and even challenge us to take the next right steps (Acts 2:17).

Our youth are not just the future of the church. They are a significant part of the local church and the church universal today.

Carson, Mia, and Ashley – confirmation is not the end. Rather it is a part of the journey of faith. Just as you go to school to grow in knowledge, so the church helps you to grow in spiritual formation. None of us are born knowing everything. But we all are born with a desire to worship God.

Everything you have learned thus far is a strong foundation and the beginning of wisdom. No matter how old any of us are, there is always more to learn. As Proverbs 4:5-6 says, “Get wisdom; get insight; do not forget, do not turn away. Do not forsake [wisdom] and she will keep you; love her and she will guard you.”

The wisdom of faith shapes us to make every day better by the power of God’s love because we are all on the same team. We are on the Big 3 Team: God – Jesus – Holy Spirit.

Scripture tells us that a little child shall lead them (Isaiah 11:6c). His name was Jesus and we all follow in his footsteps. Carson, Mia, and Ashley – you were made to be awesome because you are a beloved child of God.

May you lead the church to follow Jesus and give the world a reason to don’t stop believing!

In the name of God our Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer. Amen.

A Mother's Day Prayer

Mother's Day is both joyful and dreaded.

Our Prayer for the People from Sunday May 13 reflects the light and darkness of the day.

May the Spirit of gentleness meet you where you are:


A Prayer for Mother’s Day, by Rev. Carson Overstreet 5/13/18


Holy God and Loving Friend,

We give you thanks today for your promised and steadfast love. You gather your children together as a mother hen gathers her brood under her wings. You are the patient father waiting to welcome your wayward children home. No matter how much we wander from you or even resist your love, you love us still.

Lord God we recognize both the joy and challenge of this Sunday.

We give thanks to the women in our lives whom we know and love as mother. For those of us who cherish healthy relationships, we do give you thanks for a mother’s selfless love, encouragement, support and rich legacies that have been passed down.

We also give you thanks for the women in our lives who are mother figures to us. Thank you for placing your Deborahs in our lives (Judges 4-5). These women teach us who we are in your love, inspire us to reach for the stars, and challenge us to seek your hope that we can hold onto everyday.

But in this space it is right to share our laments. For many, this day holds grief for the strained relationship that seems to be beyond repair. There is a piece of someone’s heart missing as that son or daughter is not able to come home and be with family today. There is sadness for the empty chair - the one we cannot call on the phone today. There are broken dreams of infertility, miscarriage, and child loss.

We lift all these to you Loving God and we pray for your Spirit to embrace each of us in your grace. Grant us peace that surpasses our understanding. And speak to us your truth once again that you will surely go with us to climb every mountain and to fight every battle with your strength that never wanes or wearies.

Lead us into the promises of your kingdom, for we pray for it with boldness using the prayer Jesus taught us say....Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil; for thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever. Amen.

Sermon: I Will Surely Go With You

I Will Surely Go with You
Judges 4: 1-10
by Rev. Carson Overstreet
Van Wyck Presbyterian Church
May 13, 2018

The Israelites again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, after Ehud died. So the Lord sold them into the hand of King Jabin of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor; the commander of his army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth-ha-goiim.

Then the Israelites cried out to the Lord for help; for he had nine hundred chariots of iron, and had oppressed the Israelites cruelly for twenty years.

At that time Deborah, a prophetess, wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel. She used to sit under the palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim; and the Israelites came up to her for judgement.

She sent and summoned Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali, and said to him, ‘The Lord, the God of Israel, commands you, “Go, take position at Mount Tabor, bringing ten thousand from the tribe of Naphtali and the tribe of Zebulun. I will draw out Sisera, the general of Jabin’s army, to meet you by the Wadi Kishon with his chariots and his troops; and I will give him into your hand.” ’

Barak said to her, ‘If you will go with me, I will go; but if you will not go with me, I will not go.’

And she said, ‘I will surely go with you; nevertheless, the road on which you are going will not lead to your glory, for the Lord will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman.’ Then Deborah got up and went with Barak to Kedesh.

Barak summoned Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh; and ten thousand warriors went up behind him; and Deborah went up with him. - Judges 4: 1-10

There is an old Polish proverb that states, “Not my circus, not my monkeys.” That proverb makes me chuckle when there seems to be nothing but drama in life. In a comedic way, those words give permission to step away from the drama when you are not the ringmaster of it.

It’s a different story when all the rigmarole going on is in your own tent. The human mind wants to know who will lead us to find the calm in the chaos?

As the tent of God’s people moved to the Promised Land of Canaan, the history of God’s people reads like a drama.

In one circle the people follow God’s direction faithfully and do just fine. Jump into the next circle and the people began to lose focus; they followed every other influence but God’s and went in a thousand different directions. By the time you jump into the last circle, the people have completely forgotten who they were called to be, so they cry out for God’s help.

The history of God’s people started to look like a three-ring circus. As this cycle continued, God allowed the people to be taken over by their enemies. God hoped this consequence would lead the people to place their trust in God alone.

The Old Testament book of Judges tells us that God never had that proverbial mindset, “Not my circus.” God never stepped away from his people. Rather “God raised up judges for [the twelve tribes of Israel], the Lord was with the judge, and [God] delivered them from the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge; for the Lord would be moved to pity by their groaning because of those who persecuted and oppressed them” (Judges 2:18).

A judge was a person called by God to act as a leader, a governor if you will. This individual gave the Law of God, decided controversies, mediated conflict, and interpreted the Law (first five books of the Bible). The Law touched the civil, religious, political, and social spheres of life.

Today we look into the life of one particular judge who is remembered with great respect and favor. Deborah is the only female judge listed among the twelve judges of Israel. And her story matters to us today.

God’s people had been oppressed by cruelty for twenty years since the last judge (Shamgar) and God raised up Deborah as a judge, a prophetess, and military commander for the tribe of Ephraim (Judges 3:31; 4:3-5).

Deborah wore a number of hats, as she was also a woman of God and a wife. While nothing more is stated about the life of her family, there is truth to the saying: If you want something done then get a woman to do it! The Lord knows we ladies juggle a lot of hats!

Deborah was a woman who focused on living in right relationship with God. Just as God would surely go with her to accomplish God’s purposes, Deborah went with God in a deep commitment to follow God’s call. That is the key to anything we women and men are called to do! Within the tribe of Ephraim, she sat under the palm tree – a sign of righteousness and fruitfulness (Psalm 92:12). In order to speak God’s word and interpret God’s law to those in her care, she needed to abide with God with prayer and integrity.

Deborah’s focus to live in right relationship with God led her to be equally focused on creating right relationships within the tribe of Ephraim. Deborah was committed to be with the people she was called to serve; she wanted the tribe of Ephraim to know that God would surely go with them too. As she sat under the palm tree, Deborah made herself available to her community.

As a result, God’s people came to her for guidance and judgment. That sentence is pivotal in Judges 4:5. It implies that the people of God trusted Deborah’s leadership and valued her call, character, wisdom, and encouragement.

Deborah was also willing to share leadership to create unity and to deliver God’s people. Remember Deborah also served in the role of military commander. Once God’s Spirit revealed the next steps for the military strategy to overtake the King of Canaan, Deborah summoned Barak, the general of Israel’s army.

She was not bossy, but she was assertive with her prophetic vision to Barak regarding God’s deliverance. And yet Deborah encouraged Barak when he was uncertain about the upcoming battle, saying “I will surely go with you” (Judges 4:9). As the chaos of war began, Deborah encouraged Barak once more saying, “Up! For this is the day on which the Lord has given Sisera (the general of Cannan’s army) into your hand. The Lord is indeed going out before you!” (Judges 4:14).

And in response to God’s faithfulness to conquer Sisera and deliver Israel, Deborah sang a poetic song of victory naming all whom God worked through (Judges 5). As a result of God’s faithfulness through Deborah and those whom she helped to build up, the people of God experienced peace and rest for forty years (Judges 5:31).

Deborah reminds us of the special women you and I know who are heroes in their own right.

They are women who come into our lives and through them we see God’s faithfulness. They have a way of calming the chaos surrounding us. They ground us in wisdom of building bridges instead of burning them. They help us to see glimmers of hope in the dark valleys of life. They work to bring out the best in us. And they journey beside us to help us fight our battles and climb the mountains of life, trusting that by the grace of God we will overcome – for God indeed goes ahead of us.

We hold tight to our Deborahs in life because their story positively shapes ours. Therefore, we value these women for their strong character of faith. We treasure their trustworthiness, leadership, encouragement, and even challenge.

Thursday evening, I had the privilege to hear the Indian Land Middle School Choir sing. The youth on stage sang with joy, passion, and discipline under their Director Shonda Bradshaw. After their performance, a number of students came forward to give bouquets of flowers to Ms. Bradshaw in gratitude for her leadership.

But then something amazing happened; one by one - boys and girls from the choir took turns at the mic to share what Ms. Bradshaw meant to them.

Both boys and girls alike remembered the semester’s first day of choir saying, “I was not sure I wanted to take Ms. Bradshaw’s class. She was really strict and she would get after us.”

My hat goes off to any teacher who is able to command the students’ attention and be assertive. What an incredibly important responsibility our teachers have! It is truly a calling.

But what those students said next brought tears to my eyes.

They said the more they got to know their teacher, they realized how much she cared for them.

Ms. Bradshaw would hang out in the hallways of school to make herself available to her students. She took notice of the smiling faces and also the heaviness that our youth carry. It did not matter if a student had studied under Ms. Bradshaw for one semester or through all of 6th to 8th grades during middle school. Those youth sought Ms. Bradshaw out for guidance because she focused on right relationships. Ms. Bradshaw was a Deborah.

One student shared that Ms. Bradshaw had become her middle school mom, a woman she trusted and confided in when things in life got tough. Through thick and thin, Ms. Bradshaw’s students knew their teacher would surely go with them to help them climb their mountains and fight their battles.

Thursday evening, everyone in that auditorium was blessed to hear these stories of trustworthiness, leadership, encouragement, and even challenge. And I left that evening knowing that God is at work in Ms. Bradshaw’s life, in her students’ lives, and in the life of our schools in a powerful way.

Today we give thanks to God for the many Deborahs and other strong women in our lives.

They are teachers, mentors, soldiers, co-workers. They are grandmothers, sisters, aunts, and even mothers. I thank God for including strong women in Scripture.

As we celebrate the strong women among us, may we know them; may we raise them; may we be them.

In the name of God our Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer. Amen.

* artwork, "Deborah," by Cody F. Miller

References Studied Informing the Sermon:

Lynn Japinga, “Preaching the Women of the Old Testament: Who They Were and Why They Matter” (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2017), pp. 74-78.

Caryn Rivadeneira, “Grit and Grace: Heroic Women of the Bible” (Minneapolis: Spark House, 2017), pp. 43-48.
Beth Lindsay Templeton, “Conversations on the Porch: Ancient Voices, Contemporary Wisdom” (Bloomington: iUniverse, 2011), pp. 40-43.

New Interpreter’s Bible Commentary, Volume II: Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, 1 & 2 Kings, 1 & 2 Chronicles (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2015), pp. 180-188.

Sermon: In Tune with the Song

"In Tune with the Song"
Psalm 98
by Rev. Carson Overstreet
Van Wyck Presbyterian Church
May 6, 2018

1 Sing to God a brand-new song. He’s made a world of wonders! He rolled up his sleeves,He set things right.

2 God made history with salvation, He showed the world what he could do.

3 He remembered to love us, a bonus To his dear family, Israel —indefatigable [tireless] love. The whole earth comes to attention. Look — God’s work of salvation!

4 Shout your praises to God, everybody! Let loose and sing! Strike up the band!

5 Round up an orchestra to play for God, Add on a hundred-voice choir.

6 Feature trumpets and big trombones, Fill the air with praises to King God.

7 Let the sea and its fish give a round of applause, with everything living on earth joining in.

8 Let ocean breakers call out, “Encore!” And mountains harmonize the finale—

9 A tribute to God when he comes,When he comes to set the earth right. He’ll straighten out the whole world, He’ll put the world right, and everyone in it. - Psalm 98, The Message

A few years ago, two unlikely people were brought together by the intersection of music and The Message.

Bono, the singer of the group U2, sent a video message to Eugene Peterson, editor of The Message. Bono thanked Rev. Peterson for the hard work of interpreting God’s Word in a way that speaks to him in his own language.

Peterson was humbled by the thanks but he had no idea who Bono or U2 were! Peterson soon began to listen to U2’s albums, many of which take me back to my favorite high school memories – all my friends in marching band were in love with Bono and U2.

The more Peterson listened to the music, he heard Bono, Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullin create melodies and lyrics that were rich with the undertones of faith and justice. Peterson was equally thankful for the work of U2.

As a result of a simple exchange of gratitude, Bono and Peterson sat down together in a candid conversation about the psalms.

Over the course of his life, Bono has been drawn to the psalms. He shared with Peterson, “They are words and melodies that give a real honesty about the deep joy and confusion of life. The only way we can approach God is if we are honest through metaphor and symbols. And the arts become essential in this.”

Peterson shared, “Psalms reach into the hurt and disappointment and difficulty of being a human being with a language that reaches into the heart of a person – it’s the stuff we all feel but don’t talk about…We serve God with poetry, with arts, with song to find ways to enter into what God is already doing.”

You see, many of the psalms truly embody the arts. They are Hebrew poetry and songs about God’s work in the world.Psalm 98 is actually a metaphor for God’s song.

The psalmist looks into the brokenness of humanity and all of creation. He knows the stories of the high and low points of God’s people. He remembers when God’s people were once enslaved in Egypt and how God liberated them into freedom. The psalmist anticipates the history of God’s salvation is revealed through the sacrificial Lamb of Jesus Christ and yet we are still in need of God’s mercy and peace. The psalmist has taken notice that the Spirit is on the move for all the earth to see the victory of God among us.

The psalmist hears the melody of God’s faithfulness down in his very bones; it is the very air he breathes. He takes the lead to bring all of humanity and creation together join God in the song as a tribute of faith because God’s song is changing the world!

When we live in tune with God’s song we become attentive to the rhythm of God’s amazing grace. It holds our stanzas of joys and sorrows, our experiences of brokenness and injustices, and our confusion and searching.

We lift our voices in celebration with others in our mountaintop moments. We lift our voices in cries that we will only allow God to hear. And within the ebb and flow of life the gift of faith is a foundational space. Within it we discover our joys and sorrows are anchored upon the very rock of our salvation.

That rock is the place where the mystery of God’s presence is revealed as we walk through the wilderness and climb the mountains towards God’s freedom of the Promised Land. That rock is the promise of God’s tireless love. That rock is the blessed assurance we have in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. That rock is what upholds us by the strength of God’s Spirit in our faith communities.

When we put our trust in the rock just like the choir sang about Elijah and Moses, then we will see God’s glory. And when we hear that God is in our corner we cannot help but sing with praise, He been a rock and a shelter for me, Hallelujah!!!

I am deeply reminded of Zephaniah 3:17 says, “The Lord your God is with you; he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you. He will renew you with his love, he will rejoice over you with loud singing.”

As we listen to the motif of God’s faithfulness, the song changes us. The song of God’s faithfulness moves us to see God’s intentions for the world. It becomes our heart’s desire to live in tune with the song.

We do just that by being attentive to the notes of the song’s motif; there are 4 notes in Psalm 98: God is creating something new among us and in us; Jesus Christ is redeeming and reshaping us; the Spirit assures us that we are loved beyond measure; and God faithfulness will right the world and everyone in it. The song is played to the metronome of God’s timing.

Through this gift of faith, the motif of God’s faithfulness settles into our hearts and minds and we feel something stirring within us, just like the refrain from Andra Day’s song:
“Rise Up”:
And I'll rise up
I'll rise like the day
I'll rise up
I'll rise unafraid
I'll rise up
And I'll do it a thousand times again
And I'll rise up
High like the waves
I'll rise up
In spite of the ache
I'll rise up
And I'll do it a thousands times again
For you
For you
For you
For you…..

We rise up and see a new vision of hope for ourselves and the world around us. As we live in tune with the song, we are empowered to proclaim God’s intentions, enact it using our talents and gifts, and keep alive the vision of God’s coming kingdom.[1]

We do this by coming alongside one another to help each other hear God’s song. When we walk side by side and hand in hand it underscores that we are all becoming a part of God’s glorious melody. Entering the song is to enter into what God is doing among us.

When I was a student in seminary in Decatur, Georgia, a group from Metro State Women’s Prison visited our campus. My worship professor, Kim Long, tells about that morning poetically: [2]

The women [came to chapel] not to tell us about the realities of incarceration, but to lead us in worship. They traded their prison khakis for white choir robes and sang as the Voices of Hope Choir. White and black, young and not-so-young, they sang about Jesus and being saved and having hope. They made us cry and they cried too. Then one of them, a young African American woman preached.

“It is God who chooses us,” she said. “God who places us in a unique position within the body of Christ. He chooses one eye with 20/20 vision and places it beside an eye that is half blind. Then he selects an aching hand and attaches it to a powerful arm. He finds a sprained ankle and he strengthens it so it can lift up a leg that was once fractured. Then he searches and searches until he finds a powerful chest and teaches it by example to embrace a broken heart. Then God binds together each part with love and he sends his Holy Spirit coursing through its veins until it is moved and motivated to stand up and step out – step out into the community, into prisons, into the wilderness, to prepare the way for the Word of God.”

Then she looked at us. “Look within you. Look around you. This is the body of Christ,” she proclaimed, sweeping her arm over all of us – all of us in the pews, and all of the women in the choir. “We are the body of Christ.”

I am beyond grateful that you – Lisa Knox and the Indian Land Warrior Choir have joined us today. You have helped us to hear the melody of God’s song of amazing grace. Together we are the body of Christ.

May God’s Spirit stir something within each of us. As we enter into God’s work of changing the world may we rise up for God and live in tune with God’s song.

In the name of God our Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer. Amen.

Sources Referenced:

[1] Kimberly Bracken Long, “The Worshipping Body: The Art of Leading Worship” (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2009), p. 36-37.

[2] Long, p. 15.