Advent Series: Fear Not: Say "Yes" to God (2/4)

Fear Not: Say “Yes” to God (2/4)
Luke 1: 26-38, 46-55
by Rev. Carson Overstreet
Van Wyck Presbyterian Church
December 8, 2019
Second Sunday of Advent

This Advent we are sitting in four stories from the Gospels of Luke and Matthew where an angel of the Lord makes a divine visit to proclaim, “Fear Not!” And we are uncovering the layers of these holy encounters with Zechariah, Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds to be encouraged that yes, God is indeed with us and listening. God’s Word will light the way for us to rediscover and celebrate the hope, peace, joy, and love that Jesus’ birth brings.

Today we listen to the story of Mary’s encounter with the Angel Gabriel in Luke 1: 26-38, 46-55.

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, ‘Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.’

But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.

The angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.’ Mary said to the angel, ‘How can this be, since I am a virgin?’

The angel said to her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.’

Then Mary said, ‘Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.’ Then the angel departed from her.
Mary’s Song of Praise

And Mary said,
‘My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.
Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
His mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
and lifted up the lowly;
he has filled the hungry with good things,
and sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to his descendants for ever.’

Mary was living her best life. She was a young teenager and betrothed to Joseph. Mary was technically legally married to Joseph, although she lived in her father’s house. She was counting down to the big day to officially tie the knot and begin their life together.

Mary’s encounter with Gabriel was a complete interruption. The angel’s presence brought Mary great distress. Her heart went back and forth with a mix of emotions. Her mind was trying to make sense of Gabriel’s words: “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. You will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name his Jesus (Yahweh saves). He will be great, the Son of the Most High.”

God was calling Mary to do a hard thing: to carry and deliver the Son of God.

Do you know who was relying on Mary’s answer?

The lowly were waiting for Mary to say “yes” so that God’s hand would lift them up and overthrow those who abused human authority at the lowly’s expense.

The hungry were waiting for Mary to say “yes” so that God would fill them with good things and to send the rich away empty.

Israel was waiting for Mary to say “yes” so that God would make good on the covenants to Abraham and David (Genesis 17: 4-8; 2 Samuel 7: 12-17).

All of these were waiting for Mary to say “Yes” to God in order for God’s plan of salvation to be fulfilled (Luke 1: 52-54).

Can you imagine if Mary had said, “Oh Lord, I cannot do that. You are asking too much of me!” Mary did not know how God would work it all out. Nor did Mary know that this holy child would be destined to pierce her own soul and cause her family pain; she would one day watch her son bear God’s unconditional love on the cross (Luke 2:35).

But with what Gabriel did reveal to Mary - the angel reassured her that as crazy as all of this might sound, nothing will be impossible for God (Luke 1:37).

Mary overcame her fear by placing her trust in God’s faithfulness. Faith gave Mary the courage to say “Yes!” to God. And God’s faithfulness provided Mary with all she needed to serve the Lord and bring about God’s purposes.

Mary’s willingness not only brought her a sense of peace. Mary’s boldness continues to bless all of creation and humanity with the promised peace that only Jesus Christ has the power to bring into our hurting world.

God called our spiritual ancestors to do hard things to bring about God’s purposes.

God called Moses to deliver God’s people from Egypt and yet Moses felt unqualified (Exodus 3: 10-11).

God called Isaiah to prophesy to God’s people and show them the way forward into God’s will and yet Isaiah felt unworthy (Isaiah 6:5).

God called Jonah to share the good news with the people of Nineveh, his enemy, and yet Jonah ran in the opposite direction (Jonah 1).

God calls you and I to do hard things for the Lord too. It may not be as daunting as what God called our biblical ancestors to do! But when God calls us out of our comfort zones it is scary, nonetheless.

Jesus Christ calls us to love our neighbors as we love ourselves; to forgive others – not just once but throughout our lifetime; to love our enemies and pray for them; and to pray for God’s will.

Jesus Christ calls us to feed the hungry, welcome the stranger, clothe the naked, care for the sick, and visit the imprisoned (Matthew 25: 35-36).

Christ calls us to make disciples of all nations and teach them all that he commanded (Matthew 28:19-20).

Christ calls us to do all things according to God’s rule of love. And we are promised that the work of the Spirit will always guide us daily into Christ’s truth and God’s will (John 16:13-14).

What is the hardest thing God has ever asked you to do? As God showed you the next right steps who was blessed by your willingness to say yes to God?

What might God’s Spirit or an angel in disguise be nudging you to do now?

Our first thoughts just may be, “Oh Lord, I cannot do that! You are asking too much of me!”

In some ways, that response is gospel truth. Whatever God is asking of us– it is true that none of us can accomplish God’s purposes on our own. And it is true that on any given day it will seem that God is indeed asking too much of us.

Jesus Christ is our example of what human faithfulness looks like to God. Christ fully relied on God with every obedient step he took from the cradle to the grave. And Christ gave his all for us as God was reconciling the world to himself.

The cost of discipleship is great, my friends. It costs something of us because it cost Jesus Christ everything.

The good news is that NOTHING is impossible with God. The God of peace will make you and I complete in everything good so that we may do his will (Hebrews 13:21). God’s grace and power are perfected in our limitations and weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Do not fear having your life interrupted by God’s plans. Do not fear the hard thing God is calling you to do.

I have to be honest; no matter what hard thing God has called me to do, I have never had a sense of peace until I have said “Yes” to God.

So say “Yes” to God because the Spirit will provide everything you need to share the peace of Christ.

Say “Yes” to God because someone else is relying on your “yes.”

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

Sources Referenced:

The “Fear Not” Advent Theme Sermon Series and Worship Planning used with permission from Get Lit Worship Resources.

Sermon: What Is God Up To? (Psalm 121; Isaiah 65: 17-25)

What Is God Up To?
Psalm 121; Isaiah 65: 17-25
by Rev. Carson Overstreet
Van Wyck Presbyterian Church
November 17, 2019

I lift up my eyes to the hills—
from where will my help come?
My help comes from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot be moved;
he who keeps you will not slumber.
He who keeps Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord is your keeper;
the Lord is your shade at your right hand.
The sun shall not strike you by day,
nor the moon by night.

The Lord will keep you from all evil;
he will keep your life.
The Lord will keep
your going out and your coming in
from this time on and for evermore. - Psalm 121

For I am about to create new heavens
and a new earth;
the former things shall not be remembered
or come to mind.
But be glad and rejoice for ever
in what I am creating;
for I am about to create Jerusalem as a joy,
and its people as a delight.
I will rejoice in Jerusalem,
and delight in my people;
no more shall the sound of weeping be heard in it,
or the cry of distress.
No more shall there be in it
an infant that lives but a few days,
or an old person who does not live out a lifetime;
for one who dies at a hundred years will be considered a youth,
and one who falls short of a hundred will be considered accursed.
They shall build houses and inhabit them;
they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit.
They shall not build and another inhabit;
they shall not plant and another eat;
for like the days of a tree shall the days of my people be,
and my chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands.
They shall not labour in vain,
or bear children for calamity;
for they shall be offspring blessed by the Lord—
and their descendants as well.
Before they call I will answer,
while they are yet speaking I will hear.
The wolf and the lamb shall feed together,
the lion shall eat straw like the ox;
but the serpent—its food shall be dust!
They shall not hurt or destroy
on all my holy mountain,

says the Lord. - Isaiah 65: 17-25

Church, where does our hope come from?

Our hope comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth (Psalm 121:2). We all need this reminder when the difficulties of life rise up, creating obstacles in our ability to see a way forward.

The prophet Isaiah was bringing a word of hope to God’s people. After being held in Babylonian captivity for seventy years, the people of God had been released to come back home to Judah (Southern Israel){Jeremiah 29:10). But coming home was not all they had hoped for. You see, God had promised this new exodus would be more glorious than their exodus from Egypt. God would be doing a new thing and the people would be able to see it (Isaiah 43:10).

However, Isaiah reveals what the people saw from their human point of view – they saw grief, death, and economic injustice. They felt their labor was in vain. As the people were rebuilding Jerusalem, which the Hebrew translates as “Foundation of Peace,” there was no peace or joy - only difficulty, strife, and uncertainty. As a way of coping, God’s people were falling back into old Babylonian habits of pagan worship. Isaiah speaks strongly about this as the 65th chapter begins. God’s heart was broken and God’s judgment against the people was justified.

In a time of despair and uncertainty, Isaiah was God’s mouthpiece. God promised to create new heavens and a new earth; the former things shall not be remembered or come to mind. God promised to transform Jerusalem, the city of God, as a joy, and its people a delight. The people’s mourning will turn into rejoicing; economic injustices will be reversed among the people. And God’s kingdom of peace and harmony will become the people’s new reality. The prophet’s words were showing the people a way forward. Isaiah was reaffirming God’s faithfulness to create new life and bring about God’s glory.

One day when the glory comes, it will be ours. For many Christians, that “one day” is believed to be when we meet our Maker face to face. Our ultimate hope is that one day we will truly be at home with God to behold the eternal promise of peace and harmony. The Lord will wipe away every tear from our eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away, as Revelation 21: 3-4 proclaims.

God’s eternal promises are realized through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. But God’s promises are not just what we put our future hope in. God’s eternal promises have holy implications for our lives today.

In our world today there is so much that is happening that breaks God’s heart. It is overwhelming to read the local, national, and global news where murder, racial hatred, and injustices of all kinds are alive and well. Our prayer lists continue to get longer with every new diagnosis of cancer among family and friends. There are many days that I wish I could keep our children in a bubble from harm’s way.

On days like these when you and I might lose all hope in humanity it is imperative to remember God never has and never will give up on us. The Lord is our keeper (Psalm 121:5). Gods’ Word connects us to the eternal promises that God is with us and God still controls all of human history. God promises to continue doing a new thing among us that brings new life from death, pain, and injustice. Therefore, as God’s people we must prayerfully ask “What is God up to?”

If the Maker of heaven and earth is at work to create a kingdom of peace and harmony among us, then our God will not just wave a divine hand to do it all alone. You and I were created to live in relationship with God and one another. God humbled himself to become one of us in the person of Jesus Christ. Because of Jesus Christ’s work on the cross, God Almighty invites you and I to co-create God’s kingdom of peace and harmony on earth today as it is in heaven.

God desires to open our spiritual eyes to see what is breaking God’s heart in our community, nation, and world. God uniquely calls each of us to come alongside another to bring godly encouragement, hope, and new life.

One of my colleagues in ministry is Rev. Emily Sutton. She pastors the good congregation of Bethel United Methodist Church in Rock Hill. Bethel is a small congregation of about 30-40 who gather weekly in worship. They are also known for serving as a Men’s Shelter every evening at 6pm.

In 2009 Bethel partnered with Salvation Army, the United Way of York County, and the city of Rock Hill. The church began serving as a permanent warming center during the winter months for homeless men in Rock Hill.

Last year, one of the men who found shelter at Bethel asked why the church couldn’t become a year round shelter. It wasn’t long after this man asked such a poignant question that he became seriously ill and died. The only family this man knew were the guests and volunteers of Bethel Men’s Shelter. The church held a memorial service for him and vowed never again would someone come through the shelter doors without God’s family to call home.

Since April of 2019, Bethel Men’s Shelter committed to opening its doors 365 nights a year to be a safe place for homeless men to find shelter and home. The congregation knew they could not enter this endeavor alone. Therefore, Bethel invites individuals, youth groups, and churches to prepare and serve dinner in Christian fellowship with the men they host. God has certainly been up to something at Bethel United Methodist Church. God is making a way forward for hospitality and open hearts to bring about rejoicing and new life to all who enter through the Shelter’s doors.

During the season of Advent, our church will have the opportunity to collect needed clothing and hygiene items for our Bethel brothers. And we will see who feels led to helping us prepare and serve a meal there in the new year.

I think about our youth today and I know they long to have a sense of belonging and acceptance. Far too many youth experience loneliness and disconnection. Another demographic within the body of Christ is equally vulnerable to feeling lonely and disconnected – our homebound members.

Keeping this in mind, I want to harness the collective energy of our youth. This afternoon when our youth gather at the church, we will be making cards to send to our homebound members. I pray that what our youth create will bring joy and new life to our homebound members, helping them to feel remembered, connected, and loved by the larger body of Christ.

This week I encourage each of us to make time to sit in God’s Word. Engage in the holy listening for our shared human story and God’s promises of hope. As we place God’s Word side by side with the news of the day, let us not lose hope in humanity. History has shown what each of us is capable of and God has not given up on us yet! God will never give up on us no matter how far we stray from God’s will and God’s ways. Thanks be to God.

Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful (Hebrews 10:23).

Prayerfully ask what God is up to. And then wait for God’s Spirit to direct your heart and hands to co-create a foundation of peace and harmony with our amazing God.

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

Sermon: Sharing in the Gospel (Philippians 1: 2-6; 1 Cor 15: 57-58)

Sharing in the Gospel
1 Corinthians 15: 57-58; Philippians 1: 2-6
by Rev. Carson Overstreet
Van Wyck Presbyterian Church
November 10, 2019
Stewardship Commitment Sunday

But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. -1 Corinthians 15: 57-58 (NIV)

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God every time I remember you, constantly praying with joy in every one of my prayers for all of you, because of your sharing in the gospel from the first day until now. I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ. - Philippians 1: 2-6 (NRSV)

If you read Paul’s New Testament letters to all the churches he planted, you will see he holds a special affection towards the Philippians. The church in Philippi, Greece was the first church that Paul planted on European soil during his second missionary journey.

The Philippians were very near and dear to Paul’s heart, bringing him great joy. The women and men had struggled beside Paul in the work of the gospel (Philippians 4:3). Therefore, in his letter Paul gave thanks for all God was doing among the Philippians. And Paul gave thanks to the Philippians for sharing in the gospel with him. The Philippians gave themselves fully to the work of the Lord with their prayers, worship, efforts, and financial gifts (Philippians 4:15-16). Paul and the church partnered with God; they were sharing in the gospel to spread the good news.

My commentary on Philippians says this: “The Philippians’ readiness to share in the work of the gospel is not seen as “a good work” for which they are responsible, but one God began in them and one that Paul is confident will be brought to completion by the day of Jesus Christ (verse 5)” [1].

It is God’s faithfulness that was at work within the Philippians and Paul and is now at work within us. God’s faithfulness makes it possible for us to share in the gospel. The gospel is that the triune God creates, redeems, sustains, rules, and transforms all things and all people [2].

Jesus Christ’s victory through his saving death and resurrection gives us the gift of faith. As this precious gift impacts our lives, God’s work begins in us. Holy Spirit kindles within us a love for God’s dear name and moves our hearts and minds in gratitude to respond to God’s amazing grace.

Like the partnership that Paul shared with the Philippians, you and I are called to partner with God and share in the gospel. Our common calling is to participate and contribute to making the love of God known. God’s love unites us in worship, prayer, spiritual fellowship, service, and giving.

One of our disciples shared with me this week:

I enjoy being a part of the committees on which I serve. It is always good to see our church enjoy times of Christian fellowship together, having fun at one of our seasonal events or a meal that has been planned for them.

I feel very blessed to be a part of our Mission Team when we provide assistance to those less fortunate, knowing they are so grateful to be remembered and reminded of God's love. Our church’s care and love for them gives me a feeling of gratitude to have helped in some way.

I recently read in Galatians 6:10: Whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone, especially to our Christian brothers and sisters.

I give thanks to God for the intimate bond that unites Van Wyck Presbyterian Church as the body of Christ. What I love more than anything about this church is that you all know our strength comes from our relationships with God and one another. Each of you inspire me with your commitment to pray for one another, to pray for God’s guidance, and to do good to everyone. I give thanks for the good work the Lord began in this church 135 years ago. God’s faithfulness continues to bless this body of Christ to be a blessing to others.

Last Sunday I shared with you that the session and I have been prayerfully considering where God is leading us in this new year of 2020. We want to continue flourishing in God’s grace. Therefore, our vision for the upcoming year is to “Give Ourselves Fully.”

In this new year God is leading us to give ourselves fully to prayer, to God’s mission, and to godly goals. We will be praying for God to open our eyes and notice what God is doing in our community. We will be praying for God to reveal what God’s mission is in Van Wyck and Lancaster County and what our church’s unique role is within it. We will also be prayerfully planning godly goals to reach towards – that includes discerning together how God is calling us to use our beautiful acreage for God’s purposes.

As we return our pledge cards today, we are making a promise to partner with God and with one another to share in the gospel. God has already given us the victory in Jesus Christ. God has already blessed us with the abundance of God’s grace. And God is presenting you and me an opportunity to respond to the good work that the Lord began in you and in me.

Jesus Christ desires to harness our collective energy, imagination, and resources for the sake of accomplishing God’s mission in our community and world. In order to live into God’s vision in 2020, the Lord is calling each and every one of us to prayerfully participate and contribute to make God’s love our goal.

Will you join me in giving yourselves fully to the work of the Lord in this new year? Will you?

I pray that gratitude will continue to guide you and me to share in the gospel.

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

Sources Referenced:

[1] New Interpreter’s Bible Commentary Volume X (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2015), p. 118.
[2] The Book of Order, The Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Part II (Louisville: The Office of the General Assembly, 2019), p. 1, F-1.01

Sermon: Always Giving Ourselves Fully (1 Corinthians 15:57-58)

Always Giving Ourselves Fully
Psalm 92:4; 1 Corinthians 15: 57-58
by Rev. Carson Overstreet
Van Wyck Presbyterian Church
November 3, 2019
Stewardship Sunday

For you make me glad by your deeds, LORD; I sing for joy at what your hands have done. - Psalm 92:4 (NIV)

But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. -1 Corinthians 15: 57-58 (NIV)

There is a time old refrain that Christians have said: “God is good all the time.” And the people respond saying, “All the time God is good.”

The gift of faith re-trains our eyes to look for God’s goodness all around us. God’s faithfulness is as sure as the sun rises every morning and sets every night. God’s steadfast love calls us by name and gives our lives new meaning and life-giving purpose. God’s grace gives us hope that does not disappoint because our hope is centered upon an authentic relationship with Jesus Christ and the mysterious power of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus gave his whole life to the work of God’s faithfulness, love, and grace. Jesus taught, preached, and healed in order to show us the goodness of God’s kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. Jesus took the sins of the world as he died on the cross and was raised to new life by God’s love to give us victory in all things and ultimately victory over death. And the Lord calls us to stand in the victory of God’s grace to participate in continuing Christ’s ministry of faith, hope, and love. We are to give ourselves fully to making the goodness of God known because that is what Jesus Christ did.

Henri Nouwen was a well-respected priest, professor, and author of the Christian life. He entered the Church Triumphant in 1996 at the young age of 64. Nouwen once said, “The mystery of ministry is that we have been chosen to make our own limited and very conditional love the gateway for the unlimited and unconditional love of God. People who are so deeply in love with Jesus that they are ready to follow him wherever he guides them, always trusting that, with him, they will find life and find it abundantly.”

Today I give thanks to God for the ways Van Wyck Presbyterian Church has engaged the mystery of ministry this past year. A beloved disciple among us told me this week, “When I think about Van Wyck Presbyterian, there is a true feeling of family here. We have shared many joys and sorrows this past year. In all cases, our congregation comes through with love and sharing to comfort and welcome folks whatever the circumstances may be.”

Van Wyck is a church with a maturing faith. The most beautiful core value within this body of Christ is forming genuine relationships with God and one another. I thank God for each and every one of you and the unique gifts God has given you to share the gospel together with energy, intelligence, imagination, and love! While each of us is in various places along this shared spiritual journey, there is a unified desire here to follow Jesus wherever he guides us.

I have witnessed you following Jesus to grow in your relationship with God in prayer and study. You are teaching me to pray not just about the big things, but to openly pray with one another about the little things in daily life and trust that God will work all things out as we intercede for others.

This past year I have seen us grow in number and in spirit in worship, all of our study groups and small groups so that God’s Word may guide our steps.

This church has continued to follow Jesus’s love and care for our children within our church family to let each one know they belong to God, and you share God’s abundance with school-aged children who are struggling in the wider community and world.
This church takes Jesus’ ministry of compassion to heart to come alongside all our neighbors in their times of need. And you continue to live into God’s Word of giving yourself fully to the work of the Lord, as each year the church’s faithfulness to pledge increases.

I am so proud of all the good things happening among us to glorify God. The Lord has provided us with every blessing in abundance (2 Corinthians 9:8).

What is it about Van Wyck Presbyterian Church that you are grateful for?
In what ways has the goodness of God changed your life?
How might God be nudging you to respond and give yourself more fully to the work of the Lord?

The leadership within this congregation has long upheld stewardship in such a faithful and holistic way. Our stewardship of God’s abundant blessings is about how we live our daily lives. Stewardship is all about gratitude. It’s all about giving back. It’s all about God.

We are living into an exciting time of ministry. God has blessed this church with generous hearts, deep roots of faith, additional acreage, and a growing community. My heart smiles as we continue to grow as disciples of Jesus Christ. The session and I have been prayerfully considering where God is leading us in this new year of 2020. We want to continue flourishing in God’s grace. Therefore, our vision for the upcoming year is to “Give Ourselves Fully.”

In this new year God is leading us to give ourselves fully to prayer, to God’s mission, and to godly goals. We will be praying for God to open our eyes and notice what God is doing in our community. We will be praying for God to reveal what God’s mission is in Van Wyck and Lancaster County and what our church’s unique role is within it. We will also be prayerfully planning godly goals to reach towards – that includes discerning together how God is calling us to use our beautiful acreage for God’s purposes.

As we focus upon the beautiful mystery of ministry, I pray that together we will give ourselves fully to the work of the Lord. God is asking us to share our energy, imagination, talents, and resources to make the Lord’s goodness known. As we give of ourselves, it’s all about gratitude. It’s all about giving back. It’s all about God.

May God’s name be praised. Amen.

Sermon: Living from the Inside Out (Psalm 119: 97-104; 2 Timothy 3:14-4:5)

Living from the Inside Out
Psalm 16:8; Psalm 119: 97-104
2 Timothy 3:14 – 4:5
by Rev. Carson Overstreet
Van Wyck Presbyterian Church
October 20, 2019


I keep the Lord always before me;
because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. - Psalm 16:8

Oh, how I love your law!
It is my meditation all day long.
Your commandment makes me wiser than my enemies,
for it is always with me.
I have more understanding than all my teachers,
for your decrees are my meditation.
I understand more than the aged,
for I keep your precepts.
I hold back my feet from every evil way,
in order to keep your word.
I do not turn away from your ordinances,
for you have taught me.
How sweet are your words to my taste,
sweeter than honey to my mouth!
Through your precepts I get understanding;
therefore I hate every false way. - Psalm 119: 97-104

But as for you [Timothy], continue in what you have learned and firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it, and how from childhood you have known the sacred writings that are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work.

In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I solemnly urge you: proclaim the message; be persistent whether the time is favourable or unfavourable; convince, rebuke, and encourage, with the utmost patience in teaching. For the time is coming when people will not put up with sound doctrine, but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own desires, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander away to myths. As for you, always be sober, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, carry out your ministry fully. - 2 Timothy 3:14 - 4:5

Clemson Football Coach, Dabo Sweeney, was asked this week, “How do you protect your players and program from outside influences? How do you insulate the Clemson football program from all of the outside noise and expectations?”

Dabo’s answer was simple: “The key is living your life from the inside out.”

Dabo went on to say, “Our program blossomed from the inside-out not the outside-in. That means I encourage our team to focus daily on these things: go to work, one day at a time, do your best, be about the right things, and don’t get distracted by the things that do not matter.”

Whether you love or hate Clemson football, there is gospel truth to Dabo’s words.

The Apostle Paul was encouraging Timothy to lead the Ephesus Church from the inside-out too. The life of faith and ministry will always be filled with distractions. Therefore, what mattered most to Paul was for Timothy to be about the right things – the things that he first learned from the sacred writings – God’s playbook.

Paul did not want Timothy to just continue in what he had learned of faith from his grandmother, mother, and Paul’s mentoring. Paul did not want Timothy to just go through the motions of faith. Paul was coaching Timothy to hold fast to God’s Word with all his heart, mind, and strength. God’s Word holds the key to living our best life.

God’s Word is central to the Christian life. Scripture is unparalleled to any other source that may influence our lives.

The Bible is God-breathed having power beyond measure to give us encouragement and steadfast hope (Romans 15:3-4). It teaches us not only the language of faith, but it also has practical applications in the journey of faith. We share this pilgrimage of faith with our spiritual ancestors knowing that no matter how much we miss the mark, God will never leave or forsake us. The journey of faith points to the goal of living like Jesus Christ.

The more we sit in the stories of Scripture, the deeper our personal and communal convictions become about God our Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer.

And yet the hardest part of being a student of the Bible is this – to be humble enough for the Word of God to correct, reform, and train us in right relationships with God and one another (individually and communally).

When you and I are reading Scripture, it is really the Holy Spirit whom is reading us. Let that sink in for a moment.

Scripture is a mirror that shows our reflection from the inside out. The Lord does not see as mortals see – you and I look on the outward appearance - but the Lord in God’s Word looks on the heart (1 Samuel 16:7).

God’s Word leads us to confess where we have missed the mark of following Jesus’ example. The Bible is not a self-help book of how to improve ourselves. And yet I have to be honest with you – without God’s Word, I don’t like the person I see in the mirror. God’s Word gives my life and yours hope, purpose, and it teaches how to live for God from the inside out.

John Calvin once said that the Bible is like a pair of spectacles. When we read Scripture, we are putting on the spectacles of faith which allow us to see the world and ourselves rightly.

The Word of God is a gift to us. Just as God created humanity to live in relationship with God and one another, we are to live in relationship with God’s Word. And yet there is a crisis of faith today. That crisis is not doctrinal or the decline in church attendance. The crisis is how we live our lives in relation to God’s Word.

George Stroup is the former J.B. Green Professor of Theology at Columbia Theological Seminary. He was my theology professor when I attended there. In his book, “Before God,” he says:

For several decades observers of the Christian life have noted the remarkable phenomenon of a growing biblical illiteracy not just in the general public but in churches as well. Protestant Christians who began as “people of the book” and confess the Bible alone as the primary authority of the Christian faith and life have become a people who know less about the Bible.

The larger problem is not just a matter of knowledge; it is that the language of Scripture no longer shapes Christian individuals and churches. They no longer are people whose identities and character are formed and continue to be formed by reading the stories of Scripture….The issue is whether people live their daily lives before God [1].

A U.S. Religious Landscape Study was taken in 2014. It was based on telephone interviews with more than 35,000 Americans from all 50 states. The data revealed that only 35% of adults read Scripture at least once a week; 10% of adults read Scripture once or twice a month; and 45% of adults surveyed seldom or never read Scripture.

Friends, the whole of our lives is lived before the face of God.

If we are not abiding in God’s Word, then we are hiding from the truest revelation of God’s presence.

If we are not abiding in God’s Word on a regular basis then we are missing opportunities that God places before us to discover what the will of God is, to imagine who God is creating us to be, and to discern how God is calling you and I to join the Lord in making a divine difference in the world.

Jesus Christ said to his disciples and says to us today:

“If you continue in my word you are truly my disciples” (John 8:31).

“Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit because apart from me you can do nothing. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples” (John 15:5, 8).

Are you living from the inside out? Are you getting into God’s Word and letting God’s Spirit inscribe it on your heart?

I encourage you to grow and keep growing in the spiritual discipline of abiding in Christ’s word, because we are people of the book.

The Good Book quiets the noise and distractions of life as we keep our focus on God. And God opens our eyes to the things that truly matter in life.

May we keep the Lord always before us, for in doing so we will not be moved (Psalm 16:8).

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

Sources Referenced:

[1] George Stroup, “Before God” (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing, 2004), pp. 199, 194.

Sermon: "What Is Your Gospel?" (2 Timothy 2: 8-15)

What Is Your Gospel?
Psalm 66: 16-20; 2 Timothy 2: 8-15
by Rev. Carson Overstreet
Van Wyck Presbyterian Church
October 13, 2019


Come and hear, all you who fear God,
and I will tell what he has done for me.
I cried aloud to him,
and he was extolled with my tongue.
If I had cherished iniquity in my heart,
the Lord would not have listened.
But truly God has listened;
he has given heed to the words of my prayer.

Blessed be God,
because he has not rejected my prayer
or removed his steadfast love from me. - Psalm 66: 16-20

Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, a descendant of David—that is my gospel, for which I suffer hardship, even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But the word of God is not chained. Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, so that they may also obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory. The saying is sure:
If we have died with him, we will also live with him;
if we endure, we will also reign with him;
if we deny him, he will also deny us;
if we are faithless, he remains faithful—
for he cannot deny himself.

Remind them of this, and warn them before God that they are to avoid wrangling over words, which does no good but only ruins those who are listening. Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved by him, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly explaining the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2: 8-15

Paul was writing his second letter to young Timothy from a Roman prison cell. Paul’s words revealed his spiritual secret. Paul shared his treasure that allowed him to endure countless threats to his physical, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing. Paul’s greatest spiritual treasure was the gospel of Jesus Christ. The gospel gave Paul the strength to face all things.

Paul summed up the core of God’s good news in ten simple words: “Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, a descendent of David.” It sounds so simple, but for Paul those ten words meant everything not just to him alone, but also to the foundation of the Christian faith.

Paul’s ministry centered upon two claims: Jesus’ saving death and resurrection and God’s faithfulness to establish an eternal kingdom through the line of David in Christ (2 Samuel 7: 12-16).

Jesus’ saving death and resurrection meant everything to Paul and to the Christian faith today. Paul said Jesus Christ died for our trespasses and was raised by God to reveal we are divinely pardoned (justification), thus fulfilling the Scriptures (Romans 4: 24-25; 1 Corinthians 15:4). Because Jesus Christ was raised from the dead, sin and death no longer have dominion in our lives (Romans 6:9). Jesus Christ died for all so that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for Christ alone (2 Corinthians 5:15). The good news is that the cross and empty tomb reveal that Christ intercedes for us (Romans 8:34).

Paul says we respond to God’s saving grace in baptism. By water and Holy Spirit, we share in Christ’s dying, we are raised to new life, and we are forever claimed in God’s love - belonging to God and one another as the body of Christ (Romans 6:4; 7:4). According to Paul, if there is no resurrection then our proclamation and faith have been in vain and we misrepresent God (1 Corinthians 15:12).

The apostle Paul has certainly been one of the most influential authors of God’s Word, encouraging and challenging every generation of faith since the early church.

Karl Barth is one of the most influential pastors and theologians of our time. He once said, “The gospel is not a truth among other trusts. Rather, it sets a question mark against all truths.”

Karl Barth was born in Basel, Switzerland in 1886. He was the son of Fritz Barth, a theology professor and pastor. Like father, like son.

In 1934 Karl Barth was among 139 delegates representing Lutheran, Reformed, and United Churches throughout Germany. They met in the town of Barmen-Wurppertal to voice the common faith of the Church Universal in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Together, they wrote The Theological Declaration of Barmen with Barth as the chief author. For these pastors the integrity of the gospel was at stake as Adolf Hitler and the Nazi regime came to power in Germany.

The Nazi regime began intervening coercively in church affairs. Therefore, the gospel of Jesus Christ set question marks against false doctrines of the German Evangelical Church. Those false doctrines proclaimed any event, power, figure or truth as God’s revelation; made race a factor of church membership by excluding Jewish Christians; and made the church an organ of the state and subjecting the church to a “special leader” (Adolf Hitler), who lords it over others.

Everything in the Declaration of Barmen hangs on the core belief that the Christian Church must live or die; that core belief is that Jesus Christ is the one source of the church’s proclamation [1].

There was a lot on the line for Karl Barth to author the Barmen Declaration. “To oppose Adolf Hitler and the Nazi regime was considered by the Germans to be at the least unpatriotic and at the worst an act of treason” [2]. As a result, Barth was deported from Germany in 1935 when he refused to sign the Oath of Loyalty to Adolf Hitler. Barth pledged his faithfulness and loyalty to the triune God alone – no other is Sovereign.

Barth returned to his home in Switzerland to resume his career as a professor of Reformed Theology, continuing to teach and write.

After all of Barth’s theological contributions to the reformed faith he visited the United States in 1962. He was asked to summarize all he had written. What would you imagine the gospel of this emboldened pastor and theologian to be? Barth said, “Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so.”

The gospel is the claim of Jesus Christ upon our communal and individual lives. It is God’s truth by which we live or die. The gospel is the air we breathe, the courageous song of hope we sing, and the guiding force for the choices we make. The gospel breaks the chains of sin and the brokenness that we cannot save ourselves from. The gospel frees us to love deeply and live fully as God created us to be.

What words do you use to describe your gospel?

This past week seventeen of our ladies participated in the Women’s Fall Retreat. We carpooled to beautiful Montreat, North Carolina. While the mountain landscape has not yet opened in a majestic starburst of red, orange, and yellow - the colors of God’s grace were undeniably everywhere.

This year the retreat theme focused on the treasures we cherish. As I experienced the retreat with our ladies, I saw the treasure of what it means to be sisters in Christ. The gospel has a mysterious way of binding hearts and minds together like nothing else can. I have seen the gospel give these women strength, dignity, wisdom, and laugher. I have also had the great privilege of holding these ladies’ struggles as we pray for the gospel to bring courage to overcome anything that threatens God’s peace in their lives.

And so, I asked our women, “What is your gospel?” What does the good news mean to your faith? Their testimonies are inspiring.

- My gospel is that Jesus Christ is my salvation! Without him, I would not be here today. God has given me more than I can ever give him.

- The gospel is what I start my day with every morning. Jesus is my best friend. Life is hard enough, and I cannot imagine life without Jesus Christ.

- My gospel is forgiveness.

- My gospel is grace. We can be so ugly and the grace of Jesus Christ cleans us up.

- My gospel is Romans 8:28 - God is going to work everything out.

What is your gospel? I pray that you will consider what the good news of Jesus Christ means in your life and in the church.

Without the gospel, how will we endure hardship or know freedom? How will we experience God’s peace and salvation not just eternally but today? How will we find understanding to live a life of purpose, connection, and abundance? Without the gospel, our life is lived in vain.

Keep on remembering God’s good news to you. For in doing so we will be made strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus (2 Timothy 2:1).

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

Sources Referenced:

[1] The Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Part I, “The Book of Confessions: Study Edition” (Louisville: Geneva Press, 1996), pp. 303-308.

[2] The Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Part I, “The Book of Confessions: Study Edition” (Louisville: Geneva Press, 1996), pp. 303-308.

Sermon: "Between the Memories and Questions" ( 2 Timothy 1: 1-14)

Between the Memories and Questions
2 Timothy 1: 1-14
by Rev. Carson Overstreet
Van Wyck Presbyterian Church
October 6, 2019
World Communion Sunday

The Apostle Paul found himself with too much time on his hands. He was serving his third and last prison sentence – this time in Rome (2 Timothy 1: 16-17; Acts 28:16). Sitting in a jail cell gives one a lot of time to think. Memories from his life must have flooded his mind – the good, the bad and the ugly.

God had really done a work in Paul’s life. God turned Paul’s life around 180 degrees from the biggest persecutor of Christians to the biggest proponent for the gospel of Jesus Christ (Acts 9: 1-15). As God worked out the Lord’s purposes in Paul’s life, the apostle had been richly blessed by the people of faith God had placed in his life.

And yet the questions hung heavy in the air about the uncertainty of his future and possible death (2 Timothy 4:6-8). Paul knew his time had come and he knew it was having an effect on Timothy. Paul had taken Timothy under his wings and empowered Timothy to rise up in God’s grace and potential. In between the memories and the questions Paul wrote his second letter to Timothy; a young man who was like a son to Paul.

This is where we enter into God’s Word today in 2 Timothy 1: 1-14.

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, for the sake of the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus,

To Timothy, my beloved child:

Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

I am grateful to God—whom I worship with a clear conscience, as my ancestors did—when I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day. Recalling your tears, I long to see you so that I may be filled with joy. I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that lived first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, lives in you. For this reason I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands; for God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline.

Do not be ashamed, then, of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel, relying on the power of God, who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace. This grace was given to us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Saviour Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. For this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher, and for this reason I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know the one in whom I have put my trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard until that day what I have entrusted to him. Hold to the standard of sound teaching that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. Guard the good treasure entrusted to you, with the help of the Holy Spirit living in us.


Paul anticipated Timothy’s tears (2 Timothy 1:4). Paul knew his absence would bring about memories and questions within Timothy’s spirit. And between those memories and questions there would naturally be challenges in ministry that Timothy needed encouragement to overcome. The tender way that Paul offers this encouragement speaks volumes still today.

J Peter Holmes comments on the significance of Paul’s words today:

In the face of tearful memories and tough questions, Paul gave thanks. Paul gave thanks [to God] for the gift of Timothy’s grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice. He gave thanks for Timothy’s faith. He gave thanks for the opportunity to ordain Timothy through the laying on of hands. Amid discouragement or even despondency about the setbacks and challenges, Paul’s gratitude helped Timothy to see that he was part of something so much bigger – Christ’s ministry.

When we face setbacks, pausing to give thanks can make all the difference in the world. Gratitude puts things in perspective. [1]


Seasons of grief, loss, disappointment, and transition can certainly cast long shadows in our hearts and minds. When these emotional shadows roll in, they threaten to hide the light of hope. Our memories and questions can certainly get the best of us and the rhythm of life loses its joyful beat.

It is in these seasons that practicing gratitude is so very important. Gratitude stirs up our souls and breathes new life into our spirit.

Henri Nouwen says, “Gratitude goes beyond the 'mine' and 'thine' and claims the truth that all of life is a pure gift. In the past I always thought of gratitude as a spontaneous response to the awareness of gifts received, but now I realize that gratitude can also be lived as a discipline. The discipline of gratitude is the explicit effort to acknowledge that all I am and have is given to me as a gift of love, a gift to be celebrated with joy.”

Louise was at a low point in her life. The life that she loved with meaningful work, playing with her three children, and taking long walks with her dog had been snatched away. A life altering accident left Louise diagnosed with a disability. She was left with constant pain, immobility, and three children she could not properly care for. Louise felt she had little to be thankful for.

Louise said, “I thought back to all the advice I had given to my therapy clients over the years on healing emotional pain and moving forward, but even though I knew it worked from the positive feedback I’d received, I couldn’t apply it to myself.”

Louise started to practice the discipline of gratitude. She loved to write so journaling seemed like a good starting point. The first evening she reflected on her day in an effort to write three things she was grateful for. Losing track of time, she stared at a blank page stained with tears.

Louise tried the gratitude journal again the next day. She said,

“I rested my head against the window. I watched a robin tentatively sitting on the garden fence, anxiously watching all directions while trying to keep an eye on the birdseed my son had put on the feeding station before school. For half an hour, this beautiful bird made several trips, came back with friends, and triumphantly cleared all that we had offered.
It dawned on me that while I had been watching, I hadn’t felt sorry for myself once. I had felt in awe of nature and how beautiful it can be. From that I started to become more and more aware and recognize these precious moments as they occurred, which they generally do if you watch for them each day.”

When that spirit of fear and uncertainly rises within us, it is the discipline of gratitude that empowers us to tap into God’s power and love in the world around us. We become more aware of God’s presence in creation, in our relationships, and in the gift of faith. Gratitude completely changes our perspective because it is life-giving.

I encourage you to practice gratitude daily in between your memories and questions. It usually takes 30 days for a habit to take hold. Make strides to thank God for more than things in your life.

Recall your past cherished memories with those you love and give thanks. Daily watch for moments and encounters of God’s grace in nature, and with neighbors and strangers alike. Pay attention to your experiences of awe, wonder, and joy. Record your present experiences of gratitude.

Snap a picture, make a video blog, draw a doodle, write a journal entry, paint your emotions. Record your entries so that your collection of God’s hope will calm the chaos between your memories of questions.

Today we have the opportunity to practice gratitude in the Sacrament of Communion.

When we take the bread of life and the cup of salvation, we give thanks for the fragrance of faith in ordinary elements (2 Corinthians 2:14).

We give thanks to God for the indescribable gift of Jesus’ sacrificial love (2 Corinthians 9:15).

We give thanks for the victory we have in Jesus Christ today and eternally (1 Corinthians 15:57).

We give thanks to God’s Spirit for strengthening our faith when we are weak and our giving our lives purpose to serve God and the world (2 Corinthians 8:16).

We give thanks that no grief, no circumstance, and no uncertainty in our lives will ever separate us from the love we have in Jesus Christ.

Today on this World Communion Sunday, may you experience this precious moment of God’s presence.

And as we step into another week, may gratitude guide you to notice God’s steadfast love, grace, and hope between your memories and questions.

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

Sources Referenced:

*Artwork "Blue Memories," by Trine Meyer Vogsland
[1] Feasting on the Word: Year C, Volume 4 (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2010), Homiletical Perspective, by J. Peter Holmes, p. 137.