Concordia Evangelical Lutheran Church
The M3 - Monday Morning Mail
Can You Hear the Stream?
In yesterday's sermon I wanted to declare the gospel straightforwardly–simply--one of the goals of the Reformation! I focused on two verses from Psalm 46, the appointed Psalm for the day: "...though its waters roar and foam..." (v.3) and "There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God..." (v.4). I showed two video clips, the first containing video footage from actual ships forging their way through tumultuous ocean waters. I wondered aloud how the Sons of Korah would have been aware of waves like this, noting that Jonah certainly invokes images like the ones portrayed. I then said that the psalmist uses this visual image of rough sea waters to make sense of what we experience in life: the highs and lows of living on this side of heaven. We experience the joyous times of life with loved ones, only to plunge into the depths of despair of saying goodbye to some of these same love ones when they die. So life goes: up and down, the blessings of God celebrated while the reminders of the curse still hound us. Finally, I showed a mountain stream with sound that captures its peacefulness. I noted that the psalmist speaks of a stream from a river, the river of the water of life in Revelation 22. Now we enjoy the streams that flow through this life. In the coming new creation we will enjoy its source, the river of the water of life–Jesus its source. Can you hear the stream?