God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. ² Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; ³ Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.

⁴ There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High. ⁵ God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early. ⁶ The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted. ⁷ The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.

⁸ Come, behold the works of the Lord, what desolations he hath made in the earth. ⁹ He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire. ¹⁰ Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. ¹¹ The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.” Psalm 46:1-11 

“G-d is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” reads psalm 46.  Martin Luther paraphrased this line to read “A Mighty Fortress is Our G-d.”  How does this read to a contemporary audience today? What might a mighty fortress be for us today? Where do we go to take refuge from this world? From what do we draw strength? For many we might say the following: “A mighty bank account is our G-d”, or “A mighty mansion is our G-d”. To take refuge is something is to put our complete trust in that thing. Psalm 46 is stating, from the beginning, that G-d is the one whom we are to put our complete trust. What does the Psalmist say then that we are not to fear? It is not a trivial thing, because what verses 2 and 3 describe is nothing less than overwhelming, cataclysmic disaster. Where did we turn in the waning hours of the September 11, 2001 disaster?  Where did many seek refuge following the Katrina and Wilma hurricanes, or the most recent tornadoes and floods? Again I ask, where do we go to take refuge when all around us is falling apart?

Pastor Dave

³⁸ Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. ³⁹ For the promise is for you, for your children, and for all who are far away, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to him.” ⁴⁰ And he testified with many other arguments and exhorted them, saying, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” ⁴¹ So those who welcomed his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand persons were added. ⁴² They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. ⁴³ Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles. ⁴⁴ All who believed were together and had all things in common; ⁴⁵ they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. ⁴⁶ Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home  and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, ⁴⁷ praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.” Acts 2:38-47

3000 people are cut to the heart by Peter’s preaching and they are baptized. This is a pastor’s pipe-dream – that with one long sermon hundreds or thousands of new believers will want to be baptized. And remember, this is the same Peter that seemed to blurt out inappropriate things in the Gospel’s and often simply spoke very impetuously because he just did not understand. But, with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, Peter has begun a powerful ministry which will continue for some time (even the Catholic Church will claim him as their first official leader.) 

If we ever doubt what role the spirit can play in our lives, we should remember this text from Acts. And we should remember Peter. Three times he denies his Lord – but Jesus does not give up on him. And remember, Jesus never gives up on us.

Pastor Dave