TEXT: PSALM 46 #2852 REFORMATION SUNDAYTHEME: "A MIGHTY FORTRESS IS OUR GOD!" I. A FORTRESS OF SAFETY. n. AFORTRESS OF REFRESHMENT. III. A FORTRESS OF ETERNAL HOPE.

Phoenix-11I1115My dear fellow redeemed,

Where can I be safe? That's a question many people are asking these days. All of us wantto know that our home is safe, that our family is safe, that those we love are protected, don'twe? But how is that? Well, someone has suggested a few signs that you might want to poston your home to deter would-be burglars and "ne'er-do-wells." Sign #1, for example, mightread: Dear Mr. Meat Market man, Starting tomorrow please leave eight pounds of raw meatfor Brutus. Six pounds only makes him mean and vicious." Then there's sign #2: "Dear Mr.or Ms. Mail-Person, Please be sure to keep all the parts of your body well away from themail slot opening. P.S. Any sign of that book we sent for, 'The Care and Feeding of WildJungle Cats'?" Or how about sign #3: "Selma, don't come in! The cobra got loose again andwe think it might be with the lost rattlesnakes!" And finally, there's sign #4: "To whom itmay concern, Some of the things in this house have been engraved with a FederalIdentification Number, and others have merely been wired to explode when touched. Goodluck!"

What do you think? Do you think that any of those signs would do the trick? - that they'dkeep your home safe and secure? Well.... maybe. But the question still remains: Where can Ibe safe? As we look back over the 2000 years of the New Testament church's history andeven far beyond that into the Old Testament times, we see that God's people have alwayshad the same answer to that question - whether it was the first century Christians like St.Paul and his congregations, Dr. Martin Luther and his fellow-believers, or King David andthe Israelites. They all agreed, and if you were to ask them, they would simply have said, "Amighty Fortress is our God!" As we live in this third millennium after Christ, this is what wetoo must always remember, namely, "A MIGHTY FORTRESS IS OUR GOD!" First, thepsalm writer reminds us that our God is I. A FORTRESS OF SAFETY. Then ll. AFORTRESS OF REFRESHMENT. And finally that He is also III. A FORTRESS OFETERNAL HOPE. I.

First, let's recall how our God is A FORTRESS OF SAFETY. One summer eveningduring a violent thunderstorm, a mother was tucking her little 4-year-old into bed, and just asshe was about to turn off the light, the little guy asked with a quiver in his voice, "Mommy,will you sleep with me tonight?" "I can't, Sweetie," she said, as she smiled and gave him areassuring hug. "I have to sleep with Daddy tonight." Then, after a moment of silence whenneither of them said anything, the little boy just shook his head disgustedly and said - withobvious reference to his father - "The big sissy!" I wonder, could that also be applied to oursociety in general today? I mean, it seems that many people are more afraid today than everbefore. Just consider, for example, the growing number of people who are consuming bottledwater and organically-grown foods because they fear what might be in the regular stuff.Some people are shaking in the boots when they consider the potential candidates from bothmajor parties for the next presidential election. Despite the controversies over gun-controlthat erupt after each new episode of carnage in our schools or on our streets, there are moreguns in our nation's private homes today than ever before .... partly because off ear.

Yes, many people are afraid - afraid of many different things and for many differentreasons. But really, my friends, as Christians we don't have to be. No, listen, "God is ourrefuge and strength," we are reminded, "an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore wewill not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains faU into the heart of the sea,tbough its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with tbeir surging ..•.Nationsare in uproar, kingdoms fall; He lifts His voice, the eartb melts. The LORD Almighty iswith us; the God of Jacob is our fortress," v.I-3,6,7. Without a doubt, a mighty Fortress is

our God! - a Fortress in whom we can find perfect safety. Even when our own personalworld seems to be crumbling around us and falling apart before our very eyes, even whenenemies threaten us - enemies ranging from the forces of evil in hell to the wicked of theworld, from sickness and disease to death itself - we are still safe because "the LORDAlmighty is witb us" and He is our "ever-present belp in trouble, our refuge and ourstrength. "

A mighty Fortress is our God! These words have brought soothing comfort to millions ofpeople throughout the centuries, including Dr. Martin Luther. Quite often when he wasstruggling in hours of darkness, filled with doubt and fear - as he frequently was when hecombated the enemies of the Gospel while carrying out God's work of the reformation - hewould say to his good friend and fellow-reformer, Philip Melanchton, "Come, Philip, let'ssing the 46th Psalm." The two of them would then sing boisterously the powerful hymn withwhich we opened our worship this morning - the hymn that was written by Dr. Lutherhimself and was based on Psalm 46, namely, "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God!" When theyhad finished singing, they would invariably find renewed courage and strength from thereminders of this psalm and the thoughts expressed in that hymn.

There's an old adage that says, "When in danger, when it doubt: Run in circles, screamand shout!" "This old rhyme is not advice," says author A. Philip Parham in his bookentitled, "Letting God: Meditations for the Recovering." "No, it's not advice," he says."Rather, it's a description of what we generally do when are fearful and confused. We knowit's futile, but we still do it anyway." Can you identify with this? It's probably true in someinstances in our own lives, isn't it? But, my friends, we really don't need to do that .... ever.You see, there is a place that's safe - perfectly safe. It's in that "mighty Fortress" who is ourloving and gracious God Himself - the One who is our "ever-present belp in trouble."Turn to Him "when in danger, when in doubt." Trust Him, and you will never "run in circles,scream and shout" - not even "tbougb tbe eartb give way and tbe mountains fall into tbeheart of tbe sea" .... or any other cataclysmic event that might intrude into your life.Remember, "the LORD Almighty is with you; the God of Jacob is your Fortress."

II.A mighty Fortress is our God! Not only is He a Fortress of safety, but HE IS ALSO A

FORTRESS OF REFRESHMENT. "There is a river," the psalm writer tells us, "whosestreams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. God iswithin her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day," vA,5. This past week theArizona Republic published a series of articles dealing with our water supply and waterconservation. The first segment carried the headline which said, "THE WATER SCARE:WHAT'S REAL?" This is a serious concern. Cities like ours which are built and situated inthe desert need lots of water to survive, let alone expand, and many people are concernedabout an ongoing, sufficient supply of water in the future for those who live in the desert.Along those same lines, as Christians we are living in "a parched and barren wilderness," soto speak. We are living in a world thoroughly corrupted by sin and which, because of itswickedness, is heading for extinction. Yet we don't have to be concerned about an ongoing,sufficient, life-giving supply of "spiritual water" for as long as we live here.

"There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God," the psalm writer says - ariver that brings life-giving refreshment. In reality, we are that "city of God" - all of usChristians .... the Church of God here on earth. Our life here on earth can be hard because ofsin. It can be filled with frustrations and disappointments, with trials and troubles, with painand suffering, with tears and sorrow. All of this can wither our joy and happiness, wilt ourenthusiasm and zest for life, and dehydrate our souls and spirits. But for us there is that"river" - that ''river'' whose streams are there to constantly refresh us and revitalize us. That''river,'' of course is the Word of the God who is our "mighty Fortress." Thru the promisesHe givens us in the Bible, our God dispels our worries and anxieties, our doubts and our

fears. Thru His Word, He brings us the comfort of His forgiveness in Jesus, the peace ofknowing that we are reconciled to Him thru Jesus, the guidance we need to stay on course inour daily living by following Jesus, and the joyful certainty of conquering death and thegrave with Jesus.

"What would life be without the Word?" Dr. Martin Luther once asked. "Among allgifts," he said, "the gift of the Word of God is the most valuable. For if you take this away,it's like taking the sun from the earth. If the Word were removed," he said, "what would theworld be but a hell and a mere realm of Satan?.... For only the Word sets our conscience atease by proclaiming 'the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger,abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness,rebellion, and sin. '" Thank God for this heart-gladdening "river," my friends, the "river" ofHis holy Word! Thank God that He has kept this "river" flowing without pollution to HisNew Testament Church for the past 2000 years and to our own Wisconsin Synod for morethan 150 years. And thank God also that you are privileged to drink of this soul-refreshing,life-giving, faith-strengthening stream every day in your own home and every time we gatherfor worship and Bible study in our church. Yes, thank God.

III.A mighty Fortress is our God! He's our Fortress of safety and our Fortress of refreshment,

but HE'S ALSO A FORTRESS OF ETERNAL HOPE. "Come and see tbe works of tbeWRD," we are told, "tbe desolations He bas brought on tbe earth. He makes wars tocease to tbe ends of tbe eartb; He breaks tbe bow and sbatters tbe spear, He burns tbesbields witb fire. 'Be still, and know tbat 1 am God;' (He says), 'I will be exalted amongthe nations, 1 will be exalted in the earth," v.8-10. For the ancient Israelites who first sangthis psalm as part of their worship, these words were tremendously comforting and gavethem great hope. You see, God was assuring them that He was in charge - that He would"desolate" their enemies and "break and shatter" the hostile nations who would rise upagainst them. He was in complete control of everything that would happen to them, and Hewas guiding their destiny for their eternal good. "Be still, and know tbat I am God," Hetold them. "Trust me." It was because of this wonderful truth that they could say withconfidence, "Therefore we will not fear ••••The LORD Almighty is witb us; the God ofJacob is our Fortress," v.2,11.

"Come," my friends, "and see the works ofthe LORD." This is what we are also beinginvited to do this morning because in these ''works of the LORD" we too can find great hope- eternal hope. Thru His own Son Jesus, our God has "defeated and desolated" all of ourenemies too, just like He did for the Israelites, and He has freed us forever from them. "Thereason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work." the Bible says. And that'sexactly what our Lord Jesus has done! With His own holy life and His innocent suffering anddeath on the cross of Calvary, He atoned for all our sins, which are "the devil's work," andHe rescued us from the eternal consequences of those sins, which is death and damnation inhell. We can be absolutely certain of this. "Our Savior Jesus Christ has abolished death andhas brought life and immortality to light thru the gospel," God's inerrant Word assures us.All of this God offers to every human being as a free gift of His grace thru faith in His SonJesus. "It is by grace you have been saved thru faith, " God tells us in His Word, "and this isnot from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast. "

This is the priceless truth that by God's grace Dr. Martin Luther rediscovered in the pagesof the Bible - the truth that had been obscured for many years by false doctrine. This was theone and only truth that soothed his guilt-laden conscience, calmed his sin-troubled soul, andtook away his fear of death and God's final judgment. This was the one and only truth thatfinally brought him peace and filled his heart with eternal hope. "Forgiveness of sins,"Luther wrote after the Holy Spirit had enlightened him on the basis of God's Word, "is notsomething which we can earn for ourselves by our own good deeds. Rather, it is the free gift

which God gives to us as a result of all that Jesus did for us as our Savior. Salvation,therefore," he said, "is completely and only by faith in Jesus." This, my friends, is thepriceless truth that God in His grace has preserved for you and me right down to this veryday - the truth that also brings us joy and peace, comfort and hope - eternal hope. "SolaGratia - by grace alone .... Sola Fide - by faith alone .... Sola Scriptura" - by the Scripturesalone .... that's how we're saved from sin and death, from the power of the devil and thedamnation of hell.

A mighty Fortress is our God! If you're looking for perfect safety, there you have it. Fortrue spiritual refreshment, there you will find it. And when it comes to eternal hope, there isno one else. Thank and praise the Lord each day for these precious truths, and .... continue tobelieve them.

AMEN