Psalm 46:10 & 1 John 4:7-12

New Year’s Eve, 12-31-08

Pastor Troy Slater, Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, Herington, Kansas

I would like to begin with the words that the Lord God says through the Psalmist in our first reading for tonight. "Be still, and know that I am God." I can imagine billions of people the world over closing this year out wondering where God was through all the tragedies, wars, crises and scandals of the nations, terrorist attacks and financial burdens, fires, mudslides, hurricanes and tornadoes. "Where are You, God?" many call out amidst the cancer diagnosis and the treatments; amidst the family troubles and beside the freshly covered graves. “Where are you, God.” Yes where IS God amidst all the pain and the suffering, amidst the loveless insanity and the broken lives, we too may wonder!

And if that is the case - well there is good news for us; there is good news tonight as we stand on the brink of yet another new year; a year that is sure to be filled with more than it's share of trials and tribulations. You see the Lord does not leave us as orphans, He does not leave us, but He gives us the Holy Spirit who comes to us through His word. And tonight, in fact, He gives us His Spirit-filled word of invitation that we started with a moment ago from our first reading. He gives us His Word to encourage and to calm our hearts: "Be still, and know that I am God!" He says. Amidst it all, “Be still and know that I am God.” But what’s it mean to "know" that the Lord is God. What’s it mean to "be still" and to know that He is God? …

Well I suppose we could spend some time and go through all the attributes of God and ponder all that we know about God. Things such as the fact that He’s powerful and mighty as we can clearly see as we look at His creation. We could talk about God’s holiness or sovereignty or the fact that He is Triune – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We could talk about His omnipotence, omniscience, or omnipresence. We could talk about a whole host of God’s attributes and that would be well and good. But to truly know God amidst all the trials and troubles, you see there is one attribute that stands out above all others – one attribute that in fact shapes all the others. .. And that is, that God is love. Over and over again Scripture states and shows that God is love. God is love.

But still doesn't this just take us back to the problem of "where is God?" "Where is a loving God amidst all the hurts and troubles of this world and of our lives?" I mean that's kind of the whole problem, isn't it? Where is a God love? …

Well let's turn to our second reading for that answer. For here St. John declares where we can find the God of love. Here St. John points us to God's answer to our hurts, to our tragedies, to our sin whether they be of the past, the present, or the future. He says, "This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins." In other words, if you want to know where God has been during the hurt and the tragedies of this past year, then look to where God gave us His best - sparing nothing, absolutely nothing for you – look to the cross. Want to know a loving God’s answer to the crises and the disasters that have plagued our world and our lives over the past year and that will continue to come in the new year? Look to the cross; look to Calvary’s cross where God’s very own Son became the atoning sacrifice for our sin. Look to the cross and find the God of love.

For you see Calvary's Cross always presents us with history's two greatest truths. Number one, it presents us with the truth of the depth of yours, mine, and all of humanity's sin. It's truly humbling to ponder what unfathomable pain and torture Christ endured because of you and me; the scourging at His trial, the Cross itself and the abandonment by our Heavenly Father. The cross shows us just how deadly our sin is – nothing to be taken lightly. In fact the cross shows us that all the troubles of this world - even the natural disasters - they're a result of one thing - our sin. Christ’s cross shows us the true depth and the consequences of your sin and mine.

But secondly, the Cross also shows the unmistakable proof of just how much deeper the love that God has for us is! No matter what, He never stops loving us, even if it means dying for us. The cross shows us that He will let nothing – absolutely nothing – nothing in the past, nothing today, nothing in the future – He will let nothing separate us from His ultimate love!

And so no matter what this next year may hold, that’s what we must continue to focus upon. That’s how we know God – that’s how we know where He is no matter where we are – He’s at the cross and well, even the empty tomb. The cross and the empty tomb. You see those two things show you that He’s already defeated whatever enemy you may face. The cross and the empty tomb declare to you that He’s already won the victory no matter the battle you fight. The cross and the empty tomb assure you that He's already bore your sin no matter what you've done. Where's a loving God at? Look to the cross and the empty tomb.

Look to the cross and the empty tomb and “be still and know that I am God,” He says. Yes be still and know that the Lord Jesus of the cross is God - a loving God. While some may wonder where God was through so many experiences of the past year, we know. We know that He and His perfect love were there attending us all the time - at every moment! And at the cross and the empty tomb - as we face yet another year of unknowns - we have the undeniable proof that He will never leave us or forsake us.

May God grant you each a very happy new year as He keeps you looking to Christ and His Cross and His resurrection - where we can "be still" and know that He and His love will never, ever fail. Amen.