Garry went on to remind us not only of the promises God made to Noah (every time we see a rainbow, we are reminded of the covenant God made with Noah never to flood the earth again) but the promises He has made to us too. In John 14:25-27, we read that Jesus promised His disciples peace, a peace that is not limited or temporary. We have to let this peace rule in our hearts, though (Col 3:15); we have to put on the armour of God (including the helmet of salvation to guard our thinking) because we have an enemy whom Jesus described as a thief and a liar. The devil’s purpose is to steal, kill and destroy (see John 8:44, John 10), and we are in a battle against him, but it’s a battle we can win. God does not lie and therefore we do not have to be dismayed. As Jeremy Camp puts it, ‘what the Lord gives, the world can’t take away.’ (‘Can’t Take Away‘)

Often, we are told that the world is in a terrible state because of man’s actions. It is good to act responsibly in caring for our planet, but we must also understand that God is in control of the world and has a responsibility to keep His promises too. We can have confidence ultimately in the promises of God because the one who makes promises has the power to keep them.

In Genesis 8:22, God made a promise to Noah which still has relevance to us today:

“As long as the earth endures,
seedtime and harvest,
cold and heat,
summer and winter,
day and night
will never cease.” (Genesis 8:22)

Garry talked to the children about the seasons, showing us the difference between a tree in winter and in summer:

There are seasons for planting, and seeds don’t look anything like the final flower or plant!

Nowadays, there is much talk about climate change and fear that our planet will not be sustainable, but we can trust God’s promises in everything and therefore can have confidence in this wonderful world He has created.

The Bible is so important to us because it is God’s guidebook to life. In it, we find answers to the questions which trouble us and find also the revelation of who God is, who we are and how to live well, not only for our years on earth but for eternity. In Matt 21:33-46, Jesus tells a parable about a master sending servants to collect fruit and how they beat these servants up, killing some of them; the master went on to send his son, but he too was rejected. Therefore, there will be a day of reckoning for these servants. Jesus went on to ask if the leaders had ever read Ps 118:22-23, referring to the stone the builders rejected becoming the cornerstone. Once again, Jesus looks back to the Old Testament to describe what is currently happening. The chief priests and Pharisees and other religious leaders were rejecting what God was doing and revealing in Jesus. They were not willing to accept that this carpenter from Nazareth could be the Messiah, the One God has promised for so many centuries. And so, Jesus says, ‘the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit’ (Matt 21:43), pointing to how the down-and-outs and Gentiles, the ‘outsiders’ to God’s promises, will actually find their place in God’s family after all, just as God had always intended. Jesus Himself will be cornerstone of this new spiritual building, and He will be ‘a stone that makes them stumble and a rock that makes them fall’ (‘Scandalon’, Michael Card).

This incident (which outraged the religious leaders yet again!) shows us that the Bible is crucial for understanding present times and reminds us that we need to do more than simply read it. We need ears that hear (see Rev 2:7, 11, 17, 29; Rev 3:6, 13, 22) and we must also put into practice what Jesus says (see Matt 7:24-27, James 1:22-25). God’s word is a double-edged sword (Heb 4:12), with the power to transform individuals and society as a whole. But it can only do this as we submit to its authority and do what it says.

This morning we looked at the question Jesus asked the religious leaders in Matt 21:16, when confronted about the raucous noise being made by children in the temple. They were outraged about all that Jesus was doing (healing the blind and the lame!) and about the shouting from the children (proclaiming ‘Hosanna to the son of David.’) Instead of being glad that God was working in such powerful ways, they were indignant and asked Jesus ‘Do you hear what these children are saying?’ (Matt 21:16) The implication is that if He were really such a good teacher, He would shut them up immediately!

But Jesus does not do this (nor should we!) Instead, he countered their question with one of His own: “have you never read, “‘From the lips of children and infants you, Lord, have called forth your praise’?” (Matt 21:16) These were religious leaders whose lives were spent studying the Scriptures, yet Jesus makes it plain that they had missed the point altogether. He was the Messiah, the Son of David, the One promised in Scriptures to bring salvation and deliverance to the people, yet it was children who recognised this, not the leaders. On another occasion, He said, ‘You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.’ (John 5:39-40)

The Bible contains within its pages all that we need to navigate life. Jesus, in His question, quoted Ps 8, referring the religious leaders back to the word of God (and showing how God Himself views children.) We may feel this book can’t possibly have answers to our modern questions (what does it have to say about abortion, euthanasia, war, disease and modern-day dilemmas?), but in fact, we find in the Bible all the principles we need for every situation we will ever face. It’s vital we read the Bible, but we must also absorb its truths and apply them to our everyday lives so that we do not miss out, as these leaders did, on its life-giving truth.

A counterweight or counterbalance is an equivalent weight or force which balances something. A crane, for example, has a counterweight on it to stop it from toppling over.

We live in a world where forces are constantly exerting pressure on us. We can feel pushed and pummelled by life to the point where we fall over, where we feel crushed, unable to carry on. Many physical and emotional problems result from this sense of pressure or stress if we have nothing with which to counterbalance them.

God’s word acts as a counterweight, preventing us from falling. It cancels out the forces pushing us over, providing an alternative viewpoint necessary to retain sanity and maintain health.

God’s Holy Spirit acts as a counterweight, leading us into truth and reminding us of truth that sets us free, unlike the lies of the enemy which threaten us daily.

God’s voice acts as a counterweight, rescuing us from the oppressive and harmful lies of the enemy which lie in wait to make us stumble every day of our lives.

We need access to a counterweight if we are to stand when the day of evil comes. Paul tells us to put on the armour of God in order to be able to do this. (Eph 6:10-20) God is the counterweight we need!

Psalm 46 is a psalm that has brought reassurrance and comfort to people throughout the ages. It reminds us of God’s strength and power and protection, telling us that God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. (Ps 46:1) It speaks of God as a fortress (Ps 46:7,11), a place of safety when war is all around, and reminds us that there is life and peace in Him.

I often read the Bible in a range of versions. Familiarity with phrases can sometimes blunt the impact of words, so reading in a variety of translations helps to keep my attention focussed and alert. This morning, when reading Psalm 46, the Message version speaks of us standing ‘fearless at the cliff-edge of doom.’

It can feel like we have been living at the cliff-edge of doom for two years now. We had all the doom of Covid-19 and the psychological ‘nudging’ that came with it, telling us we were living in unprecedented times and had little hope of rescue from a deadly disease. Now we are bombarded daily with images of war between Russia and Ukraine, heightening the sense of threat, feeding our worst fears. Added to this are the anxieties about the rising cost of living and the relentless assault on happiness, for doom is in every headline. Pessimism is the prevailing tone, it seems.

It’s not easy to withstand such pressure, but Psalm 46 offers an alternative perspective and both comfort and hope for these turbulent times (which actually are pretty much the same as any turbulent time in history.) It speaks of God being within us, ready to help us. It speaks of a life-giving river (water is essential to life, so there is the hope of survival there!) It offers us perspective, since it too speaks of nations rising and kingdoms being in uproar (as we see today), yet it asserts confidently that God is still on His throne (‘he lifts his voice; the earth melts…’)

It would be foolish to persistently stand at a cliff-edge during a wild and windy storm, because the danger of falling is then very real. Yet this is often what we do, feeding our fears as we persist in listening obsessively to the news or as we persist in scrolling incessantly through social media. We need to step back from the cliff edge and run to God for safety and protection. We need to learn to be still and know that He is God. (Ps 46:10) This verse in the Message version says, “Step out of the traffic! Take a long, lasting look at me, your High God; above politics, above everything.”

When we do this, when we deliberately choose to focus our attention on God instead of on the tumultuous events all around us, we find strength, encouragement, peace and hope. Come away from the cliff-edge of doom today. Come to God.