In all of our years together I’m sure I have shared just about every experience I’ve had in just about every church.You may recall some things I’ve said in the past concerning one of the more interesting groupings in one of my earlier churches.At the second church on the Rosebud Circuit was the Cedar Springs church.Cedar had a family in it the members of which were well known in the area as musicians.The particular emphasis of the singing family was what is referred to as classic country gospel.Basically when we were gathered for worship this family would present a choir special and would lead singing.They were the folks who sponsored the Cedar Springs community gospel singing which was held on the last Sunday of each month.We would have people there who came from a good distance including Waco, Temple, Cameron, and towns all around.The average attendance on Sunday morning was around thirty.For singing there would be at least one hundred and probably even more.
Owing to the last Sunday of the month singing and because of the This gifted musical family and others in that little church who shared their interest, I learned some really interesting songs of faith.There was no need there for a contemporary service.They had all the contemporary music they needed.There were the old hymns, those composed during the nineteenth century, and there were the new hymns, which were all composed in the first two or so decades of the twentieth century.These were as contemporary as they needed.I tried to add a few so called newer hymns, but found out nobody knew them and there was little desire to even give them a try.
In the few years we were up that way, and serving that little church along with the Rosebud church, I was encouraged to use those older hymns.In the pews at Cedar Spring there was the traditional Cokesbury worship hymnal and a variety of hymnals from publishers such as Stamps Baxter. I even noted one hymnal on the piano which held shaped notes. Exploring the old hymns, even singing a few of the oldest of the older hymns, the ones I had missed growing up at St. Paul’s here in Houston, became quite a point of interest.Some of the hymns I learned back then, which are still in my brain even today, I haven’t tried to sing officially for the twenty three years since we left up that way.Others pass though my mind every now and then.
There are times I miss the experience and even on occasion will pull out a hymnal used during that time in my life and sing through a few of my favorites.
All of the songs we sang back then were definitely considered “old” hymns, but they were by no means really, really old, old hymns.When we considerer the truly early, or oldest of recorded hymns, we must go a long way back before Fannie Crosby, P. P. Bliss, and even long before Charles Wesley, Isaac Watts, and Martin Luther who were three persons who, generations ago, created some great and memorable hymn text. Actually if one is looking for a really old hymn the best place is to go to isn’t in even the oldest printed official hymnals, but to a small song book published within the most published books in the history of humanity.We must go to the Bible and turn our attention to the Psalms.As you know the Psalms were written to assist worship.These were poetry set to music.These would have been read, recited, and yes, even sung in the times long before Jesus. If I am not mistaken the first Psalms appeared about fourteen hundred years before Jesus and the last was written a mere six hundred years before Jesus.These were actually and truly the earliest of the early hymns; ones which were certainly in the experience of Jesus.
Generations of God’s faithful followers have for more than three thousand years enjoy and found inspiration within the words of the Psalms.I personally like them because we find in these unique creations a spirit with which we can identify.The various authors were those who experienced life in the same we in which we do.They didn’t look at the world through rose colored glasses, as the old cliché goes, but saw things as they were.Through the Psalms these people of so long ago spoke of their own struggles, their own joys, their own sorrow, their own faith, and yes even their own doubts.They asked God the same questions which we ask.Just like us they also found the same blessings and direction which we find in faith.
Now the hymn we have before us today, Psalm 119, is rather unique.It is such because of the way in which it was written.Linguistic historians tell us there is particular structure to Psalm 119, one which makes a difficult passage in length much easier to remember.Each of the individual sections, and there are twenty two within the 176 verses of this passage, starts with a different letter from the Hebrew alphabet.As there are twenty two different letters in Hebrew so are there twenty two different sections in the psalm.In order to get the significance we’d have to be able not only to read Hebrew but also to speak it.The first section begins with the Hebrew equivalent of the letter “A” pronounced “Aleph.”The last section ends with the Hebrew equivalent of the letter “Z,” in their case it is the letter “Taw.”
There is more to this.Each section, all twenty two sections, is made up of four lines.Each line begins with the same letter of the alphabet.So the first line would begin with Aleph, and so would the other three in the section.Then in order the letters would progress until reaching the last line and ending with the “Taw” on all four lines, like our going in succession from A to Z.Psalm 119 was created to be a way to remember and to make reading and singing more interesting. It is also quite possible, and this isn’t original to me by a long shot, that it was written this way to express the complete and universal presence of God in the same way the passage about Alpha and Omega in Revelation uses the Greek language.
But there is more and for this I’m going back to the Psalms as a complete unit.When the Psalms are looked at as a hymnal and studied as such there are actually five different divisions of hymns each one having a specific set of themes.Hymn 119 is in the final group, which begins with Psalms 107 and ends at the last one which is Psalm 150.The five specific sections mirror fairly closely the theme of the five books of the torah, and follow sequentially the five books of the law; Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.
Hymn or Psalm 119 falls into the fifth group, which is the one based on the Old Testament Book of Deuteronomy.Deuteronomy is a very practical book because it concerns the ways in which God has dealt in specifics with His Covenant people.Deuteronomy touches upon the Word of God, and reminds the people what God has done for them.This is of course followed by a call to return to faithfulness and faith.
Our particular little piece of the passage follows the thought of Deuteronomy and gives us a few thoughts concerning the law of God and the observation of the same.But there is a little something different in the text which we need to understand.The author of this hymn, who happens to be unknown, had a particular understanding of the law.Law wasn’t something which was to be followed in order for someone to be restricted in specific ways, or judged harshly, but the law, as used here and referred to in Psalm 119, was something upon which to mediate, and something from which to learn.God set out the specifics of the law not for judgment but for justice.God gave the law in order for humanity to know how to put things together for the good and how to keep God’s presence first in their lives. In this way the law is a practical gift.Learning the Law of God was another way of learning the person of God.One who strived to keep the law was the one who was also doing whatever it took to learn about God and to receive the good gifts God has to offer.
The passage from Psalm 119 when read in its entirety may sound on casual observation rather proud.However when read in more detail we can find in Psalm 119 an earnest commitment to faith and a great understanding of where the law leads. This specific and particular Psalmist isn’t claiming any pride in knowing the whole law, but is stating how his life is strengthened because through the law he has come to know and understand God more deeply.The Psalmist in this case, as actually in many others, affirms no matter what the way of the Lord is the way and that the challenges which come along in life, even though they are confounding and sometimes seem to challenge God’s presence in life, are actually only blips in time and experience which lead back to faith in God who is always present.
For the purpose of today I do not want to take any great time to share more theology than that.Suffice it to say the Psalms give us good tools not only to understand a more ancient mindset but also to come to know in our own lives and hearts the same presence of God which is not only to be respected, but also to be received as love.Psalm 119 in its entirety is a testimony to what this particular Psalmist has learned about the way of God.The part of the passage which speaks to me most is a very simple line in the midst of a much more complicated vision.The Psalmist sends this petition in God direction; “teach me, O God, the way of your statutes, and I will observe it to the end.Give me understanding, that I may keep your law and observe it with my whole heart.”
Such an inspiration as this, such a thought, is actually the beginning of the education of faith.In our case it is the beginning of the journey for Christian education.The Psalmist affirmed the fact that the more we know about God and the more we understand from the self revelations of God the more we can know not only about God but also about ourselves, our world, and ultimately what life is like for us.Coming with an open mind to receive what God gives us as direction can do for us what we cannot do in any other way.The questions of faith, that lead one to honest searching through the scriptures, through reason, and through Christian experience, provide the chance to find answers to questions which society in general cannot answer.
I did something yesterday I hadn’t planned to do.For some reason I turned on the television around 9:00 in the morning.I found myself for the next hour or so doing a few house bound projects and at the same time being attentive to the funeral service for Ted Kennedy.As in any Christian based funeral I paid particular attention to the scriptures from what the Priest in charge yesterday called both the Hebrew and the Christian Bible.The words were familiar, there was a definite vision. Even in that situation there was hope to be found, and a promise of life to offer.
Where did such a promise come from?It certainly didn’t come from the limits of the created human mind because our vision is so limited.The vision came from the word of God as God has chosen to offer it.The vision of God’s eternal power, presence, and love came because God sent the scriptures, because God sent holy men and women who were divinely inspired to offer God’s authentic word, and because finally and ultimately God sent Jesus into our world in order to let the word of His character be known.
Psalm 119 sets before us a cry that is in the human heart; “God teach me.”We believe, but we are hungry to know more.Throughout the generations God has empowered, inspired, motivated, and encouraged faithful witnesses not only to give testimony, not only to live holy lives, not only to witness, but to learn so that the life of faith can be one of greater assurance, greater depth, and a greater understanding of what makes life work, not only for now, but for always.
In my little stack of stuff I have a commemorative medal.This item dates back to 1866.On one side it acknowledges the centennial celebration of the creation of the Sunday school.On the other side there is an engraving of John Wesley sitting at the knee of his mother, Suzanna Wesley.When we look at the history of the Sunday school we actually begin long before 1766 and John Wesley as education has always been a part of religious life.What Wesley did in England back during the middle of the Eighteenth Century was to put method to it, to organize the work.
Actually the original Sunday school was a school for the poorer children who were forced to work in what we today call sweat shops.The economy was such that the poorest of the poor had no choice but to work.Even those whose children, who were not in such an environment, had little time or money to make sure the children received a good education.Wesley and the early Methodists organized classes on the weekends in order to share basic information with those who had no other way to receive it.These original educational settings handled not only religious education, but tools practical for life such as skills in math and reading.Our traditional Sunday school came from such a beginning.Over time, especially in places such as ours where public and private education is readily available, the Sunday school took on religious education.
Our purpose for gathering today is to acknowledge the good work of our Faith Haven Sunday School.We, as United Methodists recognize the call to education which dates back to the beginning of faith’s experience.Psalm 119 makes the call and the plea for God to teach.In our own history those who went before wanted to give the gift of education.Certainly we are thankful because a growing part of our life as a church family, a part of our life together, of our spiritual life, is here before us today in a place of honor.
I am thankful as your pastor to all of your for your commitment to education; for leaders, for teachers, and for students of all ages and states, as I like to say.Through the good work of our Sunday school, and a variety of other groups which are structured for Christian education, we are all able to learn not only about God and the way of God, but also to have answered some of the questions which cannot find an open dialogue in our society today.Thanks to all of you for your good work and commitment.
I also want to acknowledge before we get away another blessing we have.In the day of John Wesley schools were not available to all, not even close.In our times, at least in our country, they are.It is good to know that in some way God empowered the vision of caring for children.It is fitting today as we remember the Sunday school to also remember the gift of education.Many who are here are involved in the work of education in and outside of the church.Some are professional educations as teachers, administrators, education facilitators who serve in other ways.We also have in our midst children who are returning to a new school year.At the very least we acknowledge the need we all have to learn and thus to grow mentally and spiritually all of our lives.No matter in what age or stage one may be, there is always more to learn; more information, more insight, more vision to make life better and more complete.
We have one practical exercise before we move forward.We are going to do a blessing of backpacks, well actually a blessing of the people who not only wear the backpacks, but those who are involved in the world which the backpack speaks of, the world of education and of learning.In a moment, following our prayer, I will lead us in this exercise and privilege.
Thank you all for your support of the Fair Haven Sunday school and all of the other ways in which education is so much a part of our life together.Education is so a great a gift from God, and a wonderful part of our spiritual heritage.Even though we are, historically speaking, far from the time of Psalm 119, the vision of the Psalmist remains in place when that person, now only an anonymous presence, wrote a great hymn the words of which express a vision which remains with us even today; “Teach me, O Lord.”
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