This morning’s sermon text from Acts tells the story of the Jews’ plot to assassinate Paul in prison and God’s providential deliverance of his servant into the hands of Felix the governor. God saving His people from the clutches of their enemies is a theme that comes up again and again in the Scriptures. This morning’s Call to Worship from Psalm 44 reminds us of times in history that the Lord has “saved us from our foes and have put to shame those who hate us.” We’ll sing from several psalms, calling God “a refuge from enemy and storm,” and encouraging one another not to fear “when the wicked plots and schemes against the righteous man.” Like Paul, who is told in a vision to “take courage, for … you must testify also in Rome,” so we sing from Psalm 27, “let courage fill your heart as on the Lord you wait.” Hymns like How Sweet The Name Of Jesus Sounds, God Moves In A Mysterious Way, and Christ Our Hope In Life And Death speak of Jesus holding our faith when fears arise, driving away our fear, and imparting fresh courage in the face of dreaded storm clouds. We leave the service with a final reminder from Luther’s paraphrase of Psalm 46, A Mighty Fortress Is Our God: though foes may seek our harm, we can trust that our God is faithful to help us amid any number of trials. “The body they may kill,” but “God’s truth abideth still.”
—Henry C. Haffner
