God clearly tells us that we're
not to live in fear. I personally am not going to
live in fear. This virus is not going to lock me up or shut me
down. My God, that said, let there
be light in the beginning, is still God. And He's in control. Well, somebody said, Pastor,
what if you get it and die? Absent from the body, present
with the Lord. Now, I don't believe in fatalism.
What is to be will be, whether it ever happens or not. I am
a predestitarian. I make no apology for that. I believe God's in control, that
He has not dropped the reins to this universe, and He controls
this virus. In 1665, there was a great plague
in London. And Puritan pastors, during that
plague, stayed behind when people were leaving the city. to care
for the sick and dying. That's what I plan to do if that
should come our way. I'm going to be the last to leave
the ship. Charles Haddon Spurgeon, my pastor, as many of you know,
who lived during the 1800s, often in his sermon would tell how
he loved to read how the Puritan pastors stayed behind to care
for their people. He himself was faced with a similar
outbreak of cholera in 1854. You can read about that outbreak. It was horrible. He was approximately
18, 19 years old. He had just recently been called
to pastor the New Park Street Church. And he did some things
that I will do likewise. He gave up his preaching appointments
in villages, roundabout places, feeling it was his duty to remain
in London to visit the sick and dying. The first thing that I thought
to myself that I will do is I will prioritize this local ministry. I mean, I'm here for you. There is a healing power in church
community. My priority is right here with
you. I want to be with you when there's an outbreak. I want us
to be together and assuring each other of our love. If any of
you get sick and you're scared out of your mind and want us
to come and have prayer with you, we're going to do that.
I'm going to do it. I am not going to stop being what God
has called me to be, nor being what I should be to you. Spurgeon
did just that. He made his church. They kept
right on having services during the cholera outbreak. They took
the Lord's Supper, they had baptizings, they kept on doing what the church
is supposed to do. And by the way, what an opportunity
for you, like never before, to minister the gospel of Jesus
Christ. The second thing Spurgeon did
was he adjusted as needed, but continued meeting, if at all
possible. So they had their midweek service,
and their Sunday service and their Sunday night service in
the midst of a cholera outbreak that was killing thousands of
people. They visited the sick. You know,
if you need us, we're going to be there. As Spurgeon gave himself
to this pastoral work, he soon found himself physically and
mentally exhausted. Not only that, but he began to
fear for his own safety. I'm not saying that can't happen
with me. I don't want it to happen. Yet, amid his fears, he learned
to entrust himself to God and to his faithfulness. That'd be
a great lesson to learn. Can you trust God or not? Well,
we'll find out if you get sick. Here's what Spurgeon said. At first I gave myself up with
youthful adore to the visitation of the sick and was sent from
all corners of the district by persons of all ranks and religious. But soon I became weary in body
and sick at heart. My friends seemed falling one
by one and I felt or fancied that I was sickening like those
around me. A little more work and weeping
would have laid me low amid the rest. I felt that my burden was
heavier than I could bear, and I was ready to sink under it.
I was returning mournfully home from a funeral when, as God would
have it, my curiosity led me to read a paper which was waffled
up in a shoemaker's window. in the Great Dover Road. It did not look like a trade
announcement, nor was it, for it bore in good, bold handwriting
these words, Because thou hast made the Lord
which is my refuge, even the Most High, thy habitation, There
shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy
dwelling." He said, I feel like God sent that to me. Might be
a good time for God to speak to you in unusual ways and grow
your faith and trust in Him. I don't know what God is doing,
but it seems like He's doing something mighty big. God seems to be up to something. I want to encourage you to do
this today. Entrust your life to God. Stop
panicking. Trust God. Just give it over. You know, Monday will be a great
day if you'll just do this. It's in your hands, Lord. Here's
what Martin Luther prayed. I shall ask God mercifully to
protect us. Then I shall fumigate, help purify
the air, administer medicine and take it. That's good advice. Say, well, I'm a predestitarian. Well, take the medicine. I shall avoid places and persons
where my presence is not needed in order not to become contaminated
and thus perchance inflict and pollute others and so cause their
death as a result of my negligence. I think you ought to be concerned
about, I know some are not here because they have aged parents.
who have particular health issues and you didn't come today because
you're worried about getting the flu and taking it home. If God should wish to take me,
Luther said, he will surely find me and I have done what he has
expected of me and so I'm not responsible for either my own
death or the death of others. If my neighbor needs me, however,
I shall not avoid Place or person but will go freely as stated
above See this is such a God-fearing faith because it is neither brash
nor foolhardily Signed Martin Luther in other words do what
you know to do Wash your hands If the sick need you, you know,
if you have a need, you're part of this congregation. If you
have a need, let us know. I don't want you to live in fear.
And I do believe this, a good positive attitude, trusting God. A good coming together and singing
every praise and raising our hands. A good singing of my chains
are gone, I've been set free. Grace.