Conceal Me

Fellowship – Snacks or a Meal (10 minutes with snacks; longer, obviously, if there is a meal).

Gathering Time (5-10 minutes). Psalm 27 alludes to God as a stronghold in our lives. In pairs or groups of three, have participants answer, “Where have you connected with forts in your life? Did you build them as a child? Have you visited famous forts or fortresses?”

Group Dialogue (Approximately 30 minutes). Read Psalm 27 and Luke 13:31-35.

• There seems to be no end to things we should be afraid of in these uncertain times. But Psalm 27, and indeed, all of scripture says, “Do not be afraid” over and over. What are some of the ways Psalm 27 invites us to respond to our fears? [hiding ourselves in God (v.5), worshiping God with full throat (v. 6), seeking God in prayer and petition (v. 8), placing ourselves at God’s disposal (v.11).]
• Psalm 27:10 is one of the most poignant verses in all of scripture: “If my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will take me up.” It’s a verse that cries out, “Can I get a witness?” Do you have a testimony or story of being found and taken up by God when no one else was there for you?
• How does Jesus model a confident trust in God for us in Luke 13:31-35? [ He focuses on the meaningful work he is doing (casting out demons and performing cures), knowing his life is in danger.]
• What do we learn about the life of faith in these verses? [1. It will bring us into conflict with powers in high places. 2. We continue our ministries of healing and comfort in good times and bad. We don’t turn back. 3. We enter places in the world others fear to enter. Can you think of others?]
• Both the psalmist in Psalm 27:10 and Jesus in Luke 13:34 call to mind those who feel utterly alone and undefended. Who in your circle of awareness needs you to spread your wings and gather them in, as Jesus longed to do?
• The preaching notes for this week offer an exquisitely beautiful invitation:
• You want to overcome fear? Seek God’s face. Seriously. This isn’t a cliche to make you feel better. It is a program for ridding yourself and the world of fear. Seek God’s face. Set yourself the task of looking for God at work in the world. We claim to believe God is at work among us; we claim to believe God is at work within us. So, look. Look for God’s face in the face of the stranger serving you your lunch, working on your car, asking for a handout. Look for God’s face in the gestures of kindness in this terrible world, in the opportunities to laugh and sing, in the moments of grace with loved ones, in the passion of body and soul. Seek God’s face in the beauty of music, in the wonder of the world around you. You’re on a mission. If you fill up your life with the search for God, you won’t have time to fear.

How can we prepare ourselves to look for God this coming week? How can we keep a mission mindset?

Optional Activity – listen to this week's playlist song, “Head Above Water” by Avril Lavigne.

Like many of us, the writer of Psalm 27 knows trouble, as does Jesus when he is confronted by the Pharisees attempting to scare him into being quiet or, at the very least, getting out of town (Luke 13:31). Yet both the psalmist and Jesus do an odd thing when faced with threats: they stay the course. They refuse to be swallowed up and swayed by fear. Instead, they root themselves in God, whose steadfast love conceals and protects, whose love keeps their heads above water. As you listen to Avril Lavigne’s “Head Above Water,” consider the storms in your life that you need God to see you through.

Prayer (10 minutes). Share prayer requests and respond appropriately.

Sending Forth (2 minutes). End with the following prayer, a similar prayer, or the Lord’s Prayer:

Let us silently offer those things we are afraid of, those people we are afraid for, to God. (Allow 60-90 seconds of silence.) Now listen for God’s voice interrupting your fears with these words of comfort from Psalm 27:

The Lord is my light and my salvation;
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life;
of whom shall I be afraid?
Wait for the Lord;
be strong, and let your heart take courage;
wait for the Lord!

Amen.

Rev. Joe Hamby is the Director of Community Education at Roof Above, a comprehensive homeless service provider in Charlotte, NC. In his first career, Joe was a youth pastor at several United Methodist churches in the Western North Carolina Annual Conference. Joe’s other ministry interest takes him to Cabarrus Regional Juvenile Detention Center twice a month.