July 15, Outdoor Worship, Church Picnic, Brigham County Park, Blue Mounds

Lesson: Psalm 104

Sermon Title: This Is My Father's World

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  1. What do you see?

    1. We are in Brigham County Park overlooking the valleys and hills.

      1. There is the beauty of nature to be seen.

      2. Flowers, trees, grassland, farms and villages are all before you.

    2. If you are a commuter from, say, Arena to Madison, what do you see?

      1. Traffic

      2. Roads

      3. It is possible under these conditions for sight to be blind.

      4. You don't see what there is to be seen.

  2. "This Is My Father's World," expresses the presence of God in the present and in the future.

    1. This is my Father's world even though the present world is dominated by the presence of the evil one.

    1. Jesus observed:

      1. Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out, (John 12:31, NRSVA).

      2. I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but I ask you to protect them from the evil one, (John 17:15, NRSVA).

    2. Paul also noted:

      1. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to set us free from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen, (Galatians 1:3-5, NRSVA).

      2. We may be set free from the influence, impact and control of the present evil age.

    3. The scripture that struck me was written by John:

      1. We know that we are God's children, and that the whole world lies under the power of the evil one, (1 John 5:19, NRSVA).

      2. The whole world lies under the power of the evil one.

      3. This may be true for some people, but not for all people.

  3. God created this world and gave it to our first ancestors.

    1. They in turn rebelled and were then under the control of the evil one.

    2. God will eventually regain control from the evil one.

    3. In the mean time.

  4. The intent of the 104th Psalm is to praise God the Creator and Provider.

    1. Talk about the content of the various stanzas of the Psalm

1 Bless the LORD, O my soul.
O LORD my God, you are very great.
You are clothed with honor and majesty,
2 wrapped in light as with a garment.
You stretch out the heavens like a tent,
3 you set the beams of your chambers on the waters,
you make the clouds your chariot,
you ride on the wings of the wind,
4 you make the winds your messengers,
fire and flame your ministers.

5 You set the earth on its foundations,
so that it shall never be shaken.
6 You cover it with the deep as with a garment;
the waters stood above the mountains.
7 At your rebuke they flee;
at the sound of your thunder they take to flight.
8 They rose up to the mountains, ran down to the valleys
to the place that you appointed for them.
9 You set a boundary that they may not pass,
so that they might not again cover the earth.

10 You make springs gush forth in the valleys;
they flow between the hills,
11 giving drink to every wild animal;
the wild asses quench their thirst.
12 By the streams the birds of the air have their habitation;
they sing among the branches.
13 From your lofty abode you water the mountains;
the earth is satisfied with the fruit of your work.

14 You cause the grass to grow for the cattle,
and plants for people to use,
to bring forth food from the earth,
15 and wine to gladden the human heart,
oil to make the face shine,
and bread to strengthen the human heart.
16 The trees of the LORD are watered abundantly,
the cedars of Lebanon that he planted.
17 In them the birds build their nests;
the stork has its home in the fir trees.
18 The high mountains are for the wild goats;
the rocks are a refuge for the coneys.
19 You have made the moon to mark the seasons;
the sun knows its time for setting.
20 You make darkness, and it is night,
when all the animals of the forest come creeping out.
21 The young lions roar for their prey,
seeking their food from God.
22 When the sun rises, they withdraw
and lie down in their dens.
23 People go out to their work
and to their labor until the evening.

24 O LORD, how manifold are your works!
In wisdom you have made them all;
the earth is full of your creatures.
25 Yonder is the sea, great and wide,
creeping things innumerable are there,
living things both small and great.
26 There go the ships,
and Leviathan that you formed to sport in it.

27 These all look to you
to give them their food in due season;
28 when you give to them, they gather it up;
when you open your hand, they are filled with good things.
29 When you hide your face, they are dismayed;
when you take away their breath, they die
and return to their dust.
30 When you send forth your spirit, they are created;
and you renew the face of the ground.

31 May the glory of the LORD endure forever;
may the LORD rejoice in his works--
32 who looks on the earth and it trembles,
who touches the mountains and they smoke.
33 I will sing to the LORD as long as I live;
I will sing praise to my God while I have being.
34 May my meditation be pleasing to him,
for I rejoice in the LORD.
35 Let sinners be consumed from the earth,
and let the wicked be no more.
Bless the LORD, O my soul.
Praise the LORD! (Psalm 104, NRSVA).

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  1. This is how we understand the song, This Is My Father's World.

    1. This is My Father's World was written Maltbie D. Babcock.

      1. While a pastor in Lockport, New York, Babcock liked to hike in an area called "the escarpment," an ancient upthrust ledge near Lockport.

      2. It has a marvelous view of farms, orchards, and Lake Ontario, about 15 miles distant.

    2. It is said those walks in the woods inspired these lyrics.

      1. The title recalls an expression Babcock used when starting a walk: "I'm going out to see my Father's world."

      2. He learned to appreciate the beauty of nature and nature's God.

This is my Father's world, and to my listening ears
All nature sings, and round me rings the music of the spheres.
This is my Father's world: I rest me in the thought
Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas;
His hand the wonders wrought.

This is my Father's world, the birds their carols raise,
The morning light, the lily white, declare their Maker's praise.
This is my Father's world: He shines in all that's fair;
In the rustling grass I hear Him pass;
He speaks to me everywhere.

This is my Father's world. O let me ne'er forget
That though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet.
This is my Father's world: the battle is not done:
Jesus Who died shall be satisfied,
And earth and Heav'n be one.

This is my Father's world, dreaming, I see His face.
I ope my eyes, and in glad surprise cry, "The Lord is in this place."
This is my Father's world, from the shining courts above,
The Beloved One, His Only Son,
Came--a pledge of deathless love.

This is my Father's world, should my heart be ever sad?
The lord is King--let the heavens ring. God reigns--let the earth be glad.
This is my Father's world. Now closer to Heaven bound,
For dear to God is the earth Christ trod.
No place but is holy ground.

This is my Father's world. I walk a desert lone.
In a bush ablaze to my wondering gaze God makes His glory known.
This is my Father's world, a wanderer I may roam
Whate'er my lot, it matters not,
My heart is still at home.

  1. For the Christian this was and this is my Father's world.

    1. I will appreciate it

    2. I will learn from it.

    3. I will rejoice in it.

Amen!

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