Sermon Preached at Igreja Presbiteriana no Jardim América
May 4, 2006
1 Samuel 7:7-13

7 When the Philistines heard that Israel had assembled at Mizpah, the rulers of the Philistines came up to attack them. And when the Israelites heard of it, they were afraid because of the Philistines. 8 They said to Samuel, “Do not stop crying out to the LORD our God for us, that he may rescue us from the hand of the Philistines.” 9 Then Samuel took a suckling lamb and offered it up as a whole burnt offering to the LORD. He cried out to the LORD on Israel’s behalf, and the LORD answered him.
10 While Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to engage Israel in battle. But that day the LORD thundered with loud thunder against the Philistines and threw them into such a panic that they were routed before the Israelites. 11 The men of Israel rushed out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, slaughtering them along the way to a point below Beth Car.
12 Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far has the LORD helped us.” 13 So the Philistines were subdued and did not invade Israelite territory again.
Throughout Samuel’s lifetime, the hand of the LORD was against the Philistines.

We say happy birthday, congratulations to you at IPJA as we commemorate ten years together. But more than anything else, we thank and praise God for the marvelous things he has done here in Jardim America. This is a time to remember and to look forward.

It is a joy and a privilege for those of us from Park Presbyterian Church to be here to celebrate with you and to bring the greetings and big hugs from all the members of Park Church.

So what has God done and how do we thank him?

Today we will remember and explore some of the things that God has done in the last ten years, that is, the last five hundred and twenty weeks, the last three thousand six hundred and fifty days. On Sunday we will talk about where God wants us to go from here – the next ten years, the next twenty years, the next fifty years, until Christ returns in glory! Tomorrow and Saturday, Pastor Rich will preach. He is a good preacher and I think you should listen to him.

Our Old Testament reading from 1 Samuel tells the story of how the people Israel remembered what God had done for them.

In the time of Samuel the people were constantly threatened by the armies of the Philistines. As in the time of Gideon, the armies of the Philistines pushed the Israelites from the rich and fertile valleys where figs grew, wheat was harvested, and sheep grazed into the rocky hills and mountains where life was hard. “Israel has fled before the Philistines,” was the cry of the judges who came before Samuel.

Can you imagine life in Samuel’s Israel? The Israelites worked hard in their wheat fields and fig orchards; they cared for their sheep and tried to provide for their children.
And then they would hear the thundering beat of horse hooves and a gang of Philistine would invade their farms and fields, uprooting their orchards, slaughtering their sheep and kidnapping their children.

Sometimes our lives are like that. This is true both in the United States and in Brazil. We work hard and then the big companies or the corrupt politicians steal the fruit of our labor. Unemployment and lack of education destroy our hope. Drugs and crime steal our children from us. Violence or the fear of violence drives us into our homes and away from our friends.

I know that for most of you life here in Brazil is more difficult than our lives in Beaver. Poverty, crime, and addiction are too common here and you know that well. Do you ever feel like an Israelite living in the land of the Philistine raiders?

Life was difficult in Israel when Samuel became judge. But then God began to act. He opened the hearts of the people to hear his voice once again. They turned to God and put their hope in the power and the love of God. But still the army of the Philistines threatened to attack them, and they were afraid. “Do not stop crying out to the Lord our God for us, that he may rescue us from the hand of the Philistines,” the people begged Samuel.

Samuel cried to the Lord and the Lord answered him. The Philistines drew near to engage Israel in Battle , but that day the Lord thundered with loud thunder against the Philistines and threw them in such a panic that they were routed before the Israelites.

There are days when God still thunders with loud thunder against the enemies of his people. Like the roar of a mighty lion, God’s “no” to those who steal hope and joy from our lives shakes the ground and startles even those who know him well. Have you ever heard God’s voice thunder through the streets of Jardim America or the alleys of Favela da Ventosa? I think I have.

Eleven years ago a small group of people here in Jardim America began to cry out to God and God heard their voice. They knew they were small in number and weak against all the powers of discouragement, violence, poverty, and ignorance. But they knew that our God is a God of great victories, and they knew that he could do mighty things here in Jardim America and Favela da Ventosa. They didn’t think about the mighty things he might do in Florestal and Buritis and Beaver, Pennsylvania. They cried out to the Lord and the Lord answered their cry, giving them a great victory.

After the Israelites defeated the Philistines, Samuel chose a place on the field of battle and there he place a stone and gave it the name Ebenezer, which means stone of help. “Thus far has the Lord helped us,” he said. Like Joshua’s stone at 24:26), the Ebenezer was to remind the people of God’s great victory against the Philistines.

As we gather here this weekend, we are like the Israelites gathering around Samuel at that place between Mizpah and Shen. I pray that all we do, our praise and worship, our dinners and celebrations will be for us an Ebenezer, our stone of hope, a reminder of God’s great victory in this place. Thus far has the Lord helped us.

Thus far has the Lord helped us. What has God done for IPJA thus far? What victories have been won?

I think that God has done three great things, has won three great victories here at IPJA in the last ten years. First, God has brought his people to himself. Second, God has brought his people together. Third, God has brought his people to others.

Through IPJA God has brought many people to himself. Whether it is in the old building in the favela or here is this beautiful new building, whether it is in Sunday worship or at Nova Vida on Tuesday, God’s word has been preached at IPJA. Whether it has been Robson or Ronilton, Christine or the seminarians and elders, God’s word has been proclaimed from this place. Through Bible studies, home groups, Sunday School, EBF, and encampamento, men and women, youth and children have come to know God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Always when someone becomes a Christian, it is a great victory against sin, against discouragement, and against life without meaning. It is a victory against evil whether that evil is drug addiction or alcoholism, crime or violence, immorality or abuse. It is a victory for hope and holiness. Many of you can tell stories of God’s great victories in your life because of IPJA. Let us raise our Ebenezer, saying “Thus far has God helped us.”

Through IPJA, God has brought his people together. In July of 1995 when the three small groups that would become IPJA first met, there were only 30 people. On May 5, 1996, there were 58 members of the church. Today there are over 300 people who God has brought together into a great community of faith. This community gathers for worship and study, for fellowship and fun, soccer games and meals together. It gathers for work and mission.

Always when people gather together in the name of Christ, it is a victory against loneliness and isolation. It is a victory against those things that make us afraid to leave our homes. It is a victory for community and accountability, for love and friendship. Many of you can tell stories of the victory of love and friendship in this place. Let us raise our Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far has God helped us.”

Finally, through IPJA, God has brought his people to others. Through Sopão, EBF, Telecurso, Nova Vida and many other activities, God has brought his people to others. You are a people who are willing to reach out to others with the hope of Gospel of peace. You are willing to share your friendships and welcome others into your community. You have had a vision for renewing the church in Florestal and for building a church and a school in Buritis.

As you have reached out to others, God has won victories against hunger, ignorance, and spiritual darkness. It has been a victory for love, care, and concern. Many of you can tell stories of how the people of God at IPJA have reached out to you and how God won a victory when they did. Let us raise our Ebenezer saying, “Thus far has God helped us.”

So, like Samuel and the Israelites, we raise our Ebenezer saying, “Thus far has God helped us.”

But thanks to these ten years at IPJA, God has also won great victories in Beaver, Pennsylvania, USA. God has used your lives, your church, your witness and your friendship to bring the people of Park Presbiteriana Church closer to himself, closer to each other, and closer to a world in need.

For more than six years the lives of people at IPJA and Park Presbyterian Church have touched each other. Your faith and your commitment to Christ have helped many of us grow closer to Christ, as well. Many of you live difficult lives, yet your faith is a firm anchor for your souls. Knowing you has helped us to know Christ better. We, too, raise our Ebenezer saying, “Thus far has God helped us.”

God has used IPJA to bring Park Presbyterians closer to each other. Whether it is traveling 10,000 kilometers together, trying to learn Portuguese or preparing for EBF, our partnership with IPJA has brought us closer not just to you, but to each other. We, too, raise our Ebenezer saying, “Thus far has God helped us.”

God has used IPJA to help us touch the lives of others. We know that we have touched the lives of some of you and others in Jardim América. It is a privilege. It is not only those of us who are able to travel to Brazil. It’s those who help Cindy make soup to sell so that we may help you. Often in Beaver we are afraid of one another. Perhaps it is not a fear of crime or violence, but a fear of a heart open to one another. You have helped us touch the live of other people in Beaver and in the whole world. Park Presbiteriana Church is a better mission church because of IPJA. We, too, raise our Ebenezer saying, “Thus far has God helped us.”

Thus far has God helped us. Ten marvelous years. But God has more than ten years planned for IPJA. What will come next? As we remember and celebrate, as we raise our Ebenezer, let us also prepare for what is ahead.