Our focus on the psalms in worship over the past weeks has been invigorating. The psalms have a way of getting us back to what is most important about living a life of faith. Today’s psalm reminds us of the benefits of delighting in the commandments of God. Before I read the psalm, it should be noted that today’s psalm is more of a general rule
about the benefits of living a good and righteous life and less a particular promise that wealth and greatness will come for every person who seeks to do good.

We do not profess a “prosperity gospel”, which says that if you follow God’s commandments, you will automatically become rich and powerful. Instead, we are reminded of Jesus’ words that sometimes doing the right thing means picking up a cross and carrying it, regardless of risk.

Psalm 112
Praise the Lord!
Happy are those who fear the Lord, who greatly delight in God’s commandments.
Their descendants will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed.
Wealth and riches are in their houses, and their righteousness endures forever.
They rise in the darkness as a light for the upright; they are gracious, merciful, and righteous.
It is well with those who deal generously and lend, who conduct their affairs with justice.
For the righteous will never be moved; they will be remembered forever.
They are not afraid of evil tidings; their hearts are firm, secure in the Lord.
Their hearts are steady, they will not be afraid; in the end they will look in triumph on their foes.
They have distributed freely, they have given to the poor;
their righteousness endures forever; their horn is exalted in honor.
The wicked see it and are angry; they gnash their teeth and melt away;
the desire of the wicked comes to nothing.

Happy, blessed are those who greatly delight in God’s commandments.
They will never be moved; they will be remembered forever.

Our New Testament reading comes from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount.
This particular passage follows the Beatitudes, which we explored last summer,
and offers no small challenge to the church,
that the church might delight in and follow God’s commands
in order to serve as salt, light, and hope to a world in need.

Matthew 5:13-20
You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored?
It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot.
You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid.
No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand,
and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others,
so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.
Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets;
I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.
For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter,
will pass from the law until all is accomplished.
Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments,
and teaches others to do the same, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven;
but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees,
you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

What brings you great delight?
I confess that I delight in a perfect pass from Matt Ryan to Julio Jones,
especially when Julio makes one of those amazing catches at the sideline,
one of those acrobatic plays when Julio leaps in the air, catches the ball,
then drops his toes just enough to land in bounds before falling toward the players benches.
Watching professional players accomplish this at game speed is truly amazing, delightful even.
Andy Phillips and I grew up about five houses apart on Heyward Circle.
On weekend afternoons, as junior high boys,
we would spend hours passing and catching the football on the edges of the street.
I could not tell you how many times I made a head fake in the middle of Heyward Circle,
darted toward the curb with outstretched hands, and made a valiant effort to catch Andy’s pass
as I dragged my toes on the last inches of pavement before falling into the grass.
Making that catch and keeping your feet “in bounds” is truly an amazing feeling, delightful even.

Twenty-four years ago, today, our first child was born.
I will never forget the delight I felt in seeing my firstborn arch his back and stretch his chest
and offer a loud cry as the nurse performed the APGAR newborn test.

Our psalmist speaks of delighting in God’s Commandments.
Happy (blessed) are those who…greatly delight in God’s commandments.
Their descendants will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed.
Wealth and riches are in their houses, and their righteousness endures forever.

As we noted earlier, this is more of a general rule than a particular promise.
Life does not necessarily go well for everyone who is righteous,
who delight in God’s commandments.
Sometimes, we suffer for the sake of doing good.
Sometimes, the desires of the wicked are fulfilled, at least in the short term.
Elsewhere, the psalmist asks: “Why do the wicked prosper while the righteous suffer?”
Even so, the general rule holds true.
Those who delight in God’s commandments will serve as light, salt, and hope to the world.
They will know strength beyond their own.
They will not be afraid, even in the face of bad news.
Their security will not be in things or in personal power, but they will be secure in the Lord.
Their hearts are steady and firm. They are not afraid to be generous and gracious.
Their actions reveal mercy and a desire for liberty and justice for all.

But who delights in commandments these days?
Who delights in God’s commandments or any others for that matter?
Who delights is being told what to do and what not to do,
in following anyone’s will but their own?
This is the age of individualism, when everyone decides for themselves
what is good and acceptable and even what is true.
We have entered the age of relative truth,
when everyone even decides for themselves what will be true for them.
But Jesus taught us the two greatest commandments,
the commandments on which hang all the rest of the law and the prophets.
Jesus commanded us to love God with all our heart soul mind and strength,
and to love our neighbor as we love ourselves.
Whoever breaks one of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same,
will (ultimately) be called least in the kingdom of heaven;
and whoever (delights in these commandments) and teaches others to do so
will (ultimately) be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Our theme for this program year in the church has been “Joyfully Together”.
We were very intentional about the unity and joy that this theme communicates,
especially since the world beyond these walls has often seemed in direct opposition
to that sentiment.
As we prepared this annual report and I read through the reports of the council chairs,
I can honestly say that you, the congregation of DPC,
has joyfully together delighted in the commandments of God over this past year.
Matt McMahan delights in his love for God as he lights up the organ to the glory of God.
Alex Rodgers delights in love for neighbor as she help others come to know
that they are indeed loved by God.
Allysen Schaaf delights in God’s commandments when she helps the new kid at youth group
feel a genuine sense of belonging to God and others.
Jamie Butcher delights in her love for Jesus as she proclaimes the stories of Jesus to little ones.
Kathy Morse delights in her love for you as she painstakingly transforms
the rough content of our annual report into something beautiful for your sake.
Many of you have noticed already, but our Program Secretary, Denise Howell,
genuinely delights, every day, in love for God and neighbor as she enjoys helpful to others.

I was inspired recently by one of our new members.
A new member to the church genuinely delighted in making a generous gift
to the capital campaign. They were delighted to be able to participate
in a very tangible way in what God is doing in this place.
One of Threshold visitors recently delighted in the opportunity to help someone else.
A long term member, who had not been on the session in a long time,
genuinely delighted in giving their time last weekend at the elder retreat.

As you read through the annual report, you will notice great love and great delight.
Every time you gather for worship, sing songs of faith, spend hours in choir practice,
read scripture on your own or with others,
you show your love for God and your delight in God’s commandments
Every time you teach Sunday School, serve as a youth advisor,
offer a genuine welcome to someone who is new, or listened carefully to someone in need,
you show your love for neighbor and a delight in God’s commandments.
Every time you make an offering in worship or a commitment to support the annual budget,
every time you clean up or decorate around the church,
every time you prepare communion or show up at a council meeting,
you show your love for God and neighbor and your delight in God’s commands.

You are a congregation that delights in God’s Commandments,
though that may not be exactly the language you would’ve used.
You are a congregation that can disagree with one another politically or otherwise,
but then gather in love for God and each other at the same table.
This is what we do as Presbyterians. When we disagree with one another,
we speak up, we share what we believe in good faith, and we listen to one another.
We do not dismiss one another or unfriend one another on Facebook
or seek to avoid each other. Instead, we gather in love around the same table of Jesus Christ.
We bring our love and our brokenness and our limited understanding
and offer ourselves, joyfully together, to God’s will.
Happy (Blessed) are those who…greatly delight in God’s commandments.
Their descendants will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed.
Wealth and riches are in their houses, and their righteousness endures forever.
They (will rise up!) in the darkness as a light for the upright;
they are gracious, merciful, and righteous.

On this Annual Report Sunday, I am grateful for this congregation and session.
I am grateful for all the willing volunteers who show up here every day and do so much.
I am grateful for dedicated choir members; no one is more dedicated than the choir.
I am grateful for all of those generous givers who enable our operating budget.
I am grateful for a tremendously committed staff, who work hard on your behalf.
You are a congregation that delights in God’s commandments through your obvious,
passionate love for God and neighbor.

I will most certainly delight in what Matt Ryan and Julio Jones and the rest of the Falcons
will do in the Super Bowl tonight,
but that joy is nothing compared to how I feel about the great work of this congregation.
In so many ways, you serve as salt and light and hope for this community,
and even for the world.
Friends, Let your light shine before others,
so that (all around) may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.

May it be so. Amen.

Rev. Dr. Todd Speed
Decatur Presbyterian Church
Decatur, Georgia
February 5, 2017