May 19, 2024 - God is Within Her

·25 min·2 clips

Psalm 46 declares God is within her as mountains fall into the sea, promising refuge when creation unravels.

The episode opens with readings from Psalm 46 and Acts 2, setting the Pentecost context. The preacher notes this isn't a typical Pentecost passage but was chosen from personal Bible reading. Psalm 46 describes God as refuge amid earth-shattering chaos, with the line 'God is within her' about Jerusalem. The sermon traces the historical movement of God's dwelling: first in the garden with Adam, then the desert tabernacle with careful priestly protocols, then the Jerusalem temple's Holy of Holies accessible only once yearly. With Jesus, God 'moved into the neighborhood,' his body becoming the temple where heaven and earth meet. Pentecost extends this further—the Holy Spirit now dwells in believers, making them 'the holy place where the Most High dwells.' Augustine's Confessions quote emphasizes this intimacy. The preacher has listeners place hands on hearts while repeating 'God is within her.' This doesn't promise avoidance of suffering but confidence amid it, paralleling Psalm 23 and Jesus' words about trouble. Examples include Dumbledore's playful engagement with conflict and Desmond Tutu's joyful resilience. The psalm's 'desolations' are reinterpreted as God ending wars by destroying weapons. Contemporary fears like climate change and political turmoil mirror the psalm's 'nations in uproar,' yet the same refuge applies. God being 'exalted among the nations' is framed as a promise of ultimate justice and shalom. The sermon concludes with a prayer acknowledging God's indwelling and mission to renew the world.

As heard by us

A Pentecost sermon brings Psalm 46's promise of God's presence into daily life.

The preacher takes Psalm 46's "God is within her" as a question about where God dwells. The answer moves from the temple in Jerusalem to Jesus, then through Pentecost to the people hearing the sermon.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

Hear what "God is within her" might mean for your own ordinary day.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from Sherman Street Church