God Protects
Notes from Lance Shumake's sermon on Sunday, June 21, 2026.
Sermon text: Psalm 121
Colossians 3:16
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
Why we need to sing praise and worship songs
—singing is instructed in the Bible
—singing helps us remember God’s Word
—singing engages our emotions and affections with God’s Word
—singing demonstrates and helps preserve our unity
—singing is a way to encourage one another
God’s protection is constant
“God’s help is his enabling us to avoid foot slipping or sin. An ounce of sin can harm us more than a ton of suffering. Sin can harden our hearts so we lose everything, but suffering, if handled rightly, can make us wiser, happier, and deeper.”
-Tim Keller, The Songs of Jesus
God’s protection is comforting
2 Corinthians 1:3–4
[3] Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, [4] who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
God’s protection is complete
“The proof is there on a hill called Calvary. There Jesus died. Jesus Christ became truly vulnerable, truly defenseless, exposed not simply to adverse circumstances but to the forces of hell, receiving the judgement we deserved. He was overcome so that we could walk through life with the certain knowledge that we are God’s children and that he is ever watching over us.”
—Dane C Ortlund, In the Lord I Take Refuge
Romans 8:31–39
[31] What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? [32] He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? [33] Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. [34] Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. [35] Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? [36] As it is written,
“For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”
[37] No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. [38] For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, [39] nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Discipleship Questions:
Sermon text: Psalm 121
Colossians 3:16
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
Why we need to sing praise and worship songs
—singing is instructed in the Bible
—singing helps us remember God’s Word
—singing engages our emotions and affections with God’s Word
—singing demonstrates and helps preserve our unity
—singing is a way to encourage one another
God’s protection is constant
“God’s help is his enabling us to avoid foot slipping or sin. An ounce of sin can harm us more than a ton of suffering. Sin can harden our hearts so we lose everything, but suffering, if handled rightly, can make us wiser, happier, and deeper.”
-Tim Keller, The Songs of Jesus
God’s protection is comforting
2 Corinthians 1:3–4
[3] Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, [4] who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
God’s protection is complete
“The proof is there on a hill called Calvary. There Jesus died. Jesus Christ became truly vulnerable, truly defenseless, exposed not simply to adverse circumstances but to the forces of hell, receiving the judgement we deserved. He was overcome so that we could walk through life with the certain knowledge that we are God’s children and that he is ever watching over us.”
—Dane C Ortlund, In the Lord I Take Refuge
Romans 8:31–39
[31] What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? [32] He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? [33] Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. [34] Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. [35] Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? [36] As it is written,
“For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”
[37] No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. [38] For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, [39] nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Discipleship Questions:
- How have praise and worship songs impacted your life in significant ways?
- What are some current worship songs that have really helped you?
- How have you experienced God’s constant protection in your life?
- How have you experienced God’s comforting protection in your life?
- How have you experienced God’s complete protection in your life?
- How does Jesus and the gospel help you trust God’s protection and obey His instruction?
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