 | Full Text Sermon | Notes on the Text | Alternate Sermon Ideas | September Series During the month of September, we are looking at the theme: "Dimensions of Discipleship". The gospel texts from Luke, along with reflections from the other lectionary texts will help us to explore the four themes: COMMITMENT, REPENTANCE, VALUES AND ABUNDANCE. Sunday September 13, 1998 ~ Fifteenth Sunday After Pentecost ~ Luke 15:1-10 REPENTANCE Focus Text: "Just so, I tell you,
there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who
repents than over ninety-nine persons who need no
repentance." [15:7] It was no more than eight weeks after I began my ministry with a new church that one of the trustees came to me after a sermon on "Repentance" and said, "We are not used to hearing that word in this church." "What word is that?" I was genuinely puzzled. "Repent. We haven't heard the word repent around here for ages. Besides, didn't that go out with small pox and polio?" As it turned out, this fellow and much of his generation in the church had been nurtured on the gospel of Tom Harris', "I'm Okay - You're Okay." There was a big streak of, "As long as it doesn't hurt anybody else, It's okay" along with an almost-as-big streak of, "If it feels good do it," that ran through the church. Karl Menninger could have done his entire book, "Whatever Became of Sin," just for this congregation. Have you seen the cartoon character, dressed in long beard and robe, carrying a sign, "REPENT!" That's the image a lot of folks have when you mention the word repentance. I asked a bible study group at our church if they had ever heard of the "mourners" bench. Only one fellow had a faint recollection. His grandfather was the son of a Methodist preacher and he recalled his grandfather saying something about the mourner's bench. "I don't really remember what he said about it," he commented, "But it had something to do with fire and brimstone!" The mourner's bench, along with repentance has gone the way of the dinosaur for a lot of people -- including church folk. It isn't so much that people really believe there is nothing to repent of in our society. There are lots of people who should repent -- "but not me!" -- But hey! Don't feel bad -- I'm with you. It is much easier to look at someone else's shortcomings. "There are a lot worse people out there than me!" Right? A friend who is an undercover drug agent made this revealing comment. "I have never arrested a suspect or interviewed a prisoner who did not tell me in one way or another that there were 'real criminals' out there who needed arresting a lot more than they did!" This friend was also an elder in our church. He filled the pulpit one Sunday and did a sermon on, "God's Undercover Investigation of Your Life." It was dynamite! He talked about how he and his partner always do the very best they are humanly capable of to gather all the pertinent evidence they can before they ever get to the point of an arrest. "We have a very good conviction rate," he noted with satisfaction. His next statement brought the congregation to full attention. "When the indictment comes down," he said, "It doesn't matter what your neighbor, or the guy down the street or even Ted Bundy did. It is nothing but the actions of the one who stands before the judge that matters. So let me ask you -- in light of the fact that God already has all the information needed on your life and in no way lacks information on even your thoughts -- If all sinners were to be eliminated from the earth at noon today -- where would you be at 1 p.m.?" "Well..." you could just see people thinking, "...Maybe I could use a little repentance." *** As the lectionary gospel reading for today begins, an unlikely group has joined the crowd to listen to Jesus. Luke says, "...tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him." What is really interesting about this is that Jesus had just spelled out to the crowds the tremendous price one would have to pay to become one of his followers. The people who most responded to his call to commitment were those who were deemed "farthest" from God by the religious folk. As it turns out they are actually "closest" to God in terms of desire to hear about God. Awareness of need is the first step to genuine repentance. It will help us to understand the passage if we know a bit about the meaning of the word which is translated "repent" or "repentance". Put clearly into English repentance would mean "to change ones mind" or "to think differently afterwards". After an act or action, we think better of it / change our mind about it and act on this change of mind by turning away from the thing. Thus -- "U-Turns Encouraged!" The Religious leaders in our gospel text (Pharisees and scribes -- who would not have considered themselves in need of "repentance") are grumbling with one another. "Tsk, tsk, I guess we know what kind of a man this Jesus is. One is known by the company he keeps you know. Why does he associate and even have dinner with known thieves and outcasts?" The answer, of course, is that this is why Jesus came in the first place. "For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost." [Lk.19:10 **see note below on this verse] Jesus tells a story to the complainers. The essence of the story is that all of heaven -- (the place where God's reign is in full swing -- the "Kingdom of God" we all pray for each time we pray the Lord's Prayer) -- all of heaven is in absolute joy when a person whose life is in ruin and devastation, turns away from that which ruins and devastates and turns to God who brings wholeness! It is the "turning away from" -- the "U-Turn" Jesus came to proclaim. In other words, for those who truly understand -- the heart of Jesus' ministry is to call us AWAY from everything that would ruin or destroy our lives -- TOWARD the thing that can bring wholeness / salvation to our lives. Do you see? Jesus came to preach repentance. Or you might say, Jesus came to encourage the big U-Turn! Mark's gospel says this in a very concise way right at the beginning of Jesus' ministry, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news." [Mk.1:15] *** Last week we spoke about one of the key characteristics of authentic followers of Jesus Christ. That characteristic was commitment. The heart of today's gospel is another key characteristic or dimension of discipleship; namely repentance.. A brief definition of what repentance means in the life of the disciple, or follower of Jesus Christ is in order. Repentance in the life of a disciple refers to the practice of continual self-examination and turning away from anything that destroys or diminishes her or his relationship with God. Remember the Mourner's Bench we spoke of earlier? The mourners bench was an actual bench in the church that was used during times of revival preaching. As the preacher spoke, those who were sorry for their sins and wanted to turn to God would go to the mourner's bench where they would pray and seek God until they were overcome with the magnitude of their sins and break into weeping and genuine sorrow and repentance for their sins. You could not be truly saved until you had repented in this way. As you might guess, there would from time to time be pressure on family members or "soon to be" family members of the truly "saved" to go to the mourner's bench. The repentance and sorrow for sin was at times more aimed at religious folk and the requirements of the religious community than it was at honestly desiring a relationship with God. Perhaps you remember the NBA basketball player, Latrell Sprewell. He is the superstar who was suspended from the NBA for a year because he physically attacked his coach, P.J.Carlesimo. Latrell's agent soon had the young star in front of cameras offering an "apology" for his actions. He was in effect "repenting" of his actions. Not long afterward, his attorneys were in court arguing that poor young Latrell was being too severely punished by having his millions taken away from him for a whole year. You can likely more than understand that many have wondered at the depth of young Mr. Sprewell's "repentance". He was less than convincing on his "mourner's bench". The "apology" was likely driven by motives other than a desire to "turn away from", or "think differently about" his actions. It was economics -- not self examination. The person who has made a commitment to follow Jesus Christ will have a willingness -- even a desire to look deep within for anything that detracts from the joy of being close with God. There are two key clues in the lectionary texts from Exodus and I Timothy that can help as we build our relationship with the Lord. I. Exodus: Choosing That Which Is Not God The lectionary text from Exodus is so very familiar. (Try not to think of Charleton Heston when you read it!) Moses is told by God that the people he led out of Egypt have traded in a holy God for a golden calf. They have exchanged a God who gave them everything for a god who could give them nothing. They have turned away from a God who loved them more than everything to a god who could not love anything. The text is actually about God's repentance. (A separate sermon) Moses pleads with God not to turn away from the people who have turned away from God. Moses was away when this happened. The key here is that when people are without proper instruction and leadership (and sometimes even with it) they are vulnerable to choices that can bring ruin. As ancient as this story might seem. Just ask the question; "What are the 'Golden Calves today?" We are always vulnerable to choosing that which is not God. A continual examination of those things in our life that try for the "golden calf award" will keep our relationship with the Lord fresh and lively. II. Psalm 51: Personal / Moral Failure Psalm 51 is King David's personal expression of repentance after his tremendous personal moral failure. He properly notes that all sin is finally sin against God. [51:4] The heart of the lesson in this Psalm is that choices which lead us to personal moral failure wind up stealing the joy from our lives. In those times, whitewash will not do. Denial will only dig a deeper pit. David asks for "cleansing". His guilt is such that he can not put his failure out of his mind. "My sin is ever before me." His deepest longing is to have a sense of a fresh start, a new and right spirit within. David recognizes above all things that he needs truth, cleansing, joy and gladness within. The forgiveness comes with the expression of his repentance. You have to wonder if David were a contemporary of ours whether he would hire a press agent to handle his rating with the people of Israel after his debacle with Bathsheba. As is was, he desired restoration of his relationship with God more than anything else. [Apply It] 1. What does the term "repentance" bring to mind for you? Is it a "that was then -- this is now" thing for you? 2. Have you ever thought of self-examination / repentance as a part of your basic Christian discipline? It can make a real difference in your spiritual experience. Here's a "take home" quiz for you. Are you ready? This could loosen up a lot of topsoil in your spiritual garden. I would like for this question to come to the surface every time you have a free moment this coming week. Let the answer come from the top of your head. Don't do a lot of thinking for an answer and for goodness sake -- don't try to come up with some heavy religious thought. Here's the question:
3. At the end of the week you will be able to identify your golden calf or calves! ** A key issue in this homily is the meaning of the word "repent" / "repentance" -- "metanoeo" / "metanoia" -- The roots of the word for repent would literally translate "to get another or a new mind" Thus to "change your mind" or "to think differently afterward." In a technical sense it can have to do with the reversal of a decision. In a very real sense, this whole theme has to do with taking a life that is headed away from God and everything God is about and making the decision to "turn around" and head toward God -- to turn and choose God. Thus... the "U Turn!" "You turn around in your life and embrace God instead of living without God." That's the heart of repentance. ** Our lectionary readings today have the most amazing variety of perspectives on sin and repentance. Exodus gives God's view of sin while Luke gives God's view of the sinner. Both the passage from Psalms and I Timothy give the sinner's view of God. Exodus is a kind of "Gimme that old time religion" with fire and brimstone, while Luke is filled with love and forgiveness. Psalm 51 is the cry of one who is in anguish and guilt ridden and I Timothy is the song of one who has found release from the bondage of sin. v.1 This parable begins a long section in Luke 15-19 which is largely unique to Luke and shows Jesus' exceptional concern for the social outcasts of his day. It was a general principle of the Pharisees that one did not enter into "table fellowship" with those whose moral and / or ritual cleanliness was in question. Galileans were sometimes generalized by the Pharisees as "sinners". Other than actual participation in the actual acts of "sin" or law breaking -- eating with "sinners" is a most egregious sin. (See Lk. 5:27-32) v.2 "Grumbling" = "diagogguzo" Complaining that runs through a crowd... a general "ain't it awful" runs through the self-righteousness of those who see the tax collectors and "sinners" (unacceptable people) as beneath them. They, on the other hand are the "favored of God". **Note on Lk.19:10 "...to seek and to save that which was lost" "lost" = "apollumi" A very strong word. The root is destruction, death, ruin. The gospel in a nutshell is that Jesus came to search for and to bring salvation / wholeness to the one who was destroyed, lost, devastated. vv.3-7 It is striking that the key element in story of the lost sheep is the joy of "finding". The shepherd put the sheep on his shoulders and "rejoices". Then he calls his friends to "rejoice" with him. Finally, Jesus talks about the great "joy" there will be in heaven over the sinner who repents. Jesus is saying that his ministry of seeking and receiving "sinners" is pleasing to God. This is instructive for the community of faith today. vv.8-10 The parable of the lost coin offers a "second" for Jesus' ministry of welcoming sinners. There is a powerful dual question here: "What is the Pharisee's view of sinners?" and "What is Jesus' / God's view of sinners?" This begs the question: "And what is ours?" David - Face to Face with David ~ Psalm 51:1-10 There are few of the 10 commandments King David of Israel did not break in his sin against Uriah, Bathsheba and God. When he is confronted with this by the Prophet Nathan, he finally sees himself in a clear mirror. Psalm 51 is his confession. It is hard to imagine a more heinous crime against a trusted supporter like General Uriah. Undoubtedly there will be some in your parish who will feel like the woman who said to me, "I just can not feel good about David and I have a hard time seeing him as a 'man after God's won heart!'" "It gets worse," I told the woman, "Not only did David confess his sin and receive the forgiveness of God -- he gets to write a portion of the bible after this sin!" This passage offers an opportunity to dig deep into the issue of sin and forgiveness. I. Things Only God Can Do When David comes face to face with himself,
he realizes that only God can do particular things. Check
the verbs David uses with respect to what he seeks: v.
1: Have mercy, II. Things We Have To Do When we have come to terms with our need for forgiveness -- seen ourselves as it were in a mirror, we will come to this: v.3 We understand that we have offended -- "I know my transgressions." v. 4 We realize that it is against God we have sinned. v.8 We know that the joy of our lives is gone until there is reconciliation with God. A Call To Worship (Based on Psalm 51) L: May your
love and mercy be upon us today, O Lord. A Prayer of Dedication Who are we, O Lord, that you should receive gifts from our hands? What greater way could you have chosen to make us so truly your children? As a child reaches out with simple gifts of love to a parent, so we reach out to you with gifts that reflect our love. As you have redeemed us from aimlessness and sin, so refresh us with the Spirit of Christ, that we might be fully given into your hands. Amen. A Prayer of Confession Give us courage, Lord, that we might search the deepest and darkest corners of our being for anything that offends your holy name. Give us mercy that we might stand in the brilliance of your light. Give us grace that we might go from this assembly cleansed from our sin and refreshed for your service. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. I'm Really, Really Sorry Have you ever had a time when you had to say, "I'm sorry?" Tell me about it. (Encourage the children to share their experiences and do a bit of interviewing) i.e. "Why did you say you were sorry?" (Did mom or dad MAKE you say it?") "What is the worst thing about having to say I'm sorry?" Take it to another level. "What if I had to tell someone I was REALLY sorry?" That would be about something pretty serious huh? But what if I had to say to someone, "I am REALLY, REALLY sorry!!" That would be about something very serious -- wouldn't you say? It doesn't feel very nice when we have to tell someone we're really, really sorry for something we did. Do you know what I mean? Feels a little crummy doesn't it? Now -- here's the important part. When you say "I'm sorry to your mom or your dad, and you talk about not doing the wrong thing anymore -- what happens? Do they tell you it's okay?" It's like that with God. Every time we tell God we are sorry for something that we did that wasn't right, God forgives us and says, "I still love you!" That feels really, really good! |
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