“The Elephant in Every Room”
———————
NOTE TO READER: Sundays (at least for a while) I will be posting a one hour video in two parts: Part One will be a worship service, and Part Two will be something else. The video is directly below this text. Below the video on this page is the Order of Service for the worship. And below that is the text of this video (but not the music), in case you would rather read than watch.
———————————————
———————————————
ORDER OF SERVICE:
Bell/Call to Worship
Confession of Sin and Forgiveness
Kyrie
Opening Prayer
Hymn “Today is the Day”
Scripture Reading: I John 1:8-10
Gospel: Luke 5:1-11
Sermon
Hymn “Just As I Am”
Offering
Apostles’ Creed
Prayer of the Church / Lord’s Prayer
Benediction/Bell/Prayer
(PART TWO: Psalm 51 and “Create in Me” by Keith Green)
———————————
PRINTED TEXT OF THE ABOVE SERVICE
INVOCATION / CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS / OPENING PRAYER
PASTOR: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Pray with me as we confess our sins unto the Lord:
ALL: Forgive me my sins, O Lord; the sins of my present and the sins of my past, the sins of my soul and the sins of my body, the sins which I have done to please myself and the sins which I have done to please others. Forgive me my casual sins and my deliberate sins, and those which I have tried to hide, so that I have even hidden them from myself. Forgive me them, O Lord, forgive them all. For Jesus’ sake. Amen.
PASTOR: In the mercy of almighty God, Jesus Christ was given to die for you, and for his sake God forgives you all your sins. To those who believe in Jesus Christ he gives the power to become the children of God and bestows on them the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Lord, have mercy upon us; Christ, have mercy upon us; Lord, have mercy upon us.
Let us Pray: Open our hearts, O Lord, to your Word, so that we may truly worship you. Our ears are dull, so that we cannot hear your voice. Our eyes are dim, so that we cannot see the signs of your presence. You alone can help us to see and hear; you alone can cleanse and renew our hearts… And then, O Lord Jesus, let not your Word become a judgement upon us, lest we hear it and do not do it; or believe it and do not obey it. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning, is now, and forever shall be, world without end. Amen.
SCRIPTURE
1 John 1:8-10: If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.
Luke 5:1-11:
One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God. He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”
Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”
When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.
When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners.
Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.
SERMON:
Douglas Coupland is a Canadian writer who has been called the spokesman for Generation X, those born in the years from the mid-1960’s to the mid-80s. Some even say Coupland was the one who popularized the whole concept of ‘Generation X’ when he made it the title of one of his first books back in the 1990’s. Coupland’s early works were edgy, cynical, and not at all spiritual. His most recent book is different. It is more introspective and contains a good bit of soul-searching and spiritual openness. The title of this book is “Life After God.” On the book cover description of what’s inside, Coupland says this to those of Generation X; he says, “You are the first generation to be raised without religion.”
Many of the ‘Baby Boomers,’ filled with the spirit of rebellion against all authority in the 1960’s, were very intentional about abandoning whatever faith they had been brought up to believe. Coupland’s own parents were both raised in Christian homes, but then they made sure no religious faith of any kind would be a part of their home life or child-raising. So, God was not a part of Coupland’s childhood, or, adult life—until recently. And now, this spokesman for Generation X is seeing, in his generation, a bit of searching for something many of them never had, but are beginning to feel a need for in their heart. The book “Life After God” contains several short stories. Coupland is still edgy, and I don’t think any of his stories will be made into Hallmark movies. But God, or at least the absence of God, is what drives the characters in this book. They know that their lives are lacking ‘something,’ even if they don’t yet know what it is or where to find it.
Scout, the young man in the last short story of the book, is the most open about what he thinks has gone wrong in his life. Scout is remorseful over his many mistakes. His marriage has stagnated. He is trapped in a job he hates. He has no deep friendships. Life just isn’t what it used to be, or what he expected it would be, and he looks into his future with anxiety. Finally, Scout comes to this conclusion. He seems almost embarrassed to admit it, even calling it his secret. He says, “My secret is that I need God—that I am sick and can no longer make it alone. I need God to help me give, because I no longer seem to be capable of giving; I need God to help me to be kind, as I no longer seem capable of kindness; and I need God to help me love, as I seem beyond being able to love.” One reviewer noted that Scout, and his friends who are also troubled and confused and empty, hold a resentment against their parents for neglecting to instill in them any measure of solid faith or lasting hope. The story is a fictional one, but from what I’ve read about Coupland, I would guess he is expressing some of his own feelings in these words. He is certainly trying to describe what is going on in the hearts of many of that generation.
Now, you know I am always telling you that you need Jesus. That’s what I do here. You expect me to do that. You even pay me to do that; and so that could lead to bit of skepticism about what I say. Some might think, “Ya, ya, pastors are supposed to talk that way, but the real world has moved beyond all that old stuff in the Bible.” In other sermons, I have told you about my own struggles with doubt and how I became convinced of the truth and hope to be found in Jesus Christ. But Coupland tells a different kind of story, has had a very different journey, and his words have a different kind of credibility. I went through a period of questioning everything I had ever been taught—that’s what many Baby Boomers did. But Coupland says that many in Generation X, broken by life, are searching for something they have never known.
I have often quoted Ernest Hemingway, that strong and confident tough guy, who in declining health and strength, finally had to say, “Life breaks us all.” That is true. Life does indeed, break us all. The question for everyone is, “What do you do then?” What Ernest Hemingway did then was, at the age of 61, he grabbed his favorite gun and used it on himself. Coupland’s characters are broken and lost and confused, but they are searching for a better answer. Scout came to the conclusion that God is the answer.
God wants each of us to know him. He sent His Son Jesus to the world to make his love known to us all, and to offer us all eternal life. God the Holy Spirit is always pursuing each of us, seeking to get through our rebellion, our doubts, our cynicism, our distractions, and our lack of interest. And God, says Romans 1, has placed the knowledge of Himself within our hearts; God has placed his Law within our hearts, says Jeremiah 31; and God has placed a desire for eternity within our hearts, says Ecclesiastes 3. There is something in us, placed there by God, that knows that there has to be more to life than these few brief and uncertain years. I was confronted by the truth of what I had begun to doubt about God. Douglas Coupland’s character was confronted by the realization that he needed something more to fill his empty heart. And in our Gospel reading for today, Simon Peter was confronted by Jesus Christ himself, in person.
The story comes early in the Gospel of Luke. Jesus had not yet even finished assembling his group of twelve disciples. He is just wandering around the small towns and countryside, proclaiming the coming Kingdom of God to whoever would listen. And many people did. In this story, he is preaching on the shores of a lake, and the crowd is getting so big, that it is pressing in upon him, says verse one. I imagine him getting backed up into the water with no place else to go. So Jesus asked Simon Peter if he could get into his boat, and from there, a little ways out from the shore, more people could see and hear him. Peter brings his boat over, and Jesus gets in and finishes the sermon.
Then Jesus says in verse four, “Let’s go fishing Peter. Go out into the deep water and let down your nets.” Peter tells Jesus they just got back. They had been out all night, and hadn’t caught a thing. Peter knew the lake, he knew the fish, he knew the time of day, and he knew they weren’t about to catch anything now. But Peter does say, perhaps with some irritation in his voice, “If you say so.”
And then comes the miracle. Peter and his crew catch so many fish that their nets begin to break. They call for another boat to help, and they haul in such a large catch that both boats are in danger of sinking. And these men weren’t fishing just for the fun of it. There was no such thing as ‘catch and release’ fishing in those days. Fishing was Peter’s livelihood, and a catch like that would mean a financial windfall. This miracle was a fisherman’s dream come true.
Therefore, the next verse is puzzling. Peter should be jumping for joy, hooting and hollering, and high-fiving everyone on the lake. Instead, he puts a big damper on everything by going up to Jesus with a long face, falling down on his knees, and saying “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.” What? What does being a sinner have to do with any of this?
Well, Peter knew that a miracle had just been done for him, and he knew he was in the presence of something—someone– divine and holy. He was first over-whelmed by the words of Jesus, and now, by a spectacular deed of Jesus. Peter felt ashamed and unworthy and even afraid; as one might well feel, indeed should feel, in the presence of the divine and miraculous. And Jesus responded with a word of grace, saying, “Do not be afraid.” And then Jesus gave Peter, and James and John, a new job. Jesus said, “From now on, you will be catching people,” or as it says in the more familiar old version, ‘you will be ‘fishers of men.’
Well, that is all true and theologically correct and all that; but isn’t that just typical of the Bible, and isn’t that the trouble with it? All it ever talks about is sin. Even at the happiest times, somebody has to bring up sin and guilt and repentance and remorse. That’s why the Bible is so out of date, some say, and so unappealing to a growing number of people these days. The church would maybe do a lot better at catching people, if it just got over talking about sin all the time.
I will tell you what Peter could have said. He could have said, “Jesus, you have just made all my dreams come true. Catching fish like this has always been what I dreamt about for my business. Do you think you could do this for me every day, and, for other people, too? Because if you can, I think we can get a crowd with this kind of gig. Think about how appealing it will be: We’ll say ‘Jesus will help you accomplish all your dreams and all your goals, he will turn your scars into stars, he will turn you into the person you always wanted to be, and make sure you get out of life everything you deserve.’ Let’s go Jesus, Peter could have said, we will catch people all right with that kind of message. We will even be able to fill stadiums. Just go a little easier on all that talk about sin and guilt, and we will be sure to succeed.” That is what Peter could have said. In fact, I just heard that very thing from a TV preacher just the other day, and it was on this same Bible story. He said, “Jesus will do the same for you as he did for Peter. You might not want a boatload of fish, but whatever it is you do want, you can get it—all you have to do is believe in Jesus and believe in the power of prayer.” And, I don’t know how he can do it, but that preacher was smiling from ear to ear for 45 minutes straight. He was speaking to a stadium full of people, and I didn’t hear him say one thing about sin or anything else that anyone would find in the least bit uncomfortable. So why should we talk about sin and guilt when it has been proven that you can get a far bigger crowd by avoiding the whole subject?
Here is why. The church talks about sin and guilt because that is what we all live with, every single day. Sin is what we do, and by our sins we hurt others. Sin is what other people do, and we get hurt by their sins. Is there anyone sitting here right now with any regrets or guilt over some wrong or hurtful thing you said or did recently, or years ago? Is there anyone sitting there with an aching heart over the hurtful words or actions of another? Sin and guilt are the elephants in every room, every day, of every life. And if there is an elephant in the room, you should acknowledge it, because it is impossible to ignore. Sin causes our troubles, guilt is what follows because God gave us a conscience, and the way through all that is Jesus, who died for the forgiveness of our sins. That is why the Bible is always talking about sin.
Jesus confronted Peter right in the midst of life, right in the middle of a frustrating time at work. Peter had been out fishing all night and had nothing to show for it. As I said, Peter might have been a bit irritated with Jesus telling him to go out again. Jesus maybe even overheard some cussing and swearing out of him. Peter could do that, you know—see Matthew 26:74. For whatever reason, Peter felt ashamed when he realized who he was dealing with, and he said, “Lord, depart from me, for I am a sinner.”
Let me put it this way. What if Jesus appeared to you sometime this week in the midst of your life?—in the middle of another mean-spirited argument with your spouse, or just as you are sassing your mother instead of respecting her, or as you are telling a lie, or sluffing off at work, or looking at a website you shouldn’t be looking at, or resenting the help you again have to give to another, or using God’s name in vain, or gossiping, or whatever. And then, what if when Jesus was there with you, you remembered that he could also read your thoughts. He can, you know– even right now. And how good are you at purifying all your thoughts, thoughts so often filled with jealousy, ingratitude, lust, hatred, malice, and so forth? Someone once said we all have thoughts that would cause shame even in hell. I don’t know about you, but if Jesus appeared to me this Tuesday afternoon or any other time, I could well imagine myself saying, “Lord, depart from me, for I am a sinner.”
Douglas Coupland did not use the word sin, but it was the sin in Scout’s life that led him to admit his need for God. He described his remorse over his ‘mistakes.’ Mistakes, sin, whatever you call it, he was expressing his deep remorse over his lack of love, his inability to be kind, and his unwillingness to give anymore. In church, that kind of remorse is called repentance, another old word.
And so yes, we are going to keep talking about sin and guilt and repentance in church. In fact, we begin every worship service by acknowledging that elephant in the room. In the ‘Confession of Sins” we confess before God the sin in our lives that separate us from Him. And then, we hear God’s word of forgiveness and acceptance; and then, we go on with the service. Actually, it is just like Peter and Jesus. Peter makes his confession, “Lord, depart from me, for I am a sinner.” And Jesus forgives him, saying “Don’t be afraid,” and then invited Peter to follow him. Confession and forgiveness. We need it every day, with God, and with each other.
I don’t watch much regular TV, but I do like my Netflix subscription. I hear about a movie, I put it on my list, and when I have time, I watch it. Sometimes by the time I get to a movie I have forgotten where I heard of it or why I wrote it down. That was the case when I ran across the movie “Julieta” on my list. It is by some independent French film-maker, so I didn’t recognize anyone in it and I had to read subtitles. It was slow-moving and nothing special, so you don’t need to rush out to find it. But at the end, it became interesting because it fit in with what I am saying today.
Now, if you want to know what is going on in the world today, a French film is the place to look. These film makers are the with-it people, they are where it is happening today, they know what this world is all about today, and they certainly are not stuck with a two-thousand-year-old book. The French art community abandoned its Christian roots centuries ago, and they are pleased and proud to be free of all that nonsense. They are all-in on what Douglas Coupland would call, “life after God.” So, what does this movie have to say about life today?
Well, it starts out with a typical story line—a pretty actress, a handsome actor, a chance meeting, and an illicit romance with all clothing quickly removed; then some more adultery and deception; friends and lovers coming and going—all the sins that make the movies so delightful these days; and, have made modern life so much more wonderful now that society is getting over its hang-ups about sexual sin. We finally have this sex thing figured out and everyone is free to do what they want and all are doing fine—(right?). So, in this movie you have sexual freedom, deceit, adultery, and betrayal– but who cares, everyone is having a good time, so what could go wrong? That was the slow moving, boring part that you can see in a lot of movies.
But then the truth comes out, and the movie is honest about what happens next. Husband and wife have a painful confrontation, best friends are no longer best friends, a daughter is hurt and confused and then disappears, one person throws his life away, another dies in despair, and another ends up fighting for her sanity. And the ones that are left start to talk to each other about the guilt they feel. Imagine that, guilt– just what the church is condemned for always bringing up. And here it comes up in a French movie about sexual freedom, fun, and games. But by the end of the story, there is guilt all over the place—more guilt than in a dozen sermons. First there is the sin (though the word is never mentioned), and then there is the guilt.
It’s almost like a Bible story– the story of David and Bathsheba. Except for this: in the Bible, the sinners have a place to go with their guilt. David went to the Lord and prayed: “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love. For I have sinned against you and done what is evil in your sight. In your great compassion, cleanse me from my sin. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, but restore unto me the joy of your salvation” (Psalm 51). God was not pleased with David, David regretted his sin, and there were painful consequences for his family. But then there was a way forward– by repentance, a changed heart and life, and forgiveness. In the movie, there was no such thing– no one to go to and no hope for forgiveness and compassion and salvation.
I will close with some more old words from that old book; words that applied to Peter way back then, and apply yet today— to French film artists, to those in Generation X, and to those in every other generation. I read from 1 John 1:8-9: “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. But if we confess our sins, God is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Amen.
Let us pray: Grant, O Lord, that what we say with our lips we may believe in our hearts, and that what we believe in our hearts we may practice in your lives, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
OFFERING
At this time, if you have not already done so, make a decision about what you will give to the Lord’s work this week. As you think about that, consider these words of the Apostle Paul from I Timothy 6:17-19: Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.
In his book The Treasure Principle (p. 43), Randy Alcorn writes (paraphrased): He who lays up treasures on earth will, if he lives long enough, inevitably spend his later years having to let go of those treasures, or at least the enjoyment of them. As he moves toward his end, to him, death is loss, and he will be in despair. But he who lays up treasures in heaven looks forward to eternity. He is moving daily toward his treasures. To him, death is gain. He who spends his life moving toward his treasures has reason to rejoice. Are you despairing or rejoicing? …
Let us pray: Lord Jesus Christ, you warned us not to store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal, but to store up treasures in heaven. Guard our hearts so that we may not be tempted to live for ourselves alone, but may serve you with what we have been given. May we, in bringing our offerings to you now, store up treasure in your kingdom. In your name we pray. Amen.
PRAYER OF THE CHURCH / LORD’S PRAYER: Let us pray…
Lord God Almighty, we pray that you make us ever mindful that as part of your Church on earth, we reflect Jesus’ name and character to the world. We pray that we may be a good and positive witness to you, and what you have done for us. Keep us faithful, generous, and kind, sharing with others the gifts of the Spirit that you have given to us. Lord, in your mercy, Hear our prayer.
Heavenly Father, we pray for our children, that you bless them so that as they grow in years they may also grow in faith. Bless parents and grandparents, and may they be good examples for their children and grand-children, guiding them in the ways of faith and trust in you. May our children learn not only what is needed to live good and responsible lives in this world, but also faith in your everlasting promises, so that they may also hold firm to that hope and promise of the world to come in your eternal home.
Lord in your mercy… Hear our prayer.
Heavenly Father, we pray for those who do not know you, and for those who hate you, and for those who hate us. Forgive them, Father, for they know not what they do; open their hearts to the work of your Spirit so that they may come to know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior; and may they, and we, learn to love all people as Jesus did.
Lord, in your mercy… Hear our prayer.
We give you thanks for our nation and for the many ways you have blessed us. Give to our leaders and to all citizens the wisdom to make the best use of those blessings. We pray for all the nations of the world, for all rulers, and for the people of every land. Bestow peace and unity wherever suspicion and violence cause distress. Turn the hearts of all to seek and work for those things that please You, and that bring health, hope and justice to all. Lord, in your mercy, Hear our prayer.
Heavenly Father, your dear Son is the Resurrection and the Life. Grant healing to all who suffer in mind, body, or spirit; and give them a foretaste of his victory over death. Especially we pray for those we now name in our hearts before You: …
Dear Father, graciously hear and generously answer our prayers, to your glory and for the benefit of those for whom we pray, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.
BENEDICTION: The peace of God be with you; The peace of Christ be with you;
The peace of the Spirit be with you; And with your children;
From the day that we have here today, Until the day of the end of your lives. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
PART TWO:
Psalm 51 was written by King David as his prayer of confession and repentance after committing adultery with Bathsheba, and then having her husband Uriah killed, as described in 2 Samuel 11. Here are several verses from that Psalm. In the above video is the song “Create in Me,” with the words of Psalm 51 and the music composed and sung by Keith Green. Psalm 51:
Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.
Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.
For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.
Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight;
so you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge…
Cleanse me, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity.
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me…
Open my lips, Lord, and my mouth will declare your praise.
You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you will not despise.
Related Posts
