The Perfecting
Process
2 Samuel 12:1-14; 2 Corinthians 13:5-9
A Sermon Delivered by Thomas J. Boone, Ph.D.
Central Presbyterian Church, Mobile AL
Memorial Day Sunday, May 25, 2008
In the late 1800’s, as our young nation struggled to reunite in the
aftermath of its war that pitted north against south and even friend against
friend in some cases, General Logan made the following declaration. “The 30th of May, 1868, is
designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers, or otherwise decorating
the graves of comrades who died in the defense of their country during the late
rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village, and hamlet
churchyard in the land. In this
observance no form of ceremony is prescribed, but posts and comrades will in
their own way arrange such fitting services and testimonials of respect as
circumstance may permit.” At the
inauguration of Decoration Day, 5,000 people decorated the graves of nearly
20,000 Confederate and Union soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery. So it began that on the 30th of
May, and now on May’s last Monday, we remember the dearest of prices that have
and continue for a nation in process of becoming itself. We’ve not always made correct decisions as a
nation; we’ve not always served God; we’ve not always preserved righteousness;
but we are a nation in process of becoming the vision of what our founding
fathers dared to dream: one nation committed both to God and to the liberty of
God’s human creation.
On Memorial Day we remember that we’re an imperfect nation in the midst of an imperfect collection of nations governed by imperfect women and men. The tangible and undeniable cost of that imperfection is the bloodshed by our young men and women across generations, and the bitter memories of war for those who didn’t die. Yet, we remember, too, that as a nation we’re on a journey subject to God’s sovereignty. Whereas as Christians we remember the fallen defenders of our nation on Memorial Day, as a church we honor best the cost of these lives and pain of the memories by calling our nation to repentance and renewed faith as a people who bless God that God may bless us. We seek to draw people closer to God so that no son or daughter will ever have to pay the price of our imperfection with her or his life again.
From the moment sin entered the world people preferred power over peace; self-preservation over submission; and retribution over reconciliation. So, ever since the Fall, we’ve been in a process to restore perfection. But, as our history testifies, and as the gospel proclaims, our perfection lies not in our own hands, but leans wholly upon the grace of God.
Yet, God’s grace, while completely free, is neither cheap nor easy. It has never been enough to say simply, “I am God’s child,” and then allow sin to run amuck in our lives. The same is true for a nation that proclaims it is under God. It’s not enough to say “one Nation under God” then allow sin and its effects to run rampant.
With our nation facing the credit crisis we’re in, I have to ask, “Where is the prophetic voice of the church calling people to less extravagant lifestyles?” With financial institutions making it easy for people to get in debt to the point of bankruptcy I have to ask, “Where is the church challenging people to responsibility in their choices of God over material idolatry?” When moments for prayer become moments for silence in schools, I’m disturbed that the church advocates pluralistic religious voices when it’s supposed to boast only in the gospel of Christ in every occasion. When some in the church advocate the redefinition of marriage to include same-gender covenants I lament that we’re giving cultural authority precedence above scripture’s call for holiness. Where is the church’s message of repentance to the nation and the world? It’s a risky message for some, it’s an offensive proclamation that won’t make us popular, but since when were Christians supposed to be popular and quiet?
One of the clearest messages in scripture is that when there’s something wrong in a person’s or group’s life God expects repentance and transformation. Presbyterians have a word for that: sanctification, which is a fancy word for the process of becoming more like Jesus. But harder than remembering what it means is doing it. Sanctification is like taking a hard, craggy rock and shaping it into a smooth round stone. The perfecting process for Christian individuals and churches can be an exhausting, faith-testing, painful journey and it’s not intended for the timid among us. But, if we lose sight of this process then we run into trouble.
This is trouble that Paul had found in the Corinthian churches, so he had to ask them a question to get them back on track: do you pass the test of being a woman or man of faith? Authentic faith, you see, passes the tests of faith. Most of us have grown up in the church and think that as long as we’re good people who go to church that’s enough. But if we listen to Paul, that’s just not enough. Passing the tests of faith is visible in the fruit of faith, which is what he writes about throughout 1st and 2nd Corinthians. It’s things like adhering to scripture’s truth rather than buy into cultural authority, showing compassion in ways that people see it, preserving Christian unity, putting the gospel first in our social interactions without being legalistic about it, fleeing from sexual immorality, struggling against sin rather than redefining it so we can live more easily, and keeping worship Christ-centered.
But, when we don’t live up to these tests of authentic faith, how do we respond? That, too, is a test of faith and it’s the lesson that was awaiting David when Nathan came a’callin. David had had an affair with Bathsheba and, more than that, had arranged for her husband’s death to cover up the sin. Now, I don’t know where that falls into your category of bad sins, but for me the combination of those two ranks pretty high on the list. Yet, God kept His covenant with David. What’s more amazing is that Saul apparently didn’t do anything like what David did, yet Saul wasn’t pleasing to God. What gives?
When God sent Nathan to David, we learn that the difference between Saul and David was that David understood the perfecting process as a man of faith. When Saul was caught in sin he tried to pawn off his sin onto someone else and didn’t repent. In fact, not once does Saul voluntarily and freely humble himself before God and confess a sin. Rather, his pride consistently controls his heart. However, when Nathan confronts David with his sin, listen to what David said: “I have sinned against the Lord.” You know how sometimes it’s tempting to argue with someone when we’ve been caught in a sin? Well, David didn’t argue with Nathan. You know how it’s tempting to try to manipulate ourselves out of a punishment when we’re pulled over for something as simple as a speeding ticket? David took the punishment. Granted he pleaded with God not to take the child born from his adulterous relationship, but he accepted it when the consequence came. You know how we can get angry with God or others when we’re in the midst of the consequences of our sin? David simply and humbly repented. Finally, and this is an important point for each of us to ponder, you know how easy it is to continue punishing ourselves long after, even years after, we’ve done something wrong? David didn’t live the rest of his days punishing himself over what he did. Rather, after his confession, consequence, and repentance, he washed off his ashes, worshipped God, and returned to being the king God had called him to be.
That’s the perfecting process. That’s the evidence that the Holy Spirit is at work in us and that we have faith in the Lord of grace. Where imperfection abides God won’t hold back the tide of consequence, but neither does He want us to drown in it. The process of becoming more like Christ means facing the consequences, repenting of the sin, and moving forward in a way that is more holy. That’s the test of our faith that Paul’s talking about, and it’s the thing that made David a man after God’s heart.
So what does all this have to do with Memorial Day? On Memorial Day keep a minute of silence at 3 pm. Remember those who have died in war. But, as a church let’s also remember that the reason for war is our imperfection. And because people have died on account of imperfection, and they still do, let’s do more than just remember them. As a church we renew our commitment to calling the nation and the world to repentance from that imperfection, but that repentance begins with us.
Why are we here? God didn’t put the church here just to give people a warm pew to sit on during a Sunday morning. He hasn’t called me to preach the good news simply to make people feel better about themselves. He didn’t die on a cross to establish a social service agency. He gave His life to send us out into the world and make disciples of those around us. God put us here to transform the world. But, the church can’t do this if the people in the church continue to surrender their prophetic voice to the authority of culture, to the watering down of sin, or to deny ourselves the process of becoming more like Christ. If as a church we accommodate ourselves so much to our non-Christian culture and its values so as to lose our uniqueness in it, then we’ve done our God, our nation, this world, and those who have died because of the world’s imperfection a great disservice. So we unite our voices to say “Yes,” we remember those who have died and honor those who have survived war, but more than this we risk the message of repentance so that no man or woman may ever again taste death on account of our imperfection. May God give us strength, courage, and wisdom to bear the gospel to this imperfect world. Hallelujah. Amen.