Confession

 Zorro

No, just kidding.  Catholics have those little showers in their churches.  You know what I’m talking about.  You go in and sit down and there is a priest who is separated from you by a little screen so he isn’t supposed to know who you are.  Now the Catholic church believes that in this booth the Priest is given the authority of Christ to forgive sins.  That is obviously taking it a little too far.  But I actually like the idea in principle of having a sacrament of Confession.  Let's take a look at a clip that exemplifies the value of the confessional booth.

There is a terrible part of a movie I liked called Mask of Zorro with Anthony Hopkins and Antonio Banderas.  Zorro, played by Banderas, is stealing a beautiful black horse that will help him strike fear into the Mexican Governors that are exploiting the people.  He gets found out and hijinks ensue.  The daughter of the Governor, (which actually happens to be Anthony Hopkins' daughter really) - she sees Banderas and then heads to Confession to tell her priest that she lusted after the man in the mask.  She goes into the booth and as luck and Hollywood would have it, he goes in at the same time to run away from the Mexican soldiers.  Like I said - hijinks ensued.   

She confesses that she had impure thoughts about a man. Banderas says that, “the only sin would be to deny what your heart truly feels.”

…In case you didn’t know that is really Ungodly advice.  Also I am really surprised that a priest was offering confession after nightfall.  

The Church is Dying

Do you know, church, that a lot of people outside the church don’t want what we have?  We tell them it’s good news, we focus on grace and mercy and they just seem to NOT care.  We used to wear suits, now most of us wear jeans.  Still they’d rather stay at home in trainers.  We build huge buildings and spend money on the show or the presentation.  It could be a big screen.  It could be a beautiful PowerPoint.  Other denominations spend thousands, maybe even millions in light shows and bands, audio-visual equipment that would be the pride of a top 40 pop band.  Still, the world would rather watch Netflix or Hulu or Disney.  We tell them that we have the words of eternal life, they say they’ll only read words of any kind on some influencer’s Instagram page, or Facebook post, or 280 characters at a time on Twitter.  Jesus plays in ten thousand places but he doesn’t seem to be trending on social media.  

Or maybe they are into Jesus as an idea. But they haven’t met him.  They’ve been to Easter Sunday, but they haven’t sat down and read the gospels.  They will pay their church dues on Christmas, but they won’t ask God to tabernacle with them inside of their hearts.  They say they won’t come to church because WE’RE bad, not Jesus.  Jesus has never asked them to follow him, because their Jesus doesn’t ask anything.  Jesus has never asked them to pick up their cross because Jesus is too cool to ask that.  Jesus only asks what they are willing to give.  Jesus is great, they tell us, but they don’t like church people because church people are phony or two faced or self-righteous.   

What’s Wrong

Why do you think that is?  Do you think you’re two-faced?  Do you think you’re self-righteous?  Do you think you’re phony?  I’ve been a part of a lot of churches and never have I ever been a part of one that didn’t want people to come in and realize how genuine we are.  Never have I ever heard of a church that thought they were better than non church people.  I mean, we’re trying, but we’re bad.  We think Jesus died to save us so why would we think we didn’t need saving?  Why does the world think that we think we have no sins to atone for?

All Denominations

And it isn’t just this church or Churches of Christ or evangelicals.  Most Christian churches world wide have this sinking membership rate.  Churches as a whole have shrunk in America as a percentage of the population for 60 years.  No, the people of God are having this identity problem.  People are leaving the church.  Some graduate high school and they never come back.  College, rather than being every parent’s way to help their children get a good job, is really the way to get them out of faith in Christ.

The Devil is Part of the Problem

One reason is that the world is seduced by the devil.  There are no two ways about it.  There are some in the world that have a cultivated perception of church people as nasty and hypocritical.  They’ve never been to church to check their perception, but they are betting their eternal life on this perception.  Some people are just bad.  And when I say that some people are bad I mean everyone is bad.  I mean bad.  Everyone is gross on the inside.  Everyone is muck and disease inside their hearts.

We believe that right?  We believe in the power of sin to disconnect us from God and from other people, right?  We believe that sin is that thing that makes all humanity not good enough to live in relationship with the God of the Universe or anyone else, right?  

Grace or Works

I used to think there was the pendulum in religion from Grace and Mercy on one side to Works and holiness on the other.  I thought we had gone too far to one side.  Maybe during the 50’s-70’s the church, many of them were too works-oriented and that turned some people off from the church.  Legitimately.  Churches at this time did have instances of judgment that didn’t suit a body of people whose leader ate with tax collectors and sinners.   We weren’t nice enough back then, I mean churches were growing, but there was a little too much uniformity expected in our churches and sometimes we acted like the Pharisees instead of the guy the Pharisees hated most.   There is less emphasis on holiness and more holiness in our pews.  And that is true. But some of that was the perception the devil has been cultivating for, well - forever. . 

Confession 

Now I think that our differences aren’t stark enough.  The World looks like the church and the church looks like the world.  I think we don’t confess enough.  Let’s talk about why Confession may be a key ingredient that we’re missing.  

1. Confession is healing 

Let’s look at James 5:15 & 16. 15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. 16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.  

Yes the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective, but did you see what confession does? It heals us.  It takes away disease and hurts.  If you confess,it takes away the terrible anxiety that you feel thinking someone may find you out. 

2. Confession is freeing 

Let’s look at Psalm 107:13 & 14. 

13Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,

    and he saved them from their distress.

14He brought them out of darkness, the utter darkness,

    and broke away their chains.

15Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love

    and his wonderful deeds for mankind,

16for he breaks down gates of bronze

    and cuts through bars of iron. 

And listen to the Message paraphrase.

Then you called out to God in your desperate condition;

    he got you out in the nick of time.

He led you out of your dark, dark cell,

    broke open the jail and led you out.

So thank God for his marvelous love,

    for his miracle mercy to the children he loves;

He shattered the heavy jailhouse doors,

    he snapped the prison bars like matchsticks!

I know it may seem counterintuitive to think that telling others is freeing, but ask the drunk who is in recovery.  It’s true. Hiding it, IS the prison.  I mean did we forget this is foundational to our faith.  I will cling to the old rugged cross.  Lay your burden down.  Come to me all you who are weary and heavy laden.  Instead we sometimes get stuck covering our six and hiding our worst parts like we’re on a first date with the creator and his creation.  He is walking through his garden in the cool of the day and he is calling out to us.  Adam, Eve, where are you? (Hint Hint He knows where we are) and our meager weak reply is…we knew we sinned and so we hid.  The gospel ain’t really good news unless we’ve been saved from sin.  We believe in the depravity of sin and the work of Jesus only to fix that.

The good news is that Jesus saves, liars, thieves, drug addicts, Nazi sympathizers, hate mongers, drunks, divorcees, child abusers, people who voted for that guy, people who voted for the other guy, people who voted and thought that would save the world or the country, people who refuse to be involved with the church and blame it on church members who also aren’t perfect, arogant, porn addicts, the immoral, the fearful, the idolaters, you, me, everybody.      

But trying to keep all your lies straight is exhausting.  Gossipping about people and making sure they don’t know takes so much of yourself.  Sin is a prison and Jesus has the key.  When you have nothing to hide it lets you off the hook.  The best way to fight against the darkest impulses of your soul is to let the light in.  

3. Confession is bonding

All through the New Testament Paul is talking about one another.  And the stuff that he says about us getting along is so revolutionary.  

• John 13:14  Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.

• Romans 14:13  Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister.

• Romans 15:7  Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.

• Selling property to feed homeless Christians.  

• Romans 12:10  Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.

• Romans 12:16  Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.

• 1 Corinthians 1:10  I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought.

• John 13:34  “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.

The list goes on; confess to one another, greet one another, serve one another bear with one another, forgive one another, offer hospitality to one another.  There are so many people in the World, heck so many in the church that think the church is a social club.  But this ain’t a social club.  These one another verses do not describe a social club.  It is way more than a social club, way more than a take it or leave it thing.  The church is more of a cult than any cult ever has been.  And it would be so inviting to outsiders if we treated one another like that, but we don’t, do we?  Yes, we all have Jesus in common and that is awesome, but can you see how together in bondage we could be if we had the redemptive power of Jesus over the sin inside of us in common.    

4. Confession is Evangelism

People outside of the church sometimes think we’re two-faced or self-righteous.  Are we?  Some of us are.  Sometimes all of us are, but mostly I don’t think so.  But without confession it may look like we’re trying to hide our sinfulness.  If we were trying to hide our sinfulness then we’d be hypocrites and we would be  literally down-playing the work of Christ.  We have to promote our sinfulness, because it promotes Jesus.  Jesus made a way for us by defeating and forgiving sin.  The world needs to see us ask for forgiveness.  Then he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.  That verse 1 John 1:9 is a tall order, but the author is sort of a big deal. Our confession makes us holy.

 Think how this changes the visitors' experience of church.  They don’t come in thinking we’re phonies hiding our bad parts, we’ve got them on display.  We know we are sinners saved by grace.  Let’s tell them.  It is a key feature.  It’s the main idea.  It’s the good news.  

If they come, they don’t have to feel like they aren’t good enough and that they have to hide their faults.  Faults are the only prerequisite.  Only those with faults belong.  Am I saying that the ones who have the most muck on them are the ones who will feel most connected?  That’s what I’m saying.  Haven’t you noticed that?  The slaver, John Newton, writes Amazing Grace.  The murderer finds Jesus and changes his life.  The Jew of Jews sees Jesus in blindness on the road to Damascus.  Christ wants the sheep that got away, he is here to heal the sick.  That’s you and them.  I would say the insider and the outsider, but I don’t think there are outsiders because of this he wants us all.  He wants the most depraved person that you know.  That person that you wonder why God doesn’t smite them.  He wants them; and you know what? He might get them if we confess to them what we did and that he still wanted us. 

So Zorro, sometimes what our heart truly wants is a big wide road that leads to destruction.  Confession is hard, narrow is the way, but remember that way is the way to the kingdom of God.  It is the right way.  Confession can save you, me, the church, the world.  Jesus saves.  But only,“If you CONFESS with your mouth Jesus is LORD and believe in your Heart that God raised him from the dead, will we be SAVED…”

A Raging Storm

 Brethren, I have been praying that no matter what happens that you would hear my message.  

When I preach, if you didn’t know, my job is to be a conduit for God.  It sounds easy, but God doesn’t send me sermon notes.  I mean he does send me and you sermon notes.  They’re called the Bible and sometimes I would say that we undervalue the power of the holy word of God to make its own points.  

A preacher is supposed to, if he’s doing it correctly, bring a message from the Bible that is the perfect message for that church in that season.  I don’t think that the same sermon can be preached in a big city as can be preached out in the country always.  I don’t think you bring the same sermon in the 90’s that you do today, nor do you bring the same sermon you would in the 70’s or the 1870’s.  So my job is to read the Bible and other wise interpreters of the times and give you the right message for you.  

Now, don’t go thinking that things have to be tailored exactly.  A sermon perfectly suited for you ain’t gonna do it for the one next to you.  So it has to be tailored to y’all.  Plus, I would have to know you more invasively than you want.  Nope.  I am supposed to interpret the times, and figure out what God wants to say to all people in here, of this time.

We sort of think that there’s another job of a preacher, don’t we?  A preacher is supposed to maybe package the Bible in a way you’ve never thought about before.  That’s kind of right, isn’t it?  I read the Bible and I pray in order to boil it down.  I’m here to summarize the Bible.  I’m like a guide and my job is to tell you where the pitfalls of reading the Bible are.  10 ways to think about Genesis.  5 ways you can draw baby Moses out of the Nile. 12 ways you can pick a mate through the scriptures.  How to be a better boss according to the Bible.  How to find your soulmate according to the Bible.  How to read the Bible according to the Bible.  

I will say that there is truth in that.  I hope that a sermon is made by someone who truly believes they are going to God for a word and that the congregation is relying on them for hope, for wisdom, for Christ.  Are you doing that?  Are you expecting me to bring the word of Christ?  Demanding it?  Or are you expecting me to bring a nice message?  Like it says in Hebrews 4:12

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.  

How can a preacher go in there to the word of God and bring back something quaint?  How can a preacher go in there to get simple solutions for making your week a little brighter?  It’s like asking an elephant to blow out birthday candles.  It’s like taking a grenade to a tickle fight.  It’s like trying to quench your thirst with a waterhose. It’s like trying to light a match with hot lava.

And let’s not forget that a preacher or a prophet can be wrong.  In fact, it seems to be more likely.  Like in Jeremiah when he says the prophets other than him were preaching peace peace, but there is no peace.  When we preach that God plans to prosper you and give you a new name and then you realize He’s talking to Jerusalem and all Israel, not you, not me, not every high school graduate in the last twenty years.     

So I’m going to go to the Bible and see if I can let it speak to me, not in some special way, but in a way that I think we’ve heard before and could definitely stand to hear again.  I hope I’m not wrong, but it happens, and you should be paying attention and expecting the gospel from me and the right gospel.  Listen, to the huge responsibility you have to test the gospel I preach.  Listen again to what Paul says in Galatians Chapter 1 verse 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse! 9 As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse!  That means that I’m not the only one with work to do on Sunday.  If you’re falling asleep I’m not doing my job, but you’re not doing yours either.

My story is a famous one.  You’ve heard it.  You’ve probably heard it a bunch of times.  It is an amazing story with multiple miracles in it.  Miracles are amazing events that aren’t supposed to be possible; done by Christ or God or one of their followers.  We sometimes read the feeding of the five thousand and aren’t stunned.  Jesus regenerated fish and bread out of nothing.  Something that physics says is impossible.  Matter and energy out of nothing. That should set us back, but sadly we’re used to it.  Well, did you know that Jesus was sad when it happened?  That doesn’t get into the story as often.  Jesus had just learned that John the Baptist had been beheaded.  Y’all that is/was his cousin.  Anyone see that trope in TV or movies where the next of kin to a murder victim will talk about someone and then they’ll change midsentence to past tense. “He loves basketball; I mean he loved basketball.  That always gets me; does it get you?  Jesus said he loves wild honey, (sob) loved wild honey.  And he smelled awful.

Jesus just lost a cousin in a time where cousin meant more than it does today.  And these two cousins had intertwined ministries, that makes them even closer.  One cousin’s mom, Mary, went to see the other cousin’s mom when she was preggo and John leaped in Elizabeth’s womb and it was so exciting Mary made up a song about it.  It was magnificent. So the boys were close.  

Jesus wants to be alone to mourn so he crosses a lake to be alone but it doesn’t work.  Have you ever wanted to be alone because you were sad?  And you can’t.  It’s awful, right?  Jesus feels awful.  The people follow him around the lake for days even neglecting to pack food and eat because he does miracles.  Wouldn’t you follow someone who did miracles?  So he teaches them until they’re hungry and then he feeds them miraculously by regenerating fish and loaves.  This is an awesome power to have if you’re starting an army, but he wasn’t.  Pop quiz:  How many miracles are so huge they’re in all four gospels?  Just two. This one and the resurrection.  So it’s kind of a big deal.  But it is not the story the sermon is about.  After the miraculous feeding he disperses the crowd and even sends his compadres, his amigos, his 12 apostles on ahead so that he can sit and cry alone and pray and think about how John didn’t even really believe in him.  Sure Jesus says in between sobs he called me the Lamb of God, but he sent his disciples last week to ask if they should expect another.  Brethren, if that doesn’t make you feel sad for Jesus then I don’t know what will.  Actually, everyone else is going to leave him too.  His mom is going to doubt him.  His apostles are going to desert him.  If this doesn’t make you feel bad for Jesus, it WILL get worse.  

And then fastword, his apostles are about to die.  Jesus is really sad, the people are headed back to the other side of the lake where they all came from, and the 12 are in a boat and it’s getting beat up in a storm.  Jesus is so sad, but he knows he’s got to do something.  Apostles are expensive.  If these ones died he’d have to train new ones.  That’s a joke.  The apostles aren’t expensive, they seem to get worse WITH training, right?  In fact, we might think Jesus would be served better by letting them drown.  Peter wouldn’t need to deny him 3x if he were dead.  Judas wouldn’t sell out for silver if he was at the bottom of the lake.  Doubting Thomas would never have been given the moniker “doubting.”  Jesus could pick some really good ones.  God knows where they are… I mean literally God knows where Steven is and Phillip and Barnabas and Paul.  But Jesus has grace y’all.  Be grateful, that IS the good news, so Jesus is going to go out there and save them, on the water.  

Before we get too far let us talk about the water.  The water, especially the sea, represents evil.  The deep is always where we assumed hell was.  We thought it was hot, guess what; under the crust is pretty hot.  That is where the devil lives.  And a raging storm is going on.  It is so bad that professional fishermen think they are going to die.  They make their living on the water, but this water isn’t like the other water, this water looks evil.  Remember Jonah, the pagan sailors had to wake him up to pray to his God.  Something about the storm was evil and they needed all the spiritual firepower they could find.

And here’s the place where I ask you to find yourself in the story.  There is a group of people in a boat and the boat seems to be surrounded by evil.  The news is evil; there are credible threats of nuclear war from Russia and possibly China is going to attack Taiwan.  There are prison camps in both countries.  Iran and North Korea are both acting like children, nuclear armed children, but also they are evil.  There is evil in our schools teaching things that aren’t true.  Some are evil.  Both political sides are spending too much and neither is praying enough.  Crime is being encouraged.  Justice is neglected.  Evil is everywhere.  Evil made for capsizing the boat we’re in, right.  Do you feel that? Do you feel that the storm around us is evil?  

Or you’re in the boat and you’re surrounded by disease.  You’ve got a startling lack of “life to the full.”  You’ve got cancer.  You’ve got COPD.  You’ve got ADHD.  You’ve got kids in the public schools.  You’ve got shingles.  You’ve got a grave where your husband should be.  You’ve got a place at the table where your child should be.  You can’t walk, talk, see, hear.  Death is near and the storm that rages is evil.             

You’re in a boat and around you there is a raging storm.  The storm makes you want to take a drink.  The storm makes you want to look at images that are ungodly.  The storm makes you want a person to share your bed who isn’t your spouse.  The storm makes you want pills, or calories, to spend money.  Someone’s storm is thinking they aren’t in a storm.  You’re in the storm, trust me.    Someone’s storm is thinking they can calm the storm.  You’re in a boat and all around you there is evil and it seems like your boat is going to capsize, break apart, smash to a million bits, die, relapse, go to war, murdered, robbed, destroyed.  

Can you see yourself?  Please picture yourself.   You’re in the boat and the evil is outside threatening you.  Can you see yourself?  

Now picture Jesus.  That is the good news.  Jesus comes to us when evil surrounds us.  Romans 5:8 While we were still sinners Christ died for us.  Jesus is walking on the water, what JESUS IS WALKING ON THE WATER.  Yeah.  Maybe the evil got him and he’s a ghost, but that can’t be it.  What is he doing there?  Same thing he’s doing everywhere.  He is there to confront evil and it is really good news.        

Peter is in the boat.  You know how it is to be in the boat, but Peter has worked on boats his whole life and he thinks this is evil and he’s got one question.  Can I come to you?  Peter knows what he needs and it isn’t in the boat.  Please let me come to you. 

You found yourself in the story, right?  Peter is in the boat with you and the two of you are surrounded by evil and Peter wants to get out of the boat.  You’ve heard the story, but it bears repeating.  Peter got out of the boat and was actually walking on water too.  But then he saw the wind and the waves and started to sink.  Jesus grabs his hand and pulls him up.  

Oh ye of little faith.  Jesus calls him ye.  He calls you ye too.  He is surprised that you lost faith, but like a good teacher or coach he knows exactly what went wrong.  Peter had faith to go to Jesus, but then got sidetracked by the wind and waves and took his eyes off the one who found him in the evil place.

Brethren, when evil is all around us.  Keep your eyes on him.  Read more about him.  Pray more to him.  Spend more time with believers.  Listen to godly music and podcasts.  Some of you are sinking because your eyes got off him and got back onto all the evil.  

Happens to me too.  You aren’t alone.  Peter took his eyes off Jesus.  Peter took his eyes off Jesus.  You will also.  From time to time you will take your eyes off Jesus.  And the evil is still all around when you have your eyes on him. 

So you found yourself in the story, right?  You’re in the boat and you also got out of the boat with Peter.  And I don’t doubt that sometimes in our walk we get out of the boat with Peter.  But some of us aren’t out of the boat.  Some of us didn’t get out of the boat.  How many apostles got out of the boat?  You’re there. You’re in the story.  Did you get out of the boat?  No one got out, but Peter, and he almost sank.  And this is good news?  

Yeah.  It is good news.  It is great news.  Jesus has the power over the storm.  The storm still rages.  I don’t want to make light of the evil in your life.  I have had some, but I know there are people that have had more than I have.  Jesus controls the wind and the rain.  You can get out of the boat.  Jesus has power over the evil all around us.  Some of us haven’t tested his power, but he has the power, get out of the boat.  He’ll pick you up even if your eyes are on the wind and rain.  We might feel safer inside, but the professional sailors think the waves are evil and will kill you, get out of the boat.  He’ll get you where you’re going if you worship him, but if you don’t get out of the boat you won’t know what it’s like to walk on the water.  The storm rages on and on and on, but Jesus has grace for his children especially if they get out of the boat.

Some of us today need to get out of the boat.  In the evil times, in the evil world you are not relying on your savior.  You cannot rely on man-made security.  You’ve got to go further.  Please don’t get angry at me, I’m not calling into question your salvation.  I’m calling into question your sanctification.  I’m wondering if you’ve picked up your cross and followed after him. 

Some of us today have gotten out of the boat. Praise God.  But the times are still evil and we can take our eyes off the one who walks on water.  Keep your eyes on him.  Fall in love.  Repent again.  Reach out.  Ask to go to him.  Pray more.  Give him some alone time.  He will lift you up.  When the day of evil comes.  Jesus is better than any boat.  He’s better than dry land.  He’s lost so many, his grief is strong, but his grace pushes him to save all he can.  Even in his sadness he loves you so much he’ll come and get you in the raging storm and he will rescue us.  

When I went out the sky was clear, before long the torrent was near.  

The clouds came and darkened my sight, as if the dark was choking the light.

The squall came and I was caught, I drug at the ores but it was for naught.

The winds blew harder so I lost control, the lightning struck and darkened my soul

The evil poured into my little boat, my life and my heart were barely afloat.

That’s when I saw my savior and king, he was walking on water heading for me.

God if it’s you please bring me beside, thy strength and thy mercy are all there outside.

He called to me with a nod and a wink, but alas you probably guessed I started to sink.   

But that was when it was clearest of all, with his hand in my hand no way I could fall.

Christ lifts me up and we both stand, My eyes on him and I’m holding his hand. 

In a second we’re going to sing.  If you’re on the bank of the lake and you want to follow Jesus, come.  If you’re on the boat and you want to come to him on the water, come.  If you’re on the water, but you’ve taken your eyes off Jesus, come.  The elders of the church or I will be here to talk to you about your next steps.