Associated Press, Dateline, Washington, D.C.: A woman in our nation's capitol welcomed Queen Elizabeth II into her home in a warm and beautiful way. She gave her a hug. This simple act made headlines around the world because British protocol forbids commoners from touching a monarch.
The queen, accompanied by first lady Barbara Bush and Washington Mayor Sharon Pratt Dixon, visited 67-year-old retiree Alice Frazier's home in an area formerly plagued by drugs and crime but now rehabilitated. It was on this occasion that Frazier shocked British sensibilities with her effusive hospitality. Frazier was simply showing her happiness at being visited by royalty. No one had explained to her that you don't hug a queen.
I was reminded of this incident when I came to our Old Testament and Gospel texts for the day. In Isaiah, we read about one of the most notable confrontations with God in recorded history.
Isaiah writes: "In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another: `Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.' At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. `Woe to me!' I cried. `I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty.'" (NIV)
In our lesson from the Gospels Jesus is speaking to Simon Peter, "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." They did let down the nets and caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. They signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them. Soon both boats were so full that they began to sink. And it began to dawn on Simon Peter that this carpenter from Nazareth was more than just a man. He fell at Jesus' knees and said, "Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!"
How you act in the presence of a queen is one thing. How you act in the presence of God is quite another. Suppose God appeared to us in this hour in this place. How would you react?
SOME FOLKS PROBABLY WOULDN'T KNOW HOW TO BEHAVE IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD.
"I was getting dressed one Sunday morning to speak at old First Church--a high-steeple church with a rich history. The radio was on. The early morning service from a fast growing Pentecostal church was being broadcast. I knew the pastor. He is not a great preacher--a little too emotional for my liking. But he knows how to reach people no one else can reach.
"As I straightened my tie, I heard him say, `Before we begin this morning, I want to say a couple of things to you. First of all, I want to say that there is far too much moving around in the service while I am preaching. It's distracting.' I thought that was a rather amusing thing for him to say on radio. Then he added, `And another thing. I would appreciate it if you would wait till after the service is over to go out to the restroom.' I thought to myself, `Is he really saying this on radio?' Then to make matters worse he added, `I have to wait till the service is over to go to the restroom and so can you!' I let out a hearty laugh. That's not the sort of thing most of us would broadcast as part of a worship service. Smugly I finished tying my tie and laughed inwardly about this unsophisticated messenger of the Gospel.
"Then the voice of God spoke to my heart. `King,' God said, `the reason that pastor has to tell his people how to behave in church is that a year ago many of them were not in a church. Some of them were having serious problems with alcohol and drugs. Some of them were going thru painful divorces. A few were even in jail. That's why they don't know how to act in church. They haven't been in church very long.' Then God said, `Don't worry, King, you won't have that difficulty at old First Church.'" And I thought to myself, `God help us, we won't. Everybody at old First church will know how to behave in church.' And I couldn't help thinking that might be the most tragic thing that can be said about any congregation.'"
Some people may not know how to behave in the presence of God because they have not had much experience with God.
BUT THERE IS ANOTHER REASON WHY SOME OF US MAY NOT MAINTAIN A PROPER DECORUM IN GOD'S PRESENCE. IT HAS TO DO WITH THE PICTURE JESUS GAVE US OF GOD.
The pastor tried one last argument: Did not Jesus himself break the commandment and declare that the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath? Then an old man stood up and said, "I have always been troubled, Pastor, by something I have never ventured to say publicly. Now I must say it. I have always had the feeling that our Lord Jesus was just a bit of a liberal."
Jesus was a bit of a liberal--particularly when it comes to how we approach God. How can we maintain a proper distance from God--how can we maintain the stern, cold, stained-glass demeanor often associated with worship when Jesus teaches us to address God as "Daddy?"
A young boy burst into the great throne chambers of a medieval king. The boy was skipping and singing as children do. He was completely oblivious to the regal sobriety of his surroundings. Suddenly, he was intercepted by an armored solider. "Have you no respect, lad?" hissed the soldier. "Don't you know that the man on the throne is your king?"
The boy wriggled out of the soldier's grasp. Dancing away, he laughed and said, "He is your king but he is my father!" And the boy bounced up to the throne and leaped into the king's lap.
Some people could never approach God with such freedom. They feel that religion must be painful if it is authentic.
When anesthesia was first used to diminish the pains of childbirth in the late 1840s, churchmen (all males) objected. After all Eve was told, "in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children," as one of the punishments for eating the forbidden fruit. In 1853, however, Queen Victoria allowed herself to be chloroformed while giving birth to her 7th child, and all criticism stopped. None of the churchmen had the nerve to criticize the Queen.
Some Christians have that attitude toward worship. They do not have the freedom of Jesus. Indeed, they see him as a bit of a liberal in how he approached God.
He was also a bit of a liberal in the kind of people he brought into God's presence. Suppose Jesus filled the front row of our church this morning. Suppose he were the pew captain in a fill-the-pew campaign.
Can't you just see what we might be in for? There next to the aisle sits a man with a serene expression on his face. Rumor has it that just a few months ago he was running naked among the stones at the town cemetery, cutting himself with rocks and screaming at passersby.
Next to him sits a man named Bartimaeus. He's a nice enough fellow, but I wish he wouldn't get quite so carried away with the hymns. Particularly when we're singing "Amazing Grace" and he comes to that part about "I once was blind, but now I see..." Really, that kind of emotional expression is out of place here.
Next to Bartimaeus sits a woman. Her clothes are a little too gaudy. She could use some lessons in good taste. I don't mean to gossip, but I understand that sometime back she was caught in the very act of adultery. Jesus had to protect her from a mob. Really, she should know better than to show up here.
And so the story goes. Some people don't know how to act in the presence of God. Jesus may be partly responsible for that. He was a bit liberal, you see. But there's one thing more to be said.
MAYBE NONE OF US KNOW EXACTLY HOW TO ACT IN GOD'S PRESENCE.
Instead, we would react just like Isaiah and Simon Peter.
FIRST, WE WOULD BE CONSCIOUS OF OUR SINFULNESS.
Isaiah said, "Woe is me, for I am a man of unclean lips." Peter said, "Depart from me Lord, for I am a sinful man." Such a consciousness of our inadequacy is necessary for any real change to take place in our lives.Lillian Roth was a superb entertainer who drowned her career in a sea of booze. Her struggle with alcohol was told in a motion picture starring Susan Hayward titled I'LL CRY TOMORROW. Lillian Roth confessed that she was absolutely powerless in trying to overcome her problem with alcohol until she was finally able to utter 3 little words: "I need help!"
In the presence of the Divine, Isaiah and Peter suddenly realized they were sinners and needed help. Such an acknowledgement is necessary if we are to be all God means for us to be. They also discovered something else.
THEY DISCOVERED THEY HAD A MISSION.
Isaiah heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" And Isaiah said, "Here am I. Send me!" Peter heard Jesus say, "Don't be afraid; from now on you will catch men."If we truly felt ourselves in the presence of God this morning, we too would realize we have a mission. That mission would be to go out from this place to live the Jesus life--to reach out in love not only to those who are "our kind of people," but also to take Christ's love to folks who wouldn't know how to behave in our church.
And now, the good news for the day. God is here. He is seeking to make Himself known to each of us. Do you not sense His presence? Are you not aware of your own inadequacy? Do you not feel a call to His service?
In 1922 Max Flack of the Chicago Cubs and Cliff Heathcote of the St. Louis Cardinals were traded for each other. This is not unusual except that they were traded after the first game of a double-header between the 2 teams. During the 2nd game both men played in different uniforms. I am asking you this morning, if you really sense God's presence in this place, to accept a change of uniforms.
How do you act in the presence of a queen? Protocol says you do not hug her. How do you act in the presence of God? First, don't be afraid. He's your Daddy. Secondly, confess your need. Finally, heed His call.
