March 10, 2002

Fourth Sunday in Lent

“Correction or Criticism: Handling Church Scandals”

Ephesians 5:1-14

Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a man is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them.

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said:

“Wake up, O sleeper,

rise from the dead,

and Christ will shine on you.”

Sermon:

No doubt you have heard that there is a scandal rocking the Roman Catholic Church. The allegations of abuse of children that began to appear in Massachusetts have spread across the country. Most recently we heard of the resignation bishop Anthony O’Connell in Florida, and a growing chorus of calls for the resignation of Cardinal Bernard Law in Boston.

Go back with me several years ago when another high profile Christian scandal was in the news. It was Jimmy Swaggart, pastor of one of the largest Assembly of God churches in the country. I remember it well. Every Christian gathering I went to, that was the topic of conversation. “What do you think about this mess with Jimmy Swaggart?” And the unfounded opinions would fly. And the judgment would be pronounced.

I remember one particular gathering of clergy where this came up. It was a very mixed group. That was one of the strengths of the Williamsport community. They had the strongest, most active, and most diverse ecumenical clergy association I have ever seen.

As a group of us discussed the latest news on Jimmy Swaggart and how his denomination was handling it, there was a lot of finger pointing, particularly from various Protestant clergy. It is so tempting to say, “I knew all along the guy was a fraud.” They had already judged him before his offenses even became known, and now that it was all out in the open it was easy, too easy to declare a judgment.

What I remember most was the comments of a Roman Catholic priest who finally spoke up. He said, “I can’t point the finger of blame at Jimmy Swaggart without also pointing it at my own church. I have seen too many scandals involving my fellow Roman priests.”

It got very quiet as the rest of us considered how each of our own denominations had been involved in scandals of one kind or another. Then this priest offered some words that I will never forget. He said, “This is not the time for finger pointing. This is a time for the church, the whole church to be in prayer. When one of us falls, all of us are hurt by it.”

This priest had done something truly extraordinary, and the rest of us felt it immediately. He had included us in “the church”, something we didn’t think that his denomination believed was true, and something we seldom did for each other. He regarded us as members of the same family, and that was not an easy thing for him to do, especially in that situation.

You may recall that in Jimmy Swaggart’s earlier days, one of the things he was known for was his unrelenting attacks on the Roman Catholic Church, whom he regarded as dangerous heretics. It would have been the easiest thing in the world for my priest friend to have said, “Jimmy got just what was coming to him” but he didn’t say that. He didn’t. Instead he challenged us all to take another look at how closely connected we really are, and also take a look at how we react to problems like this. He reminded us that we are to be first and foremost a people of prayer.

As this news unfolds about abuses in the Roman Catholic Church, it comes at a terrible time. Since Sept. 11, we have been focused on our relationship with other religions, particularly Islam. We have been reminded that much of the Moslem world regards Christianity, especially American Christianity as a corrupting influence in the world which they must, at the very least guard themselves against, or at worst, attack and destroy. As revelations come forth about Christian clergy abusing children, you can be sure that Moslem groups around the world are receiving this news as another affirmation that they were right about us all along.

It is very important for us to understand that we, American Christians, are all in the same boat, now as never before. We are being judged. The world at large, and the unchurched neighbors right here at home are not going to distinguish between denominations. All they will see is that this is another example that Christians cannot be trusted - that in spite of our pious words about holiness and righteousness, we are actually no different from anyone else on this earth.

I offer you today the same words of wisdom that my priest friend shared with us years ago. “This is not a time for finger pointing. The church, the whole church needs to be in prayer. When one of us falls, all of us will be hurt by it.” And he didn’t just make that up. It’s right out of the Bible:

1 Cor. 12:24-26 “God has brought together all the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.”

This problem of divisions in the church isn’t new. It goes all the way back to the time of the apostles. The only difference is that instead of denominational names, in those days they had city names. There was the church in Corinth, and the church in Ephesus, and the church in Galatia, etc. Each city church tended to think of itself as the whole church, the true church, as though what happened in the other churches had no real effect on it. As if the Christians in Ephesus could say, “Those Corinthians are such losers, not real Christians like we are. Look at all the trouble Paul has keeping them in line. We knew this would happen. Nothing good comes out of Corinth.” Paul had to warn them against this kind of thinking, trying to make them understand, “You’re all in this together. If Corinth goes down, we all go down.”

Here’s what I see. If we cannot honor the whole Body of Christ in other denominations, we will not be able to honor one another, even within our own parish. If we start making distinctions, setting apart whole groups of people and saying, “Well, they might be Christians in some sense, but they’re not really as Christian as we are, and we aren’t responsible for what they do because they don’t worsip the way we do” then it is only a very short step to turn to the person in the pew next to us and begin to think, “Hmmm. I wonder if he is really as Christian as I am.”

It has taken many years for me to mature to the point where I recognize this. Years ago, when Jimmy Swaggart was the headline, I was ready to condemn, I was ready to judge, because it took the focus off of me. That’s what judgment always does. It relieves us by giving us someone else’s sins to point to instead of our own. It’s an easy game to play, but it’s a fool’s game because no one wins.

Jesus said, “Do not judge, and you will not be judged.” It sounds so simple, and indeed it is. Why then is it so hard for us to do? I think I know the answer. Withholding judgment is hard for us because we like to be in control. Judgment is about control. We like the feeling of having some wisdom, some answer, some truth to declare. And indeed, wisdom and truth are very good things. When someone is in a dilemma and we have the knowledge that they need, it is a wonderful thing to be able to shed some light, to help someone solve a problem.

But this desire to be wise in our own eyes can quickly take an unhealthy turn. When the desire to sound wise and knowing turns to criticism, it loses its sweet flavor. It turns sour.

Last week we talked about correction, and the need for the church to take more seriously the business of correcting and rebuking one another when there is a need for it, so that people will be turned away from error and back to the truth. Well, today we add another piece of the picture. Correction is not the same thing as criticism. Let me give you this simple quiz, and show you how clearly you are able to recognize the difference.

Situation: You see someone with his car up on a wobbly jack, and he’s banging away at the tire, trying to pull it off, and the car looks like it’s about to roll over on top of him.

A) You say, “That’s no way to change a tire. What are you trying to do, get yourself killed?”

B) You say, “Watch out there, your car is about to fall off the jack. That isn’t how you change a tire. Here, let me show you.”

Now, which one was criticism, and which one was correction?

Did you have any trouble telling the differnce? NO. And neither does anyone else that you criticize.

Correction brings healing. Criticism brings more wounds.

Correction instructs. Criticism offends.

Correction offers help. Criticism offers nothing.

Correction results in growth and learning. Criticism results in bitterness and estrangement.

Correction lifts up. Criticism puts down.

Jesus said, “By their fruit you will know them” and I think you can apply that truth to actions as well as to people. You will know whether you have acted out of correction or criticism by the fruit that it brings.

Now, here’s the Gospel message, a word straight from the Lord that I want to share with you today. Jesus doesn’t mind at all if you correct one another. In fact, He encourages it. Do it in love, but do it. But He is really tired of His people criticising one another.

This latest scandal in the church is bound to draw plenty of criticism, but what I’m calling for from you today is prayer. Instead of putting down these brothers who made some terrible mistakes, let’s lift them up, lift them up in prayer. There are wounds that need to be healed, and when the church learns to do that, the whole world will be better off for it.

What are you giving up for Lent? Since we are more than half way through the season, I’ll share one of my own, very secret Lenten resolutions with you. During this Lenten season, I have been trying to give up crticism. In the confession today, I will bring to mind the times when I have failed at that, and I will ask the Lord to forgive me. But I will also be giving thanks today for the victories I have seen, the times when I felt that old impulse to criticize, and I stopped it before it came out. That’s what St. Paul urged us to do, to “take every thought captive, making it obedient to Christ.” That’s a good spiritual exercise. You’ll grow strong spiritual muscles as you grab hold of your biggest, ugliest thoughts, and wrestle them to the ground, and make them submit to Christ. And while you’re down there on your knees, why not pray! Let’s do it.

Lord Jesus Christ, on the cross You took the full force of man’s condemnation, and You answered with the most healing words ever spoken: “Father forgive them”. By the indwelling of Your Holy Spirit, make us just like that- a people who carry healing on our lips, not criticism. Make us a people who have the strong spiritual muscles to take every thought captive, and make it obedient to You. Make us a people who honor own another, regardless of our denomination or traditions, a people who are joined into one Body, Your Body, by Your Spirit. Then we won’t have to worry about what the world thinks of us, what other religions think of us, what the neighbors think of us. They’ll know we are Christians by our love. Amen.