The Messenger - August 21, 2011 - When Love Encounters Sin
"When Love Encounters Sin"
"Love covers over a multitude of Sins"
(1 Peter 4:8)
While preparing to preach this Sunday on the text I have shown above, I remembered a sermon I once heard on Genesis 9:18-27. That's the story of Noah, the worlds "first" vintner, who evidently celebrated his survival of the legendary flood described in Genesis 6 through 8 by getting drunk. When Ham, his middle son, finds Noah naked and passed out, he "tattles" on his dad. But Shem and Japheth, Noah's other sons, cover their father's nakedness with a garment, walking backwards to avoid seeing him in "disgrace."
Most commentators I have read tend to praise Shem and Japheth for literally "covering up" a very embarrassing moment for their dad. But the preacher whom I heard was actually the son of an alcoholic. Thus, he excoriated Shem and Japheth for "enabling" their father to "get away with" a very destructive sin.
Several aspects of that sermon bothered me, including the rather obvious distinction between a one-time incident and a repeated pattern of alcohol abuse. But it certainly made me think. After all, in most contexts, the word "cover up" is negative--and often, against the law. That's why President Nixon was impeached. But none of us would be happy if every peccadillo in our conduct and every flaw in our character was exposed.
That leads to a key question: when DOES love "cover over" a multitude of sins? When does love confront them? And when does love expose them for all the world to see?
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When your teenage sons leaves his stinky socks in the middle of the den, do you quietly pick them up and put them in the laundry, or do you make a "fuss" with him?
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When your husband comes home late from work again, meaning that everyone else is famished and dinner is now cold, do you simply say "welcome home, dear", or do you start to shout?
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When you learn that your teenage daughter dented another car in a parking lot but drove away before she could get caught, do you make your daughter return and "confess" to that car's owner--even if your own insurance will go up? Or do you simply let that error "slide"?
In short, when does
love "cover over" sin? What other alternatives are available?
And what exactly did Peter mean by that expression? I'll be
tackling these tough questions during worship this Sunday
morning, and I hope you'll join us--unless you're too busy
covering Saturday's sin! (Just kidding)
At any rate, have a blessed weekend.
Neal
Calendar
Fri, Aug 26
7:00 pm - Youth Hangout
Sat, Aug 27
6:00 pm - Outrigger Cruise
Sun, Aug 28
8:30 am - Adult Sunday School
9:30 am - Worship
11:00 am - Worship and Music Meeting
Mon, Aug 29
7:00 pm - Calendar Planning Meeting
Wed, Aug 31
7:00 am - Bible Study at Carrow's
6:30 pm - Youth Movie Night
7:00 pm - Prayer Group
Thu, Sept 1
7:30 am - Sanctuary Closed - organ tuning in progress
Fri, Sept 2
7:00 pm - Youth Hangout
8:30 am - Adult Sunday School
9:30 am - Worship
5:00 pm - Office Closed - Alarm Alert!
Amy Hubbard is the new editor of the Messenger.
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