When Queen Elizabeth II visited Washington there was a breach of royal tradition that was reported in newspapers around the world. It was the warm way a woman greeted the Queen. The woman gave the Queen a big hug. British protocol forbids commoners from ever touching a monarch. The queen, with the First Lady, visited a 67-year-old retiree, Alice Frazier, in her home. Her area had formerly been plagued by drugs and crime, but now it was a model of rehabilitation. When the Queen entered her home, Frazier shocked British sensibilities with her warm hospitality. She was simply showing her happiness at being visited by royalty. No one had explained to her that you don’t hug a queen.
In the two scriptures that Gloria read this morning, there were two men who stood in the presence of God and weren’t sure how they were supposed to act.
In Isaiah, we read about one of the most notable confrontations with God in recorded history. Isaiah writes: "In the year the King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lofty; and the hem of his robe filled the temple. Seraphs were in attendance above him; each had six wings: with two they covered their faces, and with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. And one called to another and said: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory." The pivots on the thresholds shook at the voices of those who called, and the house filled with smoke. And I said: "Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!"
In the scripture from Luke, Jesus is speaking to Simon Peter. "...He said to Simon, ‘Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.’ Simon answered, ‘Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if 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 of 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, for 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. What do we do when we see God? 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. They haven’t had much experience. King Duncan, editor of Dynamic Preaching, had an experience that brought this truth home to him in a memorable way. In his own words, here is what he said:
"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 when 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.
"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 church. Some of them were having serious problems with alcohol and drugs. Some of them were going through 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 don’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.’"
I love that story! And many of us ought to see the application to our own congregation. Did you know that more than half of the children that come to worship with us have never been in church before they came to Central? We need to be very thankful for some of the disruption from our kids, and sometimes from our adults. Perhaps it means that we are really doing something. We are really reaching persons who need to be reached.
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 proper decorum in God’s presence. It may be because we do not have an adequate picture of who God is -- we do not know the real nature of God.
Isn’t it true that many of us still think of a stern God high in the heavens sending his bolts at those who are misbehaving? Jesus taught us to address God as Father. No! More than that! Jesus taught us to address God as "Daddy." In the New Testament, Jesus did not use the formal name for a "father." In the language he spoke, Jesus uses the word that sounds like "da-da," "papa," daddy. Jesus called God "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 dignity of his surroundings. Suddenly, he was intercepted by an armored soldier. "Have you no respect, lad?" hissed the soldier. "Don’t you know that the man on the throne is your king?"
The boy wiggled 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 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 to be authentic religion. You must approach God by bloodying your back with whips or by starving yourself to death. Did you know that when anesthesia was first used to diminish the pains of childbirth in the late 1840s, the fundamentalists of the day objected. They were all males, of course. They reminded the people that in the Bible Eve was told, "in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children," as one of the punishments for eating the forbidden fruit.
Suppose Jesus came into our worship service to stand in the presence of Daddy, and he brought his friends with him. Can’t you see just 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 nice enough fellow, but he’s kind of disturbing when he gets 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.
You get the point. Some people don’t know how to act in the presence of God. Jesus may be partly responsible for that. But, you know, maybe none of us know exactly how to act in God’s presence.
But how should we act in the presence of God? It is an awesome idea and a little daunting. Perhaps we should act just like Isaiah and Simon Peter! Isaiah said, "Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips." Peter said, "Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!"
We have seven groups meeting each week in our church. Each of them, like Alcoholic Anonymous, adhere to a 12-step program, and those who are familiar with the twelve steps know that part of their wisdom is acknowledgment that a person cannot begin to make improvements in their lives until they recognize that they need help. This recognition is the first of the twelve steps that opens up the other eleven. "Woe is me! I am lost." "Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man."
When the light of the presence of God shines on you, you realize your own darkness and inadequacy. If you are arrogant enough to think you are a better Christian than your neighbor, you may be further from God than your neighbor. Always remember that one way to recognize that a person has stood in the presence of God is the quality of humility. In the presence of the divine, Isaiah and Peter suddenly realized they were sinners and needed help. Such an acknowledgment is necessary if we are to be all God means for us to be.
Isaiah and Peter 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 that we have a mission. The mission would be to go out from this place to live the life of compassion and service that is the Jesus-like life.
And now the good news for the day. GOD IS HERE. God is HERE! He is seeking to make himself known to each of us. I’m going to ask the choir to sing the song again about God being present here and now. I’d like for the congregation to join in. The words are printed in your bulletin insert.
Surely the presence of the Lord is in this place,
I can feel his mighty power and his grace.
I can hear the brush of angels’ wings,
I see glory on each face,
surely the presence of the Lord is in this place.
God is indeed seeking to make Himself known to each of us. Are you aware of your own inadequacy? Do you not feel His call to service?
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. Second, confess your need, your need for God’s forgiveness. Finally, heed His call. Find out what God is calling you to be. Find out what God is calling you to do.
