The Politician, the photographer, and the pedophile

 Moral outrage is a strange thing.

In a recently released email we see a picture of the strange reality of moral outrage.  The email, in part, is related to the October 2016 furor over Donald Trump’s ‘Access Hollywood’ interview in which he admitted to some pretty serious sexual misconduct.  I am not interested in rehashing that story, nor am I a Trump apologist.  However, this recently released email offers a picture into what might be our condition.

The author of the email stated that he was originally not going to vote against Trump but was changing his mind and was going to give Trump his support and a sympathy vote. The author found the treatment of Trump to be hypocritical.  He was convinced that Bill Clinton said worse.  For the author, the hypocrisy of outrage mustered up against Trump was just too much.  Apparently the great moral evil of hypocrisy was something to not be tolerated.  We all have those hot buttons that, when pushed, cause us to respond with a sense of righteous indignation. 

But there is a certain irony associated with this email’s subject, author, and recipient.  While we are all familiar with Donald Trump, we may not be as familiar with the author Andres Serrano.  Serrano is an artist who specializes in what is called ‘transgressive art.’  Transgressive art attempts to offend and cause revulsion on the part of the observer.  At the same time that Serrano was having this email conversation, he was doing exhibitions of his show, “Torture.” In this exhibition Serrano, a photographer, presented a series of pictures depicting horrible scenes of human torture. Serrano was also noted for his exhibition “The History of Sex,” which we might call “A History of Depravity.”  His most famous work was called “Piss Christ,” a photograph of a crucifix submerged in a container of human urine.  Which, by the way, you paid for as a U.S. taxpayer to the tune of $15,000.

While you may have never heard of Andres Serrano, you have no doubt heard of his friend with whom he was corresponding, Jeffery Epstein.  While all the details are not available, it appears that Epstein shared Serrano’s moral outrage over the hypocrisy regarding Donald Trump’s comments.  Please don’t allow your mental software to crash as you think about Serrano and Epstein having moral outrage over anything. 

But before we condemn them too vigorously, we need to check and see if perhaps we have the capacity to be vigorously opposed to some moral behaviors while condoning others.  I once upset some people by something I said in a sermon: “I wonder if perhaps we would be better off engaging in homosexual escapades than in gossip.  At least with a homosexual tryst there might be a sense of guilt and remorse, which is almost entirely absent from gossip in a church.”   We all, like Serrano and Epstein, have a list of unacceptables and a list of acceptables as far as behavior is concerned.  

A trip to Epstein Island would disqualify a person from any role in ministry.  The sins of the flesh have no place anywhere near the church.  But what about worldliness?  The desire to have, to own, to call it ‘mine’ is not absent in the church and among its leaders.  Of course the sin of pride is completely absent from preachers and church workers, said no one who has ever worked with churches.  I have met some ministry leaders who were so unbelievably prideful I was gobsmacked. 

We sometimes call this moral compromise a ‘blind spot’.  That is not a very good term.  Blindness is almost never willfully self-induced.  A better term, and a more biblical one, is to call it hard-heartedness.  The night before His murder and betrayal, Jesus said that the Holy Spirit would convict the world "about sin, righteousness, and judgment."  Would we dare ask the Holy Spirit to bring on us and on our hearts conviction about our sins, lack of righteousness, and the coming judgment?   I need His conviction because I lack the ability to have moral outrage for my sins.  I am left only to condemn what I find repugnant in others and not be repulsed by my greed, lust, and pride.  The echo chambers in which we live will be so loud in the condemnation of the things we hate that we will become deaf to any voice that would call us to holiness and virtue.  We all need help.

“Lord, by Your Holy Spirit, bring Your judgment on me. AMEN

 

Psalm 49

 Psalm 49

In a cemetery I visited, there is a massive monument marking the grave of a man who was extremely wealthy.  He was, apparently, a captain of industry and industrial shipping.  In the same cemetery, a few hundred yards away, there is a grave marked by an unmarked rock.  No name or dates or descriptions of the life that was lived.  Clearly this was a very poor person.  What they have in common is in the grave they are equal in wealth.  In terms of economics and many other ways, death is the great equalizer.

Verse 13 sums up the pursuit of wealth and those who make wealth a priority.  The word ‘foolish’ (NASB), or sometimes translated ‘folly’ or ‘arrogant,’ means to place trust in something doomed to fail.  Most of our culture is built on a hope that is doomed to fail because death, like a shepherd, takes everyone to their grave, where wealth is meaningless.  

But verse 15 gives the real hope.  From the grave God will redeem the righteous; God will pay the price of rescue.  Clearly this was done on the Cross.  Here we see the contrast of real and false wealth.  Are we finding our wealth in the world or in the Cross?

“Lord, help me to never place my trust in anything that will not last forever. AMEN.”

Psalm 48

 Psalm 48

As Christians, what are we to make of this Psalm and all the others that express such deep emotions and loyalty to Jerusalem and/or the temple?  Most of us have never been to Jerusalem, fewer have lived there, and none have seen the temple.  We must remember that the temple was a type or a tangible prophecy of what was to come.  Christ fulfilled the Law and the prophecies, and now, rather than a city or a temple on earth, there is the Church.  Not the local congregation but all the elect from every nation.  We are the temple on earth.

With that in mind, we see a marvel and beauty that surpasses mere architecture.  We see the unassailability of the Church, protected and indwelled by God.  We saw the safety and the power of God’s people with God living in them.  “But the church today is such a mess,” we might say.  That is only partially true.  The Church has been counterfeited, and the mess we see is the result of the counterfeit.

Read carefully and slowly, and as you read about the city or the temple, think of the holy universal church.  Then we can line our lives up to being part of the body of Christ. 

“Lord, thank you for the new temple, the Church, and for calling me to be a part. AMEN.”

Psalm 47

 Psalm 47

The invitation to worship is extended, not just to the Jews but to all people of the earth. In the very spiritual makeup of the Old Testament covenant and scriptures is the beautiful promise of God’s great plan to redeem all peoples.  In verses 1-2 we see the reference to all peoples and God’s rule over all the earth.  

This worship of God is itself an important theme and focus of this psalm.  Some scholars see in verse 5, “God has ascended…” an acted out the parable.  The original reference is to the Ark going up to the temple as a type or foreshadowing of the ascension of Jesus after the resurrection. Verse 7 calls for a ‘skillful Psalm’ or ‘song of wisdom,” a literal translation of the word ‘miskil.’ This means an instructive song. It is a tremendous benefit and blessing when we sing songs that teach us the great truths of our faith, rather than expressing our emotional condition.  Powerful emotions are a wonderful and appropriate response to the grandeur of our God, but our emotions ought not be the focus of our faith, worship, and practice.  

“Lord, help me to marvel at Your greatness and not at how I feel. AMEN.”

Psalm 46

 Psalm 46

Now is the time to panic, but don’t forget the popcorn.

I generally do not listen to the news.  In fact, I find most news broadcast boring and drudgery.   The main reason is that the message from every corner seems to have one underlying theme: Now is the time to panic.  It does not matter if the perspective was Christian or secular, conservative or liberal; the message at all points was it is time to panic. This panic has bled over into the Christian community.  How often do we hear that we are witnessing the end of Christian faith as we know it.  

At times and in some places bad things are bad..  But we must not allow ourselves to be  manipulated by and submit to the voices of doom that tell us only by doing what they say can we avoid ruin. Fear makes us very exploitable.  Their message to us is, “Everything is worse than we thought or you can imagine.  We must act now!  If we don’t, all is lost.” 

Psalm 46 is our antidote for this kind of thinking.  Waters were a symbol of people groups or nations.  In this Psalm we see political, national, or even international chaos.  But in the midst of this, God’s people are secure.  In verse four we see a river, which is symbolic; mountain top Jerusalem has no river.  This river may represent the foreign policy, army, or extension of a nation that was being used by God for the benefit of God’s people.  We need not forget that entire nations were raised up by God to accomplish His purposes. 

Verse 10 is often quoted for our comfort but is generally taken out of context. The nine preceding verses are about God’s sovereign authority over the political process in the world.  The following verse is about God’s providential and specific protection for His people.  It is unlikely that this verse jumps over to talk about having a daily quiet time.  This verse is primarily about God’s people relaxing when political chaos and its associated panic are present in every moment.  

The next time someone tells you that if you don’t act, give, or in other ways conform to their agenda, then all is lost.  Say to them, “Do I have time to get some popcorn to eat while I watch the end of the world?”

“Lord, in the midst of the madness of our world, help me to trust in You. AMEN.”

Psalm 45

 Psalm 45

Deep down inside we all love the ‘fairy tale’ with a happy ending.  The heroic, handsome prince marries the beautiful maiden, and they live happily ever after. That story is found in every culture and in every heart, and that story is given to us in this Psalm.  This love poem was perhaps written for the occasion of Solomon’s marriage and serves as a reminder of the high and holy place of the marriage union.  We do not, indeed we cannot, value a godly marriage too highly.  The brave man who is ready to take on the monster of this world for the well-being of the woman he loves is a noble and holy theme.  The gracious young lady filled with grace, dignity, and beauty, who is the perfect partner, gives up her life to be with the one who fills her heart.  Those who would degrade marriage work out of bitterness or even hatred for God.  Anything that devalues God’s design dishonors Him and robs us.  

Some have seen this poem as a line-for-line prophecy of Christ and His Church.  That is not necessary.  In every aspect of holy marriage we worship God and can see Christ's love for the Church. A line between the sacred and the secular has no place and is not needed here.

“Lord, help me hold marriage in the honor that You have granted it. AMEN.”

Psalm 44

 Psalm 44

This Psalm is the book of Job in micro.  It is a story many believers experience and suffer.  It may have been composed during the exile.  The complaint is an old story that follows a familiar pattern.  First, in the distant past times were good (vv. 1-3). Second, in my lifetime things were great, and I lived in faith (vv. 4-8).  Third, recently everything is terrible (vv. 9-16). Forth, we are innocent of evil, so this suffering is unjust (v. 17-19).  Finally, the pleas of “Lord, do something to correct this injustice.

While a bit simplified, this is the story of Job and many heroes of the faith and of many faithful disciples today.  One of the difficulties of our walk is that we don’t get neat, tidy answers to questions that apparent unjust suffering produces.  Were the suffering saints actually guilty in some secret way?  Were the innocent suffering alongside the guilty?  Is there a basis for a charge of ‘injustice’ against God Himself?  

The answer may be found in Paul quoting this in Romans 8:36.  There Paul doesn’t explain suffering but boldly states that by faith in and union with Christ is our victory.  We can never answer the question “Why?”  But we can find the answers when we ask and answer the question “Who?”

“Lord, in the midst of suffering turn my heart toward You. AMEN.”