Andrew Fountain - Shame

Sermon notes - Shame

• I googled images for the word “shame” and this is what I got.

• Where does shame come from?

• Have you ever heard of an animal that is ashamed to be naked
  • Our cat lies on it’s back with it’s legs in the air with no self-consciousness at all
• But shame is something we feel very easily
• If you ask people for the answer to shame, there are some ideas we might be given

I am going to suggest three answers to this.

• I think the first two are wrong
• I’m going to suggest that the third is right

• There is truth in this…
• So what is the problem?
  • I am still a dirty dog, a miserable failure
  • It is now covered up and hidden
  • But it is still true
• Summary:
  • I am loved, but please don’t look too closely!
• The second (wrong) answer is the opposite to this:

• I am in denial
  • It works ok till I crash

• Of course I mess up, and we know that God is never pleased with bad stuff, even though he has forgiven us
• I can maintain it until something happens that shows what a sham I am

• You know what is it like when a teenager is in love and it’s totally blind
  • I don’t think he’s that suitable for you, what about…
    • Oh he’s perfect
  • But what about the motorcycle gang he hangs out with?
    • Oh that’s nothing—I’m sure he’s a good influence on them
  • Nothing you can say… A mist of love has descended.
• In some ways God is like that.
  • God, how can you love … when he lives like he does?
  • Oh I love him so much and wear his name on my sleeve.
• They may seem like big mistakes to us, but to him they are nothing compared with the fire of his love.
• One of the best examples of this is for one of his diciples… ?
  • Peter!
• Can you remember any things he did wrong?

• +don’t wash my feet

• Jesus loved his disciples passionately
• His love for them was so real
• When he was arrested—“leave these alone, its me you want”
• Peter’s story was given to encourage us
  • It’s not like Peter was an exception
  • He’s the only person who every messed up that Jesus still loved?
• So Jesus’ love for us is one based in reality, not denial.
  • He knows every stupid thing that we will do.

• Jesus is someone who loves deeply.
• That love is extended to all who want to be his disciples today
• Jesus is the perfect reflection of the Father
• This is the same love he has for you now
  • he desires to spend time with you
  • he enjoyed your company, even though he knows you behave badly

Paul

• Paul seems to have so much drive and determination
  • BUt he tells us that it is the love of Christ that propels him
• He concludes the first part of Ephesians with this prayer—and it’s my prayer for all of us…

• Why is it so hard to comprehend?
  • because we know what we are like!
• I’m preaching this as much to myself as I am to you.
  • I pray this prayer as well
• I’ve talked many about loving one another
  • This is where it must flow from
• You can’t love others unless you are loved yourself
• If you try to, the you are like someone trying to give money away when you don’t have any in your own bank account.
  • Otherwise we will be operating in deficit
• Even Jesus, who was perfect, modelled this for us:
  • it flowed from the love the Father had for him (This is my beloved Son)

• What was the joy that was set before Jesus?
  • It was you! You are his joy!
  • Because of you, the cross in all it’s agony was nothing to Jesus
• Jesus despised the shame so that we don’t have to suffer it!
• But how do I know if I am one of his disciples?
  • Disciple simply means someone who follows a person’s teachings
  • It’s not about how well you perform
    • It’s about being commited in trust to that person
  • You need to be committed to Jesus for him to be committed to you
• “Look” is a picture of this

Updated on 2015-07-20 by Andrew Fountain