Twenty-five years ago, Neil Armstrong stepped out of that lunar module and set foot where no person had ever gone before, on the surface of the moon. "One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." We were fascinated, and we still are. Nothing like that had ever been done; nothing quite like it has been done since.
But did you know there are people who do not believe that ever happened? There are a number of people who think that the whole moon landing was an elaborate public relations gimmick, all about politics, that our government needed to make a splash and so staged an elaborate hoax. According to these folks, Apollo was all done with smoke and mirrors and television illusions.
Obviously somebody is living in a fantasy world. You tell me whether it seems more fantastic to believe that Armstrong, Aldrin, and Collins really were up there, 240,000 miles out; or whether the fantasy world is the one the conspiracy people believe in. We say that it needs a reality check. A reality check.
A reality check is a kind of pause in the middle of things, where we ask the question, "Is this real? Is this happening? Can this be done?" A reality check is a momentary halt, a11owing us to get a grip on whether what we are doing is real or just a fantasy.
How do you establish reality? How do we do reality checks? Some people seem to live in fantasy worlds and never get out of them. You’ve heard me talk about making 1ists of all my tasks and even of making lists of the lists? Well, when I walk out of the house in the morning with a "To do" 1ist that is five pages long, I’m in a fantasy world. I need a reality check. There is no way possible that ten of me working around the clock could accomplish everything on that list. But I write it up, just the same. Obvious1y, I need a rea1ity check.
How do we establish what is real? How can we do reality checks? One answer is, "Look at the record." Read the record. Find out what has been done, discover what has been happening, check the record. Reality checks are done by looking at what the record shows.
For instance, occasionally I hear someone saying, "Our church is in bad shape. Financially we’re hurting. Why, just look; we are behind our budget goal. We never used to be behind our budget goal. Our church is in real bad shape." Reality check! When you look at the record, you find out that we are giving more money than we’ve ever given before! No, not as much as we set the goal for; but the record, the reality check tells us what we are actually doing, no matter what our feelings might be.
Or again, you know, I feel young. I just have always felt young. Inside me there is still trapped a young man or maybe even a little boy that wants to come out and play. I’ve never quite learned to think of myself as dignified, professional, middle-aged. Reality check! In my file I have a record; it’s called a birth certificate, and it clearly says "1938" on it. The record, the reality check tells me the truth, no matter what my attitude might be.
We need a reality check on our lives. The rules by which we live are full of fantasies. We tend to live by our feelings. We make decisions based on how we feel in the tummy at the moment. We want to be happy right now. But that’s a fantasy. Our lives need reality checks.
But now where did I say that reality checks come from? How do we get a reality check done? I said, "Look at the record; the record will tell us." The record will teach us the difference between illusion and reality, between opinion and truth.
Here is our reality check. For Christians, this written record, the Bible, is that reality check. The Scriptures teach us about ourselves, they instruct us about our relationships with God, they give us insight on our dealings with one another. If we learn to read the Bible seriously, it will not let us float off into fantasy-land. The Bible is the record of God’s saving actions; it is a reality check on all of our private opinions and personal quirks.
Turn with me to Romans, chapter 15. I want us to use the Bible to talk about the Bible, and I want us to practice reading the scriptures carefully and taking them in. Beyond all of our opinions, fantasies, and personal quirks, the Bible is our reality check. Let’s find out how that works.
Romans 15:1-6, 14-19
Come back up to verses 4 and 5 for a moment and notice two particular words. "Steadfastness" and "encouragement". [REPEAT] I’m going to offer you two ideas today, and you can see them very clearly right here. I want you to memorize them with me. In Verse 4, "By steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope." To summarize, "Steadfastness and encouragement bring hope." And then in verse 5, "May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another". Summarize that one, "Steadfastness and encouragement bring harmony."
Please repeat after me: “Steadfastness and encouragement … bring hope.” And then, “Steadfastness and encouragement … bring harmony.” Again.
I
First, see with me that steadfastness and encouragement bring hope. The Bible helps us put both human strengths and human weaknesses into proper perspective, and gives us hope. The Bible is a record of human reality, a reality check on our mistaken notions about life.
On the one side, some of us are tempted to be too optimistic about human nature. Some of us think that most people are essentially good, that if they just had more education, a better opportunity, a decent job, clean surroundings, people would be better. Some of us are too optimistic, even naive, about human nature.
But the Bible is a reality check on that. The Bible is a record of human failings. Paul speaks in this passage about the "failings of the weak". Failure is a reality. Weakness is a reality. Sin is a reality. And the Bible is a record of that, serving as a reality check against our optimistic fantasy.
In the Bible you read of David, with all the power, prestige, and privilege a man could want, but with a moral fai1ure so profound that it cost many lives. That’s reality. You read of his son Solomon, blessed with wisdom and riches, but giving himself up to his lusts and losing control of the kingdom. That’s reality. You read of Pilate, with the power to do justice in his hands, but choosing instead to wash his hands of responsibility. The Bible is full of the stories of people who, though they were privileged, were weak, failed, sinners. Harsh reality! You cannot read the Bible seriously and stay with an overly optimistic view of human nature.
And so Paul speaks of steadfastness, of being strong; he speaks of putting up with the failings of the weak, because, if we know the truth of the scriptures, wee know that in the strongest of us there is also terrifying weakness. If we understand the Scriptures, we will not be surprised at human sin; but we will also understand the sinner, because we know that we ourselves are weak and failing.
That’s the steadfastness principle. The Biblical record puts a reality check on an optimistic, naive view of human nature.
But then there is also the encouragement principle. The encouragement principle. Just as the Bible keeps us from being too optimistic about humanity, it also keeps us from being too pessimistic. Just as the Scripture record is a reality check that helps us see that people are going to fail, it is also a reality check when we think that no one can ever change.
Just as some are too optimistic, others take a totally negative view of human nature. Some people argue that no one ever really changes; quoting, or misquoting, the Bible, they will argue that the leopard cannot change his spots, that whatever will be will be, that people will be what people will be. Some take the view, "Once a crook, always a crook, lock them up and throw away the key." Some just see no hope for humanity.
But that too needs a reality check. That too is contradicted by the Bible. When you read the record of what God has done, you cannot stay with all that negative stuff. When you read the record, and do a reality check, you discover that even the worst of us can be changed by the living God.
Who would have thought that that old cheater Jacob could have become the instrument of God’s purpose? The record is here. Who would have imagined that the murderer Moses could have become the liberator of his people? It’s in the book. Who could have supposed that the adulteress Gomer would become a sign to her husband Hosea of the everlasting love of God? It’s all here. And, for that matter, think about the very author of Romans. Who would have expected that the angry, self-righteous, vicious persecutor of Christians named Saul would have turned into the mighty, eloquent, passionate apostle Paul? Reality check! God changes lives; the Bible says so.
That means we can’t give up on anybody. That means we always hope to see lives changed. Paul says, "Each of us must please our neighbor for the purpose of building up the neighbor." The encouragement principle.
The steadfastness principle teaches us not to be surprised when people go wrong. The encouragement principle teaches us not to be surprised when people go right. Do you remember our principal theme? Steadfastness and encouragement bring hope. [REPEAT]
And where are we instructed about steadfastness in the face of weakness and encouragement to be strong? Where does our reality check come from? "By steadfastness and by the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope." Say it with me:
"By steadfastness and by the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope." This book teaches us how to put both human weaknesses and human strengths into proper perspective. It is a reality check.
II
But now there was that second idea. Drop down to verse 5 and we’ll see another dimension of what the scriptures can do. We’ll put another reality check into place.
In verse 5 and then over a little farther into this chapter we’re going to discover that steadfastness and encouragement not only bring hope; they also bring harmony. Steadfastness and encouragement bring harmony. [REPEAT]. We need a reality check to know when our fellowship is real, our community genuine.
Verse 5: "May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, in accordance with Jesus Christ." Notice that it’s not just any kind of harmony, not just any kind of fellowship; it’s harmony "in accordance with … or in agreement with … Jesus Christ."
Well, so there is harmony and there is harmony. There is fellowship of a superficial kind; but then there is fellowship in accordance with Jesus Christ. What’s the difference?
Come on down, now, to verses 14 and 15. To the Roman Christians Paul says, "I feel confident that you … are filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another. Nevertheless on some points I have written to you rather boldly by way of reminder" And verse 18, "I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished."
Paul is saying, "Folks, at one level you are doing fine. You seem to enjoy one another’s company, you appear to support each other, and that’s great. Nothing wrong with that. But reality check! I have tuned in to what God has been doing in Jesus Christ, and I have something more to say. I have some correctives. Reality check!
There is a key here to deeper fellowship. When I first came to this church I saw how we needed to learn to tell the truth to each other. We thought we were such a fragile community that telling the truth was threatening.
So some people would just choke themselves back and not say what they were thinking. If they had a complaint, they would just mutter about it. If they had a question, they would ask it out on the sidewalk instead of in meeting. Some were afraid to deal with truth, just because we thought reality would shake the fellowship.
But others of us operated on what one of my friends calls the "vomit theory of honesty". Just let it all out at once, splatter everybody in sight! Some said what they thought in no uncertain terms, and never mind what it might do to the fellowship!
I remember preaching in those days the little Biblical phrase, "speaking the truth in love,” which means that when we speak, it needs to be in love, but it also needs to be the truth, not just some mealy-mouthed warm fuzzy, but, "Speaking the truth in love." Frankly about three-quarters of my counseling sessions involve that principle!
This passage is saying the same thing. Reality check: how are we doing as a fellowship? Can we listen to the word of God read, preached, and taught, and then be corrected by it? Can we all stand under the judgment of the word of God?
The Scriptures help the church truly be the church; they help us become the beloved community of which Dr. King so often spoke. They help us because they will teach us to deal with the rough edges of reality and not expect that everything will always be oh-so-smooth, which really means oh-so-shallow.
The other day I saw that some of the grout between the tiles in my bathtub enclosure was coming out and needed to be patched. I quickly mixed up a little grout and just as quickly smeared it over the rough spots. I quickly smoothed it over and just as quickly cleaned the mess off the tiles. The next morning I quickly turned on the shower and just as quickly found my shallow coating of grout washing down the drain. What was wrong? I ought to have dug away much of the old grout; I ought to have chipped away, boldly, aggressively, at the rough places. Then I might have had the basis for a bonding.
Writes Paul, "On some points I have written to you rather boldly by way of reminder ... for I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished." The Bible corrects the shallowness of the church, and, even when it stings, it creates an authentic fellowship.
"May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus." What is our theme? Steadfastness and encouragement bring harmony.
Repeat with me: steadfastness and encouragement bring harmony.
III
The vision statement of our church says, "We are inquiring in mind, offering education in all aspects of the Christian faith, from Bible knowledge to training in the arts of living and serving."
Inquiring in mind. This vision means that you should expect from this pulpit everything to be founded in the Scriptures. Not human opinion, not political correctness, not passing fancy, not comfort, but God’s Word. Our worship will be permeated with Scripture; our hymns and spirituals and gospel songs will be chosen for their support of the Scriptures. What we do together in worship will not simply be what Baptists do or what evangelicals do or what Takoma has done from Day One, but it will take its direction from the Bible. That is our reality check.
This vision of a church with inquiring minds means that when you come to a pastor for counseling, you are not coming to a psychiatrist or a magician, nor are you coming to a substitute father or a parole officer. You are coming to someone who will try to hear the Word of God with you and who genuinely believes that lives can be changed by God’s word and power. The word of God is his reality check.
This vision means that when you come here for Christian education, or for training to do ministry, you can expect honesty. You should expect searching minds. You should expect both to be taught and to teach. It means that you are not going to get propaganda or indoctrination. It means that you are free to disagree with anything and anyone, including the preacher, but that together we do know where to look for the answers. The Bible is our reality check.
And this vision also means that we cannot tolerate Biblical illiteracy. We cannot take seriously folks who start their sentences, "I don’t know much about the Bible, but my opinion is ... " We cannot let you rest in self-satisfaction if you are staying away from opportunities for Christian education and for training. We will speak boldly to you, we will bug you to study, for this is not just any book. This is our reality check.
Steadfastness and encouragement. What do they bring us?
Steadfastness and encouragement bring hope. "By steadfastness and by the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope."
And, steadfastness and encouragement bring harmony. "May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus."
