A couple of weeks ago, I had the privilege of leading worship for a two day minister’s retreat that was held at Camp Wightman, our Baptist Camp in N. Stonington. For the first hymn of the first service of our time together, I chose the incredibly familiar and singable hymn “Amazing Grace.” When we finished singing, there were a few brief moments of silence, then one of the pastors in attendance said in a quiet voice, with almost a little hint of guilt, “I’ve never liked the word “wretch.” She took issue with the descriptive noun used by the hymns’ author to describe his own personal moral/spiritual state because it troubled her to think of herself cast in so negative an image.
For the next 5 or 10 minutes we all engaged in a far reaching debate about the word wretch, the state of wretchedness, and which of the pastors in attendance were comfortable identifying themselves as such. At the end of the discussion, it was concluded that while it certainly didn’t make us proud, or feel particularly good about ourselves, most of us in attendance had at one time or another very much resonated with the words of this beloved hymn, and yes even the uncomfortable identification as a wretch.
When it comes right down to it, I really think that this is the power of the hymn, and the source of the popularity that it has enjoyed over the past 200 years plus. Like the author, John Newton, we have all known one or two, or perhaps 500 times in our life when we have felt unworthy, unloveable, and beyond redemption. We have felt like a wretch. As some of you might know, The hymn “Amazing Grace,” as well as John Newton’s personal struggle with his own sense of wretchedness was born out of the guilt that he experienced following his involvement in the slave trade in 18th century England.
For more than 20 years he served and captained on ships that sailed the triangle trade route between West Africa, the West Indies and Europe, dealing in human cargo. After his conversion to Christianity during a storm at sea, Newton commonly referred to what he called his “20,000 ghosts.” These “ghosts” were the souls, and spirits of those men, women and children whose lives he had taken or lost during his long years of slave trading. The attendant guilt not only gave birth to the hymn “Amazing Grace,” it also destroyed his health and nearly caused him to lose his mind.
The fabulous film, “Amazing Grace,” tells the story of British Parliamentarian William Wilberforce, and his pastor and mentor, John Newton each of whom ultimately his life to eradicating the British Slave trade in the late 1700’s.
In this scene, Newton, broken and blinded by guilt and disease is pouring out his story in the form of a confession, stories of the horrific treatment of the slaves that Newton hoped would provide both evidence against the slave traders, and a reason for thinking men to condemn and abandon the practice. As he is pouring out his soul to a scribe, Wilberforce, returns for a visit.Show clip. Scene 19.
That is the toll that a lifetime of guilt can exact on one man’s life. Another man who understood the life destroying power of guilt was Nicodemus, the Jewish religious leader who came to visit Jesus in this morning’s story from John’s gospel. As a member of the Sanhedrin, Nicodemus had been taught for all his life that it was good behavior that punched one’s ticket to the kingdom of God. For most of his life this news had brought him great comfort. But now it had begun to scare him. It scared him because he knew that if strict obedience to the law was the key that opened the gates of heaven, then he was in big trouble. Like John Newton, Nicodemus recognized his own wretchedness,his own inability to keep the law that he had been taught was the very thing that could save him. And so he came to Jesus under the cover of darkness looking for another way into the presence of God.
And that is when Jesus shared those now famous words with him, “Truly, truly I say to you, unless one is born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 3:3 This new birth, Jesus explained to him, was not physical, but spiritual. It was a new birth to a new life, a life lived not under subjugation to the law, but in the freedom of Grace; God’s unmerited and complete forgiveness of our wretchedness.
This is the heart of the Gospel. This is the reason that Jesus came into the world. This is the reason that I have chosen to be a pastor. We are wretched, but God loves us anyway. The guiding principle of my ministry has from the very beginning been the absolute conviction that we all know that we are wretched, what we find hard to believe is the fact that we are loved and forgiven in spite of it.
The Apostle Paul said“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” But the truth is that we need little convincing of that fact. We also don’t need to stand up and offer a public confession. For we know, and God knows the foibles and failings that litter the cellar of our soul, and that’s enough. It’s a hard truth, but we are all aware of our capability of such incredible wretchedness. We in are at times and by turns selfish, angry, self righteous, unforgiving, greedy, covetous, violent, and sometimes downright mean. Our wretchedness can destroy relationships, ruin the planet, and separate us from God. Our wretchedness is powerful and real.
But even more powerful and even more real is the love and grace of God. And that is precisely why just as “Amazing Grace” is perhaps the most beloved of all Christian hymns, John 3:16 is the most beloved of New Testament scripture. In describing the power and source of this new life that he was offering to Nicodemus, Jesus said, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 God cares so much that He gave his own Son for our sakes. In this week that has been filled with candy, hearts and flowers,those words offer us the very definition of love.
You see so often, we confuse passion with love. When it is really compassion that we should be seeking. Passion is loves desire to possess, but compassion is loves desire to set free. It was God’s compassion and his extreme concern for our well being that saved our lives. And in much the same way it was John Newton and William Wilberforce’s compassion for those 18th century slaves that saved theirs as well.
“I am a great sinner and Christ is a great savior” said John Newton in the film clip that we watched a few minutes ago. The weight of sin cost John Newton his life, but God’s amazing grace saved his soul.
My friends, without God’s grace and compassion, we are truly love sick. You see love, God’s brand of compassion, is the most powerful force in the entire universe. For love can make a family and love can mend a fractured world. Love can lead an army to lay down its weapons, and love can mend a broken heart. Love can feed the hungry and give shelter to the homeless. Love can save your life, and your soul. Without love, we are sick and dying, and with love, we are forgiven and whole. Love, compassion, God’s amazing grace can save a wretch like me.
Let’s sing. |