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Sermon for Sunday, September 27, 2009

Two years ago a program coordinated by the Justice Department called “Fugitive Safe Surrender” was launched. This faith based program has been a huge success in helping bring thousands of fugitives out of hiding and into the light of justice, safely. At any given moment, tens of thousands of fugitives are running free in every major American city. While many are wanted for violent crimes, “Safe Surrender” allows a non violent fugitive to turn him or her self in at one of several designated local churches. One of major purposes of the program is avoid dangerous confrontations and allows people with felony and misdemeanor offenses a chance to turn themselves in to a well known, trusted church with the community before being processed.

In Memphis, Tennessee, members of the New Salem Missionary Baptist Church welcomed hundreds of fugitives onto their property with handshakes and hugs, showing them where they could grab a cup of coffee and where they needed to go to meet with the sheriff’s deputy or stand before a judge.  Incredibly, a dangerous person, a fugitive from justice, a person tired of running found a safe surrender in a church gave him or her hope. People were welcomed into a safe, non-hostile environment to surrender their lives and come face to face with all the junk from which they had been running.

When asked why they took advantage of the program, 85% of those who turned themselves in said, they did so precisely because the program involved a church. Prior to entering the doors of New Salem in Tennessee or Bethel Christian Fellowship in Rochester, New York, most fugitives were afraid of what would happen to them had they surrendered in any other setting. Before the churches opened their doors, they felt that they simply did not have any safe place to go. One man said, “I knew I had a place to clear my conscience and get this off my record.”  A U.S. Marshall suggests the reason for the programs success is simple, “Churches give hope.”

It got me to thinking that what the Justice Department is doing and what communities have tapped into is really nothing new. I believe that one of God’s original intentions for His church is for it to be a place of safe surrender. The church has always been in the business of welcoming people who are tired of running from their past, who are fed up with hiding from their mistakes, and who want to come face to face with their failures and do something about them. God has always been about providing imperfect people with a place to find peace and hope.

The psalmist had an understanding of safety. David writes in Psalm 124, “if it had not been the Lord who was on our side --- let Israel now say --- if it had not been the Lord who was on our side, when our enemies attacked us, then they would have swallowed us up alive, when their anger was kindled against us, then the flood would have swept us away, the torrent would have gone over us, then over us would gone the raging waters. Blessed be the Lord, who has not given us as prey to their teeth.” (vv. 1-6)

And yet somewhere along the way, when it comes to the spiritual and the sin stuff, the local church for far too many people has lost its reputation. Is the church still known to our neighbors as the place where people of all stripes and with all kinds of sin can be welcomed confident that because of Christ they will not be treated as their sins deserve?

Can we be a church of hope? Maybe we are not able or prepared to answer that question, but let me ask another question, “what would the church look like, what would a church do that wanted to get the message out of the front doors that this is a place of hope for whoever needs it; a place where spiritual fugitives who feel alone can safely surrender their lives?”

The scripture suggest three things:

First, churches of hope and safe surrender are churches that continually say to the community, “come as you are.” Now that is a powerful statement for the church to make in this day and time. Could we make that statement and mean it?  Can we allow people to come just as they are, sinful and imperfect? Who would you bar the doors to?

Our neighbors, our community must know through our words and our actions that the church doors are open, not for perfect people, but people. Paul put the words so well to the Roman church, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (3:23)

Communities that take seriously the call of Christ to bring the Kingdom to the lowest and the least must be adamant in saying that one doesn’t have to change his or her life in order to come. You have heard me share before the words of a former pastor of mine. “God doesn’t make change the basis for acceptance, but acceptance becomes the basis for change.”  Can we be a church that says, “come as you are today, but know that the goal is for all of us to be different tomorrow.”

Ken Medema put his finger on how I would hope the church can be when he sings:

“If this not a place where tears are understood, then were shall I go to cry?  And if this is not a place where my spirit can take wings, then were shall I go to fly? So if this is not a place where my questions can be asked, then where shall I go to seek? And if this is not a place where my heart cry can be heard, where, tell me where, shall I go to speak?”

Second, churches of hope and people of hope must preach and point to Christ with relentless enthusiasm. He must be the ultimate center of every sermon, song and study. There is a time and place in the Christian life for us to learn about parenting or finances. But followers of Jesus who want to provide a safe place for sinners must constantly place the focus on the One who loves us all enough to die for us and He would have done it all had only one of us needed him. We have a message of a Savior who has set us free through no action of our own.  Through all that we do we must proclaim the word of God’s forgiveness and grace.

And then as a church of hope we must allow people to experience hope. We have been given two gifts that allow us to have a tangible encounter with God’s grace…baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Baptism is where “fugitives” go to drown and rise to be new creations in Christ. Nothing is more exciting for me as a pastor when a person, young, old regardless of background wades the baptismal waters. We have had those times when we break out into applause when some one pops out of the water. It is a cause to celebrate.

In the Lord’s Supper we gather at the Lord’s table bringing all that we are, baggage and all for a tangible encounter with grace and mercy. It is a meal that allows us to taste forgiveness. There is nothing better and nothing more exciting than not only hearing the words of hope and forgiveness but also experiencing it.

A place of “safe surrender” for fugitives.  That is the picture of a church of hope. Here you can come as you are in the hopes of what you can become, but first come as you are. Here you will constantly be confronted and comforted by the work of and the words of Jesus. Here, you can have a tangible encounter with hope and grace.  Here you will know without question that no matter what you have done in the past or what you are wrestling with in the present that your “help is in the name of the Lord.” (v. 8)

What else in the world can offer that? No one. Our community needs to know that. We as imperfect followers in our own right must share that word.

We share the word that the kingdom of God isn’t the place for people who have life all figured out, but a fellowship of the broken, the growing, the hurting, the joyful. How I want us to be a place where anyone can enter the doors with their hands raised in surrender, but leave with their hands raised in praise. Perfection is not the password for sitting in the pew. We’re not here to give people hell. People can find that on their own. We are here to give people hope, a place to safely surrender themselves into the arms of a loving, caring, accepting God.

And it is then we will become what Paul told the church in Ephesus that we could become; by the power of Jesus Christ, no longer strangers and aliens, but citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God.

Contact Us

Address
First Baptist Church, Ashland
800 Thompson Street
Ashland, VA 23005

Phone
(804) 798-9014

Fax
(804) 798-9043

E-mail
fbcashland@verizon.net

Sunday Worship

  8:30 a.m. -  Worship Service
  9:45 a.m. -  Sunday School
11:00 a.m. -  Worship Service