I Know That You Don't Want to Hear It (1 Timothy 4:1-6)
Gary McManus, 09/02/2018Part of the Jesus Came to Restore series, preached at a Sunday Morning service
September 2, 2018 1 Timothy 4:1-6, 16
Unpleasant topic: Abuse by clergy
Good leadership requires Pastor to talk
about this topic.
Part of the problem is NOT talking about
the problem.
A good example would be a doctor. . .
So,
1. The updates
2. Analysis
3. History says. . .
4. What can we do?
The problem is not ONLY in the
Roman Catholic Church!
To your Pastor, history is helpful.
God is bigger than the present.
History is HIS STORY—the Lord
at work among us.
Sins placed under a rug cannot be forgiven.
Sin has to be acknowledged and if the sin
is a criminal act, it should be prosecuted
by authorities, the church is not the only
arbiter of restitution. (Some churches think
that if they have handled the problem
that is the end of it/good enough—that is not true.)
What can YOU do? Listen. Be available.
Care about people. –even love them.
Pray for people, victims and abusers.
Pray for the church. Pray for the churches.
Ask hard questions. Listen to answers that
are hard to hear. Be sympathetic.
Dedicate yourself to the truth.
Do what you would like YOUR DOCTOR
to do when you tell him that you think there
is a problem. . .look into it—have someone look into it.
I said earlier that God’s shoulders are big enough.
God’s love is big enough.
God’s love is big enough to deal with these crimes.
And we can still sing. . .
The church’s ONE foundation is Jesus Christ her Lord
. . .she is HIS new creation by water and the word. . .
with a scornful wonder men see the church oppressed
by crimes rent asunder by heresies distressed. . .
yet saints their watch are keeping their cry goes
up “How long, O Lord?”
And soon the night of weeping shall be the morning of song. . . .
Amen
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