February 10, First Sunday in Lent

Lesson: Genesis 2.15-17; 3.1-7; Romans 5.12-19

Sermon Title: Eyes Wide Open

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INTRODUCTION:

What Do You See, Nurse?

What do you see, nurse, what do you see?
What are you thinking when you're looking at me?
A crabby old woman, not very wise,
Uncertain of habit, with far away eyes.

Who dribbles her food and makes no reply
When you say in a loud voice, "I do wish you'd try?"
Who seems not to notice the things that you do,
And forever is losing a stocking or shoe.

Who, resisting or not, lets you do as you will.
With bathing and feeding, the long day to fill,
Is that what you're thinking? Is that what you see?
Then open your eyes, nurse, you're not looking at me.

I'll tell you who I am as I sit here so still,
As I use at your bidding, as I eat at your will.
I'm a small child of ten with a father and mother,
Brothers and sisters, who love one another.

A young girl of sixteen, with wings on her feet,
Dreaming that soon now a lover she'll meet.
A bride soon at twenty, my heart gives a leap,

Remembering the vows that I promised to keep.

At twenty-five now, I have young of my own,
Who need me to guide, and a secure happy home.
A woman of thirty, my young now grown fast,
Bound to each other with ties that should last.

At forty my young sons have grown and are gone,
But my man's beside me to see I don't mourn.
At fifty once more babies play around my knee,
Again we know children, my loved one and me.

Dark days are upon me, my husband is dead,
I look at the future, I shudder with dread.
For my young are all rearing young of their own,
And I think of the years and the love that I've known.

I'm now an old woman and nature is cruel,
'Tis just to make old age look like a fool.
The body, it crumbles, grace and vigor depart,
There is now a stone where I once had a heart.

But inside this old carcass a young girl still dwells,
And now and again my battered heart swells.
I remember the joys, I remember the pain,
And I'm loving and living life over again.

I think of the years, all too few, gone too fast,
And accept the stark fact that nothing can last.
So open your eyes, nurses, open and see,
Not a crabby old woman, look closer - see ME!!

  1. What do you see?

    1. The poem reminds us that so often we see the obvious.

    2. What may be more important is what is not seen.

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MAIN BODY

  1. Adam and Eve thought they saw the obvious

    1. They were already god-like.

      1. They would become like God.

      2. They would not die.

      3. They would know the difference between good and evil.

    2. Their eyes were closed.

      1. Their understanding was incomplete.

      2. They gave into the seduction of the temptation.

      3. Their eyes were opened.

        1. They were naked.

        2. They were ashamed.

    3. They did not fully understand.

      1. When they understood it was too late.

        1. What was learned is that every choice has results.

        2. Results can be immediate or delayed.

      2. Delayed results may be understood as unintended consequences.

  2. Looking for illustrative material I read the February 10 Sermon, Will to Pill, in Homelitics Magazine.

    1. There was a reference to Robert K. Melton's work On Social Structure and Science (1996).

    2. He has a chapter on "The Unanticipated Consequences of Social Action" in which he identifies five causes of unintended consequences

    3. He suggests that unintended consequences happen because of:

      1. The unintended consequences of ignorance (we can't know everything).

  1. How many of you believe that Adam and Eve were guilty of the unintended consequences of ignorance?

  2. Don Emmitte tells the following story:

A young man was sitting in the concert hall listening to a soloist perform. She really wasn't very good. When he turned to the man seated beside him, he remarked, "What a terrible voice! Do you know who she is?"

"Yes," was the answer. "She's my wife."

"Oh, I beg your pardon. Of course, it isn't her voice, really. It's the stuff she has to sing. I wonder who wrote that awful song?"

"I did," was the answer!

        1. We can see the results of the young man's ignorance.

        2. We can also see the unintended consequences.

      1. The unintended consequences of error (bad analysis or slavish devotion to habits that have worked in the past but aren't working now).

        1. How many of you believe that Adam and Eve were guilty of the unintended consequences of error?

        2. This kind of error may be seen in this illustration:

St. John Vianney, the Curé of Ars, was not noted for his repartee, but when one of his professors called him a "complete ass" and wondered what he could ever accomplish.

John Vianney replied, "If Samson, armed only with the jawbone of an ass, could kill 1,000 Philistines, imagine what God could do with a complete ass." (1)

        1. The is a remarkable illustration of bad analysis.

        2. How many times have I been the source of bad analysis?

      1. The unintended consequences of immediate interest (read: instant gratification; needing to have something now often gets us into trouble).

        1. How many of you believe that Adam and Eve were guilty of the unintended consequences of 

A third grade Sunday School teacher was making the point with her class that God was omnipotent--that He was able to do anything. (2)

She asked the class, "Is there anything that you can think of that God cannot do?"

        1. The answer to the teacher's question is the obvious one.

        2. From the teacher's point of view it leads to the correct and immediate results.

        3. One child spoils the teacher's moment yet does so with mature wisdom and understanding.

There was silence. Then one little boy held up his hand.

Somewhat frustrated that the point had been lost on this little boy, she asked, "Well, just what is it that God can't do?"

"Well," replied the boy, "He can't please everybody!"

      1. The unintended consequences of basic values (core values, like materialism, greed, become overwhelming, leading to actions that we know might be unfavorable in the long run).

  1. How many of you believe that Adam and Eve were guilty of the unintended consequences of  basic values?>

Linus of PEANUTS fame had his security blanket in place and his thumb in his mouth but he was still troubled. Turning to Lucy, who was sitting next to him, he asked, "Why are you always so anxious to criticize me?" (3)

Her response was typical Lucy: "I just think I have the knack for seeing other people's faults."

Exasperated, Linus threw his hands up and asked, "What about your own faults?"

Without hesitation, Lucy answered, "I have the knack for overlooking them."

        1. Lucy's core values are faulty.

        2. This has lead to an action that is unfavorable.

        3. We can apply this illustration to our own personal experiences.

      1. The unintended consequences of self-defeating prophecy (fear of some consequences causes people to force the issue, i.e., causing a problem before the anticipated problem occurs).

        1. How many of you believe that Adam and Eve were guilty of the unintended consequences of self-defeating prophecy?

        1. February 14 is Valentines Day.

        2. If you greatly desire to avoid causing a problem before the anticipated problem occurs follow this advice on What NOT to give her for Valentines Day:

          1. A box of chocolates, clumsily rearranged in an attempt to hide the fact you ate all the caramel ones.

          2. Lingerie that you think will look almost as good on her as on the Victoria's Secret model.

          3. Any clothing item with the words "push-up" or "slim-down" on the label.

          4. Any food item with the words "diet", "light", or "high fiber" on the label.

          5. Any video starring Sylvester Stallone, Jim Carrey, or Angelina Jolie.

          6. Flowers from a hospital's gift shop--or worse, a mortuary's.

          7. Poetry, no matter how heartfelt, that starts out "There was once a girl from Nantucket..."

          8. Anything you ever gave another woman, including your mother.

          9. Any household appliance, power tool or other item from the harder side of Sears.

          10. A gift certificate.

          11. Cash.

          12. Anything you could have bought at the gas station mini-mart on the way over, even if you didn't.

          13. An apologetic look and the words "That was today?"

  1. We have been exploring the consequences and unintended consequences of our decision making.

    1. Disaster awaits for those who drive while being tired and sleepy.

    2. Adam and Eve provide a perfect example.

      1. They were sleeping and could not prevent the disaster.

      2. What about you and me?

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CONCLUSION:

  1. The solution to consequences both as a result of or the unintended consequences of is found in Romans 5.12-19.

    1. Paul says that sin and death entered the world through the disobedience of one man.

    2. But, Paul argues that grace and life came into the world through the obedience of Another Man, Jesus Christ.

      1. Jesus thus becomes the Second Man, or Last Adam in this divine designed offer of salvation.

      2. You can understand it under the rubric of OAR

        1. Paul's argument is that it is possible for the actions of one person to flow out from him or her for generations to come, affecting all the people that are part of or will someday be part of the family tree.

        2. In verse 18 Jesus gave us an OAR.

"Therefore just as one man's trespass led to condemnation for all, so one man's act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all," (Romans 5:18, NRSVA).

        1. One man's act of righteousness.

        2. One Act of Righteousness.

        3. OAR!

    1. So grab the OAR and start paddling

      1. The OAR is Jesus Christ.

      2. You many not paddle with him, but you can employ him!

Amen!

1. Catholic Digest, Feb. 92, p. 100.

2. As told by Don Emmitte

3. Church Management, March 1992, p. 4, quoting "Our Daily Bread," 8-4-91.

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