March 30, 2025 4th Sunday of Lent
Readings: 2nd Corinthians 5:16-21, Luke 15:1-3, 11-32 Psalm 32
Clogged Drains
In studying the planning notes for this week from a pastor in Nashville TN at the UMC office, it struck an interesting nerve for me this week. I related to it that it was unreal. In Course of Study, there’s a lengthy list, classes unprepared me. Nowhere in my 10 years did they say I would be expected to be a plumber, custodian, cook, dish washer, maple syrup extractor, videographer, sound technician, scheduler, public information officer, know-it-all, and all-around item/Scripture locator. We learned writing sermons, history of Christianity, history of the Methodist Church, funerals, visitation, invitations, the don’ts in ministry just to name a few.
This pastor told a story. One Sunday morning before service, someone came exclaiming that the bathroom was clogged and water had run onto the floor. They demanded the pastor come and see. My mind immediately went to the passage when the newly called Apostles asked Jesus where he was living and what did he want them to do. Jesus simply stated, “come and see”. When the pastor and individual arrived at the scene of the emergency, the pastor was told to look at that! The pastor stood there with their hands on their hips and said “yep, that’s a problem. Close the door and put an out of order sign up”. The individual wanted to know what was going to do about this. The pastor replied, call the head of trustees and the custodian. Both people arrive at the scene of the emergency looked in and stated “yep, that’s a problem. Close the door and put a sign up out of order. We’ll call a plumber on Monday”. In my seventeen years of preaching, I’ve wondered if people expect pastors to perform miracles correcting the emergencies. Now in the defense of the church members, the pastor is the one who is or better yet should be around the church and they do know the workings of the leadership chain. The pastor helped develop the leadership team. It shouldn’t be because they’re paid.
So, what do clogged drains have to do with the ministry and today’s passages? Well, two very important things, closed doors and Selah. In the story of the pastor, it is true that they called the appropriate people to get the problem resolved. The trustee is responsible for getting the plumbing fixed, the custodian is responsible for cleaning up the mess. The pastor does not have the authority to call someone or spend the money without prior approval. But to hide the mess they closed the doors. Granted that is appropriate in this case but how often do we just close doors to hide something. Think about inviting people over or unexpected visits, if there is a room in the house that is a mess, to hide it we close the door. At the church if there is a room, we do not want people in, we just close the door. Someone makes sure the office door is closed during the worship service. We do not want the undesirables to venture into the church and rob us blind, hence we close and lock the doors when no one is here. I have a sign that I put on the outside of my door that reads “counseling session do not disturb. I like having doors and windows open, letting in the fresh air, except when there is a skunk around or someone is burning trash. Open doors in an invitation to come in.
Closed doors mediate into other aspects of our lives as well. When someone has done something wrong to us, we close the door to them. Paul tells us that when we become a believer in Christ, we are made anew. Our past shouldn’t haunt us. Yet with others, our past does come back and is used against us. Even after repentance to God and the injured parties, it’s not forgotten. We shut them out. I will admit that sometimes closed doors are necessary, but it should not be done in vindictiveness. It must be done in love as not to create a temptation. In the parable, the prodigal son had no idea what his father would do, but he wanted to admit his sins to his father in hopes that he would at least take him in as a servant. The other son was blinded by anger, he closed the door to his brother. He wanted nothing to do with him. But the father opened the doors and his heart to the wayward son. In this story, the best part is repentance, love and forgiveness. We can only hope that the other son finds forgiveness in his heart.
It’s not just people we close doors to. We don’t let God see the messes we have made in our lives. We cordon off parts of our heart because we do not want God to see mess. It is true that Jesus will not come in unless we open the door to our heart and let him in. But do you really think that God does not already know your messy rooms? We have clogged drains of stuff that just will not flush out. We need God’s plumbing skills to unclog our sewage. To get the living water flowing within our hearts. Look at the Psalmist, he opened his heart and soul to God. He confesses every sin and knows that it will bring him blessings from God. The Psalmist also warns others that they need to do the same and most of all control their temper. Anger is the biggest reason we close doors to others and God. Closed doors keep in pain.
Did you notice that periodically the Psalmist says “Selah” after a strong statement? Selah occurs three times in this Psalm. The first time comes after stating how difficult life has become and it’s truly hard for them to keep the faith. Admitting the pain and their own weakness; Selah interjects a pause. The second comes after a moment of redirection, confession and forgiveness. A pause is included before they go into witnessing to others. The third pause comes as they proclaim they will teach all the people and go on a journey of discipleship. The true meaning of Selah is unknown. Scholars believe this pause is like taking a breath, a moment to reflect and breathe. If you consider it in a musical aspect, as most of the Psalms are songs, then Selah could be a bridge, a moment for tempo, or key change. Either way, it is a pause, a rest or a time to breathe. Getting ready for something that needs to change.
The prodigal son took a breath before he convinced himself he needed to return home to be with his family and get out of the predicament he was in. He realized that his pipes were clogged and needed to do something. If you think back to the pastor story. The pastor paused and took a breath before deciding what needed to be done. By taking time to breathe, we then allow the breath of the Holy Spirit to enter us. What is God saying to us. Listen, Breathe, pause a moment before we leap into action. Sounds like a passage we know, “Speak Lord, your servant is listening”. It is a good thing for us to stop and breathe before we clean out our pipes. Allow the Spirit to come into those doors we’ve closed trying to hide our iniquities from God. We do not like to admit to God the sins we hide, but how can we experience the freedom of having God clean out our pipes that are clogged with guck. There is nothing in our lives that is too trivial or too bad that God can’t come in with a roto-rooter. Every clog is a clog. The trouble with the small clogs, they only get bigger because the small stuff continues to build up until it’s a major clog and all our pipes are stopped up with sewage overflowing. You can choose to live in the clog, or you can choose to live in the joy and happiness of God’s forgiveness by pausing, breathe, open the door, say to God I’m sorry, unclog my drains.
