Tom Johnson, August 16, 2012
“Do not get drunk with wine,” our Scripture says, “but be filled with the Spirit.” Our text is challenging us to live in godly wisdom, making the most of every day, because the days are evil. One of our present evils is drunkenness. Paul says not to get drunk with wine. He does not say, “Don’t drink wine.” He says, “Don’t get drunk on wine.” I don’t think he is picking on wine drinkers. Nor do I think he is providing some loophole for getting drunk on beer, whiskey, or mixed drinks.
If crystal meth, cocaine, huffing, heroin, or any other intoxicating substance were available two thousand years ago, I think these words would also apply. Perhaps the words, if written today, would read, “Do not get high on any controlled substance. Get high on God.” “Don’t live your lives under the influence of chemical compounds; live your lives under the influence of the Holy Spirit.” Getting drunk on wine is when we have gone beyond the point of enjoying the fruit of God’s creation and it’s mind-altering effects. We may argue how much of wine is too much, but in the state of Illinois, .08% blood alcohol is legal drunkenness.
Perhaps you heard the heart-breaking news a few weeks ago about the ten year old boy who was killed in a boating accident. One of my first thoughts was if it was alcohol related. Just a few days ago, further news was released about the boater who killed him; he tested positive for cocaine and well beyond the legal limit for blood alcohol. Being under the influence is dangerous because we are no longer in control. Our senses are deadened. Our judgment is impaired. We do things that, under normal circumstances, we would never do. But before we pick on drugs and alcohol too much. There are other ways we can get our kicks.
Studies show that men and women in positions of power have elevated levels of dopamine. People of power can become addicted to this chemical surge to the brain. There is a short-term euphoria to this addiction to power but the lasting effects can do permanent damage to the body, mind, and relationships. Sexual addiction is when a person gets high on their own body chemistry. Studies suggest that a person can have as much of a high as they would on drugs—or higher even if it is experienced virtually on the internet. When someone is overcome by anger and enraged, there is a surge of euphoria accompanies physical violence. It may be a factor in why people abuse other or get in involved in gang violence.
The unsettling truth about drunkenness or any addiction is the power of sin—that we become both victim and perpetrator of sin. You’ll remember the first time sin is spoken about is when God warns Cain to not be overcome by bitterness and anger. God sees the cycle of violence beginning early. He tells Cain, “Why are you angry?” “Sin is crouching behind the door and its desire is for you” (Gen 4:6,7). Sadly, anger overcomes Cain, he gets drunk with rage, and he kills his brother.
And so it is for us. Sin threatens to inebriate our good senses. A momentary surge of happiness is crouching behind the door. A fleeting sense of euphoria is lurking around the corner. A temporary escape from the troubles of this world is just a click away. But, be warned, God says, it won’t last. Its desire is for you. Before you know it, we have lost control or are addicted. We have become slaves of a substance or behavior that has taken control. We are no longer ourselves. We think, say, and do things we later regret.
I have a friend who tried crystal meth at a party three years ago. He told a group of his friends that he never felt more ecstasy in all his life. He was immediately hooked and had to have it every day. He never felt that first high again. Instead, he lost a very good job, spent months in rehab, left a trail of broken relationships, and is still picking up the pieces.
“Do not get drunk with wine,” our Scripture says, “but be filled with the Spirit.” This is the answer to the prayer we prayer as Jesus taught us, “Deliver us from evil.” He delivers us from the power of sin by the Holy Spirit. Christ lived, died, and rose again to deliver us from the guilt and condemnation of sin. But he also wants us to be free of its addictive power—and not only free from foreign substances, but also filled with holy and godly power.
“Don’t get drunk on wine…but be filled with the Spirit…singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs…singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts, giving thanks to God the Father at all times and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Paul says we fill ourselves with the Spirit when we sing and pray. Music, along with God’s Word, can rehabilitate the soul. Our musicians and choir are the great dealers of God’s gifts and spiritual power. Public worship is crucial to our recovery from sin. Our gathering together is intoxicating. We drown our sorrows and sin in Holy Baptism. We imbibe God’s Word as it enters our ears, our hearts, and fills us with peace, wisdom, and strength. We gather around truly mind- and life-altering substance—the Body and Blood of Jesus with the bread and wine of the Lord’s Supper. God is eager and delighted to fill us with his Holy Spirit to empower us to live healthy and loving lives.
No comments:
Post a Comment