The Amazon

The story is told of the explorer who some years ago had just returned
to his country from the Amazon. The people at home were eager to learn
all about the vast and mighty river and the country surrounding it. How
he wondered, could he ever describe it to them - how could he ever put
into words the feelings that flooded into his heart when he saw the
exotic flowers and heard the night sounds of the jungle. How could he
communicate to them the smells the filled the air and the sense of
danger and excitement that would come whenever he and his fellows
explorers encountered strange animals or paddled through treacherous
rapids?

So the explorer did what all good explorers do - he said to the people,
"go and find out for yourselves what it is like", and to help them he
drew a map of the river pointing out the various features of its course
and describing some of the dangers and some of the routes that could be
used to avoid those dangers.

The people took the map and they framed and hung on the wall of the
local science museum so that everyone could look at it. Some made
copies of it. After a period of time many of those who made copies for
themselves considered themselves experts on the river - and indeed they
knew its every turn and bend, they knew how broad it was and how deep,
where the rapids where and where the falls. They knew the river and
they instructed others in what it was like whenever those people
indicated an interest in it.

I think that many people today are in the same situation. We know the
scriptures but we do not understand them. And we do not understand them
because we have not been there. We must not simply look at the
scriptures and their meaning, we must go there. We must experience what
it means to repent of our sins and allow God to forgive us. Would you
this morning take the map down from the wall and go to the river with
me. See what is there. Allow Christ to open your mind, to breath his
Holy Spirit Upon you, and make you a disciple from heart. Amen

Adapted from a April 13 1997 sermon by Richard Fairchild, "So They Could
Understand."