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Sunday, March 26, 2017

“Illumined in Christ”


Scripture: Ephesians 5:1-20

There isn’t much in creation that can flourish in the darkness, other than mushrooms and snakes, and even they need a little light from time to time. The dark can be a foreboding place.

Pastor Howard Chapman has vivid memories of the time he lived in West Africa with his missionary parents. Whenever you went out at night, you needed a flashlight to not only keep from tripping and falling, but to help watch for deadly venomous snakes that were nocturnal in nature. He wrote:

I can remember one night walking with my mother along a path. It was very dark. I was only about 5 or 6, and I kept bugging my mother to let me carry the flashlight. She finally agreed, but told me that it was not a toy and that we needed to be careful because of snakes. Well, I think that kind of freaked me out a little and made me nervous. I started shining the light off into the underbrush and long grass at the side of the path. My mother did not put up with that for very long. She snatched the light away from me and asked me what I thought I was doing. "Looking for snakes," I told her.

"No," she said, "we are not looking for snakes. We are looking at the path ahead. As long as there is nothing ahead of us we keep walking. If we see something, we stop. It will be afraid of the light and will go off into the dark. When it is safe, we go on. But the light must always shine on the path ahead."

--Rev. Dr. Howard Chapman of First Presbyterian Church in Marion, Iowa

Because of his fear, the boy was more focused on what might come at him from out of the darkness, instead of paying attention to the lighted path ahead of him. That can also be a problem for Christians – sometimes we get so focused on the sin that hides in the world’s dark recesses that we forget to set our eyes on the path that the Light of Christ reveals. If sin encroaches on our way, and if we remain focused on the lighted way of Christ, His Light will reveal any intruder for what it is, and it will flee from that Light.

Read Ephesians 5:1-7

Paul is describing how “people of the darkness” live. He lists these nine issues in three groups of three, so let’s take a quick look at each of the groupings. But before we do, an observation. It’s interesting that he doesn’t give this warning against those who are outside the Church – it is for those within the church. These are actions and attitudes that the worldly people follow, and there is no place for these ways in the life of the church. He tells the Ephesians, and us, that they are to be imitators of God, not of the world.

So, the first of the three groups seems to center on sin that comes from our sensual pleasures – immoral sexuality, impure attitudes, and greed (presumably that which is exhibited in unrestrained sexual desires). He writes that these are improper for God’s “holy people”, that the acts, as well as the attitudes, must be eliminated from our lives.

The second group focuses on our tongue. Obscene language, foolish talk (which can include many things, such as gossip, bragging, lies, and so on), and crude jokes. The book of James says that the tongue “… is a fire … it stains the whole body … and is itself set on fire by hell.” (James 3:5-12) No other part of the body is cautioned to the extent that the tongue is.

The third group is about idolatry. This is about our love and worship of other gods. This reference to immorality, impurity and greed is much more general in nature that that which is described in the first group. These are those things in life that we allow to become our god – it includes dishonesty, corrupt acts, our sinful acts against others, the filth that makes us unclean in the eyes of God (Matthew 15:16-20), and our desires to have more, to do more, to control more, to get more than our “neighbor” can.

Paul tells us that those who tell us that these things are good for our lives are “deceiving” us, and we should have nothing to do with them. These are the “snakes” that the boy Howard Chapman feared (remember him from our opening story?), and they are the sins that the light of Christ will reveal in our own lives.

Read Ephesians 5:8-14

In chapter 1 (Ephesians 1:18), Paul prays that the “eyes of your heart” – the vision of the church – will be enlightened. In this passage, he goes further by saying that while we were once darkness (sinful), that now the people, by faith in Christ, have become “a light in the Lord”. This light allows us to lead others in truth, and not in deception as the people of earth do. The light gives us a Godly perspective in life – we are created anew in this Light, we receive and share the good and righteous “fruit” of the Light, and it shows us what is pleasing to God. Bringing joy to God, though, is not such an easy thing to understand. It isn’t as simple as obeying the law and the commandments, it isn’t just about the things that we do – it is about the heart that guides all that we do. We can put a double tithe in the offering plate every week, but if we do it grudgingly, the offering means nothing to the Lord! We are called to love what we do in His name.
1 Corinthians 13:3 – “If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.”!!! Without a right heart, nothing will come from what we do, no matter how good it may seem.

If we focus our lives on that which the Light of the Lord lead us to, it will perfectly reveal what is of God and what is of the world. And the “snakes” of earth hate the Light, because it shows them for what they are – contrary and opposed to the way of Christ.

Paul writes about the “fruit of the light” versus the “fruitless deeds of the darkness”. Whenever we stop depending on the Light to lead us in the right path, we will quickly wind up in the dark and oppressive undergrowth of the world. He says that only the Light will show us where we are, and only the Light can show us how to get back on the path with Christ.

So wake up! Don’t try to avoid the snakes on your own - trust the Light to expose the snakes, and then to send them running.

Read Ephesians 5:15-20

The apostle concludes this thought by comparing true wisdom, as opposed to the thoughts and life of the unwise. He makes a couple of important points in these verses.

First, we are to use every opportunity for service that the Lord gives us, because “the days are evil”. We might say “the times are evil” – that it is more than just a temptation or two, that it is more than a momentary lapse into sin, that it is not a short period of time. It means that evil abounds for years upon years – that the sin that is so prevalent around us will continue to plague us until the day that Christ returns to claim his Church. But just because there are “snakes” in the darkness around us, that doesn’t mean that we stop walking down the Lord’s path! We must continue to follow the will and Light of God as long as we draw breath!

The second point is this – that we are not to surrender to the “foolish” ways of earth, that we are to constantly seek the will and way of our Almighty God. We fight that foolishness by allowing the Spirit to fill us and work within us. We are to praise the Lord with that same tongue that has the tendency to speak evil – for if we keep our tongue busy proclaiming Jesus Christ, it won’t have the time or inclination to speak the world’s “foolishness”.

We are called to be “the light of the world – a city on a hill” (Matthew 5:13-16), even while we walk through the darkness of earth. And as we carry that light, as it dispels the blindness that flourishes in our life and in the lives of others, we will use that light to illuminate, not only our way, but their way, too. Praise and thanksgiving must be our life’s work, not fear and hesitation and trepidation. We are to be Light bearers – Christ bearers - not light shields. We are to rejoice in the Light and the truths that it reveals, not ones who denounce that truth.

We are called to not only be illuminated by the Light of Christ, but to carry that Light into the darkness, that others might come to know its radiance and blessing for themselves. And that is what will bring pleasure and joy and rejoicing to the heart of our God.

Sunday, March 19, 2017

“Prayer for Glory”


Scripture: John 17:20-26

It is still dinner time at the Last Supper, and Jesus has been praying. First, he prayed that glory might come upon him, so that his Father might receive that glory (John 17:1-5). Next, he prayed for his disciples, that the Father might bless the glory that is upon them, and that he will sustain them as they begin the ministry that is now theirs (John 17:6-19). And in our text for today, he prays for the Church that is about to come into existence, again that the glory that rests upon them might unite them with the Father and the Son.

Jesus knows what lies ahead for all believers, and his great desire is that divine strength and purpose will fill all who come as followers of the true Messiah.

As we read through these prayers, there is never a request to put a halt to the coming opposition and condemnation, but only acceptance of those who will suffer because of the name of Jesus Christ. He never asks that their suffering will be eliminated, never asks that everyone will accept their testimony, never asks that the Church will always be faithful, and never asks that their faith and love will never waiver. Only that glory and unity might be theirs and that their glory and love might be worthy to pass through him to the Father.

Read John 17:20-23

Jesus had begun the work that believers must now take up, and, by faith in the Son of God, that those who come to him will know the same unifying Spirit that exists between Jesus and his Father. But this unity isn’t just for edification and blessing of the Church – it is for their ministry to the world. The word and unity in Christ is given, not so that we might have a wonderfully easy time and revel in Glory, but so that others will come to believe.
This issue of unity is much more than simply getting along with others in the Church – It is about identity. And Jesus lifts up this concern in three parts. First, that “they”, or we, might be united with each other, that the core beliefs of the Church are common for all. I don’t think that this call would condemn denominational differences, such as in worship styles, but rather that the teachings of Jesus Christ would be held by all in the Church. But even after 2,000 years of trying, the conflicts in understanding the details of Jesus’ teaching are still extensive. So it would seem that “identity through unity” is still a long way off.

The second example, that which Jesus offers in the depth of this unity, lies in the relationship that exists between him and the Father. The truth that is in Christ isn’t just what he desires, but what is eternal and perfect in its nature. Over and over in scripture, we read that Jesus goes off by himself to pray (Matthew 14:22-24; Matthew 26:36-37; Luke 5:15-16; Luke 6:12; etc.). These times weren’t simply to offer up requests for healing in others, or for strength to carry out his mission, but to know intimately the Father’s will for his life. We must remember that Jesus wasn’t just God Incarnate, but that he was also fully human as well, and all human temptations and frailties were just as prevalent in his life as they are in ours. And it was by prayer that Jesus was able to be “in the world, but never of the world” in such a consistent and focused way.

The culmination of these two “unities” is not that they might remain self-contained, but that they might allow the third unity to grow – that between the Triune God and his Church. Jesus continues in his prayer to define the purpose for this all-encompassing unity – that the world might know who Jesus is and why he came to live among us. God wants nothing less than the entire world should be saved through faith in him, and that it might come to fruition through the faithful lives living in the world. That is the one and only purpose for the Church – to spread the word of salvation that comes by faith in Christ.

Read John 17:24-26

Jesus now moves from “asking” for glory and unity, to expressing a more intentional desire by saying “I want …” them to be with me. Once again, he is looking for a recognition and expression of unity in faith. For Jesus, it has always been about “your will, not mine’, and it will continue to be so. But as his humanity prepares to slip away, the Lord may very well be at the point of understanding what the Father’s answer is going to be before a question is asked, and is beginning to become more confident and enabled as the Second Person of the Trinity.

“I want” the faithful to be where I am, and to see my glory. And where is Jesus? Sitting at the right hand of God, with full inheritance, full identity, and complete authority, and that is where he wants all believers to be. And when we are where he is, glory will surround both Jesus and his Church.

God’s love abounds! It transcends time! It was before the created order was! And the love of God is unifying beyond anything that the human mind can conceive! And that love becomes ours by faith in the One that the Almighty loved first. By our living and loving in Christ, we come to know Father God intimately.

Unity and love is what is missing in the church of today. We’ve had flashes of unifying love over the years, and there continues to be localized unity from time to time, but they are far too brief. In Acts 2:42-47, we read of what the Church should always be – believers who are focused on Christ’s teachings and on fellowship with each other; that wonders and miracles would become nearly commonplace; that sharing could became a way of life with those who openly give to those who are in need; they eat together, they worship together, and the Church would grow daily! And that is how it should be!

In Mark 12:28-31, Jesus is asked what the greatest commandment is, and his response is well known – that we are to love the Lord with all our heart and with all our soul and with all our mind and with all our strength. And in addition, we are to love our neighbor as our self. And when the questioner replies that to love like this is more important “than all the burnt offerings and sacrifices”, Jesus tells him that he is right on track.
Love must be all encompassing. When we love with our heart, it is an emotional love. When we love with our minds, it is through understanding and acceptance. When we love with our soul, it is in a Christ like way. And when we love with our whole strength, it is about commitment.
And this love leads us to love our neighbors in a God-like love, and not the one that the world promotes.

Even John Wesley struggled with this concept. In the early days of his ministry, he thought that we had to love our neighbors in a demanding sort of love – that this was the only way to love as God loved. Even the Holy Club that he established at Oxford was based in rigid adherence to an agreed upon set of rules, hence the nickname “Methodists”. But after his Aldersgate Street experience on May 24, 1738, he wrote these words in his Journal, as edited by Albert C. Outler in his book “John Wesley” (Oxford University Press:New York, 1964, pg. 66 “.. while he [the Moravian preacher] was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone for salvation;”. Wesley had just discovered that bringing honor to his God did not involve doing the right thing, but rather by loving in the right way – in the way and truth of Christ.

Unity in the Church will never occur through our doing what we think is right, because everyone has their own concept of what that “right” consists of. Unity in the Church, and unity with God, can only come by loving and living in the example set before us by Jesus Christ and all that he taught.

By the love that God has for us, through the love and passion of his Son Jesus Christ, and in our love for our neighbors, whoever that may be in God’s definition, unity in the Church, and unity with the Lord is not such a stretch for us poor humans. But we have to end our attempts to achieve that unity through our own actions and demands.

Pray for unity in the church. Pray that we might love as Jesus first loved us (1 John 4:19). Pray that each of us might take on an identity that reflects Jesus, and that we might set our own self-created identity aside. Pray for the faith to lead your neighbors, whoever they may be, to the glory of Christ and the love of Almighty God. And pray that all that you might achieve in this life will always be passed on to the only One who deserves it – our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and that our identity for eternity will be in him.

Sunday, March 12, 2017

“Pruned for Love”


Scripture: John 15:1-17

Today’s text is about pruning – the shaping that our lives are desperately in need of. Anyone who has fruit trees or ornamental shrubbery around their home knows about pruning, and what happens if you don’t prune! In essence, the production and beauty of these living things is always enhanced by controlling those new “suckers” that are constantly springing up on the branches.

The same is true of our human lives – we simply use different terms and names in our own situations. “Production” is the spiritual fruit that comes from the lives we live, the “beauty” is the truth and fullness that is evident in our faith walk, and those same old “suckers” are also called by a new name – “SIN”!

Israel had always been referred to as the Lord’s Vineyard, and in Isaiah 5:1-7, we read of the Lord’s planting a great vineyard, in hopes of gaining a grand harvest of good grapes. But instead of a good harvest, it turned out to be nothing more than a bunch of “wild grapes”, so the vineyard would be left to ruin, without fences to protect it from intruders, and without pruning to improve the harvest.

And we, too, are in need of the Lord’s pruning and protection.

Read John 15:1-4

Jesus speaks of two vitally important needs in caring for a vineyard, or, for that matter, any bush or tree or living thing.

The first is pruning. As today’s text reminds us, we prune, not to just shape the growth, but to increase the fruit production. If the tree or vine is allowed to grow uninhibited, the fruit that it produces may increase in numbers, but the quality of the fruit will diminish dramatically. Pruning limits demand on the nourishment, and allows the fruit that is produced to be larger and more succulent.

The other issue that Jesus addresses is the “cutting” out of those branches that bear no fruit whatsoever. Dead limbs and branches are nothing short of ugly and dangerous, and serve no purpose whatsoever except to cause living limbs to become distorted.
Have you ever “googled” the internet for websites that list outdated laws that are still on the books? They’re a riot, and you have to wonder why they were never voted out of existence! They, too, are dead, and are never enforced, so why keep them?

Both of these concepts – that of pruning as well as cutting – is about removing growth – some new and some old - completely from the vine or the tree. Both processes are intended to eliminate those things that keep good fruit from developing. The pruning removes living limbs that lessen the quality of the fruit, and cutting removes those limbs that produce no fruit whatsoever. Neither condition – both the lack of life and the restriction of life - are beneficial to the orchard or the vineyard, or for the Christian life.

Read John 15:5-8

Jesus compares our life in him to the vine / branch type of relationship, and he is very specific in saying that HE is the vine – the source of nourishment and support for our lives – and that WE are the branches – the ones who are to produce good spiritual fruit for the kingdom.

“Pruning” is as important in our lives of faith as it is in a vineyard. Many Christians believe that joy and reward in their life comes from their constant involvement in church matters. They always seem to be at church - serving on as many committees as possible, being involved in as many projects and tasks as they can, and they believe that becoming more tired and burdened is, mistakenly, evidence of the depth of their faith. But is it?
Several years ago during a retreat, I counseled a young man who was, by his own choice, extremely active in his church. He was in a couple of bible studies, a young men’s group, served on several committees, and was seldom home with his wife and children. As a result, instead of feeling closer to God, he was becoming more distant, and was actually experiencing difficulty when he tried to pray. As we talked, he initially thought that he wasn’t doing enough or being good enough, but eventually he came to the realization that he was doing too much, that he needed to let some of his church “stuff” go, and I suggested that he speak to his pastor for guidance and support.

Another problem that develops over the lack of personal pruning is that others may be deprived of becoming involved within the church, because you are doing the very things that they are feeling called to do. It is so easy for us to forget that we might be undermining the “fruitfulness” - the ministry - of others by all that we keep for ourselves.

We also need to be involved in “cutting” those dead things of life from our spirit. I’m sure that we all have habits and attitudes that gain us nothing, so why keep them around? This is, of course, what sin is all about, and they can have no connection or place with the Lord and his call on our lives. So if they are useless and do nothing but drag us down, get rid of them! As Jesus tells us, they are only good for gathering up and being thrown into the fire! So let’s do that!

We need to be in the Lord, and in his way, if we have any intention of bearing good fruit for his kingdom. It is God’s greatest desire that we do all that he calls us to do, but at the same time, to avoid doing more than he asks of us. It may be a fine line, knowing what he would have us do and what we are to avoid doing, but that is what discipleship is all about – listening to the Lord’s voice, and following the leading of the Spirit.

Read John 15: 9-17

Sometimes, pruning and cutting in our lives hurts. It’s tough to give up those things that we see as our defining factors, those things that we have chosen to fulfill our purpose and direction in life. But Jesus tells us that they do far more damage to us in faith than any comfort we might receive in keeping them. And he says that the necessity for eliminating these damaging issues is all based in the love that he offers to us each and every day.

He compares the love that exists between him and the Father, to the love that he has for us and that which we must have for him. And without the love of God in our lives, our spiritual fruitfulness will suffer, and the joy that we can have by faith in Christ will also never be complete.
Why? Why is the love and joy of God so important for our life in faith? Remember the analogy of the vine and the branches – they must be one, they must exist in unity and harmony. Our fruitfulness is a function of the unifying spirit of God, and without it, our spirituality begins to deteriorate. In Mark 6:1-6, Jesus returns to his hometown of Nazareth, but because the people didn’t believe in his divine nature, he was limited in power. Our faith, which comes from being connected to the Lord, is enabled by the love and power that flows to all who will trust and follow. And that relationship, our faith, can only exist when we are connected to the life-giving power of Jesus.

This relationship that comes through our friendship with Jesus is unlike anything else we will ever know in this life. Human friendships are fragile and tentative, and can easily break apart at the slightest provocation. But the relationship that comes by faith in Jesus Christ is eternal. It is complete. It is fulfilling. It is enabling. It is assured and evidenced by the joyful love that fills our life and overflows into the world. And this life of faith must be reflective of the life that Jesus led.

Which brings us back to pruning and cutting, in that the ways of earth will never be the ways of God. Over and over in the New Testament, we read about the difference between good and bad spiritual fruit. In Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, we are told that we will be known by the fruit we bear (Matthew 7:15-20). In Matthew 12:33-37, we read that at the Judgment, we will be held accountable for the bad fruit we produce in this life. In John 12:23-26, Jesus says that we must die to the world, so that we might live and thrive and be fruitful in him. We receive a list of examples of good spiritual fruit in Galatians 5:22-26 – a list that begins with “love” and “joy” – as well as a list of the bad fruit that comes from the world in Galatians 5:16-21.

We must let the teachings of Christ be the pruning hook and the shears that remove those worldly influences from our lives. Our discipleship, our servanthood, our friendship with Jesus can only become complete through the pruning and cutting that obedience to his word will bring.

But we have to allow the shaping, for without it, we will miss out on the infinite love and the eternal joy of Almighty God. And that would be our shame for all time.

Sunday, March 5, 2017

“Forgiveness” (Evening Lenten Worship)


Scripture: Luke 23:32-43

Lent is a time of preparation for Easter – from Christ’s suffering and humiliation in the scourging and crucifixion, to his bodily resurrection from the darkness of the tomb.
As you may know, our Lenten evening series for this year will be focusing on the last words of Jesus. We hope that you understand that all of Jesus’ words are vitally important for our lives, but that the “Seven Last Words” should be seen, for lack of a better word, as “spiritual exclamation marks” for our lives.
Your pastors will be emphasizing these words as important issues - not only in our preparation for Easter, but for our entire Christian life.

Tonight’s word, the first word that we will consider in our Lenten preparation, is Forgiveness. To begin with, I would like to dispel some myths surrounding the concept of forgiveness.

Myth #1 – Forgiveness is automatic when we accept Jesus as Lord and Savior.
The truth is that salvation is different than forgiveness. We are saved once and for all time, but because of our human nature, we constantly commit sins against the Lord, as well as against our neighbors. Accepting Christ and welcoming him into our lives is the first step, but we are constantly damaging that relationship through our sin. Love the Lord your God with your entire being, and love your neighbor as yourself. But love can never fully exist until forgiveness has been granted.

Myth #2 – Forgiveness is something that God does, and we don’t have to worry about it.
God does forgive, that’s true, but forgiveness must always be preceded by confession. Whether it is our confession of sin to God, or confession of our complicity in the damaged relationship with a friend, honest confession, the naming of our wrong, must be the first step of our journey toward reconciliation – toward forgiveness.

Myth #3– Forgiveness is something that my pastor or priest gets for me, so I don’t have to worry about it.
Forgiveness is always a personal matter. Unless it comes from our heart, the words mean nothing. Unless it is our own desire, it can never be. Pastors and priests can help in our decision making process, but it must always come from spirit to spirit.

Myth #4– I don’t have to be forgiven for those things that I believe are right.
Sin occurs when we break God’s Law and Covenant, and it has nothing to do with our human sense of what is right or wrong. Our standards, our intensions, mean nothing to the Lord. When our life takes a turn away from God’s path, when we are following the world’s standards instead of his, our request for forgiveness for this errant act, is the only way to return to the Lord’s good graces.

Myth #5 – We only need to forgive those who are willing to forgive us.
A note was found many years ago, written by an anonymous author, and discovered in the clothing of a dead child at Ravesbruck concentration camp:
Remember, O Lord, remember not only the men and women of good will, but also those of ill will. But, do not remember all of the suffering they have inflicted upon us; Instead, remember the fruits we have borne because of this suffering -- our fellowship, our loyalty to one another, our humility, our courage, our generosity, the greatness of heart that has grown from this trouble. When our persecutors come to be judged by you, let all of these fruits that we have borne be our forgiveness [for them].

--Anonymous, found in the clothing of a dead child at Ravensbruck concentration camp. From Prayers of the Martyrs, compiled and translated by Duane W.H. Arnold. (Zondervan, 1991), 73.
Enough said?

Israel had always believed that the sacrifices that they brought to temple, were the only means that they had to be forgiven for their sins. For them, adherence to the law was an absolute, and when they deviated from it, they had to make amends. But this way had to be repeated over and over again, and forgiveness never quite seemed complete.

But Jesus taught that there was a better way – that by our heart’s confession through faith in him, true forgiveness could be obtained. There is still the need for confession, but the sacrifice for our sins has already been made and accepted – the sacrifice that Jesus made for us at Calvary makes forgiveness complete.

Forgiveness is very possibly the greatest form of healing. In his healing ministry, the Lord made the point that faith was critically important when it came to any type of restoration. In the story of the paraplegic who was brought to Jesus for healing (Mark 2:1-12), the Lord knew the faith of the friends, and in verse 5 we read “When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, 'Son, your sins are forgiven.'” Forgiveness is a renewal, a healing of relationship, if you will. And note that it was the faith and seeking by the paralyzed man’s friends by which the healing occurred, and not necessarily by his own.

But what about our own forgiveness? In Luke 6:37-38, Jesus tells us that our actions toward others will be the example by which God will act toward us. If we judge and condemn others, then condemnation will be our lot. If we withhold forgiveness from those who have harmed us, then forgiveness will be withheld from us.

But this is also a matter of whether our forgiveness is in words only, or whether it comes from our heart. A number of years ago, some close friends betrayed my trust, and our relationship was severely damaged. Over and over, I prayed that the Lord would forgive them, but I never felt any assurance that God had heard or had acted. You see, even while I was seeking forgiveness for them, I was also imagining what I could do to show them how wrong they had been – or rather, how I might “get even”. I didn’t actually want them to be forgiven until they asked for my forgiveness.
Then one day, I was mowing the lawn, again, asking for their forgiveness, while at the same time plotting how I was going to show them how wrong they had been, when the truth of the matter hit me – that I needed God’s forgiveness before they could be forgiven. The mowing stopped, the lawn mower was shut off, and I stood right there, in the middle of the yard, asking the Almighty to forgive my arrogance and lack of heart. And interestingly, I never again felt the need to continue asking for their forgiveness!

And, of course, the ultimate example of forgiveness is offered in our text for this evening. By Christ’s Spirit and his trust in the Father, he accepted all that the world could possibly throw at him. He had been convicted by terrible lies in a “kangaroo court”. He had been beaten and scourged to within an inch of his life. He had been forced to carry his own cross as he was paraded through the streets of Jerusalem. He had been nailed to the cross as Pilate’s conciliatory gesture to the Sanhedrin.
And even beyond all that, the insults continued.

He had been stripped naked, and his clothing was being divided up by the Roman solders. The Jewish leadership smirked at his situation, believing that this “Jesus threat” to their authority had finally been eliminated. The Roman soldiers joined in the mocking, suggesting that if he didn’t save himself, that his claim to being the Son of God was nothing more than a fabrication. And even one of the criminals who were dying with him took up the chant – “If you truly are God, then save us all!”

No one would have complained if Jesus had replied, in kind, to them all, but instead, he pleads on their behalf, that the Father would forgive them for the ignorance that led them to this place and time. His 33 years on earth, and his 3 ½ years of ministry, and now the final hours of his human life, were all in place for the singular purpose of gaining salvation for the people of this world. And one of his final thoughts was that each and every one of us – the most vile, the most abusive, the most condemning, the most evil, the most ignorant among us might be forgiven for our sin and made worthy to receive his life.

Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” (v. 34) Who are they?
THEY are all who have caused the Son of God to be crucified that day – the Jewish leaders, the Roman conquerors and occupiers, the mockers and insulters – essentially, all who have ever sinned against God and neighbor.
Who are THEY?
THEY are you and me. By the mercy and spirit of Jesus Christ, and by the confession of our sins, we have been forgiven for being the reason behind his agony at Calvary.

And the gift doesn’t end there. Even though he became “forgiveness” for the world’s sin, one other event would stand out that day. While he was being ridiculed and demeaned and humiliated that day, there was one who proclaimed the Lord’s innocence, and asked that he might know the salvation that only faith in Christ could achieve. As that one man, judged worthy of condemnation by the world, while feeling his life slipping from his body, his only thought was of Jesus.

Forgiveness, if we offer it, and seek it, and accept it, is the key to relationship with both God and each other. And without it, we continue to drown in our worthlessness. Remember our communion liturgy over the Cup? “When the supper was over, he took the cup, gave thanks to you, gave it to his disciples, and said: ‘Drink from this, all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant, poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins.’

Forgiveness has been offered, but we still need to claim it and embrace it.

Have you sought God’s forgiveness for the life you live?
Have you asked the Lord to lead you back to his ways and out of your own?
Have you fully, without reservation or hesitation, forgiven the hurt, and the denial, and the lies, and the condemnation that others have heaped upon you?

Lord Jesus, may we (may I) forgive as completely as you do!

“How Can It Be?”


Scripture: John 3:1-18

We all come to Christ in different ways. For some, it is a gradual process – they experience the life of Jesus through Sunday School and during worship. They see God at work in their lives and in the lives of others. And in time, they suddenly realize that everything that they have learned about the Lord has finally come together, and there is the realization that He has become their Lord and Savior.
For others, it may be the testimony of a friend, or a particular message at church, or an experience while on a retreat that becomes the trigger, and in a moment of sudden, final and complete surrender to the Lord’s call, they give their life to Christ.
For some, it is gradual, while for others, it is sudden and abrupt. But in some way, and at some time in our lives, there must always be the realization and acceptance that the life that Jesus offers, whether we understand it or not, must take precedence over our own efforts of goodness.

Our text for today is about one who thought he had God figured out and did his best to live in that understanding. But he was wrong.

Read John 3:1-3

Who is this Nicodemus? He was a Jew who holds a position of leadership in the nation, a member of the Sanhedrin, and a Pharisee. He is a man who is deeply immersed in the Law of Moses, believing that adherence to the law, and the need for sacrifice when he couldn’t, is the only way to discover Jehovah’s joy. And so, we are told that he comes to Jesus at “night”.

Before we continue, some thoughts regarding the word “night”. First, it implies a hiddenness, a separation, from God. The gospel is telling us that for the Pharisee, even though he believes that he is close to his Lord, the reality is that a great chasm exists between what Nicodemus believes and what God desires.
Second, the timing of “night” also tells us that the Pharisee was hiding his visit from the prying eyes of his friends. It wasn’t that the Pharisees never approached Jesus to confront him with his teaching, because they did – it’s just that Nicodemus’ visit was to search out the truth of Jesus, and not to impart his brand of truth into the mix.

And as he comes, he offers three compliments to Jesus - he refers to Christ as a rabbi, a learned teacher which places some level of authority on all that he teaches, then he acknowledges that Jesus has come from God – that his authority is divinely inspired, and finally, he implies that the miraculous signs that he performs are legitimate. These are all very positive statements for a man in his position.
The only issue, though, is that he places the proof of Jesus’ authority on the signs that he has performed. In the previous chapter (John 2:23-24), we read that Jesus will not give himself to any individual who simply believes because of acts that he has performed. Signs are not enough – faith is what the Lord desires.

So far, Nicodemus has yet to ask a question, at least none verbally, but Jesus begins to teach the Pharisee about his mistaken understanding of who he truly is. The Christ informs the man that he is nowhere near to knowing God until he has been “born again”. The phrase, too, has a double meaning in the Greek, and John skillfully catches the confusion that is inherent in Nicodemus’ understanding.
The word can mean both “born from above”, as well as “born again”. The intent is that in our renewing birth, we must come into being in a new way. Our first “birth” is the one that we are all most familiar with – the birth that we receive through our mother. But the second birth, the “renewing” birth, has nothing to do with the first one, as it must come in God’s way and not in the world’s. Even though the first is physical in nature and the second is spiritual, both create within us a new life, a new experience, a new vision, and a new relationship.

And Nicodemus will miss the point.

Read John 3:4-8

“How can anyone do that?” In his own understanding, Nicodemus is right – no one can experience physical rebirth. That is literally impossible, so Jesus expands on the explanation for his nighttime visitor. “Humanity must be born of both water and the Spirit.”, and this combination is the requirement for entry into the Kingdom. Many believe that the reference to water implies baptism, when in reality, it refers to the water of our physical birth. This understanding is confirmed by the next verse, that “Flesh gives birth to flesh ... and Spirit to spirit”. Jesus is telling us that these two births are distinct and separate, but that both are necessary in our lives. The first, our physical, birth is by water – a birth founded in chaos, in sin – while the second is in, and by, divine means – in Spirit, by God.

And Jesus tells the learned man that because of his years of delving into the scriptures, he should already understand about the Spirit! And he makes the comparison between the wind and the Spirit of God – an interesting comparison, as the Hebrew word “ruah” also has multiple meanings – that of breath, of wind, and of Spirit. We have no control over the wind or the Spirit, and we have no way of knowing where it will go or what it will do next. While we can experience the presence and effect that both have on our lives, they will remain mysteries that we can never understand.

The message to Nicodemus, and to us, is that we can’t even begin to understand what “being born anew” through the Spirit of God means, but we must believe that it can be, and that it is a vital necessity for our lives.

But Nicodemus is still confused over the significance of Jesus’ words.

Read John 3:9-18

“How can it possibly be?” Jesus has just offered Nicodemus the very thing that he had strived to earn all his life, and he couldn’t accept it. Why? The wisdom that had been leading him - his knowledge of the law, his obedience to the tradition of Israel, his study, his position, his honor and respect, all that his life had stood for – none of it could possibly matter anymore. And he just wasn’t willing to surrender it all.

And Jesus begins to show the Pharisee just how little he truly knows. He has taught the masses in terms that any person should understand, and many have claimed the hope that he holds out. But not the learned! And they who know the scriptures, who have access to all that the prophets have proclaimed, who have heard more of his word than anyone else has – the ones who should have understood never would. And they who admire wisdom so much have rejected the truth of heaven in favor of their own brand of hopelessness. Those who could have had it all have lost all that they had ever worked for.

And Jesus gives them an example that they know all too well – the story of Moses and the bronze serpent (Numbers 21:4-9). The image of very thing that the people had seen as death – the poisonous snakes - would become the only thing that could save them.. And now Jesus would become their despised and hated and feared one – the one who they saw as a lie and as spiritual death would also be lifted up for their salvation.

The Pharisees thought that the only way to avoid the great Jehovah’s condemnation was to live the perfect life, which they never could. So Jesus tells them in no uncertain terms that it wasn’t God’s condemnation that they had to worry about – that they already stood condemned by the very lives they were leading, that it was God undying love, the Love that stood before them, that would save them. And he sets the record straight regarding the message and life that he brings, that no matter what they do, no matter what they know and teach, it will fail them at the end, but that simply by believing in him and his words, eternal life can be theirs.

These learned men of Israel were trapped. Nicodemus was being asked to surrender all that he had ever known and all that he had ever done, and to admit that none of it mattered, in favor of following this strange and unknown way of Jesus. And since that day, the people of earth have been offered this same unknown, unfathomable, unshakable, misunderstood way to eternity. And while many have accepted it on faith, far more have rejected it.

And who is responsible for carrying this “strange” word to the world? People like you and me - those who have accepted this narrow way and have discovered the incredible love of God for themselves. And how do they know? By the very Spirit of God that sustained the Lord Jesus, and who has been sent to sustain and teach and reform and remake each of us, the very “ruah” that leads us where it must go and never to where we would prefer to go.

And the thought that continues to encourage and bolster us in faith is none other than those beautiful words - “For God so loved the world ...” How can it be? How can the love of God overcome the condemnation of the world without our lifting a single finger to help? Quite simply, the truth of the matter is beyond all human knowledge, beyond all human understanding, but it is God’s own truth, brought to us by His one and only Son, and all we have to do is accept it and rejoice.

We aren’t worthy of it. We can’t earn it. We can’t define it or clarify it or change it. But if we just accept it, life will be “born anew from above”. And that will always be enough.