Day and Night, Part 2
John 4:1-26
He was hot and tired. He was hungry and thirsty. He had been walking for hours. This first leg of the trip covered some 25 miles as the crow flies; but, walking through the desert mountains that 25 miles seem to stretch into 50. So often we think of Jesus as a super human -
"Faster than a speeding bullet! More powerful than a locomotive! Able to leap tall buildings at a single bound!"
"Look! Up in the sky!"
"It's a bird!"
"It's a plane!"
"It's SUPER JESUS"
It's hard for us to remember at times that Jesus was fully human. He would tire. He would thirst. He would hunger. Jesus was like any one of us in that respect. This day was no different.
I wonder if he had thought much about his conversation with Nicodemus just days before. A leader, a teacher, a ruler of the Jews, one who truly should have understood who Jesus was and why he was there yet he went back to the Pharisees still confused, still trying to understand, still in the dark. Jesus had talked to these types many times but Nicodemus was different. He truly was searching.
Now here he sits, waiting by the well for someone to come and draw the water that he may have a drink. His disciples had left him alone as they went to gather and buy food in Sychar. So, here Jesus sits: tired, thirsty, and alone.
I wonder if Jesus knew she would be coming at this time to this place.
Had he seen her coming at noon when he passed through this part of Samaria on other trips, wondering why she didn't come with the other women in the morning and afternoon?
Did he have divine knowledge that she would be there?
Did it just happen that they both ended up at the well together at noon?
We don't know, but what we find as a result of their encounter is the longest recorded conversation between Jesus and anyone else. You might expect it to be with one of the elite. Maybe with a Roman official as the ruler of the territory. You might expect Jesus' long conversation to be with another Pharisee or a Sadducee, the religious elite of the Jewish circles. Maybe even a Priest of the Samaritan Temple at Mt. Gerrazim. But a woman? A Samaritan Woman? A culturally suspect Samaritan Woman? A sinner that has even been ostracized by the other Samaritan Women?
Surly Jesus had more self respect that to spend the heat of the afternoon in deep theological conversation with a person like that!
Yet, that is precisely whom Jesus spends his time with.
Notice, in Chapter 3 it is Nicodemus who engages Jesus is conversation. Not so here in Chapter 4, it is Jesus that initiates the conversation. In chapter 3 the conversation takes place at night; here it takes place in the day. With Nicodemus it takes place hidden from others and few knew of the conversation. In fact, there is no mention of Nic at Night even leaving much less bearing witness to how Jesus' conversation had strangely warmed him, or impacted him in any way. But here, this un-named, sinful woman has a lengthy conversation with Jesus and leaves to tell others all about what has happened and who this man of God is - the Messiah, the one who bears living water, the one who is the very light of the world.
Now may I ask? which one do you wish to be compared too? The sinful outcast that has given more than taken, been hurt more than helped, been rejected rather than received
OR
The insider that has been educated in the finest schools, dressed in the finest clothes, and received in the finest homes?
The one that others talk about
OR
The one that people hope to talk to?
The one that everyone knows the business of but few know the name
OR
The one that everyone wants to support and even vote for in public office?
I dare say most of us would prefer to be the later rather than the former. We don't want to be the sinner of the community, we want to be the saint. We don't want to be the outcast, we want to be accepted and loved by everyone. We don't want to be a nobody, we want to be a somebody. I know I do.
Yet, time and again we see Jesus warning the somebodies and caring for the nobodies. Time and again we see the somebodies are in the dark as through it were the dead of night and the nobodies are the ones in the light as though it were noon and the sun was high in a cloudless sky.
How is it that those of us who gain an education, live the good life, and play by the rules are the ones that so often have the hardest struggles with our faith? Why do we find ourselves in the dark while "those people" seem to always bask in the light?
Maybe it's because we have established our rules and set up our standards and accepted our "best life" and called it living in the blessings of God when in fact the standards of our world are far from the standards of God.
Everywhere Jesus went he upset the apple cart.
The world was looking for a Messiah that would be a military ruler and king, what they got was a teacher, a rabbi, and one that didn't even follow all their interpretations of the law.
The world said that there was a Social Order that all were to follow. Jew's didn't associate with Samaritans, Romans were superior to Greeks, Men were superior to Women. The healthy were superior to the sick. The wealthy were privileged and the poor were being punished and on and on and on the order goes. Yet Jesus came in and told stories where the Samaritans were the heros. Jesus came and healed the sick. Jesus blessed the poor. Jesus taught women, Greeks, Romans, and Jews without prejudice.
The world said that life ended with sin and death. Jesus defeated the power of sin and death.
Each of those things that were true then are also relevant and true today.
So often we look for Jesus to give us our blessings rather than being a blessing to others
So often we try to fit Jesus into our mold
So often, instead of being like Jesus we find ourselves trying to make Jesus like us.
And that is the crucial difference we find between Nicodemus and the woman at the well.
Nicodemus wouldn't accept the waters he was offered by Jesus because it didn't make sense yet.
The woman at the well received the living waters and let them overflow into a blessing for others.
Eventually Nicodemus, the cultural and religious insider, would receive that water too, but by then an entire community had been changed because a socially unacceptable woman dared to believe on faith and let it change her life.
What would happen if you too went out and shared how Jesus had made a difference in your life? Last week I challenged you to look at where you have been hiding in the dark and then pray about how you are to step out into the light.
This week I want you to do more than just step out into the light. This week I want you to find one place where you can let that light reflect out for the world to see. I want you to let God's light shine forth in the darkness. I want you to let the living waters overflow that you may be a blessing to others.
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Saturday, March 19, 2011
By Night and by Day, Part 1
By Night and By Day
John 3:1-17
John chapter 3 seems to be the most preached upon chapter of the Bible, and rightly so. John's portrayal of Jesus' night-time conversation with Nicodemus lays out the full message of Jesus' gospel. We have heard sermons preached from nearly every angle and depth with this passage. We have memorized verses from it and based entire curriculum for children and adults on this passage.
But my question is, has the passage become so familiar that we have lost some of it's meaning in our familiarity with it? Have we become complacent in our reading of this familiar passage? Have we gotten to the point that we skim it in reading because we think we already know everything there is to know about it?
Maybe. But let's try to read it again today. Let's try to hear it anew in this reading. Let's try to receive what God has for us in this passage today.
SCRIPTURE AND PRAYER
We had been through the same obstacle course earlier that day. We could even hear the rat-a-tat-tat and whistle of the M-60's rounds going over our heads as we climbed and crawled our way through, but this time it was different. This time it was dark. The only light was from the moon, the carefully placed explosions on the course, an occasional over head flare, and the tracer rounds of the M-60's zipping through the night sky. It was fun when we went through the course that morning, but at night it was different. It was dark. It was scary. It seemed real. That was only training.
Years later I would lay in a sleeping bag in the mountains of El Salvador on a humanitarian mission. With no weapons to protect us from the bands of Communist renegades and guerrilla war-lords we relied upon the 14-16 year old “soldiers” that were assigned to keep our compound secure. Things were fine during the day, but at night we could hear other sounds. At night we were vulnerable. At night we would hear gunfire and not know where it came from our where we should go. Others of you have been there in varying degrees, some truly in fear of your life. Friends of mine have been in real combat and talked of the darkness. My Grandfather was in the Battle of the Bulge and spent years overcoming his fear of the dark.
There is something about the dark isn't there. We don't have to be in the military to experience it. From children having to have the closet doors closed and a night light to adults walking through a dark sanctuary we all experience that uneasy feeling that comes with darkness.
But darkness also does other things doesn't it. Darkness conceals. It hides what is happening. It makes things hard to see, even large vehicles. Some of you may have noticed my vehicle looks a little different. Well, if you look close it is a different vehicle. We recently traded our older used Expedition for a newer used Expedition that gets 25% better gas mileage than our old one. You may also notice that it has a little blemish on the Drivers front Bumper. Now I don't know how you can miss a vehicle that size, and white on top of that, but the first night we had it in our possession a young lady didn't see it and backed into it. Because of the darkness she couldn't see it. You see, darkness conceals, in more ways than one.
Often it is in the dark, literally or figuratively, that we do most of our sinning. We don't want others to see what we are doing so we do them in secret, in hiding, in the dark.
Darkness is also when we get our best rest. We have labored all day and then at night we relax, we rest, we recline. It is at night, in darkness that we “reset” our clocks. It is in darkness that our body produces Melatonin, a chemical that helps regulate our sleep cycle and is crucial to our immune system and overall health.
But here in John darkness seems to take on another meaning. I have heard it said that Nicodemus came to Jesus at night to conceal his trip to see this “Jesus” that the Pharisees were opposed to.
Others have said that both Jesus and Nicodemus were so busy during the day that they couldn't carve out time for an appointment and so night-time was the only time the two could get together to talk.
But most all agree that John is using darkness not only as a marker for the time of day but as a metaphor for those who are symbolically in the dark.
I know everyone always wants to jump to 3:16-17 but let's spend just a few moments looking at just the first few verses of this passage.
In the first verse we meet Nicodemus, a character that John will develop through the chapters. His introduction though is crucial for we see just who this man is. Nicodemus is a ruler, a leader of the Jesus, a Pharisee – a teacher and a powerful one at that. When Nicodemus walked through the streets of his home town he was recognized as a religious authority.
Yet, this authority comes to Jesus at night, why? Because he is in the dark himself. He just doesn't get this Jesus. And in the darkness, he comes to Jesus and says, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God...” (John 3:2)
Who is this “We”? Nick came by himself at night, we could call him Nick-at-Night if we want, so who does he mean when he says “we”?
- Maybe he is coming to speak for the Pharisees, the religious elite. But why would he have to come at night? If that was the case it would have been a part of his daily duties and he would not have needed the cover of darkness.
- Maybe he came to speak for the other closeted believers. Those that believed but were too afraid to be seen or heard.
- Or, maybe Nick-at-Night came saying “we know” when what he really meant was, “I don't have a clue.” He just doesn't know who this Jesus is or why he has come or what all his miracles mean. Nicodemus is truly in the dark.
As pastor and author Thomas Steagald puts it, “Nicodemus, in the dark, comes with a protest of knowledge that belies the truth: 'I do not know who you are.' He is trying desperately to fit Jesus into his view of things – to fit Jesus into the long line of teachers, prophets, whatever – one more in the sequence.”
Yet, before Nick-at-Night can even raise a question it seems that Jesus is answering his questions in verse 3, “No one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above” (or “born again”). This is a verse like 16. We jump to it and pull the text out of the midst of the story to make it an evangelistic effort. We have even wrapped our salvation language in this one phrase, “born again.” But when we remove this phrase from the context of what Jesus is saying and what John is portraying about Jesus we do it a disservice.
When we do that we assume that Jesus is talking to Nicodemus as an unsaved person, an unbeliever, an atheist, a skeptic, a pagan. But remember who Nick-at-Night is – a “teacher of Israel”, a “Leader of the Jews”. He was one of the key leaders, a Pharisee, a devout and faithful person. Nicodemus was a believer who studied the Scriptures, prayed daily, tithed, and made God a part of his daily life.
Now may I ask, does that sound like anyone you know? A believer who studys the Scriptures, prays daily, tithes, makes God a part of his or her daily life...
I return to a quote by Rev. Steagald,
"Jesus says to Nicodemus – not to an atheist or nonbeliever, not to a skeptic or pagan, but to a faithful Pharisee, to a leader of the Jews, to a teacher of Israel – unless you are born again, you will not see the kingdom of God.
Familiar as this text is, and as comforting in a way, if we look deeply we find it to be frightening as well, for we are the ones who so often come to Jesus saying, “Lord, I know who you are.... I know what you want.” When I say such a thing or think such a thing, I prove only that I too am in the dark...."
So, we return to where we began, wandering in the dark through familiar territory yet, needing help to find our way. It is not until we find Jesus, each and every day, that we begin to see the light in more than just flashes from overhead flares offering an eery glare. Just as Jesus was telling a religious authority some 2000 years ago, he tells us today, unless we be born again, born anew, born from above with water and spirit we will not see the kingdom of God. As Jesus told him then, he tells us now, step out of the darkness, not just once but daily.
And, that is what Lent is about. That is what this season is about. I want to challenge you today to spend this week looking at your life, thinking of how you have been hiding in the dark. Then I want you to pray about how it is that you will step out of the darkness and into the light. If you follow his story as John develops his character, you will see that Nicodemus slowly begins to step out of the darkness and into the light. He begins to see things differently, he begins to act differently, eventually defending Jesus in front of others and taking part in Jesus' burial.
Nick-at-Night took bold steps but they all started with little ones, the first was coming in darkness to see the light of the world. What will your first step be?
John 3:1-17
John chapter 3 seems to be the most preached upon chapter of the Bible, and rightly so. John's portrayal of Jesus' night-time conversation with Nicodemus lays out the full message of Jesus' gospel. We have heard sermons preached from nearly every angle and depth with this passage. We have memorized verses from it and based entire curriculum for children and adults on this passage.
But my question is, has the passage become so familiar that we have lost some of it's meaning in our familiarity with it? Have we become complacent in our reading of this familiar passage? Have we gotten to the point that we skim it in reading because we think we already know everything there is to know about it?
Maybe. But let's try to read it again today. Let's try to hear it anew in this reading. Let's try to receive what God has for us in this passage today.
SCRIPTURE AND PRAYER
We had been through the same obstacle course earlier that day. We could even hear the rat-a-tat-tat and whistle of the M-60's rounds going over our heads as we climbed and crawled our way through, but this time it was different. This time it was dark. The only light was from the moon, the carefully placed explosions on the course, an occasional over head flare, and the tracer rounds of the M-60's zipping through the night sky. It was fun when we went through the course that morning, but at night it was different. It was dark. It was scary. It seemed real. That was only training.
Years later I would lay in a sleeping bag in the mountains of El Salvador on a humanitarian mission. With no weapons to protect us from the bands of Communist renegades and guerrilla war-lords we relied upon the 14-16 year old “soldiers” that were assigned to keep our compound secure. Things were fine during the day, but at night we could hear other sounds. At night we were vulnerable. At night we would hear gunfire and not know where it came from our where we should go. Others of you have been there in varying degrees, some truly in fear of your life. Friends of mine have been in real combat and talked of the darkness. My Grandfather was in the Battle of the Bulge and spent years overcoming his fear of the dark.
There is something about the dark isn't there. We don't have to be in the military to experience it. From children having to have the closet doors closed and a night light to adults walking through a dark sanctuary we all experience that uneasy feeling that comes with darkness.
But darkness also does other things doesn't it. Darkness conceals. It hides what is happening. It makes things hard to see, even large vehicles. Some of you may have noticed my vehicle looks a little different. Well, if you look close it is a different vehicle. We recently traded our older used Expedition for a newer used Expedition that gets 25% better gas mileage than our old one. You may also notice that it has a little blemish on the Drivers front Bumper. Now I don't know how you can miss a vehicle that size, and white on top of that, but the first night we had it in our possession a young lady didn't see it and backed into it. Because of the darkness she couldn't see it. You see, darkness conceals, in more ways than one.
Often it is in the dark, literally or figuratively, that we do most of our sinning. We don't want others to see what we are doing so we do them in secret, in hiding, in the dark.
Darkness is also when we get our best rest. We have labored all day and then at night we relax, we rest, we recline. It is at night, in darkness that we “reset” our clocks. It is in darkness that our body produces Melatonin, a chemical that helps regulate our sleep cycle and is crucial to our immune system and overall health.
But here in John darkness seems to take on another meaning. I have heard it said that Nicodemus came to Jesus at night to conceal his trip to see this “Jesus” that the Pharisees were opposed to.
Others have said that both Jesus and Nicodemus were so busy during the day that they couldn't carve out time for an appointment and so night-time was the only time the two could get together to talk.
But most all agree that John is using darkness not only as a marker for the time of day but as a metaphor for those who are symbolically in the dark.
I know everyone always wants to jump to 3:16-17 but let's spend just a few moments looking at just the first few verses of this passage.
In the first verse we meet Nicodemus, a character that John will develop through the chapters. His introduction though is crucial for we see just who this man is. Nicodemus is a ruler, a leader of the Jesus, a Pharisee – a teacher and a powerful one at that. When Nicodemus walked through the streets of his home town he was recognized as a religious authority.
Yet, this authority comes to Jesus at night, why? Because he is in the dark himself. He just doesn't get this Jesus. And in the darkness, he comes to Jesus and says, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God...” (John 3:2)
Who is this “We”? Nick came by himself at night, we could call him Nick-at-Night if we want, so who does he mean when he says “we”?
- Maybe he is coming to speak for the Pharisees, the religious elite. But why would he have to come at night? If that was the case it would have been a part of his daily duties and he would not have needed the cover of darkness.
- Maybe he came to speak for the other closeted believers. Those that believed but were too afraid to be seen or heard.
- Or, maybe Nick-at-Night came saying “we know” when what he really meant was, “I don't have a clue.” He just doesn't know who this Jesus is or why he has come or what all his miracles mean. Nicodemus is truly in the dark.
As pastor and author Thomas Steagald puts it, “Nicodemus, in the dark, comes with a protest of knowledge that belies the truth: 'I do not know who you are.' He is trying desperately to fit Jesus into his view of things – to fit Jesus into the long line of teachers, prophets, whatever – one more in the sequence.”
Yet, before Nick-at-Night can even raise a question it seems that Jesus is answering his questions in verse 3, “No one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above” (or “born again”). This is a verse like 16. We jump to it and pull the text out of the midst of the story to make it an evangelistic effort. We have even wrapped our salvation language in this one phrase, “born again.” But when we remove this phrase from the context of what Jesus is saying and what John is portraying about Jesus we do it a disservice.
When we do that we assume that Jesus is talking to Nicodemus as an unsaved person, an unbeliever, an atheist, a skeptic, a pagan. But remember who Nick-at-Night is – a “teacher of Israel”, a “Leader of the Jews”. He was one of the key leaders, a Pharisee, a devout and faithful person. Nicodemus was a believer who studied the Scriptures, prayed daily, tithed, and made God a part of his daily life.
Now may I ask, does that sound like anyone you know? A believer who studys the Scriptures, prays daily, tithes, makes God a part of his or her daily life...
I return to a quote by Rev. Steagald,
"Jesus says to Nicodemus – not to an atheist or nonbeliever, not to a skeptic or pagan, but to a faithful Pharisee, to a leader of the Jews, to a teacher of Israel – unless you are born again, you will not see the kingdom of God.
Familiar as this text is, and as comforting in a way, if we look deeply we find it to be frightening as well, for we are the ones who so often come to Jesus saying, “Lord, I know who you are.... I know what you want.” When I say such a thing or think such a thing, I prove only that I too am in the dark...."
So, we return to where we began, wandering in the dark through familiar territory yet, needing help to find our way. It is not until we find Jesus, each and every day, that we begin to see the light in more than just flashes from overhead flares offering an eery glare. Just as Jesus was telling a religious authority some 2000 years ago, he tells us today, unless we be born again, born anew, born from above with water and spirit we will not see the kingdom of God. As Jesus told him then, he tells us now, step out of the darkness, not just once but daily.
And, that is what Lent is about. That is what this season is about. I want to challenge you today to spend this week looking at your life, thinking of how you have been hiding in the dark. Then I want you to pray about how it is that you will step out of the darkness and into the light. If you follow his story as John develops his character, you will see that Nicodemus slowly begins to step out of the darkness and into the light. He begins to see things differently, he begins to act differently, eventually defending Jesus in front of others and taking part in Jesus' burial.
Nick-at-Night took bold steps but they all started with little ones, the first was coming in darkness to see the light of the world. What will your first step be?
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