God's Word: a ladder or shovel
Lay Speaker: Keven Daniel
Location: Whitney United Methodist Church
Date: June 7, 2009
So, anytime I’m asked to get up here, you know, besides dreading it and really not wanting to do it, I always have a fear that I’m going to say something and that either the congregation’s going to attack me with pitchforks and torches or when I get to the parking lot I’ll be struck down with lightening. And so in my sense of doubt, every time I’ve don’t this so far I always end up thinking that the message is more for myself than for anybody else, and hopefully still applies to somebody. But I say that just so if I sound preachy or anything, I’m not trying to be up on a pedestal or anything like that. And it’s kind of funny, actually, that we’ve, you know, had the thunder and lightening for the last couple of days. I thought maybe God is trying to get ahead in his work….I’m going to do it now before you even get up there.
So the story of Nicodemus is an interesting one. For everything the passage has to offer it’s interesting to consider why it was recorded in the first place and who it was intended for. At first glance we might say it’s for the unbeliever. For one thing it’s an excellent testament of what it means to have faith. Jesus presents Nicodemus with a position that is as valid today as it was then. And many ask the same questions today as Nicodemus did back then. Nicodemus, a wise and educated leader, a Pharisee….even to him this concept of “born again” made no sense. Jesus responds with a thought provoking answer: The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. That doesn’t really make sense to Nicodemus.
I wouldn’t be too hard on Nicodemus. It’s not necessarily the most straight forward explanation to his question. For the outside observer, the point Jesus is trying to make is very clear. He says we speak of what we know and what we’ve seen with our own eyes. I speak of earthy things and yet you do not believe. You can try and explain it in countless ways. You can try and reduce it to quantifiable terms but at some point you have to make a leap of faith. At some point you have to be willing to suspend disbelief, to have belief.
Nicodemus tells Jesus, We know you are a teacher who comes from God for no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him. Sounds like a pretty bold declaration. Notice Jesus does not tell him…good job buddy, you figured it out. Nicodemus’ statement is all fine and good, but it’s not a declaration of faith. Basically, he is asking for another sign or for that bold, I am. I am. But here’s the question and the reason Jesus responds the way he does. Even if he gives Nicodemus what he asks for, will he even then believe it, really believe it?
Why does Nicodemus even come to Jesus at night? Probably because he doesn’t want anyone to see him. And why not? Well, aside from whatever consequences it might mean to him as a person in his position, the point is because he doesn’t quite believe. Now this may be ancient days but it is, in fact, a modern dilemma. People always ask for signs, miracles, a burning bush, but even it they were to get their request will that make them a believer or will they just choose to ignore it or try to explain it away, potentially leading them into more doubt and question? What they seek for confirmation to elevate them ends up digging themselves further into a hole.
Now this does not mean that a person should walk in faith, blindly, that it’s not okay to ask questions. Quite the contrary, but attain at the end of the day we have to be willing to believe. We have to be willing to step forward in faith. We have to accept that we will not understand everything. If we can’t do that we are not going to elevate ourselves out the disbelief. The hole becomes deeper. This may be a classic example of a recording of the life of Jesus meant for those who are not yet believers. But I think it is equally a story recorded for the benefit of the believer. It beckons us to ask ourselves why do we believe. What is the basis of our faith? It is not always an easy question to answer is it, to ourselves and even more difficult to share that answer with someone else.
The story also reminds us that in an effort to spread God’s message we will face questions, sometimes tough questions, of those who struggle to believe or who simply are unwilling to believe. But the nice thing is that we don’t have to have a perfect answer. Even if we do have the “perfect” answer the fact is the person we are attempting to minister may not be ready to hear it or understand it. Even when presented with the message directly from Jesus there were those who still didn’t get it. This fact should serve to reassure us in spreading God’s word. And even presented with the message directly from the mouth of Jesus, there were those who doubted him, who didn’t get it. Now rather than dissuade us this fact should serve to reassure us in spreading God’s word. Even directly in the presence of miracles; even directly when spoken from the mouth of Jesus, it doesn’t guarantee a positive response. Jesus knew there were those who still wouldn’t believe but that did not stop him from delivering his message, from saying what needed to be said, and it should not stop us. If we really do believe we firmly know it in our hearts, but why do we sometimes hesitate to share God’s word with others?
Now that’s not in way, shape or form trying to say if we’re unwilling to share God’s word we’re not strong in faith. Even the strongest believers often cringe at the thought of sharing God’s word with someone. To share it in conversation, one on one with someone, can even cause the most steadfast believer to hesitate, and outright evangelizing? Well that can reduce them to a quivering mass of jelly….and I’ll fess up to that right now. But again, why do we hesitate? The most obvious answer is that we doubt ourselves. We don’t think we can articulate it, or worry about looking foolish, or about being asked a question that we don’t have an answer to, or not wanting to make someone else feel uncomfortable….or a thousand other doubts.
Why? Why do we find ourselves so incapable or so unwilling to share God’s word? When we allow ourselves to be consumed by this uncertainty and fear we’re not just doubting our own ability we are doubting God’s ability. What makes us so imperfect that God can’t use us as a vessel to share his word? The Disciples had their many varying faults (Moses was supposed to have a speech impediment) and yet God was still able to work through them, and in those cases they were asked to minister to hundreds if not thousands so who are we to think God can’t use us to share the message with even a fraction of that, just one person?
If we truly believe the voice of the Lord is powerful, is majestic, can split cedar, strikes with flashes of lightening, shake the desert, move whole nations, why should the Lord not be able to deliver the Good News through us? Perhaps the hesitation comes out of fear of being seen as a “bible thumper” or “hypocritical.” Hypocritical….maybe that’s just another label that we put on our fear so it seems humble and self examining. But that does not get us off the hook….nobody said you have to be a saint to spread God’s word. In fact I think you usually have to actually share God’s word a few times before you can obtain sainthood. I’m not quite sure how the whole sainthood thing works, it’s like a draft pick or what, but I’m pretty sure you don’t have to be perfect.
If we really do think others will see us as being hypocritical well, that is still not an excuse but rather, perhaps, a call to correct some personal faults for those feelings and still spread God’s word. Not wanting to make someone uncomfortable well quite frankly, sometimes we all need be made to feel uncomfortable. Grown is not always easy There’s a saying, “Pain is weakness leaving the body.” Well, that works in spiritual matters as well. This does not mean that you need to beat each other, ourselves, or anyone else over head with it either….though I will admit to personally needing that more than once. Jesus said himself he did not come to condemn the world but to save it.
That being said….yes the language can be uncomfortable from time to time. In fact, right after the ever loved John 3:16-17 God so loved the world is John 3:18…But whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only son. Uncomfortable yet?
Yes, that is a bit strong but if we believe it then we can’t avoid it. Now that doesn’t mean, again, that we hit anyone over the head with that, or ourselves. No one should be “guilted” into a relationship with God, although we do sometimes need that tough language. The point is not to use the word of God to bury anyone or ourselves up to the neck in condemnation. We do that ourselves in our own sinful nature. The word of God, rather, is meant to elevate us from the pit, to free us from condemnation and to bring us into a closer relationship to him
If we do believe the voice of the Lord can smash cedars, shake the desert, why should he not be able to work through us? If we do believe God so loved the world that he gave his only son, should we not find it an imperative that we share this wondrous news? Does not a message like that outweigh the risk of looking foolish or making someone feel uncomfortable? Is not a relationship with Christ more comforting than the lack thereof or the momentary discomfort? For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the spirit of son ship. And by him we cry,”Abba….Father.”
These words I bring to you in the name of Jesus Christ.