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February 17, 2008

Step into the Light

John 3:1-17

It is telling that Nicodemus came to Jesus at night. We make the assumption that Nicodemus did not want any of his peers to see him coming to visit Jesus. That is probably correct. Nicodemus is a Pharisee. He took a pledge to spend his entire life observing every detail of the Jewish Law or Torah. We know the Torah to be the first five books in the Old Testament Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy.

The Law as it stood consisted of great, wide, noble principals. The Pharisees believed the Law to be the perfect word of God. Having lived with the Law, people found that they needed more specific answers to guide their daily activities than the broad sweeping statements provided by the Law. So scholars spent their lives working out the explicit and implicit rules and regulations that were found in The Law. It was the scribes who wrote them down. It was the Pharisees who observed these laws and taught others what the Law meant and how to follow them. Those who did not observe the laws were singled out, ostracized, and deemed unfit for Jewish society.

Legalistic—rigid, unbending. We are aware of this same type of legalistic tendency in Christianity. The scriptures are dissected and examined to find the one true meaning and all are expected to adhere to this true meaning. The interesting aspect about our human legalistic tendencies is that their motives are commendable. We certainly want rules for work, raising children, for appropriate behavior in society, etc. We need rules because we need to understand what is expected of us and what we are to do. We like the certainty that comes with laws.

Jesus knew about our human tendency to be legalistic. To use to dominate and exclude others. How did Jesus teach? He taught in story form, parables, symbols, ideas not rules. So it is interesting that this man whose life is consumed by rules and laws would come to Jesus. Why do you think he came?

Maybe he came to find out more about Jesus. “Rabbi (a complimentary term), we (my colleagues and I) know that you are a teacher who has come from God… (and then he proceeds to tell him why); for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God.”

Nicodemus was attracted to Jesus because of what Jesus was doing. He saw Jesus’ deeds. Jesus was healing people. He turned water into wine at a recent wedding. He was attracting large crowds of people and everyone was talking about him. If you were a religious person during Jesus’ time wouldn’t you want to find out more about this man who was doing all these miraculous deeds? Maybe you could get a few pointers for yourself.

We live in a time where experts abound. Experts in financial planning, sales, motivational speaking, being a manager…you name it and there is someone teaching a seminar on how to do it better. Every month, I attend a two day conference where we learn about starting new communities of faith from experts in the field. I gather with 30 other colleagues (both lay and clergy) from around the conference. Experts in church leadership are brought in and share their deeds with us. We write down what they say and listen to their stories.

Some of these experts realize that the results they have gotten are not exclusively because of their efforts. They realize that ministries that produce life-changing results are the work of the Spirit. These are the ones that I try to learn from.

In fact, the couple who came this last time consisted of one clergy person and one lay leader. They shared how leadership sought the guidance of the Spirit—all leaders lay and clergy alike. They told us to keep moving forward, even if the way looked uncertain. Be fluid they told us—like the Spirit. If the ministry we are doing is in line with God, the Spirit will provide what we need.

They shared how they thought it might be time to come together for formal worship. Their small groups had been growing and they thought it was time. However, they didn’t find a place for another 6 months. But they kept working and the small groups had continued to grow. The place they found? One of their laity knew of an antique mall that closed up. He had a vision from the Spirit that this space would be perfect for their worship service. The only question? It was in the basement of a building just below a Buffalo Wild Wings Bar and Restaurant. The leaders went to see it. The pastor didn’t see the vision at first, but everyone else did so they went forward. The space rented for $1,000 a month. About six months into their being there, the owner of the building came to Christ. He donated the space, saving them $1,000 in rent.

In order to have the Spirit guide and direct us we have to be what? In touch with the Spirit!

So it isn’t about the results but the Spirit in which the work is done. When Nicodemus gives Jesus the compliment about his work, Jesus responds with, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.” In other words, you can be impressed with me, but look beyond the deeds. Jesus immediately invites Nicodemus to be open to the Spirit—that goes where it will, that cannot be seen but the effects of it can be seen and experienced. And immediately, Nicodemus has a hard time with what Jesus is saying.

Remember that we believe Nicodemus came to see Jesus at night because he didn’t want his peer to see him. There is also a deeper meaning to the darkness—it symbolized Nicodemus’ spiritual condition—he was in the dark. He could look at Jesus and see the works but he could not open himself just yet to receive the Spirit of healing and light. The way of life that he had known his whole life was being called into question. He was being asked to expand beyond the letter of the law and step into a life of the Spirit. Not easy.

We might think that if we found a new, better way to live, of course we’d take it. But that’s not necessarily true. If we experience darkness in our life over a period of time, it becomes comfortable for us—familiar. And to be asked to come out into the light is a frightening invitation indeed. To leave the familiar for the unknown is not done nonchalantly. It is usually done because we realize that the darkness is killing us and that if we remain here we will never truly live.

Darkness can come in many forms. Addiction, Abuse, Depression and Anger are some common blankets of darkness. Let’s look at two this morning.

Depression comes over you like a fog…usually slowly and kind of settles into your bones. You feel heavy, tired, isolated, and alone. It’s hard to make contact with other people. Depression tells you that no one cares about you. Depression wants to keep you isolated. It tells you that you are not worthy to have happiness, health, whatever. You compare your insides with other people’s outsides and think you are less than everyone else.

Depression is like those gross commercials about mucus. It comes in and takes up residence—not in your chest, but in your head and in your body. When we are depressed, life holds little meaning for us. And the longer we live in the depression, the more it grows and takes over all aspects of our life. It loves the dark.

Another common purveyor of darkness is unhealthy anger. Anger comes in fits and flashes. It’s not tame and quiet like depression but it too can zap your energy over time. When we are frustrated, confused, or afraid, anger can be the manifestation of these feelings. Anger is what other people see. When anger is in control, it has hold of you and nothing else can get in. It is your entire focus. It is not until the anger has subsided that you realize that you thought of little else. While we are angry nothing else can get in to our mind or our heart. Anger produces darkness.

Jesus informs Nicodemus, (informs us) that deeds alone will not erase the darkness we experience. For while we might come beyond the darkness for awhile, we will fall back into it if we do not have a spiritual awakening and continue to invite the Spirit to root out the dark places in our soul. Deeds alone will not save us. It is by making every effort to live in the light that we are saved. But this is not easy. It’s not always comfortable.

People, including Jesus, can encourage us to move out of the darkness and into the light. And coming into the light is possible, with God’s help. But this coming out of the darkness also requires something from us. We must open ourselves to the Spirit. Usually to do that, we have to quiet the critics in our head and remove the wall from around our heart.

Quiet the critics in our head. You know them. They second guess or over analyze every decision or past conversations. They are negative or mean-spirited. They are familiar voices but not friendly, loving voices. They keep us in the darkness.

We quiet the critics in our head by being vulnerable and talking to a trusted person to get some outside perspective. We spend time with other people who want a life that is centered on the Spirit. We do this by sharing ourselves with others in a small group setting. We spend time in prayer and meditation with God. Prayer is talking to God. Meditating is listening to God.

As we work on our thinking, we also move inside to work on the wall around our heart. We struggle with a wall around our heart if we find ourselves being dishonest, fearful, or distrustful of ourselves or others. This takes time. It is usually accomplished brick by brick but sometimes a wrecking ball is brought in to level one section. Most of us don’t even know we have a wall around our heart.

The evils of society want to keep us distracted and busy so we don’t look inside. The ills of our world and society continue because we have too many people who are consumed with the exterior deeds and not the interior ways of the Spirit. It’s not easy to look inside and see the person who we really are.

Nicodemus argues with Jesus, wanting easy answers or explanations that make sense. But that is not the way of the Spirit. The Spirit of God is something we experience. It is both a feeling in our heart and a yes deep in our soul. It is an “aha” moment and a quiet strength. It is different for me than it is for you and yet it is the same…Do I sound like Jesus?

Nicodemus’ encounter with Jesus does not end when he walks away from Jesus confused. He shows up two more times in our Gospel narrative. John 7:45-52. Opposition to Jesus is growing. In Jerusalem the chief priests and Pharisees have gathered and are waiting for the temple police to bring Jesus to them. When the temple police do not bring him, the leaders curse the police and the crowd who follow Jesus.

At this point, Nicodemus speaks up among his peers and asks, “Don’t our laws state that we need to give this man a trial before we condemn him?” His request is met with sarcasm and contempt for Jesus and the Galilean peasants who follow him. The spot light that was on Jesus is temporarily put on Nicodemus.
Do you see what he did? He called his way of looking at the world into question. He took a step out of the darkness and into the light.

Nicodemus’ testimony continues in John 19:39-42. After Jesus is crucified, Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea retrieve Jesus’ body. They anoint him, wrap him in burial cloths and lay his body in an empty tomb.
The man who walked away from Jesus in the night, confused and bewildered has had a change of heart. Nicodemus comes to believe in Jesus, not through understanding but through experience. Sometime between the confusing discussion with Jesus and Jesus’ crucifixion, Nicodemus came to believe what Jesus meant when he said,

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” And I would add, saved one soul at a time…

A life lived in the Spirit is sometimes confusing and unsettling—because we aren’t in charge. But be encouraged because a life in the Spirit is also freeing, joyous, and communal. You do not have to stay alone in the dark. Quiet the critics and open your heart to Jesus this morning so that the Spirit of God can live in you. Today, step into the light.

Posted by vickie at 10:00 AM