Epiphany 3 - John 4.1-42 - February 2, 2014

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

This long lesson was adapted into a poem that I want to share with you. If you go to the church facebook page you can find link to a video in which a young woman performs the poem in a spoken word, slam poetry style. It's really powerful. Let me share it with you.

http://youtu.be/Q49BbfgJbto

Jesus knows. He knows the woman at the well. He know about how she is living with a man who is not her husband, he knows how (for whatever reason) she has had five other husbands in the past, he knows that she does not believe in God, he knows that she is at the well at midday, instead of the morning with the other women, he knows that she is rejected by society, by her family, by her friends, by her town. Jesus knows her, maybe even better than she knows herself.

As the poem suggests, to be known is to be loved and to be loved is to be known. Have you ever had anyone who has known you? Who has known everything about you? Have you ever had someone who knows your deepest, most painful secrets? Have you ever had someone who knows you for the real you?

We all long for this. We all yearn to have someone know everything about us. We all hope that someone in this world will understand who we are, and how we are, and why we are. 

At this well, Jesus knows this woman. He knows everything about her. And for this woman to be known completely by this man of God, changes how we should see the world. Here is a woman, an outcast, a failure, a sinner, a disappointment, and yet, Jesus, God in the flesh, knows her. He doesn't have to take the time to get to know her, he already does. This woman, on the total outside of life, is known by God, and she is loved. 

She is loved so deeply that she comes to believe that Jesus is the Messiah. She is loved so deeply that her entire life is changed. The way she sees herself and the way she sees the world are completely changed. 

If you've ever longed for someone to know you, then you should know this: God does know you. God knows you better than you know yourself. God knows your every secret, your every desire, your every hurt, your every hope. God knows you and God loves you. 

And if that were the end of the story, what an incredible one it would be. But this woman at the well is loved so deeply that she can't help but want to bring this good news to others. Because Jesus knows her and because he loves her, she can't help but bring this good news to the rest of the city. The same is true for us. When you know how much God knows you and loves you, it's hard to not want to share that with others. To be known and loved so deeply by the God who made everything will change your life and will change the world.

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Sermon from Sunday, January 26, 2014

John 3:1-21

Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. He came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God.” Jesus answered him, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be astonished that I said to you, ‘You must be born from above.’ The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?”Jesus answered him, “Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things? “Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen; yet you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. “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. Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God.”

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In the name of Jesus. Amen.

For God so loved the world. For God so loved the world. For God so loved the world.

More than any other verse in the bible, John 3:16 is probably the most familiar, "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but have eternal life." These words have been heard over and over and over again. From NFL football players, to nationally known TV and radio personalities, and even WWF wrestlers, John 3:16 has to be the most enduring and well-known verse of the bible.

Jesus' words here have meant more and said more to more people in history than almost any other words that have ever been recorded. You've heard them at funerals, and weddings, and Sunday School classes, and VBS extravaganzas, and bible camps, and even painted in memorial on the walls of our East Hallway here at Clarkfield Lutheran. Let's just say that these words of John 3:16 have staying power.

But have you ever really taken much time to look closely at the words that surround John 3:16? Did you know that there is a whole chapter, a whole book, and a whole bible that surrounds these words? It's hard to believe, I know, but the bible says more than, "For God so loved the world."

One could argue that these worlds are some of the most important in the bible. In fact, I've made that argument before. But it's at least interesting to see that these words actually fall into the middle of a very interesting story: the story of Nicodemus.

Nicodemus was a Pharisee, sort of a religious nerd, who came to Jesus in the middle of the night and to tell Jesus something Jesus already knew. "Jesus," Nicodemus says, "you're a pretty great teacher. You must be sent from God." Gee, thanks for pointing out the obvious, Sherlock. Did it take you a whole week of sleuthing to figure that one out?

Good thing I didn't write the bible. I'd probably be too sarcastic. Well, anyway. Nicodemus points out this glaringly obvious thing about Jesus, that Jesus was sent from God and that he was a great teacher. So Jesus decides that he isn't done teaching and that Nicodemus still has some learning to do. "Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above," or "born again."

And Nicodemus, not so smart now, replies, "Born again? Born again? Do I crawl back in my mother's womb?" He doesn't get it. Nicodemus came to Jesus by night, in the dark, and he is still in the dark. He doesn't get it. A religious nerd, stumped by this great teacher of God.

"Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things?" For pete's sake, Nicodemus, you don't even get that a person must be born again in order to see God's kingdom. Here you are, you've spent your whole life studying the scriptures, geeking out on religious encyclopedias, and yet you still don't get this simple, basic fact about God's kingdom?

Nicodemus, having been in the dark his whole life, is finally coming to the light. But it's not as simple a fact as it might seem. Born again. Since Nicodemus first heard these words, the world has been wondering what they mean. Nicodemus took them literally, asking if a person must crawl back into their mother's womb and be born again. Others have wondered if these words actually should be translated like they are in our version we read today to mean, "born from above." Still others have interpreted them figuratively to mean giving your life to Christ, or accepting Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior. 

You might be surprised to hear this, but this last one is the least convincing for me. I don't think Jesus meant at all that you have to give your life to Christ or accept Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior. 

Jesus tells Nicodemus, "Do not be astonished that I said to you, 'You must be born again.' The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit." The Holy Spirit blows like the wind, Jesus says. You don't get to make a decision for Christ, you don't get to control where God works in the world, you don't get to decide when or how the Holy Spirit shows up. Your decision has nothing to do with God. God is God and you are not.

This is what Jesus teaches Nicodemus. This is what Nicodemus is in the dark about: that God is uncontrollable. God shows up when and where God chooses. God loves whomever God loves. How scandalous! How crazy! How wild to have a God who chooses to do whatever God chooses to do! It's a hard thing to have a God who doesn't bend and twist to our every whim and will.

Instead, we have a God who loves the world. The whole world. We have a God who gave his only son so that we would not die, but have eternal life. We have a God who brings light into the dark places. We have a God who shows up, and who shows up in love and light.

The world was dark, people didn't know God. But this is God's judgement, "that the light has come into the world." God shines in the dark places. God loves the unlovable. God is God and we are not.

What a thing it is to have a God and not pretend to be a god. Our God shows up. God shows up whenever and wherever God chooses. But you can be sure about one thing. That God shows up in love. And God shows up to light up the dark places. So thanks be to God, who loves and gives us light.

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Sermon for 2nd Sunday After Christmas

Lesson is John 1.35-51

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Even though the church calendar is still celebrating the season of Christmas, with it being the second Sunday of Christmas, the world is done with Christmas. Christmas lights on houses are slowly being turned off, trees are coming down, decorations are being put away. At this point, the big box stores have probably been done with Christmas decorations for two months and are busily putting up 4th of July decorations. The world is done with Christmas.

And yet the church is still clinging to this Christmas season with all its might. The church wants one more Sunday of Christmas.

But why? What for? Why is this grip we have on Christmas so important? 

I wonder if it isn't because the church knows something that the rest of the world doesn't. And that something is this: that Jesus Christ is something more than just a simple holiday party. God born in the flesh is something more than presents, and food, and even family. God born in the flesh, the reality we celebrate in Christmas, is beyond us and our holiday gatherings. There is something more tangible, more lasting, more solid that is beyond all of our celebrating and we're still clinging to it.

So just why is it so important that Jesus came in the flesh and why is it so important that we need two more Sundays after a Christmas Eve service to hear that message?

I think that the questions that we encounter in our Gospel lesson for today point to some reasons for our tight grip on Christmas and the reality of having God in the flesh.

The first question comes from Jesus. As he's cruising along on the road, he hears some footsteps shuffling along behind him. When he finally can't stand their silence anymore, Jesus spins around and he sees two of his cousin John's disciples following him on the road. "What are you looking for?" Jesus asks them. He knows they are looking for something. They are just following him silently on the road, walking behind him like a couple of children dragging their feet as they trudge through the store with their mother.

This first question, "What are you looking for?" points us to something significant: people knew that there was something important about Jesus. They just didn't know what it was. This guy Jesus was somebody special, but they really didn't yet know just how special he was. They really didn't know that he was God in flesh, God walking around in their neighborhood.

These disciples are seekers, spiritual wanderers looking for something to grip tight to, looking for something or someone to believe in. They know that there is something about Jesus that is special, but they're not quite sure what. They're really not quite sure what they are looking for. And so, Jesus simply offers them an invitation to come and see what he is all about.

Jesus doesn't launch into some long, drawn out explanation about how a person can get saved, Jesus doesn't ask them to turn over their lives to him. Instead, he offers a simple invitation: come and see. Come and see what you're missing out on. Come and see what real life looks like. Come and see what it means for God to be born in the flesh, to walk among God's people. Come and see God, living and laughing and loving alongside you. Come and see, Jesus says.

Now, the second question was Nathanael's. He'd heard about this strange Jesus guy from a man named Philip. When Philip told Nathanael that Jesus was one the prophets had talked about in the scriptures and that he was also the son of Joseph from the town of Nazareth, Nathanael asked, "Can anything good come out of that backwater, hick town of Nazareth?"

The first question was the question of a seeker. But this is a skeptics question, "Can anything good come from a town like that?" How could something special possibly come from Nazareth? How could anything good come from there? What has ever come from that place that is worth anything? I don't believe it, Nathanael would say, the Messiah could never come from a place like that.

Nathanael is a skeptic, a spiritual fact-checker, sorting out fact from fiction, truth from falsehood. He's like a filter for religious claims about the Messiah, keeping the riff raff from claiming to be the one they've all been waiting for. Skeptics are a gift, in many ways; they keep us from simply assuming or from taking things as the truth with out checking first.

Philip's reply to Nathanel is interesting. Rather than try to argue with him, rather than try to fight about how wrong he thinks it is to question the Messiah, Philip simply says, "Come and see." 

"Can anything good come from Nazareth?"

"Well, rather than argue with you, come and see." Philip invites the skeptic to check it out for himself. Come and see if anything good really can come from Nazareth.

Seekers and skeptics. While each of them clearly doesn't fit well with our classic assumptions about who religious types are, they are nonetheless very important parts of the story of Christmas. God in the flesh, Jesus Christ, uses these seekers and skeptics to teach us that not all religious types have it all figured out. 

These seekers and skeptics are not all that much different than today. Today, too, we have lots of seekers and skeptics. Perhaps you might consider yourself to be a person in one of these categories. After all, the minute any one of us thinks we have this whole God and Jesus thing figured out, God throws us a curve ball. God in the flesh is not something we can figure out, it's a mystery really.

The church clings to Christmas, to this reality and mystery of God in the flesh, because the world is still seeking and the world is still skeptical. Whether you are seeking or skeptical, why not come and see what Jesus is all about?  Follow me on the journey; I'm not quite sure either, but gosh it sure is interesting!

In the name of Jesus. Amen.