Do you believe?

 Pause with me once again for my reflection on the Gospel for the Fifth Sunday of Lent

John 11:1-53 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2011%3A1-53&version=ESV

There seems to be a theme over the past few weeks covering the visitation of Nicodemus at night with Jesus and that wonderful Gospel in John 3:16. Then I read about a Samaritan woman meeting Jesus and Jesus telling her about Living Water. Followed last week by Jesus giving sight to a man born blind. And now we have the Gospel for this Sunday about the mourning friends of Jesus witnessing Lazarus return from death.

Once again, Jesus reaches in to me and makes his Word so personal. Jesus reaches into the midst of my spirit and calls me out of myself with the common theme of the past few weeks. Jesus poses a question directly to me and perhaps to you and to all the world. Do you believe?

Did Lazarus believe when Jesus told him that he must be born anew? Did the Samaritan woman at the well believe when Jesus told her that he could give her Living Water? Did the blind man believe when his sight was given to him and he saw Jesus for the first time? For that matter, did anyone believe when they saw water turned into wine? Did the witnesses of Jesus' baptism believe when the Spirit descended upon Jesus? How about the five thousand people fed with just a few pieces of fish and bread. Did anyone believe? Or even Jesus' own disciples; did they believe when Jesus walked on the water? Or the adulterous woman, forgiven by Jesus and saved from stoning; did she walk away believing? Need I go on?

Today Jesus reaches in and seeks my answer to his question in this story about the raising of Lazarus. Do I believe? Closer yet... Do you believe, Bill? 

Believe what? Do you, Bill, believe that I AM the Messiah?

Jesus received word that his good friend, Lazarus was ill. Lazarus was the brother of Jesus' other friends, Mary and Martha. But Jesus didn't run right to Lazarus; and he died. Jesus delayed for some reason. He delayed on purpose, it appears, in order that, in my opinion, the world would receive a vital message about God's love. 

So, Jesus finally does go to where Lazarus was buried, and Martha meets Jesus as he approaches. Martha reminds Jesus of the possibility that if Jesus had been a bit more punctual, he would have been able to heal his friend and her brother, Lazarus. Martha sends word to Mary who is back home mourning that Jesus is close by. Mary runs to meet Jesus and tells Jesus that if he would have been there, her brother, Lazarus, would not have died. So, they all go to the tomb of Lazarus and Jesus calls Lazarus out of the tomb; out of death to life. This is after Lazarus has been dead for days! 

Word gets out that Jesus has raised Lazarus from the dead and the chief priests and the Pharisees begin a plot to kill Jesus. Why? 11:48 explains... "If we let him (Jesus) go on like this, everyone will believe in him (Jesus), and the Romans will come and destroy both our holy place and our nation."

So how is this "Do you believe?" question personal?

All along this passage the word believe pops up. Jesus is glad he wasn't there for the death of Lazarus. Why? So that the disciples may believe. Martha meets Jesus and Jesus tells Martha that he is the resurrection and the life and that all who believe in him, even though they die, will live and everyone who believes in him will never die. Jesus asks Martha, "Do you believe this?" Jesus says to the people at Lazarus tomb to remove the stone. Martha cautions that there will be a stench if this is done. Jesus reply? Didn't I (Jesus) tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God? They take away the stone and Jesus prayer to the Father concludes with the reason for raising Lazarus was so that all may believe that God sent Jesus.

So, I read, I ponder, I listen and I seek the answer to the question. Do you believe?

I see that even in the Old Testament book of Ezekiel, God wants me to hear and listen for a resurrection from the dead. I reflect upon the Psalms to learn to wait in the hope of God. Paul in the Letters mentions life through the Spirit. And I read, I ponder, I listen and seek the answer to the question. Do you believe?

Here in this raising of Lazarus, Jesus speaks to me. Jesus speaks to me personally. Jesus comes to me in the stench of my sinful self. Jesus comes to me in the darkness of my own tomb that I fully deserve. Jesus weeps for my sin. Jesus sees that I deserve death and hell for how I have run from God and how I have made idols out of all sorts of things throughout my life. My sinfulness is bare before Jesus and Jesus knows exactly what I deserve as I dwell in the stinking darkness of my own tomb of sin and death. No wonder Jesus weeps!

And what does Jesus do? Jesus has his own view on what real life is about. Jesus knows that resurrection comes before life. Jesus delays while I'm sure good and gone and dead. But why? So that he could weep for me, while I exist in the darkness and stench of my own sin? No!

The result of Lazarus raising from the dead was Jesus death on a cross. 

Jesus loves me and knows that I am ill in my sinfulness. I am a child of God through my baptism and I know that Jesus loves me. Lazarus death, and my death, set up the supreme gift of the Word to all the world, for me, for you, for all. I see how Jesus loves me. I see how life comes through Jesus death. Jesus boldly steps into my own death. Jesus steps right into my own sinful stench and darkness. Willingly, out of love, Jesus does this. And Jesus teaches me to wait in my stench and darkness, because he alone is the answer to life.

Yes, Jesus weeps for me. Jesus weeps as he will once again weep in the Garden of Gethsemane for me and for you and all the world. See how Jesus loves me? Jesus walks straight towards Lazarus death, my death and the death of all sinners, into his own death on the cross. He walks in this way to give life to me and to all who simply believe. A belief that comes through no effort of my own. Jesus creates belief that comes through all that God has done for me and you and the world.

The cross was only the start of eternal life in Jesus. God gives life! God gives more life than this measly years of existence on this earth. God gives eternal life. Jesus loves me right into eternity with him. Jesus is the resurrection and the life.

Personal? Yes! Do you believe? How could I not? Yes I believe! I look forward to that day when the stone of my own tomb is rolled back, when the stench and darkness of my own sinfulness are gone and I hear on the last day... I hear the voice of Jesus beneath the wrappings of my sinfulness... "Bill! Come out! Unbind him! Bill, you are mine and my grace does not end at your death.

As Lazarus was raised... some people believed... others made plans to kill Jesus. A death that resulted in resurrection and salvation offered to all the world.

Do you believe?

Dark to Light Reflection on John 9:1-41

Pause with me as I reflect on the Gospel for the Fourth Sunday in Lent... (Be sure to listen carefully to God's Word through the voice of your Pastor, Priest or Minister, this Sunday, as you worship and witness the presence of God together with other disciples)

John 9:1-41

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%209&version=ESV

Dark to Light

This passage of Scripture is about a man born blind that receives sight. As I read the 9th chapter of John, research pointed me to a couple of bits of information that jumped out at me.

The setting of this action of Jesus was on a Sabbath in Jerusalem during the Feast of Tabernacles. This is a seven day Jewish celebration on the fifteenth day of the month of Tishrei... that is the September-October timeframe in the Gregorian calendar. This is one of three Pilgrimage Festivals of which people came to the temple in Jerusalem. This was a festival that prompted one to leave behind material things and seek spirituality.

So, Jerusalem was a busy place of travelers and the religious leaders of the day.

Jesus and his disciples were walking along and the disciples saw a man born blind and asked Jesus a question about who sinned, the man or his parents. Jesus' answer in a nutshell was that neither of them sinned. The man's blindness was an opportunity for God to reveal himself.

Jesus never seems to answer the question like I want it to be answered. The answer always seems to penetrate straight into the depth of my own sinfulness. Jesus always seems to reach out and in and pull me straight back to him with forces beyond my will and my way and my control.

Through my questions and the questions of the disciples, the answer points me to myself and away from the other... in this case the man born blind, or his parents, or anyone else dealing with some issue of this world for that matter. Jesus makes me realize that I that need God's help, and I need it dearly.

Jesus turns blindness into more that an inability to see, but an unwillingness to understand. Jesus turns blindness into a revelation of my own stubborn attitude to see things as I wish them to be rather than a revelation of God, right before my eyes.

So, Jesus takes some spit and some dirt and makes a little mud and smears it on the blind man's eyes. Jesus tells the man to go wash off this mud in the pool of Siloam. Jesus doesn't delay his love. It's the Sabbath and the rules would indicate that the making of mud was a sin. Jesus love goes beyond this.

But something more than the making of mud is taking place here. God is coming to the blind throughout the ages who not only can't see, but refuse to understand, and brings them salvation through the command of Jesus and some mud. What a weird thing to do!

The pool of Siloam was the principle source of water for Jerusalem from a tunnel set up years ago. It provided life for the people of Jerusalem during difficult times of war and likewise during times of peace.

God uses some weird tactics with earthly elements and spiritual commands to guide people and capture them in his love. God loves his creation and wants communion with all creation. Like in the waters of baptism, I come before God and God comes to me in spirit and water to call me his own forever.

This blind man went with the mud on his eyes, washed and could see. God called him from dark to light forever. The blind man and all who refuse to see now see that Jesus is the Light of the world that opens eyes to see the saving love of God through Jesus.

And... what happens? The blind man testifies! He testifies to the people and anyone else. The people take him to the religious leaders to say... What's up with this? How? Why?

After some questions, once again, about sin... who sins... how is it sin... work on the Sabbath day... and so forth; the man is tossed out of the presence of the Pharisees (religious leaders).

I like how the man responds in front of the religious leaders. Read it... it's entertaining. But the result of all this, for me, is that I see that God's will is done in and among us, in spite of what we think, or anyone else thinks should take place.

In this man's testimony before the people and the Pharisees; I realize that God acts upon me, I can't ignore my own experience with Jesus. At the water of my baptism, in communion, and in the forgiveness of sin, I know that Jesus has saved me. Jesus has come to me to wash me, forgive me, and to make me his own. Not because of anything that I have done. Really more because Jesus sees my situation and loves me so much that he is willing to save me from my own sinful self and death and the evil of this world.

So... I too testify! Testify to the wondrous love of Jesus in my life.

So, the man is cast out by the Pharisees and into the arms of Jesus. This guy hasn't even seen Jesus with his physical eyes.

The blind man was thrown out and it seems to me that Jesus hunts him down. Jesus hunts him down and he hunts me down with a question and a statement.

"Do you believe in the Son of Man?"

I think this question applies to the blind man, myself and to the people of this world.

And the statement?

“For judgment I (Jesus) came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.”

If I think I can take care of my sin by being good, by obeying rules or by anything that I do... I'm blind!

My sin blinds me, but the everlasting love of Jesus, even on a Sabbath, leads me to see Jesus... the Light... the salvation... the only one who can take away my sin and lead me out of darkness into his everlasting Light and Life.

Lord, thank you for sending this blind man into my life and the life of all the people. I believe because you have made it all so clear that it is in you alone that I can see the Light of God... today... tomorrow... and forever. Thanks be to God!

Old Water ... Living Water

 Old Water ... Living Water

As you prepare to go to Sunday Service; hear the Word spoken through your Pastor, Priest or Minister. Listen for the Word, see the Word, let the Word be in you, and leave to tell of the Word.

Pause for a moment to reflect with me in preparation.

This is the Gospel for the Third Sunday in Lent...  

Below is a link to John 4:5-30, 39-42

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%204%3A5-30%2CJohn%204%3A39-42&version=ESV

The Gospel for this Sunday causes me to pause and think of a phrase that my Grand-daughter, Kaiya, would often say while we were travelling. She would see a pond or any body of water that was stagnant, and Kaiya would call out, "Look! Old water!"

Jesus was travelling as well in this passage. He was tired, thirsty and hungry. The disciples had moved on into a nearby town to look for food. Jesus paused at a well, thirsty and tired. This was said to be Jacob's Well. By my grand-daughter Kaiya's standards, this would make it "old" water... in more ways than one I suppose. 

A woman happened to be present at this well, at a time of day that was unusual for her to be there. But, in any case, there she was. So, Jesus requests a drink. He didn't have a way to get the water for himself, since he had no bucket or jar.

And then it seems to happen, the same way, it seems to happen with Jesus. Jesus turns a routine encounter upside down and sideways. Every time I come into direct contact with Jesus, or most anyone else comes into an encounter with Jesus, he turns it all sideways.

Here is Jesus asking a woman for a drink, asking for her to serve him, to help him out, to quench his thirst... yet it ends in Jesus serving the most fabulous drink of water to the woman, and to you and me as well, as we witness this passage of scripture

The woman offers "old" water to Jesus and Jesus serves "Living" water to the woman. Living water that is available for me and you as well as the woman at the well. This Living water that Jesus offers is not stagnant "old" water, Jesus offers ever flowing "Living" water.

Living water that flows from here and now into eternity. Living water that gives life to the woman at the well, and to all creation. Jesus gives Living water, running, sparkling, Living water. 

Jesus provides "Living" water as a gift from God. No, bucket needed for this "Living" water. No cup necessary... it's free "Living" water, given for you and for all people, filled with Spirit and Truth. This "Living" water comes from God, the fountain of "Living" water.  The "Living" water Jesus has to give is himself, the Messiah, the I AM of "Living" water. 

This moment at the well, for the woman, and for me, is a moment of contact with God. It's a faith moment that comes to the woman, to me, and to you as a gift from God. 

We slipped into the scene of the well, like the woman, at an odd time of day. I slipped into the scene of the well, hoping to avoid contact with the people I have sinned against and to remain hidden in secret. Who do I meet? Jesus! I surely didn't ask for that meeting!

At this well, with Jesus present, I squirm uncomfortably. I know I'm a sinner. I know that I have failed God in word and deed. I want to hide. But nooooo! I can't hide here at this well of "old" water. I can't hide, because Jesus comes to me, thirsty, so he says... "I thirst!" Like another time in Jesus life when he thirsts; I'm guilty of offering Jesus some nasty wine, or in this case some "old" water.

How does Jesus respond to my nasty "old" water, my offering of sour wine? Jesus turns it all upside down and sideways and offers me "Living" water. Jesus offers me himself. Jesus gives me the eternal gift of life. Jesus gives me faith.

It's not me seeking God that counts --- It's all about God seeking me. When I come to the well to benefit my condition, Jesus comes to the well to meet people he believes in, people he loves, people that he will give his Spirit to in order that all of us can be in communion with God, face to face. Jesus comes to the well and gives the Holy Spirit.

The results? Jesus encounter with the woman at the well, laid the groundwork for the Gospel, the Good News, the Messiah to be received by Samaritans and all the people of the world as well.

No wonder the woman left her jar at the well. She had met the Messiah, Living Water, Creator of all, Savior of the World. This woman left in a hurry to go back to the very people she may have been avoiding to witness, to tell, to yell it out. I have seen the Messiah!

Witness! Don't argue about Christianity... there is no need for this. There is no time for this. Like I heard from an old Facebook post said by a women, "Ain't nobody got time for dat!"

Now I have met Jesus at the well of "old" water. Jesus turned it all upside down and sideways, and met me at the Baptismal font to give me Himself, The Holy Spirt, The Father and some awesome, wonderful, clean and everlasting, Living Water!

Yes, Kaiya, Jesus can turn that "old" water into Living water... for me... for you... and for all the world.

Thanks be to God... today... tomorrow... and forever. 

So... I have one question. Did Jesus ever get his drink from the well?

Focus on the Cross

 

Focus on the Cross

(Pause for a moment of reflection with me on the Gospel text for the Second Sunday in Lent)

John 3:1-17

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%203%3A1-17&version=ESV

Take a look at the passage above from John 3. It's about life. It's about birth. It's about heaven. It's about sacrifice. It's about love. It's about choice. It's about focus.

A religious leader of the day, Nicodemus, came in the dark of night to have a talk with Jesus. Word had spread about Jesus and his ministry on earth. Nicodemus wanted to see for himself the man that all the talk was about, Jesus. Nicodemus came to see Jesus to have a first hand experience. The encounter with Jesus would result in Nicodemus great admiration of Jesus, and Nicodemus would stand as a friend of Jesus. Nicodemus recognized that God was acting through Jesus with a different ministry, so he wanted to find out for himself. But he came in the darkness. He came in darkness and was to witness Light.

Just as Nicodemus came in the dark, I too walk in the dark. I walk in the dark and can see the Light of God in Jesus. I walk in flesh and I walk in spirit as well. 

Jesus wastes no time and jumps right at Nicodemus and tells him that to see the kingdom of God, one must be born anew or in other words, born from above. Well, Nicodemus hadn't even posed a question yet and it's like Jesus went straight to the point of everything! It was after this first verbal volley of Jesus that Nicodemus now had a huge question. Huh? What are you talking about, Jesus!

First off, how do I see the Kingdom of God? To see the Kingdom I need to enter the Kingdom and once I enter the Kingdom of God I see eternal life. So, yea, I want to see this kingdom!

So, Jesus lobs another verbal bomb towards Nicodemus about being born anew. Some interpreters term this, born from above. Then Jesus takes it even further with a little spin on the ball about flesh and spirit. So, what's it all about?

Jesus bids me to break away into a new realm of being. To be born anew. New birth comes from God, not from man. All life is from God, but this new life is born not of the will of man, but of the will of God. This is a new life, born anew, begotten from above and from the beginning.

What? I've lived a life and made myself into what I am at present. How can I undo all that? All that life stuff is done and over with and a part of my past that I can't just dump. 

It seems in these words of Jesus, that I need to be a new man. God doesn't want to tweak me here or there or fiddle around with me. God wants something new! Something without a past. Something that has the new human smell to it.

And then it happens! The Spirit blows and dull flesh becomes spirit through the action of God. God chooses me, God chooses you, God chooses Nicodemus. God acts.

But just how does God act?

Well, that's where the "Focus on the Cross" jumps out at me from Jesus recollection of the Israelites in the wilderness seeking healing as Moses lifted the serpent up on a pole. I need to understand Jesus crucified. 

As I Focus on the Cross, It's God's action alone. On that cross I see the love of God acting out on my behalf, shedding his blood to shed my sin into the eternity of gone for good, in order that I can live anew. 

It's upon that cross that I am called to eternal life here, now and forever. Called out all shiny and new. Called out to a new life to live into that vast open area of time and space beyond imagination. 

Look at Jesus on that cross. Focus on the cross. It's God's action alone. On that cross, life will grow from less to more and from more to most. Focus on that cross and see flesh to spirit to something entirely new. Focus on that cross and see Christ, my Savior, your Savior. See Jesus and listen to his words of forgiveness, his words of grace and his words of paradise to the thief at his side. Trust in the Word you and I hear as you and I Focus on the Cross. 

And, as you and I Focus on the Cross... guess what? You don't have to give your heart to Jesus. No! Jesus does it all for you. Jesus snatches your heart right from the middle of your chest and claims your heart as his own. That's Love! 

Focus on the Cross and see healing, salvation and life born anew, from above, in the spirit. See Jesus action and your new life, right there on that cross. Focus on the Cross.

Focus on the Cross --- Will you run away? Or will you run towards? Towards a new life prepared for you with no action on your own. No strings attached. Free! A free life in the eternal Kingdom of God beginning right now, and lasting forever and ever.

Yes, Focus on the Cross and see a Call, a Promise, a Journey and a totally easy Response.

"We love, because he first loved us." 1 John 4:19

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him." John 3:16-17

Thank you Jesus for causing Nicodemus, and me, to stumble through the darkness to encounter your Light and your Love, to reveal our new life in the Kingdom of God... today... tomorrow... and forever - Amen.