John 3:1-17

3:1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 3:2 The same came to him by night, and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do, unless God is with him.”
3:3 Jesus answered him, “Most certainly, I tell you, unless one is born anew, he can’t see the Kingdom of God.”
3:4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?”
3:5 Jesus answered, “Most certainly I tell you, unless one is born of water and spirit, he can’t enter into the Kingdom of God! 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh. That which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 3:7 Don’t marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born anew.’ 3:8 The wind blows where it wants to, and you hear its sound, but don’t know where it comes from and where it is going. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
3:9 Nicodemus answered him, “How can these things be?”
3:10 Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and don’t understand these things? 3:11 Most certainly I tell you, we speak that which we know, and testify of that which we have seen, and you don’t receive our witness. 3:12 If I told you earthly things and you don’t believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 3:13 No one has ascended into heaven, but he who descended out of heaven, the Son of Man, who is in heaven. 3:14 As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 3:15 that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 3:17 For God didn’t send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through him.

He came by night to ask the question we all ask - only he didn’t know what he was asking and we often don’t either. It is the question which arises our of our need for a Savior as Dr. Thielicke puts it:

“At root very primitive things play the decisive role in our lives. Our stomach with its need of nourishment, our conscience with its lack of peace and our death towards which we irresistibly move...these are the forces which decisively constitute life. The one who can master these, taking away anxiety, consoling the conscience and supporting us in dying is the one for whom we truly look Nicodemus had an obscure feeling that Jesus might be that person.” Out Of the Depths, p. 63

How does this happen? Being born anew?

It happens like falling in love. It happens not because we figure it out but because we let the wind of God’s forgiving love and grace blow over us.

God does it. We just let God do it by surrendering ourselves to God and feeling the power of his grace at work in our lives.

The wind blows - the sun shines- God’s love is real. Let it happen to you.

Matthew 4:1-11

4:1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 4:2 When he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was hungry afterward. 4:3 The tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”
4:4 But he answered, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’”
4:5 Then the devil took him into the holy city. He set him on the pinnacle of the temple, 4:6 and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, ‘He will put his angels in charge of you.’ and,
‘On their hands they will bear you up,
so that you don’t dash your foot against a stone.’”
4:7 Jesus said to him, “Again, it is written, ‘You shall not test the Lord, your God.’”
4:8 Again, the devil took him to an exceedingly high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world, and their glory. 4:9 He said to him, “I will give you all of these things, if you will fall down and worship me.”
4:10 Then Jesus said to him, “Get behind me, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and you shall serve him only.’”
4:11 Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and served him.

Jesus was tempted. His temptation was real. It was not a game he was playing. He was truly human which means he was temptable. His temptation was necessary in his human journey as the Son of God.

His temptation was for you and me. It reminds us that we too will be tempted and we can overcome, with his help. We too have to struggle with wanting bread more then the bread of life; wanting to have it easy rather then face the difficulties of life; wanting to have it all and even be god rather then live as His children in His Kingdom; as servants not masters.

We live in a fallen world; we are a fallen race. We are temptable, for we want more then we have. We want to have it all and feel good; not be challenged to live as God would have us live. C. S. Lewis reminds us that the devil is most pleased with good people who do no good.

God calls us to struggle to be all we can be as we struggle to stay steadfast in
God’s word. God’s word which always places grace at the center of our living and calls us to be what only grace can enable us to be.

Jesus had limits; his limits were that he was not to use his divine sonship as a way to get out of being human when the going got tough. Not turn stones to bread - jump off the temple, do what best serves himself even it it means worshipping the devil!

We would like to live without limits, thinking this would be paradise. But would it?

“Imagine a life without the experience of limits. You could have wild strawberries whenever you wanted them! Nothing would be inaccessible, nothing forbidden, nothing out of reach, no unfulfilled dreams or wishes, no ‘thus far and no farther!’. But how could human beings under such conditions ever experience wonder, surprise, or gratitude?” (Douglas John Hall, “God and Human Suffering, p. 58)

And where would life be without wonder, surprise or gratitude?

Matthew 17:1-9

17:1 After six days, Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John his brother, and brought them up into a high mountain by themselves. 17:2 He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his garments became as white as the light. 17:3 Behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them talking with him.
17:4 Peter answered, and said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you want, let’s make three tents here: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
17:5 While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them. Behold, a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Listen to him.”
17:6 When the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces, and were very afraid. 17:7 Jesus came and touched them and said, “Get up, and don’t be afraid.” 17:8 Lifting up their eyes, they saw no one, except Jesus alone. 17:9 As they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, “Don’t tell anyone what you saw, until the Son of Man has risen from the dead.”

“The Mount Of Transfiguration”

This was a ‘stop the clock’ experience. An experience to be savored and consumed;
an experience to be lived in and not go on. But the truth is, this cannot be. We cannot stay on the mountain. We have to come down into the real world, the valley. (Jesus couldn’t either! He came down to the cross!)

On the Mountain top we see what cannot be seen in the valley; it is a high point of faith.
The temptation is to want to stay there - escape from life.
The challenge is to take it with us into the rest of life and let it make a difference in who we are.

We are empowered by the mountain top to live by faith in the rest of life, even the deepest valleys, trusting always in the gracious goodness of a loving God.

We would like to stay on the mountain top. We would also like to tell everyone about the mountain top. We cannot do either.

We are to leave the mountain top with its experience hidden in our hearts and live, listening to Jesus, letting our lives show that we have been transformed.

Matthew 4:12-23

4:12 Now when Jesus heard that John was delivered up, he withdrew into Galilee. 4:13 Leaving Nazareth, he came and lived in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali, 4:14 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying,
4:15 “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,
toward the sea, beyond the Jordan,
Galilee of the Gentiles,
4:16 the people who sat in darkness saw a great light,
to those who sat in the region and shadow of death,
to them light has dawned.”*
4:17 From that time, Jesus began to preach, and to say, “Repent! For the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.”
4:18 Walking by the sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers: Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew, his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. 4:19 He said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers for men.”
4:20 They immediately left their nets and followed him. 4:21 Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. He called them. 4:22 They immediately left the boat and their father, and followed him.
4:23 Jesus went about in all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the Good News of the Kingdom, and healing every disease and every sickness among the people.

“Repent...And Live It Up, Following Jesus”

Two thoughts regarding this word from Matthew. First on repentance and then on following Jesus.

Repentance:

Repentance is not something we do just to take care of our badness; it is not permission to be bad because we can always be forgiven.

Repentance is a positive not a negative word. It means ‘change from within’. It has to do with opening life up, changing ones mind, being open to new possibilities; being open to live from within. To repent means to open up!

Our dogma and our prejudices keep us from repentance. Our fear of change keeps us from opening up to new possibilities. It is what stops God’s grace from having a positive effect in the lives of good, even religious people. And keeps life from happening, as God would have it happen.

Following Jesus:

What an irresponsible thing to do - leave all and follow Jesus.
To follow is to live in the light; not pretend our darkness is light.

It begins with repentance - for we have a lot of darkness in our lives; then it is to be led by the light into that which God would have us be and do- no matter what.

Scott Peck reminds us that evil is doing harmful things and not even knowing it because we refuse to come to the light. Following Jesus is letting the light shine in us first; so we can be a reflection of that light in our world.

This is how the Kingdom of Heaven comes on earth!

John 1:29-42

1:29 The next day, he saw Jesus coming to him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 1:30 This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who is preferred before me, for he was before me.’ 1:31 I didn’t know him, but for this reason I came baptizing in water: that he would be revealed to Israel.” 1:32 John testified, saying, “I have seen the Spirit descending like a dove out of heaven, and it remained on him. 1:33 I didn’t recognize him, but he who sent me to baptize in water, he said to me, ‘On whomever you will see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.’ 1:34 I have seen, and have testified that this is the Son of God.”
1:35 Again, the next day, John was standing with two of his disciples, 1:36 and he looked at Jesus as he walked, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” 1:37 The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. 1:38 Jesus turned, and saw them following, and said to them, “What are you looking for?”
They said to him, “Rabbi” (which is to say, being interpreted, Teacher), “where are you staying?”
1:39 He said to them, “Come, and see.”
They came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day. It was about the tenth hour. 1:40 One of the two who heard John, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. 1:41 He first found his own brother, Simon, and said to him, “We have found the Messiah!” (which is, being interpreted, Christ). 1:42 He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him, and said, “You are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas” (which is by interpretation, Peter).

“Called To Be At Risk”

It is not always clear what God would have us do, and when we set about doing what it is we think God has called us to do, it does not always end up as we expected it to be.

How can we know what is God’s calling for us, God’s will, purpose in the here and now as well as tomorrow?

Martin Marty -”The call of God is always to witness and witness means to be at risk.”

Between our confessing - which always has some bewilderment in it for what we believe is awesome, too wonderful to be true - and our living, there is a lot of uncertainty and risk.

To be a disciple is to live with a faith which goes beyond our comprehension and it is to risk living as if this is certainly true. It is to take risks - risks in forgiving others, helping others, even telling others about our Lord, - our hopes and dreams all the way to eternity.