On Vacation

I'm on vacation this week and so there is no post.  Check back next Friday, August 5th, for a new post on my next sermon.

“Jesus said, ‘I am the Resurrection and the Life’”

           This Sunday, July 24th, we continue our sermon series focused on the “I am…” sayings of Jesus in the Gospel of John.  Although each of these messages will be original reflections and written by the preacher at Christ United Methodist Church, they will be partially informed by the study of the “I am…” sayings in Rob Fuquay’s study series, The God We Can Know (Nashville:  Upper Room Books, 2014).  And, I will use Rev. Fuquay’s study series for a summer Bible study class at 9:45 on Sunday mornings. 

            In each of his “I am…” sayings, Christ uses metaphorical language to illuminate his understanding of himself as the Divine Messiah.  In our exploration this week, we will be focusing on Jesus saying, “I am the resurrection and the life.”  This “I Am…” saying occurs in John 11 as part of the larger narrative concerning the raising of Jesus’ friend Lazarus. 

            As with most of the previous “I Am…”sayings that we have already examined, the context is crucial for our understanding.  Our story begins with Jesus receiving a message from his dear friends, Mary and Martha.  The two sisters want Jesus to know that Lazarus, their brother, is very ill.  Jesus responds in an odd manner, saying:  “This illness does not lead to death; rather it is for God’s glory, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”  (John 11:4)  Then, Jesus waits for two more days before starting out to see Lazarus, who lives in a town called Bethany, just two miles outside of Jerusalem.

            When Jesus informs his disciples that he intends to visit Lazarus, they are greatly alarmed because that area has hostile persons who have threatened to stone him.  Jesus responds to his disciples’ concerns by observing, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight?  Those who walk during the day do not stumble, because they see the light of this world.  But those who walk at night stumble, because the light is not in them” (John 11:  9-10).  In other words, there is a time for every task and every project.  Biblical scholars believe that Jesus’ is looking ahead to his own betrayal and crucifixion.  He suggests to his followers that he must continue and complete his ministry among them, carefully using the remaining time allotted to him for that work.

            By the time Jesus arrives, Lazarus has been dead and buried for four days.  As he is approaching Bethany, Martha runs out to meet him.  When she sees Jesus, she says, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.  But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask of him” (John 11:  21-22).  When Martha and her sister sent a message to Jesus, informing him of Lazarus’ illness, they had hoped Jesus would come immediately to heal him.  Now, her first words to Jesus contain both a mild complaint that Jesus did not come more quickly and a glimmer of hope that even now, he can still help.

            Jesus responds, “Your brother will rise again.”  Biblical commentators note Jesus’ reply is very open-ended.  Assuming that Jesus is referring to the Jewish belief in a resurrection at the eschaton, Martha says:  “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day”  (John 11:  24).  This comment sets the stage for Jesus’ “I Am…” saying.

            Jesus says, “I am the resurrection and the life.  Those who believe in me, even though they die, yet will they live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die”  (John 11:  25-26).  Martha affirms that she believes this about Jesus, by saying, “Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one coming into the world” (John 11: 27).

            In her interpretation of this passage, Biblical scholar Gail R. O’Day observes that Jesus has created a “tightly constructed parallel” around three verbs, “believe,” “live,” and “die.”  We can diagram this double claim as follows:

the one who believes in me and diesàyet lives

the one who lives and believes in meànever dies

O’Day says, “By announcing that he is both the resurrection and the life, Jesus affirms his sovereignty over the present and future lives of believers.”  She continues, “For Jesus to be the resurrection means that physical death has no power over believers; their future is determined by their faith in Jesus, not by their death. …For Jesus to be the life means that the believer’s present is also determined by Jesus’ power for life, experienced as his gift of eternal life…”.[1] 

            Keep in mind that relationships are fundamental for theology in the Gospel of John.  Jesus enjoys a close, intimate relationship with God the Creator.  Therefore, the central revelation of Jesus’ ministry is that God reaches out to each of us, seeking to enter into a Divine, loving relationship with us.  We can respond through faith and enter into this relationship of Divine Love which transcends everything else, even death itself.  Jesus annihilates death.  Thus, as the resurrection, Jesus invites us into a future relationship with him and God that transcends death. 

            At the same time, Jesus invites us into a present relationship, in the here and now.  Jesus calls us to live, faithfully, as a Resurrection People.  Earlier this spring, in a sermon series entitled, “Living as a Resurrection People,” we found that living in a present relationship with Jesus includes certain attitudes, life-style, and core values:

Ø  Joy

Ø  Hope

Ø  Community

Ø  Justice

Ø  Compassion

Ø  Stewardship of Creation

The story of Lazarus continues and concludes with Jesus instructing the villagers to roll the stone away from his tomb.  Then, Jesus lifts up a prayer of gratitude, thanking God for their relationship which transcends the limitations of death.  Jesus prays:  “Father, I thank you for having heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I have said this for the sake of the crowd standing here, so that they may believe that you sent me” (John 11:  41b-42).

Then, Jesus calls for Lazarus to rise and come out of the tomb.  Lazarus does come from the tomb, alive, but still bound with his funeral wrappings. (John 11:  43-44)

One of the most interesting aspects of this passage is that Lazarus, the person raised from the dead, does not play a major role in the story.  Instead, the focus in more on his sisters, Mary and Martha, who continue to live after his death—and, therefore, must cope with the pain and grief of losing someone whom they loved deeply.  A major dimension of the story is that through the Holy Spirit Jesus grieves with us and heals us.  Yet, simultaneously, Jesus offers us the ability to transcend death through him.

Before concluding my commentary this week, some reflections concerning the credibility of this passage are in order.  Did Jesus really raise Lazarus from the dead? 

First, it is important to distinguish between resuscitation and a resurrection.  In a resuscitation, the biological life of a person is extended for an extra period of time—but, not indefinitely.  When a person is given extra life through a resuscitation, the expectation remains that, at some point, they will die, just like everyone else.  The raising of Lazarus is a resuscitation story.  By contrast, a resurrection is not a biological extension of life, but rather a transformation of that individual and their destiny.  Jesus was resurrected.

Secondly, for Christians who diligently seek to balance their faith with the laws of nature and what we know scientifically, the story of Lazarus’ resuscitation is far more challenging than the Resurrection of Christ.  As I suggested in my Easter blog earlier this year, we must view Christ’s Resurrection within the broader, over-arching story of God’s work of creating, redeeming, and transforming all of Creation.  To quote myself:

“Viewed from this perspective, Jesus’ Resurrection represents a “tipping point,” in which God begins the transformation of this universe into the New Creation described in Revelation.  In theological terms, the resurrection event represents a “prolepsis;” in other words, the Resurrection is the future already “present and active in the present while remaining future, as exemplified by God’s act in raising Jesus from the dead.”  To reiterate, I have become a “true believer” in Christ’s Resurrection because I see it as part of a larger process in which the entire universe is transformed into a radically New Creation through God’s ongoing work as Creator.”[2]

For me, the Resurrection is easier to understand and accept because it represents a transformation in cosmic history.  By contrast, the resuscitation of Lazarus from the dead is much harder to understand, accept, and (ultimately) believe because it appears to be an arbitrary suspension of the laws of nature.  Why would a trustworthy God do that?

In reflecting on this passage, I have wondered whether Lazarus was really and truly dead.  Afterall, it is sometimes difficult to verify that a person is actually dead.  Periodically throughout history we have cases where individuals were accidentally buried because they appeared—but, actually were not—dead.  The level of medical knowledge and equipment at the time of Jesus’ ministry was very primitive, in comparison with present day medical knowledge and equipment.  (This has allegedly occurred several times in the twenty-first century, although I cannot find reliable collaboration beyond news reports listed in Wikipedia.[3])  It should be noted that Jesus does not appear to think that Lazarus has really died.  When first told of Lazarus’ illness, Jesus responds, “This illness does not lead to death; rather it is for God’s glory” (John 11:  4a)

So, one possible explanation is that Lazarus was really not dead, but his family had mistakenly concluded that he had died.  I have to admit that this is not a comforting resolution to my skepticism.  Alternatively, perhaps God did suspend the laws of nature and Lazarus was actually raised from the dead, as Jesus says, so that God might be glorified and humans might be reassured that through our relationship with Jesus it is possible for us to transcend death itself.  At this point, I just have not made up my mind about the raising of Lazarus.  Ultimately, I am not certain and so I maintain an openness to further reflection and revelation from the Holy Spirit.

What I am certain of is the Resurrection of Christ Jesus.  I believe that the Resurrection of Christ represents a turning point in cosmic history in which humans are given a glimpse into God’s ultimate plan for the redemption and transformation of the universe into a New Creation, which exists under God’s reign.

I will continue my exploration of Jesus’ saying, “I am the Resurrection and the Life” this Sunday, July 24th, during the proclamation at the 8:30 am worship service.  However, our second service at 11am will be devoted to a celebration of our church’s Vacation Bible School; I will not be preaching during the 11 o’clock service.  Come and join us at Christ United Methodist Church, which is located at 4530 A Street in Lincoln, Nebraska.  This week, we will also continue the short-term study series of the “I am…” sayings, from 9:45-10:40 am.  We will use Rob Fuquay’s The God We Can Know as our resource.

Everyone is welcome and accepted because God loves us all.

---

[1] Gail R. O’Day, Commentary on the Gospel of John in the New Interpreter’s Bible, vol 9, (Nashville, Abingdon Press, 2002), CD-ROM Edition.

[2] Richard O. Randolph, “God Is Always Creation Something New,” [a blog] posted on Richard O. Randolph on Faith Matters, 26 March 2016.

[3] “Premature Burial” entry in Wikipedia, accessed online, 22 July 2016, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Premature_burial.

 

"Jesus said: 'I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life'"

            This Sunday, July 17th, we continue our sermon series focused on the “I am…” sayings of Jesus in the Gospel of John.  Although each of these messages will be original reflections and written by the preacher at Christ United Methodist Church, they will be partially informed by the study of the “I am…” sayings in Rob Fuquay’s study series, The God We Can Know (Nashville:  Upper Room Books, 2014).  And, I will use Rev. Fuquay’s study series for a summer Bible study class at 9:45 on Sunday mornings. 

            In each of his “I am…” sayings, Christ uses metaphorical language to illuminate his understanding of himself as the Divine Messiah.  In our exploration this week, we will be focusing on Christ’s claim that he is the way, and the truth, and the life.  This metaphor occurs in John 14:6.

            In order to fully understand and appreciate this saying, we will need to look at the context in which it appears in John’s Gospel.  Most scriptural scholars recognize that John 14-16 is intended to be read as a specific genre of literature, which was prominent in the ancient Mediterranean world:  It is the genre of the “Farewell Discourse.”  This genre occurs at several important places in the Hebrew—or, Old Testament—scriptures:

            Genesis 49                   Jacob’s farewell and blessing his 12 sons

            Joshua 22-24               Joshua’s farewell

            1 Chronicles 28-29      King David’s farewell and instructions to his royal court

The Farewell Discourse is defined by certain characteristics:  “the gathering of family and/or followers by the dying or departing man, the announcement of approaching death or departure, prophecies and/or promises and blessings, a review of the man’s life, the naming of a successor, final instructions, and a prayer.”[i] 

            Jesus begins his Farewell Discourse by reassuring his disciples, seeking to calm their fear and anxiety.  Jesus says, “Do not let your hearts be troubled.  Believe in God, believe also in me.”  (John 14:1)

Then, Jesus invokes the metaphor of a house to comfort his disciples.  Jesus intends to reassure his followers that his looming death on the cross is not a termination of his existence, or his relationship with them.  Instead, his death will mark a transition point from this life and his current relationship to a new life and relationship at the end of time as part of God’s New Creation: 

“In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places [rooms].  If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also.  And you know the way to the place where I am going.”  (John 14:  2-4)

            This passage of scripture is commonly used at funerals and memorial services.  It has offered comfort and healing to so many Christian mourners, down through the ages.  To reiterate, it reminds and reassures us that for Christians, our death does not mean the termination of our existence, or our essence.  Instead, death marks a transition point as we transition from our current existence into a New Creation, through God’s love and power.  To use a different metaphor, as persons of Christian faith, we believe that death marks a radical transformation into new creatures, just as the process of metamorphosis marks the radical transformation of a caterpillar into a beautiful, free butterfly.

            Some care is required in interpreting this metaphor used by Jesus.  Jesus’ reference to “my Father’s house” recalls the same imagery in Jewish tradition, which refers to our “Father’s house” as the heavenly dwelling place.  (See Psalm 113: 4-6 and Isaiah 66:1.)  It is, therefore,  tempting to interpret Jesus use of the words, “my Father’s house,” as a reference to a physical heaven.  Yet, in the Gospel of John, the key to Christ’s Messiahship is relationship; that is, the mutual indwelling of God and Jesus.  For the Gospel of John, location consistently points to and symbolizes a close relationship.  As the biblical scholar Gail R. O’Day points out, “a description of Jesus physical location (in the bosom of the Father) communicates the intimacy of Jesus’ relationship with God.  …To know where Jesus is from is to know his relationship with God.”[ii]

            When Jesus tells his followers that he goes to prepare a place for them, he is using the domestic imagery of a home to reassure them that his return to God will make it possible for them to join into the intimate, divine relationship which exists between Christ and the Creator.  His claim to return and “take you to myself” represents an eschatological promise that all of his followers will indeed be transformed into New Creation at the eschaton and be joined in the divine, mutual indwelling of Jesus and God.

            But, Thomas, the disciple, does not quite understand.  He thinks that Jesus is referring to a geographical destination, so he asks:  “Lord, we do not know where you are going.  How can we know the way?” (John 14:5)

            Jesus responds to Thomas with his “I am…” saying.  Jesus say, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14: 6)  Again, this is a metaphor which Jesus uses to describe how he understands himself as the Messiah. 

             As with the previous metaphor of “my Father’s house,” this “I am…” saying has roots in the Jewish tradition.  In the Hebrew (Old Testament) scriptures, the “way” can be used to describe a “way of life,” or a lifestyle, of living faithfully, following God.  As an illustration, consider the words of Psalm 119:1, “Happy are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord.”  Here, walking the way refers to living a life of faithfulness to God.  (See also, Psalm 119: 3, 5, 27, and 33.)

            The nouns, “truth” and “life,” serve to simultaneously inform and elaborate on Christ’s self-description of himself as “the way.”  In describing himself as “the way,” Jesus reveals that he provides access—and, also the embodiment of—living a life in intimate, divine relationship with God, the Creator.

            Before concluding, it is important that we address a question which this “I am…” saying appears to raise for other religions.   This question may be framed as follows:  If Jesus is the way, and the truth, and the life, does that mean that other religions, such as Buddhism and Islam, are false and invalid?  We live in a very religiously pluralistic world, with neighbors who may profess and follow many different religious faiths.  Does this “I am…” saying by Jesus imply that people of other faiths cannot enter into a loving relationship with the Divine?  Given our pluralistic context, such an exclusive understanding of Christianity may invalidate it as a viable faith for many of us.

            Biblical scholar Gail R. O’Day suggests that it is important to understand the First Century context in which the early Christian community would have heard and interpreted this claim.  She points out that for John’s Christian community, the most important aspect of the Incarnation was that it decisively reveals for the first time how deep and awesome God’s love for each human person genuinely is.  Through the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus the Christ, humans finally gain a glimmer of this awesome love which the Divine extends to each and every person. 

            It is only through Jesus Christ that the members of John’s church were able to grasp and appreciate the awesome love which God has for humans, but that does not mean God’s love is restricted just to Christians.  No.  For God’s love to be authentic it must extend to all humans, Christians and non-Christians alike.  Thus, it may be better to translate John 14: 6b this way:  “None of you [my disciples will come] to the Father except through me.”  That is, for the community of Christ, Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life because that has been our experience of the Divine. 

Yet, our experience of Christ as the way does not negate or invalidate other experiences of the Divine through other channels.  We must not limit God.  O’Day concludes by observing that the Fourth Gospel was not focused on “Muslims, Hindus, or Buddhists, nor with the superiority or inferiority of Judaism and Christianity as they are configured in the modern world.  These verse are the confessional celebration of a particular faith community, convinced of the truth and life it has received in the incarnation.  The Fourth Evangelist’s primary concern was the clarification and celebration of what it means to believe in Jesus.”[iii]

Come, join us this Sunday, July 17th, at Christ United Methodist Church, as we continue our study of the “I am…” sayings of Jesus.  Christ United Methodist Church is located at 4530 A Street in Lincoln, Nebraska.  Our classic worship services are at 8:30 and 11:00 on Sunday mornings.  This week, I will continue to offer my short-term study of these “I am…” sayings, between the two worship services at 9:45.  We will use Rob Fuquay’s The God We Can Know as our resource.

Everyone is welcome and accepted because God loves us all.

---

[i] Gail R. O’Day, Commentary on the Gospel of John in the New Interpreter’s Bible, vol 9, (Nashville, Abingdon Press, 2002), CD-ROM Edition.

 

[ii] Ibid.

 

[iii] Ibid.

"Knowing the Great 'I Am'"

          I am returning from a two-week hiatus from preaching.  As I return from this break, I am continuing our sermon series on the “I Am…” sayings of Jesus, recorded in the Gospel of John.  Although each of these messages are original reflections and writing by the preacher at Christ United Methodist Church, they are also partially informed by the study of the “I Am…” sayings in Rob Fuquay’s study series, The God We Can Know (Nashville:  Upper Room Books, 2014).

            However, before resuming our exploration of the remaining “I Am…” sayings, this Sunday, July 10th, I want to examine the basis for Jesus’ sayings in the Hebrew scriptures (Old Testament).  Jesus’ “I Am…” sayings resonated deeply with his Jewish audience because they reflect back to the story of how God called Moses to the task of liberating the Israelites from slavery in Egypt.  This story is contained in the book of Exodus, chapter 3:

“[God said] ‘Come, I will send you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.’ …But Moses said to God, ‘If I come to the Israelites and say to them, “The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,” and they ask me, “What is his name?” what shall I say to them?’  God said to Moses, ‘I am who I am.’  God said further, ‘Thus you shall say to the Israelites, “I am has sent me to you.”’” (Exodus 3:  10, 13)

            In the ancient world, a person’s name was more than just a label, differentiating one person from another.  Instead, names were vitally important because they told us something about who that person was; what character and values informed who they were as an individual person.  So, what are we to make of God’s self-identification as “I am who I am”?

            We know from astronomers that we live in just a small corner of a vast universe.  For instance, the sun is just one of 10¹¹ stars in our galaxy, the “Milky Way,” and that galaxy is just one of 10¹¹ galaxies in the universe.  Some astronomers calculate that there are probably 10¹⁷ planets in the universe which are similar to our Earth.  The universe is a vast, vast place, and we know that, as the Creator, God would be even greater.  The theological term for this is transcendence.  God transcends all of Creation, even though the universe is so vast.

            Yet, at the same time, God is also immanent.  This is another theological term, which means that God is also close to us.  In fact, the Divine seeks us out and wants to be in a loving relationship with us.  After verse 13, where God identifies God’s name as “I Am who I am,” God follows up by providing a history—a resume, so to speak—of God’s relationship with the Israelites, “‘Thus you [Moses] shall say to the Israelites, “The Lord, the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’” (Exodus 3:  15a)  As Rob Fuquay writes in his book, “God wants to be recognized.  …God is not hiding. God doesn’t avoid us.  God wants to be known.  That’s the story of the Bible.”[i]

            God seeks us out and invites each of us to enter into a Divine relationship, in which we know and love God.  This is what happens in Exodus 3.  God seeks out and invites Moses to enter into this knowing, loving relationship.  As Moses discovers, this relationship is one of vocation; that is, it is a relationship of partnership with God.

            God begins by explaining, “I have observed the misery of my people [the Israelites] who are in Egypt; I have heard their cry on account of their taskmasters.  Indeed, I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them from the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey.…” (Exodus 3:  7-8b).  God has seen; God has heard; and God knows the sufferings of Moses’ people—the Israelites.  God is moved by the suffering and will deliver the Israelites from the Egyptians, giving them new freedom in a rich and bountiful land.

            At this point, Moses must have felt exhilarated, hearing that God was planning for a revolution in Egypt which would free the Israelites from captivity and slavery.  But, then comes a great reversal.  God says to Moses, “So come, I will send you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt” (v. 10).  God is planning a revolution, but Moses is invited to be the chief revolutionary, the leader of this revolt, with all of the risks associated with being a revolutionary.  God invites Moses into a specialized vocation—that is, into a partnership—to lead the people of Israel out of slavery and into their own Promised Land.

            Moses is cautious.  He knows the risks associated with leading a revolt in Egypt and he makes excuses, trying to get out of this assignment.  Yet, with each excuse that Moses makes, God’s responds by simply re-assuring that God will be there, guiding, strengthening, and sustaining Moses through all of the trials and tribulations, until ultimately the Israelites are released from their bondage.  God will be there.

            Despite Moses’ fear, objections, and excuses, ultimately there is only one option for Moses:  to accept God’s call to this partnership.  And so, Moses finally accepts his vocation to become the revolutionary leader of the Israelites. 

            Now, the key to understanding the true meaning of Exodus 3 is to see that while Moses’ call by God was exceptional, the fact that God called Moses to a special vocation was not exceptional at all.  Indeed, God seeks out each of us, inviting us to enter into a divine relationship, which forms the grounding for our own vocation, our own call to partnership with God.  Each of us is called by God to a special vocation, and our only faithful response is to accept God’s call, knowing that, regardless of how difficult the task, God will be there to guide, sustain, and protect us.

In reflecting on the concept of God’s call within the context of Exodus 3, Walter Brueggemann, the eminent biblical scholar writes:

“In our time, the notion of [God’s] call has often been trivialized, institutionalized, and rendered innocuous as bland calls to ‘obedience’ and to ‘ministry.’  Moses, however, knows better than this.  A right sense of call (and its dangers) derives from a right sense of Yahweh’s [God’s] intention.  And when the call of Yahweh is made safe through trivialization (which Moses refuses to do), it is because Yahweh’s intention has already been distorted and domesticated.”[ii]

Come, join us this Sunday, July 10th, at Christ United Methodist Church, as we examine who God is and how God seeks to be in a loving, Divine relationship with us, defined by partnership.  Christ United Methodist Church is located at 4530 A Street in Lincoln, Nebraska.  Our classic worship services are at 8:30 and 11:00 on Sunday mornings.  This week, I will continue to offer my short-term study of these “I Am…” sayings, between the two worship services at 9:45.  We will use Rob Fuquay’s The God We Can Know as our resource.

Everyone is welcome and accepted because God loves us all.

Schedule of Upcoming “I am…” sayings sermons

July 17th – “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life”

July 24th – “I am the Resurrection and the Life” (8:30 service only)

July 31st –“I am the True Vine” (Pastor Bob Neben preaching)

---

[i] Rob Fuquay, The God We Can Know, Exploring the “I Am” Sayings of Jesus (Nashville:  Upper Room Books, 2014), 13.

[ii] Walter Brueggemann “Commentary on Exodus” in Leander E. Keck, ed., The New Interpreter’s Bible Vol. I (Nashville:  Abingdon Press, 1996), CD-ROM.