First Sunday of Lent
March 1, 2009
 
 
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March 22, 2009
 

Fifth Sunday of Lent
March 29, 2009
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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March 22, 2009--Fourth Sunday of Lent

Lectionary Texts: Numbers 21:4-9; Psalm 107:1-3; 17-22; Ephesians 2:1-10; John 3:14-21

Sermon Text: John 3:14-21

In the Light

ForGodsolovedtheworld(gasp)
thatHegavehisoneandonlybegottenSon(breath)
thatwhosoeverbelievethinHimshallnotperish(gasp)
buthaveeternallife(breath)Johnthreesixteen.

Sound familiar? Can you all recite those lines? Can you remember when you learned them?

If you are like me, you probably were required to memorize these words in utero. Growing up in a Christian home I cannot remember when I first heard John 3:16, but I know that I memorized it before it made any sense to me. I would spout out these words, much like I did a moment ago--almost breathless--wanting to receive whatever trinket the Sunday School teacher would pass out. I was encouraged to memorize the words, but it was never, in my memory, explained to me what exactly this all meant.

There is a good reason that most children are asked to memorize this verse. It encapsulates the Gospel message beautifully. God loved the world--even in its sinful state--so much that He actually sent His son to save us.

Looking at this short but beautifully poignant verse in its context helps us go from breathlessly reciting it for a pizza party to taking the dangerous steps to receiving it for life.

This verse was spoken by Jesus to Nicodemus. Remember, Nicodemus was the religious leader who came to Christ in the darkness of night to ask some questions, including how could a grown man be born again? It was in response to Nicodemus’ questions about how to be saved that Christ says these words.

To help him understand, Jesus mentions a familiar story about the Israelites and Moses in the desert. It is a story found in the book of Numbers, chapter 21. In it, the Israelites were complaining (big surprise, right?). They were saying things like, why didn’t God just kill us in Egypt? Why did we have to come out to this horrible place to die? We hate this! We hate the food that we have to eat! We hate walking every day and never getting to the Promised Land. Why? Why? Why?

They were having what we would term, a tantrum. And yet, they were understandably frustrated. It was hot, they were tired, but rather than turning to God in their dismay, they turned against Him. Because of their rejection, they were plagued with poisonous snakes. Many were bitten; many died. Not surprisingly, as they saw their family members and friends begin to die from snake bites they cried out to Moses to entreat God on their behalf.

He did cry out to the Lord and God, in His mercy, provided a way out for them. He had Moses make a snake out of bronze and told him to put it up in the center of the camp--a place that was easily visible. The Israelites were instructed to, if they are bit, to look upon the snake and they will be free.

Notice that God did not eradicate the snakes, but instead provided a way out from the inevitable poison of the venom. This is the story that Jesus chose to explain the purpose of the Savior. It is God’s answer, in His mercy, to provide a way out for a people who have already been poisoned by the venom of sin and death.

All of us in this room have been poisoned by the venom of sin and death. We all have fallen short of the glory of God. We are made of dust and one day our bodies will become dust again. We are doomed.

But praise God, for we have been given a way out. Poisoned though we are by sin and death, we can look to the Cross and be free. Christ died so that we could access freedom from sin and freedom from death and live in the light. Through the Passion and Resurrection, we can have a new life.

This would be a good place to stop the sermon and close the service, wouldn’t it? Just end on this happy little note. But to end here would be shortchanging ourselves and skipping over an important part of the text.

For from here Christ goes on to say that even though the light is available and salvation is at hand, there will still be some who choose to stay in darkness. There will be some who do not want all of their lives to be flooded with light. Some who have things--secrets, sins, and relationships--they do not want to let go.

Living in the light is amazing and it is free but it requires that we fully let go of everything and allow God full control of our lives. This, Jesus declares, will prove to be too much for some and they will instead choose to continue to live in the darkness and in shadows.

I do not think that this is just speaking to those who reject Christ outright. I think this also speaks to professed Christians who do not allow God full control over their lives. This is a temptation to all of us. Whether we care to admit it or not, we all have areas of our lives that we would rather keep in shadows, or at least keep as dimly lit as possible. Things that we would rather not deal with, would rather not have God speak into . . . .

What is it in our lives that we try and reserve from the fullness of the light of Christ? What is it in your family, at your job, in your dealings with others? What is it when no one is watching that needs to be flooded with light?

This Lent, as we approach the Cross with fasting and contemplation, let us search our lives and our hearts for shadows. Let us seek our lives and relationships and day-to-day activities for areas that we would reserve from the light of Christ. Let us--through prayer and repentance--bring these things to the foot of the Cross so that, as we celebrate on Easter Sunday morning, we can live in the fullness of Light.

In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.