Isaiah 6:1-8 In...
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Isaiah 6:1-8
In the first months of walking my Labradoodle pup (they're great dogs!), I finally understood his sudden stops: walking one second, stock still the next. He'd see something move -- a leaf down the street or, more exciting, a cat or squirrel or person. He'd hear something -- birds in the bush or children beyond the fence. He'd stop. At first I'd pull his leash and say, "Heel." I finally learned that he's genetically wired to stop and stare at something that may be dangerous, at least interesting, or possibly edible.
So God created us with instincts like those of Moses at the bush to turn aside and look when God is revealed in this world's sights or sounds. Here Isaiah portrays the fullest and most authentic human response to "The Holy" breaking into our world. He sees, acknowledges his sin, and then agrees to serve God.
Isaiah 6:1-8
Ask a roomful of kindergarteners for a volunteer, and almost every hand will shoot up in the air. Some of them will practically jump up and down, wanting so badly to be chosen. Compare that to a group of high schoolers; or, better yet, a group of adults. "May I have a volunteer?" Silence. Uneasy glances. Finally, one person signals -- not a hand in the air, but maybe a quick wave, like he's at an auction. It's an "I-guess-I'll-do-it" gesture. On the inside, he might be as excited as one of those kindergarteners, stretching his arm toward the stars in hopes that he will be chosen; but as an adult, it's cool to slide by -- to say, "If there's no one else...." Outward excitement isn't something we encourage so much in adults.
Isaiah 6:1-8
Isaiah was a prophet in a time of crisis for God's people. They had had the same king for over fifty years. While he had not always done right, he had actually been a good and effective king.
Isaiah comes to the temple and has a mountaintop experience with God. He experiences the shattering holiness of God and is struck by the fact that he, Isaiah, is "a man of unclean lips" who also lives "among people of unclean lips." If we believe words are incidental, we need only think about Isaiah's revelation of the glory of God. Isaiah was distressed at what was passing through his lips.
Isaiah accepts his call from God and learns immediately that it will be a heartbreaking assignment. He must minister until "cities lie waste and the land is utterly desolate." He is working with a people who have repeatedly rejected and disappointed God.
In this powerful story, Isaiah experiences the presence of God in a life-changing way. Out of that experience come three dramatic effects: a closeness to God, a compassion for people, and a call to ministry.
Romans 8:12-17
In a certain village the school bell rang at 8:30 a.m. to call the children to class. The boys and girls left their homes and toys reluctantly, creeping like snails into the school, not late but not a second early. The bell rang again at 3:30 p.m., releasing the children to homes and toys, to which they rushed at the very moment of the tolling of the bell.
This is how it was every day, with every child except one. She came early to help the teacher prepare the room and materials for the day. She stayed late to help the teacher clean the board, dust erasers, and put away materials. During the day she sat close to the teacher, all eyes and ears for the lessons being taught.
One day when noise and inattention were worse than usual, the teacher called the class to order. Pointing to the little girl in the front row, the teacher said, "Why can't you be as she is? She comes early to help, she stays late to help, and all day long she is attentive and courteous."
"It isn't fair to ask us to be as she is," said one boy from the rear of the room.
"Why?"
"Because she has an advantage," he replied.
"I don't understand. What is her advantage?" asked the puzzled teacher.
"She is an orphan," he almost whispered as he sat down. (from Fred B. Craddock, Craddock Stories [St. Louis: Chalice Press, 2001], p. 16)
Romans 8:12-17
It seemed to Sherry that everything that could go wrong, did. Her mother was in and out of the hospital eight times during the last year. Going back and forth to the hospital took a lot of time and energy from her. At work some of her friends had been laid off, due to the slumping economy. While she was glad she still had a job, her workload increased without an increase in pay. Then there were little things around her house that needed repair. She was at wit's end.
A friend invited her to watch James A. Michener's Centennial with her. Her friend received the DVD set as a Christmas present but no one wanted to watch it with her. Reluctantly Sherry agreed to watch the mini-series with her friend. The episode that touched her was of a pioneer woman and her daily struggles for basic necessaries of food, clothing, and shelter, all with the presence of danger.
After watching the episode suddenly her problems did not seem so large. She believed that no matter what would happen to her God would see her through her difficult days.
The apostle Paul reminded the church at Rome that each and everyone of them was a beloved child of God. Paul wrote "For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God." The challenges they faced are certainly different from what we experience in 2009, but the one constant is that we are beloved children of God.
Romans 8:12-17
According to CardWeb.com, the average American household with at least one credit card has credit card debt of $9,200.
Many young Americans in the 24-35 age bracket, spend from 25% to 30% of their monthly income to pay down debt, and tragically, a large percentage of those are not in ownership positions (for example, they don't have a mortgage). Although that isn't what Paul meant by being a debtor to the flesh, it certainly is slavery to fear: fear of bankruptcy, foreclosure, and a dim future.
In Christ we are heirs of God's kingdom and all the richest therein, the greatest blessing of which is the privilege of calling God, "Abba."
John 3:1-17
The high school's open house hustled us parents through an evening's abbreviated schedule of what our children navigated daily. I did okay with a brief shot of US history and didn't have enough time to flunk math; but, my daughter's chemistry teacher threw a question: "How many states of matter are there?"
I said, "Three."
The correct answer was, "Four."
"What? Solid, liquid, gas. We learned that in fourth grade."
"Well," the teacher said, "make space in your mind for a fourth: Plasma."
For me this was a greater change than finding another planet in the solar system. It was like the leap from riding horseback to space flight. So with Nicodemus. Jesus teaches his abbreviated night class, acquainting Nicodemus with something beyond what he'd learned in school. For Nicodemus it's greater than the realization that there are four states of matter instead of three. He's being touched, challenged, and summoned to make room in his life for a fourth dimension.
John 3:1-17
In the Bible, night and darkness are often symbols for ignorance and evil. However, Nicodemus shows us one instance where darkness is a key ingredient in the search for light. It's interesting that darkness brings out our honesty. Good boys and girls by day may truly be themselves -- wild, unscrupulous -- at nighttime parties. It takes darkness for a good game of Truth or Dare among middle-schoolers. How many first dates take place in a dark movie theater? Darkness frees us from the paranoia that other people are examining our every move and lets us be the self we hide. So it is in darkness that Nicodemus comes out of the well-crafted shell of his reputation in order to fill his secret need for knowledge only Jesus can give.
John 3:1-17
I never cease to be amazed at the number of people, even non-Christians, who can quote John 3:16, yet have no clue as to who spoke these words or to whom they were said. Think about all the signs that you have seen being held up in sports arenas and seen by the side of the road. It is a powerful story -- one that can lead us into a strong union with God. It's important that every one of you knows who these two people are and the circumstance that brought this familiar verse to the forefront.
Don't think of John 3:16 as some kind of formula or mantra. Instead, let's imagine being like Nicodemus, visiting Jesus on the sly some dark night when nobody will notice. If you are going to have a religious experience -- if you are going to be "born anew" or "born from above" ("born again" is not a very accurate translation) -- it's better not to do it in public where your friends are going to expect some change for the better. Do it at night when nobody will notice. You find that being a Christian is going to cost you something, but you don't have to tell. It's okay to be religious, but don't let it show, for goodness sake!
Joking aside, if we can imagine ourselves in such a late-night conversation with Jesus -- if we can imagine and articulate all the arguments against his gift -- and then remember that the key words in Jesus' discourse are, "God so loved ..." this story may do its work for us.
In the first months of walking my Labradoodle pup (they're great dogs!), I finally understood his sudden stops: walking one second, stock still the next. He'd see something move -- a leaf down the street or, more exciting, a cat or squirrel or person. He'd hear something -- birds in the bush or children beyond the fence. He'd stop. At first I'd pull his leash and say, "Heel." I finally learned that he's genetically wired to stop and stare at something that may be dangerous, at least interesting, or possibly edible.
So God created us with instincts like those of Moses at the bush to turn aside and look when God is revealed in this world's sights or sounds. Here Isaiah portrays the fullest and most authentic human response to "The Holy" breaking into our world. He sees, acknowledges his sin, and then agrees to serve God.
Isaiah 6:1-8
Ask a roomful of kindergarteners for a volunteer, and almost every hand will shoot up in the air. Some of them will practically jump up and down, wanting so badly to be chosen. Compare that to a group of high schoolers; or, better yet, a group of adults. "May I have a volunteer?" Silence. Uneasy glances. Finally, one person signals -- not a hand in the air, but maybe a quick wave, like he's at an auction. It's an "I-guess-I'll-do-it" gesture. On the inside, he might be as excited as one of those kindergarteners, stretching his arm toward the stars in hopes that he will be chosen; but as an adult, it's cool to slide by -- to say, "If there's no one else...." Outward excitement isn't something we encourage so much in adults.
Isaiah 6:1-8
Isaiah was a prophet in a time of crisis for God's people. They had had the same king for over fifty years. While he had not always done right, he had actually been a good and effective king.
Isaiah comes to the temple and has a mountaintop experience with God. He experiences the shattering holiness of God and is struck by the fact that he, Isaiah, is "a man of unclean lips" who also lives "among people of unclean lips." If we believe words are incidental, we need only think about Isaiah's revelation of the glory of God. Isaiah was distressed at what was passing through his lips.
Isaiah accepts his call from God and learns immediately that it will be a heartbreaking assignment. He must minister until "cities lie waste and the land is utterly desolate." He is working with a people who have repeatedly rejected and disappointed God.
In this powerful story, Isaiah experiences the presence of God in a life-changing way. Out of that experience come three dramatic effects: a closeness to God, a compassion for people, and a call to ministry.
Romans 8:12-17
In a certain village the school bell rang at 8:30 a.m. to call the children to class. The boys and girls left their homes and toys reluctantly, creeping like snails into the school, not late but not a second early. The bell rang again at 3:30 p.m., releasing the children to homes and toys, to which they rushed at the very moment of the tolling of the bell.
This is how it was every day, with every child except one. She came early to help the teacher prepare the room and materials for the day. She stayed late to help the teacher clean the board, dust erasers, and put away materials. During the day she sat close to the teacher, all eyes and ears for the lessons being taught.
One day when noise and inattention were worse than usual, the teacher called the class to order. Pointing to the little girl in the front row, the teacher said, "Why can't you be as she is? She comes early to help, she stays late to help, and all day long she is attentive and courteous."
"It isn't fair to ask us to be as she is," said one boy from the rear of the room.
"Why?"
"Because she has an advantage," he replied.
"I don't understand. What is her advantage?" asked the puzzled teacher.
"She is an orphan," he almost whispered as he sat down. (from Fred B. Craddock, Craddock Stories [St. Louis: Chalice Press, 2001], p. 16)
Romans 8:12-17
It seemed to Sherry that everything that could go wrong, did. Her mother was in and out of the hospital eight times during the last year. Going back and forth to the hospital took a lot of time and energy from her. At work some of her friends had been laid off, due to the slumping economy. While she was glad she still had a job, her workload increased without an increase in pay. Then there were little things around her house that needed repair. She was at wit's end.
A friend invited her to watch James A. Michener's Centennial with her. Her friend received the DVD set as a Christmas present but no one wanted to watch it with her. Reluctantly Sherry agreed to watch the mini-series with her friend. The episode that touched her was of a pioneer woman and her daily struggles for basic necessaries of food, clothing, and shelter, all with the presence of danger.
After watching the episode suddenly her problems did not seem so large. She believed that no matter what would happen to her God would see her through her difficult days.
The apostle Paul reminded the church at Rome that each and everyone of them was a beloved child of God. Paul wrote "For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God." The challenges they faced are certainly different from what we experience in 2009, but the one constant is that we are beloved children of God.
Romans 8:12-17
According to CardWeb.com, the average American household with at least one credit card has credit card debt of $9,200.
Many young Americans in the 24-35 age bracket, spend from 25% to 30% of their monthly income to pay down debt, and tragically, a large percentage of those are not in ownership positions (for example, they don't have a mortgage). Although that isn't what Paul meant by being a debtor to the flesh, it certainly is slavery to fear: fear of bankruptcy, foreclosure, and a dim future.
In Christ we are heirs of God's kingdom and all the richest therein, the greatest blessing of which is the privilege of calling God, "Abba."
John 3:1-17
The high school's open house hustled us parents through an evening's abbreviated schedule of what our children navigated daily. I did okay with a brief shot of US history and didn't have enough time to flunk math; but, my daughter's chemistry teacher threw a question: "How many states of matter are there?"
I said, "Three."
The correct answer was, "Four."
"What? Solid, liquid, gas. We learned that in fourth grade."
"Well," the teacher said, "make space in your mind for a fourth: Plasma."
For me this was a greater change than finding another planet in the solar system. It was like the leap from riding horseback to space flight. So with Nicodemus. Jesus teaches his abbreviated night class, acquainting Nicodemus with something beyond what he'd learned in school. For Nicodemus it's greater than the realization that there are four states of matter instead of three. He's being touched, challenged, and summoned to make room in his life for a fourth dimension.
John 3:1-17
In the Bible, night and darkness are often symbols for ignorance and evil. However, Nicodemus shows us one instance where darkness is a key ingredient in the search for light. It's interesting that darkness brings out our honesty. Good boys and girls by day may truly be themselves -- wild, unscrupulous -- at nighttime parties. It takes darkness for a good game of Truth or Dare among middle-schoolers. How many first dates take place in a dark movie theater? Darkness frees us from the paranoia that other people are examining our every move and lets us be the self we hide. So it is in darkness that Nicodemus comes out of the well-crafted shell of his reputation in order to fill his secret need for knowledge only Jesus can give.
John 3:1-17
I never cease to be amazed at the number of people, even non-Christians, who can quote John 3:16, yet have no clue as to who spoke these words or to whom they were said. Think about all the signs that you have seen being held up in sports arenas and seen by the side of the road. It is a powerful story -- one that can lead us into a strong union with God. It's important that every one of you knows who these two people are and the circumstance that brought this familiar verse to the forefront.
Don't think of John 3:16 as some kind of formula or mantra. Instead, let's imagine being like Nicodemus, visiting Jesus on the sly some dark night when nobody will notice. If you are going to have a religious experience -- if you are going to be "born anew" or "born from above" ("born again" is not a very accurate translation) -- it's better not to do it in public where your friends are going to expect some change for the better. Do it at night when nobody will notice. You find that being a Christian is going to cost you something, but you don't have to tell. It's okay to be religious, but don't let it show, for goodness sake!
Joking aside, if we can imagine ourselves in such a late-night conversation with Jesus -- if we can imagine and articulate all the arguments against his gift -- and then remember that the key words in Jesus' discourse are, "God so loved ..." this story may do its work for us.
