Nicodemus and the Secret-Service Christians

John 3:1-15 (KJV)

The opening of John, chapter 3, introduces Nicodemus as a leader of the Jews who "came to Jesus by night." Through the centuries this poor soul has received bad press from Christian pulpits around the world. "Why couldn't he come out in the daylight?" Preachers have even been quick to apply this verse side-by-side with Mark 8:38 or its parallels, referring to those ashamed to confess Jesus before the world, and Jesus' shame to confess them before the Father.

So Nicodemus came to Jesus by night in chapter 3.

Maybe there is more to look at than a cowardly man who didn't want to be seen in the daylight talking to this controversial figure. Maybe there is more because of its placement so early in the book. After all, Jesus had done very little by that time to identify himself as the Word Made Flesh (John's words in 1:14), or the Lamb of God whose mission it was to take away the world's sin (again, the Baptist's words in 1:29).

By the time we meet Nicodemus, Jesus has done only these things:
He invited Andrew to "come and see" where he was staying.
He invited Philip to follow him.
He pointed to Nathanael as an honest Israelite.
He saved a host from embarrassment in chapter 2 by turning water into wine.

Not much controversial there, would you say?

Oh, there is that other thing. He rebuked the merchants and money-changers who were exploiting the people in the temple. But surely the devout of the religious rulers would not be offended at something as righteous as that! After all, the religious leaders were not part of the "den of thieves" Jesus was talking about. Was this not before religious leaders took "commissions" from the sales of items in the houses of worship?

Well, all right. Maybe Jesus did become controversial by the time Nicodemus showed up in chapter 3.

Since Nicodemus "came to Jesus by night," can we make a case for anything but fear of loss or dishonor? Probably not, since throughout Scripture night and darkness often carried the implication of hidden deeds.

For Nicodemus' position among the rulers, he did have to be careful about his visibility. He undoubtedly had a real, and in all honesty, justifiable, fear of being seen with people of controversy. For Nicodemus, claiming any relationship with Jesus had a cost associated with it.

But it may be appropriate to give Nicodemus credit for one thing: he went to Jesus. Period. That act alone set him apart from every one of the other leaders of his time. At least, John doesn't name anyone else in Nicodemus' crowd who went to Jesus.

To what extent does that act set Nicodemus apart from so many millions of people today? Do American Christians fear or blush to speak of their faith, for fear of losing their jobs or facing ridicule? The answer is for you to consider, not for me to answer. (At the same time, if you would like to step away from reading this and go to Jesus yourself, that would be fine. We'll be here when you get back.)

Here is a controversial thought. In the 1980s the Christian radio stations played a song titled "Secret Service Christians." Unfortunately, my search for lyrics and music has been unsuccessful. Essentially, a "secret service Christian" is someone who will "go along to get along" but will not stand publicly for Jesus either as God the Son or as the needed and only Savior. He or she may admit to being a Christian, and may even identify his or her church. But such a Christian is quiet when confronted with such universalist comments as "all roads lead to God" or "there's very little difference between religions" or (my favorite) "don't shove your beliefs down our throats [while we will shove ours down yours]." The arguments sound good. The most convincing one is that if you remain quiet, you can possibly convince folks later in a different way. It's a variation of the argument that if you run away, you live to fight another day.

All of this makes good preaching material, so it's the sort of thing you would expect to hear on a Sunday morning. But here is where the real controversy comes with me. Those who call for a bold proclamation of faith are curiously silent about missionaries who sneak around in hostile lands. These are the ones who enter the hostile countries disguised as carpenters or agricultural advisers, and secretly distribute Bibles and hold worship services. It is amazing to hear the Christian talk shows interviewing these secret missionaries, extolling the virtues of their deceptive practices in witnessing to the One who called Himself "the Truth."

It is true that there is justification to this "secret service Christian" practice. Speaking bluntly, a dead missionary distributes no Bibles. But if this witness dies for the faith, that martyrdom might be the seed of some amazing conversions. After all, it has happened before. The early Church Fathers may have something to say about an open testimony to the Risen One.

There is no easy answer to this, and the reason may come as a surprise. While in some places confessing of Jesus is a capital offense, the more "civilized" societies have bought George Orwell's principle as stated in the book 1984. The government interrogator said that they do not want martyrs, so they simply discredit those who voice a doctrine contrary to that of the state. (Could this be coming soon to a government near you?)

Back to Nicodemus. First of all, the text does not say that he came once, nor does it say that this is his first time to come to Jesus. In fact, it might be appropriate to consider that the man had been visiting with Jesus on multiple occasions. Even if he had not come previously, at least he knew where to find Jesus.

Notice that Jesus honors him for coming, and he engages in conversation. It may not be the conversation that Nicodemus would have expected, but it was what Nicodemus needed to hear. Nicodemus gives all he has, risking as far as he is able. Jesus takes this opportunity to talk about being born again, and to mention the Spirit.

The Gospel passage I've chosen stops just short of the famous verse, John 3:16. But even though Nicodemus gives little at the time, it becomes the prelude to the expression of some of the critical doctrines of the Church.

Nicodemus gave little, but by meeting Jesus he was transformed. In 7:50-52 he protests to the Sanhedrin against their plot to do away with Jesus. In John 19:39 he participates in the preparation for the anointing and burial of the body of Jesus. It is fair to assume that the man was changed, and there can be little doubt that he became a man of true faith.

Maybe if we bring ourselves to Jesus, whether in our strength or our fears, he will honor us for bringing all we are and all we have to give. And truly, if we bring ourselves to Jesus in all honesty, we might also find ourselves transformed.

Nicodemus knew where to look for Jesus. Do you?

Grace and Peace,
Charles+

YOUR Old Familiar Hymns Aren't MY Old Familiar Hymns

I looked up the term “the old, familiar hymns” as a theme for this reflection. The exact match came in a surprising place, a teaser to an article in the Christianity Today Library.

I’ll get back to that after this.

On Tuesday morning I was in a conversation with Linda, a woman at one of my employment networking groups. I mentioned that while I’m a geek during the week, I’m also an Anglican Priest. She told me that her church, North Dallas Community Bible Fellowship in Richardson, was having a special presentation comparing old hymns to new ones. The subject of hymn sources, contexts, and intentions is one that holds my interest, so I made plans to attend the Wednesday evening presentation.

The first thing I noticed was that where we sat when we entered the sanctuary. We went to an empty row and took our seats in the middle of it. There was no strategic 50-yard-line advantage to this, as they had projectors and screens all over the ceiling and we’d be able to see everything relevant to whatever was going on. But Linda chose to sit in places other than the first two seats on the aisle.

I’ve always wondered why people will enter a church, find an empty row, and sit so close to the aisle that you can’t slide a razor blade between the person and the end of that pew! Then the next person comes to the row, already disgusted that there aren’t any aisle seats left, and grumbles under his breath because he had to climb over that inconsiderate person who sat next to the aisle. But where does that second person sit? Right next to the aisle-sitter, of course! Then the third person comes in, totally disgusted with those two rude men who sat so close to the aisle, and climbs over person one and person two to sit where? You guessed it: in position three!

OK, this is not isolated to the churches. Walk into a movie theater, and the same thing happens. I suppose the early arrivals want to dash off to get popcorn when the movie they paid $10 to see has a dull spot or a social message? Who can guess?

All right, back to church we go. It’s Wednesday evening at an African-American church. Linda and I are sitting in the middle of the row of seats, looking forward to a comparison and contrast of hymns or praise songs from different eras. So we have a presentation about three pairs, and I can only remember some by title or content. Here’s what we got:

“Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty!” as the traditional, set beside a more energized hymn with a comparable theme

“Majesty, Worship His Majesty!” as the traditional, set beside a more energized praise song with a comparable theme

Two reverent songs essentially expressing “There’s Something About That Name [Jesus]”

I enjoyed the presentation, but what struck me is that “Majesty” and “There’s Something About That Name” were considered “Traditional”! The first time I heard -- or heard about -- either of these was in the second half of the twentieth century! Just how young are these people, that these are “traditional” musical offerings? (Or just how old -- oh, forget it, ha ha!)

Now back to the Christianity Today Library teaser. The leaders of a congregation are arguing over the worship leader’s choice of music. One of them complains “If he'd just play some of the old familiar hymns once in a while. Those new tunes are so difficult to sing. When he gets going on that instrument, it seems like he's in another world.”

The argument took place in 1730.

Please take time to enjoy some of the old familiar hymns.

Charles+

Well, They All Sound Alike to Me!

This morning I received a call from a longtime dear friend, asking me for a Scripture reference. He said, “I remember, there’s something in the Bible about people in the last days calling good evil and calling evil good. Do you know the verse that’s taken from?”

We talked for about an hour, just catching up on things. He gloated about the beautiful weather he’s having in his part of the country, and I slipped several notches in my piety because of the sin of envy. He told me the wonderful things happening at his church, and I rejoiced with him.

All during the conversation I was searching my various concordances to no avail.

“I think it’s probably Pauline,” I said. He agreed it sounded like it belonged in 2 Timothy, around the “itching ears” text in 4:3-5.

After we finished our conversation and wished each other well, I kept scratching my head. All my keyword searches (“evil,” “call,” etc.) were to no avail. Why? Because I was looking at the New Testament passages for my answer.

Finally, I consulted one of the two theological experts in my life: either Google or Bing, I forget which. Searching on “call evil good” returned about 3 finish-the-phrase search lines, one of which took me exactly where I wanted to go.

Well, no it didn’t. It took me to Isaiah 5:20, one of the “Woe” prophecies. “Woe unto them that call evil good” was not what I wanted to read. I wanted to read something like my friend had said: “In the last days there will be false teachers who call evil good and good evil.” I was disappointed for some reason.

Then it came to me. No, actually, two things came to me. The first was that Paul, in telling Timothy about the itchy ears being scratched by false doctrine, indirectly was saying exactly that. After all, when we look at the teaching that pleases the high-rollers in the progressive churches, it’s teaching that is blatantly false. It’s teaching that reinterprets such statements as John 14:6 (“. . . I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me”) as “I am one of the ways to God.” It’s teaching that excuses sex outside of marriage as long as (a) it’s consensual, and (b) neither party is married to another person. (Trouble with that one is that Jesus in Matthew 5:28 didn’t talk from the same memo; he didn’t consider consent, nor did he consider marital status when he defined adultery.)

The second thing that came to me was the consistency between Paul and Isaiah. Paul was never considered a prophet in the same sense as those great figures of the Old Testament, yet he often spoke and wrote prophetically. His words to Timothy and others concerning the last days had a prophetic ring to them, and his letters to the various churches expressed the Divine Revelation. So here I thought “they all look alike, don’t they?” Well, probably not. But I still enjoyed the consistency between Paul and Isaiah, and there are a lot of other consistencies just sitting around like gems on the ground as we reflect on the Scriptures.

May you be blessed in your own treasure hunts.

Charles+

----------------------------------

^KJV 2 Timothy 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; ⁴ And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. ⁵ But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.

^KJV Isaiah 5:20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!

^KJV John 14:1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. ² In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. ³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. ⁴ And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. ⁵ Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? ⁶ Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. ⁷ If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.

^KJV Matthew 5:27 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: ²⁸ But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.