Down to the River

 

The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah a second time, while he was still shut up in the court of the guard: “Thus says the Lord who made the earth, the Lord who formed it to establish it—the Lord is his name: Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known. (Jeremiah 33:1-3 ESV).

 

Some years ago, when we were still living in Tennessee, Kyle and I along with two of my friends went on a fly-fishing trip a few hours away from our hometown. The trip was much anticipated, especially since I had never caught a Rainbow Trout on my fly rod before. I’d caught many other species of bream and bass, but never a Rainbow. As you can see from the picture, this was my day. The guide measured and released the big breeder trout. He informed me it was about 6 pounds! I was delighted and very proud to have caught it. Kyle was the photographer of this experience. While it is not the biggest fish, or trout, I have caught (I pulled a much bigger Rainbow out of the Kenai River in Alaska), it was the first.

Now, what in the world does that have to do with our reading, or Lent for that matter? Well, let me confess that before we waded into the bend of the river that day, I asked the Lord to give us some success. I especially wanted to see Kyle catch a big one. He was not as fortunate as I was, but it was a grand success for all of us. Your thoughts might be that to invoke the Lord on such a trivial matter is not very “Christian.” I couldn’t disagree more. The Scripture encourages us to pray, praise, and thank Him in all situations, not just when we’re in troubling times.

The truth is if we are too busy to pray, we are too busy. The Lenten Season is a time to slow our pace. Use the time to pray… about everything. I suppose I’m saying prayer doesn’t need a specific format or content. The Scriptural command "pray without ceasing" (1 Thessalonians 5:17) is the directive that urges us on and the goal to which we aspire. In our reading the Lord informed Jeremiah that He answers such calls.

I would give you one caution. Be careful not to get caught in an avalanche of stuff, which makes the dubious claim, "I simply have to be done." I find the best conversations are those that are not scripted. We don’t really need a “list.” The reality is this: the one thing that needs to be done is God's grateful people need to speak faithfully and regularly to their gracious Lord. What better time could there be than this season that is taking us to the celebration of the Resurrection! Come on… let’s go down to the river for a spell!

 

Eeyore

 

Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was. Then after this he said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.” The disciples said to him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you, and are you going there again?” Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” After saying these things, he said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.” The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.” Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep. Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus has died, and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” So Thomas, called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” (John 11:5-16 ESV).

 

We all know the story of our reading today. However, it is not Lazarus I want to draw you attention to. It is Thomas. The scene is vividly described. Here's Jesus saying incomprehensible stuff about Lazarus being asleep—no, dead—wait, what exactly do You mean, Jesus? And why are You planning to go back to Judea, where everybody wants to kill You? Thomas doesn't understand it at all, and he's as gloomy as Eeyore about Jesus' decisions—but he's still loyal: "Fine, let's go with Jesus, then. If nothing else, at least we can die with Him."

He is the first century Eeyore! Steady, sober, faithful, and sometimes gloomy. It's not the worst attitude in the world. Thomas is sticking with Jesus. And if he grumps along the way, well, that's human, isn't it? This is what my faith is like a lot of the time, and maybe that's true for all of us. It is easy to have plenty of endurance, a dogged determination to keep on with Jesus, but not much imagination. We can keep going with very little excitement and joy. It is what someone has called "daily-ness."

But that's okay. Because every so often Jesus astonishes us, as He did Thomas. Lazarus is raised from the dead, and a funeral becomes a party. Jesus Himself rises from the dead, and the first thing He says to us of little faith is "Put your finger here, and see My hands; and put out your hand, and place it in My side. Do not disbelieve, but believe," He said to Thomas (John 20:27). All of us, even the gloomiest, will one day see Jesus face to face. But until we have that joy, we have His own presence with us—his Holy Spirit living in us—and our daily faith gets transformed, day after day, by His amazing love. We belong to Jesus, and there is a place for us at His side—even for earnest, unimaginative Thomas, even for you. Even for me. That’s what is at the end of Lent… celebrate with a renewal of your faith!

A Hard Saying

 

After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. So Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.” (John 6:66-69 ESV).

 

The context of our reading today reminds me of the old saying that describes a very difficult decision. Jesus’ teaching put the people “between a rock and a hard place.” The crowds want Jesus to be their King so He can provide for their daily lives. Jesus has so much more He wanted to give them. He shows this by talking about the manna God gave the Israelites in the wilderness. Sure, the manna sustained them day by day. However, it eventually failed them, and every one of them finally died. Jesus wanted to give something far greater than manna. He wants to give us Himself, the true Bread from heaven that allows a person to eat and live forever.

That was more than the crowds were willing to accept. They were offended when He said His flesh was that bread. Jesus knew they were upset. Yet rather than backing off, He turned up the heat and pushed even harder, "Truly, truly I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you." Many in the crowds rejected His terms, turned away and stopped following Him.

The question Jesus then asks of the Twelve is in our reading: “Do you want to go away also?” (v. 67). Peter’s answer is so clear. It is the summation of our plight. There is no one else who can give us eternal life. Jesus is the only One who can provide us with what we need to live forever. It is almost strange that the decision to trust Him is so difficult. It really shouldn’t be a “rock and a hard place” experience. There is no downside to following Jesus. Of course, life will still present its many challenges and difficulties; however, being powerless is not one of those difficulties. When we accept His grace, we will never stand alone against the enemy of life again. We need never fear or tremble before the specter of death again. He has conquered forever all our enemies.

 

Every human who encounters the King of kings through the Gospel reaches this fork in the road. Repent and believe in Jesus and you will live with Him in heaven forever. Turn away in unbelief and you will die forever. Choose life again today!

 

Unless You See

 

So he came again to Cana in Galilee, where he had made the water wine. And at Capernaum there was an official whose son was ill. When this man heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went to him and asked him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. So Jesus said to him, “Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe.” The official said to him, “Sir, come down before my child dies.” Jesus said to him, “Go; your son will live.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way. As he was going down, his servants met him and told him that his son was recovering. So he asked them the hour when he began to get better, and they said to him, “Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.” The father knew that was the hour when Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” And he himself believed, and all his household. (John 4:46-53 ESV).

 

Some years ago I traveled to Kipnuk, Alaska to be a part of a team to build a church. It was an incredible time. Having never traveled to Alaska I did a little research trying to prepare myself for what I might experience. My research was woefully inadequate. The picture you see attached here is taken behind the little cabin we stayed in while in the small Inuit village. At the time of the year we were there it is common to have about 20 hours of daylight each cycle. I took this picture late at “night” as the sun was setting. I remember thinking that if anyone saw this surely they could not fail in their faith. Yet we see such majesty often, even if it’s not in Alaska; and, all too often we do not believe.

 

When Jesus' enemies in Jerusalem learned He was becoming more popular than John the Baptist, He left and returned to Galilee in the north. Huge crowds gather, but Jesus knows their faith is shallow and superficial. When an important official comes to ask the Lord to heal his dying son, Jesus challenges the entire crowd: "Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe."

This is the same challenge He issues to us. Can you take Him at His word, or do you insist on more? If you listen closely you almost pick up a tone of sorrow in Jesus’ question. He wants them to believe, but they must believe on His terms, not theirs. The official knew only one thing really mattered: his son was dying and only Jesus could save him. So he begged Jesus to come down and heal him. But Jesus didn't go. Instead, He sent the father away with a promise: "Go; your son will live." The official did. He accepted Jesus' words and on the way home he learned his faith had been well founded: his son was healed. Don't stay on the outside waiting to see some miracle in your life before you'll follow Jesus. He has given us every sign necessary to believe!

 

Blind and Begging

 

As he drew near to Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. And hearing a crowd going by, he inquired what this meant. They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.” And he cried out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” And those who were in front rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” And Jesus stopped and commanded him to be brought to him. And when he came near, he asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?” He said, “Lord, let me recover my sight.” And Jesus said to him, “Recover your sight; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him, glorifying God. And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God. (Luke 18:35-43 ESV).

 

Jesus is approaching Jericho. It's one of His last stops before Jerusalem. Along the road sits a blind man begging. Hearing a loud commotion passing by, he asks what's going on. Someone from the crowd answers, "Jesus of Nazareth is passing by." Immediately, the beggar begins shouting at the top of his lungs. He knows Jesus is somewhere in that crowd, which is shuffling past him. But unlike the stranger from the crowd he doesn't call Him "Jesus the Nazarene." Instead, he calls him, "Jesus, Son of David." He is convinced that Jesus is the promised Messiah, David's Son.

Jesus indeed is the King marching on to save His people from their enemies. Some in the crowd try to silence the blind man, but he shouts all the louder to get Jesus' attention. That is the character of faith: the more people and circumstances rise up to silence us, the louder we cry for our Lord to be merciful to us. It is also the character of self-realization: we all are blind beggars in need of the Messiah’s touch.

We might expect Jesus to be so preoccupied with His approaching death that He wouldn't notice a lone voice, crying out to Him in the midst of the clamor of the crowd. But His ears are attuned to cries for mercy from His children. Now that He has accomplished His mission and won complete forgiveness, we can be confident He hears our cries for mercy and pity too.

I love the end of this story. The man is blind no longer. He rises and follows Jesus on His way. I’ve often wondered what would have become of me had I not had my “sight” restored so many years ago. I wonder what would have happened if I had not been given the unfathomable riches of His grace! Lent is a time to renew our cry to the Son of David.