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Faith and Religion

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Let Us Be Gentle, Joseph: Part II – Nicodemus and Joseph

This is a continuation of my previous post, Let Us Be Gentle, Joseph: Part I – Nicodemus. It refers to a lesson that I wrote and delivered at our church in Michigan before we moved to Pennsylvania. The inspiritation of the lesson was a small book of poetry by John Anderson Barbour entitled Let Us Be Gentle, Joseph. I finished the first post with the idea that Barbour’s poetry provides a window into the soul of Nicodemus and a mirror which reflects an image of our souls.

After Nicodemus met with Jesus in the upper room, Nicodemus is mentioned only twice more in scriptures. In John 7, there is an account of a dispute between the Pharisees and the Temple Guards. The Pharisees had ordered the Temple Guards to bring Jesus into court before the Pharisees to stand trial for blasphemy. When the Temple Guards didn’t follow this directive, the excuse they gave was “Never spake man like this” (v 46). The Pharisees quickly responded, “Are ye also deceived? Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him?” (vs 47,48)  Apparently, Nicdoemus had kept quiet about his encounter with Jesus. However, he did choose at this moment to speak up. He stopped the proceedings and said, “Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth?” (v 51) The Pharisees tired to shut Nicodemus down by pointing out that both he and Jesus were from Galilee. Then the Pharisees asked Nicodemus if any prophet ever came from Galilee.

Nicodemus again fades from view in scriptures until he and Joseph of Arimathea come together at Calvary. John’s account of this incident in verses 38 to 42 of Chapter 19, tells us that although Joseph was a believer, he was a silent believer because he was afraid of the Jews. However, with the crucifion everything changed. Nicodemus and Joseph both came out the shadows. They claimed Christ’s body in order to give it a proper Jewish burial.

This is where Barbour’s poem (of the same name as his book) Let Us Be Gentle, Joseph picks up the story:

How gaunt he looks
with outstretched arms
and bloody hands and side.

Let us be gentle, Joseph
as we take his body down
and bathe the ugly wounds
which hate has made.
Can it be that this is he
who said that star-illumined night
“Believe in me,
and you shall have life
which has no end”?
And yet he lies here dead
beneath our hand.
Let us lay him gently in the tomb.
and wait–
for surely the day will come.

For Nicodemus, Joseph, Mary, Peter, John, and the other disciples, the first day of resurrection did come quickly. Althought, it was only three days, I’m sure those three days felt like an eternity. We know that day did come. Now it is our turn to wait for a second day. However, because the first day came, we know “surely the [second] day will come.”

While we wait for it, we have two things to do: The first is to make sure others know of the first resurrection day. The second is to watch for the second day. We stand with John as he ended his Revelation: “He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come Lord Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.”

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Let Us Be Gentle, Joseph: Part I – Nicodemus

 

This posting is excerpted from the last lesson I gave in our church in MIchigan in April 2012 prior to our move to Pennsylvania. It is a very different type of message from the ones that I normally delivered before the explosion in my head. My earlier lessons were built on what I believed to be a solid Biblical foundation constructed through an analytic study of scripture, bathed in prayer. After the study and prayer, with God’s help I would raise the framework of the sermon and then clad it with pictures and metaphors, supplied by God, illustrating my main points.

This message was put together in a very different way. It did not begin with an analytic foundation. It was inspired by a book of poetry that I have no idea how I came to possess. As I was cleaning up my library and preparing to pack some books, sell some, and give the rest away, I found a very small book of poetry hiding between two of my topical study books. I almost overlooked it, but it fell to the floor when I pulled two Warren Wiersbe books off the shelf. Picking up the little book. I was fascinated by its title, which was Let Us Be Gentle, Joseph: A Devotional Journey. I didn’t recognize the name of the author, John Anderson Barbour. I began reading it and soon found that I had read all 46 pages of the book while sitting on a box of books that I had just finished packing.

Since I didn’t know the author I tried looking for more information about him and the book. According to Amazon.com, the book is out of print. They only list three used copies available in the whole U. S., priced from $14.95 to $61.95. I’ve gone to several other sources, and the only other books written by Barbour since this 1973 publication were Bible story books for children. Barbour just seemed to disappear after 1978. Even the publisher, T. S. Denison & Company, Inc. of Minneapolis, seemed to vanish in 1986.

I am reprising my last message in our Michigan church for this post. In it, I am trying to give you some pictures of the gospel story that I never saw anywhere else. These stories are not meant to replace or displace the eloquent and forceful, straight forward truth of the gospel account from scripture.

In John, chapter 3 we are introduced to a Pharisee, named Nicodemus. This very familiar story is found in John 3:1-16. Knowing the hatred that many Pharisees had toward Christ, it is not hard to imagine why Nicodemus went to see Jesus under the cover of darkness. What is hard to understand is why Nicodemus wanted to talk to Christ in the first place.

Nicodemus opens the conversation by giving Jesus an honor rarely afforded by a Pharisee to someone other than another Pharisee. Nicodemus addresses him as “Rabbi” and “a teacher come from God” (v 2). Without really coming out and saying what was on his mind, he indicates that he recognizes that Jesus must have come from God because of the things that Jesus had done. These miracles could not have been the works of a mere mortal.

Since Jesus is God, Jesus knows what’s on Nicodemus’ heart and mind, and gets right to the point. “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God” (v 5). Without pausing, Christ continues by introducing a phrase that has characterized Christians ever since: “Ye must be born again” (v 7).

Nicodemus then asks the question that everyone who wants to come to God must consider, “How can these things be?” Christ chides Nicodemus a little by asking him, “Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?” (v 10) Jesus then zeros in on the problem. Nicodemus is thinking in earthly terms and Jesus was speaking spiritual and heavenly truths.

Jesus gives Nicodemus one more metaphor tying a spiritual reality to an earthly object lesson. As a Pharisee, Nicodemus would have been very familiar with the story of Moses and the serpent lifted up in the wilderness which saved any Israelite who looked toward it. Something had to die so that man could live. This was the basis of the Jewish system of sacrifices for the atonement of sins.

At this point Jesus knows that Nicodemus is ready for the new gospel message. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (v 16).

At this point Nicodemus fades away and the Biblical account follows Jesus and his disciples to Judea, where they meet up with John the Baptist, who was preaching and baptizing people, proclaiming the imminent coming of the Messiah.

We are left wondering what happened to Nicodemus. Barbour’s poem Nicodemus gives us a picture of what might have occurred next.

You understand
it would not be discreet
for a person of some prominence
to be seen with him.
Some say he claims to be God’s son;
some that Caesar’s throne
is no in jeopardy;
and there are those who talk
with starry eyes
about the happiness he brings,
of stunted limbs
and scaly flesh made whole;
and so I climbed the stairs by night.

How will I tell the Council that I know
beyond a shadow of doubt
this son of man is love personified
and that because of him
I have been born again?

Barbour’s poem is not scripture and definitely not included in the official canon, but it paints a picture that resonates with me. It provides a window into the soul of Nicodemus and other humans. It also provides me a mirror which reflects an image of my soul. I can definitely see myself in it. I find myself in his words. “How will I tell [others] that I know beyond a shadow of doubt…that because of him I have been born again?”

This post is to be continued in Let Us Be Gentle, Joseph Part II – Nicodemus and Joseph.

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Overview of By’s Musings

You have reached my blog, which I intend to use for writing about my passions. I am working on a schedule of publishing a new post at least once a week, usually on Monday mornings. Please check back regularly or subscribe to be informed of new posts. Currently you will find blogs in the following major categories:

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Consider the Moth

Luke 12:22-30 (NIV)

22Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear.23For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. 24Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! 25Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? 26Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?

27Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.28If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith! 29And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. 30For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.

In the 12th chapter of Luke, Jesus alternates between speaking to a large crowd and teaching his disciples privately in this very public setting. In verses 22 through 30, using two lessons from nature, Jesus attempts to teach his disciples the fruitlessness and folly of worry. He shares the secret to handling the paralyzing grip of worry and selfishness: All we need to do is to put our lives into the protective and comforting hands of God the Father.

In the first vignette, God cares for the birds of the field (ravens or crows depending upon which version of Scriptures you use). Ravens and crows are scavengers and generally considered nuisances and pests. However, God takes care of them. That should give all of us hope and comfort.

In the second vignette, wild flowers or lilies (depending upon the version of Scriptures you use) are favorably compared with the splendor of Solomon, his palace and its royal trappings. We all know that all flowers are very temporary. They eventually wither and die. The remains of the flowers are either left to decompose and become part of the ground for the next crop of flowers, or they are gathered up and burnt, with the ashes scattered to the winds. Finally, time erases the signs of their presence and they are remembered no more. However, God gives these temporary plants as much beauty and concern as the royal trappings with which Solomon surrounded himself. We don’t need to be overly-concerned with the way we look and dress. God will provide us with our basic needs. [Note: I believe the key word in the preceding sentence is “overly-concerned.” We do need to dress modestly and appropriately for the occasion. Other people may judge us by the way we look, but God judges us for what is in our hearts.]

In these two vignettes and in other scripture passages Christ, during his earthly ministry, used examples from nature to teach us practical lessons. Some of these include the parable of the sower, the lesson of the mustard seed, and the lesson of the size of the harvest. God, speaking through writers of Job and the Psalms, used examples from nature to teach us practical lessons.

In Christian higher education, we have often used the phrase “All truth is God’s truth.” Arthur Holmes, in his book by this same title, uses the creation or cultural mandate given to Adam as license to search for truth wherever we might find it. We do not need to be afraid of truth. However, we do need to circumspectly make judgments between God’s truth and Satan’s imitations of that truth.

In that vein, I want to thank Tom Bartlett, senior writer for The Chronicle of Higher Education. He wrote an article that appeared in the August 17, 2012 edition of The Chronicle Review. Interestingly the article was labeled Salvaging God on the cover of the magazine section. Does God need salvaging? Do we think we can salvage him? When you get to the article inside the section, it is entitled, Dusting off God; Does Religion Really Poison Everything?

Bartlett begins this article with a parable about moths that Richard Dawkins, an outspoken atheist, introduced in his book, The God Delusion. Moths and bats are two nocturnal fliers. However, their evening flights are made possible because of two very different natural senses. Bats use the sense of sound. They use natural sonar to navigate around obstacles. Moths, on the other hand, use their very sensitive eyes and the light from the moon or stars to see the obstacles and navigate around them.

The fact that moths use light by which to navigate actually explains why they are susceptible to bug zappers. They are not attracted to the light of campfires, light bulbs or bug zappers. They are confused by that light.

Physics tell us that light is a chameleon in the physical world. Sometimes it behaves like waves of energy, and other times like particles with mass. Some physicists attempt to describe this aspect of light by saying that the particles resemble individual packets of matter that are pure energy. This seems to be a key to the complicated relationship between matter and energy. Recall Einstein’s formula, E = mc2.

Light radiates from a source in waves of ever expanding circles. Our eyes and other light sensors don’t “read” the wave. They are focusing on the individual packets of light. By the time light reaches the earth from the moon or stars, the waves of light are so large in diameter that the light sensors in our eyes are “reading” the light as if it was coming into our eyes as a series of parallel, straight lines.

If we look at a light bulb from a distance of three feet, the diameter of the light waves reaching our eyes is not very large. The light sensors in our eyes pick up multiple light packets, and not a straight, steady stream of packets. This can even make the light bulb seem to flicker. If you look at the light bulb through a very narrow slit, the flickering will be greatly reduced.

The great distances between the earth and the sun, moon and stars, fixes the position of these bodies in relationship to the earth. We and moths can then use those fixed positions to navigate successfully objects on the earth.

Since our eyes and sight receptors are so much larger than those in moths, the introduction of a much closer source of light such as a campfire, porch light or bug zapper doesn’t attract moths. It is actually confusing them. Therefore, they can’t navigate properly and tend to begin a death spiral into the source of the light. Self-immolation is not built into their instincts or DNA. It is the result of confusion. Dawkins explains that moths didn’t evolve to commit suicide. He claims that this is just “an unfortunate byproduct” of the evolutionary process.

Richard Dawkins suggests that religion is like a bug zapper for humans. It introduces another source of information that confuses people, distracting their attention from scientific truth. They behave like moths and seek patterns in religious texts. This begins people on a death spiral into the black hole of ignorance.

This is a very convenient and useful explanation for the confirmed atheist. It removes God from the equation. It eradicates any burden of personal obligation or responsibility for our choices. It then squarely places the blame for all of our problems on religion. Although the seemingly innate search for truth through religion and religious experiences appears to be a universal feature built into the soul of every human, it is nothing but “an unfortunate byproduct” of evolution.

Of course we could offer another explanation. However, this explanation is predicated on the existence of an omnipotent and just God who created the universe and everything in it. This God demands obedience and personal responsibility. However, this God is also a loving God. Through the sacrifice of Christ, this God has offered all people the opportunity for eternal salvation. Yet this scenario is unacceptable to many because man is no longer the center of the universe.

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Signs for a Positive Life

My previous posting concerning signs, “Signs, Signs, Everywhere Signs” was meant to be a less than totally serious look at how we use signs to communicate. The first two signs illustrate what can happen when we try to be clever and use humor to remind people of things that should be obvious.

The third sign was the most serious of the three signs. This sign was asking people to look at themselves and decide how satisfied they are with their own lives using a satisfaction scale that had a few new twists to it.

This post comes from a recent excursion my wife and I recently took through a combination nursery, produce stand, deli, bakery and craft shop. We are fortunate enough to live in a rural area where such shops abound. For those of you in urban areas, the next best choice for you would be to walk through the farmers’ market that almost every city has.

As we examined the offerings of the country stand through which we strolled, there were hand-made arts and craft signs everywhere. Five of them really caught my attention.

The first consisted of words that should be words of encouragement to anyone who has experienced aphasia. The sign read

Even if you can’t find the words,
God already knows what it is that you’re trying to say.

I pray that God will help me realize this, but not use it as an excuse to quit searching for the lost words.

The second sign was a humorous sign which expresses a sentiment that I pray God will keep me from stumbling into purposefully:

When in doubt, mumble.

I believe the third sign was meant to be a humorous reminder directed toward all of us who have been work-alcoholics or hobby enthusiasts at some point throughout our lives. It encouraged everyone to keep their priorities in order: 

My garage needs me now;
The least I can do is be there for it

How easy is it to prioritize activities over people? I know I must ask my family for their forgiveness for past occurrences of misplaced priorities.

The fourth sign was a serious look at how to prioritize one’s life:

As long as the day is full of time,
There will be room for your hand in mine.

God, thank you for my wife and giving us time together. Remind me to go for walks for no apparent reason with my wife, hold her hand and tell her “Thanks for being there.”

Likewise the fifth sign expressed a positive outlook on life to which each of us should aspire: 

Cherish yesterday
Dream tomorrow
Live today

Lord help me pray, “God please help me come to each day, cherishing the fond memories of yesterday, dreaming big about tomorrow and living in the presence. Please give me the proper perspective on remembering the highlights of past events. Help me to dream appropriately big dreams about the future and to make realistic plans for the future. Help me to live in the present, not dwelling on either the past or the future, but at the same time not forgetting about them.”

This is the one sign that I plan to carry with me, if only in my head. It reminded of the line from the Five Man Electric Band’s song that says, “Thank you, Lord, for thinking about me, I am alive and doing fine.” How are you doing?

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Signs, Signs, Everywhere Signs

Those of you who have followed my postings know that my wife and I have just completed a 650 mile move to be closer to our children and their families. This necessitated finding a whole new set of doctors. As I made the rounds of my new doctors, signs in their various medical venues reminded me of the 1971 hit song by the group Five Man Electric Band, “Signs, Signs, Everywhere Signs.” For those of you who are either not old enough to remember 1971, or those of you who are too old to remember 1971, here is a download of that memorable song:

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oeT5otk2R1g

 I was particularly fascinated with three signs. The first two of these signs were located in public or semi-public bathroom facilities. They reminded me of the pair of lines from the song:

“Blocking out the scenery; Breaking my mind.
Do this; don’t do that!  Can’t you read the sign?”

I can’t say the signs were blocking out the scenery. However, they were definitely “breaking my mind.”

One of the signs was in a combination shower and restroom located in a testing facility in a hospital, used by both in-patients and out-patients. A computer generated sign on an 8½X11 sheet of plain white paper was taped to the inside of the exit door. In bold print it said:

 “Patients please dress or cover-up before leaving the shower and returning to your room.”

 This sign gives new meaning to the phrase, “Just trying to cover your rear end.”

 The second sign was in the public men’s room located off the lobby of a doctor’s office. The sign was brown plastic with white engraved letters. The sign was firmly attached to the ceramic tile wall, behind the only toilet in the room, by what appeared to be clear glue. Residue of dried glue had oozed out from behind the sign at the top, bottom and both sides of the sign.

 The white etched letters of the sign read:  “Do not flush anything down this toilet except toilet paper.”

 Apparently one of the doctors or nurses realized the problem this command was posing. Someone had taken a piece of white surgical tape and stuck it to the wall below the sign. Then they had taken a bold-tipped Sharpie and scribbled on the tape, “What about poop?”

The third sign to which I was drawn was posted in the waiting room of one of my new doctors. It presented a quality of life Likert scale. For many years, I have used Likert scales in surveys to gather information, but I had never seen this particular Likert scale. The idea behind a Likert scale is to use points on a straight line continuum or a sequence of numbers to indicate one’s feelings about a particular topic. One of the most common Likert scales is the following 5-point scale:

  • Strongly Disagree
  • Disagree
  • Neutral-No Opinion
  • Agree
  • Strongly Agree

The respondent is asked to blacken the appropriate circle to indicate his or her feelings toward a particular statement such as:

 “President Obama is doing a good job managing the United States economy.”

The sign in the waiting room that fascinated me was asking patients what they thought about their quality of life. The suggested answer scale was a 7-point Likert scale: “

  • Delighted
  • Pleased
  • Mostly Satisfied
  • Mixed Equally Between Satisfied and Dissatisfied
  • Mostly Dissatisfied
  • Unhappy
  • Terrible

Which circle would you blacken to describe your quality of life?

This sign brought me back to one verse from the Five Man Electric Band song about signs. 

“And the sign said, “Everybody welcome. Come in, kneel down and pray.
But when they passed around the plate at the end of it all, I didn’t have a penny to pay
so I got me a pen and a paper and I made up my own little sign.
I said, “Thank you, Lord, for thinkin’ ’bout me. I’m alive and doin’ fine.” 

Returning to the question posed by the sign in the doctor’s office, which circle would you darken if I asked you about your quality of life? For my own life, I would have to say:

“Mostly satisfied—Thank you, Lord for thinkin’ about me. I’m alive and doin’ fine–most of the time.”