Everybody oughtta know!
2nd Sunday after the Epiphany, January 15, 2006 (John 1:43-51)
There was once young man in his early 20's. He truly loved to fly. This love had grown and been nurtured over the course of his life. When he was only 8 or 9 years old he had a friend whose father flew model airplanes. Every Saturday he would accompany his friend and his friend's father to learn as much as he could about the art of flying. By the time he was 18 he was hanging out at the local airport. By his 25th birthday he had a private pilot's license. His dream was to pilot his grandmother on her very first flight. There was a significant roadblock to his plan. His grandmother was terrified of flying. She wouldn't even look down from a second story restaurant. Nevertheless, the young man persisted. Then on one summer's clear morning his grandmother agreed that she would venture forward with him. In some ways it was to get him off her back. But in other ways her assent was fueled by at least some curiousity.
They were off to the airfield. He helped her into that tiny craft. He seat belted her in. All the while he kept assuring her, she was safe. They taxied on the runway, ever gaining gaining speed. Then suddenly they were airborne. He glanced over at her. Her knuckles were white. As they reached their aimed for altitude and leveled off, he could see for miles. Then he spoke tenderly to her. "Grandma, do you trust me?" Through clenched teeth, she replied, "I think so". He smiled and replied, "I love you. I wouldn't ever put your life in danger. Please open your eyes and see the beauty of God's creation all around us and below us." Slowly, ever so slowly, she opened her eyes. Only then could she begin to see.
Let me ask you a question. Why are you here? For those of you who have come to "know" Jesus the Christ, how has that happened in your life? Has someone, or a group of people told you about Jesus, about being part of His community, about the love of God? Has someone or a number of people actually shown you the love of God in Christ?
In today's Gospel Jesus reaches out to others. Firstly, Jesus "finds" Philip and says to him "follow me". Something is definitely happening. In the very next verse we see Philip going out and "finding" Nathanael. Philip then tells Nathanael, "We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth."
And something happens to Philip as he meets Jesus. This is something at least as great as the love for flying that the young man in my opening story shares.
There's an old chorus that I learned at a church camp years ago. It goes like this, "Everybody oughtta know – everybody oughtta know – everybody oughtta know who Jesus is." Well my question and the question of so many in the rest of the world, even Nathanael's question is, "why?". Why would I want to know? What's so important about Jesus? Will it, could it, should it make any difference in my life or in the life of the world if I "know" Jesus?
Philip is absolutely convinced that knowing Jesus matters. So, he reaches out to Nathanael inviting him to come and meet Jesus. But at first Nathanael isn't so sure.
How about us – you and me? Do we "know" Jesus? He does reach out to us.
A few years ago I met a young man who was interested in getting to know Jesus. That hadn't always been the case in his life. But one day this young man met a young woman. As he slowly got to know her better, he grew to love her. Now she was part of a family that regularly worshipped God, a family who tried to love others with the love they experienced in Jesus. They welcomed this young man into their midst. They accepted him where he was. They refused to shove anything down his throat. They pointed by such living beyond themselves to Jesus. And now as this young man and the young woman he has grown to love have been blessed with a daughter. As they were beginning to inquire about her baptism, this young father said to the Pastor, "Could I be baptized too, at the same time as our daughter?" The Pastor them met with the young man 2 or 3 times and gave him reading material about baptism, about living a life following this Jesus. As the Pastor and the young man had further conversation, the young man was certain about it. I want to experience and share this love of God that I see in my girl friend's life. This is the love and faith I want to share with our little girl.
That young man is now striving to be unapologetically Christian – not obnoxious, but unafraid to demonstrate, to speak openly about the love of Jesus and his trust in Jesus. He wants His life to reflect the love and mercy of Christ in every possible way.
We need to know that many people do not come to any church, synagogue or any place of worship. Many people we know and love do not read the Scriptures. But, we who are so privileged, have been blessed to have others invite us to come and see Christ and be touched by Him, are called in the words of the baptismal service, "to let our lights shine". This is our great privilege and responsibility.
How can we do this? Our every day actions are very important. We need to actively follow Jesus ourselves, to be disciplined in our prayers and reading. Such discipline is in itself a lifetime journey. I am always amazed at how many people are now willing to spend 30 minutes or more 4-7 times a week, intentionally exercising to take better care of their bodies and minds. This is great. But how about we followers of Jesus? How disciplined are we in intentionally caring for our relationship with God? God wills to challenge, guide and console us!
Besides our actions there are definitely times when our words are important. We mustn't pretend that we are perfect or that we have all the answers. We aren't. We don't. We are sinners and saints at the same time. We don't understand all things. We can't explain everything. But remember we are not pointing to ourselves. We are pointing to the Word of God become flesh – the One who gives His life for the world.
So it is that Philip uses words to speak to Nathanael personally inviting him to come and see Jesus. Philip uses words that Nathanael would have understood, words that were natural both for Philip and for Nathanael.
Philip's words pointing to Jesus were, "Son of God, king of the Jews". Nathanael while hearing those words asks a legitimate question. Notice, Philip doesn't make light of the question, but keeps the door open and invites Nathanael to come and see for himself, pointing beyond either of them to Jesus.
That old tune, "everybody oughtta know" employs words that people 30 or 50 or more years would know about: "He's the lily of the valley, He's the bright and morning star, He's the fairest of ten thousand, everybody oughtta know." But such words in our context, our high schools, our Richmond Centers are not likely to be words that many others outside of our own groups may understand.
Our worship holds up tradition but at the same time it must also develop and hold up words and music that people can understand, can identity with now – words that also convey some of the reality of the love, humanity and divinity of Jesus. We cannot point others to Jesus, or even embrace them here and now with his love if we use words they cannot understand or actions that keep us at a safe distance from them.
It is our call to share this love of God, by pointing beyond ourselves to Jesus. Every body needs to experience the love of God in Jesus Christ our Lord. And very often God in God's wisdom chooses people like you and me to enflesh that love. Everybody ouughtta know. Amen.