Yesterday we looked at the story of Nicodemus from John 3. He came to Jesus at night to find out what Jesus was teaching. Coming at night gives some evidence to Nicodemus' caution of coming to Jesus. He is not sure he wants everyone to know he is talking with Jesus. At the same time, he wanted to come and talk to Jesus face to face instead of just hearing the stories from other people about what Jesus was teaching.
I appreciate Nicodemus making his way to Jesus to learn for himself what Jesus was teaching. I am one who will often find my way to an "expert" to help me in many situations. For instance, if I need something fixed around the house or with our vehicles I will go to an expert. I do know some about home repair and cars. I can change my own oil. I have tried to fix my faucets. But normally I will go straight to a professional instead of making a bigger mess myself.
Unfortunately, I also think in our faith we often rely too much on "experts." We listen to the pastor or other teachers and just accept what they teach about God. Instead of studying the Bible and learning what it teaches for ourselves, we let someone else study it and tell us what they learned.
As a pastor, I am not trying to disqualify our teaching. I hope there is benefit in learning from religious "experts." But along with learning from experts, I am encouraging everyone to also go straight to the source. Get into your Bible and study it, so you can know what it says. Become an expert at your own faith. Take in from God's Word what God wants you to know.
If you find something that is confusing ask me about it or look for information about the passage in a Bible commentary. As we ask questions of God's Word, as we read it and study it, God will draw us close and remind us of who he is. He is the God who gave his Son Jesus so that we will have eternal life. Study and know the truth found in John 3:16.
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This opens the door to that age old argument Christians have with one another, James. It's each person's or their "expert's" interpertation of what they read in the Bible or other writings that can manifest itself into a mangled view of the message. At one time we had a sister-in-law that was new to a faith very different from ours. John's dad was suffering with cancer and had to have several surgeries to make his remaining time with us more comfortable. Gay was determined that he not have these procedures done because they might have to give him a blood transfusion. In her faith, this was a "consumption" of blood and totally against the rules. We went forward with the surgery and were awarded a few more months of less pain for Bob. She never forgave us. Flash forward many years and one divorce later we hear of her child that was injured in a terrible accident...his life saved by, wait for it.....blood trasfusions. Yes, that save unforgivable act saved her baby. But I hear she's now a Baptist and no longer Jehovah Witness. My point being, the Bible speaks to each of us in a different way and we are very glad to have you as our "expert". Jeanie
Excellent observation my faithful reader!
I do think if you just read the Bible and take it at face value it makes some very strange comments. These comments can lead to an incorrect understanding about God unless understood in its context. And the only way to know the context is through an expert since we have not lived in that context, thousands of years ago.
However, the more a person reads the Bible, I believe, the better they are able to notice different interpretations and then they can research them to find which one matches the rest of the Scriptures best.
Herein lies the rub, dear pastor. Our friend Gay had a whole team of "experts" telling her what the "truth" was. And that's where the interpertation part gets crazy. Are all of us reading some medevial monk's interpertation or is it really the Word of God? I know what I believe to be the truth but there are so many out there that believe what I would call crazy to be the truth, as told to them by their experts. Are ya following this rant? I remember standing in the girls bathroom at good ole WHS arguing with the Lutheran girls on some theological issue that to me seemed pretty cut and dried. Their views were so archaic, biased and well, just wrong! But they were fresh from confirmation class and this was their expert's view passed on to them. I wonder if everyone feels as comfortable in their take on the Bible as "we" do. I wonder if any of those zealots through the years ever stopped and thought to themselves, "Ya know, this seems a little crazy to me. Maybe we should back the truck up and think about this some more". So now this is where the tolerance part comes into our lives, right? This is where we are able to allow others their opinion, pray for their enlightenment and turn the other cheek. Well, I'm right there with ya. I think there's room for all of us and I do enjoy a spirited debate once in awhile to keep it interesting. And to spark my interest in what I am reading...my Bible. Maybe that's the grand plan after all to put these other ideas out there so it forces us to go back to the source and do our research! Ohh, He's a clever guy!! :-)
Someone reminded me that good ole Hilter use to say, "If you tell a lie long enough people will begin to believe you."
This is why we need to read our Bibles. My belief is that if people read their Bibles with an open spirit waiting for God to speak through it, that they would not just accept what their experts say.
This is a key for me in United Methodist Christianity. We believe doubt and questions are a part of growing and accepting our faith. Other Christians are convinced doubt and questioning are evil. You just accept what is taught. I do not want zombies that just follow without thought, but people who are commited to those beliefs because they have found them true.
Maybe we could solve all this by just making me the expert for the world and I could set them all straight.
Here, here! An excellent solution to another of the world's problems! I agree that UMC is very democratic in its ideas of how we come to believe what we believe. I guess that's why we're here. You may not have noticed (since I'm so shy and retiring) but I don't handle someone telling me what to do or think. So be getting yourself ready to be the Pope of the World or whatever title you want to use. Grand Poobah, Most Exellent Guy, Bible Master, whatever. And see, I told you we could have just had this conversation on Monday! Where is everyone? This is good stuff! Jump in anytime, the water's great!
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