Start Spreading the News

Start Spreading the [real] news!

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[Jesus cleansing temple]

Our text today starts with a difficult picture of Jesus. One that is easy to mischaracterize, and worse, to use as an excuse to behave badly. Of course, I am speaking of Jesus driving away the money changers.

This is a moment where we see the apparent anger of our Savior on full display. And in light of that anger, unfortunately, all too many Christians begin to feel justified in “righteous indignation.” In being angry with anything that they feel falls outside of Christian norms.

This is a problem, obviously, because we aren’t God. Vengeance is mine, says the Lord.

And while not really the subject for us today, it gives us a background and context for what I feel this famous text can speak into our lives today.

You see, our text shows us Jesus speaking with one of those who were likely there at the temple. This Pharisee saw Jesus make the whip from chords and drive out all the money changers. He saw Jesus with his own eyes and now came by night to get the whole story.

[fake news]

I mean, he saw it, right? And even for the parts of the story that he didn’t fully understand he could always ask around, right?

Like us, he could make assumptions about something he saw or was told about, and infer the rest of the story.

How often we do that. We see something and then make connections that aren’t there. We want something to be true so we bring it to life, at least in our minds or our social groups.

I am sure the Pharisees did just that! I am sure they were drawing all sorts of conclusions about Jesus - and all of them nowhere close to the truth!

I say that because even Nicodemus - this man who at least had the backbone to come to Christ with his questions, did so in a fashion we can all relate to.

He came to Christ heaping praise. Not really meaning it, right? After all, he just likely saw Jesus angry and trying to change everything about the Pharisees set up there in the temple. And Nicodemus come to him by night - under a cloak of secrecy.

John 3:2 ESV

This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.”

WE know you are from God.

Who is this we? Well, it must be the Pharisees! And we all know, they did NOT believe Jesus to be from God.

No, this is more likely just Nicodemus digging for more info. If not outright spying. He is, like us sometimes, looking for a narrative to create. And not just any narrative, but one that fits his worldview and assumptions!

We see this all the time, right? Not just from journalists, but from celebrities, athletes, politicians, even our friends. This desire to figure out the story from our point of view. To create a narrative, and worse yet, to misrepresent our intentions or agendas to dig for the info that we could use for our own purposes!

[Jesus adn Nic]

But Jesus isn’t having it. Jesus immediately dodges that line of questioning to offer the real news. Not the fake news. Not an answer to a purposeful, agenda laden question. Jesus dodges the question to get right to the heart of the matter!

And he does that, both then as in our lives now, to stop those harmful narratives from even taking life.

If you have kids, or even someone you are in a relationship with you have no doubt experienced this. Maybe they are hurt. Maybe the failed at something. Maybe they are just feeling low. But no matter what they say to you, you change the subject and present them with reality minus their problem.

Not that you are playing stupid. Or just ignoring it, hoping it would go away. But rather, you are refocusing them on what is important.

John 3:16–17 ESV

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

And that, for us, is the whole lesson today. You see, sometimes we need to cleanse ourselves of all the fake news - even in our heart - so that we can fully appreciate the real news. The good news!

You see, no matter His apparent anger or wrath. No matter what Nicodemus thought of Him before he got in there. No matter what narrative was intended to be created. Jesus loved Him!

And for us, that must be our touchstone today and every day. No matter what you think - no matter what prayers didn’t go your way. No matter what you want that you haven’t gotten. No matter the hurt, the pain, the disappointment - NO MATTER WHAT - this moment reminds us of the only real news there is!

But sometimes it helps to hear it a new way. So hear today the good news.

God created everything. He created it to be in a relationship with it. And He loved all of it so much that He created you. More than that, He loved you so much that He came here Himself - sacrificing all that He is so that we would see our real value. Leaving His throne to be beaten. To suffer. To feel the full weight of all the sin of all mankind - from the beginning of time until the end! He did that, not to condemn or to show His anger, but to convince you that He loves you beyond words, and that you are endlessly valuable to Him and to this world.

You are worth it.

And that’s the way it is.

And that’s the way it is. No narrative can change it. Nothing you can come up with will interfere with the God of all things! God loves you - God loves ALL THE WORLD so much that He gave His own life for it.

He is the light. His love is the light of the world, and if you just live within that light you will find the good news that we all need so desperately today.

But sometimes, we don’t want to see it. Eugene Petersen, the author of The Message translation, summarizes Paul’s take on that idea this way. in that translation says there: “But God’s angry displeasure erupts as acts of human mistrust and wrongdoing and lying accumulate, as people try to put a shroud over truth. But the basic reality of God is plain enough. Open your eyes and there it is! By taking a long and thoughtful look at what God has created, people have always been able to see what their eyes as such can’t see: eternal power, for instance, and the mystery of his divine being. So nobody has a good excuse.”

[Jesus love]

There is no reason for us to not know it! There is no reason for fake news! There is just good news! Bring your life into the light of God’s eternal love, church! All those bad situations, all those things that you see that don’t seem to jive with God. All the pain and heartbreak - while sometimes all too real - it pales in comparison to the love of God made evident through Christ our Lord!

That is the real news, church! That is what we need to dwell on every day. Not the problems we are facing, not the opinions we might have - just like Nicodemus - but on the unending love of the God who sees our real value!

Every day I send the girls off to school with a reminder of that love. You see, I know that school can be hard. You can feel pretty disheartened by mistakes, or by other kids being mean, or by just not feeling like you fit in.

The same is true of adults really.

But every morning I get them on my lap and I remind them of their value. I pick out everything that is so easy for me to see, but that they don't always see because the world won’t let them.

Have a nice day, I will say. Listen and obey. Do your best. Remember that you are cute and funny. Strong and fast. Graceful and elegant. You are great at music. Great at reading and math and science. You are a good friend. You are very kind and loving. You look out for those we are hurting or alone. You are sweet to everyone. And you make me so proud. And you are very beautiful and very smart, and very special to me, and I love you with all my heart.

[john 3:16 pic]

Church, no matter what you see, the you that God sees was worth all of it. God loves you so much. And Christ’s life, and ultimately His death for you, is that same reminder that I give to the girls.

After all, that is who God is, right? Our Heavenly Father. He should be all that we ever want to be! And every word from Him should change our heart - leading us out of the dark and into the light of all He is!

And our text today is just like God speaking to us every morning. He tells us to do your best. Live in the light. Remember how valuable you are to me. Remember that I would move heaven and earth to be with you! If you live in the light of my love, you will be such a great friend. You will be able to be kind. To love endlessly. To give endlessly.

I know you feel weak, but the person I see is so strong! Just look at all we have been through! When you think you don’t belong, or that you aren’t good enough or smart enough - just remember who I created you to be, and how much I think of you! You are mine, just as they are mine! And when you realize that you matter eternally to me, you will be able to see the world as I see it. And more than that, you will realize that not only they are worth it. You are worth it too.

That is the good news, church. You are so loved. I pray that we never forget that and that we instead live into that love every day of our lives. And living in light of that news, church, it is up to us to stop spreading the fake news - even in our own souls - and start spreading the real news. The good news of a God that loves this world, and everyone in it.