The Untammed Wind

In tomorrow's Gospel reading, the Jewish leader Nicodemus goes to Jesus at night for a chat, and in response hears the best known verse in the Bible,

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.

I have preached on this passage before with a sermon written from Nicodemus perspective:

I was named Nicodemus. Nicodemus means “conqueror of the people.” Ironic. I was the one who was conquered. Vanquished, liberated really, in the fullest sense of that word. I was conquered quite willingly by the spirit of God.

I went to Jesus at night. It had to be night. Jesus was a noted Rabbi to be sure, but I was a member of the Sanhedrin, the select inner circle of Jewish leaders. I could not afford to be seen with Jesus. Not yet anyway. So I went to him under the cover of darkness. It strikes me as funny all these years later. I went to the light of the world at night.

I went to Jesus because I was intrigued by the signs and wonders he was doing. I knew that no one could heal the sick, exorcise people of demons, and do the other miracles unless God allowed it. Some wondered if Jesus was a trickster, a charlatan. But this was no sleight of hand. Jesus was the real thing—miracles happened wherever he went. Lives were changed for the better and they stayed changed. Paralytics walked. The blind saw. The deaf heard.

I went to Jesus because I knew in a spiritual sense I was blind, deaf and lame. I wouldn’t even have admitted it to myself at the time. I was supposed to be the one with the answers. But deep inside I knew I needed healing.

The full text of the sermon is online here: The Untammed Wind.

peace,
Frank+
The Rev. Frank Logue, Pastor

PS: I am heading out for a week of vacation. The blog will autoload each day, but I won't be online checking on it. Y'all enjoy and I will catch you in a week.