Yeah. Right!

The linguistics professor was lecturing about the function of double negatives: “In English, a double negative becomes a positive. In contrast, in Russian, a double negative remains a negative, only it becomes a really, really strong negative. There are no examples of a double positive becoming a negative, though.” From the back of the room a voice was heard: “Yeah, right . . .” - found on Facebook.

We are plowing well turned fields again this Sunday. John 3:1-17 is not only well known and memorized, it is also a frequent visitor in our lectionary cycles. We have wrestled with it so much that we should have wrestled it safely to the ground and ought to be breaking its arms by now. Or maybe it has us in a hold — who can tell.

God sent the Son into the world — let us dwell on that motion for now. The last word: “World,” comes up in 79 verses in John. (I think if you click here you will get to an inter web search  http://www.biblegateway.com/keyword/?search=world&version1=ESV&searchtype=all&limit=none&wholewordsonly=no&startnumber=51 ) The other Gospels use it less than 10 times each. 

Following how that term: “World,” is used in John is a bit of a rabbit hole, so take the red pill and you will see how deep this rabbit hole goes. (Yes, a “Matrix” reference)

Actually, there are a few observations that may help us. The world is not condemned . . . well actually it might be, but that is not Jesus’ doing nor apparently did God send Jesus as condemnation. No, it will condemn itself. (3:18)

Second: there is a bunch of judging going on. Jesus was sent as judgement, (9:39) but not to judge. (12:47) In the latter verse, there will be judgement but it will come by the word Jesus has spoken, because it is God’s word, and those who are judged will judge themselves by it, maybe because they hear it but misuse it, maybe because they reject it.

Third: There will be someone called the Advocate or Helper. The Advocate will convict, and judge but not condemn: 

“8 And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; 10 concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; 11 concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.”

In other words, the Advocate will make sure that the world knows that it is walking in darkness and that, if it ends up condemned it is its own doing and its on bloody fault. 

Fourth: there is a “Ruler of this world,” who is a dark force and there are children of darkness who love darkness rather than light but do so because they are blind and there are  children of light who see things for what they are. (the episode of Chapter 9 is about them) 

Fifth: Jesus is in the world as a light. (1:1-13) So are those who have heard and followed him and have been made clean by his word. Jesus brings God’s word again and in turn, God’s word in not understood but through Jesus. To claim to know but not acknowledge Jesus is to walk in darkness. (8:31-59, 14:1-7) The obverse is also true: If you truly understand the word of God you come to Jesus. (6:37)

Six: In John, Jesus’ mission is to be the light and he gladly accepts it, hence the rejection to beg: “Father save me from this hour.” (12:27) This is the Love that God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, have for the world. It, the world is dark and under the rulership of the prince of darkness, but they aim to save it by showing the world how dark it actually is. (The red pill again — yes, that Matrix reference . . .)

The whole irony thing that John is famous for, the subtle sense that the whole Gospel might just be gnostic because it seems to be saying one thing but relying on an unspoken thing that only the few know to actually understand what is being said might actually be quite simple: It is in the 90’s and the church has been booted out of the synagogue. But church and synagogue claim the same heritage. They speak the same language but the mean different things by what they say — again and from above don’t mean the same thing except when they do or don’t when they aren’t but then, you know, or do you? The language is the same but the meaning is not. In the words of Inigo Montoya: “You keep using that word. I don’t think it means what you think it means.” (Princess Bride) 

Conversion has stopped among the Jews — perhaps. All that is left is enmity and arguing. Whatever space the empire had allowed for the Jews to be peculiar, if the empire actually ever did that, has collapsed on the church which is now open to the charge of being anti emperor by claiming another Lord. They sing the same Psalms. They claim the same Abraham. 

What does one do? Becoming Amish is one option. The other is to love the world for what it is, engaging it, and always praying for its conversion. Dom Helder Camara once wrote that his most ardent prayer was for the Prodigal Son’s older brother. He always prayer that he would “go in.” Our Springfield Ohio colleague, Bill Zimmann sometimes asked with a smile: “Do you think God loves the devil?” The strange answer, at least from John, might actually be: “Yes.” It is the devil who has condemned himself, has been judged by his deeds, and lives as one convicted — no wonder he is always angry. 

It is naive to think that loving the world will instantaneously change it or that proclamation and even teaching will convert it instantaneously. The story of Thomas speaks to this. Yet, the work is before the church: Live in this world. Love it a bit. Don’t fall for its lies or adopt its ways. Be light. Be love. (St Terese Lisieux) The linguistics professor was lecturing about the function of double negatives: “In English, a double negative becomes a positive. In contrast, in Russian, a double negative remains a negative, only it becomes a really, really strong negative. There are no examples of a double positive becoming a negative, though.” From the back of the room a voice was heard: “Yeah, right . . .” - found on Facebook.

We are plowing well turned fields again this Sunday. John 3:1-17 is not only well known and memorized, it is also a frequent visitor in our lectionary cycles. We have wrestled with it so much that we should have wrestled it safely to the ground and ought to be breaking its arms by now. Or maybe it has us in a hold — who can tell.

God sent the Son into the world — let us dwell on that motion for now. The last word: “World,” comes up in 79 verses in John. (I think if you click here you will get to an inter web search  http://www.biblegateway.com/keyword/?search=world&version1=ESV&searchtype=all&limit=none&wholewordsonly=no&startnumber=51 ) The other Gospels use it less than 10 times each. 

Following how that term: “World,” is used in John is a bit of a rabbit hole, so take the red pill and you will see how deep this rabbit hole goes. (Yes, a “Matrix” reference)

Actually, there are a few observations that may help us. The world is not condemned . . . well actually it might be, but that is not Jesus’ doing nor apparently did God send Jesus as condemnation. No, it will condemn itself. (3:18)

Second: there is a bunch of judging going on. Jesus was sent as judgement, (9:39) but not to judge. (12:47) In the latter verse, there will be judgement but it will come by the word Jesus has spoken, because it is God’s word, and those who are judged will judge themselves by it, maybe because they hear it but misuse it, maybe because they reject it.

Third: There will be someone called the Advocate or Helper. The Advocate will convict, and judge but not condemn: 

“8 And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; 10 concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; 11 concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.”

In other words, the Advocate will make sure that the world knows that it is walking in darkness and that, if it ends up condemned it is its own doing and its on bloody fault. 

Fourth: there is a “Ruler of this world,” who is a dark force and there are children of darkness who love darkness rather than light but do so because they are blind and there are  children of light who see things for what they are. (the episode of Chapter 9 is about them) 

Fifth: Jesus is in the world as a light. (1:1-13) So are those who have heard and followed him and have been made clean by his word. Jesus brings God’s word again and in turn, God’s word in not understood but through Jesus. To claim to know but not acknowledge Jesus is to walk in darkness. (8:31-59, 14:1-7) The obverse is also true: If you truly understand the word of God you come to Jesus. (6:37)

Six: In John, Jesus’ mission is to be the light and he gladly accepts it, hence the rejection to beg: “Father save me from this hour.” (12:27) This is the Love that God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, have for the world. It, the world is dark and under the rulership of the prince of darkness, but they aim to save it by showing the world how dark it actually is. (The red pill again — yes, that Matrix reference . . .)

The whole irony thing that John is famous for, the subtle sense that the whole Gospel might just be gnostic because it seems to be saying one thing but relying on an unspoken thing that only the few know to actually understand what is being said might actually be quite simple: It is in the 90’s and the church has been booted out of the synagogue. But church and synagogue claim the same heritage. They speak the same language but the mean different things by what they say — again and from above don’t mean the same thing except when they do or don’t when they aren’t but then, you know, or do you? The language is the same but the meaning is not. In the words of Inigo Montoya: “You keep using that word. I don’t think it means what you think it means.” (Princess Bride) 

Conversion has stopped among the Jews — perhaps. All that is left is enmity and arguing. Whatever space the empire had allowed for the Jews to be peculiar, if the empire actually ever did that, has collapsed on the church which is now open to the charge of being anti emperor by claiming another Lord. They sing the same Psalms. They claim the same Abraham. 

What does one do? Becoming Amish is one option. The other is to love the world for what it is, engaging it, and always praying for its conversion. Dom Helder Camara once wrote that his most ardent prayer was for the Prodigal Son’s older brother. He always prayer that he would “go in.” Our Springfield Ohio colleague, Bill Zimmann sometimes asked with a smile: “Do you think God loves the devil?” The strange answer, at least from John, might actually be: “Yes.” It is the devil who has condemned himself, has been judged by his deeds, and lives as one convicted — no wonder he is always angry. 

It is naive to think that loving the world will instantaneously change it or that proclamation and even teaching will convert it instantaneously. The story of Thomas speaks to this. Yet, the work is before the church: Live in this world. Love it a bit. Don’t fall for its lies or adopt its ways. Be light. Be love. (St Terese Lisieux)