John 1:29-42
Can you see what I’m holding in my hand?
Yes, that’s right, a surgeon’s scalpel.
Not the most pleasant looking device, but an essential tool for health … as the expression puts it: we need to go under the knife now and then.
Some years ago, through routine testing, abnormal calcium levels in my blood were detected … further testing by an endocrinologist and a few sleepless nights, revealed a misbehaving parathyroid gland.
Solution: surgery!
It has to come out.
I had to have some knife time.
So, the early morning trip to the hospital … prep for surgery, onto a gurney … a couple of happy drugs later, I was ready … Donna gave me a kiss and I was wheeled down the hall to a bright room seriously cold.
The anesthesiologist put something into my intravenous, had me count backwards … ten … nine … eight … lights out.
Three and a half hours later, eyes open – bright lights again … cold … recovery room … a blood sample taken … the doc comes by – “Calcium levels back to normal, Tom, just like that.”
Thank God for the scalpel and the folks who know how to use them!
“Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.”
The scalpel of grace …
“The Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).
To take away the sin of the world!
What is sin?
Must be mighty important for the Son of God to be so utterly involved in its removal …
Must be something big … evidently we need lots of help on this one!
Nothing less than divine surgery … no one less than Jesus.
What’s sin?
Ever hear the term “original sin”?
The first one, the biggie … the source, the center … the one and only … original sin.
We associate “the big one” with the image of Eve plucking the fruit and Adam right with her.
But that’s not the “original sin.”
The “original sin” occurred prior to the fruit-picking … the “original sin” – believing a lie.
The Snake in the Grass suggested to Eve that she wasn’t quite up to snuff, suggested that God might have left a few things out of the equation, and further suggested that she misunderstood God’s plan … and it would be just fine to pluck the fruit – because the Tree offers what’s missing from your life.
She believed it … and so did Adam.
Though Eve is the principal actor here, the text is clear: it says pointedly, “Adam was with her” – cheering her on; “you go, girl!”
She believed the lie, and so did Adam – something is wrong with us, something is missing, and you can’t even count on God for it.
That’s the original sin … that’s original lie.
And if you know anything about lies, you know that once started, lies take on a life of their own … compounding themselves until a whole world has been created with lies …
But a lie is still a lie … without truth, without love, without hope and without peace … lies never work … though we often believe them with all our heart … because the first lies are always told to us … they come from people of the lie … parents who were lied to, teachers who were lied to, politicians and neighbors who were lied to, spouses and children who were lied to … the lies are passed on, and every permutation, they grow a little larger, a little stronger … until they have us in their grip.
Think of it …
You’re not up to snuff …
Something is wrong with you …
You’re not fit for the fight …
You’re a flub, you’re a flop, you’re a failure …
You’re a lousy Mom …
You’re a crummy Father …
You’re a terrible student …
You’re stupid, you’re dumb, you’re ugly …
You’re hair is all wrong …
You’re too fat … and too slow …
You’re clothes don’t fit …
Your teeth aren’t pretty …
Why can’t you look better?
Why do you have be so slow?
Why can’t cook better?
Why don’t you get better grades?
Why aren’t your prettier?
Why don’t you lose some weight?
I won’t love until you do!
Serious business!
“Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.”
To take away the original sin was the toughest thing God ever did …
Creation was a breeze … God said, “Let it be” and it was … but take away the original lie, to free the soul … that’s a horse of another color … it took everything God had, and then some.
Wherever Jesus went, whomever He met, He told them the truth … because “The truth sets us free.”
The first miracle – at the Wedding of Cana – ran out of wine they thought; and to the human eye, the jugs were empty – Jesus said, “No, you didn’t run out of wine. Let me show you.”
Jesus clears the Temple – here’s what a Temple should look like, here’s what a Temple should stand for … too many lies about power and prestige … too many lies about money and influence.
Nicodemus comes to Jesus and says, “This is too much for me. I’m too old. I’ve believed this all my life. I can’t change.”
Jesus says, “Not true. You CAN change; you can start all over again. Sort of like being born all over again. Not easy! But you can do it! Life is resilient. Nicodemus, you can do it!”
The Samaritan woman goes to the well at noon – in the heat of the day, when no one else is there, because she can’t stand the haughty glares and the whispered gossip – she’s tired of their self-righteousness, so she goes to the well alone.
Jesus meets her there … she’s trapped in lies: “There’s no hope for me. A good man will never love me. I’m stuck in a rut, and that’s where it’s going be for me. No way out.”
“Not true,” says Jesus.
“Let me help you.”
The son of a royal officer is ill and dying … and the man comes to Jesus, “Sir, help me before my son dies.”
“He will not die,” says Jesus.
The human eye can only see death. Jesus sees life.
At the pool of Siloam, a man crippled for 38 years … begging …
Jesus asks, “Do you wanna get well?”
“But there’s no one to help me get into the healing water. Every time I try, others push me outta the way, and by the time I get there, the water has stopped bubbling.”
Jesus probes, because Jesus knows that the man has accepted the lie – “There’s no hope for me, no way out – it’ll be this way forever.”
“No you won’t,” says Jesus.
At every turn, Jesus sees the possibility … hope for a new day … the door that no one else can see … because God not only opens doors for us, God creates doors where none previously existed.
“God gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do no exist” (Romans 4:17).
“Takes away” the sin of the world, says the text.
God doesn’t wait for us to come around; God goes after it, tackles it by Himself – God intrudes, breaks in, enters the human heart … like a thief in the night, a smash and grab ruffian … God TAKES away the sin of the world
No self-help here … no self-healing at this point … something radical is needed … surgery … the scalpel of grace, and a skilled surgeon.
The Lamb of God who TAKES away the sin of the world.
And it’s “sin” not sins, did you notice that? … singular, not plural.
God goes for the root cause, the beginning, the source, the origin.
And leaves much of the clean-up work to us … with the help of the Holy Spirit.
But the root cause is removed … the original lie undone.
The truth be told!
There is nothing wrong with you.
There is nothing defective in you.
You can handle it … you will make it through … you’re a gifted and capable human being … you already have what it takes …
The original lie has been dispelled in Christ … so we get on with the task of healing … the cause of the wound is removed, but the healing takes time … and we heal with one another … that’s why Christian fellowship is so important … we heal in the company of others.
And we become little Lambs of God for one another …
Every time we encourage someone.
Every time someone wants to give up and give in, we help them take a deep breath and stay the course, and if need be, start all over again – we’re a little Lamb of God who takes away the lie from someone else.
Now, suddenly, we can read self-help books with profit … therapists can really help here.
To build upon the work of Christ!
We don’t believe the lie anymore … well, maybe, just a little bit now and then, but the Spirit intervenes … “Not true” cries the Spirit when we’re discouraged and ready to give up.
You’re a terrific human being …
You have what it takes …
You can manage the challenge … you can climb the mountain, you can solve the case, you can ford the rushing river …
You’re not a victim; you’re a victor.
You’re not a loser; you’re a winner!
You have great reservoirs of love …
You have intelligence and good character …
You have faith, hope and love … even if it’s just the size of a mustard seed, it’s good enough to move mountains!
At the end of the text, Jesus gives Peter a nickname … from now on, you’ll be called Cephas, the Rock!
To all of us, Jesus gives a nickname:
You’re Tom Terrific and Wally Wonderful.
You Susie Stupendous and Marlene Marvelous.
You’re all Servants of the Most High God!
Remember that … that’s the truth!
Amen!
