#lent 2a

[revdrewdowns]

The Night Meeting Scenario — the Secrets of Redeeming Grace

Nicodemus and Redeeming GraceLent 2A  |  John 3:1-17 How does he get there? In the big city, at night, visiting the traveling rabbi with a small host of disciples. One who just showed up to the Temple earlier that week and made a great scene; whose signs of wonder at the Passover festival attracted so many. What compelled him? Not to join the throngs during the day, but to still seek him out? I…

The Night Meeting Scenario — the Secrets of Redeeming Grace

[revdrewdowns]

Between Lent 2 & 3 (Year A)

A look at the gaps in the lectionary. This week: the gap between Lent 2A and 3A The text: John 3:18-4:4 God’s love and God’s wrath The famous line about God’s love for the world (3:16) is followed by the reminder that God doesn’t seek to condemn it (3:17). Which, let’s be honest, doesn’t sound much like what Nicodemus was asking about. Jesus, it would seem, has left that nonsense behind as…

View On WordPress

[revdrewdowns]

Plenty of Road

Photo by David Sager on Unsplash [cropped] And the ease of faithful distractionLent 2A  |  John 3:1-17 Why is he there? (Nicodemus) What does he want? Is he there for flattery? To ask ridiculous questions? Why is he there? Finding Motives In our world, we are concerned with motives. What is behind the ridiculous things we do? And for that, with Nicodemus, we can only speculate. But… When…

View On WordPress

[revdrewdowns]

Living in Sin

Photo by Gabe on Unsplash For SundayLent 2A Collect O God, whose glory it is always to have mercy: Be gracious to all who have gone astray from your ways, and bring them again with penitent hearts and steadfast faith to embrace and hold fast the unchangeable truth of your Word, Jesus Christ your Son; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for ever and…

View On WordPress

[revdrewdowns]

Between Lent 1 & 2

A look at the gaps in the lectionary. This week: the gap between Lent 1A and 2A The text: John 1 & 2 In the season of Lent, we don’t keep to one gospel, we go from theme to theme. So we jump from the temptation of Jesus in Matthew to Nicodemus visiting Jesus in John. What we miss, however, what we don’t cover, sets the tone regardless. Nicodemus comes to Jesus, not because Jesus has been…

View On WordPress

[fatherfunston]

Nicodemus Came to Jesus by Night Henry Tresham, 1800

Some thoughts on this week's bulletin art

In the late 1700s, English print seller Thomas Macklin started an ambitious project which would ultimately be known as the Macklin Bible.  The goal was to commission English artists to help produce an illustrated Bible to promote "'the glory of the English school' of painting and engraving and 'the interest of our Holy Religion.'"  The final work was seven volumes long and weighed over 100 pounds. Irish artist Henry Tresham was commissioned for several pieces for the Macklin Bible, including this one visualizing Sunday's gospel reading. John wants to make sure that we understand that Nicodemus comes to see Jesus in the dark of the night.  The pharisee is interested in what Jesus has to say, but, for his own safety, feels he can't ask his questions in the open.  What follows is a conversation between the two of them about what exactly Jesus means by saying that we need to be "born again from above." I love this piece because it captures Nicodemus' (and our?) reaction so well. You can see his befuddlement in his expression, "What do you mean we have to be born again?  How is that even possible?" I sometimes think of Nicodemus as the patron saint of faithful doubters, those of us who really want to understand, but can also get in our own way.  There's nothing wrong with asking the questions, but when our acceptance of God's love is contingent upon our understanding, we'll ultimately be disappointed. (Because we'll never fully understand.)

=Fr. Patrick

[fatherfunston]

Visit Original Link

Lent 2A Sermon, March 12, 2017

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church 601 Poyntz Avenue, Manhattan, KS 10:45am Service The Second Sunday of Lent, Year A Main Focus Text: Genesis 12.1-4a, Psalm 121

Topic: So That You May Be A Blessing

[revdrewdowns]

Look Up

There’s something hinky going on here. Jesus and Nicodemus and this late night visit. And how each of us comes to see this moment speaks to how much we trust in Jesus and how much we trust in our own experience.

Who is this man, and why does Jesus give him such a hard time?

Lent 2A  |  John 3:1-17

This is a provocative story. Nicodemus, a Pharisee and a big wig, comes to Jesus in the middle of…

View On WordPress