Well known to us are The Ten Commandments. But less well known are The Paradoxical Commandments? “Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable. Be honest and frank anyway.” “The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway.” Ever heard these statements in conversation or in print?
Kent Keith wrote them in the 1960’s during his college days. And over the years, he has been amazed to find them in a variety of places. The one that really caught his attention was in a book on Mother Teresa. It seems that she had them posted in the children’s’ home in Calcutta, India. Keith recently wrote a book on these commandments simply entitled, “Anyway.”
The second commandment featured in the book deals with the issue of motives. “If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives, do good anyway.” And in the chapter which he explains this commandment, he tells the story of his opposition to a move by the student council of his high school to reduce the number of representatives on his school’s student council. He felt that by reducing the number of representatives to a smaller body, the voice of the students would be less likely to be heard.
At first no one spoke out with him in his opposition. And he encountered tremendous opposition from those who wanted this plan passed. In fact, pro-change students would suddenly enter one of Keith’s classrooms and begin debating him with or without the teacher’s permission.
Finally, five or six other students began to agree with Keith and a debate was arranged on the issue. Following the debate, the vote was taken. The plan was defeated by a vote of 1,700 to 400. “Months later,” writes Keith, “the student body president told me that the reorganization plan was a mistake and that she was glad it had failed.”
This event took place in the fall of Keith’s sophomore year. In the spring, he decided to run for student body vice-president because of his desire to get more involved. One of the pro-change leaders, upon seeing his name on the candidate list, remarked to him, “I knew it. You just opposed the reorganization as a way of getting your name out front, so you could run for office. You’re just an opportunist.” Keith was stunned by the accusation because the opposition he faced in the fall led him to believe that he would never be elected or appointed to anything. His motives were called into question.
This past week during our annual state ministries retreat, we had a wonderful communion service and, as we sang prior to and during communion, I began to think about why Jesus did it. Why did Jesus die on the cross for you and me? Why?
What was his motive for dying such a painful and awful death? Why did He do it?
As I reflected on these questions I was drawn to John 3. For we read in John 3 why Jesus did what He did on the cross. We understand God’s motive.
The chapter begins with Nicodemus, a well-educated man, and what today we would probably call a minister. coming privately, and in the evening to talk with Jesus. Over the years, many reasons have been why Nicodemus came at night. But, have we ever considered why did he come at all? Could it have been that He had questions about God?
“Teacher,” he said, “we all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miraculous signs are proof enough that God is with you.”
God is with you. Nicodemus did not say, “You are God,” he said, “God is with you.” He told Jesus that God was certainly a part of Jesus’ life. But, he had not yet made the connection that Jesus was God.
Nicodemus had an idea of who God was. But, He did not personally know God. It was all second hand information and experience. It was all based on what he had been taught.
But Jesus’ miracles gave Nicodemus pause for reflection. It raised questions in his mind about the nature and person of God.
As the conversation develops, the lack of understanding and experience becomes more and more pronounced as Jesus makes statements that reveal just how much Nicodemus does not understand and know. So Jesus begins to educate Nicodemus about God’s work and God’s kingdom.
And He educates Nicodemus from his very statement: “I assure you, unless you are born again, you can never see the Kingdom of God.”
“What do you mean?” ask Nicodemus. What does Jesus mean? Why is He trying to say?
He speaks of being “born again” and the work of the Spirit that is required in being born again. But notice that the point of Jesus’ opening statement ties “born again” to the seeing, the experiencing of the Kingdom of God.
What’s a kingdom? A kingdom is “a realm or region in which something or someone is dominant.” What does this have to do with anything? Why does Jesus speak of this kingdom? Because the very idea of a kingdom speaks of one thing – power.
The way that something or someone becomes dominant in a realm or a region is because that someone or something has amassed enough power to be dominant. And Nicodemus understood power because he was in the dominant power group of that time – the Pharisees. And Jesus’ miracles threatened that power because they could not match it. Jesus’ miracles were a power source that the Pharisees did not, and would not, ever have.
Kent Keith’s story was a story about power. He threatened the power of those who had it in his high school. They wanted more but they did not get it.
I recently finished reading the third volume of a multi-volume biography about Lyndon Johnson. This particular volume dealt with his years in the US Senate. As the author, Robert Caro, told the story of Johnson’s years in the senate, he weaved a portrait of a person who wanted power and knew how to use it once he got it. And LBJ’s strategic posturing over a period of several years got him the power that allowed him, for a time, to change how the US Senate operated.
But, in this passage Jesus did not talk about power. Granted, He demonstrated power, God’s power, in the miracles that He performed. But, the power evidenced in them was not there to make Jesus look good. The power there was to transform lives and to give people hope.
And in a key moment in this discussion, Jesus turns the corner and reveals to Nicodemus the basic orientation of God in this matter of being born again – love, not power. “For God so loved the world,” Jesus suddenly says. He goes on to say, “God did not send His son into the world to condemn it (that’s a power thing) but to save it.”
Yes God condemns sin. He cannot tolerate it. It cannot exist in His presence. But, God sent Jesus to save us because He loves us.
We have seen in the past several weeks in the stories of Adam, Cain, and Noah what happens when God uses power. He used power in the flood and He used power in the Garden. And when God uses power, nothing is left standing. But, sin had caused the problem.
But in His conversation with Nicodemus, God’s Son, Jesus Christ, He directs attention not to God’s power, but God’s love as the main reason for His mission and purpose.
We come to the communion table this morning to be reminded of God’s love for us. Why? It was the reason He came. “While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” While we unacceptable to God, God made it possible for us to be acceptable to Him. And if that is not a wonderful definition and demonstration of love, I don’t know what is.
Power must be led by love. Love must mold power into a redemptive force. History contains many examples of this taking place and the impact that it had. But, the greatest, and most important, time and place is what happened after Jesus spoke of the new covenant.
Power was laid aside. Jesus could have come off that cross. “He has saved others! Let Him save Himself!” Love took over. “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
In the ugliest moments of Christ’s earthly life, He loved and forgave those who had crucified Him. In the midst of that pain and taunting, Jesus did not use power to make things right, He used love.
In the ugliest moments of life; when we say things and do things that cause wounds and conflict, Christ offers us forgiveness. When we have broken God’s laws for us, when we have done our own thing, utterly disregarding God, God forgives us because He loves – still.
In these next moments let’s again lay down our power and let us surrender, not submit, surrender to love. Let us repent of the ugliness in our souls and lives. Let us accept God’s love. A love that has redeemed us. Amen.
