Today I had the opportunity to share the fourth installment in the Perceiving series I’m doing at our church, the Chesapeake Vineyard. Today’s topic: Perceiving the Gospel. I took the most commonly quoted passage in all of Scripture (John 3, specifically 3:16) and offered a fresh look through the perceiving glass.

Go here to listen.
Message outline (.pdf)

Commentators are generally pretty hard on ole Nicodemus. After all, he was a first-hand witness to the greatest telling of the Gospel perhaps in human history and there is no record in this episode of any response by Nicodemus. I think Nic has been given a bad rap because we look at his experience as if John 3:16 had already been written when, in fact, it was being lived out right before him. We also judge him through the lens of 20th and 21st century evangelism. How can a man who didn’t respond openly (i.e. come to the altar, profess his faith in Christ or have a “conversion” experience) to the original telling of John 3:16 and later hid his association with Jesus be a good example for us? Be sure to listen to the end.

I can say that just about every time I’ve read this passage I’ve puzzled over Jesus’ answers to what seem like very reasonable questions from Nicodemus. “How do you do miracles?… How can I be born a second time?… How can this be?…” From the outset, why did Jesus suddenly dive in to a discussion of being “born again” when on the surface that response seems very much disconnected from Nicodemus’ question. Well, you’ll have to listen to get the full story. But in short, Jesus was, in fact, answering Nicodemus’ questions very precisely and John was careful to record some fascinating constructions in the Greek which reveal Jesus’ precision and the important message He was sending to both Nicodemus and generations to follow who would read and study these words.

Here we see Jesus laying out the essential interplay between believing and perceiving as well as giving Christians a roadmap on how they can share the Good News (hint: believing is just the beginning of the adventure). It’s an important lesson on the power and importance of perceiving as well as the essential first step that opens the door to “seeing” and understanding God’s workings in our midst.  Enjoy!

A footnote on our church. I’m so grateful for our little Vineyard, which at times seems like a spiritual “sandbox” for those of us who call it home. We’re a Vineyard through and through with a few twists. I’ve heard our type of church called an “open church.” Lately, some have been calling such gatherings “organic” churches. In simple terms, it’s participatory. It’s expected that, if you’re coming, you’ll be sensitive to what active part you might play through a story, a Scripture, a song, etc. This little Vineyard has given me an opportunity to experiment and grow. The Power of Perceiving is certainly fruit from the Chesapeake Vineyard.