Something Beyond Our Understanding: Ps. 133; I John 1:1-2:2
One of my favorite types of books to read is suspense/mystery novels. I have always loved a good mystery. When I was young it was the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew, as I got older it was Agatha Christie, then all sorts of others. And I can assure you it’s an inherited family trait. I’m willing to bet some of you like a good mystery too. You might have grown up with Scooby Doo or read mystery books as well. Or you may like a good old suspense movie trying to figure out “who done it?” Part of the attraction of a mystery is that “what’s next” feeling…the something more is going to happen with every turn of the page.
The Bible and our faith are often like that. We see in part, through a glass darkly, things are slowly and carefully revealed. As Easter Sunday concluded, we celebrated the risen Christ, but there’s a mystery…so now what? What do we do, how do we handle this good news, this faith we have? Surely, there is something more to be done, right? Our Easter series is designed to help you with just that question, surely there’s something more. Today we look at some things perhaps beyond our understanding, and we cover three mysteries: the mystery of how we live with God, the mystery of how we handle the weight on our soul, and the mystery of how we live together. This sermon is a little back to the basics, but sometimes it’s good to re-read the book even if we know the end of the mystery already.
First, we have the mystery this relationship to God. First John reminds us that “God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all.” We are told in the next verses that we must live in the light to practice the truth and to have fellowship. Many of us have woken up in the dark of night before or have found ourselves in a darkened room. The routine is pretty standard. We grope around, move slowly, usually stub a toe or bump a knee. We do this for a few seconds until we can get to the nearest light. Our rush is to get to the light and turn it on because we feel safer in the light. We’re less vulnerable in the light. Instinctively we look for the light to help us find the way around the darkened room.
Choosing to do something in a hidden way or under the cover of night implies that what is being done is wrong, and the person knows it. There are many things we do in secret or hide away. I’ll never forget a dinner with a Baptist minister and friend who ordered a glass of wine. Suddenly he grabbed it and hid it under the table. One of his members was in the restaurant, and he didn’t want to be seen having a glass of wine as a good Baptist preacher. Live in the light. Just because bad things get hidden doesn’t make them any less wrong for us or trouble-making for others. The mystery of relating to light of God is that God already knows—you can’t hide—so you may as well be open and honest so that truth, understanding, and healing can take place.
That brings us to another mystery—so we have a few things hidden—how do we handle this coming into the light stuff? There really is no wiggle room, unfortunately. First John tells us in verse 9, “If we confess our sins, [God] is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all wickedness.” The best way to be honest with God (and ourselves for that matter) is simply to confess what we are feeling or may have done.
Sometimes we struggle with this level of honesty. We can be angry with God, feel like God has abandoned us, feel so very confused by what God is doing. Sometimes the very thoughts and feelings within us are truly a mystery. “Why God? Why me? Why this? Why now?” We ask over and over these questions that give us pain, but still create this confusion or even guilt for questioning, struggling, doubting. God knows. Confess those struggles and feelings to God and find either peace for the suffering or forgiveness to repair the strained relationship. God is faithful and just in all things and in all ways.
Confess to God whether it be things hidden away, the pain, the struggles, all those repressed angry thoughts. God knows, and God can handle your openness and honesty. I remember a scene in the move The Apostle where the main character is hollering and carrying on late at night. When a neighbor calls over, his elderly mother says, “Ever since he was a young child, sometimes he talks to the Lord, and sometimes he yells at the Lord, tonight he’s yelling at the Lord.” The worst thing we can do is wander in the darkness of believing that we can hide something from God. We can hide from others, but God knows it all already. The mystery is simple, confess honestly and with a heart ready to receive whatever is needed from God.
Lastly is this mystery of harmony with one another. Psalm 133 tells us, “How wonderful and pleasant it is when brothers live together in harmony.” Harmony is further described as “precious” and “refreshing.” I think we could all say that in our polarized and divisive society, a little harmony would be refreshing. I’ve heard harmony described as grace’s bank account (not the grace we get from God, but the grace we give to one another). Some days we will receive deposits because we need a little more grace in our lives when life is rough and so is our attitude. Sometimes we will have debits because those around us need a little grace in their lives when they go through the rough patches.
The truth is, no matter how difficult we can be, God is always willing to give us grace no matter how much we need in a given time, and there are days we need a lot of forgiving grace that comes with our saving grace. Since God is so generous, we cannot be stingy with others, for we are told that living in harmony is precious, wonderful, and pleasant. There is no real mystery to living in harmony. It is simply offering love and grace like Jesus—to be compassionate rather than reactive, loving rather than harsh, and gentle rather than pointed.
I think, from time to time we all love a good mystery. There are many things about faith that are a mystery to me and probably to you as well. I know that the Holy Spirit exists, but I don’t know how to humanly explain exactly what that is. I know that Jesus loved and sacrificed for you and me, but I don’t understand all the innerworkings of redemption. Sometimes the mysteries leave us hanging until we get to part two, and that’s okay. Just because some of faith is still a mystery doesn’t undo the whole of faith. God has shown us some truth in the Bible, and one day, we are promised to finally know it all.
What is not a mystery is that we must live in the light of God, for nothing can be hidden or secreted away from the Lord. May we be open, honest, confess our struggles to the one who hears us, gives us grace, and gives us strength. Just as there’s a plot twist in every chapter of the book, so, too, does each new day give us something more from God.
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