“Meeting Jesus” January 20 John 1:29–42

 Bishop Gene Robinson has said, "While I believe Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah, I don’t believe he is the sole revelation of God’s self to the world. I respect and revere all those who have come to know God through other faith journeys..." Many of us at PCFL would agree with that. We can be sincere disciples of Jesus without believing our religion is the only way.

A few of you will remember the Seneca chief Sa-go-ye-wat-ha, known as Red Jacket to English speakers. In 1805 he talked with a “Rev. Cram,” the Missionary who came to convert his people. Red Jacket was known for his speechmaking skill. His name, Sagoyewatha, roughly translates as “he keeps them awake.” His message might wake us up today and help us to celebrate our relationship with Jesus, without insisting that other people adopt our views.

Red Jacket speaks: Brother: Our seats were once large, and yours very small. You have now become a great people, and we have scarcely a place left to spread our blankets. You have got our country, but you are not satisfied; you want to force your religion upon us.

Brother: You say that you are sent to instruct us how to worship the Great Spirit agreeable to His mind. And if we do not take hold of the religion which you white people teach, we shall be un-happy hereafter. You say that you are right, and we are lost. How do you know this to be true? We understand that your religion is written in a book. If it was intended for us as well as for you, why has not the Great Spirit given it to us…, with the means of understanding it rightly? We only know what you tell us about it. How shall we know when to believe, being so often deceived by the white man?

Brother: You say there is but one way to worship and serve the Great Spirit. If there is but one religion, why do you white people differ so much about it? Why not all agree, as you can all read the book?

Brother:…We are told that your religion was given to your forefathers and has been handed down -- father to son. We also have a religion, which was given to our forefathers, and has been handed down to us, their children. We worship that way. It teaches us to be thankful for all the favors we receive; to love each other, and to be united. We never quarrel about religion.

Brother: the Great Spirit has made us all, but He has made a great difference between his white and red children. He has given us a different complexion and different customs. …Since He has made so great a difference between us in other things, why may we not conclude that He has given us a different religion according to our understanding? The Great Spirit does right. He knows what is best for his children; we are satisfied.

Brother: We do not wish to destroy your religion, or to take it from you. We only want to enjoy our own…

Brother: We are told that you have been preaching to the white people in this place. These people are our neighbors. We are acquainted with them. We will wait a little while, and see what effect your preaching has upon them. If we find it does them good, and makes them honest, and less disposed to cheat Indians, we will then consider again what you have said.

Brother: You have now heard our answer to your talk, and this is all we have to say at present. As we are going to part, we will come and take you by the hand, and hope the Great Spirit will protect you on your journey, and return you safe to your friends.

N.B. Wood, in Lives of Famous Indian Chiefs, says that Red Jacket then moved to shake hands. Rev. Cram refused saying, "There was no fellowship between the religion of God and the Devil." According to Wood, the Indians smiled and retired peacefully.

Red Jacket had a point! When there are so many different understandings of Jesus, we don’t sound very convincing when we stand up and tell a non-believer they must adopt out understanding of Jesus. Even a “savage” can see that when each of us argues for a different kind of Christianity, and claims that it’s the only way, it’s hard to sell. I think we are much more believable and a greater blessing to the world if we acknowledge that the Jesus we know and follow is not Absolute Truth. The Jesus who embodies Absolute Truth, who incarnates God, is beyond our knowledge of Jesus.

So when we talk about Jesus, we’re talking about the person we know. But we don’t know everything about him. We don’t know all of who he is.

So who are the people who can lead us to a deeper meeting with Jesus?  “Photini,” the Samaritan Woman at the Well (John 4:39) told her friends and neighbors, "Come and see a man who told me everything I have ever done! Could he be the Messiah?"

Julie Sibbald says, “Jesus is the beloved of God—the one whose presence reminds us that nothing in all creation can separate us from the love of God.

Barbara Kellam Scott put us in touch with a new book with an old title: The Politics of Jesus, by Obery Hendricks. The subtitle explains Hendricks’ point of view: “Rediscovering the True Revolutionary Nature of Jesus' Teachings and How They Have Been Corrupted.” Hendricks suggests that Jesus strategies were political, for example:

· “treat the people’s needs as holy”

· “give a voice to the voiceless”

· “expose the workings of oppression”

Hendricks writes, “To say that Jesus was a political revolutionary is to say that the message he proclaimed not only called for change in individual hearts but also demanded sweeping and comprehensive change in the political, social, and economic structures in his setting in life: colonized Israel.”

I am convinced that Jesus would not recognize himself in most of the Church’s portrayals of him. I know that we all have a tendency to paint the picture of Jesus that fits our desire. The unexpected and unknown Jesus is not someone we really want to meet. But, if you get what I’m preaching, THAT is the real Jesus who loves you and wants you to have real life!

When I started my ministry back in 1973, when I was first ordained, I said, “I am a disciple/learner of Jesus.” And following him as Messiah and Rabbi takes me to places I would perhaps never choose to go. As we said last week, the Spirit drove Jesus into the wilderness after his baptism. The Spirit called Andrew and his brother Simon Peter to become disciples. The Spirit has given us a gift in the diverse New Testament witness to Jesus from his faithful followers. Without being bound by their understandings, we can celebrate their commitment and seek to meet Jesus as they did. When so much religion causes division and violence in our world, we simply HAVE to discover the Jesus who taught his students to live lives that bespeak Love.

As a pastor, I have tried to preach, teach, and reach out with all persons. We‘re not always like-minded, but the church can be like-hearted. We encourage each other and hold one another accountable for our discipleship.

Remember, John’s Gospel does not worry about historical narrative. It takes for granted that you know the story of Mark, Matthew and Luke, and offers itself as a commentary. John doesn’t give us the call of the fishermen at the seashore to leave their nets and boats and follow Jesus. We don’t see the fishermen.  Andrew, Simon Peter, and the others represent instead, something of the whole calling of the church. The gospel of John doesn’t mention fishing and nets until the final chapter! Andrew and Peter somehow symbolize the disciples who would come after them. They are us. We are them.

I have been happy and pleased to tell you about the Jesus that I understand and know and love, but in the end, what matters is the invitation for you to meet Jesus in your own way and on his terms, not mine. Whether you see him as historic teacher of wisdom or living spiritual presence, or ethical model, or Savior, or embodiment of God in the church, the best invitation is “Come and See!” Check it out for yourself. Find out where he stays, where you stay, where the Spirit stays. All of it is about Meeting Jesus.

So, what do we do when meeting Jesus? Don’t let your acquaintance with Jesus be just something someone else told you. Don’t rely on hearsay. Actually discover for yourself. Let go of limited understanding and dare to follow Jesus, wherever that leads. Would you pray with me...

Loving God, thank you for pouring out your bountiful Spirit on all your children. Empower us to rejoice in the changes that come when we meet Jesus, and also to celebrate when some of our sisters and brothers meet you in other teachers. Amen.