But What About The Ship?! - John 3 & John 19

1. A Prayer for the People of God
God of the covenant, in the glory of the cross
your Son embraced the power of death
and broke its hold over your people.
In this time of repentance, draw all people
to yourself, that we who confess
Jesus as Lord may put aside the deeds of death
and accept the life of your kingdom.
Amen.

3. John 3 & John 19
but WHAT about the SHIP?!

4. an early Jewish interpretation of
or commentary on a Biblical text,
clarifying or expounding a point
of law or developing or illustrating
a moral principle; also asks questions of
the text; sometimes it provides answers,
sometimes it leaves the reader to answer
the questions…
MIDRASH

5. NICODEMUSvisitingJESUS
byNIGHT
H.O.Tanner(1859-1937)

6. • Why did Nicodemus go see
Jesus in the first place?
• Was it just a courtesy call, or…?
• Did he have questions totally
unrelated to what is discussed here? Is
he there for good or ill?
• What questions was he wrestling with?
Theology and/or identity?
QUESTIONS I HAVE…

7. QUESTIONS I HAVE…
• Why did Nicodemus go see
Jesus in the first place?
• Was it just a courtesy call, or…?
• Did he have questions totally
unrelated to what is discussed here? Is
he there for good or ill?
• What questions was he wrestling with?
Theology and/or identity?

8. There was a man of the Pharisees
called Nicodemus, a ruler of the
Judaeans. He came to Jesus
by night. “Rabbi,” he said to him,
“we know you’re a teacher who
comes from God. Nobody can
do these things that you’re doing,
unless God is with him.”
John 3:1-2 (KNT)

9. • Turned water into wine at Cana
• Caused a commotion in theTemple
• Claimed he’d ”raise this temple”
in three days
• Did a variety of “signs” in Jerusalem
during Passover
(John doesn’t specify what…)
WHAT HAD JESUS DONE?

10. • I come to Jesus as Nicodemus did:
 A person or privilege
 A person sometimes afraid of
”putting myself out there”
 A person often perplexed, trying
to make sense of things
 A person who wants to be sure
they’re believing and doing
the right thing…
I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE:

11. The Ship of Theseus
(Plutarch, AD 46-120)

12. SCENARIO A
(Plutarch: held in harbor)

13. SCENARIO A
(Plutarch: held in harbor)
SCENARIO B
(Hobbes: in a museum)

14. SCENARIO A
(Plutarch: held in harbor)
SCENARIO B
(Hobbes: in a museum)
WHICH IS THE REAL SHIP OF THESEUS?

15. SCENARIO A
(Plutarch: held in harbor)
SCENARIO B
(Hobbes: in a museum)
PRINCIPLE A:
Shirt/Button
(Identity can handle change)

16. SCENARIO A
(Plutarch: held in harbor)
SCENARIO B
(Hobbes: in a museum)
PRINCIPLE A:
Shirt/Button
(Identity can handle change)
PRINCIPLE B:
Broken Broom
(Identity = parts/location)

17. SCENARIO A
(Plutarch: held in harbor)
SCENARIO B
(Hobbes: in a museum)
PRINCIPLE A:
Shirt/Button
(Identity can handle change)
PRINCIPLE B:
Broken Broom
(Identity = parts/location)
WHEN DOES “IDENTITY” CHANGE?!

18. The Ship of Your Faith
(Past, present, future)

22. • It’s okay to ask questions,
to be uncertain, to not know…
• Jesus will welcome you,
whether by day or by night…
• Sometimes asking questions is the best
way to attain trust/conviction
• Questioning the effectiveness,
safety, stability, or even necessity
of SOME of the planks does NOT
mean the entire SHIP is in danger!
WORDS of ENCOURAGEMENT

23. After this, Joseph of Arimathea asked
Pilate if he could take Jesus’ body
away.
He was a disciple of Jesus, but he kept
it secret because he was afraid of the
Judaeans. Pilate gave him permission.
So he came and took his body.
Nicodemus came too (the man who,
at first, had visited Jesus by night…)
They took Jesus’ body…
John 19:38-39 (KNT)

24. John 3 & John 19
but WHAT about the SHIP?!

25. Benediction
Lord Jesus Christ, you stretched out your arms
of love upon the hard wood of the cross so that
all may come within the reach of your saving
embrace; so clothe us in your Spirit that we,
reaching forth our hands in love, may bring those
who do not know you to the knowledge and love
of you for the honor of your name.
Amen.