Plain Speaking

This sermon was heard at the First Presbyterian Church in Berryville, Arkansas on Sunday Juanary 18, 2009, the 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time.

1 Samuel 3:1-10
Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18
1 Corinthians 6:12-20
John 1:43-51

May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable to you, O Lord, our rock and our redeemer. Amen

There’s an old saying I believe is attributed to Thomas Aquinas. “Share the gospel, and when necessary, use words.” We are called to do the right thing. Doing is how people who see us know us, more than what they hear from us. If you hear me preach patience on Sunday and then hear me honking the horn as I get cut off in the Wal-Mart parking lot on Monday, which would you say more represents the value I place on patience? Frankly, this is why you have never heard me preach on patience.

What gets lost in this old saying is the fact that sometimes it is necessary to use words. Sometimes the first impression people have about us is by what we say. These words come from our reading from John’s gospel this morning.

The reading begins as Jesus tells Philip “Follow me.” There’s nothing flowery, emotional, or logical in this request, a simple imperative request. Follow me. Jesus doesn’t say why. Jesus doesn’t tell Philip who he is. Jesus doesn’t promise wealth, either in this world or the next. Jesus makes a very plain request.

Could Philip have had any idea what he was getting himself into?

In what seems to be missing from the narrative, Jesus and Philip spend some time together, maybe a meal, maybe a few hours or maybe even days. So later, Jesus isn’t present when Philip finds Nathanael, and when he does he shares the good news. We have found him! “We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus Son of Joseph from Nazareth!”

Philip speaks plainly. We have found him! In no uncertain terms he makes sure Nathanael knows who “he” is too. He is “Him,” Him with a capital “H.” We have found The Him.

Of course, as a big city boy from the teeming metropolis of Cana, Nathanael is not impressed with Nazareth. He was expecting someone with more impressive credentials, someone from the big city, Jerusalem. So with just the right touch of disrespect, Nathanael slams even the idea that “Him with a capital ‘H’” could come out of Nazareth. “Phil, friend, I’m from Eureka Springs, what has ever come out of Berryville that could possibly impress me? I’m waiting for the expert from the university in Fayetteville or the capital in Little Rock.”

Is that a little too close to home? It’s just a little plain speaking from Nathanael’s mouth.

Anyway, Philip then says the smart thing. “Come and see.”

Now I have been arguing with people for years, it’s a hobby. I have been skeptical and dealt with other skeptics since nineteen-forever. This is the only real answer you can share with a skeptic that has any real future, “come and see.” Words can only go so far, experience takes the next step on the journey.

If Nathanael is going to be skeptical, it’s up to Philip to tell him to come and see.

Thank God Nathanael took Philip up on his request. As Jesus sees Nathanael coming Jesus says “Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!” This prompts Nathanael’s “whatchu talkin’ ‘bout Willis” response. Jesus tells him, “I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you.” Yes, Jesus says I saw you before you had even heard of me.

Nathanael followed Philip’s advice—he came and he saw, and what he saw made the Israelite in whom there is no deceit cry out, ”Rabbi, you are the Son of God. You are the King of Israel!”

In a word, Nathanael goes from skeptic to believer. He is a believer in Jesus as a holy man, the Son of God. He is a believer in Jesus as a political figure, the King of Israel. These are important distinctions. In a way of speaking that we might gloss over, Nathanael declares his allegiance to Jesus in spiritual and political ways. Nathanael swears his faithfulness to the King of Kings of the earth and Lord of Lords of heaven.

The words that were spoken by Jesus, Philip, and Nathanael were plain. Jesus didn’t say who he was or why he came, the messianic secret is safe for the time being. Still, by what was said, Philip and Nathanael knew enough.

It was simple and plain. This was no Vegas magic show. There were no lofty speeches. This was the power of the Gettysburg Address, only shorter. There were no hidden agendas, not in Philip’s request or in Nathanael’s skepticism. Not in Jesus’ greeting or in Nathanael’s response.

One of the chapters of Merle Miller’s oral biography of Harry Truman deals with his early stint in politics, particularly his election as Judge of the Eastern District of Jackson County, Missouri. Like here in Arkansas, the County Judge is the county’s chief administrator. Early in the election process, Truman learned “If you’re going to be in politics, you have to learn to explain to people what you stand for.”[2] This is sage advice in all walks of life. If you have something to say, you have to learn how to say it well—the simpler the better.

Our gospel reading gives us several wonderful examples of plain speaking. Jesus tells Philip to follow. Philip tells Nathanael who has found him. Nathanael tells Philip he is not impressed, until Jesus just as plainly introduces himself. Then Nathanael tells the world who has found him, the great leader, head of the church and the head of the nation.

There is nothing complex about this and that may well be the lesson of the day. In a world that is increasingly complex, we are called to know what we value and share it with others in simple unadorned ways. We are to listen to others as they share with us the journeys of life. We are to find joy in the ways these threads intertwine to form the fabric of our lives together. Then, as the children of God we are to take that journey together with our Lord.

Things get complicated because we let them get complicated. We forget Ockham’s razor, often paraphrased as “All other things being equal, the simplest solution is the best.”[3] Plain speaking suits Ockham’s razor better than flowery language. Plain speaking helps us keep to the simplest solution, the best solution—the simpler the better.

There is one more element to this reading that is not as plain as the rest. Our reading ends with Jesus promising Nathanael if he believed because Jesus told him about the fig tree; he will see far greater things.

This benediction is made perhaps a little plainer, or at least as plain as poetry allows, by Dr. Seuss.[4]

And when things start to happen,
don't worry. Don't stew.
Just go right along.
You'll start happening too.

OH!
THE PLACES YOU'LL GO!

You'll be on your way up!
You'll be seeing great sights!
You'll join the high fliers
who soar to high heights.

Oh, the places we’ll go. When we hear the voice of the Lord calling us, we should rejoice and ask God to lead. If we think this isn’t child’s play, we only have to look to the example of Samuel. When the boy heard his name, not knowing who was calling, he ran to Eli saying “Here I am.” Samuel did not approach his vocation until he followed Eli’s instructions. Only when Samuel answered the call saying “Speak for your servant is listening” did he begin his journey.

Samuel, Philip and Nathanael heard the simple words, and their responses led to, well, to use Seuss’ paraphrase of Jesus in John 1:50 and 51, “Oh the places you’ll go.”

One of the places we will go today is the installation of Carolyn and Ken to the Session for another three year term. In this part of the service, we will begin with words, the Word of God from 1Corinthians. We will then not only ask them to affirm what they believe and where they place their trust, but they will also be asked if they will seek to follow the Lord Jesus in their own lives, loving their neighbors, working for the reconciliation of the world seeking to serve the people with energy, intelligence, imagination, and love.[5]

In these deeds, they will share the gospel with both actions and words. But first within this liturgy, we the congregation will be asked to do the same as the people of God.

Could Philip have had any idea what he was getting himself into? I dare say no, neither Philip nor Nathanael nor Samuel before them could have any idea where the plain speech of the Lord would lead. Still, as plain as these words are, the words can only go so far, experience takes the next step on the journey. It might begin with the words, but to be a disciple our words must lead to actions.

Samuel teaches us when the Lord calls, we are to listen. “Speak, for your servant is listening.” And by the example of Jesus, Philip, and Nathanael in John’s gospel, we are to speak plainly. Then only after we listen; do we respond and follow.

[1] HomileticsOnline.com, Triple Nines, http://homileticsonline.com/subscriber/printer_friendly_installment.asp?installment_id=93000114, retrieved January 5, 2009.
[2] Miller, Merle, Plain Speaking, an Oral Biography of Harry S. Truman. New York: Berkley Publishing, G. P Putnam’s Sons, 1973, 1974, page 125.
[3] Occham’s razor, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Achems_razor, retrieved January 17, 2009.
[4] Dr. Seuss, Oh, the Places You’ll Go. New York: Random House, 1990. This copy taken from “Seuss World”, http://schools.fsusd.k12.ca.us/schools/fhs/teacher/link/GigioC/Dreamweaver%202/Oh%20The%20Places%20you%27ll%20Go.htm, retrieved January 15, 2009.
[5] The Office of Theology and Worship for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Book of Occasional Services, A Liturgical Resource Supplementing the Book of Common Worship, 1993. Louisville: Geneva Press, 1999, page 24.