Bull Session Supreme At Nazareth

John the Baptist, before his death, pointed to Jesus and said to his disciples, "Behold the Lamb of God. Follow him."

Two of them...John, and Andrew, did. Together with Jesus, they walked and talked along the pathways and when they reached the home of Jesus in Nazareth, Jesus said, "Why don't you stay?" And they did.

I don't know what they talked about that night, but I can imagine...lying on mats, or seated in a circle about a fire. The Bible doesn't tell us, but it must have been vital talk, for as the result of this wonderful bull session, John said, "Surely this is the Messiah". And Andrew, filled with excitement, went and told his brother, "We have found the Christ."

What did they talk about?...surely they talked about God, for although every Jewish boy knew the law, and the prophets, questions of the sincere heart were still unanswered. God was still a mystery. Why doesn't God do something about his world? And Jesus answered, "God has done something...Into His world, He has spoken His Word. You know it. You have been familiar with it from your childhood. It is eternal. It was in the beginning. It is true. It was with God. It is authoritative. It is God. God's Word gave the light, and that light has shined into the world. It shines in the darkness and the darkness has never been able to put it out.

It would almost seem that the 1st chapter of John's Gospel may have come directly from that night‑time conversation.

What has God done in His world? What better way to save a world in darkness, than to send the Light of His truth? How better to relieve the icy atmosphere of suspicion and mistrust, than with the warm Gospel of love?

Perhaps we need to do more bull‑sessions about our belief in God. Too sacred you say? Too much chance of getting off on the wrong track? Too much likelihood of making God seem earthy and bringing Him down to our level?

The answer is that God is not on precarious footing. He will not be put down by our little thoughts. The anvil will not be spoiled by our insignificant hammers. Better to get a hazy glimpse than no glimpse at all. And God loves to be brought down to earth where He can walk with us and talk with us and tell us we are His own.

Christianity is real and is practical. It makes sense. It ought to be part of our every day language. It can be talked about over the coffee cups as well as over the theologian's table. Our faith is reasonable. Jesus Christ came to make the things of God real. But does the Word take on flesh through you and me? That's the real question for today's conversations.