Best Answer Politics

Over the years, I've had many opportunities for ministry, some overt and some woven into the fabric of daily life, school, or job. Not everything runs smoothly all the time; sometimes, believe it or not, people who minister together and who have similar goals (salvation for unbelievers) -- don't see eye to eye. In fact, they may not even see eye to toenail, the disparity in thought is so wide.

I won't go into detail on the few times I've been in such a situation, but I will say that the result is incredibly painful. These are your brothers and sisters, your fellow believers, with whom you are supposed to be "one in heart in mind" (Acts 4:32). And when conflict arises, especially around core concepts that are important to you, like interpretation of Scripture -- it can be devastating.

We met Nicodemus back in John 3:1: "Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council." He comes to Jesus at night, and they have this incredibly thought-provoking conversation about eternal life and the love of the Father and being born again, but not from a mother's womb -- born of God. 

I said in my blog post that day, and I'll repeat it here: this information was brand new to Nicodemus. For me, growing up as I did where John 3:16 was the first verse I memorized -- certainly before I could even read -- the import and message of that section had become white noise. For Nicodemus, who had spent his life waiting for the Messiah without seeing fulfillment of those prophecies yet -- Jesus' message was incredible, nearly beyond belief, and yet...

Nic carries the seed of Jesus' words with him back to his day job, the "Jewish Ruling Council." Some time has passed; he's had a chance to think, ponder, reflect, and consider the things Jesus had told him. He's gotten to watch Jesus' ministry, hear the reports of the people and the miracles that are occurring. He's seen Jesus teaching in the temple courts in Jerusalem. 

He's forming a new belief system under the very noses of the Jewish Ruling Council, preparing his answer for anyone who asks him what he believes. He's formulating a reasoned, well-spoken response... just in case he needs it.

Nic is actually in a unique situation: He has had the opportunity to talk with Jesus himself, hear the message of salvation and take it to heart, and still maintain his day job with his friends the Pharisees, who are violently opposed to Jesus and His message.

So now we're in John 7:45-52. Jesus has been teaching to crowds at the Feast of Tabernacles, the seven-day celebration in Jerusalem, and He has -- per usual -- provoked quite a bit of discussion among the people.

The Pharisees (the group of which Nicodemus is a member) and the chief priests (two separate groups of people, but who are united in their intense dislike of Jesus) send their temple guards to "bring Him in." This would accomplish two things: 1.) It would get Jesus to stop teaching the people (remove the shiny, glittering object from the greedy crowd), and 2.) it would give them a chance to question Him and hopefully imprison Him.

Imagine the surprise of this crew when the temple guards return from their mission... and there's no Jesus to show for their efforts.

The chief priests and the Pharisees are stirring restlessly in anticipation and seething anger, and when the temple guards stroll in with no handcuffed menace to society, they demand an explanation. "Why didn't you bring Him in?"

The temple guards could have talked about the crowd's hostility (definitely a factor in Jesus' teaching; remember, some of them called him demon-possessed in John 7:20), and this would have been a valid excuse to offer the Pharisees, one they would have accepted. Rather, the guards step out of their comfort zones and give this answer: "No one ever spoke the way this Man does." 

Declaring new faith in the face of hostility is definitely uncomfortable. I'm proud of these guys.

Can you just hear the fury-filled pause as the Pharisees take in these words? It's like a pressure-cooker about to blow its lid. The lid blows sky-high. "You mean He has deceived you also?" the Pharisees demand.

This must have really rankled. My footnotes say that the chief priests would have been the ones who should have responded to the temple guards -- but the Pharisees are so incensed, they blow right by that detail and lash out. "Has any of the rulers of the Pharisees believed in Him? No!"

Nicodemus edges toward the door, tunelessly whistling... ;)

No, he doesn't. Instead, he takes a deep breath and offers this incredibly unpopular opinion: "Does our law condemn anyone without first hearing him to find out what he is doing?"

The ravening crowd turns on him. "Are you from Galilee, too?" they snap. Boy, these guys are furious, and they're throwing a first class tantrum because they aren't getting what they wanted. "Look into it, and you will find that a prophet does not come out of Galilee."

Ironically, the men who have studied Scripture and the prophets -- are wrong, as Jonah, a prophet, was from Galilee. And possibly a few others, as well.

In the narrative, this story is just another log on the fire of the Pharisees' mounting hatred of Jesus. The thing that stands out to me today, though, is the relationship of Nicodemus to the people he brushes elbows with every day. 

What do you do when you're in ministry with someone who sees so differently from you? What do you do when conflict arises between you and your fellow leader or leaders?

I've seen it happen from the outside many times in the form of church splits and volatile arguments, and I've experienced it personally in rebukes and petty disagreements. 

Ministry (the important part) stalls while disagreement happens. We see this in Acts when Paul confronts Peter about his refusal to eat with the Gentiles. Peter's drawing back, closing himself off from ministry to the Gentiles, and as he does, so do other church leaders, "until even Barnabas was led astray" (Galatians 2:13). 

So Paul confronts Peter. In front of everyone, he points directly at the hypocrisy, and then gives a reasoned, sound, logical argument about why Peter is wrong. 

In the passage in John, Nicodemus gives his own reasoned response: "Does our law condemn anyone without first hearing him to find out what he is doing?" 

This, in point of fact, is a part of their law: innocent until proven guilty. But the Pharisees are so angry that they've -- irrationally -- chosen to ignore the law, to disregard it.

I don't have any easy answers to what happens when ministry leaders disagree. It's just a painful experience for everyone. But there's this:

1 Peter 3:5-6 says: "But in your hearts, set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander." 

Here, I'm underscoring the necessity of having an "answer for everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have." 

Nicodemus, we come to find, is a long-term follower of Jesus. He doesn't walk away from his conversation with the Lord unmoved, but he considers it carefully. In John 7, he has developed a reasonable answer, a rational response. He gives it with gentleness and respect. His co-workers in ministry turn on him, but Nicodemus has nothing to be ashamed of. 

One thing that I think it's important to note: Nicodemus makes his point without getting into a shouting match. He could have responded in kind when the Pharisees snapped back, but he doesn't (or we don't have record that he does). However, he does not pull his punch in his response to them. He says exactly what he knows he needs to say to call attention to what it is his co-workers are missing.

Do I do that? Recent conversations with friends and co-workers are floating through my mind, many of them having to do with hot-button topics and volatile societal issues, and I'm examining those conversations to see if my behavior is without reproach. Is my response reasoned? Is it gentle? Is it respectful? Am I honoring another person's journey with the Lord? Even when I don't see eye-to-eye with another person, do I keep the perspective that my words matter?

Sometimes I've checked all those boxes. Sometimes I haven't. 

I do know that my answer must always point to Jesus and bring Him honor and glory. Whatever the circumstances, I can do this with gentleness and respect, without compromising His message, which is hopefully my answer.