How many of you have ever been on a blind date? (Who set it up for you? How did they describe the person? Were they right?) I have never been as interested in the person I would meet as much as how my friend would describe my blind date.

Would you go on a blind date with this description?

Your date is beautiful, brilliant, outgoing, warm, accepting, personable and charming. This date, I know is perfect for you.

I am really not stretching the truth, but you should know that your date can be a bit shy at times. Your date just doesn’t go around spilling the heart out to everyone. You have to know the right kinds of questions to ask; until then, sometimes your date can seem a little aloof. And although beautiful by anyone’s standards, your date dresses a little oddly by American standards, being from a Middle Eastern country and all. And I should mention the accent in your date’s voice, which might make it hard sometimes to understand each other. All in all, this date is a perfect match for you!

Does this person sound like a person you’d like to meet?

Sometimes introducing people to the Bible is like trying to set up a blind date, when most of the time the introduction does not go so well. It’s not because they are incompatible, but in how the Bible is described--oversimplified, understated, easy to understand, non-challenging, convenient, and worst of all—simple. We try to tame it, smoothing out its rough edges so that it is a little easier to accept. As a result, many people’s relationship with the Bible is rocky at best; while some almost never read the Book that defines and informs their faith. Instead of engaging the Bible itself, many Christians are content to accept what they are told by other books, the TV, radio, SS teachers, and even preachers. As a result, the power of the Bible in a person’s life is neutered in the cacophony of voices and influences that often draw our attention away from the authentic Word of God. So let’s take a look a better look at this book…

B. Scripture: Nehemiah 8:1-10

“If you brought your Bibles today…you probably aren’t…Methodist!” The youth group is tired of this joke that I borrowed from a friend of mine because I used to say it at every youth group meeting as I prepared to read the Bible. Although the joke is slightly funny, it does reveal a deeper truth: somehow Methodists have the reputation that carrying one’s Bible, even to church, is not that important. It has made me wonder just how important the Bible is to modern United Methodists. So then…if you brought your Bibles…turn to Nehemiah 8.

Most scholars accept that Nehemiah and Ezra were probably circulated as one book, and told the story of how, after hundreds of years in captivity, the Jews returned to Jerusalem discovering that they had lost their temple, their city, and their faith. Ezra-Nehemiah explains how these faithful Jews labored to restore not only the Temple, but also the sacred religious practices that were lost to their forefathers.

Today’s scripture comes just after the Temple was finally rebuilt, and now Nehemiah was attempting to re-establish the purity of the community and worship by placing the Holy Word of God at the center of their worship, their society, and their lives. As we hear these words, we get a sense of how important and sacred the Scriptures are to the Hebrew people. They do not just open up the book and begin reading. No, they had a special procession of this Holy Book, said prayers over the book, read it aloud for hours while people stood, interpreted the original Hebrew into Aramaic so the people could understand it, and upon their understanding, the people were moved to tears. Clearly, the Bible was not just any book to the Hebrews, they viewed it as a gift from God that should be revered, respected, cared for, and listened to. But, that was thousands of years ago, and that was the Jews. We are modern people living in a modern age. Times have changed. So…just how do we, or should we, modern United Methodists view the Bible?

1. At its very heart, the Bible is the inspired and holy Word of God. The Bible is our principle textbook, diary, roadmap, and window to finding the living God and all the Truth necessary for discovering the joy of eternal life that can begin right now, in this life! Sure, we can experience the truth of God in many other ways—in worship, in nature, through other people, through our traditions, through prayer, through our intellectual pursuits—but it is only through the lens of Bible that authenticates and illumines these other revelations. The Bible, therefore, is our central authority and standard for faith and practice.

All of the doctrines of the church, beliefs of Christianity, and practices of faith that United Methodist hold true are rooted in the Bible. Yet, we must be careful not to reduce the Bible to a mere literal list of doctrines, beliefs, or rules for living; but as a window that reveals the very person of God.

Katie and I have a set of rules for our kids to follow that are rooted in our most basic values. Such rules as ‘do not play in the street,’ ‘do not hit your brother,’ and ‘eat your vegetables’ are not meant to take away our kids fun, but actually to communicate our values of life, respect, and health on a level they can understand so that they are protected from harm, and provided everything they need to get the most out of life.

In the same way, the Bible’s stories, commands, and teachings are a reflection of the nature of God on a level we can understand. We may see them as a mere set of rules, and at times we may need to respond that way. But if we see the Bible only as a rulebook, we may get a distorted view of God as some unloving, uncaring judge trying to take away our fun. If we look beyond the literal words of the Bible to the God who inspired it, we will always discover a loving God that wants to protect us from harm while providing for us a pathway for life. I sure hope my kids will mature in a way that they end up seeing how all the efforts, rules, and expectations that Katie and I have really does communicate a deep love to my children.

2. Scripture therefore informs and guides how we practice our faith in a practical way that helps us to honor God in this life, build God’s kingdom on earth, and restore the image of God in creation.

I am dismayed that Methodists are often considered ‘fence-riders’ when it comes to putting one’s faith into practice. The United Methodist Church continually and thoughtfully speaks to the human issues in the contemporary world through our Social Principles. These are principles that take a Biblical and theological stand on such issues as abortion, homosexuality, care for the environment, war, slavery, death penalty, and many other issues. Each stand is rooted deeply in Scripture, illumined by our United Methodist tradition, validated through our experience, and confirmed by a sense of reason. But, if we were to comb the Bible for a literal list of beliefs on these issues, we will never be satisfied. It is only when we approach Scripture looking for God, not just beliefs, will we find a guide to our faith in a modern world.

Today is Organ and Tissue Donation Sunday. Nowhere in the Bible does it give us any clear rule for the donation of organs, tissues, or even blood. Does that mean that we should not give our organs; or worse, that God really doesn’t care? On the contrary, we recognize that we as faithful, Bible-following Christians have a responsibility and an obligation to share these very precious gifts of life. (In my research, I have discovered that there are some Christian denominations that claim organ donation is an abomination of God’s word and defines it as a form of cannibalism!)

When we read scriptures such as Matthew 5:43, “you shall love your neighbor,” and John 15:12ff, “love one another as I have loved you,” and then we remember the story of how Jesus gave his life so others might live; we begin to see that the donation of organs, tissues, and blood is the ultimate sign of our sacrificial love for others. Indeed, the Bible is the source of our doctrines, and informs our practice of ministry.

3. The Bible, however, is not just the words of God, but the living WORD of God. The WORD of God is what became flesh, and dwelt among us. The WORD of God is God’s very self--dynamic, revealing, and life-changing and life-giving. That’s why when we read the Bible, whether as a 2 year old, 12 year old or 100 year old, it still impacts us, transforms us, and reveals the living God. Jesus, the incarnate Word of God, lived and breathed, grew and inspired, and offered life and hope to a changing world. The Bible too is the living Word of God that fills us with life and breath, nurturing growth and inspiration, and offering eternal life and hope in a changing world. The Bible is always more than just a book because the Word of God, the Truth of God, lives in it and through it.

Although the words of the Bible come in a single book, we should remember that it is a collection of 66 separate and unique books written over a 1200 year span, and are woven together to reveal the WORD of God. No matter how the Bible is read, front to back, back to front, it always tells the same story…a love story of a God who desperately wants to be in relationship with God’s people. In fact, the entire Bible is really a Love story, and should be read that way. God’s love permeates every part…from creation to the Fall; from the ark to the Exodus; from Jonah to Jesus; from the prodigal son, to the lost sheep; from the early church to today. When we keep in mind this undying love story of God, the parts of the Bible that are difficult to understand become clearer. But when we ignore this story, we are tempted to look to the Bible to justify or our own beliefs instead of discovering a God who shapes our beliefs.

For example, if we reduce the Bible to merely answering the question of “How does a person go to heaven after one dies?” we will misunderstand major parts of the Bible that were written before that question was on anybody’s mind. The people of the Old Testament were far more concerned about being the people of God in this life, not after this life. Therefore their sacrifices were not a way to clean their slate so that they could die forgiven and go to heaven, but a way to remain pure as a community to participate now in God’s two-fold promise: being blessed by God, and being a blessing to the world. A love story.

When we can read the Bible as if we are one of the characters in the story, visualizing our story intertwined with a God who loves us, then the Bible becomes OUR love story. No wonder it is the greatest story every told.

Conclusion

So in the end, when you carry the Bible, you carry the Word of God that gives life and meaning to a world in need of hope and to a people in need of being introduced to God. But, it is far more important to carry the Word of God in your heart…and the only pathway to discover the power of God in a modern world, is to open it up…and read it. But a word of warning… don’t be surprised if you have questions, get frustrated, confused; or become ecstatic with discoveries and angry over injustices. Don’t be surprised if you begin to think differently, forgive more, have a joy of life, love for others, and have a sense of confidence to face an uncertain future. But most of all when you read the Bible, don’t be surprised… when you find… the living God.

Now that’s an introduction to the Blind Date of your life!