03-01-26 "Through the Valley of the Shadow of Death - Nicodemus

Lent frames a focused pilgrimage toward the cross and through the valley of the shadow of death. Jesus remains fixed on mission even while facing suffering and abandonment, choosing availability to people across every social and moral divide. The narrative contrasts common self-preservation under threat with examples of radically available service: stories from an internment camp reveal widespread fear and selfishness, while Eric Liddell stands out by giving himself away with joy and steadfast purpose. Scripture shows availability in action—Abraham answers God’s call after loss, Nicodemus seeks Jesus by night, and Jesus meets even the self-righteous and enemies with grace.

A simple, practical framework called Open ARMS anchors the call to join God’s work: be Available, Relational, Move to act, and Supported. Availability requires stepping into inconvenient spaces and staying present for people who hide their need. Relational outreach prioritizes person-to-person encounters over programs or materials, recognizing that the Spirit often uses ordinary relationships to introduce Jesus. Moving to act demands motivation that outlasts fatigue and failure; God equips those who respond rather than calling the already finished. Support multiplies endurance—discipleship and community sustain witness and keep outreach from collapsing into burnout.

Jesus’ mission flows from love for the Father and the world: the cross and the empty tomb remain the center, and the Spirit equips ordinary people to bear this hope. Communion underscores the availability of forgiveness and the call to live forgiven lives as witnesses. The congregation receives an invitation to practical participation—readiness to be sent, training through shared resources, and mutual encouragement two by two. The final appeal asks for openness to be ambassadors who bring the gospel to neighbors, enemies, and those who are reluctant or ashamed, trusting that God prepares hearts and strengthens those who answer the call.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Be radically available for God's mission Availability means showing up where people actually live, not just where it feels safe. Being available often looks like inconvenient conversations, late-night hospitality, and steady presence with those who are ashamed or hostile. Such availability models Jesus’ own approach: meeting seekers and skeptics without judgment. [65:44]
• 2. Prioritize relationship over programs A single patient friendship can do what campaigns cannot: it opens a trusting space for the Spirit to work. Relational ministry resists quick fixes and invests in the slow transformation that follows shared meals, repeated visits, and honest listening. This approach honors persons as ends, not means. [65:25]
• 3. Suffering can sharpen mission focus Crisis exposes self-centered instincts but also clarifies calling for those who have rooted their identity beyond comfort. Stories from internment and ministry show that hardship either narrows concern to survival or widens it into sacrificial service; the difference turns on obedience and prayer. Aim for a response that radiates joy and steadiness amid loss. [41:47]
• 4. Move to action with support Knowing what to do rarely suffices; momentum requires motivation plus companions. Pairing courage with practical support—training, accountability, and shared goals—keeps witness resilient when the work grows costly. Jesus sent disciples two by two; partnership sustains long obedience. [53:13]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [02:12] - Lent: Heading to the Cross
• [02:29] - Walking with Jesus to the Cross
• [02:52] - Jesus’ Focus in Suffering
• [13:26] - Forgiveness and Weekly Renewal
• [38:25] - If You Knew You Would Die Today
• [40:14] - Langdon Gilkey's Camp Observation
• [42:06] - Eric Liddell: Joy in Service
• [45:06] - Following Jesus Through the Valley
• [47:32] - Introducing Open ARMS
• [53:13] - ARMS: Available, Relational, Move, Supported
• [62:54] - John 3: Nicodemus and New Birth
• [65:44] - Call to Be Available for Others
• [72:22] - Communion: Forgiveness Remembered
• [79:32] - Invitations, Resources, and Next Steps

Based on the sermon transcript, the primary biblical text for the message is John 3:1-21, which details the encounter between Jesus and Nicodemus and contains the famous John 3:16. This passage directly supports the sermon's focus on Jesus's radical availability and mission.

Bible reading
John 3:1-21 (ESV)
> Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”

Observation questions

1. What time of day did Nicodemus choose to meet with Jesus, and what might that detail tell us about his state of mind or social pressures?
2. In the story from the internment camp, how did Eric Liddell's behavior stand in stark contrast to almost everyone else's? [43:36]
3. According to the Open ARMS framework, what are the four key components for connecting people to Jesus? [53:50]
4. What reason does Jesus give in John 3:16-17 for God sending His Son into the world?

Interpretation questions

1. Why might someone, like Nicodemus, seek spiritual answers but only under the cover of darkness or in secret? What fears or social costs can prevent people from being open about their search for truth?
2. The sermon described how a crisis, like an internment camp, can cause people to descend into self-centeredness or, like Eric Liddell, sharpen their mission focus. [41:47] What is the fundamental difference in a person's identity or source of strength that leads to these two radically different outcomes?
3. Jesus was available to Nicodemus, who was educated yet struggled to understand basic spiritual truths. [01:01:50] What does this encounter reveal about the patience and relational approach required to help someone who is spiritually curious but confused?
4. The framework emphasizes being "Supported." Why did Jesus send his disciples out two by two, and how does having a partner provide more than just practical help in the mission? [54:54]

Application questions

1. Availability often looks like inconvenient conversations or late-night hospitality. [01:05:44] Who in your life right now is like Nicodemus—someone who might have questions but is hesitant to be seen asking them? What is one practical, low-pressure way you could make yourself more available to them this week?
2. A single patient friendship can do what campaigns cannot. [01:05:25] Is your approach to sharing faith more program-based or relationship-based? Think of one person you already have a relationship with; how can you prioritize listening and sharing meals with them over simply giving them a book or inviting them to an event?
3. Are you available for your enemies? [01:01:02] What would you do if someone who has really hurt you suddenly realized they needed Jesus and was open to a conversation? What fears or hesitations would you need to surrender to God to be ready for that moment?
4. Knowing what to do rarely suffices; momentum requires motivation plus companions. [53:13] Who is one person you could ask to be your "two-by-two" partner for encouragement and accountability in mission? What is one specific thing you could ask them to do to support you?
5. God doesn’t call the equipped; He equips those He has called. [01:06:20] What is one reason you feel unequipped or disqualified from sharing hope with others? How can the truth that God equips those who respond, rather than calling the already finished, change your willingness to step out in faith?