I Don't Get It

OT Lesson: Numbers 21:4-9 (CEB)

They marched from Mount Hor on the Reed Sea road around the land of Edom. The people became impatient on the road. The people spoke against God and Moses: “Why did you bring us up from Egypt to kill us in the desert, where there is no food or water. And we detest this miserable bread!” So the Lord sent poisonous snakes among the people and they bit the people. Many of the Israelites died.

The people went to Moses and said, “We’ve sinned, for we spoke against the Lord and you. Pray to the Lord so that He will send the snakes away from us.” So Moses prayed for the people.

The Lord said to Moses, “Make a poisonous snake and place it on a pole. Whoever is bitten can look at it and live.” Moses made a bronze snake and placed it on a pole. If a snake bit someone, that person could look at the bronze snake and live.

NT Lesson: John 3:14-21 (NRSV)

And just 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, so that everyone who believes in Him may not perish but may have eternal life.

‘Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him. Those who believe in Him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgement, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God.’

Sermon

Introduction

Good morning. Today marks the fourth Sunday in Lent. I hope you are all healthy and well. We take various steps to maintain our health, don’t we? For instance, I visit my doctor twice a year for health check-ups. Thankfully, I haven’t encountered any serious health issues. However, a few years back, my blood tests revealed high levels of blood fat. Interestingly, there are different types of blood fats—some good, some bad. It turned out I had elevated levels of a harmful type of fat, not cholesterol, but still above average, though not dangerously high. My doctor presented me with two options: regular exercise or daily medication. Embracing my less industrious side, I opted for the medication, jokingly admitting my laziness and my faith in modern medicine to my doctor. Given that it is Lent, a time for repentance and forgiveness, I hope you will forgive this particular laziness of mine. Since then, I have been taking medication daily to manage my blood fat levels, and I suspect many of you might also be on some form of daily medication for your health.

Recently, I paid close attention to a pharmaceutical advertisement, which usually depicts seniors enjoying life in picturesque settings, accompanied by rapidly delivered disclaimers. As someone for whom English is a second language, these fast-spoken parts often fly past me. But this time, I made an effort to understand, replaying the ad multiple times on YouTube. After several attempts, I grasped the message. To summarise it, “You can take this medication for a minor issue, you may die or have suicidal thoughts.” Did I get that right? It baffles me. Firstly, why would they market such a medication? I don’t get it. And secondly, why include such warnings in their ads? I don’t get it. Is it why they speak so fast, hoping no one will catch it? Regardless, I find myself perplexed. I don’t get it.

I Don’t Get It

Speaking of “I don’t get it,” it brings to mind an experience at my home church in Naperville, IL, where my wife, Hannah, and I volunteered for the Sunday school. The church offers two services: an earlier one with a contemporary style and a later one that is more traditional, much like what we have here. Hannah and I attended the second service, enjoying the traditional hymns, and volunteered for the Sunday school during the first service. Our class was comprised of preschoolers.

One Sunday, a charming little girl, about 4 years old, told me a joke. Laughing, she asked, “Do you get it?” Truthfully, I did not understand, so I responded, “No, I don’t get it.” She repeated her joke, still laughing, and asked again, “Do you get it?” And again, I admitted, “I don’t get it.” With a heavy sigh, she told me the joke once more, and our conversation repeated in the same manner one last time. When I confessed yet again that I didn’t get it, she sighed deeply and walked away to rejoin her friends. And let me clarify, my misunderstanding was not due to my English skills—my wife also did not get the joke.

This incident led me to overhear a debate among the preschoolers, prompting me to listen in to grasp what they were discussing. They were attempting to define “zillion.” Remember, these are three and four-year-old children. One child declared, “I think a zillion is eleven.” Another countered, “No, I think it is twenty-eight.” “Zillion is thirty-two,” another added. The numbers gradually increased until they reached around seventy, at which point a boy boldly suggested that a zillion must be one hundred. A brief silence fell over the group before they collectively dismissed the idea, proclaiming it too large. Those young minds were earnestly trying to comprehend and articulate the biggest number imaginable. It was endearing and cute, yet it is fair to say, they didn’t quite “get it.”

Snake on a Pole

Speaking of the children’s numbers, let us delve into Numbers 21, the Old Testament lesson for today. It narrates a captivating episode where, following yet another instance of the Israelites’ complaints, God’s patience was severely tested, leading to a divine response involving poisonous snakes. In Hebrew, these snakes are referred to as “הַנְּחָשִׁ֣ים הַשְּׂרָפִ֔ים,” which can be translated as “the serpents of the Seraphim” or “the fire serpents.” The term “Seraphim,” identical to that used when we speak of Cherubim and Seraphim, has led some to speculate about these creatures’ extraordinary nature, envisioning them as possibly fire-breathing or even spiritual beings. However, we don’t go there. We need not to venture into such speculative territory. These were not angelic Seraphim but simply fire serpents, likened to how fire ants are named for their painfully burning bites rather than any ability to produce fire. The narrative does not specify the number of snakes sent among the Israelites, but the consequences were dire, with many suffering and dying from the venomous bites.

Imagine being on a hike or jogging, suddenly attacked and bitten by a rabid wild rabbit. Given that rabies is almost invariably fatal once symptoms manifest, the urgency for treatment is paramount. Rushing to the nearest emergency room, you would expect immediate medical intervention. Yet, picture the bewildering scenario where the doctors taking selfies, rather than administering a vaccine or treatment, presents a photograph of a rabbit similar to your assailant and claims that merely looking at this image for five minutes would cure you. Such a proposition would likely incite a range of emotions, from incredulity to anger.

This bewildering situation mirrors the plight of the Israelites. Bitten or fearing imminent bites, they sought a cure from Moses. Instead of a conventional remedy, Moses erected a bronze snake on a pole, instructing the people that merely looking at this figure would heal them. This directive likely left many dumbfounded and sceptical. They didn’t get it. Some, unable to grasp the logic, might have dismissed Moses’ words and succumbed to their wounds. Others, perhaps equally perplexed yet desperate, chose to look at the bronze snake, only to experience an inexplicable recovery, thinking like “I don’t get it. I really don’t understand this. But just in case, let me look at it.” This narrative underscores a profound lesson on faith and the inscrutable ways in which divine intervention can manifest, often defying our understanding and expectations.

Miracle—I Don’t Get It

It is truly a miracle! When asked how such miracles were possible, I must confess, I don’t understand. I don’t get it. There is no scientific explanation I can offer for these phenomena. Jesus walked on water. If you ask me how it was possible, I have no answer. I don’t know. I don’t get it. Prophet Elijah went up to the heaven alive on a chariot of fire. How was it possible? I don’t know. I don’t get it either. There is no way I can explain it scientifically. How these events occurred is beyond my grasp. My inability to comprehend extends to numerous biblical miracles. Not understanding them does not mean they are not true. For instance, I do not fully grasp how the central processing unit (CPU) in a computer operates. I know that they are made of silicones and that it involves binary rather than decimal systems, but the intricate mathematics and algorithms elude me. Nonetheless, the reality of computers and smartphones is indisputable. You all know that the computer is real even though you don’t fully understand all the mechanisms how the computer works internally.

Our lack of understanding merely highlights our limited intelligence. Science is often invoked to challenge the existence of God and the veracity of the Bible. However, a friend of mine, with Ph.D in physics who was an atheist from the birth for most of his life, came to recognise a divine design in the universe after extensive study in quantum physics. With all his knowledge of science, throughout his life, he couldn’t think of any deity. But decades of studying quantum physics after his Ph.D, one day he thought to himself that everything is so fit together well beautifully, and all the numbers and constants are strangely perfected in all situation. So his conclusion was that the universe must have been delicately and carefully designed by someone. So he turned himself a Christian when nobody invited him to come to church. His revelation echoes Werner Heisenberg’s sentiment who is a Nobel laureate and father of quantum mechanics. He commented, “The first gulp from the glass of natural sciences will turn you into an atheist, but at the bottom of the glass God is waiting for you.” So if you have somewhat knowledge of science, you deny God, but when you have deeper knowledge, you will encounter God. So my friend found God at the bottom of the glass when his scientific knowledge and understanding got deeper and deeper.

Our inability to fully comprehend God reflects our limited knowledge and wisdom. Job’s friend questioned, “Can you fathom the mysteries of God? Can you probe the limits of the Almighty? They are higher than the heavens above—what can you do? They are deeper than the depths below—what can you know? Their measure is longer than the earth and wider than the sea.”1 And God, through Isaiah, reminds us, “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.”2 King David also sings this mystery in his psalm that “Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is so high that I cannot attain it.”3 Likewise apostle Paul teaches us that “the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.”4 Both King David and Apostle Paul reflected on the unfathomable nature of God’s knowledge and wisdom.

Thus, we accept that we may never fully understand or ‘get it’ because our wisdom and intelligence will always fall short of God’s. This humility in the face of the divine mysteries encourages us to embrace faith, recognising that God’s ways and thoughts are beyond our highest aspirations for knowledge and understanding.

Greatest Mystery

Among the myriad miracles and mysteries described in the Bible, the greatest of all is the love of God—a mystery that truly baffles me. The Apostle John articulates this love in his epistle: “God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent His only Son into the world so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins.”5 Despite John’s explanation, the depth and reasoning behind this divine love remain incomprehensible to me. So I don’t understand. Why and how could God love us to such an extent? I don’t get it.

This query persists, and the Apostle Paul attempts to elucidate in his letter to the Romans: “Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare to die. But God proves His love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us.”6 Still, the magnitude of God’s love eludes me. I understand that God loved us first, even when we were still sinners, but the motives and mechanics of such love are beyond my grasp. I don’t get it.

My personal journey accentuates this puzzle. Born and raised in a Buddhist family, I never did anything to merit God’s love. Quite the contrary, I found myself blaming God for my misfortunes. Yet, in my darkest moments, as I plummeted into despair, Jesus reached out and saved me. God loved me first, sending His Son as my Saviour. I recognise this truth, but the reasons and means by which God loves so unconditionally—loving those who curse Him, dying for those who despise Him—remain unfathomable. I don’t get it. Why did the Prince of Peace, Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, and Everlasting Father embark on a Lenten journey? Why did the Son of God endure a cruel death on the cross, not for the righteous, but for sinners like me? I don’t get it. These questions persist, underlining the vast, immeasurable nature of Christ’s love—a love so profound that even the Apostle Paul admits it “surpasses knowledge”7 in his letter to the Ephesians.

When we marry, we do the wedding vows which basically says “And I will always love you...until death do us part.” So human love, no matter how great that is, is valid only until death. Human love expires when our body expires. But we are “convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”8 This divine love, transcending death and all earthly limitations, invites us into a relationship with God that is eternal and unbreakable, a testament to the unparalleled magnitude of God’s love for us.

We Don’t Get It—What to Do?

So, we acknowledge that God’s love for us is so profound that even death cannot separate us from the love of Christ. Yet, despite this knowledge, the nature of God’s love eludes our full understanding—we simply don’t “get it.” What, then, should our response be in the face of this incomprehensible love? My high school experience with a new chemistry teacher offers a parallel reflection. Freshly graduated as valedictorian from a top university in Korea, he was undoubtedly brilliant, but my classmates and I were stupid. One day he tried to explain how something works in the molecular-level, which nobody in the classroom understood. He tried for three hours using many different methods and approaches. And finally he gave us up. Despite his exhaustive efforts and various teaching strategies, our collective confusion or collective stupidity presented his first real challenge as an educator. In a moment of frustration mixed with resignation, he advised us, emphasising the practical necessity over comprehensive understanding, “You don’t get it because you are all dumb. Now just memorise the formulae so that you can at least pass the test.” This encounter, though regrettable in its delivery, carries a poignant lesson relevant to today’s sermon.

Faced with the mystery of God’s love, which we cannot fully fathom, we are presented with a test, akin to a multiple-choice question: “We don’t understand God’s love. What should we do now?” The options are: (1) Abandon it, since we don’t understand it; (2) Take advantage of it; or (3) Accept God’s love and obey His commandments, even though we do not understand. Friends, which option would you choose?

This question invites us to reflect on our relationship with divine mysteries, emphasising faith and obedience over complete understanding. It suggests that, in the face of God’s incomprehensible love, our best response is to embrace it and live according to His will, trusting that this path leads to true fulfilment and salvation, even when our minds cannot fully grasp the why and the how of God’s profound love for us.

Conclusion

Friends, God’s love is indeed a profound mystery—vast, boundless, and beyond our full comprehension. Yet, despite our struggles to grasp its entirety, let us wholeheartedly embrace this divine love. As we continue through this Lenten season, let us commit to following in the footsteps of Jesus Christ on His journey toward Calvary, a path underscored by His immeasurable and mysterious love for us all. May we also strive to embody this love in our own lives, extending it to our families, friends, and communities in ways that reflect the depth and mystery of Christ’s love. Let us love them mysteriously as well so that they don’t understand our love. In doing so, we honour the essence of Lent and draw closer to the heart of God. Amen.