Water, Spirit And A New Reign

Holy Trinity Sunday (John 3:1-17 with Isaiah 6:1-13 in the b.g.) June 3, 2012

1)      What do we know about God?

2)      Does this mean we know God? For example if as a boy of 10 or 12 I read lots of romance novels, study the intricacies of pregnancy and even read about couples who have loved each other for over 60 years, does that mean that I know love?  

3)      And the third question – if I or we know lots of things about God and even try to obey all of God's commands, does that mean that God loves us? The other emerging question out of this is if I or we stop knowing about God or never start knowing about God does that mean that God doesn't or refuses to love us?

 

This morning we meet Nicodemus. What does the text tell us about Nicodemus? Have them look... a leader of the Jews (code word in John's Gospel- careful)– a Pharisee – a leader of those interpreting the law – very likely a very moral person. Not just anyone – but one who dedicates a significant portion of his life to seeking to do the very will of God. We are told that Nicodemus comes to Jesus by night. Darkness/night very important in John's Gospel. Jesus is the light of the world. A separation between darkness and light. Also when Judas goes out to betray Jesus, John tells us, "And it was night". Perhaps John is trying to tell us that at this point  Nicodemus is not in Jesus' camp, perhaps even opposed to Jesus. Or John could be telling us that Nicodemus at this point is afraid to be identified with Jesus.

 

Yet there is something about Jesus and what Jesus has been doing that is drawing Nicodemus to Jesus. As Nicodemus comes to Jesus, Nicodemus doesn't ask Jesus who he is. Oh, no! Perhaps Nicodemus thinks he KNOWS who Jesus is. John tells us that Nicodemus in speaking to Jesus says, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God." Now it seems like a nice compliment – that Jesus somehow has near or around or within him the presence of God. Another key word here is signs – pointing to the miracles Jesus does in John's gospel.

 

But Jesus is not impressed by any of this, by any of what Nicodemus supposedly knows or understands. This despite the fact that Nicodemus has dedicated himself to studying and observing the law of God.

 

Jesus, according to John's Gospel chooses a very different track. "Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God (that is the reign of God) without being born from above. "

 

Now Nicodemus is confused.   "Above" can mean from above from the top in a sense or again. Nicodemus wants to take Jesus literally – even as he wanted to take the miracles literally – as proof of something. So he questions Jesus in a literal way – a ridiculous way. But I think he is trying to understand. He is asking important questions. HOW CAN ANY OF THIS BE?

 

HOW CAN I OR ANYONE BE BORN FROM ABOVE? What a question!

 

Jesus gives Nicodemus and we who are listening to their encounter further direction. "Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit...

 

Now Nicodemus is in over his head, literally and metaphorically. Nicodemus asks Jesus again, "HOW CAN THESE THINGS BE?"

 

Jesus is in some ways amazed. Nicodemus is a teacher of Israel and yet doesn't understand these things.

 

Now Jesus begins to point to some fundamentals of Himself and God. And yet these fundamentals of God's love for the world, since they come from God are also mystery – not in the sense of a puzzle to be solved – but in the sense of One to stand or kneel in awe of.

 

So Jesus goes to what we know as the Old Testament, what Nicodemus would have known as the Torah and the Writings. Jesus reminds Nicodemus of one of the times that the Israelites  disobeyed God and were punished. Serpents were sent into their midst. The people were bitten. Some were dying. They cried out to God. An interesting pattern isn't it?  And God hears them. God instructs Moses to make the image of a serpent on a pole and lift it up in the people's presence. Those who look on that image will not die, even though they have been bitten. I don't know about you – but this is beyond my understanding. And yet for those people we are told that there has been new life, deliverance from their pain. In fact current medical associations sometimes make use of this imagery as the image of their healing practice.

 

Now Jesus wills to push  Nicodemus down a birth canal. Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man (a referral of Jesus to himself) be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life).

 

Pause – Eternal life. These are some words – for Nicodemus and for us. Eternal life in John's Gospel most certainly does not just mean what happens to us when we die – although it certainly can include that. Here, particularly in the context of Jesus speaking to the Pharisee Nicodemus, Jesus is speaking about living in God's presence, living under God's influence here and now, in all of our relationships. Here, in John's Gospel, Jesus is speaking about a new birth for Nicodemus in the way he lives and moves and has his being. And this, says Jesus, for Nicodemus and for us is not dependent at all on what we do or say or certainly understand. For all of those are only temporary and often misled. This being born from above says Jesus is a gift from God to Nicodemus – to any who believe. And as Luther says in the Small Catechism, explanation to the Third Article of the Creed, I cannot by own reason or understanding come to Jesus Christ my Lord, but the Holy Spirit calls, gathers and enlightens me. What a gift – what a miracle.

 

So I invite you to think about this. If a wee child, a babe, just born could speak – would they be able to explain or in some sense to know about the process of their birth? Do you even now – know, understand the reality of your birth? Is it not completely beyond our understanding? Yet, nevertheless our births have been very real. Our privilege, our responsibility is to live with the gift of our lives that our mother, our father, those who have gone before us – and of course, God have graced us with.

 

So let me ask those very first questions again.

1.      What do we know about God?

2.      Does this mean we know God?

3.      Does God love us?

 

The most important of these questions is by far the last one – for it is from this One, this Son of Man being lifted up that we are known and loved by God – and given new life through water and the Spirit – new life with God and with others now. Anything but easy and yet wonderful. And new life with God anew each day – again and again and again. Thanks be to God!

 

Finally, or actually to begin with yet again, what are we doing with the love God gives to us in terms of our living in this world which God so deeply loves? Amen.    

 

"UP, UP" but NOT AWAY

Ascension of our Lord, May 20, 2012

Acts 1:1-11 with Luke 24:44-53 in b.g.

Would it be helpful to have a sign from God, at least sometimes? You know when you are facing a major decision – should you move or not? Should you accept that new job or not? What should you do or say to your son or daughter, your husband or wife, your friend or neighbor, when you know some action, even some verbal response is warranted? Wouldn't it be great to know for sure – to have God the Creator or God the Son or God the Holy Spirit speak some audible word in our ear, touch our heart in an unmistakeable way, JUST SHOW US WHAT TO DO?

 

I remember a particular congregation that was just starting to grow. However they were "stuck" in an old building. They had begun to investigate finding or building a new building. But the costs at that stage of their life were prohibitive. Then one day the local funeral home called the church office, offering to buy their building above price. And the next week a local Mennonite congregation offered to sell their building, larger, newer at below market price to them. Now that congregation had to decide what it should it do. Who was God calling them to be in that time and place? Were they up for the challenge, the risk? During the ensuring discussions, (aren't congregational meetings wonderful?), one member stood up and announced, "If God would just give us an unmistakeable sign!"

 

And we laugh. But when it's "our" decision, "our" money, "our" time, "our" future – our homes that we are putting up as collateral – such decisions require a faith that is willing to step up and out and take some risk.

 

I am afraid that sometimes we don't long, we don't yearn, we don't look for any sign, for any direction beyond ourselves and our own understanding as we are called to decisions. You know we may only examine the dollars and cents question. Or we simply look at what we would like or prefer without considering anyone or anything else. We might even think that we have worked hard. We deserve it. So, we'll get it. Or, we'll leave for a holiday or we'll do what's easiest for us. But is that God's call that we are hearing? Is this what following Jesus means?

 

This morning we meet those early disciples in Luke's Gospel or in Acts chapter 1 the apostles, which means those who are being sent out. In Luke's Gospel it is Easter Sunday – that day when the disciples are just beginning to know that Jesus who has been killed is now alive. They are filled with fear. However the risen Jesus is seeking to move them beyond that – to new life, not only for themselves but for the world. In the text from the book of Acts 40 days have passed since that first Easter. During that time Jesus has been eating with the disciples and teaching them about who He is as the Christ. But now He must leave them. He must go to be with His Father and their Father, the Creator of the universe. But they will not be left alone.

 

He tells them that to begin with they must do something difficult – they must wait! They must wait for the gift of the Spirit to come upon them. It may or may not have been difficult for them to wait. The task Jesus calls them to is DAUNTING. He calls them and all who come after them to be his witnesses in Jerusalem where they already were, in the area of Judea surrounding where they already  were, in Samaria which was inhabited by people whom they understood to be their enemies, who in some fundamental ways were opposed to them. Jesus also calls them and any who would follow Him to be His witnesses to the very ends of the earth – to places and people they hadn't even imagined yet. To be sure they were willing to wait – maybe forever. But Jesus told them before He left them that time – that they wouldn't have to wait long – that soon they would be gifted with the Spirit and a power that they may not understand, but yet which is very real.  

 

So, do you ever think of yourself as a witness of Jesus?

 

Being a witness means that we share with others what we have seen, heard and know to be true. If it is good news that we are witness to, then that sharing will be done with joy and anticipation. Imagine if you were to win a million dollars, tax free? Whom would you share your joy with? How would you do that? Would you be generous and happy with those you love and know and perhaps even with some people you haven't met yet?

 

Or, if you have been particularly blessed with a friendship, a child or grandchild – would you tell anyone? Would that blessing affect the way you treat others and this creation that we are all blessed by?

 

How much more are we, can we be impacted by the life, death and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth, the One we call Christ, the One who is our Lord? In Him we know that death, ours and the death of others do not have the final nor the lasting, nor the most influential word. In Jesus we know that despite our shortcomings, our apathy, our fear, our hatred and misunderstanding of others, there can be new life, forgiveness, and then new beginnings with God and others. Through Jesus we see and experience that the powers which seek to perpetuate themselves by wreaking all kinds of havoc on people and creation others are not the ultimate power. So it is , we pray to pray to God, "Your kingdom, (your reign) come!"

 

Jesus promises those early apostles that God's Spirit will come upon them. It is that Spirit that will and does enable them to become his witnesses in thought word and deed, both nearby and far away. Not that witnessing is easy. Not that it is without cost to the apostles. BUT SUCH WITNESSING IS GOOD AND FILLED WITH WONDER. Through such witness others also begin to experience new life, new beginnings, hope that is real, that cannot and will not be killed.

 

Today we celebrate the ascension of our Lord. We no longer live with a cosmology that views experience as a 3 tiered universe. Some of us may no longer think of God as somehow "up" there, while hell or separation from God is somehow "down" there. However the ascension of our Lord points to a reality that is not tethered to or limited by the cosmological understanding of those who have gone (long) before us in the faith. The ascension of our Lord points us to the reality that Jesus is with God and that they are One.  The Ascension of our Lord also points us to the real source of any power we may have to embody the love and forgiveness of Jesus Christ in our lives. The power to so love, to give witness against all odds to the love and victory of Jesus, as imperfect as we are, living in a time that almost commands us to hoard, to be afraid and sceptical of trusting anyone but ourselves, comes from God's own Spirit.

 

Take heart dear people. This Holy Spirit is not something we earn or deserve or even figure out .This Spirit comes upon us a gift. And then the Spirit drives us, nudges us, cajoles and embraces us with the love and forgiveness of God, with the very power of God to live our lives not solely or even primarily for ourselves but to bear God's creative and redeeming Word, (i.e. Christ) to the very world we are living in.  

 

What a call this is! What a task! What a life to live. May God help us to move beyond locked doors or even "looking to heaven". May God move us to a living here and now with hope, forgiveness and love even as we encounter others in their giftedness and need. These are the gifts and dream of the suffering and risen Christ.

 

I close with a prayer from Teresa of Avila( 1515-1582)

 

God of love, help us to remember that Christ has no body now on earth but ours, no hands but ours, no feet but ours. Ours are the eyes to see the needs of the world. Ours are the hands with which to bless everyone now. Ours are the feet with which he is to go about doing good. Amen.