John 3:1-21
Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. He came to Jesus by night and said to him, “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.” Jesus answered him, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be astonished that I said to you, ‘You must be born from above.’ The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, 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 a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things? “Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen; yet you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. 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 judgment, 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.”
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In the name of Jesus. Amen.
For God so loved the world. For God so loved the world. For God so loved the world.
More than any other verse in the bible, John 3:16 is probably the most familiar, "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but have eternal life." These words have been heard over and over and over again. From NFL football players, to nationally known TV and radio personalities, and even WWF wrestlers, John 3:16 has to be the most enduring and well-known verse of the bible.
Jesus' words here have meant more and said more to more people in history than almost any other words that have ever been recorded. You've heard them at funerals, and weddings, and Sunday School classes, and VBS extravaganzas, and bible camps, and even painted in memorial on the walls of our East Hallway here at Clarkfield Lutheran. Let's just say that these words of John 3:16 have staying power.
But have you ever really taken much time to look closely at the words that surround John 3:16? Did you know that there is a whole chapter, a whole book, and a whole bible that surrounds these words? It's hard to believe, I know, but the bible says more than, "For God so loved the world."
One could argue that these worlds are some of the most important in the bible. In fact, I've made that argument before. But it's at least interesting to see that these words actually fall into the middle of a very interesting story: the story of Nicodemus.
Nicodemus was a Pharisee, sort of a religious nerd, who came to Jesus in the middle of the night and to tell Jesus something Jesus already knew. "Jesus," Nicodemus says, "you're a pretty great teacher. You must be sent from God." Gee, thanks for pointing out the obvious, Sherlock. Did it take you a whole week of sleuthing to figure that one out?
Good thing I didn't write the bible. I'd probably be too sarcastic. Well, anyway. Nicodemus points out this glaringly obvious thing about Jesus, that Jesus was sent from God and that he was a great teacher. So Jesus decides that he isn't done teaching and that Nicodemus still has some learning to do. "Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above," or "born again."
And Nicodemus, not so smart now, replies, "Born again? Born again? Do I crawl back in my mother's womb?" He doesn't get it. Nicodemus came to Jesus by night, in the dark, and he is still in the dark. He doesn't get it. A religious nerd, stumped by this great teacher of God.
"Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things?" For pete's sake, Nicodemus, you don't even get that a person must be born again in order to see God's kingdom. Here you are, you've spent your whole life studying the scriptures, geeking out on religious encyclopedias, and yet you still don't get this simple, basic fact about God's kingdom?
Nicodemus, having been in the dark his whole life, is finally coming to the light. But it's not as simple a fact as it might seem. Born again. Since Nicodemus first heard these words, the world has been wondering what they mean. Nicodemus took them literally, asking if a person must crawl back into their mother's womb and be born again. Others have wondered if these words actually should be translated like they are in our version we read today to mean, "born from above." Still others have interpreted them figuratively to mean giving your life to Christ, or accepting Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior.
You might be surprised to hear this, but this last one is the least convincing for me. I don't think Jesus meant at all that you have to give your life to Christ or accept Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior.
Jesus tells Nicodemus, "Do not be astonished that I said to you, 'You must be born again.' The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit." The Holy Spirit blows like the wind, Jesus says. You don't get to make a decision for Christ, you don't get to control where God works in the world, you don't get to decide when or how the Holy Spirit shows up. Your decision has nothing to do with God. God is God and you are not.
This is what Jesus teaches Nicodemus. This is what Nicodemus is in the dark about: that God is uncontrollable. God shows up when and where God chooses. God loves whomever God loves. How scandalous! How crazy! How wild to have a God who chooses to do whatever God chooses to do! It's a hard thing to have a God who doesn't bend and twist to our every whim and will.
Instead, we have a God who loves the world. The whole world. We have a God who gave his only son so that we would not die, but have eternal life. We have a God who brings light into the dark places. We have a God who shows up, and who shows up in love and light.
The world was dark, people didn't know God. But this is God's judgement, "that the light has come into the world." God shines in the dark places. God loves the unlovable. God is God and we are not.
What a thing it is to have a God and not pretend to be a god. Our God shows up. God shows up whenever and wherever God chooses. But you can be sure about one thing. That God shows up in love. And God shows up to light up the dark places. So thanks be to God, who loves and gives us light.
In the name of Jesus. Amen.
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