John 3:1-17

Rev. Christie Dahlin

John 3:1-17 NRSV

3:1 Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews.

3:2 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.”

3:3 Jesus answered him, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.”

3:4 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?”

3:5 Jesus answered, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit.

3:6 What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit.

3:7 Do not be astonished that I said to you, ‘You must be born from above.’

3:8 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.”

3:9 Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?”

3:10 Jesus answered him, “Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things?

3:11 “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.

3:12 If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things?

3:13 No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man.

3:14 And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,

3:15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

3:16 “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.

3:17 “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.

Sermon: 

At the Christian college I attended it seemed we were always invited to tell our faith story, 

From classes, to church groups, or even in small groups in the dorms. 

I always had a bit of an internal cringe when these invitations would arise. 

While I love hearing people’s stories and hearing about what has shaped them into who they are, 

faith stories feel full of baggage to me and sometimes a bit performative. 

I felt pressure to have those moments of clarity, those mountaintop faith moments that shaped who I was as a person of faith. 

Hearing other’s stories of when they clearly heard God telling them something made me feel like I was doing something wrong. 

While some, include some stories in Scripture, truly have those aha life changing moments, those “come to Jesus” moments,

That has not been the case for me. 

My faith journey has been more of a meandering one, 

One of curiosity of what following Jesus means in each time and place I find myself in.

One filled with asking questions,

part of what led me to go to seminary was simply that I had a lot of questions about God, and what it means to be a follower of Jesus.

My faith journey has been a steady and yet meandering one, 

one without shining “aha” moments, but one of slow transformation and a multitude of small experiences that have shaped me and my understanding of who God is. I like to think of it as a mosaic of people, experiences and stories that shape my faith. 

I see this curiosity and slow transformation in Nicodemus.

If he were to tell his faith story, it would not be one of a one time life altering moment at changed everything, but one filled with questions,

And a story that includes a particularly interesting (and confusing) conversation with Jesus, that it seems may have led to more questions and continued listening, before fully embracing who Jesus was. 

Yet what strikes me as ironic is that in this Gospel story Jesus and Nicodemus talk about being born from above or being born again, and that phrase has been turned into the Christian-ies or Christian short-hand for have you been saved? Have you had a life altering moment that led you to say yes to Jesus and eternal life?

That is how some Christians have used the phrase “born again”, in reference to being saved and eternal life, 

but that is not actually Nicodemus’ experience or what Jesus is really talking about here, I think there is more going on and we can’t simplify it so much. 

I came across a great story this week as I was reading other’s thoughts on Nicodemus, and I think it is a good example of how “born again” is used and what Jesus actually may have meant. 

This story is in a reflection by Rev. Dr. Alyce Mckenzie who is a seminary preaching professor.

I will read it in her words: 

“I was in the waiting area at our local Discount Tire store last week waiting for my new tires to be put on my car. I picked up a women’s magazine and was intently reading an article called, “How to supercharge your metabolism.” I became vaguely aware that someone had sat down in the chair next to mine. This seemed odd because I was in the middle of a row of empty chairs. I like my personal space while I’m waiting for my tires. Then a leaflet was put in front of my face with the heading: “How to be born again” and I heard a man’s voice ask, “Wouldn’t you like to read something of more eternal significance than this magazine? Have you been born again?”

I looked up into the face of an earnest man in his mid 40s who now sat next to me, looking at me expectantly. When I didn’t reply immediately, he asked, “Well, have you?” I said, “I’m glad you asked that question. I’ve been reflecting on Jesus’ words to Nicodemus in John chapter 3 and I don’t think Jesus means ‘born again’ as if it were some emotional lightning strike that once it’s over, we speak of our salvation in the past tense, like, that’s done, now I have that checked off my to-do list. I think being born again calls for our participation, and I think it’s a lifelong process.” At that the man shook his head as if to say “Geez, lady, it’s a yes or no question. How hard is that?” He took his tract back and moved on.” 

What I so appreciate about her response is that what Jesus was saying to Nicodemus was that being born from above or following in the way of Jesus calls for our participation and is a lifelong process. It is a journey we get to be on, get to participate in. 

I have often thought of salvation and disciples as part of an interconnected web of all creation and with relationships as central. 

I believe we each hold the Divine image in us, 

created to be in relationship with God, one another, and creation.

 Salvation is part of this web, it is multifaceted, including individuals and all of creation. Salvation happens in the future and the present, in the healing of relationships, caring for our earth and recognizing our interconnection. It is not all about where we go after we die. 

And discipleship is part of this interconnected web of relationships. 

As we learn together what it means to be Christ followers, 

What it means to live out our faith as the body of Christ,

Grounded in the image of God in each of us. 

All this takes time, all of this is a journey of curiosity, of leaning in, of listening to one another and listening to the Spirit within each of us and one another. 

Nicodemus is an example of this journey of curiosity, of leaning in, and of slow transformation. 

Nicodemus shows up two more times in John’s Gospel. 

Once in John 7, he is among a group of Pharisees who are upset because the temple guards didn’t bring Jesus to them. In this scene Nicodemus eventually speaks up in a bit of a defense of Jesus, not drastic bold defense but he does say , “Does our law condemn a man without first hearing him to find out what he has been doing?”

And that is enough for the other pharisees to turn on him instead of the temple guards. 

Then the next and last place we come across Nicodemus is in John 19,after Jesus has been crucified. Nicodemus brings about seventy-five pounds of myrrh and aloes and, along with Joseph of Arimathea, he wraps Jesus’ body for burial.

As Joanna Harder says in her sermon on this text,

“Is this the act of a man who has finally been “born again”? I don’t know. But it is surely the act of a man who has come to love Jesus deeply.”

Nicodemus’ transformation of faith moves from this conversation with Jesus, to a deep love and care for Jesus and a willingness to risk his position to show that he is now a follower of this Jewish rabbi. 

His is a story of curiosity, of leaning in, of asking questions, and a slow and steady transformation.
Regardless of where we are in our own faith journeys, our own transformation. Regardless of whether you have had “aha” life changing moments, or more of a quiet faith journey. 

Each one of us is invited into resting in the deep knowing of our beloved-ness as image bearers of God. 

 And each one of us is invited to participate in our own liberation and salvation, for ourselves, for others and for all of creation. 

So may we be curious just as Nicodemus was, and ask questions even if it is in the dark of night. 

May it be so. 

Amen. 

Benediction: 

May you go into the week with your curiosity, your wandering, and your questions. 

Knowing that within them all you are held by a God who deeply loves you and knows you. 

Go with God’s love and go in peace. 

Amen.