Isn't this a wonderful text? Many of us find a great deal of comfort in it, while others draw strength and courage from it. It's such a rich text, with layer upon layer of meaning. I imagine that, for many of us, we have already come to know this text so well, that we either tune out when we hear it or plug in our "John 3:16" filter to interpret whatever is said about it.
I invite you this morning to put aside former thoughts and interpretations of this passage. If any of the verses or phrases bring up for you preconceived ideas, set those aside as well, and journey with me into this passage as if for the first time. I invite you, as John does, to start again, to hear these words as they were originally intended, and to experience some of the rich meaning of the text.
So let's begin the journey with our friend Nicodemus. Nicodemus is an elder on the church session, active on the PTO and city council, a wise and well-respected man in the community. Nicodemus is one of us. He's a good guy and means well in all he does. But he's heard about some of the things that have been going on in the community. There's this new fellow who has come to town and has also become quite a leader. He doesn't always support the ways of the current leadership though, and at times, he's done and said some pretty questionable things. But even so, some of the things he's been doing and saying seem to make a lot of sense.
Nicodemus decides he would like to know more, but if any of the elders or council members saw him at one of Jesus' gatherings, he'd be excused from service, if not run out of town. He couldn't risk his reputation, or perhaps even his life, if someone were to see him with this new fellow, Jesus. That's why he made the decision to pay Jesus a visit one-on-one, but not until after dark when no one would see him.
This is where our storyteller drops a hint for us. He uses an everyday fellow, Nicodemus, who is quite like us. Then we're told that he went to Jesus after dark. Darkness, for John, creates an air of mystery and represents untruth, ignorance or evil. And so our friend, Nicodemus approaches Jesus under cover of darkness. For us, it might be the cover of Sunday when friends, co-workers, classmates, and neighbors won't see us.
And the dialogue begins between Jesus and Nicodemus. It reminds me a little of a conversation between a parent and his adolescent child. The two talk past one another, never realizing what the other is saying.
As the drama begins, Nicodemus comes to Jesus, and addresses him with respect, as one whom he and the other leaders recognize as a man of God. And Jesus should've said something like, "Greetings to you too, Nicodemus, and thank you for your kind words." But he doesn't. He makes a comment about being born again. Or does he mean from above? What an odd reply!
In our North American context, John's wonderful use of irony is lost in the translation. The word John uses, anothen, has two meanings in the Greek, and forces Nicodemus, as well as the reader, to struggle with its multiple meanings. "Born anothen" means to be born "again" and "from above". In our translation, we are forced to pick one or the other, leaving us with only half of John's intended meaning. Our job is to discern what kind of new birth is at the same time birth from above.
But our friend, Nicodemus, comes in darkness. He uses his rational sensibilities and, like so many of us, misses the full meaning of Jesus' play on the word. Nicodemus interprets with only the literal meaning, "born again," as many of us do. His question about entering the mother's womb a second time takes it to the point of absurdity. As the readers, we recognize how ridiculous his question is. He speaks from an earthly, human point of view, but Jesus speaks of something quite different, talking past him yet again. He speaks of being born of water and the Spirit, hearing the wind without knowing of its origin or destination. This is yet another play on words since the Greek word "pneuma" means both wind and spirit, often used for "breath of God." And Jesus tells him not to be astonished, Nicodemus shows that he is just that.
Poor Nicodemus. He just doesn't get it! But before we are too hard on him, let's remember that he's not so different than we are. He asks the same questions we ask. How can we be born again, from above? How can we know that we have been born again, from above? We want the answer, Jesus! Tell us what we have to do!
In the conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus, we can see a pattern. First, Nicodemus approaches in darkness yet says he knows. And then the reply - "You have no idea." The next question, "So, what can I do?" And the answer - "You're of flesh, of the kingdom of this world. But that's not the answer we wanted!
Jesus' last comments about the Son of Man descending and ascending, being lifted up, are even more confusing, and seem to make no sense. Why can't he just give a simple answer? And again, Nicodemus misunderstands. Nicodemus acknowledged at the beginning of their conversation that he and the other leaders knew Jesus was a man approved by God, but what Jesus was saying was that he was not just approved by God. He was actually descended from God's presence, and that he would also be lifted up. As outsiders, we know already that Jesus was lifted up and exalted on the cross, but for Nicodemus, it was just one more point that was lost on him.
Then Jesus delivers his last and most lengthy answer to our friend's shortest question yet. Jesus tells Nicodemus that we are born in flesh, and as flesh, we are members of the kingdom of this world. The goal of our lives corresponds to the origin of our lives. In order for us to join Christ in the heavenly kingdom, our origin must come from a different point. And how can we accomplish this? We can't. We cannot control God any more than we influenced our own birth into this world. And what's more, God has already done it!
The gift is God's. It is given without any assistance from us. What we can do is receive the gift. When we realize God's full character as revealed in Jesus Christ, the great love which God poured out for us in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we can become like children again and receive the gift - born again, from above
And last, a closing word of caution: We have, for so long, reduced the notion of being born again from above, to mean one's private moment of conversion. The two meanings of the Greek word, anothen, must, at all times, be held together. If we simply say we are "born again," we only affirm the human side of this relationship. We neglect the eternal, heavenly action which comes from God. It is not our doing, but God's great love for us which gives us newness of life. When we neglect to ground our faith in the life of Jesus and the corporate dimension of his life, the irony of Nicodemus' response to Jesus sadly becomes our response as well, and we remain in darkness.
Let us not make the same mistake Nicodemus did, neglecting God's activity in the lifting up of Jesus on the cross. We cannot control our own entry into the heavenly kingdom. In attempting to do so, we trivialize the radical newness of Jesus' words! We diminish the good news of God's love in Christ Jesus! And darkness remains our cover.
In our journey together with Christ, let us open ourselves to the possibility of God's activity which already moves in our lives, lives made new by the cross of Christ. The God revealed in Jesus, is a God whose love knows no bounds and who asks only that we receive the gift. If we receive the gift, we receive eternal life, and our lives are reshaped and redefined by the love of God in Jesus. Amen.
© 1999 Michelle James , all rights reserved
Go to Top of the Page
Return to the Previous Sermons Page