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June 21, 2009 Sermon
A Conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus (from John 3)
Rev. Sally Harris Narrating; Emily Simpson: Jesus; Luke Mayba: Nicodemus
Nicodemus was a Pharisee. Despite bad press about being rigid legalists, the Pharisees understood God’s call ‘to act justly, love tenderly and walk humbly with God.’ They studied God’s law. They knew the Scriptures and they were committed to particular theological positions. Nicodemus was probably like many of us. Someone active in a religious community; someone who knows the faith yet also wonders, is something missing in my experience of God and if I am, what can I do about it? The meeting between Jesus and Nicodemus is very respectful. Nicodemus calls Jesus "rabbi" and acknowledges that he is a messenger from God. Jesus in turn recognizes Nicodemus as a great teacher in Israel. Nicodemus comes to Jesus by night. We are not told why. Maybe it was complicated to be seen with Jesus in the daytime, because he was a teacher in Israel. Whatever the reasons, Nicodemus, a person of faith, comes by night, to see Jesus. With a bit of help from William H. Willimon, a contemporary theologian lets imagine that the conversation went something like this: (Adapted from "Pulpit Resource", William H. Willimon, Vol.24, no. 1, year A; Jan.Feb.Mar. 96) Nicodemus asks the first question:
"Teacher, how do you get into the kingdom of God? What do you have to do to get whatever it is that you have?"
Jesus replies, "I have three things that I want to say about that. Point # one; You have to be born from above to see the kingdom. Point # two; You have got to get the Spirit. Point # three: the wind blows where it will."
So like Jesus. Ask him a question, he'll tell you a story. This time he speaks of things like wind, birth and spirit, those things that wise four-year-olds ask questions about. Poor old Nicodemus comes in from the night seeking the light simply wanting to know, what do I have to do? And Jesus says, "It is simple. You must be born from above."
"Well how can I do that?" Nicodemus wants to know? "Can you squeeze back into your mother's womb and be born a second time?" (Surely, this is Jewish hyperbole! No doubt your mother will think once around was more than enough, thank you very much.)
Jesus says, "You're not hearing very well, Nick old boy, I said you have to be born from above, not again. You must be born by God's wisdom, God's word and spirit, God’s love, not your own."
(The word in the Greek is anothen, which means from top to bottom. This is the same word that was used to describe the tearing of the cloth in the temple on Good Friday...from top to bottom, anothen. We are not talking here about a simple change, we're talking about a complete renovation, top to bottom, attic to basement.) "Okay, okay" says Nicodemus, "but how"?
"You do it the same way you got born. What did you do to get born?" "Are you serious?" "Yes Nicodemus, I'm serious. What did you do to get born?" "Well, not much really. I floated around for awhile, then things started moving, I sort of got pushed and squished and cramped and uncomfortable, and then, big push, and I was out."
"Right. Getting born into God's realm is a bit like that only more so. It's not that you have to do so much, except maybe co-operate with the pushes. Sometimes gradually, sometimes dramatically, there it is, top to bottom...anothen." "But HOW?" wails Nicodemus. "Like the wind", says Jesus, "It blows where it will. You don't know where it comes from or where it goes. You can't see it or control it. But you can feel it! Getting into God's realm is like that...pneuma." (Big sigh from Nicodemus) "Would that be pneuma in the ordinary sense of wind or do you mean pneuma in the theological sense of spirit? "Yes," says Jesus. "But how?" "God so loved the world, God gave. You know, Nicodemus, charis, gift." "Right. But would that be charis in the ordinary sense of gift, or would that be charis, in the theological sense of grace?"
"Yes", says Jesus, "Charis, Grace. Pneuma, Wind, Spirit. Birth, Gift."
"I don't understand," says Nicodemus. "Ah", says Jesus, "I think you're catching on! You must be born from above. Everything is possible with God"
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