Lent 2a John 3:1-17 Love Borne

Genesis 12:1-9 Romans 4:1-8, 13-17

Jesus said, “The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” (John 3:8 ESV)  Let us consider the wind for a moment.  Wind is really made up of air. When air does not move we hardly notice it or even think about it.  And yet the oxygen in the air that we breathe is vital to our very lives.

 We do however; notice the air when it moves because it affects our senses.  Whether the air is warm or cold, a slight breeze gets our attention and we feel it on our skin. We can hear the wind in a small rustling breeze or in the freight train sound of a tornado. 

Although clean and pure air is invisible, we can see the effects of wind when it bears the leaves that have fallen from trees, airborne, carrying them far from the tree itself. It is a fact that wind exists because you can also hear its sound. We may be able to tell the direction from which the wind comes and see in which direction it is going; but from where it originated and where it will eventually end up, we do not know. We can only see the effects of the wind; we cannot stop the wind from blowing any more than we can prevent the snow from falling or the sun from shining. However we can prevent the wind from blowing on us by remaining indoors.

In our Gospel lesson Jesus tells Nicodemus that the Holy Spirit works in the same manner. Nicodemus come to Jesus at night. Here Saint John is making a reference to His first chapter when he said, ^“The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.” (John 1:5 NIV) Jewish tradition taught that one needed to be free of sin in order to perform a miracle. Clearly since Jesus had performed countless miracles, many believed that God was with Jesus.

Even today many people throughout the world believe that Jesus was a great teacher; that He showed us how to live an honest and decent life. Others go as far as to say that Jesus was more than a teacher, that He was also a great prophet sent by God to show us the way. While those statements are true, they are only looking at Jesus on an earthly basis and give no regard to His Spiritual nature.  

Nicodemus was among those who believed in such a manner, but Jesus wanted to show him that faith lead to eternal life involved more than just being impressed by signs or an eagerness to learn about how to live an upright life in this world.  Nicodemus had spent his life learning and teaching the Law of Moses, but something about Jesus confused and intrigued Israel’s teacher.  There was something more about Jesus that Nicodemus sensed but did not understand.

Jesus certainly was aware of his curiosity as well. He understands exactly what Nicodemus needs to hear.  Jesus answered him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." (John 3:3 ESV)  Whenever Jesus says, “Truly, Truly,” He is about to say something that is very important.  Jesus first words to his listener are words of repentance.

If one wants to see the kingdom of God he must die to this life and be born into the Kingdom. Nicodemus like many in the world today does not yet understand that being a Jew, being a Pharisee, trying to enter into the kingdom by good works or through offerings and sacrifice does not get one into the kingdom. Those who feel they are in the kingdom of God because of who they are or what they have done have failed to see their need for repentance.

Rather a spiritual birth is required. The kingdom of heaven is unlike any kingdom on earth.  It is a realm established by God and exists only where Jesus rules with His power and grace. It consists of all believers in the Messiah Jesus throughout the ages. It cannot be seen through earthly eyes alone.  Despite who Nicodemus is, unless he is born again, he will not see the kingdom.

Again Jesus answers, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. (John 3:5-6 ESV)  Nicodemus cannot bring about his spiritual birth no more than he did during his physical birth. The Holy Spirit must bring about this new birth. However, when Jesus speaks about the water and the Spirit, He is talking about baptism. Nicodemus would have understood this because John the Baptist had been preaching repentance and baptism for the forgiveness of sins.

Saint Mark would later echo the words of Jesus when he said, “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.” (Mark 16:16 ESV)  But Baptism is not a work that we do. The Holy Spirit must give a person the new birth and He works in the water of baptism to accomplish the new birth.  And that is exactly what occurs at baptism.  But just as you can avoid the wind, you can reject the work of the Holy Spirit. Those who are inclined to think lightly of their own baptism need to take note of how important Jesus considers this means of grace. He adds, “Flesh gives birth to flesh, but Spirit gives birth to spirit.”

Like the kingdom of God, the Holy Spirit is invisible. But the Holy Spirit acts like the wind in the sense that He can been seen and understood through the visible means of the water in Baptism. Like the wind, Jesus was explaining that the manner in which the Spirit works is not as important as to the fact that the Holy Spirit does His work mysteriously. It is not the head knowledge of how we are saved that is so important but rather it is the faith in Jesus Christ that reveals Him as our Savior that is imparted by the Holy Spirit upon our hearts that really matters. Nevertheless, God uses earthly means to give us assurance of His promises.

God, out of His love for you, sent His only Son into the world to physically die on a real cross. His body is real and so was His suffering and death. But the real battle was fought for our invisible souls. With His death on the cross Jesus won both an earthly and a spiritual victory over sin, death and Satan. His death and His resurrection were a visible means to show us His invisible victory over the forces of evil.

God still chooses the earthly means of water, word, bread and wine as visible signs of the invisible and divine action performed upon our very souls. Just as the invisible air that we breathe keeps our bodies alive, the invisible work of the Holy Spirit keeps us spiritually alive in Christ. It is doubtful that Nicodemus understood this while Jesus was speaking to him, but neither was this clear to Christ’s disciples until after Jesus rose from the dead. Nicodemus and the disciples grew in faith as the Holy Spirit worked in their hearts.

So today, we continue to learn more about Jesus Christ with our minds and grow in the Spirit with our hearts. We were given both a body and a soul and even though our bodies may die, we know our souls shall remain alive and be reunited with our bodies because of the physical and spiritual work of Jesus Christ.  Whoever looks to Jesus in faith is made alive in and through Him and this life goes on forever. The sting of an earthly death is removed and becomes only a transition into the life to come.

When you believe these truths, you are saved; you have eternal life. This is and has always been God’s plan of love and Salvation, which was written in His word, confirmed in the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and made clear to you through the Holy Spirit. For all this we give thanks to God. In Jesus’ name, amen.

May the love of God, the peace attained by Christ and the work of the Holy Spirit be with you always. Amen.