by Rev. Dr John Evans
Romans 4:1-5, 13-17
John 3:1-17
Through this period of Lent, this period of reflection and self understanding, we have set ourselves a task to answer this question – how do several great and dramatic encounters of Jesus, as recorded by the evangelist John, help us understand that “Jesus is the Messiah, the Christ, the Son of God, and that through believing we may have life in his name.” This after all, as John 20:31 tells us, is why the gospel was written; these accounts are to help us believe “Jesus is the Messiah, the Christ, the Son of God, and that through believing we may have life in his name.”
The encounter we have today is between Nicodemus and Jesus.
The particular aspect I want to explore in this encounter is what in fact does it mean to believe? How is one meant to believe? What does it mean to believe in a person who lived 2000 years ago? Why is believing still important?
This encounter of Nicodemus has this question of what is belief, what is faith, at its heart.
Nicodemus comes by night to Jesus. Perhaps he was unsure of what he did believe; perhaps the evangelist is telling us he comes from darkness, wanting to seek light. Well he comes, and he begins positively enough – it would seem. He calls Jesus: Rabbi, a teacher, and more, a teacher form God. Nicodemus moreover just does not speak as a lone individual - he says “we know”. He is a representative of the synagogue or a wider circle of people. However, in wanting to find out more - presumably about the big questions of life, he makes this observation. “You are a good person, a teacher from God because we know no one can do these things, these signs, unless they are from God.” The signs, the miracles, at least the tangible things they had seen Jesus do or say; this had lead Nicodemus to say “we know” you are a spiritual person; you know spiritual things.
How do we know – here now; how do you know; how do you know anything? How do we know we know?
Nicodemus answered that question, by assuming he knew about Jesus because he had seen and witnessed things – he called them signs.
And isn’t that just what we would do. We know because we have with our own eyes seen something, or conducted this experiment, or read about it on the internet, or with our rational thought deduced or calculated something. We have used our brain – and we know.
So when it comes to our religious life - We know Jesus is important for us – because we saw it being important in the lives of our parents; or because history has given Christians a special place; or because the record of Scripture tells us this . . . the Bible tells us so.
We know . . . or do we?
Do we actually know someone has a great life because they have a good job, perhaps fame, lives in a big house and drives a flashy car? Do we actually know that someone is trustworthy because over the years they have always kept their word, been truthful in their dealings and sincere in their language? Do we know that St Whosits is a good church because it has many members and great music? Are we certain if, in fact, we just look at the signs?
Jesus dismisses Nicodemus’ reliance on signs; something else is required when it comes to spiritual things.
First of all Jesus assumes that Nicodemus in his polite circumlocutions, waffle – is really wanting to know and experience what in a short hand way we might call “the kingdom of God”. He wanted the word form the great man on how to have the fullness of life, eternal life – or peace, or the meaning of life. He wants this. And the signs that he seen Jesus perform – lead him to think Jesus may be able to give him the answers to his questions.
So Jesus answers this question he does not ask - and thus our account gets a little confused. Jesus is really in conversation with the real questing and searching Nicodemus – Nicodemus barely gets it. Jesus, quite intriguingly says to him “no-one can see the kingdom of God, without being born from above or the Greek can also mean again.”
Living and experiencing the fullness of God – is to do with being born; - either being born from above or again – but at least being born. Having a deep spiritual life means you have to be born again.
Being born for us humans is the ultimate starting experience, and it also the one thing, that one experience which happens to us, is done to us. We do not “do” our own birth – it happens to us. And as Nicodemus prosaically observes it happens once. He can’t enter his mother’s womb a second time.
Jesus is saying that seeing, experiencing the kingdom of God, happens to us; like being born again; or being born from above. It comes not something we might do, or rationally deduce.
This is the very important thing we must understand about belief and faith. Rational thinking; observation; looking at the signs – will lead to verifiable conclusions. Good proper scientific conclusions. There is nothing wrong with that. However, this way of knowing, will not get you to - the meaning of life, to peace within yourself, to happiness and contentment – to the kingdom of God. Insight, understanding about those things, are at the end of the day going to come to you in another way. These spiritual things will come to you “from above”.
Arguments, proofs, observable phenomena – like Nicodemus would have been aware of in people keeping and knowing the law of Moses – is not going to get you to a spiritual understanding. It will not be technique, or special knowledge which will give knowledge of the kingdom of God. God will in God’s own time burst in on you. It will happen from above. You will then believe – by believing you will know.
Jesus helpfully illustrates this with the example of the wind. We can hear the wind; its real – but we cannot see the wind. We do not know where it comes from, and to where it goes. But at the end of the day – we know there is wind; it just comes on us. This is what happens with the wind – which is also in Greek the same word for “spirit”
Insight, knowledge, belief and faith can surprise us; our being in touch with a deep reality can unexpectedly descend upon us – and how it comes to pass we cannot explain, but we know it has happened. It is in the best sense of the word, a mystery. This is how one will see the kingdom of God. It is not what we do – but what God does that gives us our faith. As Jesus, with I think tongue firmly planted in his cheek says to Nicodemus, are you a teacher of Israel and you don’t know such things?
At this point the dialogue with Nicodemus breaks off; poor old Nicodemus has been playing catch up, and then is rather sarcastically dismissed as being spiritually immature wanting divine proof, argument and signs – rather than simply waiting on God – who from above will offer that insight.
However, Jesus goes on, or perhaps it is really John the evangelist himself who goes on with this theme of how – we are born again – from above. Moses lifted up a serpent on a stick to offer life in the wilderness – the people who saw this, and was bitten by a snake didn’t die (A snake on a stick used to be the symbol for the medical profession). The “from above” is clearly here referring to Christ being lifted up on the cross. On the cross – as we see we later in John’s account of the crucifixion Jesus’ divinity being declared at the time of his death on the cross. From above our understanding of the kingdom of God will come.
Sadly belief and faith is given a second class status in the world of knowing in our modern secular world. People visibly look pained and squirm if we simply assert I believe – or I believe in God is the best argument we can offer. Our society does not like it.
This week past I am sure many felt very uncomfortable at the apology that was offered by our Parliament in Canberra. It was dealing with deep emotional, even spiritual things. It is not rational to apologise for something one did not personally do. But if that strongly religiously overlaid concept of – reconciliation – is sought – there is a need for repentance, forgiveness/grace and then a new state of peace and wellbeing. Reconciliation is a spiritual word recognizing deep and profound, realities about new beginnings; it is not just about how much compensation it would cost us, or what indigenous health programs should we support. However, as our nation showed this week past – matters of the spirit are important; are relevant and are just as real. . . . and not necessarily provable known by our scientific method. But real all the same . . and I want to believe it came form above.
Belief and faith are – if you like – are just another way of knowing. . . along with our rational approaches. Paul says this too in is letter to the Romans – he uses different categories; he speaks of redemption and justification – but basically says it is not the tangible works of keeping the law that earns our relationship with God – it is God’s grace and belief that Jesus brings that about.
Belief requires us to be open to God showing to us from above how Christ offers to us life – even eternal life. It would seem even Nicodemus gets it – John has him along with Joseph of Arimathea, collecting the body of Christ after his death and placing it in the tomb. He at the end saw how one does receive that fullness of life. . . . through faith, belief in Jesus.
As I conclude this sermon, can we say together that verse that perhaps strangely sits here in this encounter – but sums up so much of what it means to know about the big issues in our life – to believe: John 3:16
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, so that whoever believes in him; may not perish but may have eternal life.”
