Epiphany 3
John 3:1-21

Today’s Gospel lesson contains a verse that is so famous that many people, Christian and non-Christian alike, can quote it; a verse that is referenced on posters at football games, on bumper stickers, and on billboards; a verse that is so familiar that we may not fully hear it: John 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 have eternal life.”

Here’s the context: Jesus is talking to Nicodemus, a Pharisee who had come under cover of darkness to talk with Jesus. Nicodemus was a learned man – a Pharisee and a leader of the Jews. He could have stayed in the safe confines of the temple, discussing the Torah with his fellow Pharisees and doing his best to ignore the commotion in the streets. He could have kept his questions small and comfortable and traditional. He could have stayed in the temple. No one would have questioned it. Staying in the safety of the temple, wondering about Jesus from afar, and discussing the implications of Jesus’ teachings without engaging Jesus in conversation… This would have been the easier path to take.

But Nicodemus was interested in what Jesus had to say, and he wanted to find out for himself. So, he came to Jesus under cover of darkness; he didn’t want to be seen by others in the act of going out to Jesus. His first words to Jesus are not a question, but a statement; and it’s not even a personal statement: “Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who comes from God; no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God.” It’s an unusual conversation starter between two Jewish teachers, whose primary form of discourse would have been to ask questions.

Jesus, knowing the courage it took for Nicodemus to come to him at all, jumps in and deepens the conversation immediately with talk of seeing God and of being born from above. The Greek word used here, anothen, can be translated “from above,” or “again,” or “anew.” Jesus and Nicodemus likely spoke in Aramaic, but it seems possible that there might have been several ways to understand what Jesus said in Aramaic as well. Nicodemus, taking the “born again” meaning literally says, “Huh?!” He just can’t see how he, a full-grown man, can enter into his mother’s womb and be born again. So Jesus, seeing Nicodemus’ confusion, offers a restatement. This time, he says that in order to enter (not just to see) the kingdom of God, a person needs to be born of water and the spirit. After hearing the rest of what Jesus has to say about the flesh and the spirit, and about how it is with those born of the spirit, Nicodemus responds, “How can these things be?” He is so completely out of his depth. Whatever comfortable, safe conversation he had hoped to have with Jesus, this has turned out to be something very different… and confusing. If Nicodemus, a teacher of the law, thought that he would have a scholarly discussion with Jesus, he has quickly learned that Jesus’ words confound him, and that he simply can’t keep up. But Jesus, seeing the courage that Nicodemus showed in even coming to him, offers him even more insight into God’s love and God’s plan for Jesus and for the world. We don’t get to know what Nicodemus’ reaction is to the rest of Jesus’ teaching, since John records no more of his words. Perhaps he was struck silent by his confusion and his awe. Perhaps he continued to question. We don’t know. But we do know that a learned Pharisee who could have played it safe and stayed in the temple had ventured out, investigating and learning for himself what this Jesus fellow was teaching.

Nicodemus was not playing it safe. He was gifted with just enough faith to come out of his safety zone. When we come out to Jesus, and when we hear and follow God’s call, we are often entering new and uncharted territory. It can be scary and anxiety-producing. In this new place, there is no roadmap. On the other hand, the presence of God’s Spirit with us empowers us to face this uncertain future with confidence. The anxiety (there is no roadmap…) can be transformed to excitement (there is no roadmap!!), as we realize that we are free to experiment, to try new things, to learn and grow, to risk, and to sometimes fail (because it’s impossible to experiment without experiencing some failure).

Because we are baptized into Jesus’ death, we have freedom: we are free to experiment and struggle and succeed and fail and live and love and die… all the while knowing that, in Christ, God has already worked to redeem the whole world. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. This is pure gift. And it frees us up to live with confidence, trying new things, coming out of our safe places, asking questions, and being blown by the Spirit into surprising places.

The love of God is a gift, yes. But even more amazingly, the grace and faith to receive it is a gift. God so loved the world. God so loved you and me that God came among us, lived a life like we live, died a death more excruciatingly painful than most of us will go through, and rose, calling us out of death and into life.

And what will we make of our life? God so loved the world… the cosmos… and everything God had made, so we will love the world, the cosmos, everything God has made. We will seek to grow in our love for others and in our acceptance of ourselves, shortcomings and all. We will serve others. We will give of ourselves: our time, our money, our possessions, our talents. We will do God’s work with our hands.

Martin Luther wrote:
“Thus, a Christian life is nothing else than a daily baptism, begun once and continuing ever after… Therefore, let all Christians regard their baptism as the daily garment that they are to wear all the time.”

Remembering our baptism daily, wearing it as a daily garment, let us allow ourselves to be drawn out of our safe places, out into the world that God loves so much. Aided by the Spirit, let us be God’s hands and feet in the world.