Second Sunday in Lent

Feb. 17, 2008
The Rev. David R. Hackett

“Jesus said to Nicodemus, ‘…no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.’”
                      -- (John 3:3)

Now, there’s a term to think about: “born again.” During this election year we are all aware than an important, influential segment of the voters in the Republican Party are those people who describe themselves as “born again Christians.” Governor Mike Huckabee appeals strongly to that constituency. Here in West Virginia I’m sure a substantial number of our fellow Christians would describe themselves as “born again.” However, I suspect that for some of you sitting here this morning it is terminology that is problematical. I know some of you are what I call “recovering fundamentalists.”

I’ll never forget some years ago when a ten year old girl in my congregation attended a church camp with a friend. The camp was run by another denomination and when she came home she was in tears because she was told in no uncertain terms that she was going to hell because she had not been born again. This child was scared and confused. She had been baptized; she was in church almost every Sunday; she made her Communion on a regular basis; and now she was being told that she was going to hell because she had not been born again. The girl had no idea of what they were talking about.

Many of us find ourselves a bit defensive when confronted with this language. And incidents such as this with my young parishioner certainly don’t help. There is so much unnecessary argument over this passage. There is so much judgment rendered on those who understand it one way or another.

A story from the Talmud has great meaning for me as I think about how often we tend to pass judgment on others.

“An aged man, whom Abraham hospitably invited to his tent, refused to join him in prayer to the one spiritual God. learning that the man was a fire-worshipper, Abraham drove him from his door. That night God appeared to Abraham in a vision and said, ‘I have borne with that ignorant man for 70 years: could you not have patiently suffered him one night?”

God is much more patient and far less judgmental than we.

St. John concluded this portion of his Gospel by writing, “God so loved the world that he gave his only son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” Today we are led to contemplate the nature of divine love. The Collect for today begins with attributing to God the glory of always having mercy. Always! There are no limits on that divine mercy, that divine love. This God, “whose property it is to always, always have mercy”, this is our God who so loved the world that he gave his only son.

If you and I were God (well, I’ll speak for myself)…If I were God, I sure would give the world something: I’d give it “what for!” This world and the human race is forever fouling its own nest. I would have long ago given up on this world and its sinfulness. I would have a special place in hell for child molesters, for war mongers, for terrorists, and for arrogant, self-righteous religious folks who are quick to condemn others to hell. But, God loved the world with his divine love.

And whatever else the differences between us and God may be, that is the difference to end all differences. Because God loved he gave himself, not to condemn but to save.

The gift of God’s love has that purpose: to save us. We call that divine love “grace.” There are two aspects of God’s love, God’s grace. The first is what we usually think of: pure, unconditional love. It is a gift. It is acceptance, forgiveness, pardon. We are saved by grace through faith. Abraham was saved by grace through faith. He was a faithful man; an obedient person.

But there is a second aspect to grace. The grace of God is also the transforming power of God’s Spirit. God’s grace renews and empowers those he has pardoned and accepted.

Do you see those two aspects of grace? It is freely given love and acceptance by God and it is transforming love. This transforming love is what Jesus is talking about in his conversation with Nicodemus.

Nicodemus came to Jesus “by night.” He came to him by night because he didn’t want to be seen by others. He didn’t want to be embarrassed. Nicodemus was the closest thing to a Jewish Episcopalian I know! Nicodemus was an important man; he had status in life. And he didn’t want to be caught seeking something he didn’t have. He didn’t want anyone to know that he felt incomplete and empty. Nicodemus had done all of the “right things.” He was a man of God. He was an esteemed public servant. He could justify himself and his existence by good works. Someone has said, “Nicodemus is works seeking grace.” He wanted to cling to the things which gave him meaning and status. He was ready to give up and let the Spirit of God control him. So, he came by night. He had his pride; he had his PhD; and yet, he came to this itinerate preacher and healer. And Jesus tells him of the transforming, empowering grace of God. The grace of God which will change him, which will change you and me, renewing, rebirthing, remaking us. So that we who have known God’s saving grace will also know God’s transforming grace. Jesus tells Nicodemus, “The wind (the Spirit) blows where it wills,” and, “you must be born from above, you must be born again.” This is the work of the Holy Spirit: to re-create us, to give us new hearts.

The little girl, who was so devastated by the judgmental attitude at the church camp, came to realize that she had received Jesus into her life and was being made new, and was born again. That started with her baptism and was continuing to happen as she loved and served God. She came to understand that it is more of a process than a single event. She just didn’t know the jargon. We must remember that the Spirit isn’t limited by anything, and certainly not by nomenclature!

God is not only who we long for, he is also the source of that longing. Like the tin man in Oz, we ask for a new heart. We want it in order to realize who we are in all of our shortcomings and pettiness. And why do we want to come to this realization? Because then and only then can we realize what God has done for us and receive his forgiveness. But to whom must we go for our new hearts? To the very same God from whom we hope to receive acceptance.

It’s like this. One of my memories from very early childhood is of my parents giving me money so that I could buy them a small present at Christmas. They empowered me, they enabled me to give them a present. No wonder Jesus told us again and again that unless we come to see our relationship with God in terms of the relationship between a child and a loving parent, we will have no idea what the kingdom of God is all about. So, God loved us so much to give us the means by which we can love him. And through that love we can be renewed again, be converted again, be reborn again, and again and again.

May we open our hearts to receive the Spirit of God. The divine gift, whose name is Jesus, is given, not to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. The divine gift of new birth is given not for judgment, but for salvation. Amen.