Our OT reading is from Genesis, very early in the story of Abraham and Sarah. At this point Abraham is still known as Abram. God renames him Abraham and Sarai becomes Sarah in honour of their covenanting with God. Covenanting is like a sacred promise ceremony, one to another, in this case between God and Abram and Saria. So, God tells Abram to set out on a journey that would take him away from the security of home, hearth and family, with nothing more than the promise that he will be blessed, and that a great nation would come from him. Remember Abram was no spring chicken at this point, he was an old man. And he goes, as the Lord commanded, into a cross-country journey in rough terrain unsure just what he would be led into, with no more than the assurance that God would be with him! The journey was challenging, very difficult at times; there was famine, Abram’s wife Sarai was taken from him a couple of times, Abram had to call the men together and go to war. In time, Abram and Sarai become Abraham and Sarah, the ones to whom God covenanted to become the heirs of God’s chosen people. This was truly a journey of faith and trust in God that only happened because they said yes to God’s call to go on a journey, a new way of life. I’m not sure how many people would accept this kind of a call from God, a total upheaval of one’s life and lifestyle. God spoke to Abram, no-one else would have known, so it could have been just as easy for Abram to ignore it, no-one would have known the difference! I suspect there were probably some in Abram and Sarai’s community who thought they were crazy to do what they did. But go they did. One writer I read noted: “To leave the comfort of the known for the promise of the unknown realities of God is a form of birth. Every birth is a blessing and every blessing holds the possibility of newness.”[1] Stepping out to the possibility of newness is how God challenges all of us to the next step in faith, it’s putting our faith into action. It is the challenge Jesus presents to Nicodemus in today’s gospel story. Nicodemus knows that Jesus has come from God. But John tells us Nicodemus went to Jesus at night, which could mean two things: Nicodemus didn’t want people to know that he was going to Jesus, or it could also be John’s symbolic way of saying that Nicodemus was in the dark as to whom Jesus really was—or possibly both! John’s gospel writing is full of symbolism and imagery. Nicodemus was a Pharisee and a leader within the Jewish religious establishment. For him to go and seek Jesus out was to put himself at great personal risk. And yet, something in the signs and wonders that Jesus was performing was clearly speaking to Nicodemus, leading him to Jesus, calling him to act on the beginnings of the faith he was feeling as to who Jesus was —otherwise why would Nicodemus take the risk? Jesus performed miracles as a way to point to God, many of the wonders he did were things only God could do. He did so to reinforce to those who had eyes to see that he was the Son of God, their Messiah, the one who came to be their Redeemer. Jesus tries to explain these things to Nicodemus, but he becomes confused at Jesus’ words because he takes them literally: How can these things be, how can you got back into your mother’s womb to be born again? Nicodemus asks. The writer of John’s Gospel very effectively uses Nicodemus as the straight man in this story, using him this way gives John the opportunity to have Jesus explain that he is the Son of Man, who came into the world because God so loved this world—so much so that God wants us to see Jesus as the way, the truth and the life.
Does Nicodemus ever come to understand who Jesus really is? Does he commit to a life as a follower and believer in Jesus as Christ? Is he ever ‘born from above’? Well, you decide! We see Nicodemus twice more in John’s gospel – once when the temple police and the temple leaders are discussing how to deal with Jesus because it is evident that he is causing turmoil amongst the people, Nicodemus offers a rather hesitant defense for Jesus. And after Jesus’ death, Nicodemus brings an exorbitant amount of spices for Jesus burial; a 100 lbs! And he helps Joseph of Arimathea place Jesus’ body in the tomb. I take this as evidence that he knew Jesus was special in some way, but whether he comes to accept Jesus as the Saviour, as the Messiah, well, we can only speculate!
We can learn much from Nicodemus’ story. I think there many who can identify with Nicodemus. They feel the nudges of the Holy Spirit, God’s call to action to faith in Jesus, and are confused or unsure, maybe scared of the unknown future. People react in different ways to the nudging of the Holy Spirit, some take small tentative steps, other’s fence sit, hesitant to commit completely—often out of caution or fear. All those things to figure out -- what does it mean to be a follower of Jesus, to really think about putting Jesus’ ways first in my life. What will change, do I even want to change? Do I want to put the Lord’s ways before want I want for me—or what society expects of me? In other words, what does it really mean to be fully a disciple of Jesus? For some like Nicodemus, it’s a bit like a risk-benefits analysis: What are the risks of change, the benefits of changing my way of believing and then actually act on these new beliefs? I get that. I took my time at seminary - 7 years of part time study, because I really wasn’t sure if that’s what God was really calling me to. I had people tell me I was crazy to give up the career I had worked for to be a priest.
But you know, the Holy Spirit doesn’t give up on us, it keeps nudging us to the next level of growth. Our faith journey is just like that, learning, questioning, growing into new and greater awareness of God, of Christ, of the Holy Spirit. It’s a life-long on-going growth and development, a bit like a child developing in the womb. Jesus says to Nicodemus that he must be born from above.
“This term “above” comes from the Greek ‘anothen’ which is also translated as both “anew” and “again.” Jesus plays this double meaning to challenge Nicodemus to a deeper understanding of God’s work in the world. Nicodemus would be familiar with the notion of God as king, but this challenge to be born from above/again to “see” this kingdom pushes him to expand his notions of God and kingship and “see” Jesus beyond a God-sent teacher and miracle-worker.”[2]
To be born anew is to come into the light, a new way of life with a new awareness from where you’ve come. To be born from above is an awareness of the truth of who Christ is, and what impact that has on your life, who you now are in light of this new awareness and who you can become. For some people that comes suddenly, an epiphany moment. For others it’s a gradual process with an ever deepening awareness and relationship with Christ. Each of us ‘sees’ at our own pace, at our own speed, often based on our own life experiences. Some are like Nicodemus, and search for Jesus how and when they feel it’s safe to do so. Others are more forthright, not afraid to challenge and question—like the Samaritan women at the well, who boldly questioned Jesus--which is next week’s gospel story. Other people simply chose to ignore the Spirit’s nudging or outright refuse it, because it will disturb their present way of living if they fully commit to God’s call for a new way of life. They do not want to change, to see God in a new light, which would mean to accept the change that will have on their lives or lifestyle. That doesn’t mean God gives up on them, it’s our decision, each of us—that’s part of the free will God gave us! Going back to our Abram and Sarai story; it would be kind of like Abram saying “No, Lord, I don’t think we’ll move. Sarai and I are comfortable here, and we’re too old, we’ve got no children. I mean, who wants to start dealing with diapers at our age! And we’ve got enough saved up to last us until we die. So, no thanks Lord, I don’t think I want the responsibility of being a blessing for everyone else. Sounds like a lot of work. We’re happy with the way our lives are. Thanks anyway for asking, but we’ll take a pass.”
These 2 scriptures about Abram and Nicodemus are both great texts for Lent, reminding us of our role as people who believe in God’s call to action, of being committed to the way of life shown to us by Jesus. So here’s some food for thought.
How are you being called into a deeper relationship with God, with Christ?
And how will you respond? Like Abraham or Nicodemus? Amen.
[1] Donald P. Olsen in Pastoral Perspective for Genesis 12: 1-4a, Second Sunday in Lent in Feasting on the Word Year 4, Vol 2 (WJK Press: Louisville, KY) 2011 p.52
[2] Sherri Brown in https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/revised-common-lectionary/second-sunday-in-lent/commentary-on-john-31-17-9 accessed Feb 28.23