/And there was a man of the Pharisees, Nikodemos, his name, a ruling
one of the Jews; This one came to Him at night and said to Him,
"Rabbi, we know that from God you have come–a teacher; for no one is
able the things of God to do, which You do, unless God is with him."
Jesus answered and said to him, "Amen, amen I say to you, unless
someone is born anew, that one is not able to see the kingdom of God.
Nikodemos said to Him, "How is a man able to be born, being old? He is
not able into the womb of His mother a second time to enter and to be
born?" Answered Jesus, "Amen, amen I say to you, unless someone is
born of water and the Spirit, one cannot enter into the kingdom of
God. That born out of the flesh is flesh, and tht born out of the
Spirit is spirit. Do not be amazed that I say to you, `It is necessary
for you to be born anew.' The wind blows where it wills and the sound
of it you hear, but you do not know from where it comes and where it
goes; thus is everyone who is born of the Spirit. " Nikodemos answered
and said to Him, "How are these things able to be?" Jesus answered and
said to him, "You are the teacher of Israel and these things you do
not know? Amen, amen I say to you, that what we know, we speak, and
what we have seen we bear witness to. And our witness, you do not
receive. If things of the earth I speak to you, and you don't believe,
how if ever I speak to you of heavenly things, will you believe? And
no one ascended int the heavens if not the one who out of the heavens
came down, the Son of Man. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in
the desert, so it is necessary for the Son of Man to be lifted up; in
order that all who are believing in Him have eternal life."/
If someone comes up to you and claims to be *born again*, they
probably aren't, at least not in the way Jesus describes to Nicodemus.
That's because most *born again Christians* today mean something
completely different thanJesus. Many Christians today foolishly think
that they have *done something* to make themselves born anew. They
think they have prayed the Sinner's Prayer, or made a decision for
Christ, or sincerely invited Jesus into their hearts, or made Him
their Lord.
Nicodemus was just such a *doer*. He was a Pharisee, who had memorized
all 613 rules of the OT, and strove to live by them. Other Pharisees
looked up to him, and he was placed on the Sanhedrin council which
ruled the Jewish people. Nick was an upright man, well thought of by
all. He not only talked the talk, but walked the walk pretty well. But
Jesus knew Nick's flaws. Nick trusted in what he did to try to get
into heaven by his own efforts. So Jesus shows him the better
way–being born anew!
Now, like Nick, you probably think that you are a pretty good creation
already, as you strive to do, do, do. You may foolishly think that if
you try really hard to do God-pleasing things, that the Lord will
grade you on a pretty generous curve, and let you into His heaven on
your efforts alone. If you believe as Nick did, then Bzzzz. Wrong
answer. You will never get to heaven that way.
That's why you need God the Father this Trinity Sunday. He is the
Maker of all things in heaven and on earth. And He is your re-creator
as well. He makes you new in Baptism, drowning & killing old sinful
you in its waters, so that you could rise up from the font to brand
new life! You are born again in the sacrament of Baptism, born from
above to heavenly, everlasting life in Christ Jesus!
Like Nick, you also probably think that you are a pretty capable sort.
You may trust in yourself to get yourself out of most jams, and think
that you are able to get yourself out of the predicament of your sins.
If you figure you can pull yourself up by your own bootstraps if need
be, like Nick thought, then Bzzz. Wrong answer. You can never pull
yourself up high enough to reach heaven.
That's why you need God the Son this Trinity Festival. He is your
Redeemer, the only One Who could pull you out of the depths of your
despair. For you were snake-bit by the devil himself, tempted to sin
and receive its wages of everlasting death. But Jesus was willing to
be lifted up in your place at the +, where He became your sin &
suffered your punishment, so that you could be lifted up in Him.
Like Nick, once again, you probably think that you are pretty smart.
You've been to SS & through confirmation. You've attended bible
classes and come regularly to hear sermons. You know God's plan pretty
well. So if you think like Nick, that you've got God all figured out,
and see what He does clearly, think again. Bzzz. Wrong answer. You can
never know all that God does behind the scenes.
That's why you need God the Holy Spirit this Trinity Day. He is the
one Who deals with your faith so that you can rely on the invisible
workings of God you can't see or comprehend otherwise. He brings to
your mind & heart those truths of Jesus that would be unfathomable
without His help. For instance, when He causes you to trust that
Jesus' body is in the bread, and His blood in the cup at Communion.
So rejoice this Trinity Sunday that you are a *born again Christian*,
and not because of anything you have done. For just as you had nothing
to do with your first birth from your mother's womb long ago, you had
nothing to do with the 2nd birth which God gave you. Rejoice that all
the works which birthed you anew have been accomplished by the Triune
God! For in the name of the Father, Son & Holy Spirit you have been
born from above of water & the Spirit. God's Name, the name of the
Trinity given to you at Baptism continues to bless you as a baptized
child of God, forevermore. Amen.
John C. Drosendahl, Pastor
[email protected]
.
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