Nicodemus and Childlike Faith - A Sermon for the Second Sunday in Lent March 5, 2023

Gospel: John 3:1–17

P The Holy Gospel according to St. John, the Third chapter.

C Glory to you, O Lord.

A curious Pharisee visits Jesus by night to learn from the teacher his friends reject. Jesus speaks to him about life in the Spirit and the kingdom of God.

Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews.  2He came to Jesus by night and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God."  3Jesus answered him, "Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above."  4Nicodemus said to him, "How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother's womb and be born?"  5Jesus answered, "Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit.  6What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit.  7Do not be astonished that I said to you, 'You must be born from above.'  8The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit."  9Nicodemus said to him, "How can these things be?"  10Jesus answered him, "Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things?

11Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen; yet you do not receive our testimony.  12If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things?  13No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man.  14And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,  15that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

16For 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.

17Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

P The Gospel of the Lord.

C Praise to you, O Christ.

How can these things be?

Nicodemus, a well educated religious leader,

comes to Jesus, openly and honestly.

He’s seeking the truth -

and he does this at night -

out of a place of darkness,

which, in John’s gospel

could have been symbolic of a place of unbelief.

Jesus does not leave Nicodemus in the dark,

Jesus responds to Nicodemus -

so that he might come to believe.

Remember, any time we read from John’s gospel,

we should remember that this is John’s goal -

that the reader might come to believe

that Jesus is the Son of God

and through believing,

through abiding with Jesus,

we might have life in Jesus’ name.

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.

Some scholars say Jesus spoke these words,

others say it is

the editor or the author’s commentary.

Either way, this is how John, the author,

brings this story of Nicodemus to a close -

with an invitation to believe in Jesus,

but right away,

we don’t know what happens to Nicodemus.

All we know is that Jesus planted the seed -

an ambiguous seed mind you.

Maybe Nicodemus left in a huff.

Maybe he faded into the background.

the author does not see fit to tell us

how Nicodemus responds.

not yet, anyways.

Jesus simply continues on to Samaria,

so they might come to believe.

I should pause and acknowledge that

part of this passage can be troubling

for certain Christians -

especially Lutherans, Catholics, Anglicans,

and other mainline protestants,

Jesus says, “Very truly, I tell you,

no one can see the kingdom of God

without being born from above,

or being born again,

or being born anew.

no one can enter the kingdom of God

without being born of water and Spirit.”

Those of us who were baptized as infants,

we aren’t always sure how to respond

when someone tells us we must be baptized again,

or that we must choose Jesus

as our personal Lord and Saviour,

that we must choose to be born again.

Remember this!

In your baptism,

you are born again -

You are a new creation.

In your baptism,

you are born of water and Spirit!

The Wind (the Spirit of God)

blows where it chooses -

this faith,

this new birth

is not your work -

it is not your doing -

it is not about your choice.

it is God’s Spirit at work in you.

The invitation is to simply trust God with this.

That’s one of the reasons that we offer Communion

to all people here at Advent.

We believe that God is the one who is at work

in our world and in us,

enlivening faith in us.

God’s Spirit is at work in Baptism,

and God’s Spirit is at work in Communion.

For many, though,

it is less about experience

and more about holding the proper understanding.

I heard a story once about a family

who had a child with Downs Syndrome.

The child wanted to receive Communion

but the parents were concerned that the child

needed to have the proper understanding

before receiving Communion.

So the pastor met with the child alone,

and then came out to talk with the parents.

The father asked;

“So, does he understand?”

The pastor responded,

“I asked him about

what happens at the Communion Table,

and he said

‘Jesus comes and gives me a big hug!’

I think your son understands Communion

better than we do.”

What happens with God

with Holy Communion,

with Holy baptism

is less about us having

a correct intellectual understanding,

and more a matter of childlike faith:

simply trusting

that Jesus is really and truly present.

It is more about experiencing,

and less about explaining.

So we offer Communion to children here at Advent too,

because we believe God is at work in children.

Imagine - what if - we could simply believe

with a childlike faith,

in the gifts of baptism,

in the gifts at the Lord’s Table.

I wonder if my son, Toby, had it right.

I remember him as a young child,

maybe 4 years old,

he would run right up for Communion,

he’d be first in line,

and sometimes,

he’d come back in line

two or three more times.

I don’t think it’s about him not understanding -

I believe it’s faith.

Could you imagine - what if -

you and I received Communion like children?

Here’s what children do at the Communion table:

(Inspiration from http://www.jasonvalendy.net/blog/2014/3/7/10-weird-things-kids-do-at-communion-i-wish-more-adults-would-do)

First: Children Run down the aisle. 

It is okay to run down the aisle for communion.

Maybe we should all be running to feast with Jesus.

Children Take communion with a stuffed animal. Children understand that everyone is welcomed

at the table.

Humans and teddy bear alike.

Children Drink every drop.

It is critical that every drop of grape juice

and every morsel of bread

is consumed at communion.

Who cares if people are waiting behind you,

you do not leave that table

until you have been able to take

every last moment you can with Jesus. 

Children Ask for a "big piece" of bread.

Why settle for just a little bit of Jesus?

Don't we all want a "big piece" of Jesus?

Children Seek out the leftovers.

The bread of Life

is too good to be tossed in the bushes

or fed to the birds.

For children at communion,

Being shy is okay.

Children understand that it is an honour

to be at the the Lord’s table.

They do not demand a place,

but know it is a treat to be there.

When a child is shy,

think of it like an adult being humble

children Laugh and smile at communion. Feasting in the banquet of God

is a joyful event!

Children get this!

it is a great joy to be welcome at the table.

Children Express thanks.

Perhaps it’s a loud thank you or Amen,

or sometimes even the thumbs up.

Children are grateful,

at the least for being included

Children Save some for later.

It might seem a little odd,

but putting some of the bread into your pocket

seems like a reasonable way

to take Christ into the world -

to remember this feast continues on.

Children get it!

It is less about explaining,

more about experiencing.

Something else children do:

they come to this table with questions.

It is okay, child and adult alike,

to come to this table with questions.

When we consider the gifts that communion brings,

Forgiveness,

faith,

the real presence of Jesus Christ,

body and blood

in, with and under the bread and wine,

perhaps like Nicodemus,

we too ask the question

“How can these things be?”

Yet time and again,

child and adult alike,

Jesus does not turn us away when we ask questions,

Jesus does not abandon us in darkness;

rather we are invited to continue to

learn and journey with Jesus,

to simply trust Jesus

when we don’t understand.

John’s gospel left us hanging.

What happened to Nicodemus

after his questions?

Remember, Jesus didn’t send him away,

Jesus stuck with Nicodemus

and his questions.

And Nicodemus returns,

in John chapter 7 -

Nicodemus is with Jesus

in the temple in Jerusalem.

The chief priests and Pharisees

sent temple police to arrest Jesus.

Nicodemus, a Pharisee,

stuck with Jesus

as he was about to be arrested,

speaking out in solidarity with Jesus.

Then Nicodemus again is mentioned by name

in John 19 -

present with Jesus,

at his death on the cross,

bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes,

weighing about 100 pounds

for Jesus’ burial.

Nicodemus came to Jesus with questions,

with doubts,

in darkness.

Jesus stuck with Nicodemus,

and, by faith,

by God’s Spirit,

Nicodemus stuck with Jesus,

whether he received understanding or not.

We all have our own questions,

child and adult alike.

Many of us live in some sort of darkness,

We carry doubts.

In that place of darkness

and questioning

and doubting,

Jesus sticks with us,

God’s Spirit blows where it will,

and God wills the Spirit to blow

in and through us.

Like Nicodemus,

when it comes to the things of God,

we might feel like we are left hanging,

but our story is not over yet.

May we join Nicodemus,

and bring our questions,

our doubts,

our darkness

to Jesus.

May we focus less on the explaining,

and more on experiencing.

May we receive Jesus like a little child.

Thanks be to God. Amen.