"You Must!"

A sermon preached on The Second Sunday of Lent, February 17, 2008, at Edgemont Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) by the Rev. Christopher E. Yopp. The sermon is based on Romans 4:1-5, 13-17 and John 3:1-17.

Scholars have often called John’s gospel the "Second Genesis", and one can see why that is when reading the very opening words of these two books. Probably all of here us have memorized part, if not all of those infamous words that begin the Old Testament book of Genesis; "In the beginning, God created..." Certainly, one can’t help but notice the similarity between the book of Genesis and John’s gospel. John begins his gospel in much the same way as the book of Genesis begins, John writes; "In the beginning was the Word..." But there is a drastic difference. You see, while Genesis is about the creation of the physical realm and the beginning of physical life; John’s gospel focuses on re-creation and the beginning of spiritual life.

In Genesis we are told that in the beginning the earth was dark, void and formless, and the Spirit of God hovered and moved. Then we are told that God spoke creation into existence; "Let there be light..." and there was light, and from light God moved to the other elements that make up our world from water, to land, to sky, to vegetation; to the sun, the moon and the stars; to the birds of the air, to the creatures of the sea and land, and then ultimately to humans. It is a beautiful litany that tells of the creation of the physical order, and in the end, God saw all that God had made and declared that it was good.

But then, something happened, the lights went out, if you will. And again, there was darkness - but this time it wasn’t physical darkness but spiritual darkness. A catastrophe had occurred. The created had willingly rebelled. Free people had preferred darkness over light. But again, God, who is love, moved. Again God said, "Let there be light," and there was light, but this time the light came from a different source - the Son of God and re-creation or, better yet, redemption was made possible. And here, in the 3rd chapter of John’s Gospel we have before us the promise and hope of the light of the Son and the re-creation or the redemption he brings to our lives and to our world.

All of our lives we are told what we should or shouldn’t do! Sometimes we heed the advice, while other times we dismiss it - claiming that we know what is best for us. In one of my favorite children’s poems we find these words:

"Listen to the MUSTN’TS, child,

Listen to the DON’TS

Listen to the SHOULDN’TS

The IMPOSSIBLES, the WON’TS

Listen to the NEVER HAVES

Then listen close to me -

Anything can happen, child,

ANYTHING can be."

Some might argue that Christianity is a religion of dos and don’ts; musts and must nots. However, Christianity is really a religion of recreation. It is a religion in which we allow God to recreate and reshape us into the very people God is calling us to be.

And certainly we learn this in our Gospel Lesson this morning through a private conversation between Nicodemus and Jesus. We become in a sense a fly on the wall. Now, keep in mind, Nicodemus was a Pharisee and a member of the Sanhedrin. He was described by Jesus as "the teacher of Israel," implying that he was well trained in the Jewish law and traditions. We can assume that Nicodemus was a wealthy, educated and powerful man. He was well respected by the Jewish community and was a descendant of the patriarch, Abraham. Yet, Jesus said to him; "You must be born again." You can imagine how humiliating this must have been. Here he was a grown man - powerful and successful, and told that he must be humbled. The Greek adverb translated "again" can also mean "from the beginning" suggesting a new creation and it could also mean "from above" meaning from God.

But notice Nicodemus’ response, he had it all wrong. He wasn’t thinking spiritually, but rather physically. Nicodemus thought Jesus was referring to a second physical birth, which he knew to be impossible. But Jesus was talking about a new life that comes from the Spirit or Breath of God. Jesus reminded Nicodemus that physical generation was not enough, nor would his descent from the line of Abraham enable him to be saved, which was a common belief among the Jews. You see, the Jewish people believed that because they were descendants of Abraham that they were automatically given merit or credit - that Abraham’s righteousness was, somehow, imputed to them.

That’s what Paul was addressing in the 4th chapter of his letter to the Romans. Some of you may recall the phrase that was made popular sometime back which asks; "Who’s your daddy?" In small towns all over the world, a child is often asked; "Who’s your daddy?" The implication is clear; if you know the daddy, then you know the child. As a Jew and a Christian, the Apostle Paul wanted to claim Abraham as his spiritual father. However, Jewish critics were challenging him. They claimed that Abraham was the spiritual father of those who obeyed the Mosaic Law. Paul’s rationale employs a new concept and that is: "justification by faith."

The argument begins with an explanation of human sin and the need for justification before God. And so, Paul reminds us in verse 3 that this "justification" - this "right standing with God" is made possible by Christ’s life, death and resurrection. Paul reminded his readers that Abraham was justified before God not because of his goodness, but because of his faith and trust in God.

Furthermore, Abraham did not earn righteousness. It was a gift from God.John reminds us in verse 15 that, "Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life."

Those of you who have been joining us for our Bible study on Thursday nights, will remember the typologies that we have been studying. Here, Jesus used the bronzen serpent as a typology of himself and the spiritual healing he would bring to the world. You see, just as Moses lifted up the brozen serpent in the wilderness to bring physical healing to those who had been bitten by the snakes that came into their camp; so, Jesus will be lifted up, that all who look to him and believe shall have spiritual healing.

The crucial religious questions facing us have little to do with sparring over ecclesiastical legalism. These matters are but symptoms of a more crucial question, and that is; "Who or what defines our lives?" Is your true birthplace a geographical setting, or are you really a child of God, born of the kingdom of God? Where do you find yourself rooted and grounded, nourished and claimed? Who or what identifies you? Who you are in mind and soul, heart and spirit, and as a consequence, how you treat, how you serve, how you sustain – how you love others, answers the crucial question of your identity.

To John, the Spirit transmits life, communication, love – all taking the shape we see in the mission and ministry of Christ. To be born in the Spirit – to discover our identity from above – means life lived out the Christ-like life.

Perhaps some of your remember Dorothy Day, the founder of the Catholic Worker, a person who spent her later years in soup kitchens, picket lines, prison cells, houses of hospitality, and "the streets." She called herself a "fool for Christ." She tells us, quoting the Archbishop of Paris, "To be a witness does not consist in engaging propaganda, or even stirring people up, but in being a living mystery; it means to live in a such a way that one’s life would not make sense if God did not exist." Now, that’s being born from above.

Those of you who joined us for our Celebration of Love this past week, you will remember that I shared with you that the Duke of Windsor, recalling his childhood discipline by George V, then King of England, said that his father used to daily remind him, "Son, never forget who you are." That’s the reminder of Lent – "remember who you are"… and more importantly "remember whose you are." Lent is a season of love. It is a season in which we celebrate God’s love for us in and through the passion and death of Christ. Lent is a celebration of our love for God and one another, as we seek to become better lovers of God, of humanity and of our world. That’s what it means to be born of the Spirit. Not only do you inherit the kingdom but you become the kingdom.