Scripture: John 3:1-21. 1 Peter 1:3
Dear Church,
He was a Pharisee, a member of the ruling council and a spiritual leader of his people. He was respectful and curious and sensitive to the moving of the Spirit. He knew the Bible inside and out. You could sum up Nicodemus in one word: Faithful.
And with all of that extraordinary faith and impressive pedigree, Nicodemus hears what every one of us hears when we seek the Lord: You must be born again.
For centuries, Christians have wondered and argued and threatened one another over the meaning of these words. At times, the church has twisted this revelation into a weapon of exclusion or accusation.
But Jesus isn’t threatening us here, he’s promising us something – something astonishing and wonder-filled:
Wherever we are on our spiritual journey, the goodness of God is making us new. Life with Jesus is not a self-improvement plan. We are not limited by our own will power and wisdom. We can have faith, not in our own efforts, but in the power of the love of God to heal and grow us.
So we can breathe deep and unclench our souls. We can relax and rejoice. As we hear each Sunday after we confess our sins, we can be at peace because God is making us new.
We are not in competition with anyone. We are not in danger. Since that very first Easter Sunday, we have held by the love of Jesus who endured the cross for us, the love of God who raised Jesus from the dead and the love of the Spirit who lives in us, filling and connecting us to that great holy love.
On our best days, on our worst days, in what appears ordinary and in what appears extraordinary (spoiler alert: it’s all extraordinary), we can be astonished and comforted by the great mercy of God that has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Let’s come together to revel and rejoice in the goodness of God! God’s own Spirit is making us new. In Christ, we are born again.
Peace,
Pastor Kate
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