Born Again

Intro: It is Trinity Sunday.

One of the major draws of Anglican Christianity for me was the focus on Trinity. In evangelical circle there has been this assumption that the trinity is so obvious that we don’t need to talk about it much. People get it, or at least wont forsake it…I would argue it is more tenuous than that.

When we observe more liberal families of Christianity and the getting away from the divinity of Christ, that is a misunderstanding of the trinity.

On the other side the fastest growing family of Christians in the world are the Charismatics, and some significant percentage of them are Modalist, that means...If the church does not keep defining and defending the Trinity it is an easy doctrine to lose.

That is why the BCPs constant reference to our triune God must be cherished. Friends the simple math is this. If God is not the Triune God of historic Christianity the math of our salvation does not work!

Todays we explore salvation as explained by Jesus and how it is an event of the Trinity.

All this together feeds my main point: We see God’s kingdom by the work of the Spirit to bring us to the death of the Son.

The Text: One of the more famous text of the New Testament. John 3:16 might be the most famous Bible verse in the English Language. What i find most interesting is not that our lectionary has us in this oft quoted section, but it is here on Trinity Sunday…Lets quickly explore the text...

Setting: The Characters are Jesus and Nicodemus. Jesus in the Gospel of John is The Word made flesh. That means that God who reveals himself in word, is nw that revelation wearing human skin. So when Jesus speaks it is the very word of God Speaking. On the other side of our conversation is Nicodemus who is The Teacher of Is. Vs. 10 mentions not a teacher but the teacher. So he holds status.

Nicodemus comes at night. When I was in Bible study growing up they would talk about N. coming at nite out of embarrassment. Did not want to be seen with Jesus. But that is not the way John uses the Idea of nite. John instead sees the darkness of night as a way of expressing the the lack of revelation and the lack of moral goodness that comes with light and daytime.

I saw the light…Walk in the light.

So we have our setting, that is Characters and location. Now let us turn to the discourse.

N. is going to ask three questions. Jesus will answer. And in each answer he will refer to a different member of the Trinity as he answers.

Questions one: [2] This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.”

Formally, Nicodemus has not yet asked anything, though the implied question seems to be something like, ‘Who are you, then? We know you are a teacher from God, but are you more? Are you a prophet? Are you the Messiah?’

Verse 3 Unless you are born again. You cannot see the kingdom of God. 2 notes: First we are referencing God the Father. Remember each questions will point to a member of the trinity. God the Father…check! Second thing…seeing the Kingdom is participating in the kingdom. If you want to participate in the Kingdom of God…that is be under his rule and reign you must be born again.

Question 2: Verse 4 “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” (Hyperbolic Answer) Answer two:

[5] Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’

The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

Jesus this time points to the role of the Spirit in seeing the kingdom of God, so we have our reference to the Father and to the Spirit.

Looking at Jesus Response: Jesus is saying we must have a new kind of Genetic make up and it is the Spirit that does it. We start as children of the first Adam. trapped in the sin we inherit from him. We need a new birth under a different Adam. (Flesh is flesh Spirit is Spirit).

Not only this when it happens it is the spirit that does it and the process is invisible, while the outcome is obvious.

Question 3: Verse 9 “How can these things be?” We have Nicodemus final question. Doubtless he himself had for years taught others the conditions of entrance to the kingdom of God, conditions cast in terms of obedience to God’s commands, devotion to God, happy submission to his will; but here he is facing a condition he has never heard expressed, the absolute requirement of birth from above

and Jesus has a bit of a harsh intro to the answer “Are you not the teacher of Israel?” If anyone knows this shouldn't it be you N.? Nothing could make clearer the fact that Jesus’ teaching on the new birth was built on the teaching of the Old Testament. Not only that but Jesus is making it clear what earthly thing must have taken place, that is a new birth of water and spirit. Apparently there is more to say about the Spiritual and if N. cant hang on the earthly then how is he going to hang on the heavenly?

And now Jesus will focus on God the Son. He has talked about God the Father, he has talked about God the HS. Now it is time to talk about the roll of God the Son. Verse 13: Legends of Jewish mystics who ascended…no one has ascended only the one who belongs there…there Devine Son of Man. Not only is he the only one who has been there, His Glorification and in his death (elevated n a cross) will be the things that saves. Jesus explains this by referencing a OT account of the people in the dessert. Moses pointed to ta thing that saved…Jesus is the thing that saves.

Verse 16: And then Jesus gives that most famous of verses. This Triune God, who brings New Birth by the Spirit, and lifts up his son to save the rebellious people of Israel. truly loves this most rebellious world. How much does he love them? He gave that most cherished thing his son that we might not die, but live forever.

Hear what comfortable words our Saviour Christ saith unto all who truly turn to him.

Jesus who is a member of the blessed trinity, is the very embodiment of God’s love, displays this love by dying for a world in rebellion to him. In that death he allows for us to be born again, so see the kingdom of God. John 3:16 can be a powerful verse when it stands alone, but I would contend more powerful when it has context.

All this together feeds my main point: We see God’s kingdom by the work of the Spirit to bring us to the death of the Son.

So what are the applications for today.

First off, we must be steadfast in our theology of a triune God. The trinity is one of the most profound mysteries of the Christian faith, but we are not left with nothing. We have language to talk about it…in a moment we will not say the Nicene Creed together, but the Athenasian Creed.

Whoever desires to be saved should above all hold to the catholic faith.

Anyone who does not keep it whole and unbroken will doubtless perish eternally.

Now this is the catholic faith:

That we worship one God in trinity and the trinity in unity,     neither blending their persons     nor dividing their essence.         For the person of the Father is a distinct person,         the person of the Son is another,         and that of the Holy Spirit still another.         But the divinity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is one,         their glory equal, their majesty coeternal.

Quick warning. Say what can be said avoid what cant be said.

Application 2: Let us use the tools of our tradition to apply the New Birth.

Dearly beloved, forasmuch as all men are conceived and born in sin; and that our Saviour Christ saith, None can enter into the kingdom of God, except he be regenerate and born anew of Water and of the Holy Ghost; I beseech you to call upon God the Father, through our Lord Jesus Christ, that of his bounteous mercy he will grant to this Child (or this Person) that which by nature he cannot have; that he may be baptized with Water and the Holy Ghost, and received into Christ’s holy Church, and be made a living member of the same.

For those of us how live in a Liturgical Tradition, Baptism is the work of God, not of man, But of God to seal the new birth into the believer. So for this application I give you the words of Martin Luther “swim in your baptism.

Application number 3. Look to the son: The rebellious Israelites in the dessert would have perished if they had tired their own solutions in the Dessert. It was the work of God that save, and only to those who looked to the snake. In the same way we will perish in our own sin unless we look to the son. There are no human solutions to sin. Sin is an offence against God more than offence to his creatures. Therefore the only solution is God given. Look to the son. The work of you own hands are vain and insufficient. You will never get your act together enough to please God. Look to the Son lifted up on the Cross.

One Hymn writer put it this way. Let not conscience make you linger, nor of fitness fondly dream/The only fitness he requires is that you feel you need of him. I will arise and go to Jesus...

All this together feeds my main point: We see God’s kingdom by the work of the Spirit to bring us to the death of the Son.

Its a very human instinct to desire a new start. New Years resolutions, new diets, reinventing our selves. Cosmetic suguries, career changes, all these things might create an illusion of a new birth a new you. But we know the truth at the end of the day you would still be you. Or as Lynard Skynard said “in this world you can not change.” That is you can not change unless acted upon by the supernatural.

Brothers and sisters come to Jesus this morning and be changed by him who grants us the new birth. As your Bishop oft reminds us we the Alter call of the Anglican is the communion rail. Come kneel here and look to the son to grant us a new birth. This is the diet that actually changes a person. Prepare your hearts for the son who is lifted up…pointed to by the Spirit, granting us to see the kingdom of God.