Born from Above

Grace, mercy, and peace be yours from God our Father, our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit, Three in One, One in Three. Amen.

You heard me read these words in the gospel lesson for today from Jesus:

English Standard Version Chapter 3

“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.

This is in response to Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews, a Pharisee, a member of the Sanhedrin, a man who knew much of the Old Testament asking Jesus:

English Standard Version Chapter 3

“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.

Did you catch Nicodemus response back to Jesus?

English Standard Version Chapter 3

4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”

Nicodemus heard that same words we just did, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus is confused with this statement. I’m sure he didn’t believe Jesus was speaking literally. That would be impossible. You see, Nicodemus was a smart man. He knew the Old Testament Scriptures, he was a master scholar. He knew what the Scriptures said about the Messiah was to come. I’m also sure that he knew what John the Baptist had come teaching and preaching. Nicodemus was putting 2 plus 2 together and he was coming up with 5, 6 or some other number, but not 4. Nicodemus clearly saw that that Jesus was doing things that only could be done by God! Jesus changed water into wine. He cleansed the temple. But Jesus…didn’t add up to what they thought the Messiah should be. The true hang up was this…it was in the message that John the Baptist and Jesus was now preaching…Repentance…and Baptism!

And the thing is: Nicodemus thought actually more than thought, he believed he was on the straight and narrow keeping the rabbinic laws of the Torah! He believed he was doing things right. He believed that doing things right and as a son of Abraham was a guarantee of his salvation. Things weren’t adding up for Nicodemus…the Message of John the Baptism, the message of Jesus… “Repent and be baptized for the kingdom of heaven is near…it’s here.”

Repentance…confessing your sins and baptism…trusting that God is washing away all the dirt in your life in the waters of life. This was all one needed to see the kingdom of God. He had a resume and a tradition. This may seem like a problem for this group of Pharisees.

But yet, in our day and age, we even encounter the same things. It may seem like I’m preaching to the choir so to speak. You are the baptized people of God. You were “Born again” by water and the Spirit. As Lutherans we are big on Baptism. We believe, teach and confess, that you receive faith, you receive forgiveness, life, and salvation through Baptism. And this is true. Baptism does this. And you have received all those gifts in your Baptism. You are the Baptized People of God.

Yet, what do people truly believe about Baptism? Perhaps even you? Do you believe that it is something you must do to show God that we are ready, we are committed to being a Christian? Do you believe it’s something that you must do, because it’s what grandma or grandpa expects and wants? Do you believe baptism is magic, it creates faith and then we don’t have to do anything else? Do you by into the fact that baptism is a decision you make? It seems as if this is the Nicodemus camp. After all, Jesus says that we need to be born again! or does he?

In American Christianity today, being “born again” means to be “really Christian” or even a more “dedicated Christian” or even the moment that “I gave my life to Jesus.”

Jesus actually says, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born “anothen”, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.” This was adding up to four…just not for Nicodemus and possibly not even for you. Perhaps its because the translators want us to read “again” so we hear what Nicodemus heard. Being born “anothen” means something different though. The word actually means, “from above.” Jesus says, ‘that one must be born from above to see the kingdom of God.”

And it’s a gift…a great and glorious gift. It’s been told of a missionary to the Philippines that he was standing with a host of other missionaries to the country. They were all of either the baptist or other reformed Christian Denomination. These missionaries were talking about the times that they were born again by the Spirit. They were talking about their decision times. They were talking when they made the dedication to Christ, when they opened their hearts to receive Jesus. All of them except one: the token Lutheran in the group, who told them, “I was laying there in the arms of a strange man wearing a white dress. Not my dad. He had a big hand, I was powerless to get away, and then he did something strange, actually I didn’t like it…I cried, he poured cold water over my head three times and said ‘I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.’ I heard the word before then. I heard it afterward! I was in church every Sunday…Sunday school hearing the Word of God…and then confirmation, where God confirmed my faith that he gave to me.” It was all God’s doing…i made no decision. It’s like not being able to choose which birth canal you come through…you don’t choose your parents…your physical birth is passive and so is this one.

You are born from above through God’s activity. Yes, one can push it away. You can even push away the gifts given to you in your baptism. You can choose not to hear the Word of God, you can choose not to come to worship. You can choose not to bring yourself to the Lord’s Supper. You can choose to not repent and live in your sin without grace bestowed upon you.

But to believe and have faith…it’s not up to you! God is acting to make you his Child…and you are. It’s the birth that you receive from above! It’s the birth St. Paul talks about in .

English Standard Version Chapter 6

3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

These verbs are all passive. Your God and Savior Jesus Christ is still descending from above to give you faith to give a you a new birth from above! It doesn’t even matter how old they are…whether they are mere minutes old to decades old. We confess in the meaning of the creed… “I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ my Lord or come to him: But the Holy Spirit has called me by the gospel, enlightened me with his gifts, sanctified and kept me in the one true faith.” It’s the work of God…Father, Son, and Holy Spirit…three persons, yet one God.

Yes…it is here in these simple waters of life that the almighty and triune God actually gave you new birth, a real birth from above. And it’s because of his unconditional love for you. An unconditional love that led him to be lifted up for you! He was lifted up for you on Calvary’s Cross so that you may live and have life in his name. Yet indeed, God did send his Son not to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

When one has this birth from above, this birth of water and Spirit, faith that is planted is watered, it’s planted, and it grows…it produces much fruit. It produces the fruits of repentance, it produces the fruits that flow from faith…not because we are obligated to do them for salvation. That was already done for us on the cross and in the resurrection of Christ.

And you the baptized, the resurrected ones because of your baptisms are the ones that are fruitful. You are ones who who has come to the light and the people can clearly see the works of God.

Think to the Old Testament text from Isaiah. Isaiah was born from above. First, Isaiah stands before teh Almighty Triune God and he is trembling with fear, because he knows like we confess… “Woe is me, I am a man of unclean lips and heart and mind...” He knows that he deserves present and eternal punishment for his sin. As one chosen by God, he knew he still was a sinner. Standing before the Triune God —before Absolution - only stirs up terror and fear in body, mind, and spirit. The triune God shows much grace and mercy to this wretched man of Isaiah. This God, doesn’t smite him, but he reaches out by means of the angel and the burning coal, and touches Isaiah. He purifies Isaiah, he makes him clean. He restores him. He is born from above. He born of the Spirit and of fire in this instance. He is cleansed…as you are in your Baptism…purified of sin.

And the Lord asks, “Who will work for us? Whom shall I send?” Isaiah responds, “Here am I! Send me!” God didn’t negotiate with Isaiah, saying that if I forgive your sins you are to do this, this, and this for me. No, God gave him life unconditionally. He loved Isaiah unconditionally. And Isaiah heard the Call to go where the Lord was going to send him and he went willingly and eagerly. This is the fruit of faith in action. This is the fruit of the redeemed child of God! This is the fruit of one who is purified…and today, God does it through the Water and the Spirit.

Your God will never tell you that you must do something before to earn salvation. Your God will never tell you that you must do something to keep your salvation. It’s yours freely. Freely because he’s given you the birth from above. He has given you new life! New life from above!

You are the Baptized People of God! Born from above, born into his death and resurrection to life. Born into his death and resurrection to live in the newness of life! A new life that you have in Baptism...washed clean by water and the Spirit!

In the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

Now may the peace of God which passes all understanding guard your hearts and minds and keep them focused in Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.