The Reading— 1 Corinthians 2: 6-8, 10-13
We, of course, have plenty of wisdom to pass on to you once you get your feet on firm spiritual ground, but it's not popular wisdom, the fashionable wisdom of high-priced experts that will be out-of-date in a year or so. God's wisdom is something mysterious that goes deep into the interior of [sacred] purposes. You don't find it lying around on the surface. It's not the latest message, but more like the oldest—what God determined as the way to bring out [the divine] best in us, long before we ever arrived on the scene. The experts of our day haven't a clue about what this eternal plan is. The Spirit, not content to flit around on the surface, dives into the depths of God, and brings out what God planned all along…God offers a full report on the gifts of life and salvation that [we are being given]. We don't have to rely on the world's guesses and opinions. We didn't learn this by reading books or going to school; we learned it from God, who taught us person-to-person through Jesus, and we're passing it on to you in the same firsthand, personal way.
The Gospel Reading: John 3: 1-6. 16-21
There was a man of the Pharisee sect, Nicodemus, a prominent leader among the Jews. Late one night he visited Jesus and said, "Rabbi, we all know you're a teacher straight from God. No one could do all the God-pointing, God-revealing acts you do if God weren't in on it." Jesus said, "You're absolutely right. Take it from me: Unless a person is born from above, it's not possible to see what I'm pointing to—to God's kingdom."
"How can anyone," said Nicodemus, "be born who has already been born and grown up? You can't re-enter your mother's womb and be born again. What are you saying with this 'born-from-above' talk?"
Jesus said, "You're not listening. Let me say it again. Unless a person submits to this original creation—the 'wind-hovering-over-the-water' creation, the invisible moving the visible, a baptism into a new life—it's not possible to enter God's kingdom. When you look at a baby, it's just that: a body you can look at and touch. But the person who takes shape within is formed by something you can't see and touch—the Spirit—and becomes a living spirit. "This is how much God loved the world: {God] gave [the] Son, [the] one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn't go to all the trouble of sending [the] Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person's failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him.
"This is the crisis we're in: God-light streamed into the world, but men and women everywhere ran for the darkness. They went for the darkness because they were not really interested in pleasing God. Everyone who makes a practice of doing evil, addicted to denial and illusion, hates God-light and won't come near it, fearing a painful exposure. But anyone working and living in truth and reality welcomes God-light so the work can be seen for the God-work it is."
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God of miracle and message, we pray today that we might understand more and more of your gifts of grace and forgiveness. May the words of my mouth and the meditations of all our hearts be acceptable to you and bring you glory. Amen
It’s an old story—this story of Nicodemus sneaking to Jesus at night. He comes in the darkness to find the truth from this man called Jesus. He is ready to hear it—you can see that in his first response: “You are a teacher straight from God”. And when Jesus confirms all that he has said, it appears that Nicodemus may have stumbled upon the truth himself. But, Jesus “pushes the envelope”, if you will. “You must be born again, re-born from a spiritual perspective”. Poor Nicodemus, just seconds from thinking he is in sync with Jesus, stumbles on Jesus’ language and metaphor. Nicodemus, wanting something he can relate to says, “This is nonsense, I can’t go back into my mother’s womb and be born again”. Jesus tries again: “You’re not really listening. Unless a person is willing to be spiritually reborn, born into a new life, they will never understand what it means to participate in God’s reign of justice”.
I believe that Open Circle is in the very midst of being reborn—let me explain. This has been a very exciting week and, all along, my prayer has been that I and we don’t miss the spiritual meaning inherent in all of the sweeping and painting and making our home in our new campus. Let’s try this on for size and see if it works at all.
Nicodemus has heard of this Jesus and knew of the miracles it was reported he performed. We, Open Circle, through the Dare to Dream Team, learned of the existence of this land and went to see it. We were impressed with it and wanted to know more. The Board of Directors looked at the land as well and said, “this could be our new home”. And so, just as Nicodemus came to see Jesus for himself, we placed an offer on the land and began our due diligence period. It became clear, just as Nicodemus said, that “God was in on it.” And we completed our time of testing and exploring and began to wait for closing. Let me tell you how this past week went for me. On Monday, we signed the papers—no turning back now. And I began to believe that we were almost home. On Tuesday, I was handed a key—closer yet and the excitement was building. But nothing could have prepared me for what I felt standing on the property that is and will be home for literally generations of MCC’ers. And, all day, I found myself standing still for a moment, letting it sink in and experiencing the joy of it all. I began to see that it was happening for all of us who were there—we just kept grinning at each other—seemed the only thing to do—we were so full of joy and hope.
And, it dawned on me, this is the story of being born again. We hear of this Jesus, and we may make a small investment in God’s sacred reign. We learn more, we test, we explore, we measure. We may even bring in experts to give us needed information. And, in the end, we make a decision to buy or buy in as it were. But, not until we step through the threshold of our door or stand under a tree and drink in the smell of new cut grass, does it all become real. And this experience lies ahead for most of you—I can hardly wait to see it unfold.
We are Nicodemus a hundred-fold. We hear about Jesus, we learn a little of God’s unconditional love, it breaks through our resistance and reluctance bit by bit. We journey in faith and exploration. We ponder the meaning of commitment and we let go of all that keeps us from feeling the joy and we say “yes” to God’s call to recognize that we are a child of God. And, suddenly, nothing is ever the same. Our hearts are full of joy and expectation. Once we move past our limited notion of ourselves and our church, we begin to embrace the limitless opportunities for spiritual growth in our lives and in Open Circle.
It is important for us to understand why Jesus’ answer to Nicodemus is so revolutionary and difficult for him and, therefore, us to grasp. Historically, the Jews had seen themselves as the chosen people with good reason. However, God’s promise to Abraham—“All peoples on earth will be blessed through you” establishes that the Jewish people were not the only recipients of God’s grace. So, from time to time, someone would choose to convert to Judaism. When this occurred, these proselytes were described as “reborn”. So the concept of being reborn was not foreign to Nicodemus. However, Nicodemus was a Pharisee, born into the Jewish people, and considered a religious leader. For Jesus to use the same word as previously attached to people who converted to Judaism would have been a bitter pill for Nicodemus to swallow.
We are not so different. Open Circle has received awards and our success has been on the lips of every Elder in our denomination. We continue to be held up as an example for others to follow. It would be easy for us to slip into a Nicodemus mindset which prohibits us from hearing what God, through Jesus, is saying. Though the world may set up apart and tell us we are special, our call is to be reborn—to move from a small church mindset to the wonder of unexplored ministries. As Jesus called Nicodemus to be reborn, he calls us still—to open our hearts to the bigger and better gifts and ministries waiting to be birthed, through all of you, into our community of faith and the world. Not so different is our individual call to be reborn in this church from a hearer to a doer, from a listener to a planner, and from a doubter to one who is ready for anything God sends your way.
St. John Vianny says this regarding listening to God. “When it's God Who is speaking ... the proper way to behave is to imitate someone who has an irresistible curiosity and who listens at keyholes. You must listen to everything God says at the keyhole of your heart”. Are we ready to listen at the keyholes of our hearts? I hope so and pray so. Our “irresistible curiosity” to listen to all the ways God is calling us to utilize this sacred space will lead us in ministry paths we have not even had time to think of yet. And this is the path to “putting the world right again”—we see the need and answer “yes”.
We learn from Paul what God will do in our lives when we are open and listening. Paul says, the wisdom that we learn from is not the popular wisdom of the high-priced or highly visible people who speak in the name of Christianity. No, he says, “God's wisdom is the oldest of old and is something mysterious that goes deep into the interior of [sacred] purposes”. Paul goes a little further and says, “the ones who claim to be experts in the faith really don’t have any idea what God’s plan for the world actually is.” Paul is convinced and so am I that God’s plan will bring out the sacred best in us. “The Spirit”, says Paul, “is not found in surface things. No, the Spirit is in the depths of God and shows us what was planned from the very beginning”.
Paul goes further, “We didn't learn this by reading books or going to school; we learned it from God, who taught us person-to-person through Jesus, and we're passing it on to you in the same firsthand, personal way”.
Hear the words of Jan Richardson, artist and theologian: “What distinguishes and directs the flow and focus of our lives? What is the purpose we are known for—or that we struggle toward and long for? How do we abandon ourselves to this purpose and to the One who calls us to it, and move ever more deeply into the self that God created us to be?”
This is the call to us today—to move more deeply into the self and church that God created us to be. We are blessed and we know it. What will it take for all of us to hear the call of God to fulfill the sacred responsibility that comes with the special space we now call home? What will it take for all of us to open our hearts, and yes, even our minds to hear and heed and answer Christ’s call to be reborn—to change and grow and risk and give of ourselves in new and exciting ways. Welcome to rebirth and welcome to a new Open Circle MCC where all are welcome to worship and to serve. Welcome to the opportunity to be all that God plans for you to be. Welcome to the place where “God is in on it” every moment of the day. Amen and amen.
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