Coming to belief

 People come to faith in Jesus in lots of ways.

Some people have a “come to Jesus” moment, when something happens to force them to acknowledge faith in Jesus. It could be a near death experience, or an encounter with church people who invite them to make a profession of faith. Or a sudden recognition that while they went to church regularly, they were doing it for show, and they needed to let Jesus into their hearts.

I suspect that many of us in this room came to faith slowly, brought to church by our parents or grandparents. Sunday school was part of life each week, and Bible study as adults introduced us to a fuller picture of God and Jesus, and to those who are believers. As we learned more, our faith grew. We may cite a few high moments in our lives that were epiphanies in our faith life, but we don’t usually identify one particular moment that changed us into believers for the first time.

… Nicodemus demonstrates yet another way of coming to Jesus. He already believes in God, and now he is curious about the teaching he hears from Jesus. He is a Pharisee, a member of the educated class of Jews in that time, perhaps akin to professors in our day. Pharisees were respected for their knowledge and their ability to interpret Torah and other writings.

When Nicodemus shows up at Jesus’ door at night, he admits to being curious and not fully understanding what Jesus is teaching. He takes Jesus literally, instead of metaphorically. But he does want to understand. … John’s Gospel has Nicodemus appear three times, but I suspect he comes more often than that to talk with Jesus. It takes him time to come to faith in Jesus. By the end of John, it’s Nicodemus’ tomb that Jesus is buried in, which I think is demonstration of a strong relationship developed over time.

Nicodemus shows us that not all Pharisees hated Jesus and wanted to get rid of him. Some of them wanted to learn more before making judgements about Jesus. The most frequent title used for Jesus is as a teacher. He’s called Rabbi, and Teacher, and Master, which has the sense of Schoolmaster, as opposed to slave master. So, in this conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus, it’s two teachers talking and learning from each other. Nicodemus is trying to understand Jesus’ way of believing in God, and Jesus is learning how to teach people like Nicodemus.

… The problem comes with Nic’s misunderstanding of Jesus’ metaphor about rebirth. Jesus does explain it as being bathed with water and Spirit, but even that confuses Nic. Jesus complains. “If people don’t understand when I talk about earthly things, how can they understand when I talk about heavenly things? Since I’m the only one who has been in heaven, I know more than they do, and they should trust and believe me.”

Jesus goes on to say what has become the most famous line in scripture, used in popular culture as a statement, and, at times, as a weapon for exclusion:

“For God loved the world in this way, that God gave the Son, the only begotten one, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.”  This sentence explains that Jesus is God’s only begotten Son, sent to bring eternal life to all who believe. Unfortunately, it has been used to say that only those who believe in Jesus are saved, and only those who believe the same way as they do are good people.

So, I recommend the next verse be used also. “Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world but in order that the world might be saved through him.” This verse reminds us to respect all people, and not condemn anyone for their beliefs.

The word translated as “world” is kosmos in Greek. In John’s Gospel, it usually refers to something negative, a system that works against God. So, the texts could read: For God loved the God-hating world so much; or For God loved the world that despised God so much. Jesus came to the world despite the way people hate and disrespect God.  

… The first reading tells us much about how the world (in other words, we) should treat God, and each other. Abram and Sarai are sent by God on a journey into an unknown future. They are told two things: 1)When they get where they are supposed to be, God will let them know; and 2) wherever they go, people will be blessed through them.

Those of us who have read the rest of the story know that Abram and Sarai settled in one place, but a drought and famine forced them to get back on the road again. The family continued to wander, through the many generations, hither and yon between Canaan and Egypt. Because of their travels, many people came to know about the God Abram knew, and those they met were blessed in the encounter. – Or not, but that’s another story altogether.

So, rather than judging each other for our beliefs, we are called to bless each other. We are called to let others know about the eternal life that is available through belief in Jesus. And we are not to condemn others because they believe differently.

… One story. A pastor I knew about 40 years ago, I’ll call him Arnold, told me about his vacation. When he traveled, he always sat in the back, and he didn’t sing loudly. He preferred to be incognito, not “outed” as a pastor. On Sunday, Arnold and his family attended the local Lutheran Church, expecting to fit in and be welcomed as a visitor in a vacation town.

And they were welcomed, handed bulletins, and people checked to see that they understood the service and found the hymns in the hymnal. When the offering plate went by, they put in a 5-dollar bill. Forty years ago, $5 meant something!

It was a communion Sunday, so they joined the congregation in going forward for the meal when it was their turn. Arnold noticed that the ushers were talking together, and soon they approached him and asked where he usually attended worship. Arnold gave the name and town of his congregation.

The ushers realized that it was a different denomination than theirs, so they turned Arnold and his family away from the altar rail. On his way away from the rail, Arnold went through the opening and took a $5 out of the plate. Then he and the family left.

Despite being baptized – washed in the water and Spirit of baptism – despite being followers of God through the theology of the same teacher, Martin Luther, the leaders of the congregation condemned Arnold for not believing exactly the same as they did.

… In Lent, we are called to remember that we are baptized, filled with God’s Spirit, and so beloved that we are forgiven of our sinfulness. Let us also remember that we have a tendency to forget that others are baptized, filled with God’s Spirit, and so beloved that they are forgiven of their sinfulness, too.

All who believe in God, no matter how they come to faith, have eternal life. And that’s all that matters to God, and that’s all that should matter to us. Amen