In John 3:1-17 there is a long conversation between Nicodemus, a religious leader, and Jesus. Nic comes at night: a) because he has a day job and can’t come then, and b) symbolically he is in the dark about Jesus – he’s glimpsed something of the Light of the world, but he hasn’t understood it yet.
When he praises Jesus for being a teacher who has come from God, Jesus comes straight back at him with the confronting words, ‘Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God, without being born from above (or again, the Greek word can mean either).’ Nicodemus never expected the religious conversation to start this way, but he gamely jumps in – ‘How can I as an adult be born again, it would kill my mum?’
As Christians, we understand that through our baptism we are born again through water and the Holy Spirit. We are joined to Christ, and we have eternal life as a gift that has already started. The question that puzzled me as I prepared for the sermon was, ‘What is Jesus inviting us into? What is this new life we are being called into? What are we being offered?’
It’s a whole new way of being, and it turns us upside down and inside out, in a good way. Suddenly our foundations and our surety are way deeper than anything we can make for ourselves. Who we are and what we do no longer depends on our skills, abilities, successes and self-management. Grace is the operative word. We are forgiven. We are loved in spite of things we get wrong. We don’t have to get everything right all the time, be perfect, beautiful, amazing or liked all the time. The critical words that keep running through our heads when we are under stress no longer own us. They are being replaced with words from Christ about hope, peace, forgiveness and the courage to step out in faith and look ahead in faith and love, and when needed, we can make difficult choices.
Trust this new life. It’s about Jesus, it’s about community and belonging, and it’s about something uniquely shaped for you to fit into.
