INTRODUCING NICODEMUS Wednesday before the Second Sunday in Lent (Year A) March 12, 2014 Lessons Genesis 12:1-4a Psalm 121 Romans 4:1-5, 13-17 St. John 3:1-17 Pastor David J. Risendal www.onelittleword.org drisendal@stplc.org facebook Dave Risendal Twitter: drisendal Saint Peter Lutheran Church 9300 East Belleview Avenue Greenwood Village, CO 80111 303/770-9300 www.stplc.org facebook.com/stplc O God, our leader and guide, in the waters of baptism you bring us to new birth to live as your children. Strengthen our faith in your promises, that by your Spirit we may lift up your life to all the world through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. Sermon Prayer of the Day Grace to you and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Amen. So far this year we ve talked about Lent being a time to adopt certain spiritual practices in our lives, with the intent of growing closer to God, and deeper in our ability to trust in the promise of our faith. I hope this is going well for you that it has already made this first week since Ash Wednesday a richer week and I want to encourage you to keep it up. Forty days may seem like a long time, but the good news is: it is long enough to really make a difference in our lives. If you are having trouble getting started there is a flier in the Narthex you could take home which has some suggestions. Or get in touch with me. I d love to explore with you how to work these practices into your life. On Wednesdays during Evening Prayer we are going to pick up another traditional focus of this season. Lent has long been understood as a time for the church to walk with Jesus as he makes his way to Jerusalem and the cross. We ll do that this year each Wednesday by introducing you to someone who met Jesus, and whose life was touched by the meeting. And we ll take a few moments to consider how their life and example might help us in our own relationship with God. 1 Romans 1:7, 1 st Corinthians 1:3, 2 nd Corinthians 1:2, Galatians 1:3, Ephesians 1:2, Philippians 1:2, Colossians 1:2, 1 st Thessalonians 1:1, 2 nd Thessalonians 1:2, Philemon 3; New Revised Version Bible ( 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America).
Wednesday before the Second Sunday in Lent Year A (March 12, 2014) 2 Next week we ll meet a Samaritan woman Jesus meets at a well during his travels. Others might have ignored her perhaps even scorned her but Jesus takes her seriously and cares for her. The following week, we ll meet a blind man who is healed by Jesus on the Sabbath day. Healing on the Sabbath offended some of the religious authorities, and those who were mostly interested in rules and regulations, but it changed this man s life. Then we ll meet Lazarus, a dear friend of Jesus, who dies. His sisters, Mary and Martha, are consumed by grief and Jesus himself is seen to be weeping at his friend s death. But foreshadowing his own resurrection, Jesus raises him from the tomb. The final person we ll meet is a Centurion a Roman soldier who is a witness to the suffering and death of Jesus, yet who sees something remarkable in his Passion. While others mock Jesus, the Centurion perceives that he is God s son. We hope that as we spend time with these people, we will come to be touched by our Lord s ministry, and our God s love. So we start these introductions, today, with Nicodemus. An interesting character, this respected religious official comes to Jesus under cover of night, and meets with him. He is impressed enough with Jesus to want to hear from him; perhaps even learn from him. But he is worried enough about his colleagues that he does so in secret. Nicodemus and Jesus have a complicated conversation one that is actually harder to understand the more closely you look at it. The essence of it is that Jesus challenges Nicodemus, declaring that he won t really know what the kingdom of God is all about until there is a new birth a new beginning in his life. Jesus wants to connect Nicodemus with God in an entirely new way. Now remember: Nicodemus is a trained religious scholar, well versed in the Scriptures and the history of God s people. He is a religious insider a regular participant at Temple worship and, one would presume, faithfully involved in many of the faith practices of his day. Yet Jesus indicates to Nicodemus that there is more to it than this. We don t know exactly what Nicodemus is hoping to hear from Jesus, but this doesn t seem to be it, and by the end of our Gospel lesson Nicodemus has quietly slipped away from the scene. We can only imagine how this affected him. Did he confide in anyone that he had this meeting? Did he lay awake at night, wondering what Jesus meant by new birth and the blowing of the Spirit? Did he secretly stand in the shadows, listening to Jesus teach in the Temple and the streets? We don t know the answer to any of these questions, but thankfully this isn t the end of his story. Later on, in the seventh chapter of John, at a meeting of the chief priests and Pharisees, Nicodemus will stand up for Jesus. And finally, in the nineteenth chapter, this man who starts out afraid to be seen in the light of day with Jesus will go out in broad daylight (On Good Friday, no less) and help to remove the body of Jesus from the cross so he could be given a proper Jewish burial. Clearly, something has changed since this first meeting. Clearly the Spirit has blown into this man s life, and we can only conclude that the something more Jesus wanted for Nicodemus has been received. A good, faithful religious man discovers a passion for following Jesus, and is willing to risk it all in order to honor him. The story of Nicodemus is a dramatic one, but it is not an unfamiliar one. For many of us, life has taken a turn like this. Perhaps we grew up with no connection to the church or the faith, and at some point it became part of our lives. Perhaps we grew up among believers, and at some point our faith became more important to us than it ever had been before. So it is, Jesus says, with everyone who is born of the Spirit. So in the next few minutes I d like to invite you to turn your attention to the handout you received as you arrived this evening. You may want to read through the Bible passage
Wednesday before the Second Sunday in Lent Year A (March 12, 2014) 3 again. If so, feel free to do that, and see what jumps out at you now that we've spent some time reflecting on it. But what I d really like to have you do is to think about your own life s journey, and specifically about your faith story. Was there a dramatic turn somewhere along the way? Was there a period of deepening and strengthening? Were there individuals who guided you and encouraged you through these transitions? Write down a few thoughts, and give thanks both for the way the Holy Spirit has blown through your life, and for the people God worked through to encourage your faithfulness. David J. Risendal, Pastor Gospel Lesson; English Text 2 3.1 Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. 2 He came to Jesus by night and said to him, Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God. 3 Jesus answered him, Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above. 4 Nicodemus said to him, How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother s womb and be born? 5 Jesus answered, Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. 6 What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not be astonished that I said to you, You must be born from above. 8 The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit. 9 Nicodemus said to him, How can these things be? 10 Jesus answered him, Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things? 11 Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen; yet you do not receive our testimony. 12 If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. 14 And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. 17 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. 3 Gospel Lesson; Greek Text: 3.1 Η ν δὲ ἄνθρωπος ἐκ τω ν Φαρισαίων, Νικόδηµος ὄνοµα αὐτῳ, ἄρχων τω ν Ἰουδαίων 2 οὑ τος ἠ λθεν πρὸς αὐτὸν νυκτὸς καὶ εἰ πεν αὐτῳ ῥαββί, οἴδαµεν ὅτι ἀπὸ θεου ἐλήλυθας διδάσκαλος οὐδεὶς γὰρ δύναται ταυ τα τὰ σηµει α ποιει ν ἃ σὺ ποιει ς, ἐὰν µὴ ᾐ ὁ θεὸς µετ αὐτου. 3 ἀπεκρίθη Ἰησου ς καὶ εἰ πεν αὐτῳ ἀµὴν ἀµὴν λέγω σοι, ἐὰν µή τις γεννηθῃ ἄνωθεν, οὐ δύναται ἰδει ν τὴν βασιλείαν του θεου. 4 λέγει πρὸς αὐτὸν [ὁ] Νικόδηµος πω ς δύναται ἄνθρωπος γεννηθη ναι γέρων ὤν; µὴ δύναται εἰς τὴν κοιλίαν τη ς µητρὸς αὐτου δεύτερον εἰσελθει ν καὶ γεννηθη ναι; 5 ἀπεκρίθη Ἰησου ς ἀµὴν ἀµὴν λέγω σοι, ἐὰν µή τις γεννηθῃ ἐξ ὕδατος καὶ πνεύµατος, οὐ δύναται εἰσελθει ν εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν του θεου. 6 τὸ γεγεννηµένον ἐκ τη ς σαρκὸς σάρξ ἐστιν, καὶ τὸ γεγεννηµένον ἐκ του πνεύµατος πνευ µα ἐστιν. 7 µὴ θαυµάσῃς ὅτι εἰ πον σοι δει ὑµα ς γεννηθη ναι ἄνωθεν. 8 τὸ πνευ µα ὅπου θέλει πνει καὶ τὴν φωνὴν αὐτου ἀκούεις, ἀλλ οὐκ οἰ δας 2 A list of Bible lessons for the coming weeks is available at www.elca.org/lectionary. 3 St. John 3:1-17, New Revised Standard Version Bible ( 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America).
@ Wednesday before the Second Sunday in Lent Year A (March 12, 2014) 4 πόθεν ἔρχεται καὶ που ὑπάγει οὕτως ἐστὶν πα ς ὁ γεγεννηµένος ἐκ του πνεύµατος. 9 ἀπεκρίθη Νικόδηµος καὶ εἰ πεν αὐτῳ πω ς δύναται ταυ τα γενέσθαι; 10 ἀπεκρίθη Ἰησου ς καὶ εἰ πεν αὐτῳ σὺ εἰ ὁ διδάσκαλος του Ἰσραὴλ καὶ ταυ τα οὐ γινώσκεις; 11 ἀµὴν ἀµὴν λέγω σοι ὅτι ὃ οἴδαµεν λαλου µεν καὶ ὃ ἑωράκαµεν µαρτυρου µεν, καὶ τὴν µαρτυρίαν ἡµω ν οὐ λαµβάνετε. 12 εἰ τὰ ἐπίγεια εἰ πον ὑµι ν καὶ οὐ πιστεύετε, πω ς ἐὰν εἴπω ὑµι ν τὰ ἐπουράνια πιστεύσετε; 13 καὶ οὐδεὶς ἀναβέβηκεν εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν εἰ µὴ ὁ ἐκ του οὐρανου καταβάς, ὁ υἱὸς του ἀνθρώπου. 14 Καὶ καθὼς Μωϋση ς ὕψωσεν τὸν ὄφιν ἐν τῃ ἐρήµῳ, οὕτως ὑψωθη ναι δει τὸν υἱὸν του ἀνθρώπου, 15 ἵνα πα ς ὁ πιστεύων ἐν αὐτῳ ἔχῃ ζωὴν αἰώνιον. οὕτως γὰρ ἠγάπησεν ὁ θεὸς τὸν κόσµον, ὥστε τὸν υἱὸν τὸν µονογενη ἔδωκεν, ἵνα πα ς ὁ πιστεύων εἰς αὐτὸν µὴ ἀπόληται ἀλλ ἔχῃ ζωὴν αἰώνιον. 17 οὐ γὰρ ἀπέστειλεν ὁ θεὸς τὸν υἱὸν εἰς τὸν κόσµον ἵνα κρίνῃ τὸν κόσµον, ἀλλ ἵνα σωθῃ ὁ κόσµος δι αὐτου. 4 First Lesson; English Text: 4:1 What then are we to say was gained by Abraham, our ancestor according to the flesh? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the scripture say? Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness. 4 Now to one who works, wages are not reckoned as a gift but as something due. 5 But to one who without works trusts him who justifies the ungodly, such faith is reckoned as righteousness. 13 For the promise that he would inherit the world did not come to Abraham or to his descendants through the law but through the righteousness of faith. 14 If it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. 15 For the law brings wrath; but where there is no law, neither is there violation. For this reason it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his descendants, not only to the adherents of the law but also to those who share the faith of Abraham (for he is the father of all of us, 17 as it is written, I have made you the father of many nations ) in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. 5 Second Lesson; English Text: 4.1 What then are we to say was gained by Abraham, our ancestor according to the flesh? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the scripture say? Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness. 4 Now to one who works, wages are not reckoned as a gift but as something due. 5 But to one who without works trusts him who justifies the ungodly, such faith is reckoned as righteousness. 13 For the promise that he would inherit the world did not come to Abraham or to his descendants through the law but through the righteousness of faith. 14 If it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. 15 For the law brings wrath; but where there is no law, neither is there violation. For this reason it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his descendants, not only to the adherents of the law but also to those who share the faith of Abraham (for he is the father of all of us, 17 as it is written, I have made you the father of many nations ) in the presence of the God in 4 5 St. John 3:1-17, The Greek New Testament, Aland, Kurt, Black, Matthew, Martini, Carlo M., Metzger, Bruce M., and Wikgren, Allen, ( 1983, Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft Stuttgart). Genesis 12:1-4a, New Revised Standard Version Bible, opp. cit.
@ Wednesday before the Second Sunday in Lent Year A (March 12, 2014) 5 whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. 6 Second Lesson; Greek Text: 4:1 Τί οὖν ἐροῦµεν εὑρηκέναι Ἀβραὰµ τὸν προπάτορα ἡµῶν κατὰ σάρκα; 2 εἰ γὰρ Ἀβραὰµ ἐξ ἔργων ἐδικαιώθη, ἔχει καύχηµα, ἀλλ οὐ πρὸς θεόν. 3 τί γὰρ ἡ γραφὴ λέγει; ἐπίστευσεν δὲ Ἀβραὰµ τῷ θεῷ καὶ ἐλογίσθη αὐτῷ εἰς δικαιοσύνην. 4 τῷ δὲ ἐργαζοµένῳ ὁ µισθὸς οὐ λογίζεται κατὰ χάριν ἀλλὰ κατὰ ὀφείληµα, 5 τῷ δὲ µὴ ἐργαζοµένῳ πιστεύοντι δὲ ἐπὶ τὸν δικαιοῦντα τὸν ἀσεβῆ λογίζεται ἡ πίστις αὐτοῦ εἰς δικαιοσύνην 13 Οὐ γὰρ διὰ νόµου ἡ ἐπαγγελία τῷ Ἀβραὰµ ἢ τῷ σπέρµατι αὐτοῦ, τὸ κληρονόµον αὐτὸν εἶναι κόσµου, ἀλλὰ διὰ δικαιοσύνης πίστεως. 14 εἰ γὰρ οἱ ἐκ νόµου κληρονόµοι, κεκένωται ἡ πίστις καὶ κατήργηται ἡ ἐπαγγελία 15 ὁ γὰρ νόµος ὀργὴν κατεργάζεται οὗ δὲ οὐκ ἔστιν νόµος οὐδὲ παράβασις. Διὰ τοῦτο ἐκ πίστεως, ἵνα κατὰ χάριν, εἰς τὸ εἶναι βεβαίαν τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν παντὶ τῷ σπέρµατι, οὐ τῷ ἐκ τοῦ νόµου µόνον ἀλλὰ καὶ τῷ ἐκ πίστεως Ἀβραάµ, ὅς ἐστιν πατὴρ πάντων ἡµῶν, 17 καθὼς γέγραπται ὅτι πατέρα πολλῶν ἐθνῶν τέθεικα σε, κατέναντι οὗ ἐπίστευσεν θεοῦ τοῦ ζῳοποιοῦντος τοὺς νεκροὺς καὶ καλοῦντος τὰ µὴ ὄντα ὡς ὄντα. 7 6 7 Romans 4:1-5, 13-17, New Revised Standard Version Bible, opp. cit. Romans 4:1-5, 13-17, The Greek New Testament, opp. cit.