Word of Salvation – Vol. 37 No. 22 – June 1992

 

We Must Be Born Of The Spirit

 

Sermon by Rev. J. Vanderreest on John 3:8

Reading: Ezekiel 11:16-21; John 3:1-21

Singing: 407, 344, 345, 348, 215

 

Young people, brothers and sisters, congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ,

Nicodemus, one of the members of the Sanhedrin, a Pharisee, had become interested in the new Rabbi: Jesus.  Nicodemus had become fascinated by the teachings of Jesus and asked himself: What is it that moves this man, this new Rabbi?  What moves this Man of God to do these miraculous things?  From where did Jesus get this miraculous power, authority and authenticity?  For there was nothing fake about Jesus!

Nicodemus had become so curious that he approached Jesus.  Not openly, because that would have been too dangerous for a man in his position.  Nicodemus could not afford that.  So he came at night, unobtrusively, semi-secretly.  Nicodemus invited Jesus for a collegial discussion.

And so over a cup of coffee, by way of speaking, Nicodemus asked: “Tell me, Jesus, do your resources come from God?”

But Jesus is not interested in a collegial discussion.  Jesus is not interested in a rabbinical discourse, an intellectual debate.  Jesus becomes personal and says to Nicodemus: You must be born again!  You must be born from above!

And that at the same time explains all about my sources and resources.  They are from above, from God!

But remember, Nicodemus, God’s Spirit is like the wind.  Sometimes we can hear the wind.  Sometimes we can register what is being stirred by the wind and brought into motion by the wind, but its source remains inexplicable, mysterious, not to be explained.  So it is with every one born of the Spirit!

Congregation, there are a few details in these verses, which we need to note.  First of all, the term ‘born again’ in New Testament Greek can also be translated as ‘to be born from above’.  This may help us to see that it is something given by God.  “To be born again’ comes to us through the working of God’s Spirit.

Secondly, the word for ‘Spirit’ in the Old Testament is the same word used for ‘wind’.  The Hebrew word ‘ruach’ means wind, or ‘Spirit’ or ‘Breath of God’.  Therefore it should not have been difficult for Nicodemus to make the connection between the Spirit of God and the point that Jesus makes about the wind.  It should also help us to understand the point that Jesus makes.  Particularly, if we remember that also in Acts 2 the coming of the Holy Spirit is compared with the ‘rushing of a mighty wind’.

You see, Nicodemus is not the only one who wonders and is curious about the claim of Christians that they have received the Holy Spirit.  Sometimes there are people who are genuinely fascinated by what Christians do, have and believe!  What is it that makes Christians tick?  What is it that makes them move and live the way they do?  And one cannot explain this rationally.  One can only invite those genuine inquirers to become participants and say: ‘You too need to be born from above!  You too need to be born from the Spirit of God.  You too need to be touched by the Breath of God that brings new life!’

And how does that go?  It is like the wind!  It blows wherever it pleases.  It is unpredictable!  One can hear the sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going!

Rather than give a rational explanation of the mystery Jesus makes a comparison with a phenomenon from nature.  He makes a comparison with a natural occurrence.

Calvin in his commentary on John says that Jesus uses this comparison with the wind to underline that the Spirit of God does something.  Although inexplicable, yet one can notice the movement; one can hear and see something!  And so it should be with every Christian!

Let me put it this way.  There should be something mysterious about every Christian; mysterious in the sense that others ask themselves: What is it that makes that person the way he or she is?  What is it that moves that person to be so kind, generous, loving, friendly?  What is it that moves that person to be so strong in bearing his/her pain, suffering, sorrow and grief?  From where does that person get his/her power, strength, authenticity?  Because, there is nothing fake about that Christian!

You see, the life of one touched by the Spirit of God is never the same!  The life of one born from above cannot go on without change!

And not only is this applicable to the individual Christian on a personal level, but it is (and must) also be true for the whole Christian church and every local congregation.  The church which has received the Spirit of God will renew itself and will go on renewing itself.  The church which has received the Spirit of God will be concerned about the world, will address the world, will want to change the world.  The church which has received the Spirit of God will fight against darkness, evil, injustice and immorality.  That church will use all its resources for bringing about light, righteousness, justice and peace.  The Christian and the church born from above will show movement.  It will show the movement of the wind of the Spirit.  That church will be heard and seen by the movement of its branches and the movements of its leaves.  Such a Christian church shows life.

We do not mean the artificial life of put-on activity and man-centred busyness.  Not the artificial life of swept-up emotions and induced responses, but the life brought about by the breath of God, the life brought about by the wind of the Spirit.

And therefore, congregation, the term ‘born again’ can never be used as a status-symbol!  Nor is it a label that we can stick on a special kind of Christian.  Jesus did not use it as a label!  But Jesus extended an invitation!  He did not say to Nicodemus: Well, you have come a long way, Nicodemus, but you must make sure that you also are born again!  No, Jesus said: There is no life without the Spirit!  One cannot be a Christian without being born from above!

That is why Jesus goes on to explain about himself to Nicodemus.  He is the Son of God who came down, the Son Incarnate.  He became the Son of Man, to die on the cross.  He alone is the provision that God gave to save the world and to bring new life to all who believe!

There is no new life without Jesus Christ.  There is no life in and through the Spirit without faith in Jesus Christ.  Therefore the one who doesn’t believe stands condemned already.

Congregation, your life should be like that of a tree come to life.  And all the sceptics, agnostics and Nicodemusses should be perplexed and ask: ‘What is it that moves that person?  What is it that moves that church?  What is it that moves that denomination?  What is it that stirs the branches and leaves on that tree?’

And you should be able to say: “The wind blows wherever it pleases.  You hear the sound, you may even register its movement, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going.  So it is with every one born of the Spirit of God!’

Oh no!  It is not an option!  It is not a choice, but a must!  It is a necessity which God himself will provide and bring into the life of all who believe.  It is a promise given to all who have faith.  That promise was given already to the people of old through the prophet Ezekiel, who proclaimed the promise of God: ‘I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh.  I will give them an undivided heart and put a new Spirit in them.’

Today on Pentecost Sunday, we rejoice in the fulfilment of that promise!  Today we rejoice in the Spirit of God, in the Spirit of Christ, the Comforter and Renewer, the Third Person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit!

We rejoice, because all those touched by the breath of God have been born from above and will continue to be moved and motivated by the Power, the Wind and the Fire of the Spirit of God.

May God the Father, and God the Son, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit, be with us now and always as the Breath of God who makes us move for the glory of God.

AMEN