Delivered Feb. 17, 2008
by Pastor Eric Henderson
Two girls attended a college located on a mountain top above Chattanooga, TN. They borrowed a car to travel the winding roads down the mountain to the city. Driving at night in the rain trying to keep a slow enough speed so that the car would stay on the road around all the curves was all new for the driver. During the descent the car was traveling a little too fast as they approached a curve, a wheel went off the road, the driver panicked and slammed on the brakes skidding on the leaves before being stopped by a tree. The car and passenger needed repairs because the car didn't make the curve.
Nicodemus was fully committed to travel through life guided by God's laws. As a Pharisee, he solemnly vowed to never deviate from the laws given to Moses. Nicodemus studied the law and prophets and meticulously followed the rules and regulations that helped him apply the law to all of life. Moving tables and chairs for a Sabbath fellowship meal would have horrified Nicodemus because it was working on the Sabbath. He believed God had given the law and following it in all ways, every day, was the way of life God intended.
One night Nicodemus visited a popular charismatic miracle worker and teacher named Jesus. Nicodemus began by complimenting Jesus as a teacher and miracle worker from God. But Nicodemus knew this man had not been given the ok by either the strict Pharisees or the religious rulers called Sanhedrin. His encounter with Jesus was a new and risky path.
John 3:1-2
Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. 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.
After a congenial compliment you would guess that Jesus might have said "Thank you", or "Yes, I'm from God and what's your name?" No easing into the conversation with, "so lots of snow and ice lately, eh?" But instead Jesus made some sharp curves in the conversation. The Holy Spirit directed Jesus to take Nicodemus on a way that he'd never been. Listen to the conversation again, and ask, "Did Nicodemus make the curves? Did he follow the path to the kingdom of God as directed by Jesus ?"
John 3: 7-11
Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.
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?
Jesus answered, Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Sprit is spirit. Do not be astonished that I said to you, ‘You must be born from above. 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"
Nicodemus said to him, "How can these things be?"
Jesus answered him, "Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things?
Did Nicodemus make the curves in the conversation or did he go off the road?
Jesus said, the way to the kingdom is a work of grace from the spirit of God, not the work of people striving to follow the law.
But Nicodemus missed the curve. He tried to imagine rolling up small enough in a fetal position to get back inside a mother's womb.
Jesus described being convicted of sin by God's spirit, repenting-changing, and participating in the ceremony of water baptism to show cleansing from God. Jesus described the power of God's spirit to move people to change their lives, like wind that moves trees and drifts snow. Jesus tried to help Nicodemus understand that God's spirit making people new was integral for being in the kingdom of God.
But again, Nicodemus missed the curve. He didn't say, "yes, the Spirit of God prompted me to come to you tonight," or "Oh, so it is God's spirit pointing me in a new way right now?" No, he simply had another question of How? He remains in his head, trying to use his will power and brain power to figure it out.
When God's spirit tries to move our life around a curve, do we make or miss the curve? When Jesus speaks and points a way that puts a curve in our way, do we make or miss the curve?
During lunch Stewart told the pastor that he was glad his wife had started attending worship services but couldn't imagine returning himself. He admitted having struggles with a fear of crowds and some other reasons for not attending. He wasn't sure if God or the church would have him back. The pastor reminded Stewart of the story of the Prodigal. It seemed to the pastor that God's spirit was nudging Stewart in a new direction in life. Would Stewart make the curve or miss the curve?
A Mennonite Church had been growing spiritually and numerically in the recent past. After the pastor did not receive quit enough votes to continue another term, they found that many were taking sides. One group consisted of those who voted for the pastor to continue and the other group consisted of those who had voted that he not be invited to continue. Most realized that there were numerous scripture that called for unity, loving one another, not slandering or gossiping, seeking to build up, not tear down. The Holy Spirit seemed to be moving them to direct their attention to value relationships and unity of the body more than their own preferences and opinions. Would individuals and the congregation make the curve or miss the curve?
Jesus said, You must be born from above. 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" (3:8)
Often this passage is understood to speak to individuals who have not yet decided to believe that Jesus is the Son of God and have not yet chosen to follow Jesus and live as a member of God's kingdom. It is critical to have a beginning time of responding to God's spirit, changing our ways that are not pleasing to God, and committing ourselves to follow Jesus. It is also critical to continually listen and follow the moving of God's spirit to rebirth our spirit and make commitments to kingdom living.
As a congregation you found yourselves needing new birth, new hope from God's spirit as you came to terms with people leaving and conflict. The wind of God's spirit was moving and introducing curves that hadn't been anticipated. New leaders came, people have returned, changes of ways of doing things have been introduced and more changes are ahead if house groups are begun. I believe we have been attentive to God's spirit and made the curves. We've not stubbornly refused the spirits nudges and voice. The spiritual gifts study or the Managing Conflict study may be God's spirit placing other curves in our life. Will we make the curve or miss the curve and crash?
Even though Nicodemus appears to have missed the curves, misunderstood what Jesus was saying about the Spirit of God helping us become new people, Jesus didn't stop.
He went on to say to Nicodemus, and to us,
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. Indeed, God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
It is God's desire that everyone here, and everyone living next to us, everyone in NB and the world know that God's love is sufficient for them and available to help them live as a child of God. God wants us to make the curves, to notice the voice and moves of his Spirit and make necessary changes. God does not want us to miss the curves and crash.
With confidence in God's love and the wind of the Spirit, let us quietly listen as Helen and Lorene share their stories of God's spirit inviting them to new life in God's kingdom.
Petitcodiac Mennonite Church