Trinity Sunday Year B 30th May 2021.
Lectionary Readings: Isaiah 6 v1-8; Psalm 29; Romans 8 v12-17; John 3 v1-17.
Transforming relationships
The apostle Paul argues that “Only those people who are led by God’s Spirit are his children”. (Romans 8 v14).
Paul goes on to suggest that the relationship between these children and their father is a loving one. He uses the word ‘Abba’, an Aramaic word for Father, (a word from the language that Jesus would have used), in his otherwise Greek text, to convey the close and tender nature of the relationship.
Paul says “God’s Spirit doesn’t make us slaves who are afraid of him. Instead, we become his children and call him ‘Abba’”. (Romans 8 v15).
Earlier on in the same letter Paul talks of Abraham’s faith in God as that which made him acceptable to God, and not obedience to the Law of Moses, which came later. (Romans 4)
Nicodemus was a Pharisee, a rabbi and a leader of the Jewish people. He would have considered himself to be a ‘child of Abraham’ (see Genesis 15), obedient to the Law, and acceptable to God.
Jesus challenged Nicodemus to think of himself as a ‘child of God’. Jesus suggests that Nicodemus must be born anew. “I tell you for certain that you must be born in a new way before you can see God’s kingdom.” (John 3 v3).
Jesus said “Humans give life to their children. Yet only God’s Spirit can change you into a child of God”. (John 3 v6). Was Nicodemus willing to accept God’s gift of his indwelling Spirit? (Are you?)
Jesus, I think, sensing Nicodemus’ confusion and hesitation, explains that God is doing something new via his (Jesus’) ministry. Jesus invites Nicodemus to have faith in him, and to receive God’s Spirit as a means of transformation and adoption into the family and kingdom of God.
Jesus goes on to reassure Nicodemus (and us) by saying “God loved the people of this world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who has faith in him will have eternal life and never really die.” (John 3 v16). “God did not send his Son into the world to condemn its people. He sent him to save them!” (John 3 v17).
John doesn’t tell us how Nicodemus responded to this invitation, but later on in his gospel, he hints that Nicodemus had become a secret disciple of Jesus.(see John 19 v39-42).
The hymn writer Alan Gaunt conveys something of the Spirit’s power to transform us in his hymn ‘God with us: Creator, Father’ (Singing the faith No 8 v 3,4).
God with us: Unwearied Spirit, from the birth of time and space,
surging through unconscious being, joyful, Life-Creating Grace:
through the centuries you find us; you, as God, inspire our prayer;
Life and Power at work within us, Love for ever, everywhere!
God, Transcendent, far beyond us, closest Friend, unfailing Guide:
through the ages, wronged, affronted, in your poor, still crucified!
God with us: convict, forgive us; by your holy love destroy
all that hinders peace and justice: fill this aching world with joy!
Bible quotations are taken from the Contemporary English Version