Born Again
There’s a children’s story called, "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" written by Eric Carle. The story begins with a tiny egg on a leaf in the light of the moon. On a Sunday morning, the warm sun came up and out of the egg came a very small and very hungry caterpillar. He began to eat, and eat, and eat, but he was still hungry. Finally, he had eaten so much that he had a stomach ache! The next day was Sunday again for some reason. The caterpillar ate through a nice green leaf, and his stomach felt much better. He built a cocoon around himself and stayed in there for more than two weeks. Then he nibbled a hole in the cocoon and pushed his way out. And of course, he wasn't a caterpillar anymore, he was now a beautiful butterfly.
This story, simple and childish though it may be, helps to explain a wonderful truth contained in our gospel reading today about God giving new life. It is the story of Nicodemus (John 3:1-17). He was a very religious man and was a leader of the Pharisees. He spent a lot of time studying the Scriptures, but there was still much that he didn't understand. Nicodemus came to Jesus late one night with all kinds of questions about who Jesus was, and what his message was really about.
And Jesus told him, "I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God." "What do you mean?" exclaimed Nicodemus. "How can a man be born again?"
Jesus went on to explain to Nicodemus that a person is "born again" when the Spirit of God enters into his heart. How are these things possible?" Nicodemus said scratching his head.
And Jesus could have referred him to the story of "The Hungry Caterpillar?" When he came out of his cocoon, he wasn't an improved caterpillar… he was a totally new creation. A butterfly! That's the way it is when we let invite Jesus into our heart. He doesn't just make us a better person. He makes us a new creation!
The phrase ‘born again’ is one that’s often used with some disdain, particularly within the Anglican Church in this country – it speaks to some people of a great charismatic change in a person’s life, it speaks of someone being taken over by some greater force, of somehow losing control of our own lives, it speaks of people clapping wildly during services, or dancing in the aisles. It speaks of someone’s whole personality being taken over, and we are British and we don’t like that much !!
Being born again can actually include wanting to do all of those things, (though personally I hate dancing in Church or anywhere else!!) but primarily what it means is recognising that God is ultimately in control of our lives, and just as he changes the caterpillar into the butterfly, so he can change us all into better people – people more like him.
I like the modern service ! Some people do, some don’t – I like the modern form of service in baptism – it makes the whole service more approachable, more understandable, but one thing that is sad is that the words ‘born again’ are no longer in the baptism service. I understand why, but it means the phrase is even further away from most people, and even more difficult for them to understand.
But being ‘born again’ is what our Christian lives are about. Being born again simply means accepting God’s promises – accepting that he can and will change us for the better. On Trinity Sunday lots of people try to explain the theology of the Trinity, indeed in the past it used to be a rule that in order to be ordained as a Priest you had to preach a sermon on the Trinity, and it had to pass the test of a tutor who would be listening !
I’m not going to try that now – I think the rule was only brought in so that Vicar’s in Parishes could be saved and get their Curate to preach about the Trinity ! The doctrine of the Trinity – God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit – one God but three persons is incredibly difficult to explain, but it’s much less difficult to experience, and that is what we are invited to do as Christians.
In the beauty of creation and the world around us we see the creating work of God the Father, who made us and all things. Lots of people get bogged down on the question of how he did it, and it’s fine to ask that question, but God is God and we are not, and the definitive answer to that question is one that he alone holds. Ask, enquire, research – fine, but don’t lost the wonder of God’s creating power all around us.
And then we have perhaps the most easy to understand aspect of God – God the Son – Jesus. It’s perhaps easier to relate to him because, albeit in a different age, he came and he lived amongst us, and he grew up in a family, and he probably played games, and he worked, and he laughed and went to parties, and he argued with people…
And he seemed to have an understanding of humanity that was almost supernatural. He didn’t just talk of loving enemies, he did it. He didn’t just talk about fighting against corruption and injustice, and standing up for those in need, he did it ! And when he talked of sacrificial love he did that as well on the cross, and he didn’t do it to save billions of people, although of course that is his aim, he did it to save anyone who called on his name. He did it to save you and me.
So we see God the Father creating, God the Son saving, but they also give us an idea of how we should live today. The beauty of creation is one that is so often threatened by people – there’s plenty of publicity about the damage we are doing to the environment today, but we also damage the world by wars and by injustice, and by ignoring the cries of those in need…
We are called to live our lives in the way Jesus lives – we are called to share his love and compassion, to tell people of a message that can change their lives. And we’re not left alone to try and live that life – the third person of God is the Holy Spirit – the power of God working in us to encourage, strengthen, sustain, motivate, give wisdom, to help us to pray and to understand God’s purposes for us. The power of God to help us love when it seems impossible…
God wants to play an active part in our lives. He sees and knows everything that we do already. He watches as people hurt each other, and it hurts him, he watches as people argue and as people fight and as people reject his message.
Trinity is something that is impossible to explain completely but it is something that takes in the whole of life – God present in us, with us and through us.
And so let’s pray that God will change us into the image he wants, that he will empower us to serve him and serve others, and that he will bring us the joy of life lived in his presence. AMEN
This story, simple and childish though it may be, helps to explain a wonderful truth contained in our gospel reading today about God giving new life. It is the story of Nicodemus (John 3:1-17). He was a very religious man and was a leader of the Pharisees. He spent a lot of time studying the Scriptures, but there was still much that he didn't understand. Nicodemus came to Jesus late one night with all kinds of questions about who Jesus was, and what his message was really about.
And Jesus told him, "I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God." "What do you mean?" exclaimed Nicodemus. "How can a man be born again?"
Jesus went on to explain to Nicodemus that a person is "born again" when the Spirit of God enters into his heart. How are these things possible?" Nicodemus said scratching his head.
And Jesus could have referred him to the story of "The Hungry Caterpillar?" When he came out of his cocoon, he wasn't an improved caterpillar… he was a totally new creation. A butterfly! That's the way it is when we let invite Jesus into our heart. He doesn't just make us a better person. He makes us a new creation!
The phrase ‘born again’ is one that’s often used with some disdain, particularly within the Anglican Church in this country – it speaks to some people of a great charismatic change in a person’s life, it speaks of someone being taken over by some greater force, of somehow losing control of our own lives, it speaks of people clapping wildly during services, or dancing in the aisles. It speaks of someone’s whole personality being taken over, and we are British and we don’t like that much !!
Being born again can actually include wanting to do all of those things, (though personally I hate dancing in Church or anywhere else!!) but primarily what it means is recognising that God is ultimately in control of our lives, and just as he changes the caterpillar into the butterfly, so he can change us all into better people – people more like him.
I like the modern service ! Some people do, some don’t – I like the modern form of service in baptism – it makes the whole service more approachable, more understandable, but one thing that is sad is that the words ‘born again’ are no longer in the baptism service. I understand why, but it means the phrase is even further away from most people, and even more difficult for them to understand.
But being ‘born again’ is what our Christian lives are about. Being born again simply means accepting God’s promises – accepting that he can and will change us for the better. On Trinity Sunday lots of people try to explain the theology of the Trinity, indeed in the past it used to be a rule that in order to be ordained as a Priest you had to preach a sermon on the Trinity, and it had to pass the test of a tutor who would be listening !
I’m not going to try that now – I think the rule was only brought in so that Vicar’s in Parishes could be saved and get their Curate to preach about the Trinity ! The doctrine of the Trinity – God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit – one God but three persons is incredibly difficult to explain, but it’s much less difficult to experience, and that is what we are invited to do as Christians.
In the beauty of creation and the world around us we see the creating work of God the Father, who made us and all things. Lots of people get bogged down on the question of how he did it, and it’s fine to ask that question, but God is God and we are not, and the definitive answer to that question is one that he alone holds. Ask, enquire, research – fine, but don’t lost the wonder of God’s creating power all around us.
And then we have perhaps the most easy to understand aspect of God – God the Son – Jesus. It’s perhaps easier to relate to him because, albeit in a different age, he came and he lived amongst us, and he grew up in a family, and he probably played games, and he worked, and he laughed and went to parties, and he argued with people…
And he seemed to have an understanding of humanity that was almost supernatural. He didn’t just talk of loving enemies, he did it. He didn’t just talk about fighting against corruption and injustice, and standing up for those in need, he did it ! And when he talked of sacrificial love he did that as well on the cross, and he didn’t do it to save billions of people, although of course that is his aim, he did it to save anyone who called on his name. He did it to save you and me.
So we see God the Father creating, God the Son saving, but they also give us an idea of how we should live today. The beauty of creation is one that is so often threatened by people – there’s plenty of publicity about the damage we are doing to the environment today, but we also damage the world by wars and by injustice, and by ignoring the cries of those in need…
We are called to live our lives in the way Jesus lives – we are called to share his love and compassion, to tell people of a message that can change their lives. And we’re not left alone to try and live that life – the third person of God is the Holy Spirit – the power of God working in us to encourage, strengthen, sustain, motivate, give wisdom, to help us to pray and to understand God’s purposes for us. The power of God to help us love when it seems impossible…
God wants to play an active part in our lives. He sees and knows everything that we do already. He watches as people hurt each other, and it hurts him, he watches as people argue and as people fight and as people reject his message.
Trinity is something that is impossible to explain completely but it is something that takes in the whole of life – God present in us, with us and through us.
And so let’s pray that God will change us into the image he wants, that he will empower us to serve him and serve others, and that he will bring us the joy of life lived in his presence. AMEN
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