Tawa Baptist

Paul’s Parenting

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 2:7-12

Video Link: https://youtu.be/-WsJU41EXAg

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • Paul’s love
  • Paul’s model
  • Paul’s coaching
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

Good morning everyone.

Today is Father’s Day. You might wonder when and where Father’s Day originated. Well, it depends on what part of the world you come from.

The Eastern Orthodox church has been celebrating Father’s Day for centuries. However, in their tradition it is not a celebration of your own dad. It is called Sunday of the Forefathers and commemorates the ancestors of Christ, listed in Jesus’ genealogy near the beginning of Matthew and Luke’s gospels.

In the Catholic countries of Europe, Father’s Day has been celebrated since the 1500’s. Although again, it’s different from the way we celebrate Father’s Day. The focus is on Joseph, the step-father of Jesus.

Our modern version of Father’s Day, which is about honouring our own dads, comes from a movement among Christian women in early 20th Century America.

Saint Matthews Church in Auckland first celebrated Father’s Day, as we know it, in 1929. By the early 1930’s other kiwi churches began adopting it as well.

People these days have mixed feelings about Father’s Day. For some it is a day of joy and coming together as a family. For others it is a day of sadness or regret, perhaps a day to avoid coming to church.   

Our reading this morning comes from First Thessalonians chapter 2, verses 7-12. In this passage, the apostle Paul describes his parenting style. From First Thessalonians 2, verse 7, we read…

7 … Just as a nursing mother cares for her children, 8 so we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well. 9 Surely you remember, brothers and sisters, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you. 10 You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed. 11 For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, 12 encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate God’s word for us.

As I said earlier, in this reading Paul describes his parenting style. But before we get into the detail, I need to clarify; there is more than one way to be a parent.

The weight of Biblical and historical evidence strongly suggests the apostle Paul did not have a wife or biological children. Paul chose singleness as this freed him to do the work of an apostle. Although Paul did not have children of his own, he was a spiritual parent to many.

In First Thessalonians chapter 2, Paul is not giving advice to parents specifically, although what he writes here is helpful to parents. Rather, Paul is describing how he was a like a mother and a father, in a spiritual sense, to the new believers in Thessalonica.       

There is more than one way to be a parent. Like Paul, you may not have children of your own, but if you provide pastoral care for others, then you are a spiritual parent to those you care for.

Maybe you serve as a leader in kids’ church or youth group or run a Bible study, or otherwise support, nurture, feed and protect someone in their faith. This sermon is for you, as much as it is for mums and dads with young children at home.

Three verbs to describe Paul’s parenting style: love, model and coach.

Paul loved the Thessalonians. He modelled a good example for them. And Paul coached the Thessalonians in the Christian faith. Let us begin with love, because that is a very good place to start.

Paul’s love:

The Sound of Music tells the story of a young woman, Maria, who is sent to be a nanny for seven children who have lost their mother.

The children’s father, Captain Von Trapp, is a retired naval officer and a strict disciplinarian. He controls his children with a whistle. Since loosing his wife, the captain has become distant and cold. Fraulein Maria is quite the opposite.

She is kind and warm, fun but also firm. 

One of my favourite scenes in the movie is when Fraulein Maria has a stand-up argument with Captain Von Trapp in which she tells him off for being such a grump. Maria says to the captain…

Maria: Children can’t do all the things they’re supposed to if they have to worry about spoiling their precious clothes.

Captain: They haven’t complained yet.

Maria: Well, they wouldn’t dare! They love you too much. They fear you too much!

Captain: I don’t wish you to discuss my children in this manner.

Maria: Well, you’ve got to hear from someone! You’re never home long enough to know them.

Captain: I said I don’t want to hear anymore from you about my children!

Maria: I know you don’t, but you’ve got to! …Friedrich, he’s a boy, but he wants to be a man and there’s no one to show him how.

Captain: Don’t you dare tell me about my son.

Maria: Brigitta could tell you about him if you let her get close to you. She notices everything… And Kurt pretends he’s tough not to show how hurt he is when you brush him aside, the way you do all of them… and the little ones just want to be loved. Oh, please, Captain, love them! Love them all!

Eventually, Captain Von Trapp comes round to seeing it Maria’s way. Through love and music, something inside the captain is healed and the father is restored to his children once more.  

In verse 7 Paul describes his way of relating with the Thessalonians. Paul is much like Fraulein Maria. Paul says: Just as a nursing mother cares for her children, 8 so we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well.

There is a real tenderness in Paul’s words here. The Thessalonian believers were brand new Christians, toddlers in the faith. Paul, Silas and Timothy cared for their spiritual needs like a mother nursing young children.

One of the characteristics of a true parent is that they know their children and the child knows them as well. Personal knowledge goes hand in hand with love. One of Fraulein Maria’s points was that Captain Von Trapp did not know his children and they did not know him. There was a distance between them.

This was not the case with Paul, for he not only shared the gospel with the Thessalonians; he shared his very life with them. They knew him as a real person and he knew them as a mother knows her children.    

Love, in a Christian understanding, is a commitment to another person’s wellbeing. Love is not out for what it can get. Love wants to give.  

In verse 9 we see the evidence of Paul’s love. Paul, Silas and Timothy worked night and day to support themselves in order not to be a burden to anyone while they preached the gospel to the Thessalonians. Paul’s love was the real deal.

We are talking about Paul’s parenting. Paul loves the Thessalonians like a mother and one of the ways he expresses that love is by modelling a good example for them.

Paul’s model:

Years ago, before we had children, Robyn and I had a dog, a little Jack Russell we called Chip. He was a good-natured dog, full of beans.

Chip had been abused as a pup by his previous owners and consequently would hide under the house if he could, whether he was in trouble or not. Although we were quite soft with Chip, his first owners had left an impression of fear on him by the way they had behaved.

I remember one sweltering hot summers day in Papamoa, when a swarm of flies came into the house. I rolled up a newspaper and went around swatting the insects. After a few minutes, we noticed Chip was cowering under a chair.

The poor little dog was trembling all over, scared out of his wits.

I had never used a newspaper on Chip, but we guessed his original owner had. Swatting the flies seemed to trigger Chip’s PTSD. I quickly stopped my fly killing spree and gave Chip a cuddle to calm him down and show I wasn’t angry.     

The model Chip had been given, as a young pup, was one of cruelty and anger. Consequently, he lived in fear and interpreted otherwise benign actions as a threat.

People and dogs are similar in that both are shaped by the example they are exposed to. If a child is given the model of fairness, consistency and kindness, they will learn to feel secure and be more likely to make better choices in life.

But if a child is treated like Chip was as a puppy, well they need to be shown a better model.  

In verse 10 of Thessalonians 2, Paul writes: You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed.

Paul is talking here about the example he modelled for the Thessalonians.

Holiness is about being whole, being one, having integrity, being the same on the inside as you are on the outside. Righteousness is about relating to other people in a right way and being blameless is about doing no harm.

The three go together. They speak of treating God and the people around you with fairness and respect. Paul provided a good model for the Thessalonians in the way he lived his life and related with others.

Paul’s model, his regular pattern of behaviour, created a pathway for the young Thessalonian believers to follow. They learned how to be Christians by imitating Paul.

So, when Paul was abused or treated unfairly because of his testimony for Christ, they learned how a Christian responds in a situation like that, by observing Paul’s example. Paul did not retaliate with violence. But he did defend himself with words of grace and truth.

The question for us is this: What are others learning about Jesus from our example? Are they learning Jesus is someone to be trusted? Or are they put off by our example?

This question applies whether we have children of our own or not.

If you are a leader in kids’ church or youth group, know that the children and young people you work with are watching your example and learning from you. Some will be leaders themselves in another 5 or 10 years.

For those of you who are a bit older and maybe have less energy to serve in programmes these days, let me ask: what are those in their 30’s or 40’s or 50’s learning about Jesus from the way you live your life and relate with others?     

The older people in our congregation model a wonderful example of what it looks like to provide pastoral care and support for one another. You check in on your neighbours, your church attendance is great, you have lunch together regularly and you pray for others.

We are talking about what it means to parent well, whether you have kids of your own or not. Paul loved the Thessalonians. He modelled a good example for them and Paul coached them.

Paul’s coaching:

Being a father is a bit like being a coach. The coach does not do everything for his players. He teaches them to do things for themselves. After all, the coach cannot be on the field with the players. He can only watch and cheer from the side lines.

Like a coach, a father believes in his children. You show your kids you believe in them by trusting them with responsibility; this builds confidence. Giving kids responsibility is a bit like adding salt to food. Too much and you ruin the meal. Too little and the meal lacks taste. A father’s trust ought to bring out the best in his kids.

One of the most important roles of a father is to be there for their children, in a good way, to remind them they are not alone. Like a coach, a father comes alongside his kids when he is needed, to lend strength and understanding.

Or simply to share the experience.   

The right kind of fatherly presence is like being handed a torch when you are lost and in the dark. It is light for your mind.

The right kind of fatherly presence is like coming inside to sit by a fireplace when you have been outside in the freezing cold. It is warmth for your spirit.

The right kind of fatherly presence is like being served your favourite home cooked meal when you are famished. It is nourishment for your soul.

The right kind of fatherly presence is like crawling into a freshly made bed at the end of the day when you are exhausted. It is rest for your whole being.      

Who is there for you, when you need it? Who can you be there for? 

From verse 11 Paul says: For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, 

Notice here that Paul dealt with each of the Thessalonians personally.

Paul came alongside them and got to know each one in a fatherly way.

How do fathers come alongside their children? How do they get to know them? By playing with them of course. The father / child relationship is not a formal relationship. It is a fun relationship. The father / child relationship is not an awkward or cold relationship. It is an affectionate, warm relationship.

By the same token, the father / child relationship is not a permissive relationship, in which the child can do whatever they want. It is a safe relationship, in which the father protects the child by putting reasonable boundaries in place.     

The next thing we notice (in verse 12) is the three verbs Paul uses to characterise the way in which he relates as a spiritual father to his Thessalonian children: encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God…

There’s quite a bit of overlap with encouraging, comforting and urging.

They are not three separate things. They offer three lenses on the same thing.

Encouraging, comforting and urging are done by teaching, believing in and being there.

To encourage literally means to put courage into someone. Children need courage to face the world; they don’t need fear. We put courage into children by speaking good words into their life and soul.

We also put courage into children by believing in them; trusting them with an appropriate amount of responsibility (when they are ready for it) and rewarding them when they do well.

Children need comfort from their fathers too. Comfort is not about spoiling your kids. Comfort is about showing kindness and tenderness, especially when a child has gone through a hard time. We comfort children by being there for them, being reliable. This makes our kids feel less alone, more brave.

Setting reasonable boundaries also creates a sense of security and comfort.

Last Friday’s Our Daily Bread devotional talked about boundaries. Elisa Morgan writes…

“A team of landscape architects studied the effects of providing fencing around a preschool playground. On playgrounds without fences, children tended to gather close to the school buildings and their teacher and didn’t stray away. But on fenced-in playgrounds, they enjoyed the entire area. The researchers concluded that boundaries can create a greater sense of freedom.”

Urging is about pointing children in the right direction, teaching them to find the right path for themselves. Urging is quite different from controlling or forcing or driving. Urging is about providing internal motivation to achieve a particular goal.

One of the best ways to urge children in the right direction is to tell them stories. Stories of redemption and hope. Stories where the hero wins against the odds. Stories that motivate the child to live the values of God’s kingdom. Gospel stories.  

The main goal with all of this is to live lives worthy of God. In other words, practice justice, mercy and humility. Practice living now how you will one day live when God’s kingdom is realised in its fullness. 

Conclusion:

Whether you have natural children of your own or not, you can still be a parent to others in the faith by loving them, modelling a good example and coming alongside to provide comfort and encouragement.

Let us pray…

Father God, we thank you for loving us. Lord Jesus, we thank you for modelling the best example for us. And Holy Spirit, we thank you for coaching us to live lives worthy of God. Amen.

Questions for discussion or reflection:

  1. What stands out for you in reading this Scripture and/or in listening to the sermon? Why do you think this stood out to you?
  2. Discuss reflect on the various ways one can be a parent. In what ways have you been a parent to others?
  3. What might love look like in a parenting relationship?
  4. Why is the example we model for others important? What example did Paul model for the believers in Thessalonica? What are others learning about Jesus from your example?
  5. How might we come alongside someone and get to know them?
  6. In the context of 1 Thessalonians 2, what does it mean to encourage, comfort and urge others in the Christian faith? How might we do this?
  7. Who has God used to encourage, comfort and urge you? Give thanks for them. Who can you encourage, comfort and urge to live a life worthy of God?    
Tawa Baptist

Secure

Scripture: Romans 8:14-17

Video Link: https://youtu.be/0MS9jZG8uqw

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • Affection
  • Adoption
  • Assurance
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

Good morning everyone.

What makes you feel secure? Perhaps when you were young, your teddy bear made you feel safe and secure. Then, as you grew older, being accepted by your friends gave you a sense of security.

Some people find security in their job; they are always at work, never able to rest, always feeling like they have to achieve more. Other people seek security by accumulating money, houses and stuff. Or by projecting a certain image of themselves which may not be entirely true.  

There is nothing wrong with earning money to buy a house, just as there is nothing wrong with wanting people to think well of you. We need these things to survive in this world. But as necessary as a house and a job and a good reputation are, they don’t last. The security they provide is only ever temporary at best.

Ironically, the pursuit of security can cause quite a bit of anxiety. Ultimately, our security needs to be based on something that cannot be lost or stolen or die.

Today is Pentecost, 50 days since Easter. After his resurrection from the dead, Jesus appeared to his disciples over a period of 40 days before ascending to heaven. Ten days after his ascension, Jesus’ disciples received the gift of the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is God’s divine Spirit. The Holy Spirit connects us to the ultimate source of security, the risen Jesus Christ.       

Our sermon this morning is based on Romans 8, one of the traditional readings for Pentecost. Romans 8 talks about the Holy Spirit quite a bit. We won’t be covering all of Romans 8 today, just four verses. From verse 14 we read…

14 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; but you have received the Spirit of adoption. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate God’s word for us.

These verses are talking about the security the Holy Spirit gives believers.

Three words to hang today’s message on, all of them closely related to security: affection, adoption and assurance.

The Holy Spirit shows us God’s affection, He is involved in our adoption by God and He assures us we are God’s children. Let us begin with the Spirit and our affections…

Affection:

Affection is a positive feeling. You can show affection in all sorts of ways.

When you rub a dog’s belly, you are creating a positive feeling both for you and the dog. When you give someone a word of encouragement or a hug (and it is welcome) this also creates a positive feeling of affection.

Feelings, of course, move us. They are a source of energy. Feelings motivate us. If we feel affection for someone or someone shows us affection, then we will feel good about that person and be motivated to give them our best.

The Bible uses a variety of images to describe the Holy Spirit including wind, breath, fire, water and a dove. While these are all helpful, none is adequate on its own to describe the work of God’s Spirit. The Holy Spirit is not an unconscious force. The Holy Spirit is a divine person, capable of giving and receiving affection.

The gospel of John talks about the Holy Spirit being a comforter or an advocate. One who comes alongside and guides us in the love and truth of Jesus.

In contemporary terms we might think of the Holy Spirit as a sports coach. If the church is a team, then God is the owner and manager, Jesus is the captain, the Holy Spirit is the coach and we are the players. It is the job of the coach to come alongside the players to guide, train, correct and encourage them.

The best coaches know how to rub the belly of their players, metaphorically speaking. Their presence affects the players at a heart level. The players know the coach cares about them and that brings out the best in the team.

Or to put it another way, the players feel affection for a good coach. They will do anything for a coach they love and respect. 

In verse 14 of Romans 8, the apostle Paul writes: For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.  

The Spirit here reminds us of a sports coach leading, guiding and encouraging his players. To be led by God’s Spirit is to have a mind-set of learning to do God’s will. Those who are led by God’s Spirit are thinking, how do I love God and my neighbour in this situation?

Like a good coach the Holy Spirit doesn’t drive us by fear. Rather, the Spirit inspires belief and builds trust. He rubs our belly when we need it and gives us the feeling of genuine security, bringing out the best in the team.

Of course, for the players to benefit from the coach’s influence, we must listen to the coach and do what he says. If we love God, if Jesus holds sway over our affections, then we will trust and obey the promptings and pushings of the Holy Spirit.

Who holds sway over your affections?

We are talking about the security the Holy Spirit gives believers. The Holy Spirit shows us God’s affection and He is involved in our adoption by God.

Adoption:

Psychologists say that a deep and lasting sense of security comes from the way parents interact with their infant children. If a baby gets lots of face-to-face time, lots of affection and connection from at least one consistent adult, they will learn basic trust and feel secure throughout life. They call this attachment.

The thing about attachment is that the baby needs the relationship with the one consistent adult to be reinforced regularly. You don’t create a sense of security in a child by occasional, infrequent episodes of attachment.

The kind of attachment in view here is not like attaching a trailer to your car every once and a while. It’s more like the seats in a car, which are permanently attached. Wherever the car goes the seats go. 

The sort of attachment that leads to deep and lasting security in the child requires an intentional and lasting commitment by the adult.      

God (our maker) understands our human need for attachment and meets this need by adopting us into his family. Verse 15 reads: The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; but you have received the Spirit of adoption.

In the Greco-Roman world of the first century, in which Paul lived, adoption was a serious business. There was a thorough legal process to follow which resulted in a lasting and binding commitment between the parent and child.

In his commentary on Romans, F.F. Bruce writes (and I paraphrase here)…

The term ‘adoption’ may sound a bit artificial to our ears; but in the first century an adopted son was deliberately chosen by his adoptive father to perpetuate his name and inherit his estate; he was in no way inferior in status to a natural born son and might well enjoy the father’s affection more fully and reproduce the father’s character more worthily. [1]    

To be adopted by God, therefore, is a big deal. We sometimes talk about making a commitment to God. But really, God’s commitment in adopting us comes first and is greater and more reliable than any commitment we might make.

The one being adopted does nothing to deserve this grace. All we can do is accept the father’s love with gratitude and seek to reproduce the father’s character in our own relationships.

The Spirit of God changes our status and gives us a new kind of relationship with God the Father, a more personal, intimate relationship. One where we can approach God with confidence and affection so that we cry ‘Abba, Father’.

‘Abba’ was the Aramaic word for father, used by Jewish families in antiquity.

It was an everyday term like dad or daddy or da (as the Irish say).

Children in the first century never addressed God as Abba, that would have been considered incredibly disrespectful and yet Jesus almost always addressed God as his ‘Abba’.  

Most famously Jesus addresses God in this intimate way in his prayer of anguish in the Garden of Gethsemane. “Abba, Father”, he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”

This is interesting. Jesus is secure enough in his relationship with God to be honest about what he is feeling and what he wants. In the end though, Jesus is willing to put aside his own desires to obey God. Jesus does this, not out of fear of reprisal, but out of love and affection for his Dad.

The Holy Spirit gives us security. He shows us God’s affection, He is involved in our adoption by God and He assures us we are God’s children.

Assurance:

John Wesley (born in England in 1703) was one of nineteen children. I’m not sure how much attachment time John got with his parents, given how large the family was, but his mother, Susanna Wesley, gave her children a thorough education and raised them with strict discipline.

John attended Oxford University, where his brother Charles Wesley (of hymn writing fame) founded the “Holy Club”, a group committed to prayer, Bible reading, weekly communion, and helping the poor.

In 1735 John Wesley and his brother Charles travelled to America by sea.

At that stage both brothers were ordained ministers in the church of England.

On the voyage there, John and Charles met a group of Moravian Brethren. (Protestant Christians.) Their calm assurance of salvation deeply impressed John Wesley, as did the warmth of their fellowship and singing. When a storm enveloped their ship, the Moravians were not anxious. They had a peace which passes understanding.

Once he arrived in America, John undertook a short-term mission trip to Georgia. It was not very successful, and he returned to England in 1737 a bit dejected.

A year later while in London, on 24 May 1738, John went very unwillingly to a meeting in Aldersgate Street. Someone was reading Martin Luther’s preface to the Epistle to the Romans.

John Wesley wrote in his journal what he experienced that night…

About a quarter before nine, while he was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone, for salvation; and an assurance was given me that He had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death.

John is describing his experience of divine assurance given by the Holy Spirit.  

In verse 16 of Romans 8, Paul writes: The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Paul is talking here about the inner witness of God’s Spirit, who assures us we are loved and accepted as children adopted by God.  

You might be wondering, what exactly is meant by our spirit, (spirit with a lower case ‘s’). Because the word spirit is a bit vague, a bit ambiguous. It can mean different things to different people depending on the context.

Well, in the context of Romans 8 verse 16, our spirit refers to the human spirit, which is our capacity to relate with others. Our eyes enable us to see. Our ears enable us to hear. Our feet enable us to stand. Our lungs enable us to breathe and our spirit enables us to relate with others, to connect with them and form trust.

Someone may have a cold, hard or mean spirit in the way we relate with others. Or they may have a warm, gentle and generous spirit in how we relate.

Our spirit (our ability to relate) can be damaged when trust is broken.

While our human spirit is different from God’s Holy Spirit the two are compatible. But our spirit needs to be open to receive God’s Spirit.

Now it is important to note that the assurance given by God’s Spirit is not the same for everyone. We don’t all feel our heart strangely warmed like John Wesley did. Spiritual experiences like that are relatively rare. Not everyone receives them.

More often the assurance given by God’s Spirit is felt in more ordinary ways, through other people, especially other believers.

Earlier in the service I told you about Mary, who passed away last Monday. Mary and Joyce were life-long friends. They were mates for over 60 years.

Their mutual friendship (I believe) was a means of divine assurance.

Mary loved to walk places but as her sight and hearing faded, crossing the road became more dangerous. Joyce was Mary’s eyes. And if Joyce misplaced someone’s name, Mary was Joyce’s memory.

Friendship; the Spirit working between people to support one another in ordinary ways. Through friendship the Holy Spirit reassures us of God’s presence, his Fatherly love and care.

So, if you have never felt your heart strangely warmed, as John Wesley did, then don’t panic. It doesn’t mean you are missing God’s Spirit or that you are not a child of God. The assurance of the Holy Spirit won’t be the same for everyone. But it will be personal for you. It will be what you need at the time.

The other thing to note here is that we may not feel divine assurance all the time. Ignatius taught that in the Christian life there are periods of desolation when God feels very absent, just as there are moments of consolation when God reassures us of his affection and presence. Christian faith is about continuing to follow Jesus, whatever the weather of our feelings.  

Paul continues to unpack the implications of our being God’s children in verse 17 where he says: Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ…

Paul’s thought here is this: because we are God’s children that means Jesus is our brother, which means we are co-heirs with Christ. Therefore, we will share Christ’s inheritance, his reward.

And what is the inheritance we share with Christ? Well, it is the kingdom of God. It is abundant, joyful, healthy, peaceful, life; the kind we want to go on living forever. But that is not all. The real reward is God Himself. Eternal life is intimacy with God. As any child knows, time with mum or dad is more valuable than gifts or toys.  

However, we cannot expect to share in Christ’s reward if we are not prepared to share in his suffering. Suffering with Christ is the path to glory

Returning to John Wesley for a moment. Quite often when John spoke about his new assurance, in Anglican pulpits, he was met with a hostile reception and told not to return. Being given an inner assurance by the Holy Spirit doesn’t make us immune from getting a hard time from the world we live in.

But the inner assurance of God’s Spirit can lend a deep and lasting sense of security to our human spirit. After being kicked out of the mainline church, John began to speak in the open air, taking the gospel to the poor in the industrial towns. These people had little contact with the church of England.

One is reminded of the apostle Paul’s experience in Acts, getting kicked out of the synagogue, then taking the gospel to the gentiles.   

For fifty-two years John Wesley travelled the countryside on horseback, preaching the gospel. Some people accepted his message, others rejected it. Either way, John Wesley’s sense of security was unshaken because his security wasn’t based on the opinion of others or the success of his ministry. It was based on his attachment to God through the Holy Spirit.

We are unlikely to have a preaching ministry like John Wesley, but we may still suffer for identifying with Christ. If (or when) that happens we can be assured we are not being punished by God but rather are following in the footsteps of our older brother, Jesus.

Indeed, suffering for Jesus is its own assurance. For if we share in Christ’s sufferings, we will share in his glory.

Conclusion:

Two questions for you to ponder…

What (or who) makes you feel secure?

How reliable (or lasting) is your security? 

The Holy Spirit is a source of security we can rely on. The Holy Spirit shows us God’s affection, He is involved in our adoption by God and He assures us we are God’s children.

Let us pray…

Father God, we thank you for the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives, both seen and unseen. Help us to move at the impulse of your Spirit, that Jesus would hold sway over our affections and we would reproduce your character in our relationships. Through Jesus we pray. Amen.

Questions for discussion or reflection:

  1. What stands out for you in reading this Scripture and/or in listening to the sermon? Why do you think this stood out to you?
  2. What made you feel secure when you were a child? Has the source of your security changed as you have grown through life? How so?
  3. What (or who) makes you feel secure now? How reliable (lasting) is your security? 
  4. Discuss / reflect on some of the Biblical images of the Holy Spirit. What characteristics of the Holy Spirit do each of these image’s highlight?
  5. What is affection and why is it important? How do you like to show affection? Who holds sway over your affections?
  6. What does it mean to be adopted by God the Father? What are the implications for you personally?
  7. Have you ever suffered for identifying with Christ? What happened? Were you aware of God’s assurance or help in that situation? If so, how? 

[1] F.F. Bruce, Romans, page 166.

Tawa Baptist

Doves

Scripture: Luke 3:21-22

Video Link: https://youtu.be/jlZNgPtC1rk

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • Doves in the Old Testament
  • Doves in the New Testament
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

Good morning everyone.

Scientists estimate there are somewhere between ten and eleven thousand different species of birds in the world today. In total there are thought be at least 50 billion wild birds on the planet, perhaps more. Which means that birds outnumber human beings by six to one. That could be a worry if birds ever got organized. 

The Bible mentions around 25 different species of birds, including various types of owls, the eagle, sparrows, ravens, roosters, the ostrich, the hawk and so on. In fact, birds are referred to over 300 times in the Bible, which seems like quite a lot.

Today we begin a new sermon series called, ‘Birds of the Bible’. I don’t think we will try to cover all 25 species of birds, much less every verse that talks about a bird. But it might be interesting to consider what some of the bird references reveal about the character of God. After all, birds were God’s idea. We start our series this morning with the Dove.

Doves in the Old Testament:

One of the first references to a dove in the Bible is found in Genesis 8, which tells the story of Noah and the great flood. While Noah and his family and all the animals and birds were still floating in the ark, Noah sent out a dove to see if the water had receded. The dove came back because it couldn’t find a place to rest.

Verse 9 of Genesis 8, adds a rather beautiful detail saying, “Noah reached out his hand and took the dove and brought it back into the ark”.

Not many birds would land on a man’s hand like that. That speaks to me of a certain closeness and trust between Noah and the dove.

Noah waited seven days before sending the dove out again. This time it returned with an olive branch in its beak, indicating the waters were receding. After another week, Noah sent the dove out once more but this time it did not return so Noah knew it was safe to leave the ark.

The image of a dove over the waters reminds us of the Holy Spirit hovering over the primordial waters, when God created the cosmos. It speaks of a new creation. It also speaks of peace after the storm. A fresh start.

Doves were used by the ancient Israelites as a sacrifice. In particular, they were the sacrifice of the poor. If someone needed to make atonement for something, but could not afford to offer a lamb or a goat, then they could offer two doves instead.

We read for example, in Luke 2, how Mary & Joseph presented the baby Jesus to the Lord at the temple in Jerusalem and offered two doves in keeping with the Law.

So, as well as signifying peace and new beginnings, doves point to God’s consideration for the poor. God does not want people to be excluded from worship by a lack of finances.

Doves often mate for life. They are loyal, not promiscuous and so doves are associated with love and devotion. Also beauty. They are a pretty bird.

Perhaps the most intimate book in the Bible is a love poem called the Song of Songs. The Song of Songs refers to doves as a metaphor for beauty…

How beautiful you are, my darling. Your eyes are doves. (1:15)

My lover is knocking: Open to me, my darling, my dove, my flawless one. (5:2)

My dove, my perfect one, is unique. (6:9)

Some think the Song of Songs is an allegory of God’s love for his people or of Christ’s love for the church, a love that is reciprocated. Whichever way you might read it, there is a palpable tenderness and intimacy in the language.

As beautiful as they are, the cooing of doves sounds sad, like crying or moaning.

In the 1980’s the musician, Prince, wrote a song titled, When Doves Cry. It was a song of lament. ‘How can you just leave me standing, alone in a world that’s so cold… Why do we scream at each other? This is what it sounds like when doves cry.’

The crying doves in the song are a metaphor for two lovers mourning the loss of their relationship.

In Isaiah 38 we read how king Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. When he cried out to the Lord in tears, God healed him and added another 15 years to his life. Afterwards, Hezekiah wrote a song remembering his ordeal. In verse 14 of Isaiah 38 we read…

I cried like a swift or thrush, I moaned like a mourning dove. My eyes grew weak as I looked to the heavens. I am troubled; O Lord, come to my aid.

Moaning like a dove, in sadness and regret, was also used to describe those who survived the fall of Jerusalem. In Ezekiel 7 we read…

All who survive and escape will be in the mountains, moaning like doves…, each because of his sins.

So doves, in the Bible, are associated with mourning and grief. This fits with the idea that doves represent a new beginning. “Every new beginning starts with some other beginning’s end.” I imagine Noah and his family felt some grief after the flood, thinking of all that had been lost, much like the Jewish survivors after the fall of Jerusalem. 

Many of you will be familiar with the story of Jonah. Jonah was a prophet who ran away from God. He was swallowed by a huge fish and then spewed up on a beach. Jonah ran away because God wanted him to preach a message of repentance to his enemies the Assyrians.

Eventually, after three days in a fish, Jonah did what God asked him. He told the people of Nineveh that God was going to destroy their city. No sugar coating it. The people of Nineveh believed Jonah’s message and repented in dust and ashes, so God had mercy and spared the city.

Jonah was not happy with this. He wanted God to smote his enemies but the Lord had mercy saying: Nineveh has more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left, and many cattle as well. Should I not be concerned about that great city?

You might be thinking, ‘Yea, I know the story but what has that got to do with doves?’ Well, as it happens, Jonah’s name in Hebrew means ‘Dove’. So when we think of doves we think of the story of Jonah and the God of mercy who gives second chances.

The Lord gave Jonah a second chance and he gave Nineveh a second chance too. Just as he gives each of us a second and third and fourth chance. The Lord is slow to anger and rich in love.

Doves in the New Testament:

Today is Trinity Sunday, a week after Pentecost. One of the traditional readings for Trinity Sunday is the account of Jesus’ baptism. From Luke 3 we read…

21 When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened 22 and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”

Many people see the Trinity (Father, Son & Spirit) depicted in this narrative, with the voice from heaven being that of God the Father.

We might also see in this passage a picture of heaven coming to earth, a kind of glimpse of the future, when God’s kingdom is realized in its fullness. As the Lord taught us to pray: Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

The other thing that is happening in Christ’s baptism is that Jesus is representing the human race. You see, Jesus is without sin and so he does not need to be baptized for himself. Jesus is being baptized for us. He is identifying with human beings and representing humanity to God.

This means the baptism of Jesus is not only a picture of the communion of the Father, Son & Spirit; it is also a picture of the communion (or holy intimacy) that we (who belong to Christ) will enjoy with God, when Jesus returns and heaven comes to earth.

In other words, the Trinity are not having their own private huddle in Luke 3. At Jesus’ baptism, Father, Son and Holy Spirit are having an intimate moment with humanity, in Christ. In and through Jesus, humanity gets to participate in the Trinity.

When the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus, he was also descending on all those who are in Christ. Likewise, when we are baptized into the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, we become God’s sons and daughters, his family. The Father loves you and is pleased with you.

It is a curious thing that Luke only allows two verses to describe Jesus’ baptism. Given the importance of the event we might have expected a whole chapter at least. But we get just a brief glimpse. Sometimes less is more.

The Holy Spirit could have descended on Jesus in any form. A bear, a lion, a stag, a waterfall, tongues of fire or some kind of mysterious symbol. Yet the Spirit chose the form of a dove on this occasion. Why? Because the dove is like a master key unlocking the meaning of what Jesus came to do.  

For those who are familiar with the Old Testament, the mention of the Holy Spirit descending on Jesus like a dove, immediately evokes all the images we might associate with doves from the rest of the Bible.

To begin with, Jesus is like Noah. Or more accurately, Noah points to Christ. Noah and Jesus were both carpenters. Noah and Jesus were both righteous. Noah and Jesus were both instrumental in the salvation of the world.

To be ‘in Christ’ is like being in the ark of salvation that Jesus built. In and through Jesus, God is bringing about a new creation, a fresh start for everything God made, not just human beings.

Although Noah points to Christ, Jesus is greater than Noah. Jesus brings peace between God and humankind. Jesus calms the storm of judgement. Something Noah could not do.

Remember the way the dove landed on Noah’s hand. That speaks of the closeness and trust which characterizes our relationship with God through Jesus. It is the Holy Spirit who enables us to trust Jesus and be close to him.

As we have heard, the meaning of the dove has even greater riches to share. Just as the dove was the chosen sacrifice of the poor, so too Jesus is our atoning sacrifice restoring our relationship with God. Jesus is good news to rich and poor alike, because Jesus takes away the sin of the world.

The picture of the dove descending on Jesus, together with heavenly words of love and affection, reminds us too of the Song of Songs, the greatest love song ever written. Jesus is the word of God. He is God’s love song to the world.

How beautiful you are, my darling. Your eyes are doves. My dove, my perfect one, is unique. When Jesus looks at you, he sees your beauty, he sees the best in you. You might focus on your own flaws and imperfections. Jesus sees that too but not with the look of disdain or contempt. Jesus understands you are a work in progress and he sees you as you will be one day, flawless, perfect, unique.  

Then there is the image of doves crying, moaning and mourning. Jesus is the man of sorrows, acquainted with bitterest grief. Jesus wept at the tomb of his friend Lazarus and he wept over Jerusalem. Jesus weeps for the world today too. He understands your pain, your loss, your loneliness.

The Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.  

Jonah, whose name means dove, points to Jesus. Both Jonah and Jesus slept in a boat during a storm. Jonah was three days in the belly of a fish, while Jesus was three days in the tomb. And both were prophets sent with a message of repentance to a world in need of God’s mercy.

Jonah is not like Jesus in every way though. Jesus was quicker to obey God.

Not that Jesus’ obedience came easy. Jesus struggled in prayer in the garden of Gethsemane, sweating great drops of blood as he reconciled himself to God’s will in going to the cross. Not my will, Father, but your will be done.

There is one other connection with the dove that we haven’t mentioned yet. Sometime after his baptism, in Matthew 10, Jesus says to his disciples…

I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore, be as wise as serpents and as innocent as doves.

A dove is innocent in the sense that it is harmless. A dove is not a violent bird. It is not a bird which preys on other animals in order to survive. Therefore, in the context of Matthew 10, the followers of Jesus are to be like doves and do no harm, just as Jesus did no harm.

But in the context of Luke 3, where Jesus is representing the human race and the Holy Spirit descends on Jesus like a dove, the message is twofold…

Firstly, God means us no harm. God intends good for us. The Lord, the holy one, comes gently and without violence, like a dove.

Secondly, Jesus is innocent, not guilty of sin. Which means that all those who are in Christ, are also innocent.   

Conclusion:

Love, beauty, peace, a new creation, a fresh start, sacrifice, the calm after the storm, the pain of mourning, a second chance, mercy and innocence. These are what the Bible associates with doves and these are fulfilled in Christ.

May the Spirit of Jesus fill you and guide you. Amen.

Questions for discussion or reflection:

What stands out for you in reading this Scripture and/or in listening to the sermon? Why do you think this stood out to you?

  • Do you like birds? If so, what is it you like about them? If not, what don’t you like? What is your favourite bird and why? What is your least favourite bird and why?
  • Before hearing this sermon, what did you associate with doves?
  • Discuss / reflect on each of the various images associated with doves in the Old Testament. For example, peace after the storm, sacrifice, love, beauty, Jonah, new creation, etc. Which of these images / ideas speaks most strongly to you? 
  • Thinking of Jesus’ baptism in Luke 3:21-22, what light does the dove imagery shed on Jesus’ purpose/mission?
  • Why did Jesus get baptised? What is the significance of Jesus’ baptism for those who are in Christ?
Tawa Baptist

The Holy Trinity

Scripture: John 3:1-17

Title: The Holy Trinity

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • The Spirit’s role
  • The Son’s role
  • God’s love
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

The Spanish artist, Bartolome Murillo, has a painting of the Holy Trinity

–         ‘Trinity’ is a word theologians use to describe one God in three divine persons: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit

–         We might think of the Trinity as a community of divine love or as the life of God

In Murillo’s painting God the Father is in heaven, as an older man with a beard, while Jesus is the boy (on earth) standing between Mary & Joseph

–         In between God the Father and God the Son is God the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove

What I like about this painting is it shows humanity participating in the life of God, through Jesus

–         This is essentially why Jesus came – so we could join the divine community (the holy trinity) and experience abundant life with God

This morning’s message is based on John 3:1-17, the lectionary reading for last Sunday, the 27th May – Trinity Sunday

–         I had originally planned to preach this sermon last week but decided to postpone it because I felt to bring a different message last Sunday

–         In John 3 a Pharisee by the name of Nicodemus talks with Jesus at night and through their conversation we catch a glimpse of the Trinity

–         We also hear how we might participate in this community of divine love

–         From John 3, verses 1-17 we read…

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.

16 “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.

May God’s Spirit illuminate this reading for us

In this conversation Jesus reveals to Nicodemus how a human being can participate in the life of God

–         Jesus begins by talking about the renewal or rebirth brought about by the Holy Spirit, then Jesus talks about his own role in revealing God and redeeming humanity. First let’s consider the role of the Spirit

 

The Spirit’s role:

We human beings were made to breathe air and to live above ground

–         If we wanted to go under water we would need to put on scuba gear

–         That would enable us to breathe under water for a little while but we couldn’t really live there under the sea – not without growing gills and changing internally so we could cope with the cold water

–         It would be similar if we wanted to live on Mars – we couldn’t survive on Mars without a space suit, there is too little oxygen and too little warmth

–         To be able to live on Mars naturally our whole body chemistry and physiology would need to undergo a fundamental change

 

In John 3 Jesus talks about the ‘Kingdom of God’ & ‘eternal life’ & ‘heaven’

–         In the context these three expressions are different ways of describing the same thing – life with God or life within the Trinity, God’s life

–         The way we come into this world, the way we are born naturally, we could no more live in heaven or in God’s kingdom than we could on mars or underwater

–         To be able to participate in the life of the Trinity we need to undergo a fundamental change – we need to be born again or born from above

–         (The Greek word used here can be translated both ways)

This concept of transformation is illustrated in nature by frogs and butterflies

–         To be able to live on land and breathe above water a tadpole must undergo a fundamental change

–         Likewise to become a butterfly a caterpillar must be reformed in a cocoon

–         So it is with us – to enter God’s life we must be reborn, but our re-formation is not something we can bring about ourselves

–         It is the Holy Spirit who transforms us and makes us able to enjoy heaven

Now this may seem old hat to us because we have had these words of Jesus for 2000 years – but for Nicodemus this was shocking news

–         Nicodemus was a Pharisee – someone who had taken a vow to learn and apply the entire Old Testament Law, plus all the other man-made rules the Pharisees had put around God’s Law

–         Nicodemus had grown up being taught and believing that he would get into God’s Kingdom by being a descendant of Abraham and following the rules – but Jesus was telling him, what he had devoted his whole life to wasn’t going to cut it

Going back to my previous analogies of living underwater or on Mars – it doesn’t matter how much I practice holding my breath I’m never going to be able to hold my breath long enough to live in the sea or survive on Mars

–         My body has to change to suit the environment

–         Same thing with living in heaven – it doesn’t matter how hard I practice keeping the Law, that won’t support eternal life

–         Heaven isn’t a list of rules to follow to the letter – it is a divine community of love to be enjoyed forever

–         Now don’t get me wrong – I’m not saying the Law is redundant now and we can do whatever we like

–         Many aspects of God’s Law are still helpful to us in this life

–         The point is: heaven is different to earth and if we are going to breathe the air of heaven we need to be changed by God’s Spirit

Nicodemus was having a hard time accepting this so Jesus goes out of his way to explain in terms that a Biblical scholar like Nicodemus would understand…

–         I am telling you the truth: no one can enter the Kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.

–         To be born of water and the Spirit is a reference to cleansing & renewal

–         In Ezekiel 36:25-27 God says to the Jewish exiles…

I will sprinkle clean water on you and make you clean from all your idols and everything else that has defiled you. I will give you a new heart and a new mind. I will take away your stubborn heart of stone and give you an obedient heart. I will put my Spirit in you and I will see to it that you follow my laws and keep all the commands I have given you

In this passage Ezekiel was looking forward to the time when God would give his people a new heart and a new mind so they could love him and each other naturally, without having to hold their breath as it were

–         By alluding to this prophecy from Ezekiel, Jesus is pointing out to Nicodemus that the time of renewal (or being born again) is at hand

–         But this renewal – this total conversion experience – is a gift from God

How exactly the Spirit brings about this change in us is a mystery – there is no magic formula

–         We can’t tell the Spirit what to do any more than we can tell the wind what to do.

–         The Holy Spirit is a powerful and untameable movement of life

Okay, so that’s one of the things the Holy Spirit does – he brings about a fundamental change in us so we can participate in the eternal life of the Trinity

 

The Son’s role:

Jesus, the second person of the Trinity, has the same purpose only his role is slightly different: Jesus reveals God and redeems humanity

Nicodemus comes to Jesus at night – in the dark

–         If we give Nicodemus the benefit of the doubt this is most likely because he wanted to have a decent conversation with Jesus without being interrupted. During the day Jesus would be surrounded with people and it would be difficult to talk for very long

Elsewhere in the gospel of John, Jesus is described as the light of the world

–         What does light do? It reveals things – so we can see

–         Now physical light – from the sun in the sky – reveals physical things

–         But spiritual light – from Jesus the Son of God – reveals spiritual things

–         Nicodemus has been in the dark and when we are in the dark we can’t see

–         So in coming to Jesus, the spiritual light of the world, Nicodemus is stepping out of the darkness and into the light in order to see spiritual things – that is, the things of God

 

Imagine someone, you’ve never met or even seen before, who lives in a completely different country, making a proposal of marriage to you

–         (For the sake of this illustration those who are already married will need to imagine they are single)

–         The deal is you have to leave your old life behind and make a new life with them – follow them wherever they go

–         It sounds a bit dodgey doesn’t it – like some sort of internet scam

–         Most of us wouldn’t take up a proposal like that

But what if the person who was proposing marriage came to you in the flesh, so you could see what they were like and get to know them a bit – then you wouldn’t be making a decision in the dark, so it would be easier to trust them

–         The person’s presence shines light on their character and their motivation

–         As it turns out this person is gracious and true – they are powerful but also understated & kind

–         They don’t have any photos of the country they come from (so you can’t see where you’ll be living) but they do describe to you (by way of parables) what their country is like – a beautiful & peaceful place

–         What’s more you get the feeling they really love you – that they would even die for you

–         In the end you are faced with a choice: either reject the proposal and stick with life as you know it, or, trust the person and go with them

If you think about it, that’s pretty much what God is proposing: leave your old life behind and make a new life with him

–         But so we don’t have to make a decision in the dark Jesus came, from heaven to earth, to shine light on God – to show us what God is like so we would be better able to trust God and find redemption for our souls

–         Jesus is the light of the world who reveals God’s heart & mind, his character & motivation, in order to redeem humanity.

–         In verses 11-13 we read…

11 “Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen… Notice Jesus says ‘we’, not ‘I’.

–         It’s not entirely clear who Jesus means by ‘we’ but perhaps he is referring to the divine we: God the Father, Son & Holy Spirit – it fits the context

–         …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?

–         In other words, ‘Nicodemus, you just don’t get it. And you’re not getting it because you don’t really trust me, at least not yet. Trust, faith, belief precede understanding

–         13 No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man.

–         Jesus is basically saying: “I’m here to reveal God to you. I’ve been to heaven. I’m not talking in theory. I know what the life of God is like from the inside, from my own experience.”

The Son of Man is Jesus’ favourite way of referring to himself

–         It’s a phrase which has different layers of meaning

–         On the lips of Jesus it is often a veiled way of saying ‘Messiah’ and at the same time an identification with humanity

–         You see, in shining light on God, Jesus is also shining light on what it means to be human. Jesus reveals our purpose – he shows us what it looks like to be made in the image of God

 

In verses 14 & 15 Jesus goes on to talk about his role in redeeming humanity…

–         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.

Once again Jesus is making it easy for Nicodemus to understand by referring to a story from the book of Numbers (which Nicodemus would be familiar with)

–         While living in the wilderness the people of Israel were attacked by venomous snakes and cried out to be saved

–         The Lord said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it on a pole; anyone can look at it and live.”

–         Moses did what God said and those who looked at the bronze snake were saved

Jesus is saying, “I’m a bit like that bronze snake – I am God’s means of salvation (his redemption) for people.”

–         Nicodemus wouldn’t have understood at the time but later, when he was taking Jesus’ body down from the cross, he would have realised Jesus was saying, “My crucifixion, my being lifted up on a pole, will save those who look to me in faith”

 

God’s love:

And so we come to perhaps the most famous verse in the Bible…

16 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.

Although God the Father is not explicitly mentioned in these verses, talk of God’s Son implies there is a Father

–         Here we see God reaching out through the Son to save the world

–         In the gospel of John the world means those who are opposed to God

–         Those who have rebelled against God – God’s enemies

–         God’s motivation is not to condemn the world but to save it

–         God doesn’t just love his friends – God loves his enemies as well

Once there was a wealthy land owner who grew all kinds of fruit on his orchard

–         Although he was wealthy he was also generous & kind

–         The people in the nearby village relied on this man for their livelihood

–         He provided paid employment for everyone and the whole valley prospered because of his enterprise

–         In all his dealings the landowner never left anyone out of pocket

–         Some people loved him but others were envious

One day a group of villagers decided they didn’t want to work for the orchardist anymore and, in the dark of night, they set fire to his fruit trees and then scurried home for fear of being caught

–         It was a senseless move really because they were cutting off their own living – without the trees they would be out of work

The wind picked up and the fire got out of control threatening the village

–         As the orchardist looked down the valley he had a choice to make – let the sleeping village burn (that would be justice) or send someone to warn the villagers and save them (that would be mercy)

–         The orchardist chose mercy and sent his son – the villagers knew his son and would surely listen to him

 

The son ran door to door waking people and warning them to escape

–         Those who had started the fire pretended to be asleep, ignoring the warning – they knew they had done wrong and thought the orchardist’s son had come to take revenge on them, when he had actually come to redeem them

–         But those who trusted the son and heeded his warning were saved and welcomed into the Father’s house

 

God is like the orchardist – he didn’t start the fire, his enemies did. But he didn’t stand by and do nothing either

–         God loved all the villagers enough to send his only son to save anyone who would believe in him

 

Conclusion:

Through his act of mercy in saving us, Jesus reveals the love of God

–         And through the power of the Holy Spirit we experience the renewal that is necessary for us to participate in the life of God (the divine community of love)

 

Questions for discussion & reflection

1.)    What stands out for you in reading this Scripture and/or in listening to the sermon?

2.)    What do you imagine ‘heaven’ or ‘eternal life’ or the ‘Kingdom of God’ to be like?

3.)    What role does the Holy Spirit have in preparing us for eternal life with God?

–         What does it mean to ‘born again’ or ‘born from above’?

–         Why did Nicodemus struggle to accept what Jesus said about being born again?

4.)    What role(s) does Jesus have in our salvation?

5.)    Thinking of the broader context of John’s gospel – what is the significance of Nicodemus coming to Jesus at night?

6.)    How does God make it easier for us to trust him?

7.)    What is the meaning of the bronze snake on the pole story, from Numbers 21?

8.)    What do verses 16-17 of John 3 show us about God’s heart (his motivation)?

–         What do you think God’s attitude is toward you? (E.g. Do you think he means you harm or good?)  Why do you think this?