Welcome to our Worship on Trinity Sunday. Our Parish Eucharist is at 10 am at St Thomas' Church, and Revd Lyn Woodall will be preaching and presiding. If you can't be with us in person, you'll find everything you need to worship from home here on this page.
Our first hymn this morning is "Firmly I Believe And Truly"
Today's Gospel
John 3 v. 1-17
“Now, there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish Ruling Council. He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him”
Jesus replied,” Very truly I tell you, no one can see the Kingdom of God unless they are born again.
“How can someone be born when they are old?”, Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”
Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again’. The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”
“How can this be”? Nicodemus asked.
“You are Israel‘s teacher, said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven - the Son of Man. Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”
Reflection
The third Chapter of John’s Gospel could be entitled The New Birth. This Chapter from this Gospel is the explanation of the Christian Faith. It explains the reason Christ came to this world: that mankind would know the nature and character of God but more importantly for the human race, it explains how we can find God, how we can be forgiven and how we can obtain eternal life with God in Heaven.
“If we were asked to read to a dying man who did not know the gospel, we should probably select this chapter as the most suitable one for such an occasion; and what is good for dying men is good for us all, for that is what we are; and how soon we may be actually at the gates of death, none of us can tell.” (Charles Spurgeon: Theologian)
Nicodemus was someone who had been impressed by Jesus’ signs and miracles. He was a Member of the ruling Sanhedrin, a Group of Jewish Religious Leaders. Not a great deal is known about him but he is mentioned three times in John’s Gospel. Nicodemus is a Greek name, and although Jewish, he would have been well educated to a high standard: undoubtedly fluent in Greek and Latin. A pillar of Jewish Society and a Pharisee. So, Nicodemus felt it necessary to come to Jesus by night either so that he would not be recognised or to ensure that he had uninterrupted time with Jesus. We hear of Nicodemus a 2nd time in Jn.7:50 and a final time, John 19:38-42, along with Joseph of Arimathea, both of whom ensured that Christ’s body had spices, perfumes and burial cloths after the Crucifixion, when Christ was placed in Joseph of Arimathea’s Tomb. It is extremely unusual for such high-ranking Jewish males to concern themselves with the burial of a Jewish Carpenter. Both their lives were clearly influenced by Christ and his Teachings.
Nicodemus immediately declares that Jesus’ teaching comes directly from God (v2). However, Jesus’ answer to Nicodemus shattered his Jewish assumption that their racial identity assured them a place in God's Kingdom. Jesus made it quite plain that a man's birth does not assure him of the Kingdom of God; only being born again gives this assurance. Jesus answers make plain that it is not learning but living the right life that is wanted and in Messiah’s Kingdom life must begin by rebirth, or as theologians would say regeneration.
Jesus made it plain that this is not something that we can do to ourselves. If Jesus had said, unless you are washed you cannot see the Kingdom of God, then we might think; I can wash myself. Well, a person might wash himself but he could never birth himself.
Of course, Nicodemus answers, how can this be! It must have seemed like nonsense to him! “How can a man be born when he is old? Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”
Now, Jesus answered, “Very truly, I tell you. no one can enter the Kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying you must be born again...”
We must be born of water and the Spirit he said. This water may be a physical human birth where we come from a sack of water. It may also mean being born again by the Word of God. In other passages of scripture, water represents the Word, as we are washed by the water of the Word….
There are many ways to interpret this teaching….
One thing is clear, though, Nicodemus was a religious leader a Pharisee, an educated man, and an earnest man. By all outward appearances, he was already transformed, yet he was not! But no amount of solemn words get you to Heaven! Jesus wanted Nicodemus to know that he didn't have to understand everything about the new birth before he experienced it.
We can sometimes get caught up in all these words. Just as Nicodemus did. But just look for the kernel, the nugget…. Don't worry about the iota, the dotted i, the crossed t…. Look unto the Jesus of compassion . Jesus wants us to find him. Jesus wants us to receive the Holy Spirit. We don't have to understand all of it to attain that.
Salvation is not due to following rules. Salvation is a free gift from a generous God. All that is required is faith. It says in Romans 10:9&13, “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved…Everybody who calls on the name of the Lord, will be saved.”
In verse 13 of John 3, Jesus states, “No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from Heaven - the Son of Man. Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”
Jesus’ reference to being lifted up is to show the importance of being lifted up on his cross. Because that is the exchange that enables us to call upon the name of the Lord and be saved.
Jesus went to the cross with all our sins upon his shoulders, with all the world’s wrongdoings upon him. With the ignominy of all evil resting upon him and he took them to the cross once and for all, so that we may be free. Free from sin. Free from judgement. Free from hell.
The exchange was made.
In verses 16 and 17, we read, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”
And so the Saviour who took the sin of the world upon him delivers God’s forgiveness, through that act.
This Sunday is Trinity Sunday. As we mark the day, let us ponder the Hypostatic Union of Christ: perfectly Divine, perfectly Human, with God the Father and the Holy Spirit: our Triune God! Thus producing a perfect combination: for we have a Great High Priest who is able to understand and empathise with our weakness.
We have a High Priest who has been tempted in every way, just as we are, yet he did not sin: our Jesus, beautifully divine, graciously human; the only begotten Son of the Father, who came down from Heaven to deliver his people; to be beset with the pain of Calvary's Cross. And the glorious and triumphant exchange wrought on that Cross by the exchange of Sin for Glory united by the Holy Spirit.
Prayer –
Lord God, we come to you, the Father, through Jesus the Son and we ask you, blessed Holy Spirit, to enable us to negotiate our route.
Triune God, we give you all the glory, for you alone are worthy of praise.
Thank you for Salvation. Thank you for forgiveness. Thank you for the joy of knowing you. We love you and adore you.
We pray in the mighty name of Jesus and by the power of your Holy Spirit to the only God our Saviour, glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forever more!
Amen.
Our final hymn today is "Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty"
