The First Sunday after Pentecost: Trinity Sunday - The Rev. Colette Hammesfahr

Trinity Sunday – John 3:1-17 

Saturday, June 1st is the beginning of hurricane season. That’s this coming Saturday. Those who live on the Gulf Coast, and the Southern Atlantic Coast have braved through many a storm. Most of these storms begin in the Atlantic when tropical waves move westward off the coast of Africa. As these weather systems move over warm water, they strengthen and grow.  

As a storm gets closer to the United States, we get that alert from the National Weather Service. An alert that there is something forming out in the Atlantic and it could turn into a hurricane. The weather person shows a graphic on the television and says, “These are the computer models predicting where the storm could make landfall.” Have you seen them? It’s a graphic of the ocean, with squiggly lines of different colors, going in every direction imaginable! Like throwing a bowl of colored spaghetti on the computer screen. Trying to follow just one of those lines can make you dizzy. As the storm gets closer and closer, talk begins about the wind speed, when or if the storm makes landfall. And that’s just as unpredictable as the path. Next, it’s talk about storm surge and flooding.  

As all this talk is going on, we begin preparing. We rush to the store, stock up on water, batteries, and other supplies and then we wait. We wait in anticipation and anxiety of what is to come. Every day we watch the weather reports. As the days pass and the hurricane gets closer to land the squiggly lines start to converge and the path becomes a little clearer. The wind speed changes as the storm passes over the water. We wait and we wait. We wait and we wait for what is to come. We think we know what will happen. We think we are prepared. Until the time really comes, we don’t know.  

I can imagine that this may be a little like how Nicodemus felt in our Gospel reading today. Nicodemus was a Pharisee, a member of the Sanhedrin. The Sanhedrin had religious jurisdiction over all Jews. They had many responsibilities. One was to teach and uphold The Law – the Law of Moses. And when it came to the law, the Pharisees knew it better than anyone. Another responsibility was to be on the lookout for false prophets; these people who professed to be proclaiming words directly from God. The Pharisees were very, very smart men. Nicodemus was a smart man.  

Jesus was one of these men who the Pharisees thought to be a false prophet. Jesus and his disciples were traveling from town-to-town preaching. The story was getting out that Jesus had just performed a miracle at the wedding in Cana. He had turned water into wine. Jesus also claimed to be proclaiming words given to him directly from God. The Pharisees were pretty sure, Jesus was a false prophet. That is all except for Nicodemus. He was not quite sure.  

Nicodemus wanted to know more about this man and about his teachings. Nicodemus asked to meet with Jesus. But he had to meet under the cover of darkness. He couldn’t let anyone see him meeting with Jesus. And his first words to Jesus show us that Nicodemus believes that Jesus is the one who Isaiah had prophesized about.  

Nicodemus calls Jesus “Rabbi,” a title of respect. And he acknowledges that these miracles Jesus is performing and these words he is teaching can only come from God. In his conversation with Jesus, Nicodemus wants to know what he has to do to get into the kingdom of God. It’s in Jesus’ reply to Nicodemus, this very smart Pharisee, where Nicodemus’ mind starts spinning. Just like those colored lines of the computer models are going every which way, Nicodemus cannot make a direct connection to where Jesus is pointing…where is Jesus heading? Jesus tells him that to get into the kingdom of heaven you have to be born from above. You have to be born of water and Spirit. Born of the flesh is flesh. Born of the Spirit is Spirit.  

The problem here is that Nicodemus is taking everything Jesus is saying, literally. He is wondering how one can be born again after growing old. How can we go back into our mother’s womb and be born again? These things aren’t physically possible.   

Jesus is making this so difficult for Nicodemus! Come on Jesus……it’s a simple “if/then” statement! Just fill in the blanks for me! If I do this……then I can enter God’s kingdom!  

Nicodemus, this man who is so smart, is missing Jesus’ point. This is something we struggle with as well, don’t we? We are brought up in a society made up of “if/then” statements. If I work hard, then I will get a raise or promotion. If I eat all my dinner, then I can have dessert.  

When it comes to our relationship with God, we aren’t much different than Nicodemus. We sit and think, “What can I do to be assured of a place in God’s kingdom? What do we have to do to get into heaven?” “I bet if I volunteer more; God will bless me. Maybe if I made up with an estranged family member; that would put me on God’s good side. If I give more money to the church; God will definitely make a place for me in heaven. I know, I’ll read the bible more! That will surely do it!” Or, as Nicodemus thought, “If I become ‘born again’ that will be my ticket to heaven.”  

You know what? If that is what we sit and think, we are just as wrong as Nicodemus. It comes down to three simple things – water, wind, and faith.  

Water – Through the grace-filled water of our baptism, we receive the Holy Spirit, and we receive new birth. This is where we are born of water and Spirit. Through our baptism, God promises forgiveness of our sins and eternal salvation to all who believe. God gives this to us freely. We don’t do anything except believe.  

Wind – The Holy Spirit moves within us to give us life – a rebirth – to be born again. And this Spirit is like a wind blowing through us. It awakens us and it moves us towards Christ. And just like the wind, God’s Spirit is unpredictable. We can’t see it, but we can feel it. We can hear it. We cannot control it. We don’t know where it will take us or send us. But whenever or however we feel it, it’s an invitation from God to move.  

Faith – Faith is a gift that God gives to us. We can’t reason with it. We can’t see it. We just know it’s there. Faith is believing that God loves us so much that he gave his only son, to save us. Belief that through his death on the cross, Jesus brings us eternal life.  

Three simple things: water, wind, and faith. As we put these things together, it can feel and sound like waiting for that hurricane. As the storm moves across the water, water temperature and wind-shear have an effect on its direction and strength. The weather service puts their trust in reliable computer models to give us daily updates showing those colored lines coming closer together in a more cohesive pattern, giving us a better idea of where the storm will make landfall. And as we wait, we prepare.  

God’s love for us is stronger and more powerful than any hurricane. Our faith and trust in His love points us to the cross. It’s there that those lines converge into a pattern. As we wait for Jesus’ return and God’s promise of a heavenly kingdom, we are called to prepare. We are called to walk out those doors, go out into our community, and prepare others through sharing God’s word and sharing God’s love.   

Three simple things: water, wind, and faith. There is no “if and then” statement such as, “If I’m reborn, then I can enter the kingdom of heaven.” Our statement is “because/therefore.” In a 2018 article for Living Lutheran Magazine, Pastor Delmer Chilton, wrote this, “Because God so loved the world. Because God sent his Son. Because that Son died upon the cross. Because God raised Jesus on the third day. Because of all this, we have already been saved.” Because/therefore.  

If a number of certain things happen, in a certain order, then a hurricane’s path can be predicted…where the wind and water will leave its effects. That’s leading a life of “if/then.” Because of Jesus’ gift, therefore, the spirit moves in ways beyond our comprehension. Because/therefore. It’s in the midst of the storms of our lives that we surrender to the mystery of the Spirit’s work. It’s amidst the chaos and uncertainty that we find the truth…that God’s life like the wind, is ever-present, ever-moving, and ever-transforming.  

For this week, I’d like you to think about how you can cultivate a deeper trust in the mysterious workings of the Spirit. How can you challenge yourself to let go of the need for immediate explanations? When circumstances seem uncertain and chaotic how can you allow yourself to be carried by the winds of grace and embrace each moment with a spirit of openness and faith? How can you listen for and trust that those winds of faith can lead you to moments with the spirit and an openness and an openness of faith?  

Amen.