Trinity Sunday – John 3 1-17

Trinity Sunday – John 3 1-17

Today is Trinity Sunday so firstly I’d like to say a few words about the Trinity and what it means.

And then, focusing on today’s gospel reading from John, I’d like to look at how we can come to know God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit in our own lives.

Several years ago, I remember my son Tom when he was about 12, asking me to explain the Trinity to him. You’re going to have to help me with this Lord I thought, and a picture of a child’s puzzle came into my mind.

It was an old fashioned wooden puzzle in the shape of a triangle and it had 3 pieces and for some reason it was green.

I told Tom to picture this puzzle in his mind. I said the puzzle symbolised God and that He was made up of 3 persons. Father, Son and Holy Spirit. So, the Trinity is one God existing in three Persons.

Another way to think of the Trinity is as water, H2O. Water can exist as liquid water, or as ice, or as steam. They are 3 manifestations of the same thing. They are all water, albeit in 3 different forms.

The idea of the Trinity is rooted in scripture. It’s not a clever idea theologians have concocted. Rather it is what the bible reveals about the nature of God in both the Old and New Testaments.

And we see the Trinity in today’s gospel reading which is essentially about how we can come into a relationship with God the Father, through the sacrifice of Jesus – God the son - and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit – God the Spirit.

Nicodemus comes to Jesus at night, not wanting to be seen. Perhaps like some people exploring Christianity – he’s not too keen for his friends or work colleagues to know he’s interested in Jesus.

He is however intrigued by Jesus’ power – the miracles that Jesus does – and no doubt by the love that Jesus shows and the authority he speaks with.

He can see that Jesus has been sent by God – but he doesn’t yet fully understand who Jesus is – and he wants to find out.

Jesus sees straight to the heart of the question that Nicodemus’ is asking.

So, he explains that in order to know who he really is – Nicodemus must be ‘born from above’ – or ‘born again’ as other translations put it.

He needs the intervention of God’s Holy Spirit in his life to open his spiritual eyes in order to understand Jesus’ true identity.

This why when Peter recognised him as the Christ, the son of the living God; Jesus said to him - "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven.

The revelation of who Jesus is comes directly from God – and we are blessed when we receive it.

Nicodemus however, doesn’t understand how he can be born again – how he can be born a second time - so Jesus explains that he needs to be born of water and the Spirit.

Just as the only way a human can enter the physical world is through our mother’s wombs – through water - so the only way we can enter God’s kingdom is through being born spiritually into it.

As we open our hearts and our lives to God in genuine repentance - the Holy Spirit – the Spirit of Jesus, comes to live within the depths of our being – and we are brought alive spiritually.

An amazing transformation takes place in our lives as we become children of God. Our spiritual eyes are opened and we can see and know exactly who Jesus is.

We recognise that he is our risen Lord and God. We can sense his presence with us and we have a desire to worship him. The bible is no longer a closed book – and as we read it we can start to understand the spiritual truths contained within it.

At the moment we are born again we receive eternal life and forgiveness. We are made clean in God’s eyes. We are transferred out of the kingdom of darkness – and Satan’s hold on us is broken for ever. We become part of God’s kingdom and family.

We receive the promise of salvation and the assurance that nothing can separate us from God’s love and that he will never leave or forsake us. On the contrary he will always be with us.

I could go on – but hopefully you get the picture. Some people seem to think that being a born-again Christian is just a particularly keen branch of Christianity – a bit like being an Anglican or Methodist.

But the truth is – as Jesus says – we cannot see or understand or enter the kingdom of God unless we are born again – whatever denominational label we may attach to ourselves.

Jesus compares the activity of the Holy Spirit in our lives with the wind. Like the wind we cannot see the Holy Spirit – but we can feel his presence and see his activity.

Nicodemus is confused by what Jesus is saying – so Jesus prophesies to him about his death using an Old Testament story from the book of Numbers.

Just to give you the background to this story, the Jewish people were grumbling against God as they wandered in the wilderness and they started getting bitten by venomous snakes.

So, God said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” So, Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived.

Just as the snake was put up on a pole – Jesus would be put up on the cross for all mankind – so that everyone who looks to him and believes in him would receive eternal life.

It’s interesting that Moses put a snake on his pole. Satan is portrayed as a snake in the bible – and Satan is the one who has bitten and poisoned the world with his venom.

On the cross Jesus took Satan’s venom as it were into his own body. He took our sin and all the bad stuff that poisons and spoils our lives upon himself so that we can be free.

And as we look to him – as we believe in him - we will live. We will not die from sin’s venom.

I suspect that – although Nicodemus initially didn’t understand what Jesus was saying – when Jesus was hung up on the cross – he remembered what Jesus said – and clarity and understanding flooded into his mind – and he realised that Jesus was dying for him and believed in him.

Indeed, we are told in John chapter 19 after the crucifixion, that Nicodemus took Jesus body along with Joseph of Arimathea, and they bound it in linen cloths with the spices that Nicodemus himself had bought.

In the final part of this passage Jesus explains to Nicodemus why he would be lifted up on a cross.

With probably the most well-known verses in the bible, Jesus tells us; “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.”

God’s desire is to save you! He doesn’t want to condemn you – he wants to save you from death and judgement and being separated from him.

And that’s why he sent Jesus – to save you – yes you sitting here this morning whoever you are, and whatever you may have done – however bad it may seem to you.

Because he so loves you. You are incredibly precious and valuable to him.

When Jesus went to the cross and was nailed to it and lifted up - he took your and my sin - everything that we have ever done or will ever do, that is wrong or bad or evil into his own body.

He drew the poison that has spoiled our lives into his own body – and died for us in our place – so that we can be made clean and forgiven.

And he took the punishment our sins deserve – so that there would be no need for us to fear being punished and judged by God for things we’ve done wrong.

When Jesus prayed in the run up to his crucifixion “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done” – the cup he was referring to is the cup of God’s wrath – God’s righteous anger at all the sin and pain and hurt in the world.

Jesus drained that cup fully for each one of us – to the very last drop.

The bible puts it like this: “Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering … he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.”

Our part is simply to believe in Jesus – to put our faith in him and the sacrifice he has made for us. So, will you this morning open your eyes and look up at the cross and believe in Jesus – and what he has done for you – so that you won’t die from sin’s venom?

God has no desire to condemn you. He loves you and wants to welcome you home and embrace you as his child. But like the Prodigal son – you must make the decision that you want to come home.

God created you in love and he has watched over you from the moment of your conception. And he has longed all your life for you to make the decision to return to him – so that he can forgive you and make you clean and restore you to a relationship with him, through the death of his son.

And if you will do this – he will embrace you and forgive you and open your spiritual eyes to know him.

Let’s close with a time of quiet prayer and reflection. If you’re already a Christian why not pray now quietly for those here that haven’t yet recognised who Jesus is.

And if after what you’ve heard this morning, you’d like to know God, you’d like to know Jesus – and his love for you – you’d like to be forgiven and made clean - quietly in your hearts and minds and imaginations - look up at the cross and thank Jesus for loving you and dying for you.

PAUSE …

And now tell God you want to come home to him. Ask him to forgive you for all that is past and to make you clean.

PAUSE

And finally, invite God into your heart and life. Just say ‘Jesus please come into my life and make yourself known to me.’

PAUSE …

If you have invited God into your life this morning – please do come and see either myself or Campbell after the service. Thank you.