Building Relationships

Rebecca Sheridan
Sunday, March 5, 2023
John 3:1-17

    “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.”  John 3:16. Even if you don’t know a single other verse in all of the Bible, you probably have heard this one.  We might have a picture in our minds of someone holding up a poster with this verse on it at a football game or as a bumper sticker on their car.  It’s a good one!  It’s an important one.  In talking about God’s relationship with us and the importance of us having a relationship with God today, I can really think of no better verse to describe the love that God has for each one of us and WHY we should want to be in relationship with God and others as people of faith. 
But today we also get to read the whole story in context.  Jesus is sharing these encouraging, famous words not just with us, but with someone in particular, Nicodemus, a Pharisee, a religious leader.  Nicodemus comes to Jesus by night, under the cover of darkness, because he has questions for Jesus.  He knows a lot about God, but he doesn’t necessarily know God in the sense of having a relationship with God.  He wants to know more – about Jesus, but also to KNOW Jesus.  And so he seeks out a private conversation to be in relationship with Jesus.  Nicodemus doesn’t have it all figured out, and he can admit this to Jesus, even if it is in private, at night.  His last question hangs there, “How can these things be?”  In my imagination, that question lingers for Nicodemus as we encounter him again in John 7 defending Jesus amongst the other Pharisaical leaders, and again in John 19 as he helps Joseph of Arimathea prepare Jesus’ body for burial, bringing aloe, myrrh, linen and spices, placing Jesus in the tomb. “How can these things be?” Nicodemus asks along with us, along our journey of faith, as we grow in faith ourselves, in a deeper relationship with God through Jesus Christ.
    “How can these things be?” Nicodemus asks this question in trying to figure out this idea of a second, spiritual rebirth, but it is also a question of wonder at what God is doing through Jesus Christ.  Jesus’ initial answer is why this verse is so popular, “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.  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.”  God sends his only Son Jesus into the world to save the world.  Despite the ugliness, the evil within and without us, the things that deserve God’s condemnation, God wants to save us.  Jesus doesn’t just share the good news of God’s love for us in words, Jesus puts these words into action by going to the cross to die and be raise for us.  Nicodemus gets to be a witness to all that Jesus is doing and saying to demonstrate God’s love for us!
    In our readings for today, we’re reminded of God demonstrating love for the world through famous men of the Old Testament as well – Moses and Abraham.  Through Abraham all the families of the earth are blessed, Genesis tells us.  Moses lifts up the serpent in the wilderness to extend God’s healing to the people as God leads them to a better life, to the promised land, John reminds us.  Nicodemus, Moses, and Abraham are just three of the many witnesses in scripture of the ways God has demonstrated love and faithfulness to us in words and actions throughout history.  Through their stories we learn God wants desperately to be in a loving relationship with us, his beloved creation. God gives us his only son, Jesus, to bring us back into relationship with God AND to heal our relationships with others.
    As we continue to reflect on our Lenten theme, “Fulfilling God’s Purpose,” today we’re reminded in a pretty powerful way that God created us to be in healthy, loving relationships with God and others.  Caring for one another as the church, the body of Christ, and reaching out to form new loving, faithful relationships with others is truly what we were made to do.  Often, it is through someone else that we experience God’s love in action.  I was thinking just this past week of all the ways our church is in relationship to others in ways that share God’s love in Christ as a part of our congregation’s mission.  Our food pantry donation box is overflowing with food, clothing, and hygiene supplies for local families in need.  On Wednesday morning, I led our weekly chapel time with 25 adorable 2-4 year olds and we talked about using good words to share God’s love with our friends.  That same night, we enjoyed food and fellowship with fellow Lutheran Christians, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Plainview, and then worshipped together with soulful singing, heartfelt prayers and an encouraging message.  Then the Boy Scouts came in for their weekly meeting and our downstairs was filled with parents, other adult leaders, and middle school and high school guys working on building character and serving our community.    Our adult Bible study on Thursday morning engaged in thoughtful and respectful conversation about difficult questions, and we check in with one another – how are we doing healthwise? Have you heard from so and so lately? We prayed for those who are going through a tough time and those who are grieving.  “How can these things be?” we might ask, in wonder and awe at what God is doing in and through us.  This is only a snapshot of a few days of what’s happening just here at church, but we can only imagine what God is doing to share his love with others through others beyond Faith Lutheran Church Synosset!  I can think of no other organization or community that brings all kinds of different people together – regardless of age, ability, background, and then challenges them to love one another as a family – in that intimate of a way.  “How can these things be?” Nicodemus asks, we ask.  “For God so loved the world,” Jesus says.  God can’t keep his love to himself.  God’s love spills over into all of our lives as we live out that love in the relationships with have with others.
    Today, we are challenged to love as Jesus loves and to remember that our primary purpose as people of faith is to build healthy relationships with God and others.  The good news is that we can love because God first loved us.  God loves this messed up, flawed, yet beautiful world even more than we do. So much so that he sent his only Son so that everyone who believes in him may not perish, but have eternal life.  Thanks be to God!  Amen.