Curious Questions, Curious Answers

Rebecca Sheridan
Sunday, March 1, 2026
John 3:1-17

In college, one of my religion professors had a sign on his office door that said, “Always remember, you might be wrong.”  He was one of the smartest people I have ever met – yet I’ve noticed that smart, or shall I say wise, people ask really good questions.  They are open to learning more.  They are open to changing their minds about things.  It’s become rather trendy at least in my kids’ school to talk about a fixed versus growth mindset.  Nicodemus in our gospel for this morning has a growth mindset.  The idea is that black and white thinking, closed answers and questions, always and never statements don’t help us grow.  Questions and openness to learning something new or trying something different allows us to grow – a growth mindset.  Jesus is asking us, too, to have a growth mindset when it comes to our faith.
Today we have this story of a religious leader named Nicodemus coming to Jesus at night with a lot of questions.  Sometimes we may feel like if we have questions about our faith or questions for God, we are not strong enough in our faith.  We might feel pressure to have more answers than we actually have.  We may have a misconception that good leaders already know everything, and that it shows weakness to say “I don’t know,” or “I’d like to think about that.”  Pharisees went through rigorous training learning the first five books of the Bible and religious laws since they were teenagers.  They are the cream of the crop, academically; the smartest people, the top of the top.  Nicodemus is not only a Pharisee, John tells us, he is a leader of the Pharisee – THE teacher in Israel, Jesus notes.  Nonetheless, he is not afraid to ask Jesus questions, seeking deeper understanding about God and what God is about in Jesus.  He already knows a lot about God. He has a deep faith.  But he is willing to learn more, and that’s what I love about Nicodemus.
Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus encourages us that even religious leaders who study the Bible for a living don’t have all of the answers.  Being honest about our questions with God and with one another helps us grow.  We are not done growing once we become a Christian – spiritual growth is a lifelong pursuit, and something that we don’t need to be embarrassed or secretive about but rather a way we joyfully and enthusiastically learn more about God, ourselves, and the world God so loves.  
Jesus tells Nicodemus to see the kingdom of God, one must be born from above; another common translation we might be familiar with is “born again.”  As Lutheran Christians, we believe that we are born again through the gift of baptism – water and Spirit as Jesus talks about.  However, we don’t just stop learning and growing in our faith once we are baptized.  Think about that phrase, which Nicodemus wrestles with – I can’t go back into my mother’s womb once I’m old and be born again?!  However, it is a symbolic rebirth.  We go back to the beginning. Through our baptism, God gives us a chance to start over.  Like newborn babies, to be “born again” is to have a lot of questions and a LOT of learning to do – actually the opposite of knowing everything and having all of the right answers to questions about God and our Christian faith.  Newborn babies have a lot of growing to do, and so do we!
Nicodemus understands that despite all his credentials and status as a leader in the Jewish community, he still has a lot to learn from Jesus.  In our first reading for today, Abram and Sarai also are on this journey of trusting God, even though they don’t know exactly where they are going (God says I will show you!) or HOW they will become a great nation or be blessed by God.  We often talk about our faith as a journey.  This journey with Jesus lasts our whole life long.  We never stop learning and growing in our faith.  Baptism, being born again or born from above, is the beginning of the journey.
Similarly, we are happy to welcome Scout Troop 170 with us today, and I know you are all diligently working on those badges.  There is a goal, right?!  Many of you will strive for Eagle Scout, or at least to go up the ranks to First Class, Star or Life Scout.  But you know the saying, once a Scout, always a Scout.  Even when you “graduate” so to speak, moving on from scouting as a regular activity, you take what you’ve learned with you.  You literally have to go on journeys: hiking, wilderness training, camping, to progress in your scouting career.  And I am sure as you go through your scouting experience, you also experience God with you out in God’s amazing creation, through the teamwork of your scouting community and mentorship of scout leaders, in helping you learn new things and working through difficult tasks.
This Lent, these conversations that Jesus has with people in the gospels remind us that prayer can be much more than simply listing our prayer requests to God.  Today, Nicodemus shows us that prayer can include curiosity and wonder.  What questions do you have for God that you can bring to God in your regular prayer time, just like Nicodemus does with Jesus?  It could be questions you’re afraid to ask anyone else, but know that God can take our questions!  Twice here Nicodemus starts with a “how” question.  When we’re out in God’s creation, we might bring questions of wonder to God – “How did you decide to make a zebra, a zebra-tailed lizard, a zebra finch and a zebra finch all with the same pattern? (that was our family wondering question this week!)”  “How is it possible that you can work through someone like me, Lord?”  “How is it possible to fit any more snow on those giant snow piles?”  “How would you like to have me grow and follow you today, God?”  
Like Nicodemus, we may not always understand God’s answers.  We have to admit, Jesus is kind of confusing here, right?!  But God has already assured us of his love for us and this world.  That’s what Jesus says – for God so loved the world, that he gave his only son, so that those who believe in him may not perish, but have eternal life.”  We don’t have to have all of the answers to understand this.  Newborns understand this basic message of loving and being loved – that’s the most important thing we need to know.  God loves you AND this world.  May we continue to bring our curious questions to God, and seek curious answers.  Amen.