Loving God, you confront us with both your holiness and your love and call us into your service. Help us to respond in faith and in love by the power of your Spirit, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

You are confronted with God, and what do you do? You have a vision where you see God or Jesus in some form. You see the power of the Holy Spirit at work. You hear about Jesus and his love for you, and you are cut to the heart. You see an obvious answer to prayer or a miracle. You are confronted with God, and what do you do?

If you are like Isaiah, your first reaction is “Woe is me!” (Is. 6:5). You are immediately aware of your own sinfulness in the presence of a holy God, and you believe that you are about to die. Is this your first reaction when you are confronted with God?

It might make a difference if you had been taught as Isaiah was taught. Isaiah had been taught that the name of God is so holy that it should never be spoken aloud. In fact, God’s name was even written in such a way that it was unpronounceable, so that people would speak of “the Lord” instead. At the same time, Isaiah had been taught that anybody who actually saw God would die.

And so, when Isaiah is confronted with God in the temple and sees the lowest folds of God’s robe, Isaiah immediately thinks that he is both condemned and dead. He is aware of his own sinfulness and the sinfulness of his people. And God’s response? – Isaiah is cleansed and forgiven and called into service. And Isaiah says, “Here am I; send me!” (Is. 6:8). You are confronted with God, and what do you do?

If you are like Nicodemus, you ask lots of questions. Nicodemus meets God in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. Nicodemus might have been there when John the Baptist pointed to Jesus and said, “Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (Jn. 1:29). Nicodemus probably heard about what happened at the wedding in Cana, where Jesus turned large amounts of water into wine (Jn. 2:1-11). Nicodemus undoubtedly knew about what Jesus had done in the temple, driving out the animals and the money changers. Nicodemus knows that Jesus is no ordinary teacher, and that God is present in and through Jesus.

Still, Nicodemus has questions. While he sees signs of God at work through Jesus, he also sees Jesus acting in ways that are not quite what he would have expected. And so Nicodemus comes to Jesus secretly, at night, to see what he has to say. Once again, Jesus doesn’t speak in the terms that Nicodemus would have expected. Instead, Jesus talks about being born from above and being born anew by water and the Spirit. It is then that a person can both see and enter the kingdom of God.

Nicodemus, however, continues to have questions. “How can these things be?” he asks (Jn. 3:9). In the final analysis, these things can be because of the love of God.

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 (Jn. 3:16).

People believe in Jesus, and are born of water and the Spirit, and both see and participate in the kingdom of God. People receive eternal life.

These people are confronted with God, and respond in faith, and receive forgiveness and new life. Nicodemus is confronted with God, and continues to study and to ask questions, and continues to pray and to try and understand Jesus. You are confronted with God, and what do you do?

In the verses that immediately follow today’s gospel reading, two other responses are suggested. Some flee from the light because they love the darkness, and others come to the light so that God might be seen to be at work through them (Jn. 3:18-21).

If you love the darkness, you are confronted with God and you run in the other direction. The gospel of John talks about people who simply do not want what they are doing to be exposed by the light of God. They are quite happy doing what they are doing, and so they stay as far away from Jesus as they can get. These are the ones who condemn themselves to living without the light and the life of Christ in their lives.

However, others are confronted with God and come to the light instead. They come to Jesus, the light of the world, and expose their sinful lives to his light and his love. Then, just like Isaiah, they are cleansed and forgiven and continue to walk in the light, doing what is right and honourable. In this way, others see God through them. You are confronted with God, and what do you do?

The God who is revealed to us in the Scripture readings that we heard today is actually quite amazing. This is the God who dwells in majesty and mystery and yet is all about relationships. While we could quite easily be treated like slaves, instead God adopts us as his own children through our baptism by water and the Spirit.

The reading that we heard today from Romans invites us to consider the difference between living as a slave and living as a child of God. Plus, not only are we adopted children, but heirs! Think about all the stories you have ever heard about princes and princesses and kings and queens and who usually gets to be the heir to the throne. Would an adopted child or a slave ever be given that position? – I would say, not if there’s a biological child around!

However, we are adopted as children of the king and promised that we will rule together with Christ! What an exalted position to be given! What value is placed upon us by the Creator of the Universe! And what incredible love is shown for us in the sending of Jesus the Christ to live among us, and ultimately to die for us.

And the response that God desires from us? – To acknowledge our sinfulness and be cleansed and forgiven. To answer God’s call into service. To put our faith in Jesus Christ and live by the power of the Holy Spirit. To walk in the light, so that others might see God at work through us. To imitate Jesus our brother in love and in service, doing all to the glory of God and for the benefit of others. May the Holy Spirit empower us to do just that! Amen.

The Holy Trinity (B)      John 3:1-17
June 7, 2009       Isaiah 6:1-8
St. Luke’s Zion Lutheran Church      Romans 8:12-17
Pastor Lynne Hutchison

© 2009 Lynne Hutchison  All Rights Reserved