Second Sunday of Lent – March 01, 2026

Lectionary readings:  Genesis 12:1-4a, Psalm 12a, Romans 4:1-5, 13-17, John 3:1-17

Draw Near with Faithfulness

Abram called by God to leave his homeland and go, Abram packs up everything, his wife, his family, livestock, belongings, and went, leaving behind all that was familiar to him.  It’s probably something we can’t imagine ever doing going on a journey as Abram did without knowing the full itinerary for the trip, how long it was going to take and what our destination would be?  And while Abram likely wondered about all these things as we would, we however don’t hear about any of it, because Abram went.  He went despite not knowing, he went despite the uncertainty that would be there for him on the journey, he went trusting completely in his God, and the promise that God had made to him.  “I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.” (Genesis 12:1-4a)

All too often however we want all the answers, all the boxes as such checked off before we begin.  In the Gospel Nicodemus, a Pharisee and religious leader came out to see Jesus at night, night here though it may be indicate the time of day, or perhaps because of who Nicodemus was he didn’t want to be seen speaking to Jesus, for fear of what it may mean to his reputation in the community; more likely however here in John’s gospel it signify’s the space or place of darkness Nicodemus finds himself in, caught in the tension between his own understanding of God, yet being drawn to Jesus. And so he seeks Jesus out looking for answers. 

“Rabi, he says, we know, that you are a teacher come from God, because no can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God.”  (John 3:2) Nicodemus knew the signs were evident in themselves; his problem wasn’t with Jesus, just that Nicodemus struggled with reconciling with what he understood about God, and how Jesus spoke about God.  It just didn’t fit.

“Truly I tell you, Jesus say, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.” (3: Nicodemus unable to comprehend what Jesus is saying about being born from above, or perhaps more afraid of what the answer might be.  Says, “How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can anyone enter a second time into the mother’s womb?”  Of course we know that Nicodemus, a teacher, an intellectual, certainly wasn’t thinking that some how or another a person had to be given literal birth to again. It was a stalling point you might say, to try and deflect the conversation back to what Nicodemus was comfortable with hearing. Because change as we know no matter how much is needed, or how better for us it may be, it often feels threatening to us and we’d rather stay as we are, instead of taking the chance, for a better way, a better life.  

Nicodemus so bound to his identity, his traditions, power, authority, the influence he had;  unable to relinquish the hold the flesh has on him, is unable to see or understand the new spiritual life that Jesus invites him into.  Because there has to be surrender. 

Nicodemus it seems is left still standing in the dark, pondering what Jesus has said, “how can this be? And while we don’t know exactly what happened to him, 

Nicodemus do show up again, in chapter 7 when Jesus is arrested Nicodemus defends Jesus before the Sandhredrin, and again in Chapt 19 of John’s gospel, when Jesus is crucified, it is Nicodemus who brings a 100lbs., of Myrrh and aloes, to anoint Jesus’ body for burial when he is taken down from the cross. 

And that is just the point, though he started out in the dark, defensive, reluctant, without having all the answers, being certain, Nicodemus still came, he kept listening, and he kept coming back, and because he did, he was brought to the light. And so It will be for us, when we trust enough in our God, just to come, to start somewhere, he will lead us the rest of the way.  

“The wind blows where it chooses, Jesus says, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes, so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” (3:8)

We know how powerful the wind can blow, even if we can’t see it, we know it in the movement it makes;  we may not know what God is doing in the world perhaps, or how the spirit might be working in our lives, but we know it however in the evidence that is there, in the change that comes about in peoples lives. And Nicodemus you might say, came to the light in a very public way, extravagantly anointing for burial the body of the crucified Messiah.  

So Perhaps too in this season of Lent, this season of repentance, meaning turning, reorientation, we might ask how is it that we too might need some turning in our own lives,  what change might God be wanting us to make, …a change of mind, a change of perspective, or even a change of heart; what might God be wanting you to see in a new way in this time.  And how is it that you too, may be resistant to what God is inviting you to see? 

Lent calls us to faithful trust in our God, to loosen our certainty, that he might reshape us to a greater faithfulness.

May we always holding trust in our God, draw ever more closely to him. 

Amen, God Bless.