Pastor Mike DuBose is a forty-something year old minister from a congregation similar to ours in size and scope called the Newhebron United Methodist Church in Newhebron, Mississippi. I mention this because Pastor Mike's sermon is one I've confiscated in part. That's right; I've stolen pieces of it.
I did it because I think his work on this scripture is good. I did it because I want you to hear a minister who brings the word of God to life a little differently than I do. I did it because I've been on a ministry team here since 2007 and fulltime now for nearly a year and it's time to hear a fresh voice—actually, it's time to introduce a collaborative effort. I did it because, looking out, I see and sense you want this connection or this 'lift off' to happen here in our church yet, as if sitting on a fence, many don't know how to move forward further. Let this tag-team sermon help.
Without further introduction, here's the sermon which was first shared with a Methodist congregation in late November, 2002 that has been rewoven here in early June, 2009.
Several weeks ago there was an email going around entitled, "How many Christians does it take to change a light bulb?" Well, let's think about this. How many Christians does it take to change a light bulb?
While this can seem funny, let's back up to the denomination whose voice we hear in part today, a voice much like our own United Church of Christ. Let's consider what was said of Methodists.
The joke said, "Whether your light is bright, dull, or completely out, you are loved—you can be a light bulb, a turnip bulb, or a tulip bulb. The Church wide lighting service is planned for Sunday; bring the bulb of your choice." I interpose that to mean, "No matter who you are or what condition you're in, you're welcome to worship. Come as you are; we accept you in the love of Christ.
That's not a bad message to preach, is it? Come as you are! After all, isn't that the gospel? Isn't that the message that Jesus Christ preached? Come as you are!
In our gospel lesson this morning, we have the story of Nicodemus, who, according to the text, came as he was; only he was no ordinary citizen. He was a religious Pharisee, a leader of the Jews, a Sanhedrin, a man who committed his life to studying and obeying the law. But somehow in all of his teachings and religion, he had missed the message.
Many people, including Pennsylvanians and Mississippians alike, get involved with church, but not with Christ. The message here today is that we need to understand or be reminded that the church can't save you; only a relationship with Christ can save you. And if a person is to be saved, his or her heart has to be changed, and that comes only from a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
That's the gist of what Jesus is preaching to Nicodemus. Nicodemus comes seeking answers about religion and Jesus tells him, "Being born again is all about the grace of God, not the grace of humankind."
We've all heard jokes about people showing up at the pearly gates seeking entrance into heaven. Some of them are based on the assumption that we must do something to get into heaven. People are shocked to hear that entrance into heaven is not based on what they do. It's based on the grace of God.
Grace goes beyond our comprehension. By our human nature, we want to be the ones that get us into heaven. By our good deeds that include attending church and belonging to a committee or two, we think we are, worship by worship or meeting by meeting, earning our way into heaven hopefully, but gaining a relationship with Jesus definitely.
But that's not how God's plan works. If you think like this, or if you've connected with church purposefully but not with Christ personally, then it's time to change your light bulb.
Jesus said, "No one can enter the kingdom of God without being born again." That's God's plan. You must be born again.
Nicodemus didn't understand this. He was struggling with the idea of literally being born again.
President Jimmy Carter made the statement during his election that he was a "born again Christian." Even today, that sounds kind of radical, doesn't it? Most think of a Baptist when we hear the words "born again Christian..." But being born again is not a Baptist thing, it's not a radical thing, IT'S A CHRISTIAN THING... for you can't be a Christian without being born again.
2 Corinthians 5: 17 says, "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature (or creation); old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new..."
What does it mean to be born again? Well, it doesn't mean turning over a new leaf – it's not like going back on a diet for the umpteenth time – it's not about a set of new resolutions – it's not saying to your self, "Starting tomorrow, I have to work on my morals." No, being born again means you accept through the Holy Spirit a God-centered, Jesus-empowered life.
It's not a task list you have to complete, nor is it living a moral or more moral life because, according to our text here, you couldn't get more moral than Nicodemus. If anyone "deserved" eternal life, it would appear that Nicodemus had all the right qualifications. He seems worthy of eternal life. Nicodemus had a lot of religion, but no relationship.
Does that sound familiar? Being born again is not about human efforts – it's about a personal relationship which is being born from above. New birth is not something we do, it's something God does through the power of the Holy Spirit, and it's a gift.
Like those at the end of our scripture lesson last week, after the Holy Spirit came flooding into the temple in a gust of wind and people spoke with tongues of fire, many of us, when faced with the two words 'born again' stand amazed and perplexed. Many of us don't understand this born again concept because we don't want to give up calling the shots in our lives. We don't understand because, deep down, we don't trust it. We don't understand it because we're worried it will change us, or that, somehow, if we are born again, somehow we will fail at it.
Pastor Mike had a conversation with one of his congregants and that person was telling him that they weren't good enough to get into heaven. Mike agreed. None of us are good enough to get into heaven, but "thanks be to God," being good enough doesn't have anything to do with it. It's all about changing the light bulb. It's about being born again.
We have been born into a world of bondage, a bondage of sin and death. Someone admit it. Say it. We've been born into a world of bondage of sin and death. But we have been given the opportunity to leave behind the M*E*S*S of is world and be born into a new world, one from above.
Listen to this pulse. Listen to this power. Listen to this presence. Pastor Mike has seen 70 year old men and women walk down the isle and accept Christ for the first time. These men and women, have been pillars in the church. They've taught Sunday school for 20 years or more, they've done laps around most of their church committees, serving collectively most of their lives. They are known as prayer warriors. They read their Bible, they memorize scripture. They had lived a good moral life. They were religious, but they were lost.
And then one night at a Methodist revival, a light bulb lit up in their heads and they realized in their hearts that they didn't have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
I'm reminded of what happened exactly seven days ago here at First Congregational-UCC. On nice, neat dowels, (the same ones we used to hold up the hats for our Mother's Day Program), were these make-shift pom-poms. I passed them out to people in the congregation who, while we were singing our last hymn, waved them around the aisles to represent the presence of the Holy Spirit here. Do you know what one waver shared the following day? He or she said, "Most of them wouldn't even smile back."
Sadly, that's not the first time comments like that have been made. The person who said that last week also said not one moment later, "I guess we have work to do."
Being born again, catching the Holy Spirit, getting in the groove, it isn't about returning a simple smile, but for some of us, it's a start.
We've come far. We are going further. Being born again is not about religion, it's about a relationship with Jesus Christ, and that's the best part of being a Christian is having that personal relationship with Christ.
Look inside of you, and come on. You have head knowledge; now gain, perhaps for the first time, heart knowledge.
For each of us, there is work to do. Let life in. Be born again. We're not having a Methodist Revival here this morning, we're having communion. What will it be? During this meal, will you be like Nicodemus, religious and questioning, or are you, in the following moment, using this religious experience to have a relationship with Christ?
Christ would love to be the light of your life. If you don't have that personal relationship with Christ, maybe it's time to change your light bulb.