{"id":10852,"date":"2026-02-26T09:30:37","date_gmt":"2026-02-26T15:30:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/faithlens\/?p=10852"},"modified":"2026-02-26T07:52:38","modified_gmt":"2026-02-26T13:52:38","slug":"march-1-2026-born-from-above-already-loved","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/faithlens\/march-1-2026-born-from-above-already-loved\/","title":{"rendered":"March 1, 2026 – Born from Above, Already Loved"},"content":{"rendered":"

Prepare\u00a0<\/b><\/h4>\n

As a Pharisee, Nicodemus would have been respected and educated, one you would go to with questions and hope for answers. And yet, he came to Jesus under the cover of night, confused about the teachings he\u2019s heard and wanting some answers.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jesus tells him he must be \u201cborn from above.\u201d The Greek word <\/span>an\u014dthen<\/span><\/i> means both \u201cagain\u201d and \u201cfrom above.\u201d Nicodemus hears it literally, but Jesus is pointing to something deeper\u2014a spiritual rebirth initiated by God.<\/span><\/p>\n

Being \u201cborn from above\u201d isn\u2019t being morally superior or getting everything right. It\u2019s about the identity we receive that is rooted in the Divine Spirit. It is something God does, not dependent on anything we can do or achieve.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jesus compares the Spirit to wind\u2014moving freely, unpredictably, beyond human control. That image reminds us that faith is not something we manage or master. The Spirit is active in ways we may not fully understand.<\/span><\/p>\n

Then there\u2019s John 3:16, one of the most quoted verses in all the Bible. Often, when it\u2019s quoted or memorized, the emphasis lies on \u201cwhoever believes\u2026will have eternal life.\u201d However, there are two things one can easily miss. First, God\u2019s love precedes our belief. It\u2019s important to note that God\u2019s love reaches the whole world\u2014not just the church, our country, the people who look like us, the ones who believe as we do\u2014but the whole world. Secondly, verse 17 reminds us that God sent God\u2019s Son into the world to save it, not condemn it. The two verses should be read and understood together.<\/span><\/p>\n

FORMAT<\/span><\/h4>\n

This passage invites you and your students to reflect on identity, grace, and freedom. In a culture that pressures us to prove ourselves and draws sharp lines between who belongs and who doesn\u2019t, Jesus points us back to God\u2019s expansive love for the whole world. To be born from above is to see your identity from God\u2014identity that is not built on division, status, or superiority, but on grace. From that grounding, we can see the Spirit at work\u2014moving freely, sometimes wildly and unpredictably, toward life and unity in a world insisting on separation.<\/span><\/p>\n

Opening Exercise\u00a0<\/b><\/h4>\n

You know your context best – so choose based on your students (and even the vibe of the day).<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Either have students split into pairs or small groups <\/span>OR<\/b> give them something to write on to reflect independently.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ask:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n