FIRST READING Genesis 12:1-9
1Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. 2And 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. 3I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” 4So Abram went, as the Lord had told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. 5And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother’s son, and all their possessions that they had gathered, and the people that they had acquired in Haran, and they set out to go to the land of Canaan. When they came to the land of Canaan, 6Abram passed through the land to the place at Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. 7Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built there an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him. 8From there he moved to the hill country on the east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. And there he built an altar to the Lord and called upon the name of the Lord. 9And Abram journeyed on, still going toward the Negeb.
PSALM Psalm 121
1I lift up my eyes to the hills; from where is my help to come? 2My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth. 3He will not let your foot be moved and he who watches over you will not fall asleep. 4Behold, he who keeps watch over Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep; 5The Lord himself watches over you; the Lord is your shade at your right hand, 6So that the sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. 7The Lord shall preserve you from all evil; it is he who shall keep you safe. 8The Lord shall watch over your going out and your coming in, from this time forth forevermore.
SECOND READING Romans 4:1-8, 13-17
1What then shall we say was gained by Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh? 2For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” 4Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. 5And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, 6just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works: 7“Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; 8blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.” 13For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith. 14For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. 15For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law there is no transgression. 16That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring — not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, 17as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations” — in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist.
GOSPEL John 3:1-17
1Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” 3Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” 5Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” 9Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” 10Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? 11Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. 12If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. 14And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. 16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”
NICODEMUS
For years, the opening segment of “The Wide World of Sports” television program illustrated “the agony of defeat” with a painful ending to an attempted ski jump. The skier appeared in good form as he headed down the ramp, but then, for no apparent reason, he tumbled head over heels off the side of the jump, bouncing off the supporting structure then down to the snow below. What viewers didn’t know was that he chose to fall rather than finish the jump.
As he explained later, the jump surface had become too fast, and midway down the ramp, he realized that if he completed the jump, he would land on the level ground, beyond the safe sloping landing area, which could have been fatal. Surprisingly, the skier suffered no more than a headache from the tumble. To change one’s course in life can be a dramatic and sometimes painful undertaking, but change is better than a fatal landing at the end. First consider Abram.
God comes to Abram and says, “Go.” I want you to leave your country, family, current living situation and travel to a land I will show you. First, to fully understand what God is asking, you need to remember that there was no governmental structure in Abram’s day. No protective services, no formal army, no social welfare system. How one protected and sustained themselves was through the family structure. God was asking Abram to give up the security of all he knew and head to a strange land. God is asking Abram to leave behind his family, his security, his social standing, and any influence he had gained in his feudal structure. The only reward was a promise that God would bless him and “all the families of the earth.” He never fully realized the results of his faithfulness, but you and I are a product of his obedience. Now consider Nicodemus.
Nicodemus is a respected religious leader. He has power, influence, and an established place in his community, but he finds himself drawn to Jesus. How and why he’s drawn, is explained in (John 3) verse 8 of our gospel reading. “The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes.” The wind Jesus is talking about is the Holy Spirit. We know this because the word for wind in the Greek is pneuma which is the same word used for the Spirit. Later in chapter 6, St. John records Jesus as saying, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.” (44a) Nicodemus knows he needs a change in direction and he’s being drawn to Jesus by God’s Spirit.
So, Nicodemus, unwilling to risk his reputation and standing among the religious community, comes to Jesus by night. And Jesus seeing his need, cuts right to the heart of the matter. Jesus tells Nicodemus that he’s facing a fatal landing if he doesn’t change directions. But Nicodemus knows only one way, and that’s the way of this world. It’s the only way that any of us knows. Suddenly Jesus begins speaking of Heaven, of being Born Again. Nicodemus hears the words “You must be born again,” but he’s confused. So, he asks, “How can a person go back into his mother’s womb and come out again?”
It’s surprising that Nicodemus is so confused. He’s a religious leader and should understand spiritual lessons, but somehow, he feels he’s missed some crucial truth. And, there’s a reason he’s going to Jesus. Deep down he knows that Jesus has the answers and will be able to provide that missing important details. Nicodemus senses that he’s headed in the wrong direction and now he must change course. But unlike Abram, Nicodemus seems hesitant. He seems uncertain about making such a drastic change. What makes this remarkable man slow to take Jesus at his word?
First, Nicodemus, by all counts, was a religious man. He clearly knew the Decalogue, the 10 Commandments, by heart and the Torah or Jewish law by memorization. In John’s Gospel, he’s referred not just as a teacher but “the teacher”, pointing to his religious pre-eminence. If anyone should know the truth about God and God’s people, it should be this man. Yet, for all his religious study and training, Nicodemus wasn’t a fulfilled man. There was an emptiness within him that the Jewish law hadn’t filled. I believe Nicodemus was earnestly seeking the promised Messiah. His problem was he couldn’t see past his own preconceived notions. Master, I know all of the commandments, but there’s something missing. Nicodemus knows that Jesus has been sent from God and is blessed by God, he just can’t seem to let go of the things that hold him back. And Nicodemus isn’t all that different than many 21st century Christians.
It is possible to be a religious person and still miss the thrust of God’s Word? Many years ago, the TV show Roots, by Alex Haley, first aired. In the show, there was one particular character, that many consider memorable. Ed Asner played the role of the old captain on a slave ship. He was a religious man. Each night he would close his door and read his Bible. The first night on the return trip, some of the crew sent a young slave girl to his cabin. He’s incredulous and sends her away. On the following night, they send her again, but this time he doesn’t yell how dare you. On another night, as he reads his Bible, he hears the cries of the suffering on deck so he closes his door so he can continue reading his Bible. It’s possible to be a religious person and be an unfulfilled person. And this is at the heart of Nicodemus’ confusion.
Nicodemus is a person who believes in God, but he’s also a person who’s hesitant to let go of the things of this world and place his full trust in God. Master, I have kept all the rules and forms and rituals of our faith, but deep down I know something is missing. Tell me what else I must do to fill this void. Jesus was very clear in His teaching, ““No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” (Matt. 6:24) And the same is true for fame, power, prestige or a host of other idols. Which brings us to Nicodemus’ next obstacle.
Second, Nicodemus was a powerful person. We’re told that he was “a ruler of the Jews.” He was a member of the powerful Sanhedrin. I don’t know how many of you have seen the chief justice of the Supreme Court–Chief Justice John Roberts. Have you noticed the robe he wears? It’s a black robe with four gold stripes on each sleeve. Even if you had no idea who Chief Justice John Roberts was, you would still be able to identify him as a man of power, just by that robe and the way that he carries himself. In many ways, you could say that Nicodemus was like John Roberts. Nicodemus was a man of power and preeminence within the Jewish legal system.
All of us know that power can be seductive. Satan even used power to tempt Jesus. As we read last week, the devil cast his hand over all the kingdoms of the earth and said: all of this will be yours. Even Jesus was tempted by the sight. We know this because that’s the nature of temptation. If you offer something to someone that they really don’t want, there is no temptation. For this to be a genuine temptation, there must be something alluring about it, and power is alluring. Even for the church, power is a great temptation.
Sometimes we see big churches as the measure of success. The taller the steeples the more powerful the congregation. We put up a cross and another puts up one twice as big. The question is, are we willing to let go of what we know to be true and become what the world wants, just so that they’ll love us? That’s the seduction of power. Yet, for all his power, Nicodemus didn’t have peace of mind. Power, prestige and money hadn’t given him the fulfillment he was seeking; instead it confused him. Power promises meaning and purpose in life, but it doesn’t deliver. Master, I’m a powerful person, affluent and well respected in the community, but still, there’s something missing.
The third problem facing Nicodemus was that he was a man of pedigree. Like the apostle Paul, he came from the right family. You don’t become a powerful Jewish lawyer, a leader in the religious community, unless you’re from the right family. The highest positions of leadership weren’t something you work up the ranks to attain. It isn’t like the US. There was only one way to get it. You were born into it.
The Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible says of Nicodemus: “He was a very rich man.” There’s a reason Nicodemus comes to Jesus by night. He skulks in the darkness because he doesn’t want to be seen with the Nazarene for fear it will jeopardize his position. However, Nicodemus is being drawn by the Holy Spirit to Jesus; he’s curious. Yet, for all his interest in Jesus, he’s still being held back. He must maintain his dignity. It’s easy to become preoccupied with preserving privilege. He’s also a man of learning.
The forth problem facing Nicodemus was that he was a well-educated man. I admit it, I’m proud of my education. My education has afforded opportunities for me that would otherwise have been closed. The apostle Paul was proud of his education as well. He writes that he studied under the great Gamliel, (Acts 22:3) one of the premier scholars of his day. Nicodemus was an educated man, yet for all his education he was still searching for ultimate fulfillment.
In this encounter, we can sense the questions running through Nicodemus’ mind. Master, something’s wrong. I’ve been to the very best church affiliated schools, yet my heart is heavy. I need a sense of direction. I’m confused. Which way do I turn? There are plenty of educated people out there today that aren’t looking for more theories—they’re looking for what John Wesley called the religion of the warmed heart. Jesus said: Nicodemus, you must be born again.
You see, it’s easy to get caught up in the form of religion, in the rituals of the denomination and lose touch with the reality of God. We can get so caught up in doing church work, that we fail to be the church. Our intellectual comprehension of the doctrine, dogma and creeds can take precedence over us living the creeds. We can learn about the Bible and yet, fail to be shaped by the Bible. As someone used to tell me, you can have the head knowledge, but do you have the heart knowledge?
Nicodemus had the same problem that many well educated people have. His knowledge and ministry became a profession rather than a calling. Nicodemus had built his profession upon his education, his power, his pedigree, and not upon God. I recognize his problem, because I’ve seen it far too many times myself. There are lots of people who go through the motions because it’s advantageous; it helps them network, helps them get new customers, it improves their standing in the community or it’s politically expedient. The question we must always ask ourselves is, am I doing this for me or God?
I’ve always wondered if Nicodemus ever completely placed his faith in Christ. Tradition seems to indicate that he did, but we can’t be sure. His encounter with Jesus made him bold enough to go with Joseph of Arimathea (John 19:38-42) to ask Pilot for the body of Jesus after His crucifixion. It’s probable that he remained on the fringe. Millions do. But I like to think that once a person has truly encountered the living Jesus, is willing to let go of the allures of this world and place their faith in God, nothing can ever really be the same.
One of the best photographs from the WWII era, is a photo of King George the VI inspecting a bombed out section of London. He stops to talk with a little boy, who is sloppily dressed and has his cap on crooked. The King is bending on one knee and looking directly into the face of the child, and even though it’s a profile shot of the king, you can see that his is a look of compassion. I think we can all agree that that child’s life was changed. I believe we can safely say, that even if the child lived to be a hundred, he never forgot that day. I would suggest that once someone truly looks into the eyes of Jesus, it’s difficult to turn away. Consider the long line of witnesses.
Ask Mary Magdalene. She looked into His face and became a pure woman. Ask Matthew. He too looked into His face, and he became an honest man. Ask Paul. When Paul met Jesus, he was instantly changed. His zeal for the law became a zeal for love. Ask Peter. After he met Jesus he had to wrestle with his prejudices against the gentiles. We’re all broken, sinful people and our need is to be healed, changed, repaired, forgiven. The question then for us this morning isn’t “What was Nicodemus was searching for?” but what are we searching for?
Nicodemus came by night asking, Rabbi, please tell me. I’m a ruler. I’m an educated man. I’m a religious man. I have, by the world’s standards, everything. But teacher, I have this void in my heart, in my life, and I’m being drawn to you for the truth. I need to have something in my life that will transform my evil to good, darkness to light, hate to love, ugliness to beauty, stinginess to generosity, sin to salvation. Rabbi, please tell me. What is it that I need?
Jesus’ message to Nicodemus and all who are drawn by the Spirit . . . Whether educated or uneducated, Jew or Gentile, rich or poor, powerful or week, one ethnicity or another, religious or sinner – is, you must be born again. And how does the Spirit accomplish this in us? By “believing in Him” (John 3:16) and by not copying the behaviors and customs of this world, but by letting God transform us into a new person by changing the way we think. Then we will learn to know God’s will for us, which is good and pleasing and perfect. (Rom 12:2)
Amen