Out Of The Night, Nic Meets The Light

John 3:1-17

February 24, 2002

 Midnight was fast approaching.  Except for the odd dog or late night stroller, the streets were empty.  But that didn’t ease his fears.  He could not risk being seen. He was, after all, supposed to be a vehement protector of Jewish laws.  It would be disaster if someone—especially one of his colleagues—followed him and discovered what he was doing, who he was going to see.  Darting in and out of doorways and alleys, checking over his shoulder to make sure that no one was following him, Nicodemus—“Nic” as his friends called him—had a very important meeting to get to.

 He knew where he was going for he had watched dozens of people come and go from there over the last few days.  Part of him wanted to come when the crowds were there, in the daylight, but he wasn’t sure enough yet.  There was still a large part of him that was suspicious, hostile even.  And that part forced him to skulk through the dark.

 

As he neared his destination, he paused once again.  Partly to make sure he hadn’t been followed, partly to muster the courage.  Before he knew it, almost unconsciously, he was at the door and his hand, clenched in a fist, knocked…

 

Context

 

Nicodemus was a Pharisee, a leader among the Jewish people.  As Pharisees go, he was a good one, maybe the best.  Later in our text Jesus says he is Israel’s teacher (vs. 10), implying unique status among the Pharisees whose prime task it was to teach and uphold the Torah, the Jewish scriptures.   

 

Nicodemus was well educated, thoughtful and sincere about his faith.  He took his job seriously, upholding all the tenants of the Torah.  He, like his colleagues and fellow Jewish citizens, looked forward to the day that God would send Messiah—a king to lead them out from under the oppression of Rome. 

 

 Something strange was happening to Nicodemus.  He had seen this Jesus perform many miracles.  He had watched hordes of people—sick, poor, outcast and crippled—flock to him.  He had seen with his own eyes Jesus touch and heal those who had been unable to walk, or see.  And now something strange was stirring him.  He wanted to talk to Jesus.  To ask him about this Kingdom of God Jesus had been talking about.  He wondered: could this be the messiah?  But he had no sword or army, and yet there was something powerful about him.

 

Our story this morning is the story of Nicodemus’ nighttime encounter with Jesus.  Why at night?  Some suggest that Nicodemus wanted a long conversation with Jesus and that night was the only time Jesus had the time to give one-on-one.  Some suggest, likely, that Nicodemus didn’t want to be seen by anyone of his Pharisaic colleagues, for they had written Jesus off as a charlatan, or worse, a man in cahoots with the devil.  But I think there is another reason.  I think that Nicodemus had begun to sense the tug of something holy on his soul, and he wanted to find out what it was.  However, he hadn’t the confidence yet to come to Jesus in the bright light of day.  So he came in the dark, out of the night to meet Jesus, the light.

 

It is an encounter that, as we’ll see later, changed Nicodemus’ life forever.  As they sat and talked long into the night, Jesus taught Nicodemus the way to enter the kingdom of God, about the work of the Holy Spirit, and the purpose of Jesus’ mission to earth…

 

 

Godly Performance

 

Jesus answered the door, “Hello Nic.”

 

“Shalom, Rabbi”, Nic replied.  “Sorry to come so late, Rabbi, but there are some things I have been wanting to know.  I’ve been watching you, and you do amazing things.  Clearly you are a teacher from God.  After all, no one could perform the miracles you do unless you were from Him.”

 

You see what Nicodemus was really wanting to know was the burning question on the mind of any Pharisee: what must I do to enter the kingdom of God?  As a Pharisee, Nicodemus believed that there were certain rules and regulations that a person must follow to enter God’s kingdom. 

There were concrete actions and rituals that needed to be checked off, and thus be assured they were moving in the right—righteous—direction.  And now, as any good Pharisee would be, Nicodemus is impressed with a performance.  

 

And so he asks, “I know you are of the Kingdom of God because you do all these things, you perform all the miracles, now tell me, what do I need to do to get the kingdom?”  With that, Nicodemus sat down and waited, maybe he took out a pen and paper ready to jot down the list of things Jesus would list. 

 

“Unless someone is born from above, it is impossible for him to see what I am pointing to, God’s Kingdom”, said Jesus.  And that was it. 

 

You can imagine Nicodemus’ frustration.  He comes looking for a list of ‘to-dos’ but finds only a mysterious, impossible task: being born again.  How does Jesus expect someone to be born again?  

 

Now don’t forget, Nicodemus was a literalist.  His mind was completely focused on the concrete.  He was looking for a specific thing he needed to do to assure himself a place in God’s kingdom.  And here his teacher tells him—if he were to take Jesus’ literally—he had to reenter his mother’s womb, and born a second time!  Maybe all the talk about this guy being kind of weird is true, he thought. 

 

Jesus goes on to assure him that that was not what he meant.  No, Jesus was talking about being born again of God’s Spirit—an event as mysterious as the coming and going of the wind.

 

Nic was more baffled by the minute.  “How can this be?” he whispered.  He was still caught up in the idea that this spiritual rebirth was something he’d have to accomplish.

 

“You really don’t get it do you, Nicodemus, my friend?” asked Jesus.  “Here you are a teacher of the law.  You’ve read the scriptures and know the history of God and the way he deals with His people.  You worship, pray and live a religious life and yet you still don’t get it…”

  

We’re Like Nicodemus

 

I don’t know if you see it the same way I do, but I think we’re a lot like Nic.  Isn’t it true that we think our eternal salvation is dependent on something we do (or don’t do)?

 

Is it going to church every Sunday?  Or praying long lists?  Or reading the Bible every day?  Or wearing certain types of clothes?  Or perhaps if I could just get rid of those bad feelings I sometimes have—anger, jealously, resentment, greed!  What must I do to enter the Kingdom of God?

 

(Come on Shaun, you say.  Christians don’t feel that way!  We know that salvation comes to us through Jesus Christ by the grace of God alone…) 

 

Do we?  Do we really?  I mean sure, we know it up here (in our heads), but do we know it here (in our heart, our guts)?  Down here we wonder, we doubt.  Down here are we not convinced that we need to be doing something—something better, something more, something different.  Down here the guilt about what we’ve done, or haven’t done eats us alive, until we cannot face God, let alone trust him. 

 

Like Nicodemus, we still don’t understand that there is nothing we can do.  We like all human beings are sinful creatures incapable of accomplishing our own salvation no matter how hard we try.  But friends, that is a miracle only God can accomplish! 

 

 

Just Believe…

 

And like Nicodemus, we still don’t understand that there is nothing we need to do—except believe.  Believe that God can, and has, accomplished our rebirth by the Holy Spirit. 

 

Nicodemus, baffled and uneasy, interrupts.  “Uh, Jesus, Rabbi…I’m a little uncomfortable with this.  I have spent my whole life believing that there is a certain standard of behavior that I need to live up to.  Did you forget that I’m a Pharisee?  I’ve kept all the laws, memorized the entire Torah, observed every Sabbath I have ever lived, and now you’re saying that I don’t need to do all that?”

 

“That’s exactly what I’m saying”, said Jesus.  “If you ask me what you need to do to see God’s Kingdom, I say ‘believe in me’.  Believe that I have come to earth from my father—because, by the way, he’s desperately in love with you—to offer you the chance to believe in me, and have life eternal.”

 

“Nicodemus, when you choose to believe in me…if you choose, you’ll be born again.  When you believe in me, if you believe in me, my Father will blow his spirit into you, and new life will begin.

 

“When you were born, Nic, you had earthly life.  Your parents gave you life, as you know it here, on this dusty planet.  You were created, however, with a capacity for greater life, spiritual life, eternal life.  The Holy Spirit blows in you, and transforms you from the inside.  Now do you see?  Are you beginning to understand?  Nicodemus, my father sent me here to tell you this wonderful truth.  He sent me save you, not to condemn or judge you.”

 

 

The Challenge

 

John doesn’t mention what came of that encounter between Jesus and Nicodemus.  I for one am frustrated. I don’t like to be left hanging.  I want it to say, “and Nicodemus burst into tears and threw himself at the feet of Jesus as the uncertainty and confusion was washed away in a tide of belief.”  I want it to tell me that Nicodemus skipped off back to tell his friends that he’d been spiritually healed, like so many cripples had done after Jesus had physically healed them.  But it doesn’t tell us that.  The end of Jesus’ speech comes in verse 21 of John, and then verse 22 says, “After this, Jesus and his disciples went out into the countryside…” Not a mention of Nicodemus.

 

What I’m after is instant results.  I want to know that Nicodemus is ok, that he chose to believe, that he became a follower of Jesus.  But the more I think about it, the more I realize that the Spirit of God works in subtle, slower ways.  Sure, there are examples of instant transformation when someone chooses to believe in Jesus.  I’ve seen them and so have you.  But for every story of instant transformation, there are a hundred that point to a long process. 

 

Friends, here is a question for us to face: are we as a church, a community of faith, here at Zion, comfortable to allow the Holy Spirit to do its work in us as it will?  Are we a place where people can come under the cover of darkness to meet Jesus?  Are we content to journey with new believers as the Holy Spirit of God slowly transforms them? 

 

The reason I ask is that I believe that Zion is a place where such people are going to come.  We have been given, and will continue to be given the opportunity to welcome unbelievers, and new believers.  Are we ready for it? 

 

The Bible uses the illustration of a baby to describe the process of growing up in Christ.  A baby acts like a baby.  We cannot expect a baby to do the things a five year old can do, or a five year old to do what a thirty year old can do. 

 

In the same way it is unreasonable to expect a new believer to behave like an older believer.  But make no mistake; the spirit is at work in them.  I think of Jennifer, who mere months ago, was afraid of the church.  But now, she’s here on Sunday mornings.  She’s singing the songs.  She’s entering into community and coming to know Jesus, and soon she’ll be baptized!   

 

 

Evidence of the Spirit’s Presence

 

The Bible tells us what the evidence is for the Holy Spirit’s work is.  The book of Galatians tells us that the evidence of the Spirit is increased love, joy, peace, patience, kindness goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).

 

Do we see these things in the lives of those around us?  Reading the Bible and prayer and all of the outward actions are important, but only if they’re in response to what the Holy Spirit is doing in us.  If we’re doing these things simply because we feel we have to, or to perform correctly in the church, then it’s merely performance.

  

This week, I want to leave you with a challenge.  I challenge you to ask God the following question.  On Tuesday afternoon, as you sit in your class, or at your desk, or wherever you are, ask God these questions:

 

·        Do I believe in you? 

·        Do I trust that you want to transform me, give me life, true life? 

·        Am I willing to trust that your Spirit can change me?

·        Will you help me, God, to believe and trust more?

 

Conclusion 

 

We only hear of Nicodemus twice more in the scriptures.  A few chapters later in John 7, Jesus is under fire from the authorities.  He has offended the Pharisees, and now they’re ready to kill him.  Who is it that rises to defend Jesus in front of the Jewish council?  Nicodemus.  He who first skulked in the darkness now stands in broad daylight to speak for Jesus.

 

Nicodemus who first came to Jesus seeking light is now standing to defend the Light.  For Nicodemus the darkness is disappearing in the face of the Light of the World.  It matters less now what people think of him.  He is being transformed.  Outward performance is giving way to the deep richness of the Sprit’s fruit.

 

The last time we hear of Nicodemus is in John chapter 19.  By this time, Nicodemus is a man transformed.  His devotion to Jesus, his love of Jesus, now motivates his actions.  Jesus hung dead on the cross, and Nicodemus comes with Joseph to remove Jesus’ body and prepare it for burial.  Imagine what this would have looked like to his Pharisaic colleagues.  The body of the one, who they plotted to have killed, is now being cared for by one of their own.

 

I suspect that Nicodemus could care less.  This is his beloved Jesus.  This Jesus, who shined a light into his dark world; this Jesus whose spirit has changed him; this Jesus who promised to return, and forever eradicate darkness.     

 

Nicodemus’ story stands as a great model for anyone struggling in darkness.   I believe that Nicodemus, because he risked going to Jesus out of his darkness, was changed.  Changed slowly, but changed nonetheless.         

©2002, Shaun Dyer

Zion Baptist Church of Kensington

Edmonton, CANADA

Permission to reproduce for

personal and non-profit

ministry use.