Getting
to Belief
Text: John
2:23-3:15
Introduction: There’s good news
and bad news if you’re a mystery fan. Bad
news: They’ve cancelled Longmire. Good news: the fourth series
of Sherlock will begin filming in
January. Even if you don’t care for this modern incarnation of “the world’s
first consulting detective,” you may like the more traditional Sherlock
Holmes. Holmes was famous for being able
to look at someone he had just met and read all kinds of things about
them—profession, marital status, where they had been in the past few days. It was one of Holmes’s most memorable
characteristics.
John tells us Jesus possessed an even greater gift: “He understood
human nature.” He could assess people, see what was in their hearts.
The story of Nicodemus is that of a man Jesus “saw,” really saw. What he saw were the seeds of faith, the
faith of someone taking infant steps toward belief.
Does Nicodemus remind you of someone you know; maybe you? Do you envy those for whom faith seems to
come easily? Don’t. Jesus seemed to have a special affection for
the tough sell.
Many who saw Jesus’ miracles developed a kind of faith; but, it wasn’t
a faith that would stand the test of time and trial. They were fair-weather believers. Because Jesus “knew mankind to the core,” he
would not commit himself to them.
But he did commit himself to this man who struggled for his faith.
Why did Nicodemus come to Jesus at night? He wasn’t necessarily afraid.
But what if Nicodemus came at night because he was timid, not sure this
was the best thing to do? What if he was
hesitant to risk what was certain for what was uncertain? Was that so unreasonable?
Jesus had just made quite a scene at the temple. He had thrown out the gougers who exploited
the poor worshippers who had to buy sacrifices or exchange their few coins for
currency the temple would accept.
Following that bold act, the religious authorities had placed Jesus on
their “most-wanted” list. Those who
openly associated with Him would be tainted, marked men and women. Nicodemus would have known this.
Still, something about Jesus made it impossible for Nicodemus to just
ignore him, or to swallow the negative propaganda without knowing more about
the remarkable Galilean.
So, late at night Nicodemus came to see Jesus
for a private interview. John moves
quickly to the core of their discussion.
"Rabbi, [Nicodemus said] we know you are a teacher who has come from
God. For no one could perform the
miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him."
So began Nicodemus’s pilgrimage.
It seems to have begun well, but Nicodemus did not slip easily into
believing in Jesus.
Sometimes it‘s hard to believe.
First, sometimes it’s hard to
believe because it is difficult to acknowledge the truth when you are
surrounded by those who would deny it.
Nicodemus was certain Jesus was no ordinary teacher. Jesus was on mission from God. Others had claimed that in the past and in
the future others would claim to be on mission from God, but something was
different about Jesus. Nicodemus saw
that God was “with” Jesus in a unique way.
Nicodemus was aware of Jesus’ reputation as a teacher and his renown
as a miracle worker. Apparently, these
things had convinced Nicodemus of the divine character of Jesus’ mission. Miracles
aren’t found on every other page of the Bible, like some critics claim. They’re rare.
More important, they’re logical.
You’d expect Someone on mission from God to do remarkable things.
Of course, Nicodemus hadn’t concluded this while chatting with his
colleagues at the Sanhedrin. That ruling
body had nothing good to say about Jesus.
The hard-nosed characters in this council derided Jesus because of his
humble origins; they called him “illegitimate”, and would eventually convict
him on the word of false witnesses.
Nicodemus would have heard no positive word about Jesus from this group.
Yet, he had the integrity to evaluate the evidence on his own and act
upon his conclusion by trying to find out more about Jesus.
You have to admire a man or woman with that kind of integrity. It’s not always easy to exercise it. Either in high school or in college you may
have had a teacher who always included an essay question on the exam. Maybe the question was about a book, a
historical event, or a political idea.
You had thought about it and come to your own conclusion, but you knew
if you disagreed with the teacher, you’d lose credit. So, for the sake of your grade, you gave the
answer the teacher wanted. We live in a
culture that makes it tough to exercise a think-for-yourself integrity. Nicodemus lived in that kind of culture, but
he had that kind of integrity.
I hope this aspect of his story gives us hope when we think of
reaching the men and women who struggle with trusting Christ. So many of them have been repeatedly told
there is no “true” truth they struggle when confronted with a man who says, “I
am the truth…” In a world where confusion often reigns, no wonder they struggle
when they hear him say, “I am the Way….”
They have been told this world is all there is, that they have no eternal
souls. Can we doubt they might struggle
when they are confronted with Jesus’ saying, “I am the life…” with his promises
of life beyond death?
To accept Jesus for who he is runs contrary to their entire
culture. It is to embrace notions which
they have been told are mere superstition or worse. It is to acknowledge a power higher than
science, than government, than their own minds.
It is to say my culture is on the wrong track.
It’s tough to come to such conclusions but Nicodemus reminds us it can
be done. His record challenges us to
keep telling the story of Jesus. It is a
story that appeals and convinces.
Second, sometimes it’s hard to
believe because it is difficult to acknowledge your greatest problem is one you
can’t solve
Jesus pulled no punches in dealing with Nicodemus. Without responding either to the compliment
or giving one to Nicodemus, Jesus spoke.
We can’t overstate the significance of what Jesus was about to say.
JN 3:3 In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the
truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again. "
Jesus announces a simple truth:
Being part of what God is doing in and for the world is for those who
have been reborn. Hope beyond this world is for those who have been reborn
What Jesus said can be translated in two ways. It may be translated as “born again” or
translated as “born from above.”
It’s probably intended to carry both ideas:
1. On the one hand, Jesus is speaking of a
transformation that is so profound it can be compared to being reborn.
2. At the same time, Jesus is speaking of a
transformation that can only be accomplished by action from "above,"
that is, through God's intervention.
Only God can prepare people for his Kingdom.
Nicodemus cannot understand this. So, he asks a foolish question: Are we to somehow reenter our mother’s womb
to be reborn? Rather than responding to
this question, Jesus goes on to clarify.
JN 3:5
Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God
unless he is born of water and the Spirit. [6] Flesh gives birth to flesh, but
the Spirit gives birth to spirit.
Jesus response expands on what he has already said. Taking Nicodemus' question as a starting
point, Jesus says, in effect, "Experiencing human birth is not enough, you
must also experience a birth produced by the Spirit."
[7] You should not be surprised at my saying, `You
must be born again.' [8] The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its
sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is
with everyone born of the Spirit."
Perhaps Jesus himself looked up into the trees being blown by the wind
as he said these words. Jesus is
explaining how spiritual rebirth is a process demanding the participation of
heaven, it can’t be accomplished by human effort alone.
This teaching on rebirth would have been difficult for Nicodemus to
accept.
Jews reserved the term “reborn” for the Gentiles who chose to embrace
Judaism. Nicodemus would have heard
Jesus saying, “You—a ruler of Israel and a respected Pharisee—must first regard
yourself as one outside God’s Kingdom if you would enter God’s Kingdom.”
The new birth is not the product of self-effort or reformation. It is the product of God's activity in the
human soul.
A thread running through almost all world religions is the notion that
salvation (however it is perceived) is the product of human effort.
Nicodemus may have been prepared to hear that some in the human race had
nothing to commend them to God, that they were forced to depend upon God's
grace, but surely not everyone. Surely
not him. Nicodemus was a Pharisees. Generally speaking, they lived pretty
straight lives. Jesus was saying, “You
not only haven’t gone far enough, you’re not even on the right road.”
Remember it is difficult to acknowledge you are wrong when you’ve long
believed yourself right. It may be even
tougher to acknowledge that your long-held notion of spiritual self-sufficiency
is only so much wishful-thinking.
The thought of giving up any notion of his own worthiness was so
difficult that Nicodemus is unable to grasp Jesus’ clear illustration from
nature.
JN 3:9
"How can this be?" Nicodemus asked.
Once again, Jesus pulls no punches to challenge Nicodemus to look
beyond his limited understanding.
JN 3:10 "You are Israel's teacher," said
Jesus, "and do you not understand these things? [11] I tell you the truth,
we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you
people do not accept our testimony. [12] I have spoken to you of earthly things
and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly
things?
Jesus is not surprised at Nicodemus's lack of understanding. His words underscore the irony of the
situation. Nicodemus, a revered teacher
of the Jewish religion, cannot grasp what he is saying. Of course, Nicodemus is not alone in his
doubt. The latter part of verse 11
speaks of all those who refused to yield to the claims of Jesus. Yet, Nicodemus does stand apart from that
proud crowd. He was willing to
investigate, to find out more, so Jesus once more appeals to his imagination.
Jesus reminded Nicodemus of an event in Israel’s early history.
[13] No one has ever gone into heaven except the
one who came from heaven--the Son of Man.* [14] Just as Moses lifted up the
snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, [15] that everyone
who believes in him may have eternal life.
Israel had rebelled against God. God sent deadly snakes their way to
chastise them. But God offered a way to
escape. It was the only way to be saved.
Only later would Nicodemus grasp what Jesus was saying. Like that bronze snake, he must be lifted up,
a reference to his coming crucifixion.
He, himself, would become the only way to salvation.
Jesus’ final recorded word to Nicodemus is another call to believing
commitment. Those who trust in the
Crucified One will receive eternal life.
*****************
You should know that in time Nicodemus becomes a believer. Nicodemus
did not arrive at faith quickly but once he believed, his life was transformed.
CONCLUSION
I don’t know where you’re at on the road to faith. You may have already committed yourself to
Jesus. Maybe you’re weighing that
decision. Maybe, you’re like Nicodemus
and you’re ready to discover more about Jesus.
If you are, let us help. We’ll
talk with you. Pray with you. Look into the Bible with you.
