N is for Nicodemus
This is the sermon I preached on Sunday, August 25, at St. Timothy Lutheran Church. The text is John 3:1-10.
What is there about the night that invites questions and concerns? We lie in bed and thoughts swirl around in our heads—all the things we worry about. Did I turn the light off in the kitchen? Then the ponderings morph into more serious issues. My friend with the recurring cancer—will she be alright? What about all the sickness going around? As we age, will we outlive our money? Are we worrying too much or too little?
It was the night that called Nicodemus with his questions to go to Jesus. In the dialogue between Nicodemus and Jesus, the two are just not on the same page, but appear to be talking past each other. Nicodemus is thinking and speaking concretely, while Jesus is responding spiritually, talking about what the kingdom of God looks like. It’s a birth from the top down, being “born from above” (v. 7). This is the formation of an alternative society, re-defining one’s “family of origin.”
John leaves us tidbits along the way that lead us to the point he is making in this story. Here are a few of them. Firstly, Nicodemus was an important man. His work earned him power and respect. Secondly, Nicodemus came to Jesus by night, not in the light of day, but under cover of night. Does it seem odd that such a powerful leader would wait till night to visit Jesus? That’s one of the questions that John wants us to engage with.
Nicodemus was a powerful man. His work earned him power and respect. Secondly, Nicodemus came to Jesus by night, not in the light of day, but under cover of night. Does it seem odd that such a powerful leader would wait till night to visit Jesus? That’s one of the questions that John wants us to engage with.
Nighttime visits were unusual, out of the ordinary. “Out of the darkness of his life and religiosity Nicodemus came to the Light of the world. The author probably had multiple meanings or associations in mind here, as is often the case” (NET Bible notes). Perhaps he didn’t want to be seen or just wanted to stay off the record.
Nicodemus had questions he didn't want to ask in front of his colleagues, like:
Are you really a teacher who comes from God?
How can a person truly be born from above?
Is it still possible for us if we have grown old?
How can these things be?
Nicodemus wanted the dialogue, but not the risk. After all, he had a reputation to uphold. He had questions, but do we see any change in him as a result of Jesus’ answers? “Instead, he slipped back into the night and continued to watch Jesus from afar, letting fear, rather than hope, have the upper hand” (Anna Carter Florence, A is for Alabaster).
He may well have been the Pharisee that eventually came around, but it took a while. Nicodemus reappears in chapter seven, defending Jesus to the other Pharisees and then when Jesus needs to be prepared for burial, Nicodemus uses his power as a Pharisee to honor Christ’s death (chapter 19). The wind of the Holy Spirit carries Nicodemus deeper into faith borne out later in John’s gospel.
Nicodemus just doesn’t get it, but takes his private faith public at the riskiest of times. He defends Jesus to the other Pharisees (chapter 7), and then when Jesus needs to be prepared for burial, Nicodemus uses his power as a Pharisee to honor Christ’s death (chapter 19).
There are times when we experience the Nicodemus effect in our own lives. But Nicodemus learned and so can we. We must all be born anew when the light of the world is in the world.
The word translated “spirit”(vv. 5, 6) is related to breath, blow and wind (v. 8). So, the verse that reads, “The wind blows where it will” means “the Spirit blows where it will.” It could even be read as “The spirit spirits where it will” (Rob Myallis, lectionarygreek.blogspot.com). It is that work of God’s Spirit that transformed Nicodemus.
How does being born anew, born from above work its way out in our everyday lives? It is not simply about us as individuals, but about how our choices impact others. God calls us to be a blessing to all families. For example, will a housing opportunity contribute to the gentrification of a neighborhood or to wasteful energy usage? Are the people whose services we depend on paid a fair wage? What about our investments? Do the various companies impact the world for good or ill? What are the children in our families learning about injustice in the world and advocating for others?
For example, people who are worried about the Palestinians in Gaza without food, shelter or schools, are suggesting that we make sure our funds do not go to support the Israeli government at long as the slaughter continues. I have a vested interest in this issue, having lived and worked in the West Bank for 6 ½ years. One of the young men we ministered to said he just wanted to be able to live in his house and not be afraid. He was a resident of a nearby refugee camp. That’s what all of us want, isn’t it? In so many ways, I found that these people were so similar to us.
Salvation is about far more than me and Jesus. It’s about Jesus and me and you and the rest of the world. Salvation is all about the restoration of broken relationships—with God, with one another and with the rest of the world, the rest of creation. We dare not reduce a love as rich, demanding, costly and free as God’s love for us to a mere formula. Amen.
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