Sermon

Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. The text for today’s sermon is the Gospel lesson read earlier.

Lent has been traditionally a time for the personal examination of one’s faith. Sometimes we look back at the year and question our actions. Did I make every effort to attend all services or was occasional attendance good enough? Did I spend time every week in personal and family Bible study? Did I attend Bible study at church on a regular basis? Did I faithfully attend the Lord’s Supper? There are other questions that are asked, but my point is that Lent is a time to evaluate our faith and the works that stem from that faith. The Bible gives us many examples of those who were at times strong in their faith. People like Abraham, Moses, Joshua, King David, the Twelve Disciples, Mary and Martha, and Nicodemus. Now most of you are probably familiar with all of these names except for maybe Nicodemus. Nicodemus is only mentioned in three sections of John’s Gospel and no where else in the Bible. If we look closely at these texts we will see a man who grows in faith and his growth can be a useful pattern for our growth in the faith.

Let’s look at the first text which is our Gospel lesson for today. Let me read verses 1 and 2 again: “¹There 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.” In verse 1 we learn two things about Nicodemus; the first is that he was a Pharisee. The Pharisees were a Jewish sect that focused on purity laws; especially washing, eating, tithing and festival Sabbath observance. They were extremely accurate in all matters pertaining to the Law of Moses. Even though they were not priests, they knew the scriptures very well.

The second thing that we know about Nicodemus is that he was a ruler of the Jews. This meant that he was a member of the Sanhedrin or council. They were the ranking ruling body of the Jews but were under the control of Roman Officials. This is the same council that was seeking to get false testimony about Jesus so that they could put Jesus to death.

We learn a little about the faith of Nicodemus from verse two. The first thing that we learn is that he came to Jesus at night. Scholars debate whether Nicodemus came at night because of fear or because he would have more time with Jesus alone. I believe that he came in fear for this reason: John mentions his coming at night in two of the three texts and John uses the contrast between light and darkness throughout his writings as an analogy of good versus evil so why would John mention the night twice if he wasn’t putting an emphasis on fear. Nicodemus shows respect for Jesus because he calls Jesus Rabbi and teacher.

Notice what has attracted him to Jesus, it wasn’t Jesus preaching and teaching but rather his signs or miracles. One of the first things that we use to teach our children about God and Jesus are stories about the great signs or miracles of God. (Like the children’s message today about Jonah) Children have faith but we nourish that faith with stories that they can somewhat understand, we don’t nourish them with doctrine that is hard to understand. Nicodemus was at this level of faith, he understood that only God could perform the signs that Jesus was performing but didn’t yet understand how this could be. Jesus even chastises Nicodemus for not having understanding. Listen to verse 10 again: ¹⁰Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? Jesus does leave Nicodemus with a statement that should have made him realize who Jesus was. Verses 14 and 15 of our text: “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.” Remember that Nicodemus was a Pharisee who was well versed in the books of Moses, therefore he would understand how the lifting up of the serpent by Moses in the desert saved the people from the deadly serpent bites. I can see how this encounter with Jesus would have made Nicodemus begin to think about who Jesus truly was. This leads us to the next section of text where we hear from Nicodemus again.

John 7:45-52 ⁴⁵The officers then came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, “Why did you not bring him?” ⁴⁶The officers answered, “No one ever spoke like this man!” ⁴⁷The Pharisees answered them, “Have you also been deceived? ⁴⁸Have any of the authorities or the Pharisees believed in him? ⁴⁹ But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed.” ⁵⁰Nicodemus, who had gone to him before, and who was one of them, said to them, ⁵¹“Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does?” ⁵²They replied, “Are you from Galilee too? Search and see that no prophet arises from Galilee.” There are two points that can be made from this section about the faith of Nicodemus. In verse 48 the Pharisees reply with the question, “Have any of the Pharisees believed in Jesus?” I believe that at this point Nicodemus does believe that Jesus is the Christ but this faith is still weak. Nicodemus speaks up for Jesus using the law of the Pharisees and not the fact that he believes that Jesus is the Christ. The Pharisees know that Jesus should be given a hearing but as to avoid this point they question whether any prophet has every arisen from Galilee. Now if you know who the prophet from Galilee is you get a star for the day. I will reveal who this prophet is later in the sermon.

Nicodemus here is not bold enough to proclaim Jesus as the Christ. Aren’t many of us at this stage in our faith life? We have faith in our hearts but yet we are not bold enough to share that faith with family and friends who do not know Jesus as their Lord and Savior. We say we have faith as long as that faith doesn’t cost us in our personal life such as losing the respect of a colleague or family member.Let’s get back to Nicodemus and see how he continues to grow in his faith.

This next point is only speculation on my part and I have no way to prove that these things happened in this way. We left Nicodemus with the Pharisees saying that no prophet ever came from Galilee. I think that it is possible that either Nicodemus knew of the prophet from Galilee or by reading from scripture determined that Jonah indeed was from Galilee. Let’s look at Matthew 12:38-41 “³⁸Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, “Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.” ³⁹But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. ⁴⁰For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. ⁴¹The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.” Remembering that Nicodemus was a Pharisee and that he came to Jesus knowing that Jesus had performed signs that only God could perform, could he have been present during the rebuke of the Pharisees by Jesus that was recorded in Matthew? And if he was there did he put together the two references to Jonah to come up with more evidence that Jesus was the Christ?

Let’s look at the last text that mentions Nicodemus. John 19:38-41
“³⁸After these things Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus, and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took away his body. ³⁹Nicodemus also, who earlier had come to Jesus by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds in weight. ⁴⁰So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews. ⁴¹Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid.”

We know from the other Gospels that this Joseph of Arimathea was a member of the council as was Nicodemus and we also know that both men were rich. In two of the Gospels we are told that Joseph is disciple of Jesus, I also believe that at this time Nicodemus is also a follower of Jesus. Nicodemus helps Joseph prepare the body of Jesus for burial, an act that would make them both physically unclean. Nicodemus also provides a large amount of myrrh and aloes for the preparation of Jesus body for burial. We can assume here that Nicodemus truly understood Jesus to be the Son of God for two reasons. The first is that he denied the ways of the Pharisees because he intentionally became unclean before the Sabbath. The second is that he sacrificially gave a large portion of his earthly wealth in the form of myrrh and aloes for the preparation of Jesus’ body.

So I pose this question to each of you; Do you have faith like Nicodemus? Is your faith at an early stage of understanding? Is it strong in your heart but not in your actions? Is it a faith that is willing to deny the ways of the world and give sacrificially from your earthly wealth? The important lesson that we can learn from Nicodemus is that faith is strengthened through the Word of God. As we look back on the past year, many of us will see missed opportunities for strengthening our faith. But thanks be to God the Father for sending His Son to the earth. His Son took all of our sins with Him to the cross. It is through the life, death, and resurrection of His Son Jesus Christ that we are seen as righteous and holy in the sight of our God. In our response to this great gift we strive to live sanctified and holy lives. May God grant to each one of us lives that are truly devoted to Him and His work. Amen.

Go in peace and serve the Lord. Amen.