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Sunday Sermons
Sermon: 2-17-08, Lent 2
Pastor Phil Lee
Title: "Coming Into the Light"
Text: John 3:1-21
Theme: coming to faith in Jesus
Introduction
Are there any Mariners fans here today? Spring training has begun, and the pre-season Cactus League will begin soon. And of course, today is the NBA All Star game in New Orleans. We watch sports events (Mariners, Sonics, Seahawks, etc.) for entertainment, of course. But, we also go to sports events and the arts like musical concerts and plays to imagine possibilities, as athletes, musicians, and actors entertain and inspire us. We remember when we were able to do some of those things, or we become motivated by the performances. We’re inspired by the athleticism, by the music, and by the stories.
Today’s Gospel – Jn.3 – is a noteworthy story. It’s about a man named Nicodemus, who had heard that Jesus had done some amazing things like turning water into wine. In his Gospel account, John says that “…many believed in [Jesus] because they saw the signs that he was doing,” (2:23), and maybe Nicodemus was one of them. Maybe Nicodemus was inspired by what he had heard about Jesus, and maybe he came to Jesus to find out about some possibilities for his own life.
Point
In his Gospel, John begins the story this way: “Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. He came to Jesus by night and said to him, ‘Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God.’”
Nicodemus was seeking, trying to find out about possibilities, trying to understand what Jesus could do and who Jesus was.
Kenyan theologian, Samuel Ngewa, says this about Nicodemus: “He was someone who would have understood the [Swahili] saying ‘Muulinza si mjinga’ – ‘one who asks is not stupid.’”
We should take note that Nicodemus came to Jesus at night, because in John’s Gospel, darkness is symbolic for unbelief. And, as the conversation unfolded, and Jesus spoke to him of being “born from above,” it’s clear that Nicodemus could not understand what Jesus was saying to him. Nicodemus was not stupid, but he was spiritually blind. Finally, Nicodemus faded into the night with a question: “How can these things be?”
And so, we are left with Jesus’ words directed to us. Do we understand Jesus any better than this well-educated and religious Pharisee? Do we have more theological insight? Do we have more faith?
Problem
There are many seekers out there who are very much like Nicodemus. They are not just people living in some distant corner of the world. They are walking the streets of Seattle and Burien. They live down the street from you. Perhaps they are your relatives, friends, or family members. Maybe there is a seeker like Nicodemus here this morning. If so, great! There is much for all of us to learn from Nicodemus’ story.
Nicodemus came out of the darkness into the light of Jesus’ presence. He inquired of Jesus and Jesus engaged Nicodemus’ questions. Yet, for reasons unknown to us, Nicodemus didn’t get it, and we are left with his last question: “How can these things be?”
When Jesus said to Nicodemus, “This is the judgment, that the light has come into world and people loved darkness more than the light,” these words remind us of the beginning of the story when Nicodemus came to Jesus by night.
And so, as we are now left with Jesus, hearing his promising words of salvation, and the question remains for us: Will we fade into the darkness as Nicodemus did, or will we come into the light?
The moment of judgment, the moment of crisis, and in fact, the moment of decision for Nicodemus, and for each one of us, is in our encounter with Jesus.
Power
This story of Nicodemus is for us to wrestle with because there is no “happily ever after.” Nicodemus shows up only two other times, and only in the Gospel of John – in chapter 7 and 19. In chapter 7, Nicodemus appears to come to Jesus’ defense when a group of Pharisees want to illegally arrest Jesus. And then in chapter 19, Nicodemus lovingly helps Joseph of Arimathea, a secret disciple of Jesus, with the burial of Jesus’ body.
But, Nicodemus brings a huge amount of burial spices (75+ pounds!) for the preparation of Jesus’ body. So, we are left to wonder, does Nicodemus finally come into the light, or is he still in the dark? Does he bury Jesus’ body with so many spices out of love, or so that there will be no doubt that Jesus will remain in the tomb?
Tomorrow is the date of the death, way back in 1546, of Martin Luther, the famous 16th century Reformer of the Church. Luther’s story is similar to Nicodemus coming to Jesus by night.
Martin Luther was known to be a smart student, a dedicated church leader, and he became an ordained priest. But, Luther was angry at God and miserable in his vocation as a priest because he understood God to be an avenging judge who was all too willing to condemn sinners. This was an emotionally and spiritually dark period for Luther. But, even in his anger he pursued his study of God’s Word, and in his own darkness Luther came to Jesus, just as Nicodemus had come to Jesus at night. Luther came to Jesus as he discovered a wonderful truth embedded in St. Paul’s letter to the Romans (1:16-17), where Paul wrote: “I am not ashamed of the gospel; it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith…For in [the gospel] the righteousness of God is revealed through faith for faith; as it is written, ‘The one who is righteous will live by faith.’”
In this discovery, Luther came into the light. He came to understand and believe that salvation is by God’s grace alone, received only through faith in the crucified and risen Lord, Jesus Christ.
You and I are invited to come into to light, too.
Conclusion
Jesus said to Nicodemus, and he says to each one of us: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.”
Come into the light.
We simply don’t know if Nicodemus ever understood Jesus or finally came into the light. The question remains for each one of us: Will we fade into the darkness, or will we come into the light?
Jesus said to Nicodemus, and he says to each one of us: “God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”
Come into the light. Amen.
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