(John 3:9)
�Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?�
We are said to live in a questioning age. Ain�t true! Some questions are not even supposed to be asked.
A �letter to the editor� of a local newspaper contained some questions today. The letter said, �Why is there a �Black Congressional Caucus?� Why is there a �Black Coaches Association?� Why is there a �Black Miss America� pageant?�
Even in asking these questions, actually because of asking these questions, the letter writer will be castigated as a racist. He may be. I don�t know him. But, he is not racist solely because he asked these questions.
In an age where we have supposedly integrated all segments of our public lives, these are legitimate questions, are they not? If racism is a bad thing, why are these organizations which overtly cater to race based considerations, not considered as bad?
Some might answer that these organizations are �culturally based.� Since the old order of �Segregation now; Segregation forever� was based on a �culturally based world view,� that is an answer that ignores history and reason.
Some might answer that organizations such as these are reasonable in light of the fact that people naturally tend to gravitate toward others �like themselves.� Wasn�t this the purpose of the aforementioned segregationist mindset?
The actual answer is that people, all people, are sinners until they meet the Master at the Cross. Some remain bound by old habits even after this conversion experience.
The real message of the Bible is that, even before conversion, all men are biologically brothers. We all spring from the same heritage and lineage of humanity. Racial hate, which stands at the basis of racial bigotry, is a sin. Pure and simple, it is sin! Make no mistake about that which I�ve just said: Racial Bigotry, and Hatred, is Sin.
We are tempted to say that it is a sin against humanity. It is. But, more than this racial bigotry is a sin against God. Such an attitude is an unstated, but deeply felt, attitude that God did not act with propriety when He created all mankind. Racial bigotry is a heart attitude that we would have been more gracious and righteous than God. We, the attitude is, would not have even created this �other� race.
Joe Louis, the great �Brown Bomber� of boxing in the 1930�s and 1940�s was often called �A Credit to his Race.� One man got it right when he said, �That�s true if you mean the human race.�
But, folks, there is a prejudice even greater than race hatred. It is religious intoleration. The difference here is that this is not only tolerated, as long as it is projected against the Biblical Christian, it is cheered and expected.
This was not the situation in our passage. Many today would have asked this question of Nicodemus with a sneer on their lips. Their meaning would be that it is simply stupid to believe such a thing.
The world throws this attitude toward the Christian all the time. In a local weekly paper there is a very fine column written each week. It is a well written article. But, in the name of toleration of all beliefs this article will normally spend half, or more - much more - of the allotted space by making snide and sneering remarks toward Christians and Christianity in general.
We are living in a questioning age, it often seems, only as it relates to the message of Scripture and Biblically based Christianity.
That isn�t true, of course. But, it sure seems so at times!
What is sad about this equation is that we have begun, as Christians, to expect invective and insult. An honest question can often come from a heart that has felt the power of the Spirit. This was the case with Nicodemus. Nicodemus was not asking out of a heart of hate; he was asking because he knew he did not understand, and desperately wanted to understand, the words of Jesus.
Christian, we need to be as unbiased toward the sinner as we would hope he would be toward us. There are too many times we respond with �knee jerk reaction� and drive away those who are honest seekers. Don�t let your own prejudice stand between another human being and God!
The first thing we will consider is the response of Nicodemus. �Nicodemus answered��
Nicodemus came back with a quick answer for the suggestion that he needed to be born again. The answer amounted to, �Huh?� This wasn�t an answer of disdain. This was honestly a question born out of confusion.
The narrative does not say that Nicodemus took time to consider his answer. This is a very important consideration. It gives us an insight into the attitude of the heart of Nicodemus. Nicodemus, unlike so many involved in �religious discussion,� was not trying to score points for his doctrinal stand. He honestly wanted to find Truth.
So few do this. Ever. We had a couple come to our door one time when Linda and I had first moved to this town. I invited them in to discuss their take on religion - that was, after all, the purpose of their visit.
The two read a few verses from their Bible and then began to work on their pre-programmed �analysis� of the passage in question. When I remarked that my Bible didn�t read as did theirs they were prepared.
�You have to understand that the Bible has been corrupted over time. This has led to the church having lost its way. The founder of our church has commissioned another translation as we attempt to return to the true Christianity of the first century.�
I excused myself for a minute and retrieved another Bible. I sat this Bible down on the table and said, �Since you have a problem with the King James Bible, perhaps we could read these passages in this Greek Testament.�
The two looked at each other, retrieved their papers, stood up and walked out the door without a word. I never heard from them again.
The problem, in this instance, was that these people were not interested in the �study� of the Bible. They were only interested in converting others to the teaching of their cult.
Nicodemus had no such agenda when he came to Jesus. Nicodemus simply wanted to learn from the teaching of this remarkable Person. His quick, direct, answer that he didn�t understand was a further attempt to learn.
How like this ought we all to be in the presence of the Master in the pages of His Book!
We must note, also, that this was a quizzical answer which Nicodemus had for Jesus. I think the comment. �How can these things be?,� was one of surprise rather than confrontation.
Jesus had already proved Himself to Nicodemus. Look back at verse two: ��we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.�
Nicodemus was right, of course. But, I don�t think he understood that God was talking with him in the Person of Jesus Christ.
The idea of speaking to someone about Christ is an unnatural act. It is a conversation based on eternal and spiritual realities made with someone who only understand the time centric physicality of this earth. In the coming weeks we will see how Jesus explained just such a truth to Nicodemus.
What I want us to note, for now, is that we are not capable of this task on our own. We must always, every single time, approach people in the spirit of God.
My wife was from a Holiness Church. They had a saying that one always needed to be �prayed up.� That is so right! My car won�t run until I fill it with gas. Neither can we move forward for God until we have entered into conversation with Him. We need to be �prayed up� at all times because we never know when the Spirit will lead us to a soul that needs to hear the message that Jesus died in time so that others could live in eternity!
With this prayer we also need to be in the Scritpures.
One day Linda came to me with a proposal that the church where we were pastoring should prepare a church cookbook. I was given the task of typing up the hand written recipes. I had to be careful to make no mistakes because these written instructions would be closely followed. One error on my part would ruin another�s meal - possibly make them ill, even.
We are not considering a meal when we speak to someone about the things of God. We are considering the eternal abode of an eternal soul. We need to study the Scripture so that we can give correct counsel about Spiritual matters.
Nicodemus also gave a quiet answer. He didn�t argue with Jesus. He simply asked for clarification.
When we are dealing with someone about salvation we must be careful not to get sidetracked into theological discussion. �How many angels can dance on the head of a pin?� �I don�t know. I�m Baptist and we don�t dance. I do know that you need to accept Jesus as your Savior.�
Theological discussions invite a back and forth flow of information. Nicodemus was a true seeker; he was seeking that information which would lead him to a home in the eternal Heaven.
Let the Spirit lead the conversation. The Spirit will always lead to Jesus.
Also, let us consider the response of Nicodemus. ��and said unto him��
The response of Nicodemus was a vocal response. I remember my old teachers often telling me that the only stupid question was the unasked question. Nicodemus was not stupid. He asked the question.
Sometimes a person�s intelligence can get in the way of his learning. It is easy for a person to believe that which he has learned is the only correct answer. This is especially so when the subject is religion.
Nicodemus was an educated man. He was extremely educated considering the age in which he lived. He was a Pharisee. He had learned, read, memorized, and considered all manner of religious question and dogma. There were few people in the population who could have stood against Nicodemus in a scholarly debate.
This makes it all the more amazing that Nicodemus went to Jesus in an effort to learn more about God. It was not unusual for the Pharisee to �pick the brain� of another in order to sharpen his own skills. It was tremendously unusual for any Pharisee to even consider the argument of one who was not of the Jerusalem order.
To seek out counsel from such a one would have been would have been nearly unthinkable by the Pharisee. He considered himself a member of the elite of the Jewish people. It was for good reason that he thought this; he was the elite of the religious thinkers and practitioners of the Jewish people.
But, such a one as this did go to Jesus and solicit teaching.
This says something quite remarkable about the Person of Jesus. Jesus conducted Himself with an air of absolute authority. He did not do this in an overbearing manner; such a manner would have been considered haughty. This would have driven others away. Instead Jesus just spoke the truth and the power of His Own personality as His divinity energized that message.
The fact that Nicodemus, a Pharisee, would approach Jesus also says something important about the person of Nicodemus. He had such a confidence in his own person that he was unafraid to seek the counsel and teaching of others. He didn�t consider such to be a threat to his position; he saw such as opportunity to expand his understanding and ability.
Neither was Nicodemus afraid of the attitude of others. He was not so petty as to allow the narrowness of others, who might assail him for speaking with Jesus, to sway him from actual inquiry.
Most importantly, Nicodemus was so devout that he was willing to set aside his own religious prejudice if this meant growing closer to God. This isn�t to say that Nicodemus would have followed any strange doctrine that was floating on the air of society�s regard of the moment. Nicodemus sought out Jesus because it was obvious that Jesus was ��a teacher come from God�� (John 3:2)
So, Nicodemus voiced his question because he was an honest seeker.
Still, we could note that the response of Nicodemus was a vacillating response. His response was not one of a power of conviction; his response was one of a problem of confusion.
Nicodemus was not afraid of appearing unknowing if it meant that he could be taught to know. Nicodemus didn�t just blather forth his own idea of what was probably meant. Nicodemus asked what was meant.
He was not too proud to say, �How.�
Too many of us want to be considered �Knowledgeable.� We want to appear in command of the facts. We�ve even been known to �manufacture� our �spin� so that we would appear to know.
A certain father approached Jesus. This father�s son was possessed of a demon. �Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.� (Mark 9:23)
The father had asked that Jesus heal his son. Upon hearing Jesus� words about belief this father said, ��with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.� (Mark 9:24b)
This father wasn�t worried about trying to appear to be the �best Christian in the church.� The desire of this father is that Jesus would speak the Word of Healing.
Even as this father was willing to abase himself in the eyes of his friends so that Jesus would touch his family, Nicodemus was not in the least worried about his office, or his prestige, or his standing in the community. Nicodemus was desirous of the healing touch of the Masters words of teaching.
This is why this was a victorious response by Nicodemus. He gained the victory by accepting his own situation as subservient to Christ.
Jesus explained the facts to Nicodemus, the foreign to the ears of Nicodemus facts of eternity and spirit. Jesus saw a man pliable and ready to accept. Jesus reached out in tenderness and patience and gave to Nicodemus the desire of his soul.
Lastly, we will consider Nicodemus� rejection. ��How can these things be?�
Essentially, the thing most rejected by Nicodemus was his own lack of understanding. Put another way, Nicodemus was teachable.
Shortly after Linda and I had moved back to our home town I began to take classes out at the local Junior College. At this time I had been in the ministry for several years, speaking regularly before the congregation three times each week. While back in the first college I attended I had taken a course in public speaking. Since this first college was a �Bible College,� and not an accredited college, my courses would not transfer.
I thought it might be fun to �retake� a course for which I�d already gotten a �B� at a four year professional school. I enrolled for a course in public speaking at the local Junior College.
Actually, I got the idea of taking a course I�d already passed from a friend. This man was an excellent typist. He was typing at a rate of over seventy words a minute. He took Beginning Typing for college credit.
All the way through the course this man would �hunt and peck� at about 20 words a minute. When the finals were announced he came into the class and told the teacher that he had been up all night. He said, �I didn�t even go to bed. I studied all night for this text.�
She told him that this wasn�t a test in knowledge. This was a test in dexterity. He was to find out how many words per minute he could get on this test. His 82 words per minute on the test probably alerted the teacher to the fact that he was a �ringer!�
Anyway, I stood up to give my first speech in this class. At the end of the speech I was informed that my grade was �F.� The teacher said that she didn�t like my organization. She didn�t like my delivery. She could find nothing in my subject matter or speech which could be worthy of a Junior College student.
I walked out of the room, down to the office, and immediately dropped this course.
The problem? I�d like to say the problem was a teacher who just didn�t like my subject matter - basketball. The truth? I was unteachable because I had a bad attitude.
A lot of us have this problem. This is especially so when it comes to religion. We seem to think that religion is simply a personal matter. Whatever, we reason, we believe to be Truth is Truth because we believe it to be so.
Funny attitude. We can�t decide that we don�t believe we should pay taxes, so we won�t. We can�t decide that we don�t like the speed limit, so we go faster. We can�t decide that paying for food is wrong, so we just take it.
Well, that�s not entirely accurate. We can decide, and do, these things. But, we are going to have problems with people who disagree with us!
So, why do we take this attitude toward religion? Is it because there are so many denominations and groups which all claim to be the true way? Possibly. But in claiming to be the true way all of these groups have proved that they are false ways. Jesus said, ��I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.� (John 14:6)
Nicodemus knew that He needed to learn from Christ. It would seem that this was his intention in coming to Jesus to ask of Him. It was; but for many who have seemed to do the same, this is not their real intention.
Even other groups of Pharisee�s had come to question Jesus in attempts to �show Him up� rather than to learn from Him. They had all failed. Nicodemus was to succeed in his quest because he understood the wonder of the majesty of Christ.
Even in coming to Jesus Nicodemus had respectfully approached. I went to a minister yesterday. I had questions about some doctrinal policies of his church. When we met I said, �I have a question for you.�
Nicodemus did not put himself first like this. Nicodemus came to Jesus and began by giving Him due respect.
The eleventh chapter of Hebrews is often called �The Hall of Fame of Biblical Persons.� Near the beginning of this list of past saints the human penman of Hebrews says, �But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.� (Hebrews 11:6)
Note that we ��must believe that he is�� The fact of the existence of God is not a questioned fact by an unbiased observer. Even the agnostic, who isn�t sure, says that he is open to being convinced. The atheist simply dismisses the possibility of God. This is not an unbiased observer.
But, I think that the meaning of the verse is deeper. �Believing that He is� suggests to me that the idea conveyed is believing Who and What He is. One of those �Who and What� is that God is the Miraculous God of Creation.
I don�t believe that Nicodemus understood that this was to Whom he was speaking. But, I do believe that Nicodemus understood that Jesus was not simply another man. He was special.
Jesus is the Only Savior of mankind. We may know this; but we need to understand this. My son has a bulldog that he has trained to be very obedient. Too many Christians, and some preachers preach them into this attitude, treat God like that bulldog. We want, we demand as is our right, we expect� Folks, God does not go against His Own principles. He will bless as this verse above says. But, we really need to treat Him with a little more respect.
Nicodemus began by praising Jesus. That is a good policy for us as well!
If you never tell your wife that you love her there is something wrong. Either you don�t really appreciate her, or you don�t really love her. Don�t tell me that you are too shy. You weren�t too shy when it came to proposing! You wanted her to be your wife. Now that she is your companion you ought to be desirous of making her feel welcome in your life!
We could also consider that Nicodemus understood, but didn�t fully comprehend, the wonder of the magnanimous Christ.
Jesus wants to save your soul. That is why He went to the cross. But, He also wants you to have all the blessing that your heart can hold. Jesus wants to give you so much blessing that your heart will be overflowed and you�ll have to carry some of the blessing in a shopping bag strapped to your back!
Oh, the glory, the wonder, the good things that God has for those who love Him and are willing to live for Him.
Don�t misunderstand. Jesus said that He would be your Savior. When you accepted Him that was decided. You are saved from your sins and on the way to Heaven if you have accepted Him.
Every time I take my grandchildren to the store with me I try to buy them something. They�ve begun to expect it, of course. I�ve trained them to be spoiled around the old and fat guy who is their Grandpa. But, the point is that I want to get things for them. It gives me great joy to put some trinket, or candy, in their eager little hands.
When I can�t, sometimes I am �short� on money; it doesn�t mean that I have stopped loving them. It just means that I can�t do it at this time.
God wants to give us blessing upon blessing. But, God is a Considerate Parent. He doesn�t want to �spoil� us. He is interested in our character growth as Christians. Sometimes our own lack of obedience, more likely abundance of rebellion, keeps Him from giving us all the blessing we could have.
This isn�t because He has stopped loving us. It just means that we have closed our hearts to all that He wants to give to us.
God understands, He is after all the Creator and understands our needs even more than do we, what will make us able to live even our human lives to full potential and joy. God loves us so much that He will discipline us so that we will do that which is best for ourselves!
The wonder, glory and magnanimousness of Christ in that He loves us enough to teach us, even though it be sometimes through discipline, how to be happy and fulfilled.
Nicodemus also was beginning to understand the matriculating Christ.
To matriculate is to be enrolled as a student in a course of study. Jesus wants to be our Savior. He also wants to be our teacher.
Did you know that you are called to be a Disciple of Jesus? Think of this! Peter, James, John, Nathanael, Ed� Wait! That last one! I�ve never seen that name mentioned in the Bible. Try Joshua 22:34 in your King James Bible.
My name is in there.
Now, you might not find Harold, or Henry, or Jane, or Hildegard, in the Scripture. But, you are still called to be a Disciple of Jesus. A disciple is one who studies a discipline. That�s the meaning of the word.
A discipline is a course of study. Math is a discipline. History is a discipline. Even English is a discipline.
To follow Christ, to learn of Him daily, is to be a Disciple. We are told to �Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.� (II Timothy 2:15)
To be a disciple you have to be paying attention. Nicodemus paid attention to the words of Jesus. This trait, listening rather than arguing, would eventually lead to the salvation of Nicodemus.
Have you ever paid attention to the call of Christ? Have you ever been born again? Why not trust Jesus right now and accept Him as your Savior. This is a good thing to do. This is the right thing to do. This is a necessary thing to do.
Jesus is the Savior of the World; but, is He your Savior?