Trinity Sunday – John 3 – June 3rd and 4th, 2023
In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit +
Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? Do you hear Jesus' frustration with Nicodemus in our text today? The exasperation – this almost disbelief at Nicodemus' unbelief and lack of understanding? Jesus is a bit frustrated with Nicodemus at this point, and well He should be. Consider how this conversation Jesus had with Nicodemus has gone up to this point.
First, the set up. There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night... Pause there. Do you get the political realities that are going on here? Jesus spends His days preaching and teaching, and doing so openly, publicly, all over the place. If you wanted to ask a question of Jesus, you had plenty of daylight to do it in – especially if you were an important man. The crowds would let you through, the crowds would have quieted down if good old Nicodemus had asked Jesus a question – that's the respect that Nicodemus had as a ruler of the Jews. But no, that would be too public. I can't let people see, what would people think if they found out I was a Jesus freak? Or even thought it? So I'll come to Jesus, off hours. Ah, great. Thanks.
And then Nicodemus decides to talk – 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. Again, understand what this is. It's not a question. It's not a confession of faith. It's political – it's feeling out a potential political ally – or political enemy. If I walk up to someone and say, “So, I heard the town is thinking about doing whatever” - that's an invitation for them to respond and I can judge that response. Nicodemus is sussing this Jesus fellow out – is Jesus going to be a pain in the ying-yang or a useful idiot – those are the two available categories to the savvy politician.
Which is why Jesus just sort of cuts Nicodemus off at the knees – repeatedly. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God. You don't get it, Nicodemus, and you cannot get it. All your political pull and all the earthly respect will garner you nothing here. Unless you are born to new life, unless there is the working of water and the Spirit, you're not going to understand the Kingdom of God, a Kingdom above and beyond all the earthly political games you like to play. We're not talking just earthly stuff here – I'm not here just to make you pick up a few points in popularity or put a few more coins in your pocket. You're thinking too small, Nicodemus – but that's not a surprise. You've not been born again.
And the thing is, dear Nicodemus, there is no angle for you to work here. There is no political play or a way for you to work the system. You're not in control of this, you don't get to run this, no more than you get to control the weather. The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. [Remind you of Pentecost last week? Jesus loves foreshadowing, especially to people who don't expect anything interesting to be coming.] So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit. No, Nicodemus, what Jesus is doing with His preaching and teaching, with His signs as you so correctly called them, has nothing do to with anything that you are thinking about. It has nothing to do with influence in the world or making a bit of scratch. Nope – the Spirit moves in ways that are certainly mysterious to you – you'll see it but if you are thinking fleshly, worldly thoughts – you'll never understand.
And that's when Nicodemus gives his “How can these things be?” response – a response that is utterly dismissive. And now the incredulous frustration from Jesus, the exasperation - Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? Nicodemus, you called Me a rabbi – aren't you one yourself? You're supposed to be a Rabbi, one who deals with the Scriptures, with the things of God – why aren't you dealing with Scripture? Why aren't you dealing with the Word of God? Why are you caught up in the junk of the sinful world instead of focusing upon God and His deliverance? The frustration is palpable. And yet, my friends, my fellow believers who often even do things that would rightly and understandable frustrate God, who with our own sin and stupidity basically make Jesus facepalm – what does Jesus do with Nicodemus? Does Jesus send him away? Does Jesus yell, “Back, back with you, back into the darkness, back into the shadow! I spurn you as I would spurn a rabid dog!” Nope. Jesus gives Nicodemus a bible study.
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him may have eternal life. This was our old Testament lesson three weeks ago – Numbers 21. People in the wilderness, they grumble, we hate this worthless food (talking about the manna) – and fiery serpents come and bite them, and they start dying painfully. And God has Moses put a bronze, fiery serpent on a pole, and anyone who looks at the serpent on the pole lives.
What's going on with that story? Well, you have people who are stuck thinking simply worldly – I'm tired of this stupid journey, I'm tired of this stupid wilderness, I'm tired of this manna – I want this and that and blah blah blah. They are thinking fleshly – simply of the here and now. And yet – where in reality were those people? They were in the midst of the Exodus – the great emblem, the great foreshadowing example of God's salvation – that God moves people from bondage and servitude unto the promised land! They were in the wilderness, yes – but God provided for them, food they didn't work for, clothes that didn't wear out. Behold that God will provide for your needs, even until you reach the promised land, not just the earthly promised land, but eternal life and the resurrection of the dead! There's something bigger that just “Ugh, Manna and quail again” going on here! Something Spiritual, the grand story of the salvation of the world is playing out. And the people don't see it, and they grumble, and complain. Well, let's fix your eyes on the big picture again – let's remind you that things are about God's salvation and deliverance.
Ah, yes, you snakebit sinners, you who are tormented by the powers and attacks of Satan, you need deliverance, don't you? Well, in the wilderness, they saw the serpent on the pole lifted up, and they lived. But you know what, Nicodemus, that's really foreshadowing to the main event. You too, Nicodemus, are snakebit – you've been bedeviled by Satan in to being nothing but flesh, where you only think about worldly power, worldly favor. In fact, you think that the chief sign of God's blessing, God's love for you is how much cash you have, how much fame you have. We today understand completely where Nicodemus is – the world still craves after power, wealth, mammon (if I can use that old word), and we all know that same appeal. And we all know the same temptation to think that our worldly success is the sign of how much God likes us, how much God approves of us. Dare I say we are tempted to think that earthly success and validation is the sign of God's love.
It's not. There's your sign. For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. Understand precisely how God loves the world. Not by giving you more of the world – no, He loves you, He loves everyone by giving His Son, by lifting up Christ Jesus upon the Cross, so that you would be rescued from sin, death, and the Devil. Upon the Cross, Jesus dies – taking up the weight and guilt of your sin, atoning for it, cleansing you from it. And Jesus rises on the third day, paving the way for your resurrection – and seeing Christ Crucified, you have forgiveness, life, and salvation – and it doesn't matter what your earthly station is, rich or poor, male or female, republican or democrat, Cubs or Sox, German or Irish, or whatever other stupid reason we might come up with to denigrate people about. This Cross is how God loves the world, the cosmos. Whoever believes in Him will have eternal life.
And the world doesn't get the Cross. We're remembering this fact, especially as the disdain of Christ and His Cross grows and grows more brazen – but the world and the worldly have always thought the church was for suckers and fools. Duh. That which is born of the flesh is flesh. Worldly folk are going to be worldly. But you – ah, consider what God has done for you. Unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter the kingdom of God. Well, you know what God has done – He has washed you with water and the Spirit right there in Holy Baptism, and He's entered you into the Kingdom of God, not as a peasant under His thumb, but as His child, and an heir to all the wealth and power of His eternal Spiritual kingdom. He's done it, and that's why we tie Baptism to the sign of the Cross – because your Baptism is the proof that this love of God shown upon the Cross – yes, this cross applies to you. You're baptized. God has seen you baptized – let no one ever make you think He doesn't love you. Turn from your sin, turn from the whiles of the world, and look to the Cross and live. See the sign appointed for you. Hold out your hands and receive the Body of Christ the Crucified, take and drink His blood shed for you there upon the Cross, and know that you have life – for you are born of the Spirit and a child of God.
There's a happy little coda to this story of Nicodemus at the end of John's Gospel. Jesus had this conversation with Nicodemus not to lambaste him. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him. Nicodemus comes to faith, and Nicodemus beholds Christ upon the Cross and lives. Nicodemus literally beholds Jesus on the Cross – in fact, it's Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea who take Jesus off of the Cross and bury Him. Jesus, even in exasperation, still loves Nicodemus, still preaches to Nicodemus, still sees that Nicodemus receives forgiveness. Thus your story as well. Jesus has died for you, and you will know Christ's love for you in your Baptism, in the preaching and teaching of Christ, in the Supper – and you will behold Jesus face to face in the life of the world to come. So enjoy the journey of this life, this time in this wilderness of the world, but know that you truly belong to the Kingdom of God, O baptized child of God! In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit +
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