Sunday
03/08/20 - Sidney UMC
Sermon Title:
“NicoDerm vs. Nicodemus”
Old Testament
Scripture: Psalm 121
New Testament
Scripture: Romans 4:1-5, 13-17
Gospel Lesson:
John 3:1-17
Friends, welcome
once again on this our Second Sunday in this the Season of Holy Lent. This
40-day season of giving up, of giving away, of fasting, of praying, and of growing
closer to Christ and each other. In observing the season of Lent, we model
Jesus’ 40-days in the wilderness of fasting and being tempted by the devil. May
this season of Lent bring us closer to Christ, closer to each other, and may we
become more like Christ.
For this season of Lent, for example, I have been
continually gathering unneeded things, old clothes, etc., to give away. This
means that we will have some more things at the Church Rummage Sale this year April!
I am observing the season of Lent in this way to be more like Christ and to draw
closer to Christ. When we realize what we don’t need, and when we focus more on
Christ and on more each other, our faith grows stronger.
Now you might have noticed that I have a little bit of an
odd sermon title for this morning. If you haven’t seen it in the bulletin yet,
my sermon title for this morning is called “NicoDerm vs. Nicodemus.”
For those of us that might not know, NicoDerm is a gum on
the market used to help people quit smoking. Nicodemus was a Jewish Pharisee
from our gospel of John reading for this morning. Nicodemus came to Jesus this
morning wanting to know about Jesus and to draw closer to God. So, NicoDerm, once
again, is a gum that you chew to quite smoking, and Nicodemus was a Jewish
Pharisee.
So, why would Pastor Paul compare a gum that you chew to
quit smoking with a Jewish Pharisee that came to Jesus trying to understand faith
and salvation more? Well, I have the answer for you!
Comedian Jeff Foxworthy, speaking of Nicodemus had this
joke, and I can’t remember where he said it exactly. He said this though:
“If you think that
Nicodemus is a gum that chew to quit smoking, then you might not know your
Bible” (Jeff
Foxworthy).
So once again, the great Rev. Foxworthy said:
“If you think that
Nicodemus is a gum that chew to quit smoking, then you might not know your
Bible” (Jeff
Foxworthy).
I decided to make this my sermon title for this morning for
two reasons. Number one, because it’s funny. Number two, hopefully like me, after
hearing this joke, you will never forget the Bible character Nicodemus ever
again in your life!
In our gospel lesson for this morning, Nicodemus, not
NicoDerm, comes to Jesus at night (Jn. 3:1-2, NRSV). Nicodemus, once again, a
Jewish Pharisee and leader, tells Jesus that many know that he is clearly from
God. They know this because of the many signs and wonders that Jesus has done. Jesus
responds to Nicodemus saying these things to Jesus, by telling him in John 3:3:
“Very truly, I tell you, no one can
see the kingdom of God without being born from above” (Jn. 3:3, NRSV).
Nicodemus
takes Jesus so literally here, that Nicodemus thinks that Jesus is saying that
he must literally and physically be reborn, like a newborn baby is. Jesus says
not being reborn like that, but instead you must be:
“be born of water and Spirit” (Jn. 3:5b, NRSV).
Or
to put it another way, you need to be baptized, accept Jesus as Lord, and be
filled with God’s Spirit. So emphatic about this, Jesus says that without this,
no one can enter the kingdom of God.
Jesus
tells us the flesh is the flesh and Spirt is the Spirit. Our flesh will die,
but not our spirit. At this, Nicodemus is confused, and Jesus challenges us to
really consider and to understand what he is saying to Nicodemus. Jesus tells
Nicodemus to believe, as he and many others have seen and have heard him, and
now believe.
Jesus
tells Nicodemus that he descended from heaven, and he will be ascended back
into heaven. Jesus further says that anyone who believes in him will have eternal
life (Jn. 3:1-15, NRSV)
From
here we have the famed two versus of scripture that end our gospel of John
reading for this morning. These versus are John 3:16-17, that says once again:
“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. “Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the
world, but in order that the world might be saved through him” (Jn. 3:16-17, NRSV).
What Jesus was telling Nicodemus, not
NicoDerm, is that he, Jesus, is the key to salvation. He is the sacrifice for
sin, and the hope of the world. We can’t earn it, we can’t buy it, because it’s
free from Jesus. Jesus is saying that when you encounter him spiritually, and are
filled with the Holy Spirit, you are changed forever.
Some Christians identify as “Born
Again Christians.” The reason they do, is that like in this story for this morning
about Jesus and Nicodemus, these Christians would say that they have been
spiritually reborn. They have encountered Christ, they have repented of their
sins, they have put their trust in Jesus, and they have felt God’s love and
grace. This experience has changed them, and they believe in and follow Jesus.
They want others to know Christ, so that those people can know the love that
they have found. Spiritual rebirth, and for free. As John says in John 3:16:
“everyone who believes in him”
(Jn. 3:16b, NRSV).
Not some, all people, are offered this
free gift of God’s love, hope, peace, mercy, and salvation, through Jesus
Christ. Grace and love that we don’t deserve, that we can’t earn, but is offered
to us freely. Jesus is telling Nicodemus to open his heart to God, to him, and
to new life.
When our scripture readings for Sunday
mornings are assembled months in advance, you have probably heard me say that the
church assembles them thematically. This means that all our scripture readings
for church on any given Sunday, can be connected in one or more ways.
This morning, Jesus tells Nicodemus that
he needs to be born again, to believe in him, to be filled with the Holy
Spirit, and that this glory comes from heaven.
It is very interesting to me therefore,
that our reading from Psalm 121 for this morning begins by saying:
“I lift up my eyes to
the hills—from where will my help come? My
help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth” (Ps. 121:1-2, NRSV).
We look up to God, hope in God, and draw strength from God.
God is with us, for us, and knows us inside and out. This Psalm tells us to
open our hearts to God, Jesus is telling Nicodemus to be reborn in God’s
Spirit, and to open his heart to God’s grace.
The Apostle Paul reaffirms what Jesus is telling Nicodemus
in our gospel of John reading for this morning. Jesus is telling Nicodemus to
not stay in the flesh, but to be born again. The Apostle Paul once again this
morning says in Romans 4:1-5 regarding Abraham:
“What then are we to say was gained by Abraham, our ancestor according to the
flesh? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about,
but not before God. For what does the scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and
it was reckoned to him as righteousness.” Now to one who works, wages are not
reckoned as a gift but as something due. But to one who without works trusts
him who justifies the ungodly, such faith is reckoned as righteousness” (Rom. 4:1-5, NRSV).
So, it’s about faith, rebirth, coming
to Christ, and newness of life. The Apostle Paul concludes for this morning once
again in Romans 4:13-17, saying”
“For the promise that he would inherit the
world did not come to Abraham or to his descendants through the law but through
the righteousness of faith. If it is the adherents of the law who are to be the
heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. For the law brings wrath; but
where there is no law, neither is there violation. For this reason it depends on
faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his
descendants, not only to the adherents of the law but also to those who share
the faith of Abraham (for he is the father of all of us, as it is written, “I have made you the father of many
nations”)—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the
dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist” (Rom. 4:13-17, NRSV).
This morning, Jesus was telling
Nicodemus, not NicoDerm, that he needed to have faith, to be born anew, to trust
in Jesus, and to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Nicodemus did seem to really
understand this.
Do we get it? Do we understanding needing
to be born of water and spirit? Do we understand needing to be reborn? Do we understand
needing to be filled with the Holy Spirit? Do we realize how much God loves us?
Do we know that He is always here for us, and that he will never abandon us?
Friends, its about faith and trust in
God, and this is what Jesus was telling Nicodemus, not NicoDerm this morning.
Amen.
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