Sidney UMC - Second Sunday In Lent - 03/05/23 - Sermon - “Even The Most Sucessful Seek Him!” (“The Journey to the Empty Tomb” Series: Part 2 of 7)

                                    Sunday 03/05/23 - Sidney UMC

Sermon Title:      “Even The Most Successful Seek Him!”                       (“The Journey to the Empty Tomb” Series: Part 2 of 7)    

Old Testament Scripture: Psalm 121                                      

New Testament Scripture: Romans 4:1-15, 13-17   

Gospel Lesson: John 3:1-17     

          This morning, I am continuing my Lenten Sermon series called “The Journey to the Empty Tomb,” as Lent will end, and Easter will begin with the empty tomb of Jesus Christ. Last Sunday, we talked about Jesus’ time in the wilderness for 40-days and 40-nights, as well as his temptation from Satan. Where we pick up in our gospel of John reading for this morning however, is Jesus is fully emersed in his three-year earthly ministry. Jesus passed the test in the wilderness last week, and went through what I called his “basic training.” After resisting the devil, where Adam and Eve had failed in the Garden of Eden, Jesus succeeded.

          Jesus has now gone forth as Lord and Savior, loving, healing, and forgiving. So far in the gospel of John, Jesus has been baptized, called his disciples, turned water into wine, and cleansed the temple, which includes turning over the tables of the money changers. This young 30-year-old Jewish Rabbi was creating quite a stir in Judea and beyond. For he was performing miracles, teaching in ways that baffled even the most educated and smart scholars. Jesus spoke with authority, never sinned or caved, and needless to say, in addition to his twelve disciples, Jesus was drawing crowds.

          No doubt the religious and the Roman ruling establishment had gotten wind of this young Jewish Rabbi named Jesus of Nazareth. There were probably already discussions of what to do with this man. I mean was Jesus hurting anybody? Well probably not, but he was challenging the religious leaders, the Pharisees and the Sadducees. Further, the Roman Governor of Judea Pontius Pilate did want a rebellion against Roman rule due to Jesus, and certainly King Herod did not want his power tested.

          Jesus then, quickly becomes a threat to established religious leaders, political leaders, and maybe even military leaders. Jesus was, as the term goes, “rocking the boat,” and often people in top leadership positions don’t like it when people “rock the boat”. Yet, what Jesus was teaching, the miracles he was performing, and the love he was sharing was undeniable. What to do then with this young Jewish Rabbi named Jesus of Nazareth? Well, we know he gets tortured, condemned and crucified on Good Friday. But why? Well, the Roman Governor of Judea Pontius Pilate was certainly worried that Jesus’ ministry could cause a rebellion against Roman rule, once again, but what reason would religious leaders have to condemn Jesus to death?

          Among saying that Jesus broke Old Testament or Torah Laws, the big concern with Jesus, was that Jesus claimed to be God in the flesh. I have heard some people say where did Jesus ever claim to be God in the gospels. The answer to this? Not only did Jesus make this claim, but it is reinforced all throughout the scriptures. In fact, in Matthew 26:64-66 Jesus is before the high priest, guards, and other religious leaders on Good Friday. In response to his interrogation Matthew 26:64-66 says:

⁶⁴ Jesus said to him, “You have said so. But I tell you, From now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.” ⁶⁵ Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “He has blasphemed! Why do we still need witnesses? You have now heard his blasphemy. ⁶⁶ What do you think?” They answered, “He deserves death”     (Mt. 26-64-66, NRSV).

          Why did the high priest Caiaphas tear his robe? Because Jesus was claiming to be divine. Jesus said he will sit next to God the father in heaven and return on the clouds of heaven. This was the ultimate blasphemy and this led to Jesus’ crucifixion.

          Many of us know in the Torah or the Old Testament that when Moses demanded to the know the name of God when he stood before the “Burning Bush”, that God said to Moses in Exodus 3:4:

⁴ God said to Moses, “I am who I am.” (Ex. 3:4, NRSV).

          Why is this important, because in John 8:58 Jesus says:

⁵⁸ Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, before Abraham was, I am”              (Jn. 8:58, NRSV).

          Was Jesus claiming to be God in the flesh on earth? The answer is yes, and Jesus was doing this inn the clearest of terms. Jesus was and is worshipped and as others in the New Testament made similar claims about him.

          Now why do I make the case that Jesus was God in the flesh on earth? Well because a Pharisee named Nicodemus comes to see Jesus one night in secret, in this morning’s gospel of John reading. Nicodemus is man of great worldly achievement, and probably of great wealth and possession. Nicodemus is coming to Jesus, and his friends want to condemn Jesus to death. Yet, why would Nicodemus do this? Is Nicodemus coming to try to trick or trip up Jesus, as many of the other religious leaders and scribes did? No Nicodemus needs to chat with this Jesus of Nazareth. It would seem that Nicodemus believes in him, but is afraid to meet with him during the day. After all, this would put Nicodemus in a bad place with the other religious leaders.

          I got an e-mail earlier this week asking me if Nicodemus was involved in Jesus’ burial after Jesus’ crucifixion. The answer is yes. In John’s gospel, Nicodemus bring 100-pounds of aloes and oils to anoint and wrap Jesus’ body. Jesus was then placed for three days in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea, until his resurrection on Easter morning.

          Nicodemus, the Pharisee, the high up religious leader, who had a lot of education, likely wealth, possession, and respect, becomes a secret follower of Jesus Christ. This is why my sermon for this morning is called “Even The Most Successful Seek Him!”

          Real quick, whenever I preach on Nicodemus the Pharisee I always have to tell the Jeff Foxworthy joke about Nicodemus. Some of might know that there is a gum on the market called “NicoDerm” to help people quite smoking. Jeff Foxworthy said, “If you think Nicodemus is a gum you chew to quite smoking than you might not know your bible”. To me that joke never gets old!

          So often we think and read of Jesus in the gospels going to the least, the lost, and the lesser-thans. Jesus does this, but people of great prominence also converted to his gospel, to Christianity. In fact, President Jimmy Carter, a committed Christian, who is presently in Hospice Care at his home in Georgia, is someone of immense power and stature.

          The gospel of Jesus Christ, his life, teaching, and everything he did draws all manner of people to him, including the most earthly successful people. The Apostle Paul this morning, which is what Jesus in part conveys to Nicodemus the Pharisee, talks about faith being our salvation. In fact, the Apostle says for this morning starting in Romans 4:2, once again:

4 What then are we to say was gained by Abraham, our ancestor according to the flesh? ² For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. ³ For what does the scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.” ⁴ Now to one who works, wages are not reckoned as a gift but as something due. ⁵ But to one who does not work but trusts him who justifies the ungodly, such faith is reckoned as righteousness (Rom. 4:1-5, NRSV).

The Apostle Paul speaks of Abraham and says what saved Abraham was not his works, but his faith. Our faith in God through Jesus Christ is our salvation. The Apostle Paul continues on in this reading from Romans 4 not denouncing the law or the religious rules and rituals of the Torah and the Old Testament, but reinforces it was Abraham and his decedents faith that saved them.

          This scripture for this morning Romans 4 is very connected to our gospel of John lesson on Nicodemus, as Nicodemus was having a spiritual struggle like Paul laid out in our Romans 4 for this morning. I mean after all, Nicodemus followed all the religious laws, and isn’t this enough for salvation, for eternity in heaven?

          Let’s look at our gospel less from John 3:1-17 again for this morning. Starting in John 3:1 it says once again:

3 Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. ² 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 unless God is with that person” (Jn. 3:1-2, NRSV).

          So Nicodemus, who goes to Jesus secretly at night, as most of the religious leaders are against Jesus, wants to understand Jesus more. It is almost as if Nicodemus is secretly speaking for all the pharisees and religious leaders, as he says, “we know that you are a teacher who has come from God”. There is basic acknowledgment from Nicodemus that the other religious leaders believe Jesus is from God. In fact, Nicodemus, not the gum you chew to quite smoking, says that the signs and miracles that Jesus performed cannot be done unless “God is with that person”. We therefore, have an admission that Nicodemus and the other Pharisees have a strong interest in Jesus, that they notice what he is doing, and they believe he is of God.

          I think the confusion for Nicodemus for this morning then, is not that Jesus is clearly from God, but more what is Jesus’ mission or goal. Nicodemus acknowledges all the signs and miracles that Jesus performed, but why and for what reason is Jesus doing all this? Nicodemus goes to Jesus secretly at night and risks his livelihood and reputation to learn this.

          After Nicodemus acknowledges that Jesus is from God, and that he has performed signs and miracles, Jesus picks up in John 3:3 saying:

³ Jesus answered him, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.” ⁴ Nicodemus said to him, “How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womb and be born?” ⁵ Jesus answered, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. ⁶ What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit (Jn. 3:3-6, NRSV).

          Jesus is saying, which is similar to what the Apostle Paul said in our reading from Romans 4 for this morning, that faith is what saves us. Jesus tell Nicodemus that we need to be “born from above” or as many people refer to this as “being a born again Christian”. This scripture and others are where we get the idea of being a “born again Christian”. We are not literally and physically to be born again, but being reborn spiritually, and hopefully then getting baptized.

          Nicodemus of course takes the idea of being “born again” literally though, thinking he has to re-enter his mother’s womb and be re-born physically. Good news for Nicodemus’ mother that this is not what Jesus was saying!

          Jesus continues on saying, picking up on John 3:7, once again:

⁷ Do not be astonished that I said to you, ‘You must be born from above.’ ⁸ The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit” (Jn. 3:7-8, NRSV).

          Jesus is saying to trust him, to trust God. Repent and turn to him, and trust that the Holy Spirit will fill you. Or to put it another way, to “Let Go and Let God”. This is clearly a new teaching for Nicodemus, as the gospel of John says picking up in John 3:9:

⁹ Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” ¹⁰ Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things? ¹¹ “Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen, yet you do not receive our testimony. ¹² If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things?                       (Jn. 3:9-12, NRSV).

          Jesus is telling Nicodemus to have faith, to have faith in him, and to believe in who he says he is. Jesus tells Nicodemus to open his heart to him, and follow him.

          Jesus then tells Nicodemus, picking up starting in John 3:13 once again:

¹³ No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. ¹⁴ And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, ¹⁵ that whoever believes in him may have eternal life (Jn. 13-15, NRSV). 

          Jesus is saying he came from above, and that he will be lifted up. Jesus tells Nicodemus that all who believe in him will have eternal life.

          Jesus then ends our reading for this morning with one of the best known two scriptures in the Bible John 3:16-17. Once again, our gospel of John reading ends saying:

¹⁶ “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. ¹⁷ “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).

          This morning, Jesus tells the Pharisee Nicodemus that life is more than just the rules and the rituals that we follow. Jesus tell Nicodemus exactly who he is, to have faith in him, to be born again, and to receive the salvation he offers.

          This morning, Nicodemus, a man of great earthly success seeks Jesus and believes. This shows us that “Even The Most Successful Seek Him!” Amen.