“Marvelous Mystery, Peaceful Paradox”
Original sermon given May 26, 2024, written and delivered by Pastor Jeffrey Leininger at First Saint Paul’s Lutheran Church.
Watch the sermon live.
“Marvelous Master, Peaceful Paradox”
John 3.1-17
John 3.1-17
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
He had everything his world could offer: deeply respected by his community; risen to the heights of political power; wealthy, but also generous; religious and deeply pious; knowledgeable about the things of God and also wise in the ways of the world. He was one of those people who, at their memorial service, you could easily say: “He lived a good life, did well for himself, and gave to others.” What else can you ask for?
But all this changed one evening for Nicodemus when he encountered Jesus of Nazareth. The Lord’s light shines through that dark night exposing Nicodemus but also calling him to a completely new life and new way of seeing the world. He must be “born from above,” or “born again” (John 3.3) as many translations have it. In either phrase, the point is the same: in Jesus, everything starts all over. Everything. Your past. Your future. Your values. Your identity. Your eternal destiny. Nothing can be the same anymore when you encounter this Eternal Light, Eternal Truth, Eternal Love.
Nicodemus’ hypocrisy would be exposed. He comes to Jesus at night because he’s a secret disciple, afraid of what publicly professing Jesus as messiah will cost him. Nicodemus’ religious world is turned upside down. The serpent in the wilderness lifted up referenced in the book of Numbers—their curse becoming their cure—this soon would be fulfilled in Jesus, the one lifted up on the cross, the sins of the whole world upon him. Nicodemus’ “loves” would similarly be overturned. Jesus points him most importantly to the love of God who sent the son into the world, not in condemnation, but for salvation.
In a way we can be quite sympathetic with Nicodemus. He approaches Jesus respectfully. He asks good questions. He seems really to be seeking. He acknowledges Jesus is somehow from God, somehow doing the work of God. We might liken him to our family or friends or neighbors who have an inquisitive, respectful, and appreciative view of our Christian faith.
Jesus meets him there, under the cover of night but doesn’t leave him there. The Lord knows him too well, loves him too much to confine him to his world of living a nice, respectable, and decent life. This world would be too small for the world Christ would open up to him. Christ would open up a world which would begin under the cover of night, but be opened up to eternal light and eternal life.
What does any of this have to do with us? An old pastor told me when I was young and still figuring things out (I still am, by the way!) his theory about preaching. He said that he would intentionally preach each sermon as if it would be the last sermon his congregants would ever hear. I sort of scoffed a bit. Seems a little contrived—and maybe a bit negative.
I’m not so sure anymore. Having been with Noah VanReesma’s family this past weekend, and visiting our members in hospital or hospice, the urgency of the gospel has been renewed in me.
So what would I want you to hear if this was the last sermon you heard? Look to the one lifted up. Whatever happens in life. However hard it gets. Whatever questions you have. However dark the night. Look to the one lifted up on the cross. Believe in him and begin all over with him. He was sent into the world as the Love of God incarnate, to gather all people into the broad arms of God. In him is life eternal. And that life eternal begins today.
So, how did it end for our friend “Nico”? St. John gives us two other biblical references. About six months later at the trial of Jesus, Nicodemus still stays secret about being a disciple, but at least tries to find a legal reason to save Jesus’ life. It didn’t work. After Christ’s brutal, illegal, unjust death, Nicodemus then works quickly with Joseph of Arimathea, another member of the Sanhedrin, to secure the body and give the Lord a proper burial. Nicodemus contributes an enormous amount of spices. Enormous. Seventy-five pounds in weight and worth. This is so extravagant and expensive and excessive that critical scholars doubted for many years that it could even be true—until we found other historic examples. This is an amount fit for a king. Nicodemus wanted to give Jesus a King’s burial.
One might guess that it was out of sense a regret, or guilt—he tried to defend Jesus, but didn’t do enough. Didn’t sacrifice enough. Didn’t give his life for Jesus. Didn’t speak up in boldness. Or maybe it was out of recognition of the one who gave so much to him: an act of love for the one who so loved him. Or maybe because Nicodemus recognized that Christ was indeed “King of the Jews” and more than an earthly King.
We don’t know exactly why he did this act of great devotion; nor where Nicodemus ended up, as St. John sort of runs out of room on his scroll and never tell us. Church tradition has him believing in the resurrection and becoming a Saint—the patron saint of morticians and funeral directors, appropriately enough. (Maybe we could get him to serve on the Wunder’s Cemetery Board or something!)
But I think the Bible doesn’t tell us what happens in the end with Nicodemus because the question is meant to be turned back towards us. What will we do with this Jesus? Stay secret about him? Hidden under the safety of night? Simply stay respectful and inquisitive? Consider him sent from God but not much else? Try your best to help him out, defend him, but not go all in?
This morning is a call for us to start all over with Jesus. To believe in him and by believing be reborn from above. To recognize him as savior of the world and king of all creation. To be filled anew with his body and blood today. To worship him as the Resurrected one, who defeated sin, death, and hell for all people of all time.
Look to the one lifted up… for you.
Come soon Lord Jesus. Amen.