SERIES: The Gospel of John
The Nicodemus Syndrome
SPEAKER: Brad Harper
Introduction: Last year during all the news coverage of the race riots in South Central Los Angeles I saw one story which particularly impressed me. A reporter was on location in one of the most devastated areas and was interviewing a player on the Los Angeles Lakers basketball team who happened to live in the area. The reporter asked the player why, as a multimillionaire, he lived in such a blighted and depressed area of the city. Surely, he could afford to live anywhere he wanted. The player replied that he grew up in the area and that these were his people and his friends. He had begun a small business in the area and felt that it was important for him to stay. Though in my cynical mind I immediately remarked to myself that this guy must have a world-class security system for his house and cars, nevertheless, I was impressed by such a man who had decided not to forget his roots.
In the passage before us today, we are faced with the opposite reality, with what happens when roots are forgotten. You see Nicodemus is representative of the majority of Jewish religious teachers at the time of Jesus who had forgotten their true biblical roots. Nicodemus was a member of an important group of religious teachers called Pharisees. They had originally formed after the Babylonian captivity. As many Jews began to lose touch with the Law, the Pharisees sought to bring them back. These guys were serious about the Law. They were the religious conservatives of their day who believed that the Old Testament was the inspired Word of God and sought to keep all its commands.
On the surface that sounds fine. But Jesus condemned the Pharisees regularly. You see, the great problem with the Pharisees was that they had externalized religion. They had glorified strict external obedience to the Law at the expense of obedience which came from a heartfelt desire to honor God. They had emphasized the earthly Jewish glory of the coming messianic kingdom at the expense of practical holiness. They had forgotten their roots, choosing to focus on the external realities of religion, rather than on God’s desire to change their lives from within.
It was with this background that Nicodemus came seeking Jesus, bringing with him an improper concept of the Kingdom of God. Apparently, he came to find out if possibly Jesus was the coming One who would usher in the Kingdom of God. And it is here that we see Jesus sharply communicate that he refuses to recognize as his disciple anyone who did not feel the need for radical change in his human nature.
Notice Nicodemus’ statement and Jesus’ reply in John 3:1-3:
Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.”
3 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”
I must admit that at first glance Jesus’ answer does not seem at all related to Nicodemus’ statement. I am reminded of the totally inexplicable transition made by Dana Brown from sitting all night in a tree hunting man-eating tigers to the richest coffee I will ever taste.
What we have here is a case where, without Nicodemus even mentioning it, Jesus, by his godly power, knew what Nicodemus was looking for. Nicodemus is most likely subtly asking Jesus if he is the one who will restore power to Israel. After all, he is doing these incredible miracles which even some of his other Pharisee friends recognize must be done by the power of God. Is it possible that this is it, that the time of Israel’s troubles are over, that Rome’s days of domination are numbered, and the prosperity promised by the prophets is about to begin? Now in addition to this subtle question is an underlying assumption on the part of Nicodemus. As any good Pharisee, he surely assumes that because of his Jewish lineage, his strict obedience to the Law, and his position of leadership, his position in the Kingdom is 100% secure.
Jesus’ response completely undercuts this assumption. Notice he does not address Nicodemus’ question but, goes straight to the issue of what kind of Kingdom Nicodemus is looking for. Nicodemus is looking for a kingdom of power which will bring glory and status for God’s chosen people. Jesus tells Nicodemus that what he needs to be seeking is a transformation in his human nature and in his relationship with God.
Have you ever noticed how interested many people are in talking about the end of the world and even about Biblical prophecy as it relates to current events and the end of the age? I’m talking about non-Christians here. I remember during the late sixties and through the seventies there was so much American interest in the turmoil in the Middle East, and evangelicals were creating prophetic calendars and talking about the approach of Armageddon. I spent countless hours during those days talking with non-Christians who soaked up the exciting prophetic talk with enthusiasm. But when I challenged them as to the claim of God’s agenda on their own lives by way of commitment to him, they regularly responded with complete disinterest. It’s incredible how so many people are anxious to know anything about how God might change the course of world history, while at the same time they have no interest in how God wants to transform their hearts to follow after him.
I believe that Nicodemus was honestly interested in Jesus, but he is not yet ready to see his own need for personal transformation. Therefore, Jesus in not interested in talking to Nicodemus about the details of the glorious Kingdom which would one day come to earth in power, nor even in discussing with him the miracles that Jesus has performed. For miracles, as fascinating as they may be, are of little value to those who have not become children of God. So it is that Jesus tells Nicodemus that he has no chance of even catching a glimpse of the Kingdom of God unless he is born again.
Now that we have worked through the complex ideas behind why Jesus answered Nicodemus in the way he did, the next thing we need to do is to understand the meaning of this phrase “born again.” In the original language of the New Testament the word translated “again” here can also mean “from above.” In fact, every other time it appears in John’s gospel it has that meaning. Nicodemus obviously took it to mean “again,” judging from his question about natural birth. But Jesus’ focus here was obviously not on natural birth. His focus was on the need for transformation, new life from another realm.
This new life could not be accomplished in any way by human effort, but only by direct intervention of God. Nicodemus was searching for the Kingdom of God. Jesus tells him that just as the Kingdom will not come in its powerful world-wide form without direct intervention of God, so it cannot come to any individual without a direct intervention of God’s Spirit to transform that person into a child of God from the inside out.
Well, as we can see from his response, Nicodemus is confused from the outset. In fact, let’s read the rest of our text for today, John 3:4-15:
“How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”
5 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”
9 “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.
10 “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? 11 Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. 12 I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? 13 No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. 14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”
What could Jesus possibly be talking about? Surely, he cannot be referring to human birth; that’s ridiculous! But what other kind of birth is there?” The fact that Nicodemus can only think of birth in physical terms is an indication that his religion has so departed from its roots that it can only think about entering the kingdom by human means, that is, proper lineage and obedience to the Law. He is so steeped in religious legalism that he does not even know what Jesus is talking about.
So Jesus restates his argument. “Nicodemus, let me say it another way. No one can enter the Kingdom of God unless he is born of water and spirit. Certainly, you understand that human nature can only give birth to human nature. And only God, by the power of his Spirit can give birth to a new spiritual nature that truly seeks after God.” Then Jesus gives this illustration about the wind which, when I first read it, made this whole passage about as clear as California tulie fog. Jesus has a habit of saying to religious leaders who don’t understand him, “Well, if you think that was hard to understand, listen to this!” Then, of course, he adds that surely all of this must be crystal clear to Nicodemus.
Let’s see if we can figure it all out. First, what in the world does Jesus mean by “water and spirit”? This is one of the most debated phrases in the New Testament and there have been many suggestions as to its meaning. Some have suggested that water here means water baptism and that spirit means conversion. This is not likely since Jesus continues to speak about spiritual birth, but baptism appears nowhere in the passage at all. Others have said that water signifies amniotic fluid, thus indicating that a person must be born both physically and spiritually to enter the Kingdom. But this is not likely since nowhere in ancient writings is physical birth referred to by the term water.
I believe the true meaning of this phrase is found in the Old Testament, which is why Jesus said Nicodemus should have understood it. In the Old Testament, spirit is always the sign of life, particularly spiritual life by way of blessing and spiritual renewal. Water is usually associated with cleansing, renewal, and righteousness, especially when in combination with spirit. A key passage here is Ezekiel 36:24-27:
“‘For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land. 25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. 26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.
I am certain Nicodemus was familiar with this passage. If so, then what Jesus was saying should have made perfect sense. It was a kingdom prophecy given while the Jews were in exile describing the ultimate return of God’s people to their land to live under God’s righteous rule. But notice, they will not enter this kingdom by their own effort, but God will cleanse them with his clean water to make them righteous and will place a new spirit within them to turn their hearts towards God.
Thus, to be born of water and spirit is the same as being born from above or born again. It means to be cleansed from sin, not by human effort, but by God’s sovereign act of forgiveness, and to be given a new spirit which, in contrast to our human nature, hungers to follow after God. This, says Jesus, is the only means by which one may enter the Kingdom of God. It was not a new concept. It had been prophesied in the Jewish scriptures and modeled in the sacrificial system. But the Pharisees had departed so far from this concept of justification by heartfelt faith that Nicodemus was baffled by what Jesus was saying.
So, Jesus illustrates the idea by comparing spiritual birth to the wind. The illustration is more understandable in the original language, by the way, because in Greek the words wind and spirit are the same word. By this illustration Jesus is trying in another way to get Nicodemus away from his faulty concept of entry into the Kingdom of God.
In the days before Bob Richards and Dave Murray one could not chart the winds and point to a map citing an Arctic Canadian Clipper which will reach St. Louis by 2:30 P.M. In the ancient world the winds were a mystery in regard to their coming and going. And wind was, and still is, invisible, but you could always see its effects. So is the new birth which gives one entry into the kingdom. One cannot plan and chart his way into God’s kingdom by human means. God must sovereignly bring about cleansing and renewal by his Holy Spirit. When this happens, the effects in a person’s life are obvious.
After all this, Nicodemus still doesn’t get it. “How can all this happen?” he asks. At this point I can see Jesus shaking his head in disbelief. How can a religious leader not understand these things? Here he refers to Nicodemus in the original language as “the teacher of Israel.” It’s as if he addresses him as the Right Reverend Dr. Nicodemus B.A. M.A. Ph.D. and asks, “With all your learning how could you not understand? This is Theology 101.”
The next statement by Jesus concerning earthly things and heavenly things is a bit confusing, but I believe it might simply be put, “If you don’t understand when I talk of such basic things as the birth from above, which signifies a life transformed by faith, how will you understand if I tell you of the more glorious splendors of the Kingdom of God?” Even amid this overwhelmingly religious culture, the religious leaders had so departed from the roots of their religion, that basic religious truths had become foreign to them.
This is not unlike the current state of our country as we have left our religious roots. In a recent editorial, Charles Colson writes:
“There was a time when most Americans were familiar with biblical doctrine. You could say, ‘Believe in Jesus,’ and at least they knew what you meant. But today most would be mystified. Newsweek tells of a child who saw a crucifix and asked, ‘Mommy, what’s that man doing?’”
But Nicodemus’ problem is deeper than the unfortunate ignorance of a child. Nicodemus has plenty of information so that he should have understood what was happening. Jesus tells him that the main problem with Nicodemus and his group is that they do not accept the testimony of Jesus and his followers. It is simple unbelief.
What Jesus is communicating to Nicodemus about the arrival of the Kingdom of God and the criteria for entering it is no figment of his imagination. He says, “We speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen.” I think what Jesus is saying here is that his life and the life of John the Baptist are direct fulfillments of Scripture, which Nicodemus should know, and the miracles of Jesus validate the presence of the Kingdom of God. But it was not enough for Nicodemus and his friends. For they had seen the miracles, but still did not accept the truth. They not only failed to recognize the Kingdom of God in the ministry of Jesus, they also failed to receive it by faith.
Finally, Jesus focuses the discussion on himself and tells Nicodemus that there is only one person who can bring the Kingdom of God to earth, that is the Son of God, the Messiah, God incarnate, the Son of Man, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus is the only one sent to earth from heaven by God. He brings the kingdom, but not in the way that Nicodemus expects. It will come in a way clearly foreshadowed in the Old Testament. You may remember from our study of Exodus last year the story of a plague which came upon the children of Israel because of sin, and how God instructed Moses to put a snake on a stick and carry it through the camp. Anyone who looked on the snake was healed.
So, Jesus tells Nicodemus, will the Kingdom of God come. The Son of Man would not now usher in a political earthly kingdom to the Jews, but would bring a spiritual kingdom, a radical reorientation of sinful human nature to hunger after God, a new birth experience, to all who would believe in Jesus. The power for the kingdom would come not by political revolution, but by faith in the Son of Man as he was lifted up on a cross, bringing forgiveness from sin.
Nicodemus did not believe at this point. But we know that he was deeply affected by Jesus and went on to think about what he had said. For this is not the last we see of Nicodemus in John’s gospel. In John 7 we find Nicodemus defending Jesus before the rest of the Pharisees who are cursing him. Then, in John 19 we are given another insight into the life of Nicodemus. Listen as I read John 19:38-40a:
Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jewish leaders. With Pilate’s permission, he came and took the body away. 39 He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds. 40 Taking Jesus’ body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen.
Though he apparently still struggled with his place in the religious establishment, Nicodemus had finally become a follower of Jesus.
Now all of this is a very interesting story so far. We have seen how the loss of religious roots had warped Nicodemus’ concept of the Kingdom of God and twisted his understanding of the entrance requirements. And we have listened to Jesus as he explained that the Kingdom of God has come by way of transforming sinful people into people who follow after God with their hearts. This transformation comes by faith in the crucified and risen Lord Jesus.
But to get the full benefit from this passage, I think we need to see how what happened to Nicodemus can be paralleled in the lives of believers. In essence, what happens when believers forget their roots? What happens when believers lose their grip on the nature of their new birth experience? I’d like to suggest three things.
First, when believers lose their grip on the true nature of their new birth, their vision of the Kingdom of God becomes blurred. Often this happens in the same way that it happened to Nicodemus and the Pharisees. Religion becomes externalized. One example of this would be legalism in which the new birth is no longer a gift received by faith, but a religious achievement which must be earned.
Religion is also externalized when Christians begin to concentrate too much on what they believe to be the external effects of the new birth. The social gospel movement was a prime example, as the need for a total transformation of human nature by God’s power was substituted with a campaign for improving social conditions. Possibly the most sinister example is in heretical health-wealth theology which is daily spewed forth by a number of televangelists and radio preachers. Its main message is that in the new birth God has brought us power for success in our finances, our business ventures, and healing for all physical ailments.
It is those kinds of ideas that Jesus clearly rejects in this passage. The kingdom which Jesus brought is not primarily about success, physical healing, and social change, it is about sinful human nature being transformed so as to hunger after God and his righteousness. When our preoccupation as believers is more oriented towards God changing our circumstances than towards changing our hearts, we are in trouble.
Second, when believers lose a grip on the true nature of their new birth, their experience of the effects of the Kingdom of God is diminished. There is no doubt about the fact that the new birth brings a new power to the lives of Christians. In fact, Jesus indicated to Nicodemus that the mysterious power of the new birth was spiritual, like the wind which, though invisible, left unmistakable effects. But the power of God’s Spirit in the lives of believers is not primarily reflected in miracles and other physical realities. Rather, it is reflected in what the apostle Paul calls the fruit of the Spirit: Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. These are the manifestations of God’s power in the new birth. And when believers lose their focus on the basic spiritual nature of the new birth, it is these spiritual realities which will be lost.
Finally, when believers forget the nature of the new birth, their relationship with the Son of God is compromised. Friends, the essence of the new birth, the essence of Christianity, is that God has sent his Son to forgive us of our sins by his death on the cross and to transform our hearts by the power of his Holy Spirit, that we might have a personal relationship with him. This relationship is maintained by daily taking our focus off of the world and our circumstances, and instead focusing fully on Jesus Christ and worshiping him. When we lose that focus, the circumstances of life loom larger and the relationship with Christ becomes distant and loses its vitality. The words of the old chorus say it well:
“Turn your eyes upon Jesus.
Look full in his wonderful face.
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of his glory and grace.”
Conclusion: By way of conclusion let me wrap up this passage in a couple of ways. First, for those of you who may be here this morning who have not yet believed and received this new birth into the Kingdom of God. The kingdom has come in Jesus. It is available to all, but no one will see it without being born again. Neither in its present spiritual form, nor in its consummation at the end of history when Jesus comes to destroy the world and take his children to be with him for eternity. If you are not sure that you are a member of God’s kingdom, don’t leave here today without talking to me or someone with you about being born again.
Second, to you believers. What are you most concerned about today? Are you most concerned about what might happen to our country under a liberal administration? Are you most concerned about the insecure nature of your job, or even your lack of one? Are you most concerned about your children and the problems they’re facing? All of these are valid issues, and they should concern us greatly. But an overemphasis on even these important things can lead us into preoccupation with human effort and with our human condition and away from the basic roots of Christianity. God has caused us to be born again by faith in Jesus. He has given us a new nature and the power of his Spirit that he might purify us and mold us into his image. Let us be preoccupied with focusing on Jesus and receiving the power of his Spirit that we may be like him.
DATE: November 8, 1992
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Born again
Kingdom of God