Sermon Tone Analysis
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Nearly 20 years ago, Tony Campolo and Brian McLaren teamed up to write a book entitled “Adventures in Missing the Point.”
Their book was a thought-provoking and challenging look at the way that the church in America (and generally the church in western culture) has developed.
It’s been a while since I read that book and frankly disagreed with some of their conclusions, but as I have been preparing for today, the title of their book kept coming to mind - so I borrowed it.
Campolo and McLaren wrote their book as a wake up call to the church.
Our passage today is a wake up call to those of us who think we have all the answers.
Up to this point in the book of John, we’ve been introduced to
Jesus as the Word of God made flesh (prologue)
John the Baptist, Jesus’ forerunner.
We got to witness...
The calling of his disciples
The first sign of his identity (changing the water to wine)
and his shake up at the temple.
All of these encounters are playing into John’s larger narrative of putting Jesus on display so that we will understand who He is - the Son of God - and then in response - believe in Him - resulting in life (John 20:30-31).
Today, as we look at John 3, we get a little different encounter as Jesus engages with one of the religious leaders - a man named Nicodemus.
Rather than trying to establish an outline for us to follow, let’s read through the text and consider it in bits and pieces - there are really so many interesting elements to this encounter.
We’ll conclude with some points for us to ponder and apply.
So, if you have your copy of Scripture, let me encourage you to turn to John 3.
There may be a few places where some notes in your bible might be helpful.
The text will also be on the screen.
So, let’s begin with some...
Reflections on the passage
As a Pharisee, Nicodemus was a devout Jewish leader and a part of their ruling council called the Sanhedrin.
The Pharisees generally tried to put rules and expectations in place in order to help people live out the law of God.
They often get a bad rap for being legalistic.
He likely knew what we call the Old Testament very well.
John 3:2 (ESV)
This man came to Jesus by night...
There are some who want to make a big deal of the fact that Nicodemus in coming to Jesus at night.
It could be that this was the time that Jesus was available.
It could also be, as some have surmised, that he was trying to meet with Jesus in secret, under the cover of darkness.
We have no way of reading into his motives and have to conclude that it was simply after sundown when they met.
The verse continues with Nicodemus’ first comment.
John 3:2 (ESV)
...and said to him, “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.”
There are a couple of terms that are quite interesting here.
Rabbi - Jesus did not have a formal education.
He was not brought up in the way that most Rabbi’s were.
Nicodemus might be placating Jesus or may be sincere in his respect for Jesus’ ministry.
Jesus had obviously caught the attention of clergy and commoners alike.
We - Who is the “we”?
Is he referring to himself and his own disciples or is he referring to the Jewish leaders?
If the religious leaders, then is he speaking for all of them - do they agree with his sentiments?
It seems like he is alone with Jesus, but it is quite possible that he would have had a group of students or disciples with him nearly any time.
signs - Nicodemus seems to concede that the signs he is seeing from Jesus are pointing clearly to something more - some divine initiative.
But - up to this point in the narrative of the book of John, we have only seen one sign.
Indicating, that there were more signs than what John has told us so far or this actually happens a bit later in the ministry of Jesus.
What we can conclude is that Nicodemus was aware of the signs and was noting their significance.
So, Nicodemus doesn’t really raise a question, he just makes a comment.
To which Jesus replies.
So, Nicodemus is aware that Jesus is at least doing things because God is with him, then Jesus lays down a gauntlet by stating that people must be “born again” just to truly “see” the Kingdom.
I wonder if Jesus is affirming Nicodemus’ burgeoning faith.
The Greek word that is translated “again” can also be translated “from above.”
It’s as though the word has multiple streams of meaning.
Nicodemus obviously heard Jesus one way...
He was clearly hearing Jesus refer to a repeat event.
He was missing the point.
Jesus explains.
So, Jesus seems to be indicating that he means “from above” instead of “again.”
We all need both kinds of birth.
We can’t have a spiritual birth unless we first have the physical birth - or water birth.
We can’t see or enter into the Kingdom of God unless we have a new, spiritual birth.
Jesus continues his comments.
As we move forward, I’m going to change a couple of words in order for us to understand the Greek a bit more clearly - because in English - we say “you” to mean both a single person or a group of people.
So for these next few verses, Jesus moves back and forth between singular and plural, which we miss in our English Bibles without some help.
John 3:7–8 (ESV)
Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘[You all] must be born again.’
The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes.
So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
Though talking to Nicodemus, the statement ‘You must be born again’ seems to be directed at more than one person (y’all) - again - maybe Nic’s disciples, fellow Jewish leaders or maybe simply meaning everyone except Jesus.
The point that Jesus seems to be making is that it is the Spirit, the breath of God that gives this new birth.
The Spirit initiates it.
It’s not something we can earn by following religious laws or listening to teaching.
The Spirit must move in its mysterious way in order to bring life.
Nicodemus is beside himself, and replies...
As I mentioned in the midweek email, I just don’t get the ins and outs of electricity.
I don’t understand the relationship between watts, amps, kilowatt hours, etc.
I miss the point.
Nicodemus is the same way.
All of the things that he has been taught up to this point, everything he has learned is being called into question.
To which Jesus replies:
John 3:10–15 (ESV)
Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things?
Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but [you all] do not receive our testimony.
If I have told [you all] earthly things and [you all] do not believe, how can [you all] believe if I tell [you all] heavenly things?
No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man.
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.
So, Jesus seems to be responding directly to Nicodemus about certain things but then broadens his rebuke to a bigger “You all” - the challenge is - who are “y’all”?
I think it’s likely the religious leaders, since they resisted Jesus’ influence and teaching so fully.
But the main point that Jesus is making is that they have had “earthly” things - earthly teachers, laws, covenants, expectations, etc. - as a means of instruction - and they missed the point.
They can’t understand heavenly things - they do not have ears to hear.
What’s more, Jesus seems to be telling them that they have to go to the source - One who come from heaven to get the information about the Kingdom of Heaven.
Ultimately, he is pointing to the cross with his statement about being lifted up.
Then the commentary continues with some of the most famous and familiar verses in scripture.
So here, we get a clearer picture of why Jesus, the Son, came.
He came not to condemn the world, but to offer a means of salvation.
It is out of the love of God that he willingly sacrificed his own Son as a propitiation or replacement for our sins.
But notice that this theme of condemnation is introduced.
The next verse provides a dividing line for us:
Here we get to see that there are two kinds of people
the saved (vs.
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