A Redemption Story (John 19:38-42) Series

This morning's sermon is going to have a different feel. The actual passage we are reading is only five verses. But these five verses build on a few other passages in the Gospel of John. And what these verses will help us do, is get a sense of the book as a whole. I'm hoping, after this morning, that you will have a better sense of how AJ wanted to teach, and challenge, and encourage his readers-- including you.

As we've worked through the Gospel of John, one of the themes we've seen pop up repeatedly has to do with secret disciples. Some people believe that Jesus is who he says he is. And they sort of mentally commit themselves to Jesus. BUT... they don't do any of this publicly, openly. They try to serve Jesus, secretly, and apart from the church.

Now, we maybe know people who are sort of like this today. Lots of people consider Jesus to be their Savior, Lord, and King. They consider themselves to be faithful disciples of Jesus. But you'd never know it, unless you asked them. They don't belong to a church. They don't talk about Jesus. They just go through life, secretly disciples.

Now, if you asked them why they live this way, you'd maybe get lots of different answers. Maybe they view their faith as a private, personal thing. Maybe it's convenience. Unhappiness with the local church. Not wanting to rock the boat, or lose friends.

In the Gospel of John, the main reason you'd be a secret disciple of Jesus is fear of persecution. If you, a Judean, openly confess Jesus as Savior, you will be kicked out of the synagogue. We saw this fear with the crowds in John 7:13, with the blind man's parents in John 9:22, and with the Pharisees who secretly believed in John 12:42-43 (also John 16:1-2).

And we also saw all of this with Nicodemus. Normally in the gospels, minor characters aren't named. We don't know the name of the Samaritan woman, or the man born blind, or the man who was lame for 38 years. Those people's names don't really matter-- it's what Jesus did for them that matters.

But Nicodemus, is a name we know. And the reason we know Nicodemus's name, is because he appears three times in the Gospel of John. AJ (Author of John) wants you to read his three little stories together, and wrestle with him. Up to this point in the gospel, Nicodemus has been a challenge to you. When you read his story, you have to think about whether you are more like Nicodemus than you'd care to admit. Today, though, at the conclusion to Nicodemus's story, that's going to change.

But before we jump in to that, we need to remind ourselves of what he said and did earlier. So... previously, in the gospel of John... John 2:23-3:16:

(23) Now, while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover at the feast, many gave allegiance to his name,

seeing his signs that he was doing.

(24) Now, Jesus himself wasn't giving allegiance to them

because he knew all people,

and because need, he didn't have

that anyone should testify about man.

For himself knew what was in man.

AJ tells us that there is a type of faith, and allegiance, that is untrustworthy. Some people, when you look at them giving allegiance to Jesus, look like they have a reliable, sturdy faith. But there is some type of flaw. Jesus, though, can see inside of man, and he knows who can and can't be trusted.

AJ then goes on to give us an example of this type of man, with this type of faith: Nicodemus. Verse 1:

(3:1) Now, there was a man from the Pharisees-- Nicodemus by name, a ruler of the Judeans.

(2) This one came to him at night,

and he said to him,

"Rabbi, we know that from God, (as) a teacher you have come.

For no one is able these signs to do that you are doing,

except only if God was with him."

(3) Jesus answered,

and he said to him,

"Truly, truly I say to you, unless someone is born [from above/again], he isn't able to see the kingdom of God."

(4) Nicodemus says to him,

"How is a man able to be born,

an old man being?

(5) Jesus answered,

"Truly, truly, I say to you, unless someone is born of water and Spirit, he isn't able to enter into the kingdom of God.

(6) What has been born from flesh, flesh it is,

and what has been born from the Spirit, Spirit it is.

(7) Don't marvel that I said to you,

"You must be born [from above/again]."

The Spirit/wind, wherever it wants, it blows,

and its sound you hear,