I want to thank you all for coming to my house tonight. I know that it was not easy for you to do so considering the horrible events of this day. I know that you fear the retribution of my fellow Pharisees and for you to bring yourself to the house of a Pharisee on this night of all nights demonstrates your incredible love for this man who was executed on this terrible day. Not only are you breaking the laws of the Sabbath, but you have put yourself at harm by being here for a memorial service for Jesus of Nazareth.
Many of you don’t know me because I have been too much of a coward to follow Jesus openly as most of you have done, so let me introduce myself. My name is Nicodemus. I wish one of Jesus’ closer friends could be here to offer words in memory of Him. I’m sure you can understand their fear. If Peter, James, John, or one of the others that are known to have been close associates of Jesus were to be seen by the authorities at this time, they very well could be executed as Jesus was. There’s been enough bloodshed.
Most of you know Jesus better than I, but let me share some words of what Jesus has become to me. I met Jesus three years ago when He was here in Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover after He had first begun His ministry. I had heard of the signs that He had been doing – healing the sick, turning water into wine, and so many other wonders. Because of these signs I knew Him to be from God and wanted to hear from Him. I went to Him at night because I was a coward. My Pharisee brothers were skeptical and some hated Him even at that time. They feared Him because He did not cower under our pious religiosity. He refused to accept our authority as the spiritual leaders of the people. But for me, His miracles piqued my curiosity.
The meeting that night just confused me even more about Him. On that night, He told me “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” I couldn’t understand what He meant by that. It’s impossible even for a newborn to return to his mother’s womb, how then could a grown man? I left Him that night wanting to be born of the Spirit as He said, but completely bewildered about what that meant. Surely, God would look favorably upon me because I meticulously followed the laws of Moses. I tithed and observed all the festivals, brought my sacrifices to the Temple, and even served God as a member of the Sanhedrin. Wasn’t that enough? I left Him that night, slinking out in the dark, hoping that none of my brothers would see me. But He has been constantly on my mind since that time.
He was a man I would never forget but I wasn’t quite ready to follow Him. I had a position after all. I was important and if I was to speak up and ask my fellow Pharisees to have an open mind about Jesus, to seriously investigate His teachings and His complaints against us, I would have lost everything. I would have become a pariah. They would have figuratively sent me out into the wilderness like the scapegoat on the Day of Atonement. I wasn’t ready to commit my life to Jesus, so I took the safe route of keeping my mouth shut.
Even though I couldn’t bring myself to follow Jesus, I continued to listen for reports of what Jesus was doing. And what amazing things I heard! He controlled the wind and the waves. He fed thousands of people with just a small amount of food. He healed the sick, gave sight to the blind, made the lame walk! I couldn’t accept that He was possessed by a demon as the other Pharisees wanted to believe. These miracles had convinced me that truly He was from God, and I began to openly defend Him. He was here in Jerusalem last year at the Feast of Tabernacles. Although He came secretly to avoid scrutiny, He spoke up at the Temple. The Sanhedrin wanted Him arrested because He had healed a man on the Sabbath, breaking their interpretation of the Law. Guards were sent to arrest Him but came back empty-handed, mesmerized by His words of authority. I spoke up for Him that day among the members of the council, pointing out that the Law requires a man to be heard before being judged. But still I kept quiet about my growing belief that He was truly a man sent from God.
I was at His trial this morning. It seems so long ago. The chief priests and the other Pharisees had the crowd whipped into a frenzy of rage and hatred against Jesus. They wanted Him to die and they weren’t going to let Pontius Pilate off the hook. They finally had Him in their clutches and they were out for blood. I knew that what was happening was a travesty, but I was too afraid to speak out. The crowd was riled up and would have beaten or killed anyone who went against them. I wasn’t willing to give up my life in a vain attempt to save His.
Many of us in the Sanhedrin went to Golgotha to watch as the Roman soldiers nailed Him to the cross. Some of them mocked Him. All were practically giddy in their pleasure at finally being able to rid themselves of this pest, this thorn in their side. But my heart was broken. I had failed Him. I had been such a coward all these years. And then His words to me that one night long ago came into my mind “the Son of Man must be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.” Could He have meant this, to be lifted up on a cross?
As He was on the cross, in pain, one of the criminals pleaded “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And Jesus said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” Then His words that had so confused me on that night suddenly became clear. To be born again, to be born of the Spirit, meant to trust in Him. Salvation comes not through the works of the Law but through trusting in the name of Jesus. I had failed him, but He would not fail me. My heart cried out to Him, echoing the Roman soldier as Jesus died, saying “Truly this was the Son of God.” While watching Him die on the cross, I was reborn, born of the Spirit! And His words to the criminal were His words to me as well. I will be with Him in Paradise. Praise God! I now knew! Jesus is the Messiah, the Holy One of God! Trust in Him and you too will be with Him in paradise.
My heart was sorrowful as I went with Joseph of Arimathea to place the body of our Lord in the tomb. I laid spices to honor Him. But beneath the sorrow was a joy that is unspeakable. I know that Jesus is the Christ. I know that He will rise again on the third day just as He said.
This Sabbath night is a terrible, horrifying night for us. But there will be a day when we consider this day to be the most wonderful day. This day will be called a very Good Friday.
May the peace of God, the love of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit be with us all. Amen.
