NICODEMUS: EVIDENCE THAT DEMANDS FAITH
This morning we come to the our tenth and final message of this sermon series on the Cross of Jesus Christ. The message of the cross is powerful and life changing and I can’t think of any better way for us to end this series on the cross than to end it with today’s message, “Evidence that demands faith.”
Last week we saw the power of the cross at work in the heart of a battle hardened Roman centurion, who was moved by the evidence he saw at the cross and said, “Surely this man was the Son of God.” If God can change the heart of an unbelieving Roman centurion, He can change the heart of anyone who is willing to examine the evidence and believe the truth.
In today’s message, I want to show you a man who examined the evidence, and had the courage to believe in spite of fierce opposition.
Let’s stand together to read from God’s word and discover what He has to say to us.
1 Corinthians 1:18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
BLIND FAITH
Our message this morning is titled, “Nicodemus- Evidence that demands faith.”
It is a sad reality that in our society we are faced with the fact there are many who do not believe the Bible, nor do they believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and they do not believe He is the only way of salvation. They demand convincing evidence before they will believe. And I don’t have a problem with that, because there is a huge amount of evidence that clearly proves that Jesus Christ is who He claims to be. God is not afraid for anyone to examine the evidence.
However, what is disturbing is the number of people who still refuse to believe even when they are faced with very solid, convincing evidence that proves that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the Savior of the world.
Nonbelievers mistakenly think Christians simply accept the message of the Bible on nothing but blind faith. There is no reason for anyone to think they have to accept and believe the Bible on blind faith because there is an overwhelming amount of evidence that proves God is for real and that His word is the truth.
I personally have not accepted God’s word just on blind faith. In my personal search of the truth, I have discovered there is real historical and Biblical evidence that proves the validly of God’s word and the reality of the cross and the resurrection.
History clearly demonstrates without any doubt that the cross of Jesus Christ was a real historical event. The cross of Jesus Christ is one of the most highly documented
events in history, and there is absolutely no doubt that it took place.
The question for us today is, out of all the historical evidence that stands before us, what is the one piece of evidence that stands out above all other evidence and proclaims to us the reality of Jesus Christ as the Son of God?
I believe the most convincing evidence that speaks to us of the reality of the cross and of Jesus Christ as the Son of God, is the testimony of countless millions who lives were forever changed by the message of the cross and the reality of an empty tomb.
I am talking about the countless millions across the ages, who sacrificed their lives, their bodies, and all that they had because knew in their souls the truth that Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God. And I am one of them.
The Bible is filled with stories of the miracle working power of God, but the greatest of all miracles is the salvation of a soul for eternal life.
The most amazing miracle of all is when a person chooses to believe in Christ and to love Christ and to follow Christ and even willing to give up their lives to honor Christ. There is no miracle like the miracle that happens in the heart of a human soul.
This is the miracle God wants to happen in your life and in the life of those you love.
It is God’s great desire for you to move from being a non-believer to a believer who believes in Jesus Christ as the Son of God and the Savior of the world.
We have already seen how the cross affected the thief and the Roman centurion.
But there was one other whose life was also forever changed that day because of the cross, and that was a Pharisee named Nicodemus.
With far less evidence than you and I have today, this man took a hard look at the evidence and then he boldly chose to believe what his heart told him to be true, that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
NICODEMUS
Most of us know the story of Nicodemus from John 3 and how he came to Jesus at night. But what most people do not know is that Nicodemus also played a vital part at the cross.
The gospel story of Nicodemus is proof positive that God is able to change the condition of a person’s heart, even if in the beginning they really don’t believe or understand.
The story of Nicodemus is that of a man who was not a believer, but became a believer because he chose to examine the evidence, and when he found the truth, he chose to believe it. The gospel of John gives us three glimpses into how God changed the heart of Nicodemus from a non-believer to a believer and follower of Christ.
THE UNBELIEVER WHO CAME AT NIGHT
Our first glimpse of Nicodemus comes from John 3.
John 3:1 There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.
Nicodemus was a man who had it all. He was wealthy. He had a prominent position as a Pharisee, and he had power as a ruler of the Jews, which means he was a member of the Sanhedrin. In John 3:10, Jesus stated that Nicodemus was a teacher of Israel, which is among the highest positions in Israel.
I show you this because it is vital for you to see that in the big picture here that when Nicodemus first encounters Jesus he was not a believer.
That’s important. God’s desire for Nicodemus and for you is to us move from being an unbeliever to a believer who knows Christ, believes in Christ and loves Christ.
Nicodemus appeared to have everything but he knew that something was missing and that something was a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
Nicodemus does recognize that Jesus is both a teacher and a man from God but at this point he did not yet believe or know that Jesus was the Son of God. That is the exact position that most people have toward Jesus Christ.
Many are willing to accept Jesus as a great teacher. Many are willing to accept that Jesus was a man of God with great compassion, but they adamantly refuse to believe He is the Son of God, who alone holds the power of eternal salvation.
But for Nicodemus… instead of dismissing Jesus claims as the Messiah and Son of God, Nicodemus chose to personally examine the evidence and seek the truth.
He did not know what to believe, so he examined the evidence. Perhaps you are unsure about Jesus and His claims as the Son of God and the Savior of the world. If so, I strongly encourage you to truthfully examine the evidence.
THE SEARCH FOR TRUTH
Now look at John 3:2.
John 3:2 This man came to Jesus by night… NKJV
We can read between the lines and infer that Nicodemus knew something about Jesus. He obviously knew something about His teachings and His miracles, but what he really wants to know is, who is this man, Jesus? Is He the Son of God?
Nicodemus came to Jesus at night because he desired to know the truth. He wanted to know who is Jesus Christ?
He did not to listen to his colleges and friends. He decided to discover for himself the evidence and the real truth about Jesus Christ.
My point is this; don’t listen to or follow the crowd. Examine the evidence for yourself.
Had Nicodemus followed the crowd and had he accepted the advice of his colleges, he might never have discovered the convincing truth of Jesus as the Messiah, and he
would have been eternally lost.
There is a very important point here for us.
There is nothing wrong with searching for the evidence and truth. It is God’s desire that you know the truth. God demands faith, but He does not demand blind faith. He encourages us to seek the truth and examine the evidence.
How important is it that you search for the truth? Consider this; knowing the truth was so important to Nicodemus that he risked everything when he came to Jesus.
Jesus said (John 8:32) “you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."
Jesus also said, Matthew 7:7 "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. NIV
Jesus said leave no stone unturned in your search for the truth. God is not afraid of your search for truth. He encourages you to seek the truth. And when you sincerely seek the truth, Jesus says, you will find it.
When you examine the evidence;
You will find that Jesus Christ is the Messiah
You will find that Jesus Christ is the Son of God
You will find that Jesus Christ is a risen Savior and the only way of Salvation
You will find that Jesus Christ is the eternal King of kings who will return with power and glory
God is not afraid for you to examine the evidence. He wants you to examine the evidence. He wants you to search and find the truth, and when you see the truth, have the courage to believe in it with all of your heart.
Not once did Jesus ever condemn Nicodemus for searching out the truth. At no time did Jesus ever tell Nicodemus he had to believe on blind faith. You do not have to believe on blind faith like someone stumbling in a dark cave, because the evidence is there. I have personally searched and researched the evidence and I have come to believe that God’s word is true and that the evidence is true regarding Jesus Christ as the Son of God.
LIFTED UP
In his gospel, John reveals three unique moments how God moved to change Nicodemus heart from that of a nonbeliever to a believer.
The first moment is found in John 3:14.
In verse 14, Jesus revealed to Nicodemus some shocking evidence that I believe
shattered everything Nicodemus thought he knew about the Messiah.
John 3:14 As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up… (Son of Man is another title for the Messiah)
For you and I on this side of the cross, it is hard for us to understand what must have been going through Nicodemus mind when he heard these words, but we must try.
Remember he was a man who knew the Old Testament inside and out.
He knew the story of Numbers 21 very, very well.
He knew how God instructed Moses to nail a bronze serpent to a pole and lift it up for everyone to see, and all who looked at serpent on the pole in faith would be forgiven of their sin and healed. With that in mind, listen again to Jesus words to Nicodemus.
John 3:14 “Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up…
Jesus is telling Nicodemus how He would die. He is telling Nicodemus that just as Moses lifted up the serpent for the forgiveness and healing of the people, even so, Jesus as the Messiah would also be lifted up for the forgiveness and healing of sin.
What did Jesus mean by the phrase, “lifted up?”
Nicodemus knew exactly what Jesus meant. He knew the only way for Jesus to be lifted up like the serpent in the wilderness would be for Jesus to be crucified on a cross.
You might ask what is the significance of that. We already know Jesus died on a cross. Why is this important?
Jesus is telling Nicodemus way ahead of time exactly how He was going to die. He is telling Nicodemus that just as Moses lifted up a serpent on the pole, even so, Jesus would also be lifted up and the only way He could be lifted up like the serpent in the wilderness was for Him to die on the cross.
That’s exactly the picture that Jesus gave to Nicodemus and it shocked him.
The point is this; How many of you know exactly when, where, and how you will die?
I couldn’t tell you where I will be in the next 30 minutes, much less tell you when and how I will die, and yet this is exactly what Jesus is telling Nicodemus.
Jesus said to Nicodemus that when you see Me lifted up, just as I have declared to you, then you will know that I have told you the truth and that I am the Messiah, the Son of God.
I believe after that night with Jesus, Nicodemus went back and began to really search the scriptures. He researched the evidence and he discovered the truth.
A STEP FORWARD
The second glimpse we have of Nicodemus is found in the seventh chapter of John.
John 7:45 Then the officers came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, "Why have you not brought Him?" [46] The officers answered, "No man ever spoke like this Man!" [47] Then the Pharisees answered them, "Are you also deceived? [48] Have any of the rulers or the Pharisees believed in Him? [49] But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed." [50] Nicodemus (he who came to Jesus by night, being one of them) said to them, (John wants you to know this the same Nicodemus that came to Jesus searching for the truth.) [51] "Does our law judge a man before it hears him and knows what he is doing?" [52] They answered and said to him, (with scorn)"Are you also from Galilee? Search and look, for no prophet has arisen out of Galilee." NKJV
Between chapter 3 and chapter 7, at least a year has gone by.
Now, try to get this scene clearly in your mind. Jesus popularity has grown too great heights and the Pharisees very much wants to destroy Him. Their attitude toward
Jesus is full of hatred. And yet, in the middle of this bitter scene, we see Nicodemus with great courage, take a bold stand against his colleges and advises them to be very careful with their accusations of Jesus.
Hear their scorn as they reply to Nicodemus…"Are you also from Galilee? Search and look, for no prophet has arisen out of Galilee."
Now look at his courage and see his willingness to defend Jesus.
This is the same Nicodemus who came secretly at night to see Jesus. At that time, he did not want anyone to know of his interest in Jesus.
But now we see Nicodemus speaking out on Jesus’ behalf.
Do you see what is happening here?
Something is happening in the heart of Nicodemus.
Little by little, God is working on Nicodemus heart moving him from a nonbeliever to a believer in Jesus.
THE SHADOW OF THE CROSS
Now we come to the greatest moment of Nicodemus life, a moment that changed his life forever. Let’s look at John 19.
John 19:38 After this, Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly, for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus; and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took the body of Jesus. [39] And Nicodemus, who at first came to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds. [40] Then they took the body of Jesus, and bound it in strips of linen with the spices, as the custom of the Jews is to bury. [41] Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. [42] So there they laid Jesus, because of the Jews' Preparation Day, for the tomb was nearby. NKJV
From chapter 3 to chapter 7 we see Nicodemus heart changing.
Now in chapter 19, we see Nicodemus step out in faith and literally became a disciple of Jesus. A disciple so brave that he personally helped to take down the body of Jesus when the rest of Jesus disciples had fled, or at the very best stood at a great distance and just simply watched.
This picture from John 19 is absolute proof that the death of Jesus Christ was not a defeat, but a great victory.
If you were an investor, would you have invested in the cause of Christ? Dying on a cross does not look like any kind of a victory.
And yet right out of the ranks of the very council that had condemned Jesus, two men, Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, came forward and claimed the body of
Jesus. Now watch this… Look at the evidence.
From Nicodemus point of view he had every reason to believe that Jesus was a failure.
Nicodemus knew that the law said that anyone who died on a tree was cursed.
He knew that it was the evening of the highest religious feast his people celebrated.
He knew he was not to touch the body of a dead person.
And yet knowing all of this, he still choses to touch the dead body of Jesus and the moment he touches the body of Jesus, he is saying to all the world that I choose to believe in Jesus Christ as the Messiah, the Son of God.
What evidence convinced Nicodemus that Jesus was the Messiah?
I think Nicodemus was moved by what he saw in the early stages of Jesus crucifixion. I believe his heart was moved when he heard Jesus say, “Father forgive them.”
I believe his heart was moved when he saw the noonday sun turn darker than a thousand midnights. I believe his soul was shaken to his core when he felt the earth shake beneath his feet like Jell-O.
All of these things moved him, but I personally believe what moved him the most was
the moment Nicodemus saw Jesus lifted up on the cross and then he remembered Jesus words on that dark night so long ago, when He said…
John 3:14 “Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up…
The greatest evidence that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the Savior of the world is the cross.
When Nicodemus saw Jesus on the cross, he knew the truth, and he knew at that
moment he had a life changing decision to make. He could continue with life as usual and reject the evidence or He could trust the evidence and believe, and he chose to believe.
This is very important to understand.
The moment Nicodemus touched the body of Jesus, the moment he stained his own hands with the royal blood of Jesus Christ, Nicodemus sealed his fate and his future. The very moment he laid his hands on the dead body of Jesus, Nicodemus was saying to whole world I believe that Jesus is God’s Messiah, the Savior of the world.
The moment he touched the body of Jesus, Nicodemus moved from being an unbeliever to a believer.
He gave up his reputation, his future, and his very life and chose instead to believe in Jesus Christ as the Messiah, the Son of God, the Savior of the world.
When I think of the incredible change in Nicodemus, I am reminded of what Jesus said…
Matthew 10:32 "Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. [33] But whoever denies Me before men,
him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven. NKJV
That describes exactly what Nicodemus did. He chose to confess Jesus before all the
world.
IN CLOSING
You also must make a decision.
You have to choose what you believe about Jesus Christ.
You have to choose what you will do with the evidence of Jesus Christ as the Son of God and the Savior of the world.
It is my hope that you will choose to move from being a nonbeliever to a believer.
You and I have so much more evidence that Jesus is the Son of God and that He is the
Lord of all lords. When Nicodemus took Jesus down from that cross, he knew nothing of the resurrection and the ascension. He had far less evidence than we do today, but he chose to believe the evidence of the cross.
What happened to Nicodemus can also happen to you.
Just as God did in the heart of Nicodemus, He can do in you.
Through Jesus Christ, your life can be changed forever.
You can move from being a nonbeliever to a believer.
You can become a bold believer in Jesus and have everlasting life. Look at the
evidence and believe, and when you do, believe it with all of your heart.
