Encountering Jesus (1)
Scott Bayles, pastor
Blooming Grove Christian Church: 1/4/2014
As another year begins, we’re reminded once again that Jesus is the world’s preeminent person. He looms so large over human history that we actually measure time by him; we date our letters, our birth certificates, our checks, and everything else from the year of his birth. It’s been 2015 years since Jesus came into our world and today there is no other name in heaven or on earth that is more loved, more revered or more controversial than Jesus.
At first glance, Jesus’ résumé is rather simple. He never traveled more than a few hundred miles from his hometown. He never wrote a book, never held a political office, never married, never went to college, never visited a big city, and never even won a poker tournament. Yet, everywhere he went, he left changed lives in his wake.
He still does.
As we begin this year, I’d like to examine the stories of six changed lives! They include a scholar, a bean-counter, a couple of blind men, and a zealot among others. Their lives were changed forever because they came in contact with one incredible person—Jesus Christ.
Looking at these lives gives us hope because we find ourselves in some of the same situations. We may be caught in the grip of bad choices or living in the backwash of failure. We may be outstanding members of the community but sense an emptiness in life that possessions and position can’t fill. We may find ourselves in a physical condition or in a marriage relationship that seems impossible to change.
The good news is—Jesus can change us no matter what our life situation. He can give us peace and hope and joy in the most desperate circumstances. But we need a life-changing encounter with him similar to the experience of these six individuals.
The first changed life I want to inspect belongs to a man named Nicodemus. His story is told briefly in John 3 and it begins when Nicodemus is overcome by a compelling curiosity.
• A COMPELLING CURIOSITY
The Bible tells a simple story. John 3 begins with these words: “There was a man named Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader who was a Pharisee. After dark one evening, he came to speak with Jesus” (John 3:1-2 NLT).
Jesus won no favor from the Pharisees when he tossed those Temple tables in the previous chapter. So as a Pharisee and member of the Jewish high council, Nicodemus didn’t want his colleagues finding out about his consultation with Christ. They wouldn’t understand. So Nicodemus comes at night. As the shadows darken the city, he steps out, and slips unseen through the cobbled, winding streets until he arrives at the door of the simple house where Jesus and his followers are staying.
I wonder what might compel a man like Nicodemus to skulk through darkens alleys just to meet a carpenter from Nazareth. Nicodemus was a devoutly religious man. He’s a holy man who leads holy men. His name appears on the elite list of Torah scholars. He’s dedicated his life to the law and occupies one of the seventy-one seats of the Judean supreme court. He had clout and credentials. Yet, something keeps nagging at him. For some reason his religion doesn’t satisfy him. He knows there must be more.
But then he hears about Jesus—this backwater preacher who lacks diplomas yet attracts people. Who has ample time for the happy-hour crowd but little time for clergy and the upper crust. He banishes demons, some say; forgives sin, other claim; performs miracles; Nicodemus has no doubt. The first thing Nicodemus says when he meets Christ face-to-face is this: “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” (John 3:2 NIV).
Nicodemus hoped that Jesus could answer his questions. What he didn’t realize is that Jesus is the answer to his questions. After a lifetime of religion, what Nicodemus needed was a relationship.
One Sunday morning, a moonstruck young man shared a church pew with a beautiful brown-eyed girl. Memorized by her beauty, his attention was clearly focused on her rather than the minister’s message. In the stillness of the sanctuary, he leafed through the hymnal until he found the song he was looking for. Thinking himself cute and clever, he placed the songbook in the young lady’s lap and pointed to the hymn title—I Need Thee Every Hour it read. She smiled a little and then started flipping pages until she could find an appropriate response. Settling on a page and returning the hymnal, she pointed to the song I’d Rather Have Jesus.
Nicodemus could learn a lot from that young lady. So could we.
Three years ago a young man named Jefferson Bethke dominated YouTube with his viral video: “Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus.” In this spoken word poem, he contrasted the futility of religion with faith in Jesus
• Play Video: Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus
I don’t necessarily agree with every rhythmic word, but I think Jefferson cuts to the heart of the problem for Nicodemus and countless other like him. Dry, dead religion doesn’t satisfy and it doesn’t save. Rituals, routines and rules will never change your heart and life apart from Jesus. I think that’s why Nicodemus sought Jesus out. He knew something was amiss in his life and he knew it had something to do with Jesus. But as Nicodemus’ story continues, he experiences a rather confusing conversation.
• A CONFUSING CONVERSATION
As this encounter progresses, Jesus skips the chit-chat and cuts right to the heart of the matter: “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God” (John 3:3 NLT).
This is the Continental Divide of Scripture. Nicodemus stands on one side, Jesus on the other, and Christ pulls no punches about the difference. Nicodemus inhabits a land of good efforts, sincere gestures, and hard work. In Jewish minds, you have to earn your way into Heaven’s halls. But according to Jesus, your works don’t work. Jesus makes no mention of Nicodemus’ VIP status, good intentions, or academic credentials, because in Jesus’ algorithm, they don’t matter. No matter your pedigree or position, he says, you must be born again.
Nicodemus speaks for the rest of us when he exclaims, “What do you mean? How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?” (John 3:4 NLT).
Nicodemus reminds me of the Chevy salesmen of the 1970s. The Chevy Nova was a relatively successful American car for many years. Encouraged by U.S. sales, Chevrolet began to market the American Nova throughout the world. Unfortunately, the Nova did not sell well in Mexico and other Latin American countries. Additional ads were ordered, marketing efforts were stepped up, but sales remained stagnant. Sales directors were baffled. When they discovered the answer, it was rather embarrassing: In Spanish, Nova means “no go.” The American salesmen and the Mexican consumers just weren’t speaking the same language. The same was true for Nicodemus and Jesus.
Nicodemus thought in terms of physical birth, but Jesus was speaking spiritually. He explains, “Human life comes from human parents, but spiritual life comes from the Spirit. Don’t be surprised when I tell you, ‘You must all be born again.’ The wind blows where it wants to and you hear the sound of it, but you don’t know where the wind comes from or where it is going. It is the same with every person who is born from the Spirit” (John 3:6-8 NCV).
Just as we can’t see or touch the wind, we cannot see or tough the Holy Spirit. But you can feel both. Jesus wanted Nicodemus to understand that true religion isn’t just about rules and rituals; it’s something invisible and intangible that happens inside of you. Still not quite getting the picture, Nicodemus asks, “How are these things possible?” (John 3:9 NLT).
Jesus answers by leading him to the Hope Diamond of the Bible: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16 NIV). There it is—brief enough to write on a napkin or memorize in a moment, yet laced with enough love and hope to last a lifetime. Religion says, “God loves you if…” but Jesus announces, “For God so loved the world…” God love us. He loves you. And when we put our faith and trust in Jesus—not in doctrines or religions or systems or creeds, but Jesus alone—we are spiritual born again into God’s eternal family. His Spirit moves into our hearts and we get to live with him forever. This is God’s prescription for sin and self-reliance.
As things turned out, Nicodemus accepted his treatment. Nicodemus’ story ends with a courageous conversion.
• A COURAGEOUS CONVERSION
Surprisingly John doesn’t reveal the conclusion of Nicodemus’ conversation with Christ. There’s no baptism at the end, no confession of faith; rather, John just leaves us hanging. Jesus has the last word and that’s the last we see of Nicodemus. That is, until Jesus is crucified. Sixteen chapters later, John writes:
“Joseph of Arimathea, who had been a secret disciple of Jesus (because he feared the Jewish leaders), asked Pilate for permission to take down Jesus’ body. When Pilate gave permission, Joseph came and took the body away. With him came Nicodemus, the man who had come to Jesus at night. He brought about seventy-five pounds of perfumed ointment made from myrrh and aloes. Following Jewish burial custom, they wrapped Jesus’ body with the spices in long sheets of linen cloth. The place of crucifixion was near a garden, where there was a new tomb, never used before. And so, because it was the day of preparation for the Jewish Passover and since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there.” (John 19:38-42 NLT)
For sixteen chapters we’re left wondering what happened to Nicodemus. What did he do with Jesus? How did his encounter with Christ change him? Then Christ is crucified, and Nicodemus shows up along with Joseph, another Pharisee-turned-Christ-follower. Together they approached the governor, made their request and oversaw Jesus’ burial. This was no small gesture, given the anti-Jesus climate of the day. Jesus’ disciples hid behind locked doors, but not Nicodemus. No more sneaking through darkened alleyways at night for him. Somewhere behind the scenes of the last sixteen chapters, Nicodemus finally grasped what Jesus taught him that fateful night. And he decided to step out of shadows and into the light. It no longer mattered what his colleagues thought or what they might do to him. Things were going to be different from here on out. Nothing would ever be the same, least of all Nicodemus—all because of a late-night encounter with Jesus.
Conclusion:
Can you relate to Nicodemus? Maybe you were raised in a religious family and you’ve gone to church all your life. Perhaps you read the Bible daily, say your prayers regularly and fulfill all the religious requirements asked of you. Yet you’ve felt empty.
What you need, what we all need, is an authentic encounter with Christ! Jesus can change us no matter what our life situation. He can give us peace and hope and joy in the most desperate circumstances. But we need a life-changing encounter with him—whether it’s for the first time or to renew an old relationship. The good news is that He’s waiting to meet us—around the corner, in the coffee shop, as we cruise along the freeway. But be prepared. You may come away from that encounter like Nicodemus did—with your life transformed!
Next week, we’ll explore another story of a life dramatically changed by Jesus.
Invitation:
In the meantime, I want to invite you to come to Christ. If you need to have a personal encounter with Jesus, he stands ready to meet you, to greet you, and change you. If you haven’t been born again, you can be today. And I’d like to help. If you’re ready for a life-changing encounter with Jesus, please come forward now as we stand and sing.
