The Point Of Our Message Series

A father related how one of his son’s favorite games was “hide and seek” – and his son always hid. The game always went the same: Dad always counted to 100 by 5’s and then he’d shout “Here comes Daddy to find you Tommy.” Then Tommy would always hide in the same room and the same spot – but of course Dad went thru the motions of looking every other room. He’d go into one of the bedrooms and loudly proclaim “I wonder if Tommy is under the bed?” And he could hear Tommy giggle down the hall. “I wonder if he’s in the closet?” Again giggles. Making his way into the bathroom, “I wonder if he’s in the shower?” Giggles. “I wonder if he’s in the toilet?” The giggles were getting louder. Out in the hallway now, the father proclaimed “I wonder where Tommy could be?” And at that moment Tommy would burst out of his parents’ bedroom crying “Here I am Daddy, here I am!” and throw himself into his Dad’s arms. The dad later recalled telling his son “But, Tommy, that’s not how the game is played.”

But Tommy didn’t care. Why not? Because the object of the game for Tommy was to be found and then to rush into his father’s arms. Tommy was “hiding.” Waiting and wanting to be found.

And in our story today from Scripture… Nicodemus was hiding too. Did you notice what time of the day Nicodemus came to Jesus? “Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus --- by night…” John 3:1-2

Why come at night? Because… he was hiding. He didn’t want anybody else to know that he was there. You see, Nicodemus was a Pharisee, and the Pharisees didn’t like Jesus. At one point we’re told “… many even of the authorities believed in (Jesus), but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue” John 12:42

It was a dangerous time to even look like you were believing in Jesus. But Nicodemus had become intrigued by this Rabbi. By the time Nicodemus came to Him, Jesus had done a lot of wondrous signs, taught a lot of powerful things. He’d even run the merchants out of the Temple who’d turned the Holy place into a marketplace to make money. Because of all of this… Jesus had literally become a celebrity overnight.

So Nicodemus was probably impressed by what he’d seen and heard, and he shows up (“Nick at Night” if you will) to take a look at this Jesus and find out for himself what kind of man this Rabbi was.

So he’s come by night. Hiding in the dark. Even his opening statement is a bit guarded “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.” John 3:2

He wants to engage Jesus in a conversation, but he wants to do it on his terms. He isn’t coming to Jesus as (some kind of) a humble learner. I think he sees Jesus as something of an EQUAL. I mean, after all, Nicodemus is a pharisee and a ruler of the Jews. He’s a man of importance; He’s a religious leader who has a reputation; he’s arrived (if you will) in his religion.

But when he comes to Jesus, Jesus turns everything upside down. He confronts Nicodemus with the truth that he is LOST and needs to be FOUND! In fact, the first words out of Jesus’ mouth are these: “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 3:3

And Nicodemus is shocked: he says to Jesus, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” John 3:4

Now… why did Nicodemus answer Jesus this way? It’s obvious he’s not serious. I mean, did he really think Jesus was talking about somebody climbing back into their momma’s womb and being born a 2nd time? I don’t think so! But the alternative was NOT acceptable to Nicodemus! You see, back in the days of Jesus, the rulers of the Jews knew what the term “Born again” meant, because they used it all the time.

The Encyclopedia Judaica states, “A proselyte (a Gentile who becomes a Jew) terminates all former family ties upon conversion and `is considered a newly born child’” (volume 13, page 1184, article “Proselytes”).

The Talmud said, “A man who became a proselyte (a Gentile who becomes a Jew) is like a child newly born.”

According to another source: “New birth, as a figure of speech, was known to refer to proselyte conversion. It was understood to mean conversion of the mind and heart, beginning a new spiritual life with a new way of thinking, leaving one’s old ways and ideas completely behind.”