A “Stranger” in the Night
John 3:10-21
Who is this man who wants to see Jesus in the night? Why in the night?
As in my story in the
Armenian sermon a while ago, that man was a stranger to me and to the church.
He wanted to know who we were.
He wanted to see if this church is the right place for his marriage.
Nicodemus had all the theological knowledge. He was not satisfied. He wanted to see Jesus. He came
by night perhaps because he was a well known person; he was ashamed to be seen going to Jesus.
Or perhaps Jesus was very busy during the day. Nicodemus liked to
sit and talk with Jesus without interruption.
It is possible that both assumptions
are right. The important
thing is that he came to Jesus. It
does not matter by night or by day, the important is he came.
Jesus waits for all humanity
to come to Him. It does not matter when or how, or with whom. The important
thing is to go to Jesus. This is the BEST Miracle that could happen in any
person’s life- meeting Jesus.
“Rabbi, you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God
were not with him” (vs.2).
An excellent introduction. I mean Nicodemus sees new things. Remember he is a Judge.
He takes decisions when extraordinary
things are happening. He is acknowledging that there are wonderful things
happening. I was expecting Jesus to act more softly with him.
No.
A very bold answer: I tell you the truth, no one can see the
Born Again. An important expression in the Christian
faith. Unfortunately, the phrase has been misused by politicians. Misused by Christians who say something and live some other life.
Let me tell you. If you don’t like the word from its political perspective, I
understand, but Jesus used it and it is in the Bible and it is very important.
The Greek word is anothen:
It has three meanings:
1. It could mean being born from
the beginning, completely, radically.
2. It could mean being born again,
in the sense of second time.
3. It could mean being born
from above and therefore from God.
I think all three are complementary. We can not have one
word in its translation. Anothen:
Yes, it is a beginning, a new beginning, completely and radically changed. A second time birth. And it can only happen if it is from ABOVE. BORN FROM ABOVE.
Nicodemus is challenged by Jesus.
He is listening to a new concept, BORN AGAIN, BORN from ABOVE.
Nicodemus was surprised. He
had that emptiness in his heart and he knew it was difficult to live as a “stranger”
to God. Yet he knew too much about God. He thought that it is impossible to go a
second time to his mother’s womb. In the Jewish tradition, the idea of second
birth was familiar. When someone from another faith became a Jew, he was
regarded as being reborn.
We have so many verses in the
New Testament where the concept of rebirth is mentioned:
I Peter 1:23
For you have been
born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and
enduring word of God.
James 1:18
He chose to give us
birth through the word of truth, that we might be a
kind of firstfruits of all he created.
II Corinth. 5:17
Therefore, if anyone
is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
The concept of rebirth is
very important. We use it in secular world even, of rebirth of a nation,
rebirth of a family and so on. Why not in spiritual life.
It is very essential. Nothing
is more important than being born from above.
It is so strange that many of
us like to be Christians without rebirth
from ABOVE.
Impossible. I was talking with a person that day about this. I was telling him how
to pray to have this experience. He said he understands all this, yet
he has difficulty to believe that this could be reality.
He did not see the need to be born again.
Unfortunately he did not pray and ask God for a new life in Christ.
Jesus said about this
experience:
“The
wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where
it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the
Spirit." (8)
Wind and spirit in the Hebrew language are the same word “RUH.” The wind, the spirit of God, blows wherever
it pleases. Some take it and some refuse it unfortunately. This wind touched me
almost 30 years ago and I became a Christian. I know it touched many of you and
it was a life changing experience which continues everyday.
I do not know how Nicodemus
felt that they and what happened to him that day. Later in the Bible, we see a
change in him in his second appearance in the Gospel of John. You see I think
Nicodemus finally got it after the crucifixion.
Jesus said in today’s
passage: (14,15)
Just as Moses lifted
up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that
everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.
When Jesus was on the cross,
Nicodemus saw the reality. At Jesus’ burial, we read he is the one who brought
“a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds” (John 19:39). If he
did not believe in Him, he would not do such a gracious act.
Do you see the same message
that was preached for last three weeks? Our JOURNEY is to
Well, I should finish the
story that I started with that stranger who came to me by night. He came more
often to our worship. He loved it. Then he brought his fiancé, who was Lebanese
and spoke only Arabic.
We had a new relationship
with these “strangers.” They were not strangers to us anymore, but strangers to
God. We had counseling sessions preparing them for marriage. They got married and
after three weeks, they migrated to another Arab country to work there. In one
of toughest countries they started to go to an underground church. His wife
called me some months later. I was not at home. My daughter took a simple
message: “Tell the pastor that I was born from above.” She had accepted Jesus
as personal savior. She had found meaning in her life.
You should see the joy that I
have in my heart. Sevan and I were so glad that her life was transformed and
are praying that the Spirit will touch her husband too.
Let me end with a Bedouin
story:
There is a story that comes
out of the Bedouin culture. "Bedouin" is the Aramaic name for
"desert dwellers." These people live just like the characters of the
Old Testament did. During a heated argument, according to this story, a young
Bedouin struck and killed a friend of his. Knowing the ancient, inflexible
customs of his people, the young man fled, running across the desert under the
cover of darkness, seeking safety.
He went to the black tent of the tribal chief in order to seek his protection.
The old chief took the young Arab in. The chief assured him that he would be
safe until the matter could be settled legally.
The next day, the young man's pursuers arrived, demanding the murderer be
turned over to them. They would see that justice would prevail in their own
way. "But I have given my word," protested the chief.
"But you don't know whom he killed!" they countered.
"I have given my word," the chief repeated.
"He killed your son!" one of them blurted out. The chief was
deeply and visibly shaken with his news. He stood speechless with his head
bowed for a long time. The accused and the accusers as well as curious
onlookers waited breathlessly. What would happen to the young man? Finally the
old man raised his head. "Then he shall become my son," he informed
them, "and everything I have will one day be his." 2
We read in Romans 8: 15-17
For you did
not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the
Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba,
Father." The Spirit himself testifies with our
spirit that we are God's children. Now if we are children, then we are
heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his
sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
We do not deserve all these,
yet God adopted us through Jesus Christ. Therefore we can pray saying OUR FATHER.
If you are not born from Him How can you pray saying Father? Can you call God
Father?
You
need to be born of Him, so you will receive the Spirit of sonship.
(adopted by God). In order to have this relationship you need to
be Born from ABOVE, new birth.
Why don’t you allow the
Spirit, the RUH of God to blow on you. Allow him to
come in.
1. LEGACY OF A PACK RAT. Ruth