Sometimes we are like Nicodemus?!?!

Raul Garcia III

2nd Sunday After Lent

March 12, 2017

John 3: 1-17

Let us Pray:

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you my Lord, my rock and my redeemer. Amen.

One of the most famous verses is read in this Gospel. John 3:16. We see this verse posted everywhere when there are crowds or on TV at sporting events. We’ll get to this verse in a bit, but first there is someone I want to talk about that is mentioned in this reading.

Good ole Nick. Nick at Nite.  

Nicodemus isn’t mentioned in the other Gospels, but he appears here and two other times in John’s Gospel.

The meeting between Jesus and Nicodemus which takes place “at night” is significant. Nicodemus was trying to hide from the other Jewish leaders so that he can talk with Jesus. So he can understand and ask questions. He can speak with Jesus and find out what Jesus was really about. Aren’t we all like Nicodemus. Asking questions of God so we can better understand. Jesus even tells Nicodemus, Aren’t you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things? Sometimes we do know the answer but yet we still question.   

The meeting between Nicodemus and Jesus was more than an encounter between two religious figures. It was a collision between two opposing views on salvation. You have Nicodemus on one side of the jewish law, this is the way it was written and this is the way it should be, and then you have Jesus whom talks about love and grace.

Nicodemus thought the person did work to gain salvation; Jesus says God does the work.

All the world religions can be placed in one of two camps: legalism or grace…

A legalist believes the supreme force behind salvation is you. If you look right, speak right, and belong to the right part of the right group, you will be saved. The responsibility doesn’t lie with God, it lies within you.

Spirituality, Jesus says, doesn’t come from church attendance or good deeds or good doctrine, but from God himself. This made Nicodemus really think about what Jesus was saying. But Jesus was just getting started.

Salvation is God’s business. Grace is his idea, his work, and his expense. He offers it to everyone and no questions or hurdles to cross. Our job in the process is to inform the people about Jesus, grace and love, not screen the people away from it because of who they are, color of their skin, sexual orientation or anything.

Nicodemus has never heard such words. Never. He has had many discussions of salvation. But this is the first which no rules were given.

No system was offered. No code or ritual. “Everyone who believes can have eternal life in Him, “Jesus told him.

Let me ask you a question:

Do any of you like to receive gifts? I love getting gifts. I can't imagine anyone saying that they don't enjoy receiving a gift.

What was the best gift you have ever received? Was it your first bicycle? What was it?

In a group like this, we might have a lot of different ideas about what makes a great gift, but today I want to tell you about a gift that is, without question, the greatest gift ever given.

If I were to give a package to you and ask you to give me five dollars, would it be a gift?
No, if you have to pay for it or do something to receive it, it isn't a gift.

When someone gives you a gift, it doesn't cost you anything. It doesn't come with any conditions. All you have to do is accept it. That's what makes it a gift.

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can brag. Ephesians 2:8 (NIV)

What is that gift? It is the gift of eternal life. It is the gift of God and it was given to anyone who wants to receive it.

So, this brings me to that famous verse: The Bible says in John 3:16, "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."

Key word is Whoever -- that's you and me.

The greatest gift of all is for you and me.

When someone gives you a gift, it is never polite to ask, "How much did it cost?"

But in this case, the Bible tells us how much God's gift cost -- and the cost was great.
It cost God his only Son.

Can you imagine how much God loved us to send his one and only Son to earth to die on a cross so that we could have eternal life?

Eternal life -- what a gift! And all we have to do to receive it is believe and accept Jesus as our Savior.

It’s hard to phathom this. Have you ever found something hard to believe?

There were two gentlemen who were traveling on a plane and were seated next to each other.

One turned to the other and asked, “What do you do?”

The gentleman replied: "I am a minister."

"Oh," said the first man, “I don’t believe in that religious stuff. It’s for kids, you know, ‘Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so...’”

The minister politely laughed and asked the other man what he did for a living.

"I am an astronomer," said the first man.

"Oh, that stuff," said the minister. “I thought it was just for kids, you know, ‘Twinkle, twinkle little star...’”

We have all met skeptics at one time or another.

But, John 3:16 “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.

Verse 16 is the gospel in a nutshell.

This verse just puts everything so cleanly and simple so people can understand.  

This is the way God loved the world…He gave His Son…

This means that…

Salvation comes through Jesus alone.

For Nicodemus and for us all, he was being introduced to a whole new thought process.

Salvation was not a matter of birth.

Salvation was not even a matter of being good.

Salvation comes through the Messiah.

God loves us through the Messiah, His unique Son.

And…the verse also tells us who salvation is for.

Salvation is for the world.

Sometimes we forget about verse 17:

(17) For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”

Jesus salvation and forgiveness of sins is for everyone. Jesus didn't come to condemn the world. But we sure are so fast to put blame on something.

This has been God’s purpose all along.

I love to read Max Lucado and it seems that He puts out a new book once a month. I liked how Max Lucado put it…There are many reasons God saves you: to bring glory to himself, to appease his justice, to demonstrate his sovereignty. But one of the sweetest reasons God saved you is because he is fond of you. He likes having you around. He thinks you are the best thing to come down the pike in quite a while… If God had a refrigerator, your picture would be on it. If he had a wallet, your photo would be in it. He sends you flowers every spring and a sunrise every morning. Whenever you want to talk, he’ll listen. He can live anywhere in the universe, and he chose your heart. And the Christmas gift he sent you in Bethlehem? Face it, friend. He’s crazy about you!

Our God is completely crazy about us!! Can you imagine.

Here is my challenge for y’all?

How will you change your daily routine to better appreciate and enjoy God’s gift of His Son?

Amen!!!