Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. He came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God.” Jesus answered him, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be astonished that I said to you, ‘You must be born from above.’ The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” Jesus answered him, “Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things? “Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen; yet you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. “Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God.”
Two of my favorite heroes, Green Lantern and Batman, are probably the most different superheroes one person could follow. Green Lantern works in the light while Batman prefers the dark. Green Lantern protects the entire space sector of 2814 while Batman watches over Gotham City, ridding the city of crime. Green Lantern is light, Batman is dark. Each one is a part of a universe in desperate need of heroes.
The Lantern understands that his/her light shines out in the dark universe giving hope to all who see the green light. Green Lantern Hal Jordan prefers to shine as a brightly as he can so the evil ones will come to him. Batman hides in the shadows scaring evil into the light. Two heroes: one of light and one of dark. Each one bringing those who do injustice to light. Each one fighting evil in their own way and own style. One of light and one of darkness.
And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God.
In darkness, Nicodemus comes to Christ. He brings his questions to him and does not understand the answers. He lurks in the night for fear of being seen by his group, his friends, his social network. He moves through the back alleys and the rooftops and finds his way into a room with the light of the world. The dark and the light meet face to face. Nicodemus wishing to remain in the dark and Jesus telling him the light has come and only the evil prefer the dark.
Nicodemus wants to be a follower of Christ, evident in John 7:51. He likes Jesus and his questions in John 3 lead me to believe he wants to come out and be open of his belief but his questions showcase his fear. For him, it is safer to move about through the dark. It is better for him to wear the cape and cowl instead of basking in the light.
We are not that different than Nicodemus. We desperately want to follow Christ and we desperately want others to follow Christ so we put the flags of John 3:16. We testify to the light of John 3:16 but we deny the lifting up of the light. We deny the light to shine in the darkness because the light shines too brightly. We deny the cross as a way because we fear how bright the light could shine in a weak moment.
We are children of the light hiding in the dark because the light shows us our impurities. We cling to John 3:16 in hopes no one will see our own scars. We love the light of John 3:16. We fear the darkness of John 3:14. We fear what will come to light when we go to the cross. We fear we will not still be loved. The light of John 3:16 is greater than our darkest fear of hell. The lifting of the light of God that came into this world reminds us of God's compassionate unending love.
In the episode Hereafter, standing before Superman's tomb Batman eulogizes, “You showed me justice doesn't always have to come from the dark.”
Nicodemus struggles to understand Jesus' metaphors. For him, it is best to move through the shadows and work out of the darkness versus working in the light. He doesn't understand the notion of being born again. He is confused by the humility of the Son of Man being lifted up. He simply doesn't understand.
Or does he?
In John 7:51, Nicodemus defends Jesus when he tells the other Pharisees, “Is it legal to convict a man before he is given a hearing?” The Pharisees respond, “Are you from Galilee, too? Search the scriptures and see for yourself. No prophet ever comes from Galilee!”
In that small exchange, we see Nicodemus coming to an understanding of what Jesus means when he says, “And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up.” He sees first hand there will no reasoning. The Son of Man will be lifted up on the cross. He learns that people love the dark instead of the light.
A popular church quote started popping everywhere called, “No Perfect People Allowed”. It was a statement stressing that we are all imperfect beings in need of God's uncompromising compassionate grace. The quote brought problems to churches who started to see themselves as imperfect. Instead of creating a sense of humility in the community, it began to breed emotions of fear and insecurity. Sinners started to darken the church walls and the church faithful begin to get worried. Unlike them, the sinners remained humbled and grateful for the God of John 3:16.
The church faithful, like the Pharisees, wanted to keep what was done in secret and in darkness, stay in the darkness. The more sinners darkening the church halls brought to light the sin of our own lives. Instead of finding the humility of John 3:14 and the grace of John 3:16, the church faithful turned away, preferring the darkness to the light. The light of grace towards the sinners revealed the skeletons in the closet of the church, and the church feared they would get sick once again.
If we are a people who have been born again in Christ, we are not afraid of the skeletons in the closet. A church which has been born again in Christ is not afraid of the sinners which sit in their pews and preach from their pulpits. Being born again sets us free. That is what Nicodemus struggles to understand. He cannot comprehend the freedom to stand in say, “Why are seeking to kill this man? Is God so small that a prophet cannot come from Galilee? Is God so small that the blind and lame cannot be healed but through our traditions? Is God so small that the weak cannot be made strong? Is God so small that justice only comes through the power of the government? Is God so small that his love conditional?”
Being born again in Christ frees us to see that the cross as a way because of the humility of John 3:14 and the grace of John 3:16. Being born again frees us to live a life of truth and justice. Being born again frees to not fear the dark but to shine as brightly as we wish. Being born again frees us to love our neighbors as ourselves. Being born again frees to look humbly at our sins and look at the grace of the cross with grateful hearts. Being born again frees to trust in the words of Christ. Being born again frees to be compassionate to others as God is compassionate to us. Being born again frees to go humbly to the cross.
What's that old hymn say?
When I survey the wondrous cross,
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.
Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the death of Christ my God;
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to the cross.
See, from his head, his hands, his feet,
Sorrow and love flow mingled down;
Did e'er such love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown.
Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.
In two weeks, we will sing Hosanna. In three weeks, we will sing “Were You There” as Christ is crucified. Three days after that, we will sing, “Up From The Grave He Arose”. Today, let us open our eyes and look towards the cross with the humility of John 3:14 and the grace of John 3:16.
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