Called By God
There was a man from the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to him at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God, for no one could perform these signs you do unless God were with him.”
3 Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, unless someone is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
4 “How can anyone be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked him. “Can he enter his mother’s womb a second time and be born?”
5 Jesus answered, “Truly I tell you, unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 Whatever is born of the flesh is flesh, and whatever is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not be amazed that I told you that you must be born again. 8 The wind blows where it pleases, and you hear its sound, but you don’t know where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”
9 “How can these things be?” asked Nicodemus.
10 “Are you a teacher of Israel and don’t know these things?” Jesus replied. 11 “Truly I tell you, we speak what we know and we testify to what we have seen, but you do not accept our testimony. 12 If I have told you about earthly things and you don’t believe, how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven —the Son of Man.
14 “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. 16 For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
John 3:1-17
1 There was a man from the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to him at night
Why would Nicodemus come to Jesus like this–at night…in secret?
He was afraid. He did not want to let on that he was interested…as his colleagues–the other Pharisees would not approve…or worse! But he mustered the courage, snuck out of the house and found Jesus.
Not quite. You see, Jesus already had called Nicodemus to come. By Jesus speaking and doing (all the way back to Eden…and throughout history), Jesus called all of Israel– each Jew, person by person…and whatever gentiles that happened along…(and I say this loosely as there are no accidents or coincidences in God’s universe)—so whoever was there…they were there because Jesus arranged it.
Person by person. Called.
So how did each one of you come to Jesus?
Did your parents bring you to the font? Good, then it was never, ever your doing in the slightest. Did family—grandma, maybe…later on in your life…take you to church?
How about friends, neighbors, or co-workers—did they invite you?
Still, none of it…was your idea, ability, desire…not a bit….
It was all Jesus.
And in our text maybe Nicodemus was looking for some sort of acknowledgment…that he was brave…or finally made up his mind…or that he had the wits…to figure things out…
The first thing he tells Jesus is: “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God, for no one could perform these signs you do unless God were with him.”
Really? How did he know this? What does Jesus say about that sort of thins?
It was not man who revealed this TRUTH to you, but your Heavenly Father, who is in heaven…you did not choose me, but I chose you… No one can come to me unless the Father, who sent me, draws him…
Then why not come in the day-time like everyone else—with the rest? Too crowded? Okay, maybe….
But I think Nicodemus was talking about the other rulers of the Jews. The other members of the clergy. That is what they were always discussing…Jesus…who He was and what to do about it…
How could they help it? Again, this is Jesus’ doing. That is the effect He has on people.
Like the solider who said, no one spoke like Jesus did. It was not just like someone with great learning—as where did Jesus go to seminary? Even the teachers of the Law were amazed.
And the Crowd said that He was not like their church leaders, as they never agreed on anything and never spoke without much conviction…
But Jesus spoke with one who had authority. As if it were true…that God cares about them…that God wants them… despite their inability to live up to… well, to just about everything that should be lived up to.
Same as us….
Yet, here is Jesus. Speaking and doing. With all the…what do you call it? Hard to ignore…kind of way about Him.
What happens? What do we do… when He gets His hands on us? When He puts us right there…at His mercy…faced with TRUTH itself…about us and about Him?
It is something—He is something! He has been called the “desire of the ages.” The very answer.
It is the Words that do it. Reality. Real life. Truth. Truly. Without hesitation.
So, what do you do with it? With Him? How can you resist? How can you talk against what He said?
They tried and had to give up. He could not be out-maneuvered by words.
No, people had to lie and make up things—falsely accuse Jesus of things…
But no one could avoid what He said and what He did.
Everyone was discussing Him. Jesus. Still are!
Then why come at night, though…in secret? The Jewish leaders had audience with Jesus many times.
Because even if there were some others…and there were…Nicodemus was answering the call while the others were keeping quiet. And the rest were trying to trap Jesus…searching for ways to take Jesus out.
Nicodemus was caving in here…was being called out…by Jesus…to come follow Him.
And so am I. And so are you. Each of us, person by person…personally called by God. Known by God–you. Me.
This is not arbitrary. This is not a, “you…and you…and maybe her…oh… and that one….” No, it is you, by name.
So now what… then?
Jesus then pulls the rest of the rug out from under us. Like He did this night to Nicodemus:
3 Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, unless someone is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 “How can anyone be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked him. “Can he enter his mother’s womb a second time and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Truly I tell you, unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 Whatever is born of the flesh is flesh, and whatever is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not be amazed that I told you that you must be born again. 8 The wind blows where it pleases, and you hear its sound, but you don’t know where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”
So, you thought you were clever enough, Nicodemus, in figuring it out…that you were smart enough to go to church…to believe…to choose…to come?
Nope! Just a bit earlier, the Holy Ghost has John pen this:
12…to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. [John 1:12–13][NIV84]
Some would say, that it was ONLY those that received Jesus…that they had to… have to act…FIRST—like Nicodemus… daring to come to Jesus…and it is only then that they have THIS RIGHT to be called a child of God.
But John clarifies this with verse 13. He says No to this. Listen again:
13children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
This is the only REASON given that people can be called God’s children. It is God’s will, work, and decision.
Nicodemus had nothing to do with it. We had nothing to do with it. Just like we did not give birth to ourselves, so too we cannot choose to be Christians. That is why infant baptism is the best. They have no say—nothing to do with it at all.
Too much credit is given to people. Too many books and sermons are written that accolade the so-called great men of faith….
As if they came up with it all. As if it were, like them, up to each of us to create, muster, grow and courageously use our faith. Not so, if you read what the Bible actually says. Take some time and read just how little faith they had. How little courage they had. How much sin they needed to be forgiven for. How many times they turned tail and ran.
It was all Grace—the amazing longsuffering and patience of God.
If it starts and ends with us, Nicodemus would never have come out to find Jesus. Neither would we.
So, Jesus calls us. Then He takes away everything that would get in the way of His saving us.
Like Nicodemus, we sputter and complain. We question and doubt—just like the other disciples, if you hadn’t noticed.
Listen to just how Nicodemus responds to Jesus: 4…“How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” Again, 9Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?”
“How can water do such great things?”
Jesus comes in with His own ways that are not our ways. He speaks His truth that is not our kind of truth.
But Jesus is not worried that Nicodemus does not understand. Nicodemus never did. Jesus knows why Nicodemus is here. He also knows why we are here. Jesus has made it happen.
And Jesus knows that He has us right where He wants us.
10 “Are you a teacher of Israel and don’t know these things?” Jesus replied. 11 “Truly I tell you, we speak what we know and we testify to what we have seen, but you do not accept our testimony. 12 If I have told you about earthly things and you don’t believe, how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven—the Son of Man.
Jesus again, takes away our religion. Our self-made belief system. Jesus takes away the way we would choose to come to Him, be with Him, get saved by Him.
Jesus presents the Law that shows us that it is impossible for humans to come to God. This Law God sent in such a way that it removes everything and anything that would stand up and claim that God has to do a thing for us.
You want to please God? Remake yourself! Perfect, that is. Oh, and then pay for all your sins before you re-made yourself.
And only then would Nicodemus be able to give witness to the real truth about things…about heavenly things…about who Jesus really is.
Possible? No, and not for us either.
But thanks be to God, Jesus domes not leave Nicodemus there, nor does he leave us flat on our faces. Jesus only puts us there so He can raise us up. So He can re-make us. So that we are raised “born from above,” “born of God,” “born again”—true children of God.
And that is what Jesus is doing here for Nicodemus. By the cross. By Jesus’ death and resurrection…
Listen to Jesus explaining…showing Nicodemus what it has meant all along:
14 “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. 16 For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
That is why Nicodemus was there. That is why we are here. Called by Jesus. No matter our reasons, abilities, motivations, or level or piety. It was and is Jesus first to last.
As no one can “by [our] own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, [our] Lord, or come to Him, but the Holy Ghost has called [each of us] by the Gospel…” And this from first to last. Throughout our lives. And is “keeping [us] in the one truth faith.”
This is all about the life of the baptized… as the Father puts us into the Christ life by the Holy Spirit.
“Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.”
Called by the Father to Jesus, to be sons and daughter of God, His Father. Children of God by Water and Word. You and me. Not once, but continuously until we are face to face with the one who has been speaking—calling our name all along. Jesus. Always Jesus. Amen.
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