John 3:1-21; 19:39 - Nicodemus: From Cowardly Agnostic to Bold Confessor - March 2, 2022

You might be wondering why we just read most of John 3 in a midweek Lenten service. It’s not complicated. In the verse we read from chapter 19, John identifies Nicodemus as the man who earlier had come to Jesus at night. We read John 3 to learn Nicodemus’ backstory. Here’s what we know. He was a man of the Pharisees. In many ways, the Pharisees were the most (outwardly) moral people in all of Israel; they spent their entire lives trying to observe the law – both God’s and their own man-made ones – down to the letter. This is the main reason they hated Jesus: they were obsessed with the letter of the Law while Jesus was concerned with the spirit of it. The Pharisees figured that they could earn God’s favor with their pitiful obedience and sacrifices; Jesus insisted that the only way to achieve favor with God is through grace alone (Matthew 9:13). Nicodemus was also a member of the Jewish ruling council, the Sanhedrin. Made up of seventy members plus the high priest, the Sanhedrin was the supreme court of the Jews. It had religious jurisdiction over every Jew everywhere, and one of its primary duties was to examine and deal with anyone who was suspected of being a false prophet. Finally, we know that Nicodemus must have been wealthy, because Nicodemus brought 72 pounds of myrrh and aloes with which to bury Jesus. (Earlier, Judas had estimated that just one pound of perfume could have been sold for 300 days’ wages (John 12:5).) But more important than what we can learn about Nicodemus is what we learn about Jesus through Nicodemus; that is, that Nicodemus’ path from cowardly, agnostic unbelief to bold faith proves that Jesus truly is the Son of God.

Nicodemus’ cowardly agnosticism – that is, his sitting on the fence; his remaining undecided about Jesus – is well-documented. We’ll start near the end of the story. Nicodemus was a member of the Sanhedrin which arrested Jesus and placed him on trial in the middle of the night (Matthew 26:57-68). We can’t say with certainty what role Nicodemus played in the proceedings. Perhaps he hadn’t been informed of the meeting or maybe he spoke against even initiating the trial and was ignored. But more likely Nicodemus had either excused himself or he had remained silent throughout the whole thing. In any case, it appears that Nicodemus’ faith on that Thursday night was not what it would become by Friday afternoon. The tragedy is that, on this infamous night, uncertainty silenced the voice of a witness who could have given the public testimony that truly this man was the Son of God (Mark 15:39).

Nicodemus’ silence is understandable, or at least explainable. You and I are often silent when we’re uncertain about something. In fact, it’s usually wise to remain silent when you’re uncertain about something. “Is spring almost here?” “Will the Russians capture Kyiv?” “Will the lifting of the mask mandate be permanent?” It’s best to remain silent on such uncertain issues. Nicodemus was uncertain. He was uncertain in his faith because he was uncertain about Jesus. He was unconverted. He was like so many who would gladly accept the forgiveness of sins, life and salvation that God offers – but doubt that these blessings can possibly come from this man called Jesus of Nazareth. It’s the never-ending battle between faith and reason. It just doesn’t seem reasonable that these blessings could come from a flesh and blood man. You witness that battle between faith and reason in Nicodemus’ first meeting with Jesus. He said rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God, for no one can do these miraculous signs you are doing unless God is with him. Jesus answered Amen, amen, I tell you: Unless someone is born from above, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus probed this assertion: How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he? That’s when Jesus explained the invisible reality about conversion; how a person is really brought to faith: Amen, amen, I tell you: Unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God! Whatever is born of the flesh is flesh. Whatever is born of the Spirit is spirit. Already at that first meeting, Jesus made it perfectly clear that saving faith – conversion – doesn’t come from human effort, reason or intuition but by the work of the Holy Spirit.

But that just raises another question: what does it mean to believe; what exactly is saving faith? The Bible tells us that saving faith consists of three parts: 1) Knowledge (John 17:3). Obviously a person must know about Jesus before they can believe in him. But bare knowledge isn’t enough. Nicodemus knew about Jesus and he still didn’t believe. 2) Assent (1 Thessalonians 2:13). Assent means saying “amen” to the truth about Jesus; agreeing that it is true. Nicodemus clearly had this; he agreed that Jesus had said and done divine things. And the final and most important part is 3) trust (2 Timothy 1:12). Saving faith trusts – more than anything in the world – that all that Jesus did, he did for me, he did to save me from hell and give me heaven. This is the heart of the Spirit’s work.

There’s a somewhat famous illustration of the difference between cowardly agnosticism and saving faith. For some reason, daredevils have always been drawn to Niagara Falls. Suppose one of them came up with a plan to stretch a tightrope across the falls and walk over it. Nicodemus – and other agnostics like him – would say, “Yeah, I think this guy is just crazy enough to make it across.” But imagine that this daredevil asks for volunteers to sit on his shoulders while he walks across the tightrope. The agnostic, passive spectator – the Nicodemus – says, “Jesus’ words and works seem to line up with his claim to be the Son of God and the Savior. But for now, let’s just wait and see how it all plays out.” The person with saving faith says, “Sign me up! I trust him to get him over safely.” That’s the difference. Faith is the willingness to trust in Jesus above and before all other things. Ultimately, saving faith trusts that Jesus can and will carry you across the tightrope of death into eternal life. It’s tragic that Nicodemus lacked that faith despite having seen the evidence with his own eyes. It’s just as tragic when or if we doubt that Jesus is the Son of God and our Savior – despite having witnessed the truth with our own eyes and ears. Doubt is not a virtue; it’s a sin we need to repent of (John 20:27).

But the most amazing part of Nicodemus’ story is not that he doubted Jesus’ identity despite having witnessed Jesus’ divine words and works during his life. The really amazing part is that Jesus’ death did what his life didn’t: it blew the wind of the Holy Spirit over his heart, converting him from passive spectator to bold, confessing believer. It took Jesus’ death for Nicodemus to put the pieces together; to see Jesus lifted up on a cross, just like he had said (John 3:14-15). No sooner had Jesus breathed his last than the Holy Spirit breathed on Nicodemus. He publicly confessed his fledgling faith – in full view of his fellow Pharisees who had conspired to have Jesus killed – by bringing 72 pounds of spices with which to bury Jesus’ body. In just an instant, his doubt, his cowardice, his silence evaporated.

But while it is amazing, it shouldn’t be surprising, because Jesus had promised that this very thing would happen: and I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself (John 12:32). Up until now doubt and uncertainty had kept Nicodemus silent and hidden. But now the Holy Spirit had brought the power of the cross to bear on Nicodemus’ heart. The cross had drawn him to Jesus. The power of the cross had turned this passive, objective spectator into an active participant. By bringing his offering of myrrh and aloes, Nicodemus was making an irreversible, public confession that Jesus was the Christ. Nicodemus’ path from agnosticism to faith are a powerful witness to the reality that: “Truly this is the Son of God.”

What about us? We might think that our faith would be firmer, our hope surer, our confession more confident if we had been there to witness Jesus’ life and death with Nicodemus, but we’d be wrong. Not wrong in the sense that witnessing Jesus’ life and death don’t form the basis of saving faith – but wrong in the sense that we haven’t witnessed them. We have, we are, we will be witnesses of Jesus’ life and death – that’s not only what our reading of the Passion History each week in Lent is about; that’s what the entire Christian church year is about: witnessing again and again Jesus’ words and works; his life and death! At the same time, what Jesus told Nicodemus is true of us too: unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God! This Lent, don’t just listen to the Passion History as a passive spectator – as if you’re listening to something on the radio. Listen to it as an active participant – as if this story is about you – because it is! Jesus’ Passion is your passion. His life, death and resurrection are your life, death and resurrection through baptism (Romans 6:3). We are not merely passive or silent spectators of Jesus’ passion – we are right there with him, suffering and dying and rising through the power of the Spirit. As Christians, we confess that while, for us, Lent is about Jesus; for Jesus, Lent is about us. May this truth drive all doubt and cowardice out of our hearts and turn us into bold, confessing believers – just as it did for Nicodemus.

What will this bold confession look like? Well, obviously we can’t travel with Nicodemus to meet Jesus in the dark of night or to help prepare his body for the grave, but every time we remember our baptism, every time we drive to church early in the morning or late at night, every time we confess our sins and are absolved, every time we receive the Sacrament, pray out loud before a meal in a busy restaurant, prioritize worship over sports and recreation for ourselves and our children – by the grace and power of the Holy Spirit – we are standing shoulder to shoulder with Nicodemus, confessing boldly and publicly: “truly, this is the Son of God.” Amen.