“Nick at Night”
In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy
Spirit. Amen. Today’s Gospel Reading could be named after the popular TV channel:
“Nick at Night.” “Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a
member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night.” At first glance the time reference “at night” in this account would
seem to be incidental and insignificant. But, Martin Luther insightfully
explains that John in his Gospel often has what seem to be incidental references
to time and place that really have a symbolic meaning. Sometimes this is
explained for us. When Jesus puts mud in a man’s eyes he tells him, “Go,
wash in the Pool of Siloam,” and then John explains, “this word means ‘sent.’”
And when Jesus is crucified John reports, “Carrying his own cross, he went out
to what is called The Place of the Skull, which in Hebrew is called Golgotha.” Other times the significance of these allusions to time and place is
not explained. John is the only Evangelist to note that on the way to
Gethsemane Jesus crosses a brook named “Kidron.” Luther says, “In Hebrew ‘Kidron’
means dark and black. Accordingly, the Evangelist points to this brook as
an omen foreshadowing Christ’s arrest and death, as if he were saying, ‘He
crossed over the black brook indeed.’” So, what is the significance of the seemingly incidental comment that
Nicodemus “came to Jesus at night”? Throughout the Bible, and especially
in the Gospel and Epistles of John, night and darkness represents evil.
One of the biggest differences that we take for granted between our modern world
and life in Bible times is shining brightly above us. We are so accustomed
to the darkness of night being easily interrupted with just the flip of a
switch. But, to the ancients, night was a terrifying time, when the forces
of evil reigned. Luther reflects this fear and dread of the night in his morning and
evening prayers: “I pray that you would . . . graciously keep me this night. . .
from all harm and danger . . . let your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe
may have no power over me.” This equation of darkness with the forces of
evil is why Jesus describes hell itself as, “the darkness, where there will be
weeping and gnashing of teeth.” So, this seemingly incidental comment that Nicodemus “came to Jesus at
night” actually has a deep symbolic significance. The physical darkness in
which Nicodemus comes to Christ symbolizes his spiritual state. For,
although Nicodemus is a member of the ruling council and a Pharisee and a very
religious man, nevertheless he comes to Christ not only in the dark of night but
also in a state of inner darkness, spiritual darkness. For, Nicodemus
missed the whole point of his religion: Jesus is the promised Messiah. And
so he remained in spiritual darkness. As John’s Gospel says, “The true
light that gives light to every man was coming into the world. . . but the world
did not recognize him. . . the light shines in the darkness, but the darkness
did not comprehend it.” The night which hangs over today’s Gospel Reading also symbolizes us,
our fallen, sinful state, our inner, spiritual darkness, and the spiritual
darkness of the whole, sinful world. “This is the verdict,” Jesus says,
“Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because
their deeds were evil.” A proper sermon has two basic parts: first the Law, the proclamation of
our sin; and then the Gospel, the Good News of our salvation. Jesus begins
his sermon to Nicodemus with the Law: “I tell you the truth, no one can see the
kingdom of God unless he is born again. . . Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the
Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You
must be born again.’” No one had ever talked to Nicodemus like this. Today we would
call it “speaking truth to power.” For, although Nicodemus is a very
important person and extremely religious man, Jesus confronts him with the truth
that he needs to be born again, because he is flesh, a sinful human, in need of
a Savior. “Flesh gives birth to flesh. . . You should not be
surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’” This preaching of the Law that Jesus proclaims to Nicodemus is also
meant for you. For, like Nicodemus, we all come to Jesus “at night,” in
the spiritual darkness of our sins. Like Nicodemus, we all “must be born
again,” for “flesh gives birth to flesh” and we are all sinful humans in need of
a Savior. After proclaiming to Nicodemus and us the condemnation of the Law,
Jesus comforts Nicodemus and you with the Good News of the Gospel: “The Son of
Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.”
John later explains, “He said this to show the kind of death he was going to
die.” Jesus is prophesying his death upon the cross. “The Son of Man
must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.” Luther beautifully comments, “This disgraceful, cursed death upon the
cross is an offense to the eye, but to us it is a blessed death, for it takes
the curse away from us and brings to us God’s blessing. Here hangs God’s Son
with his outstretched arms extended in welcome, as a testimony that he will cast
no one out, but gladly receive every one and draw all to himself, as he
promised. His head is lifted toward heaven, pointing out to us the way of
eternal life. His feet reach toward the ground where they crush that old serpent
Satan.” “The Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him
may have eternal life. For God so loved the world that he gave his
only-begotten Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have
eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,
but to save the world through him.” Nicodemus came to Jesus willing to acknowledge him as a great teacher:
“Rabbi, we know 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.”
Still today most people are willing to at least acknowledge that Jesus of
Nazareth was something special. A great teacher, a prominent philosopher,
a mysterious miracle worker, a famous historic figure and religious leader.
Even Islam declares Jesus to be the second-greatest prophet, next to Mohammed. But, Jesus calls upon Nicodemus and you to trust in him as something
much, much more than all of that: “For God so loved the world that he gave his
only-begotten Son.” Jesus calls upon Nicodemus and you to trust in him as
the very Son of God, your Savior: “That whoever believes in him shall not perish
but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to
condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” Later in John’s Gospel we see the impact that this encounter and Jesus’
Law-Gospel sermon had upon Nicodemus. In a meeting of the ruling council
when they are plotting against Jesus, Nicodemus boldly speaks up in Jesus’
defense. And after Jesus’ death Nicodemus comes with Joseph of Arimathea
to lovingly embalm and bury Jesus’ body. The Good News of John 3:16 led Nicodemus to bold faith in Jesus as the
Messiah, the Son of God, his Savior. John 3:16 is also God’s Good News for
you. For God so loved YOU that he gave his only-begotten Son.
Believe in him and you shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did
not send his Son into the world to condemn you, but to save you through him. How grief-stricken Nicodemus must have been as he helped Joseph of
Arimathea lovingly arrange Jesus’ body in Joseph’s tomb. No doubt
Nicodemus remembered sadly his first encounter with Jesus three years before.
But, what an extraordinary joy it must have been when Nicodemus heard on Easter
morn that the body he had laid in Joseph’s tomb was no longer there—that his
Savior Jesus Christ had risen from the dead! The book of Revelation says of heaven, “There shall be no night there;
they need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God gives them light, and they
shall reign forever and ever.” The encounter Jesus had with “Nick at
Night” led Nicodemus to spend eternity with Jesus, in the eternal day and
unending light of heaven. And it is the same for you. For, through your encounters with
Jesus, in his Word, in Baptism, in Communion, he will take you to the light of
eternal glory. As Paul says in Colossians, “The Father has qualified you
to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. For he
has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of
the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” Return to Top | Return to Sermons | Home | Email Church Office
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