Seek and Save II Nicodemus

Seeking and Saving the Lost II

Luke 19:10 and Various in John's Gospel

Let me ask some questions to think about during this message:

Why did Jesus come down to earth?

Why did he take on human flesh?

What purpose was there in all of this?

The most basic statement about the purpose for Christmas, if you will allow me, is summed up in the words of Luke 19:10:

Luke 19:10 “for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

Most of our time will be spent in the first handful of Chapters in the Gospel of John.

To accomplish this seeking and saving as the Son of Man, he had to be born, grow to maturity, remain sinless in order to be a perfect sacrifice at the end of his earthly life. He gave his life for those who would believe in him throughout all the ages. But, in his life, he ministered to many that we might not suspect, unless we had a full understanding of his divine mission. I hope to give you a taste of that on this special day when many are thinking about a Jesus in a manger. In reality, he was so much more. In a manger, he commands no real respect. But, in what he grew to be in adulthood, we all need to have dealing with him. Those dealings are not just intellectual, they are spiritual. Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is the only way to peace with God and to be given eternal life. It is based on what he has done, not what we do. He has accomplished all we need.

Last week we looked at a notable Gentile woman who was helped by Jesus. It appeared that many came to believe in him that day in the obscure city of Nain.

Today, I want to look at how Jesus sought and saved some attached to Israel. One was a ruler a member of the ruling counsel. The other a despised half-breed Samaritan.

But first, a word about Jesus abilities, even when a man.

John 2:23  Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did.  24 But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men,  25 and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man.

Being God as well as man, Jesus knew what men, all humans that is, were like. He knew not just about them. He knew what was in them—what made them do what they did. He knew more about each and every person he encountered than those individuals knew. Such is divine omniscience in the God-man, Jesus.

First, let’s turn to Chapter 3. I want to look at Nicodemus from among the rulers of the Jews and a Pharisee. 

His Identity

John 3:1 There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 

2 This man came to Jesus by night

Many say he came at night so as to not be seen. I don't think so. As a ruler in Israel his days would have been busy. We see that in a later passage. He came when it was convenient, when he had time to talk to Jesus.

2b and said to Him,  “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.” 

He carefully observed what Jesus did and inferred some important and true realities. Jesus was a teacher. He knew this because Jesus taught, but Jesus's teaching challenged people to think in new and different ways. That is what brought Nicodemus to question Jesus.

3 Jesus answered and said to him,  “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 

Note this: Jesus didn't answer the implied question from Nic's words. Jesus knew what was in the man. Jesus answered according to what was in Nic's heart. A question about how men can be right with God. How does salvation come to us? He aks directly another question. This shows how on target the words of Jesus really were.

4 Nicodemus said to Him,  “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” 

Nic was confused by the concept Jesus laid before him. This shows that even though he was at the highest pinnacle of Judaism, he really didn't understand the concept Jesus taught him. From many OT scriptures, Nic should have known what this meant. Especially from the Prophet Ezekiel and the passage of the resurrection of the dry bones in the valley.

5 Jesus answered,  “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.  6  “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.  7  “Do not marvel that I said to you,  ‘You must be born again.’ 

These words are a gentle rebuke to Nic. He should have known this from what he knew, what he experienced and what he had heard about and from Jesus. He should have known that he needed to be born again.

We have nothing to do with our conception and birth. Likewise a spiritual birth comes without our own contribution or as an act of our will. The Spirit causes a birth that is different than our birth according to the flesh. What Jesus talked about was something that no man can bring to pass. You can't birth yourself as a human being.

Jesus explains the work of the Spirit:

8  “The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” 

With all of his learning and attainments, Nic did not understand spiritual realities. This is true of so many of his people during the time Jesus was on the earth. Listen:

9 Nicodemus answered and said to Him,  “How can these things be?” 

Jesus continues:

10 Jesus answered and said to him,  “Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things?  11  “Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness.  12  “If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?

Jesus came to seek and to save. At this first encounter, Jesus lays the foundation for Nic to consider. But, we know from additional places, that these words ahd a good effect.

Later in life Jesus was being discussed by the rulers in Israel. Flip over to Chapter 7.

John 7:45  Then the officers came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them,  “Why have you not brought Him?”  46 The officers answered,  “No man ever spoke like this Man!”  47 Then the Pharisees answered them,  “Are you also deceived?  48  “Have any of the rulers or the Pharisees believed in Him?  49  “But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed.”  50 Nicodemus (he who came to Jesus by night, being one of them) said to them,  51  “Does our law judge a man before it hears him and knows what he is doing?”  52 They answered and said to him,  “Are you also from Galilee? Search and look, for no prophet has arisen out of Galilee.”

John 7:53 (NKJV) And everyone went to his own house.

Ended the conversation

The rest of the rulers thought Nic had gone mad. They queried him about his origins by implicitly attacking his birth and character. Yet, the grace of all this is that the question seemed to stop the discussion of Jesus. His question was not answered. It must have made them think. Such are the effects of being born again by the Spirit of God though remaining quiet about his personal faith. But, it came out as he defended the Lord, or should I say His LORD?

Then after the death of Jesus, we read in Chapter 19 of how he helped take care of the body of Jesus. This was usually the job of family and close friends. His disciples had forsaken him except for John, the writer of these words.

So two other prominent Jewish leaders come to the rescue.

John 19:38 After this, Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly, for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus; and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took the body of Jesus.  39 And Nicodemus, who at first came to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds.  40 Then they took the body of Jesus, and bound it in strips of linen with the spices, as the custom of the Jews is to bury.

How could a man go from being a ruler of the Jews to serving the Lord in his death? God gave him new life as he trusted in Jesus and his good news of salvation. Nic was sought out and saved. This transformed one who had reached the heights of respect in his nation.

As a contrast to Nicodemus, another that Jesus knew all about without ever having met her previously. This is an example of what those words in John 2 mean.

The Samaritans were a despised race of half-breed people. God had commanded his people not to intermarry with the Gentiles. Many did while they were in exile. And, many continued in the intervening years. They lived on the northern fringe of Israel’s territory. It is said that many Jews avoided them at all cost perhaps traveling on the other side of the Jordan River than go into Samaritan Country. Yet, to tell you the end of the story before we look at this example. Some of the first believers, after the death of Jesus, were in Samaria.

Before Jesus ascended into heaven, he gave marching orders to his disciples. In Acts 1:8 we read about where they were supposed to go and preach. It reads: Acts 1:8  “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” 

To Samaria they went, but Jesus set the example in his own ministry. 

From a Ruler in Israel we go to the lowest of the low on the social strata. Jesus loved them and he loved many in between.

The Samaritan Woman

John 4:3 He {JESUS} left Judea and departed again to Galilee.  4 But He needed to go through Samaria.  5 So He came to a city of Samaria which is called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. 

At one time this land had belonged to the Jewish Patriarchs or Fathers of the Nation.

6 Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied from His journey, sat thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour.  7 A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her,  “Give Me a drink.” 

This was not accepted in their social norms. Men did not address women in situations like this especially when they were alone together. Jesus broke down social barriers in order to seek and to save those he intended to give that new life. They were alone because the disciples had gone into the city (vs.8).

9 Then the woman of Samaria said to Him,  “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.  10 Jesus answered and said to her,  “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you,  ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.” 

What is Jesus's view of himself? He is the gift of God speaking to her. She had no idea who Jesus really was. Just like Nic.

The woman asks some questions that are off target. Jesus brings her back to the real discussion that he wants to have.

13 Jesus answered and said to her,  “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again,  14  “but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” 

The Woman Responds. She did not understand.

15 The woman said to Him,  “Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw.” 

She was thinking in terms of physical and material benefits. She was wrong. Jesus tightens the proverbial noose.

16 Jesus said to her,  “Go, call your husband, and come here.”  17 The woman answered and said,  “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her,  “You have well said,  ‘I have no husband,’  18  “for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; in that you spoke truly.”  19 The woman said to Him,  “Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. 

Jesus knew what was in her. He knew her sins. He pointed them out gently but firmly. He had never met her before, but he knew all about her.

Go down to vs. 25 The woman said to Him,  “I know that Messiah is coming”  (who is called Christ).  “When He comes, He will tell us all things.” 

In a few words, Jesus replies:

26 Jesus said to her,  “I who speak to you am He.”

John 4:28 The woman then left her waterpot, went her way into the city, and said to the men,  29  “Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?”  30 Then they went out of the city and came to Him. 

The effect of all of this:

John 4:39 And many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified,  “He told me all that I ever did.”  40 So when the Samaritans had come to Him, they urged Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days.  41 And many more believed because of His own word.  42 Then they said to the woman,  “Now we believe, not because of what you said, for we ourselves have heard Him and we know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world.”

Jesus sought and saved not just one woman in Smaria, but many. That was his purpose to seek and to save the lost. Many found the truth, many found faith through the gift of God, the messiah, the anointed one, the Lord Jesus Christ and hid work in his life and then through his death. What grace they received. What grace we are given--just like them.

When you hear about this grace of Jesus, what do you think? It is possible he came to seek and to save you? We have many who have professed faith in Jesus from many different places in the world: Irish, Swedish, Lebanese, English, Puerto Rican, Russian, French of possibly two varieties, and others that did not cross my mind when I was putting this together. Jesus does not care about just the Jews, even in his life, he sought after and saved other notable individuals among the Gentiles. And then sent one of his prized converts as an apostle to the Gentiles. He seeks after people from the world of tongues, nations and people. In heaven there will be the redeemed from all places. He came to save them all. And, in our time he is still seeking after them by calling them in different ways so they here the good news of salvation and come to believe in him. He came to seek and to save people including the likes of us.

If you have not bowed your knees to the King of King and Lord of Lords, let me extend to you what Jesus commanded of all men everywhere. It is to repent and believe the gospel. The gospel is the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ. He will forgive you of all your sins—just like the Samaritan women who had many. Nobody has so many that they cannot be forgiven. Such is the grace of God.

Is he calling YOU? Is he seeking YOU? Has he brought things into your life that make you think about your own frailty and sin? IF so, he will continue to work in you until you come. All the while, he will be behind the scenes orchestrating all things for your spiritual good. Don’t put him off any more. On what the Christian world views as a special day, think about the real purpose for his coming. It is not so people can give you things you may not really need. Jesus is God’s gift to the world as we read back in John 3:16. God loved the world, that is this sinful system allied against him and his people, that he sent his only begotten Son that the world might be saved. God sent him on a rescue mission to seek and to save those who had no idea of where they ought to be. They ought to be on the straight and narrow way of faith that will safely bring them to heaven on their final day. It is all of grace, not of your own works. Believe in him. He is the only hope.