Isaiah and Nicodemus – What Does This Mean?

Dear saints, today we hear of a time a teacher of God’s people comes to Jesus by night. Nicodemus is an educated man. Because of his position, he is revered and has power. Yet we also see fear and hesitancy in him. After all, he does not come to Jesus in broad daylight. He wants his meeting with Jesus to remain covered by the night and unseen by his peers. In the conversation, we see some basic understanding from him. He says that he and the others realize that Jesus is from God. This is quite the statement. They recognize the power that Jesus has and that this power comes from God. So, they are trying to reconcile a man with power and authority from God – like a prophet – in a time where prophets were thought to have vanished.

Now it could be that Nicodemus is not sincere in what he says. He may be just trying to butter Jesus up. But whether Nicodemus is sincere or not does not matter. Either way, Jesus cuts right to the point: “Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

Understandably, Nicodemus is taken aback by this. He is a Pharisee. To use the language of today, he is a part of the Church. Not just a part, but a leader in it. He’s what people would consider a good person. He keeps the Law and the Tradition. He and those like him, of all people, would certainly see the kingdom of God!

We heard of another this morning who had an encounter with God in the His throne room. In the sixth chapter of Isaiah, we hear of his call to be a prophet of God. He sees the Lord sitting on a throne and a robe that filled the temple. It truly had to be a frightening sight! Seraphim with six wings; earthquake and smoke; a Trinitarian call of Holy, holy, holy…. It is no wonder that Isaiah reacts as he does: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.”

Now think about these two accounts. Both Nicodemus and Isaiah come face to face with the Lord. They both are confronted with the fact that they are unworthy to be where they are. They both look their God in the eyes and should realize that they deserve nothing but condemnation right then and there. But I also want you to notice the difference in their reactions to this truth.

Isaiah is brought to the Lord that he would be called as a prophet. He sees the glory and majesty and knows he doesn’t measure up. He isn’t worthy to be there and, erroneously, thinks that God is about to condemn him. Nicodemus comes to Jesus under the cover of darkness unsure of exactly who Jesus is. When Jesus tells him that he cannot see the kingdom of God unless he is born again; born from above, Nicodemus is either confused or playing dumb. He asks how a man could literally be born again from his mother. He thinks the kingdom is already his.

Here we see a stark difference between these two men. One is a faithful Israelite who, when confronted with the glory of God, is afraid of wrath and judgment. He knows that he is hopeless if it is left up to himself to stand righteous before God. The other thinks himself righteous because of his works and status and Tradition. I suppose it isn’t too much of a mystery why each reacts as they do.

Isaiah cries out in despair. He knows he deserves judgment because he knows he has not kept the Law with all his heart, mind, soul, and strength. Yes, he believes in the Lord. But he also knows he constantly sins against him. But condemnation isn’t why the Lord brought Isaiah into his throne room. To show this, one of the seraphim takes a lump of burning coal and touches it to Isaiah’s lips. Through the sacrifice burning on that altar, Isaiah is purified and made righteous.

On the other hand, Nicodemus doesn’t get it. He doesn’t see that he is a ‘dead man walking.’ He doesn’t get that even the best of his deeds are a blight in the eyes of God, for they are done without faith. But that doesn’t mean that Jesus has come to condemn Nicodemus. Not at all. Jesus seeks a rebirth even for Nicodemus.

“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” This is why Jesus responds to Nicodemus as he does. Jesus is showing him that he isn’t righteous for his status and deeds. Rather, he is fallen, sinful, and wretched because he is born of the flesh. “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” We are by nature sinful and unclean, as we confessed together this morning. We are naturally far from God and his kingdom. And worse, there is nothing we can do to make things right. Note the word born is passive. It is not something you choose to do or not do. It is done to you.

If we were to find ourselves in the throne room of God right now, we would recognize our sinfulness and iniquity just as Isaiah did. We would think we would be ruined. But we wouldn’t have coal put to our lips. Why? Because we have been born from above.

Yes, we were conceived in sin. Yes, we are by nature sinful and unclean, by nature creatures of wrath like the rest of mankind. Yes, we deserve to be cast into outer darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

But we are washed. We are sanctified. We are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. Just as Isaiah is declared righteous by the coal from the sacrifice on the altar, you and I (and Isaiah!) are made righteous by the sacrifice of Christ on the cross. There on the cross, Jesus has carried your sinful weight on his shoulders and born the weight of your flesh. He died in your place and was put in a tomb because of our rebellion and sin.

“And 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.” Just before Jesus dies, he cries out, “It is finished.” Only after all has been completed does he yield and hand over the Spirit. That Spirit descends at Pentecost and some 3,000 are born again; born from above.

Nicodemus leaves Jesus that night, but not before he is given more insight into who Jesus is. Jesus tells Nicodemus that not only does God love the world, but exactly how he loves the world: he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

We don’t know when Nicodemus began to trust in Jesus for his righteousness rather than himself. It may have been as he left that night. It may have been by the time he seeks a fair hearing for Jesus in John 7. It may have been during Jesus’ trial, for he is at the tomb with 75 pounds of myrrh and aloes.

What we do know is that Nicodemus believes and is not condemned. He is born of the Spirit. So are you. Baptized in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, you are washed clean in the blood of Christ. You are born not only of the flesh, but that flesh is redeemed in your birth by the Spirit. Look, therefore, to the cross. See your Savior hanging there suspended on the pole. Stay firm and believe that in him you have been saved. Amen.

Rev. Brent Keller
Peace Lutheran Church
Alcester, SD