SUNDAY SERMON: For God so loved…
By Rev. Stephen Baldwin
NT: John 3.1-17
Somebody asked me what my biggest pet peeve was recently. I said how much time do you have? Because I’ve got several. Can I get an Amen?
Anybody want to share your pet peeves? Tell us what drives you crazy! Here are mine: Loud chewing–chomp, chomp, chomp…drives me crazy! People talking on speakerphone in public–you’re in the dairy aisle at WalMart, wait until you get back to your truck to call your doctor’s office about your fluid pills. Getting unsolicited advice–if I trusted your judgment, I’d ask for it.
And saving the biggest one for last–insincerity. When someone tries to pull the wool over my eyes, I cannot stomach it. People pretending to be someone they are not is my biggest pet peeve. That’s the reason I was such a bad politician.
And it’s also the reason why, when I read today’s scripture, my internal alarms went off. Was Nicodemus being sincere when he came to visit Jesus?
Do you think he came as a friend? Did Nicodemus, the religious leader being challenged by Jesus, really consider him a “Rabbi”? Did he honestly want his advice? Did he come to him in the dark of night because they had a relationship he wanted to protect? Did he mean it when said he knew Jesus was sent by God?
The traditional view of today’s story in the Christian tradition is that Nicodemus was sincere. For fun, I decided to ask AI if Nicodemus was sincere. It analyzed the story and responded: Yes, Nicodemus was sincere and probably a quiet follower of Jesus.
Maybe I’m just a contrarian. Maybe I don’t trust AI. Maybe I am researching Biblical conspiracy theories for an exciting new Sunday School series. But it made me question, “What if Nicodemus wasn’t sincere?”
What if he called Jesus “Rabbi” to try and trick him into a trusting encounter? What if this is another temptation story, where an accuser tries to get close to him when he’s alone and lead him astray? What if all his questions were a way to put Jesus down and make him question his beliefs?
After praying about these questions for a few days this week, I realized I have been watching too many crime shows on Netflix. Because whether Nicodemus is sincere or not doesn’t matter. Jesus’ message is still the same.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.
Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world but in order that the world might be saved through him.”
He brought that message to his closest followers and his worst enemies. And he would’ve said the same thing to Nicodemus whether he was sincere or not. Because this story isn’t really about Nicodemus. It’s about Jesus, yes. But it’s not just about Jesus. It’s really about God’s deep love for the world through Jesus.
Our pet peeves may limit our viewpoints and keep us from loving certain people in certain situations. I know mine certainly do, and that’s something I’m working on all the time.
God isn’t bound in those ways; God’s love knows no limits. Verses 16-17 make it clear that God sent Jesus not to judge but to save, not to condemn but to love, not to perish but live.
I don’t know whether Nicodemus came as a friend to Jesus in today’s reading. But I do know that when Jesus died, Nicodemus helped bury him. John 19 tells us Nicodemus wrapped his body in linen and spices as was customary at the time. Which to me says that the love of God saved Nicodemus, one way or another.
For God so loved the world, that nothing could escape it. For God so loved the world, that everything was affected by it. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only son, not to condemn the world, but to save it. One way or another, Nicodemus is a small and significant example that the love of God can change people. Remember that when people have gotten on your pet peeve’s last nerve. Remember that when it seems like we’re too divided to ever be united again. Remember that when the world goes to war, again. Remember that when you’re not sure how you can make a difference. Remember…for God so loved the world. Amen.
