Life Talk Devotion 07/11/2024
These are the radical words from the Gospel of John Chapter 3 spoken by Jesus Christ to the religious leader, Nicodemus, during their secret meeting. These are also the words that turned the world of that devout Jewish priest up-side-down. All that He knew and understood about God and truth up until that moment were set in question because of this encounter with Jesus Christ.
Nicodemus was part of the ruling religious elite known as the Pharisees in the 1st century Jerusalem. His life centered around a set of religious laws and traditions rigorously adhered to and perpetuated by the governing council known as the Sanhedrin. Nicodemus would have been groomed in those traditions and rules from the time of his youth. They were his path to righteousness before God and his means to honoring the religion of his fathers. But Jesus’ words and conversation not only shook the life of Nicodemus but also subsequently rocked what it meant to believe and follow God for all mankind.
The little we know of Nicodemus from the New Testament Gospel accounts show him to be a seeker of truth; more-so than his counterparts. Seeing the signs and miracles of Jesus compelled him to seek an audience with this One who was captivating the hearts of the people. He must have wondered to himself “Is this miracle worker the Messiah and deliverer the Jews have been long anticipating?”. It is the burning question upon his heart.
As they meet, Nicodemus greets Jesus with the sincere but probing statement “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.” seeking for Jesus to confirm or deny the truth of the burning question. But instead of responding as Nicodemus hoped, Jesus changes the discourse and leads Nicodemus to think differently.
Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 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?”
Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 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.”
These are not easy words for Nicodemus to accept and with that he replies “How can these things be?”. The pursuit of God has been Nicodemus’ life which Jesus is now telling him has been off target.
Jesus reveals to Nicodemus that the way of eternal life is not a work of man which he accomplishes by ritual tradition and religious rules. But rather, Jesus unveils that eternal life is a work of God which begins in the heart of man through faith in the Son of Man, Jesus Christ. Jesus succinctly layout that path for Nicodemus next:
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. (John 3:16-18)
Jesus’ words are a call to think differently about God and eternal life. He is declaring that it is by faith in Him and His redemptive work of death on the cross that is the only means to eternal life. You also may ask “How can these things be?” but that is where faith in One greater than yourself is realized.
Ultimately Nicodemus received the answer to the burning question. Maybe, it is time to think about things differently.
If you desire to know how to have a relationship by faith with Jesus Christ – Check out “Finding Faith in Jesus Christ”.
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