Today’s Reading: John 3:1-17; Hebrews 11:1-12:2
Jesus often used something that could be easily understood to explain something harder to grasp. He did this when he was talking with Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader who was a Pharisee. Nicodemus had seen and heard of the miraculous signs that Jesus was doing and he believed them to be evidence that God was with Jesus (John 3:2). He saw God as the source of what Jesus was accomplishing.
NICODEMUS WAS STRUGGLING TO BELIEVE WHAT HE COULD NOT UNDERSTAND.
Jesus seemed to know that Nicodemus was struggling to understand. Without explaining why he had come to Jesus and why he had chosen after dark to do so, Jesus knew what Nicodemus was searching for and the decision he would have to make between darkness and light. Jesus went on to explain what needed to happen in order for Nicodemus to find what he was looking for – the Kingdom of God.
Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”
“What do you mean?” exclaimed Nicodemus. “How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?”
Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.” – John 3:3-8
HUMAN UNDERSTANDING VS. SPIRITUAL ENLIGHTENMENT
Not only was Nicodemus struggling to believe what he could not understand, he could not understand because he was struggling to believe. Does this sound like your own journey to faith? Does it remind you of the struggle a loved one or friend is currently in the midst of?
Nicodemus was a very intelligent man but this was going to require more than just head knowledge, this was going to require a response of the heart. Jesus knew Nicodemus was going to have to choose between remaining in the dark or stepping into the light. In order to do this, he was going to have to believe not only that God was with Jesus, but also that Jesus was sent by God.
“How are these things possible?” Nicodemus asked.
Jesus replied, “You are a respected Jewish teacher, and yet you don’t understand these things? I assure you, we tell you what we know and have seen, and yet you won’t BELIEVE our testimony. But if you don’t BELIEVE me when I tell you about earthly things, how can you possibly BELIEVE if I tell you about heavenly things? No one has ever gone to heaven and returned. But the Son of Man has come down from heaven. And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, so that everyone who BELIEVES in him will have eternal life.
“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.” – John 3:9-17
FAITH REQUIRES A RESPONSE OF THE HEART — A CHOICE TO BELIEVE.
If you want to experience the Kingdom of God, you are going to have to step out of the darkness and believe in who Jesus is. The price has already been paid – the Light of the World has already come to save us. We must choose to step into the light, allowing our sins to be exposed. When we come to Him believing, the Light of the World does not judge those sins but instead saves us from them.
I have friends who seek to understand the Bible and its spiritual truths, but they want to understand before they choose to believe. The problem is that understanding is not going to come as long as we choose to remain in the dark. It is in believing and stepping into the light, experiencing the re-birth of the Spirit, that spiritual truths begin to make sense. Understanding comes after the choice to believe.
And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him. – Hebrews 11:6
We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are. For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. – Romans 3:22-23
If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved. – Romans 10:9-10
Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you; if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith. – 2 Corinthians 13:5
And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. – Hebrews 12:1b-2a
And there it is. We need to respond to Jesus by believing, by having faith, even when we do not yet understand. But Jesus is willing to initiate and perfect our faith. We can pray for Jesus to give us the faith we need to believe. If we desire faith and pray for faith, Jesus will give us the faith we need to take the next step of faith. Praise Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith!
Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. – Hebrews 12:2 (KJV)
Jesus, I ask you to give me the faith I need to fully believe in you and the understanding I desire to fully embrace you. I pray for those who are struggling to understand who you are because they resist believing that you are who you say you are. I pray that you will use me in their lives as a reflection of your love and a source of your light. May they come to a saving knowledge of you because they chose to step out of the darkness and follow the light made visible through our lives. Amen.