Daily Lectionary Readings
Psalm 119: 49-72
Deuteronomy 9:13-21
Hebrews 3:12-19
John 2:23-3:15
John 2:23-3:15
New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society
23Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many people saw the miraculous signs he was doing and believed in his name. 24But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all men. 25He did not need man's testimony about man, for he knew what was in a man.
John 3
Jesus Teaches Nicodemus
1Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2He came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him."
3In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."
4"How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!"
5Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. 6Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.' 8The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit."
9"How can this be?" Nicodemus asked.
10"You are Israel's teacher," said Jesus, "and do you not understand these things? 11I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. 12I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? 13No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. 14Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.
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I have always found this text to be interesting. To me it points out the divide that often exists between what we think we know about God and what we truly know about God. In this story we are introduced to Nicodemus. We learn that he is a Pharisee and a member of the ruling council. Thus, he was just not an ordinary man on the street. He was versed in the Law of Moses and knew the Scriptures. We also learn that he is a man that has an open mind. He comes to Jesus, albeit, under the cover of darkness and begins a conversation with him on matters of the Spirit. We quickly learn, however, that there is a world of difference between what he knew and what he thought he knew.
Ultimately, Jesus says to him, "You are Israel's teacher and you do not understand these things?" No--he did not understand. His spiritual eyes were still closed to God's plan through Jesus.
I sometimes think that many of us are like Nicodemus. We think we understand the Bible. We think we have a good prayer life. We think we do the things that God expects us to do. We think that we know God' s plan for our lives. Yet, if we could have a talk with Jesus the way that Nicodemus did, most of us would see how much we really don't know or don't understand.
What about you? Do you truly know Jesus Christ, or do you simply put on a good show? Think about it.
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Prayer: Lord, help open our spiritual eyes and let us truly see Jesus for who he is and what he is for us.
Psalm 119: 49-72
Deuteronomy 9:13-21
Hebrews 3:12-19
John 2:23-3:15
John 2:23-3:15
New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society
23Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many people saw the miraculous signs he was doing and believed in his name. 24But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all men. 25He did not need man's testimony about man, for he knew what was in a man.
John 3
Jesus Teaches Nicodemus
1Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2He came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him."
3In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."
4"How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!"
5Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. 6Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.' 8The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit."
9"How can this be?" Nicodemus asked.
10"You are Israel's teacher," said Jesus, "and do you not understand these things? 11I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. 12I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? 13No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. 14Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.
----------
I have always found this text to be interesting. To me it points out the divide that often exists between what we think we know about God and what we truly know about God. In this story we are introduced to Nicodemus. We learn that he is a Pharisee and a member of the ruling council. Thus, he was just not an ordinary man on the street. He was versed in the Law of Moses and knew the Scriptures. We also learn that he is a man that has an open mind. He comes to Jesus, albeit, under the cover of darkness and begins a conversation with him on matters of the Spirit. We quickly learn, however, that there is a world of difference between what he knew and what he thought he knew.
Ultimately, Jesus says to him, "You are Israel's teacher and you do not understand these things?" No--he did not understand. His spiritual eyes were still closed to God's plan through Jesus.
I sometimes think that many of us are like Nicodemus. We think we understand the Bible. We think we have a good prayer life. We think we do the things that God expects us to do. We think that we know God' s plan for our lives. Yet, if we could have a talk with Jesus the way that Nicodemus did, most of us would see how much we really don't know or don't understand.
What about you? Do you truly know Jesus Christ, or do you simply put on a good show? Think about it.
----------
Prayer: Lord, help open our spiritual eyes and let us truly see Jesus for who he is and what he is for us.
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