November 5 - John 3-4: An Intense Conversation

John 3 records the exchange between Nicodemus, "a prominent leader among the Jews" and Jesus.  I keep re-reading these 21 verses.  I've known John 3:16 by memory since I was 6 years old, but this passage, taken in its entirety, is blowing me away.  It's intense.  Nicodemus keeps pressing Jesus for more understanding.  Jesus speaks "sober truth," revealing what it means to trust Him and "gain a real life, eternal life."  In this conversation, I hear Jesus' heart calling Nicodemus to into the light, into His life.  And I hear Nicodemus mentally wrestling with surrendering himself to these life-giving words that feel like they are threatening the life he knows and can manage.

First, Nicodemus states that He knows that Jesus is "straight from God" (3:1-2).  He mentally realizes that Jesus' words are different than any other teacher's words because they reveal God; and that His deeds also point to God.

"Notice that no miracle Jesus ever performed served His well-being, that no teaching He ever presented was designed to win populairty, and that in no conversation in which He ever engaged did He maneuver things to His advantage but always to Mine." (66LL)

Next, Jesus reveals the reality of the spirit and how our spirits must be "born from above," formed by the Spirit of God.  Again, in this gospel, we are seeing Jesus point to our inner life that, when we look to Jesus, "trusting and expectant, will gain a real life, eternal life" (3:15).  Nicodemus can't wrap his head around the abstraction and again asks, "what do you mean?", "how does this happen?" (3:9)

Then, Jesus tells how this rebirth, this renewal of our spirits is possible - through believing in Him.  He also tells us why God went to all this trouble.

God didn't go to all the trouble of sending His Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was.  He came to help, to put the world right again.  (3:17)

Finally, Jesus reveals  the obstruction to this perfect plan, the crisis He faces:

God-light streamed into the world, but men and women everywhere ran for the darkness.  They went for the darkness because they were not really interested in pleasing God.  Everyone who makes a practice of doing evil, addicted to denial and illusion, hates God-light and won't come near it, fearing a painful exposure.  (3:19-20)

We don't hear anything else from Nicodemus after this.  He was exposed and he had a choice to make:  Stay in the darkness and hang on to his denial and illusion that served him so well. Or, step into God's light and truth, finding that his exposure is covered by Christ's love.

But anyone working and living in truth and reality welcomes God-light so the work can be seen for the God-work it is. (3:21)

How different from Nicodemus am I?  Requiring full understanding before I surrender. Wanting to please my own sense of rightness. Desiring a clear set of principled steps to a fulfilled life more than wanting the whole life Christ offers. Denying that managing my own life is actually forfeiting my life in Christ. Avoiding the painful exposure of my sin of wanting satisfaction in something other than Him.

"Unbelievers do not see Christ as their greatest treasure.  neither do most believers.  We live as blind people, chasing after the light we can see - the satisfaction that blessings bring - and not valuing the light we cannot see - the glory of Christ."  (Crabb, The Pressure's Off)

[P.S.  Happy Birthday, Cici!]