Feb 22: Searching for God
John 3:1-21TNIV from Biblegateway.com
1 Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.”
3 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born again.”
4 “How can anyone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”
5 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The 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? 11 Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. 12 I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? 13 No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. 14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. 19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 All those who do evil hate the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. 21 But those who live by the truth come into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.
Devotional Comments:
Shelly, a young Jewish girl who had been attending my church’s youth group, came to my office one evening and asked if she could have a conversation with me. “I’ve been thinking a lot about what it is you Christians believe and have some questions to ask you.” She was a modern Nicodemus, coming for answers under the cover of darkness.
Nicodemus is identified asa mender of the Sanhedrin. He is among a small group of 70 elite officials of the highest judicial and religious council of Israel. These scholars were so powerful they could put the King on trial or extend the boundaries of the Temple and Jerusalem. They were the ones who answered all questions of the law.
Jesus recognized in Nicodemus an earnest desire to know the truth. Imagine studying all your life to be among the elite and powerful only to be told that your theories are based completely upon false premises. The fortunate thing is when it comes to experience, we finally realize that life is not “about me.” God does not care what I know, but he cares about how I love.
Nicodemus is a symbol of a searcher for the truth about God and the ways of God. He was searching for the authentic voice of God. He came to Jesus under the cover of darkness, and later stood before the Jewish Council in broad daylight to speak for him. Such is the transformation when we hold authentic conversation with Jesus - even if it is to ask questions.
Robert Breitwieser
Pray for someone you know who is seeking the voice of God.