Prayer.
We will explore the passage and its main thoughts before returning to consider some
applications.
Jesus is in Jerusalem. Nicodemus visits.
He visits at night – maybe he was busy all day – or perhaps so people would not see him?
He calls Jesus a Rabbi. He then says ‘’we know you are a teacher who has come from God.’’ And so Jesus takes the opportunity and he begins to teach!
The Kingdom of God – the rule and reign of God – enters the conversation. First time in John. Yet it is only mentioned in this chapter and then again in John 18. But the sign above Jesus on the cross will be ‘’king of the Jews.’’
How can you see the kingdom? How can you be part of it? ‘’You must be born again’’, Jesus says – you – it is plural – you all must be.
There is no other way Jesus says.
And how? First he says, it is through the work of the Holy Spirit. Later Jesus talks about belief.
Jesus teaches: you need to be born of water and the Spirit. He describes spiritual birth, through being cleansed from sin, and that also means spiritual transformation. Jesus words remind us of the great promise in Ezekiel – 36v25-27. ‘’I will sprinkle clean water on you and you shall be clean and I will put my Spirit in you.’’ The time of that promise has come.
Yet twice Nicodemus says he doesn’t understand – HOW? he asks twice. He doesn’t try to pretend he gets it. He is confused.
Jesus mentions now the Son of Man – his favourite title for himself – the one who came from heaven. He says as Moses lifted up a snake, so the Son of Man must be lifted up. Due to judgement, snakes were sent by God among the Hebrews, yet God provided a solution. All who were bitten if they looked to a bronze snake, they would be healed – saved from sickness and death.
Jesus shares the plan ‘’the Son of Man must be lifted up.’’
Who benefits – everyone – everyone who looks to the Son, believes in him; and what do they receive – eternal life.
Then those tremendous words.
God loved the world.
So what?
So he showed his love in action by giving his only Son.
But a response is needed.
To believe. Ie not to do good deeds but to believe.
But who to believe in?
The Son of Man. In Jesus. To believe in God is not enough.
And there is a gift when we believe.
The gift we receive is eternal life.
But we perish if we do not believe. No third option provided by Jesus.
The word which describes what we get – is salvation.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world but to save the world through him.
Why does he do it – out of love.
What was the purpose – salvation.
Who can be saved – the whole world.
God’s action says, there is a need for salvation and there is no other way for salvation.
And that salvation is Jesus shaped.
Three questions in Lent.
How can I become a disciple?
And as a disciple what do I learn about being with Jesus and what it means to become like him?
How do I become a disciple.
It is all about Jesus.
It has been said Christianity is not about a religion; it is about a person.
And becoming a disciple is not about doing stuff, prayers, giving, going on a pilgrimage.
It is about belief.
Belief that he was lifted up – he died on a cross – for you and me.
That he is a saviour – your saviour – for there is no other way to receive eternal life.
And why do I need a Saviour? Well, scripture declares, that ‘’all have sinned and have fallen short of God’s glorious standard’ – all have sinned – everyone.
And so everyone needs salvation. And God offers everyone salvation. The call is to believe….
And how do I place my trust in Jesus? One way to express that desire can be to pray.
A possible prayer is: Thank you, sorry, please.
Thank you – for Jesus dying for me, for being my saviour;
sorry for leading a life independent of God – for a sinful life;
please – ask Jesus to come into your life, to place your trust in him…
You can pray that prayer by yourself, or you can pray it with someone else,
or you could ask our prayer ministry team to pray it with them…
Being with Jesus
Once a disciple, a goal we have is to be with Jesus.
So what do we learn, from Nicodemus being with Jesus.
Jesus is a teacher.
When we come to read the bible we pray and ask him to teach us.
Lord what do you want to teach me today.
Nicky Gumbel says : in his quiet times he nearly always begins by reading his Bible. He says why: ‘’I start by reading the Bible because I believe it’s more important that Jesus speaks to me than I speak to him.’’
But Nicodemus warns us.
Jesus may say things that we find hard to understand, confusing.
We look at his word and we just don’t get it.
Billy Graham looking back remembered, when asked if his faith every wavered.
He said ‘’ I remember that I went out into the woods, and I had my Bible with me and on sudden impulse I just opened the Bible. I don’t know where I opened it to. And I said ‘’Lord, I don’t understand all the things in this book, but I accept it as your word by faith. I can’t prove it. There are things I don’t understand. … But I accept it as your revelation to us.’’
We accept the Bible as God’s revelation.
But there may be confusing things we encounter like Nicodemus.
And like Nicodemus to be honest, not to pretend we have it, and continue to wrestle with, and often further insight will come.
Being with him – Jesus is a teacher. His Spirit lives in us, who will teach us all things he
promised.
We may find things hard to understand. We can be honest about that.
Becoming like him.
‘The Son of Man must be lifted up.’’ We know that means the cross. It also means Jesus knew that.
He was willing to serve others even if it was costly to him, he believed in sacrificial service.
He models not only sacrificial service but also obedience to the Father.
His life fitted into God’s plans.
Do we try and fit Jesus into our schedule or do we work our schedule around Jesus? Eugene Peterson said: ‘’God cannot fit into our plans, we must fit into his. We cannot use God – God is not a tool or appliance or credit card.’’
Becoming like him – in sacrificial service and obedience even when costly…
Shall we pray.
‘’Lord, help me through the power of your Holy Spirit, to understand the cross, to spend time with you learning, and to become increasingly like you in service and obedience. Amen.