Today we are continuing our conversation through the book of John. John is written with a clear objective.
Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
John 20:30-31
It is important to read deeply into John. He uses hyperlinks, or themes and references that are pointing to other moments in Scripture. He uses repetition, stating and illustrating things over and over again in order to make a point and draw attention. He uses themes, like water, light and dark, fruit, bread, and being washed.
John is not focused on writing a history book. While it is history, he is focused on sharing stories that build in a process moving towards his objective. John’s writings are to be processed, questioned, and talked about, not just simply heard.
Today we turn the page to John 3 and a moment where Nicodemus, a religious authority, has a personal interaction with Jesus. He seems rather starstruck, which is defined as fascinated or greatly impressed by famous people.
Who would you be starstruck in seeing?
If given the chance to speak with them, what would you say?
Nicodemus, a Pharisee, comes to see Jesus at night. One thing that is important to understand about John’s writing is that “at night” is an important signal.
Here are a couple of examples:
As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work.
John 9:4
Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Anyone who walks in the daytime will not stumble, for they see by this world’s light. It is when a person walks at night that they stumble, for they have no light.”
John 11:9-10
In John, darkness indicates the absence of light--the absence of eternal life--and darkness refers to death, spiritually.
Those who walk in darkness (literally, in his stories) do not have eternal life because they are unknown to God. The only way to receive "life" is to be known in the light through God and His promises. Jeus is the light that takes away the darkness.
When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
John 8:12
John is building a multilayered perspective in order to deepen understanding.
Now, to grasp what is happening in chapter 3, we need to back up to the end of chapter 2. Remember that chapter breaks are not part of the writing--they can artificially divide something that was supposed to be together.
Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, many people saw the signs he was performing and believed in his name. But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people. He did not need any testimony about mankind, for he knew what was in each person.
John 2:23-25
People were seeing the signs of Jesus and were rallying to Him. But Jesus didn’t entrust Himself to them. It looked like this, for example:
Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. 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.”
John 3:1-2
What are some of the dangers of zeal and ignorance coming together?
So it is at night, and there is the aspect of being starstruck. And then there is another thing that John does that can be a little confusing if you are not looking for it. John often shares dialogue in narrative as a window as to what is happening inside of the person.
We generally communicate with a lot of filters. We work hard to show what we want to be seen. But John strips that away and interactions are a window into the internal.
Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. 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.”
John 3:1-2
He came at night--he didn’t “get it.” And he said, we have been talking about it, you must come from God--cool.
What happens when a relationship with Jesus doesn't go any deeper than “he is pretty cool or impressive”?
Jesus responds:
Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”
John 3:3
“Born again” would have been a new phrase to Nicodemus, and he clearly didn't understand it. This phrase “born again” is a two-meaning phrase. It’s “born anōthen”: to be born again or to be born from above/from heaven.
Nicodemus doesn’t get it. He responds:
“How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”
John 3:4
Jesus realizes that Nicodemus missed it. No, no--not mom--but born from above.
Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ 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.”
John 3:5-8
And Nicodemus, at night, not getting it, starstruck and full of eagerness, is still hearing born from mom again.
“How can this be?” Nicodemus asked. Now Jesus responds with some emotion.
“You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? 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. I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”
John 3:9-15
There’s a hyperlink here that needs to be followed a little: Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness. This was a moment of grumbling, of God’s wrath, and yet a moment of God’s provision and grace and a moment where action or obedience was tied to grace.
They traveled from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea, to go around Edom. But the people grew impatient on the way; they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!” Then the Lord sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died. The people came to Moses and said, “We sinned when we spoke against the Lord and against you. Pray that the Lord will take the snakes away from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. The Lord said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived.
Numbers 21:4-9
There is so much going on in this Numbers 21 passage. The layers and complexity are something John would have spent a lot of time contemplating as a part of his cultural and religious background as a Jew, and now as a follower of Jesus too.
John’s perspective would have been something like this: We are God’s people. We have a covenant relationship with God to be a blessing to all peoples. We were in slavery in Egypt, oppressed and feeling forgotten. God delivered us from our slavery. We wandered in the wilderness. God provided manna, water, direction, and protection. He preserved us. We grumbled. God sent snakes and many of us died. There was a collective moment where we repented. God gave and instruction to make a bronze snake and we looked at it--an active process--and those who had been bitten were healed.
Feel this. We are God’s people. We all fail and fall short in relationship with God. We can repent. We have been called to look to Jesus and be saved.
What is the impact of looking to Jesus?
Process this as you think about what we’ve talked about today: Nicodemus. The bronze serpent in the wilderness. Being born from above.
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. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 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. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.
John 3:16-21
Again, this is not a moment to “get the right answer.” What does process look like with this? In the context of everything we’ve talked about, what is John getting at here? What do we need to be aware of as we process these verses that might feel really familiar and easy to just recite and then move past?
What process and invitation to process do you see in John’s writing?
Nicodemus had the experience of being a bit startstruck by Jesus. He seemed to be a zealous man, and maybe even for the right reasons. I mean he was willing to come to meet with Jesus at night so he could learn. Many of the leaders wouldn’t have done that.
And yet he’s largely ignorant of who Jesus is to some extent and to what this whole concept of being born from above was.
Unlike Nicodemus, we do have a clear picture of a part of who Jesus really is through John’s writing.
We don’t have to be starstruck by him and just hope to get his autograph. We don’t have to be afraid of his condemnation or his wrath. Condemnation literally isn’t a tool that Jesus has in his toolbelt.
We are invited by John to process this Jesus who came into the world to give eternal life. Not to condemn the world, but to save the world through Himself.
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.
Romans 8:1-2
Again, Corner Church doesn’t exist for us to come together to get all the right answers. We’re here to be able to engage with ideas and process things and work through messy things, and we have the opportunity to grow and learn and create as a community.
What do you feel the invitation to process more today?
Maybe it’s a word or a concept. Maybe it’s the whole idea of being born of the Spirit. Maybe it’s processing how condemnation isn’t part of salvation and relationship with God. Maybe it’s zeal and ignorance and that conversation. Whatever it is, I encourage you to step into that process this morning.
What do you feel the invitation to process more today?
Take It Deeper Questions
Read John 3:16-21
What was scripture to you when you were young?
Why is John 3:16 such a popular Bible verse?
What is the simplest explanation of John’s words?
What are the complexities (elements that call for faith) that still are present in that simplest explanation?
If John’s words were meant to be contemplated, meditated on, processed… What do you need to think more about?
How are you challenged, focused, confused and/or encouraged by John’s words?
Bible Reading Plan
Genesis 42
Genesis 43
Genesis 44
Genesis 45
John 11
John 12