John 3:1-17
1 Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. 2 He came to Jesus by night and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God." 3 Jesus answered him, "Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above." 4 Nicodemus said to him, "How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother's womb and be born?" 5 Jesus answered, "Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. 6 What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not be astonished that I said to you, "You must be born from above.' 8 The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit." 9 Nicodemus said to him, "How can these things be?" 10 Jesus answered him, "Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things? 11 "Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen; yet you do not receive our testimony. 12 If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. 14 And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. 16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. 17 "Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
Reflection - I want to know you, Jesus!
He came in the dark and left in the dark but was being led by the Light. Nicodemus came to Jesus in the dark of the night and in the darkness of his thoughts. Nicodemus came to Jesus with questions. Who are you Jesus? There is something different about you that I can't quite put my finger on. What are you up to? What's the deal with you, Jesus? These thoughts go through my mind and I wonder if the same thoughts were going through the mind of Nicodemus that evening.
I tend to question Jesus. I want to know more... so much more. I want to know about this man that I have not physically seen or touched. I want to know about Jesus and touch him and ask questions. I want to know Jesus! I want to know all about Jesus. After all... I have chosen to follow Jesus as his disciple. Jesus has called me out of sin and poured the waters of baptism over me and sealed me with the sign of the cross and called me and gifted me and set me in this world to follow him in his will and his way. So... I want to know you, Jesus!
I want to know Jesus in the darkness of my sin and in the dark times of my life. I want to know Jesus in when I sin and fall short of his will and his way. I want to know why Jesus loves me. I want to know why Jesus died for me. I want to know why Jesus chose me. I want to know what Jesus will do with such a sinner as myself. I want to know you, Jesus!
Like Nicodemus, I come to Jesus as my teacher. Yes, Jesus is my Teacher and I sit in the darkness of my sin and death to hear what Jesus has to say. And Jesus tells me to be born again or to be born from above. What's that all about? If I'm born again, then I must enter the darkness of the womb of my mother. But, I don't want to go back into darkness... I want Jesus to call me to his Light! But, does Jesus want me in the dark? Maybe it's in the darkness that Jesus chooses to show himself to me. Maybe it's in the darkness that I see my need for Jesus. So many questions! I want to know you, Jesus!
But what about being born from above. That I can handle. Yes, that's more like it Jesus! I think of the Light of heaven. I think of the eternal Light of God. That's a birth that calls me out of the darkness to a Light that I can bathe in for eternity. That's more like it Jesus! I want to know you, Jesus!
Born again, born from above, born anew... what a question mark you leave me with, Jesus! I know you want me to experience another birth... but how... why... what kind? I know you speak of something mysterious... something spiritual... something of another world... but I don't get it. Yes! I want to be born of the same spirit by which you came into this world. You left the Light of heaven to dwell in the darkness, the sin, the pain, the suffering, the illness, the persecution, the hunger, the death of this world... WHY? I want to know you, Jesus!
Is this the Spirit you speak of? Is this what you are speaking to me about as your Word proceeds through the darkness of the night and shows me a new life, a new Light, a new place of being with God? Is this the Kingdom of which you speak? Yes, Jesus, I want to be with you in this Kingdom! Yes, Jesus, I want to dwell with you in spirit! Yes, Jesus, I want to be with you. You build my faith so much that I have a passion. I have a passion of your love and your will and your way that I can't fulfill on my own. I want to know you, Jesus!
You want me to be born of water and the Spirit. Pour on the water Jesus! Pour on the Spirit! Yes, Jesus, Yes! I want to know you, Jesus!
Come to me in the darkness of night as I have come to you. Come to me in the darkness of my sin and come to me in the darkness of my death to myself and show yourself to me Jesus! Come to me Jesus! I want to know you, Jesus!
Let the wind blow where it wants. Let the wind of the Spirit blow new into my life. Let the wind of the Spirit blow all over the chaotic waters of my sinful, selfish life that I may live, yes be born again, born anew, born from above in you Jesus! I want to know you, Jesus!
I can't arrange for this Wind, this Spirit, this coming. As you have come to me in my life from above, may the Spirit come to me. May your Love come to me. May new life come to me and to all the people. Not only me, Jesus, but to all people. Yes! I want to know you, Jesus!
I can't ascend to this heavenly place with you Jesus, unless you descend into my darkness and give me a new birth. I can't ascend unless you descend into my sin and take me with you as a new born. I want to know you, Jesus!
Yes, Jesus, now I have faith! I know that you are the Light, the Will, the Way to a new birth and a new Kingdom and a new spirit within me. But... I want to know you, Jesus!
Then, Jesus, you punctuate this passage of Scripture. You place the !!! upon it all. God so loved the world! God so loved the world that you came! You came for all people! God so loved the world that you were given into the darkness of this world and the darkness of my life and the darkness of our sin to LIVE! You were given to die and to rise again and to LIVE! You came into this world not to condemn us and give us what I and we deserve. You came into this world to save us! I want to know you Jesus. Yes! I want to know you, Jesus!
How can I not leave you with this song... for... I want to know you, Jesus!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9Mii4o-ZTU
Prayer
God, how I want to know you! Father, Son, Spirit... I want to know you. I want to be bathed in your waters. I want to be blown away with the winds of your Spirit. I want to be created by you my Creator. I want to know you! For you are ALL... today... tomorrow... and forever. --- Amen
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