Musings on the Book of John

Truth Shared

BY CONNIE HECKER

JOHN 3:1-3 NIV, "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.' Jesus replied, 'Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.'"

Let there be no doubt. The religious rulers understood the signs. God was speaking to Israel after 400 years of silence. Four hundred years is 15 generations to forget the experiences of history. But those religious scholars had not given up their faith. God would speak again. So, when Jesus showed up, they showed up.

Nic (I like to call him that for short) - at night (pun intended) - addresses Jesus as “Rabbi.” Was Nic a seeker? Of what was he certain? He was certain that Jesus was a teacher and that God was with Jesus. Nic also used the words “we know,” showing that other members of the ruling council were also aware that the signs Jesus was doing proved that God was with him.

How does Jesus respond to Nic’s statement? Is he questioning Jesus? Challenging Him? Showing honor? Giving an appeal? Jesus skips over all the political implications of who Nicodemus represents and goes straight to Nic’s heart. Not distracted nor intimidated by Nic’s position of power, Jesus speaks directly to the man’s heart.

“Very truly” (or “listen up” in today’s terms) “Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

Nicodemus, a man of authority and power in both religious and political spheres, wanted to see the kingdom of God. Thus Jesus speaks to the man’s heart to save the man’s soul.

Do I do that when I share truth with a seeker? Do I allow myself to recognize the heart of the person who may be in a position of authority over me? Do I look with the heart of Jesus in order to notice a struggling soul?

Jesus declares truth and then waits for a response. Clearly, his words make no sense to Nicodemus.

Jesus gives Nicodemus time to contemplate, process, think, and even time to be confused. He gives pondering time: to seek understanding and choose how far to go in the desire for truth. Time tests sincerity. How much does Nic want to know?

Do I let others take time to seek, ponder, and commit to the search for truth? Am I living truth with such visibility that my connection with God speaks for itself and causes others to think?

Nic left his crowd to seek Jesus in His crowd.

Do I trust Jesus enough to leave my crowd, search out the truth, turn to Him for explanation and allow my mind to travel new paths of understanding? How much do I want to know? How far am I willing to go to understand? How much do I desire truth?

"Lord, let me follow you today. Please help me be willing to recognize others’ needs for you despite their uniform or position of authority, even over me. Let me be more like you, able to speak a clear word, not a diatribe, but a word of truth, and then be silent and wait as my listener’s heart responds. Father, when I, like Nicodemus, do not understand your plainly spoken truth, help me seek you, and lead me out of the ruts of my thinking, so that I may be renewed in my mind with new insight, new understanding and grow in my love and awe that I may trust in your loving, gentle ways. Amen."

Connie Hecker, MFA, is a Scenic Designer currently teaching at Liberty University. She is mom, stepmom, and grandmother to 13. Her “first career” was in interior and industrial design. Her “second” was as Manager of Operations and Maneuvers (note initials) in her extended family. Her ‘third’ is as a professor and she looks forwardto what God has in store as her “fourth” someday.