A Soccerdad’s Love

Saturday, February 2, 2008 Nicodemus Embraces The Condition for Peace with God

The response of this respected leader to the condition Jesus outlined to peace with God has lessons for us. Max Lucado’s book, 3:16 …The Numbers of Hope is very much worth reading. Each person will draw different things from the book.

The book causes me to go to John 3 and read the conversation between Nicodemus and Jesus for myself.. and allow God to speak to my heart the way He clearly has spoken to the heart of Mr. Lucado. Great devotionals are far more than reviewing an intellectual assessment of the scriptures. Great devotionals provide a wonderful opportunity to see how the heart of another man is moved by the words of the Bible as he thinks and ponders on its meaning for his personal life. We have the privilege of reading the thoughts and expressions that are placed on his heart.

Jesus had just said, “I assure you” to underscore the next thought he would share. Jesus then communicates, “Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kindom of God.” (John 3:3).

Nicodemus responds, “But how can anyone be born when he is old?” (John 3:4)… then Nicodemus asks another question.. yes, two (2) questions back to back, “Can he enter his mother’s womb a second time and be born”. (John 3:4).

Nicodemus may or may not have understood the spiritual dimensions of the response of Christ. Yet, the one thing is clear, Nicodemus embraced, fully embraced the condition that Jesus outlined to have peace with God. It is noteworthy he did not give the line of thought of the Pharisees to having peace with God… nor did he share the thoughts of so many that he tried his best to be a good man, and to live a life as consistent as he could by the scriptures. The role of Nicodemus as a public figure was to teach folks the way to peace to God and how one can be right with God.. in short, how one becomes a Christian.

Yet, Nicodemus put all those reasons that he personally believed or that he taught as a ruler to the side. Instead, he embraced, totally embraced, the condition that Christ outlined to peace with God. He did not offer another plan or way to be at peace with God. And later in this conversation Christ would address this condition from a different angle when he shared, “For God so Loved the World, that He gave His one and only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him, should not perish, but shall have everlasting life.” (John 3:16).

Friday, January 18, 2008 - “The Great Conversation… Great Men Have Great Qualities”

During my quiet time this morning, I thought more about the public figure and respected leader (Nicodemus) visiting Jesus at the home where Jesus was staying.

There must have been tension in the air when Nicodemus entered the home. Those present realized that a leader from the religious establishment had paid a highly unusual visit. By this time, Jesus had already referred to the religious establishment as hypocrites. Jesus had thrown a temper fit when he saw individuals selling goods for exorbitant prices in the synagogue.. the church of the day. It could not have sat well with the establishment when Jesus kicked those folks out of the temple.

Max Lucado, in his book, 3:16 . . . Words of Hope, was correct in describing the atmosphere in the home, “The noisy room silences as he [Nicodemus] enters.” (p.4) Those present also recognized that the visit from this respected, public figure of the religious establishment was out of the norm and unique. There was understandable tension. Each man in the room must have wondered silently if the tension that existed between Christ and the religious establishment was about to intensify.

There also may have been inner thoughts about what Nicodemus would say. Even thought Jesus had referred to the religious establishment as hypocrites, Nicodemus was considered a man of character whose life mirrored his words. It was a meeting of two (2) men of character who each had followers. One was a public figure who broke tradition by paying a visit to a man who had been highly critical of the establishment he represents.

There are sincere men and men of character and integrity in virtually every field of life. Nicodemus exhibited great character in this visit to talk to Jesus. His fellow leaders would have disapproved. Certainly, Nicodemus could have sent a message for Jesus to meet him somewhere in private. Clearly, Nicodemus knew that each word he shared, and each word shared by Jesus would be heard by those present and shared in private circles.

Indeed, one would think that Nicodemus asked a trusted friend to find out where Jesus was spending the nite so he could visit Jesus. Those who were confidants of Nicodemus must have also wondered why Nicodemus was paying this visit to a man who had had been critical of the religious establishment.

Yet, it must have been silently believed by the confidants of Nicodemus and the followers of Christ that two (2) men of great character, both leaders in religious communities in tension with the other, were about to dialogue face to face… and one man (Nicodemus) risked damage to his career and reputation, and certainly would be the subject of many questions and scrutiny, by initiating this private meeting.

This is the setting for the verse (John 3:16) that is often quoted in whole or in part. Today, that verse is often used in public or private preaching about becoming a Christian. While the verse certainly speaks to that subject, the context of the verse is a meeting in private, at nite, between two (2) individuals of great character who represented communities at odds with each other.

At this point, the words of John 3:16 had not been spoken and no one knew what would be shared between Nicodemus and Jesus. This is the setting behind the verse, John 3:16, “For God so Loved the World, that He gave His one and only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him, should not perish, but shall have everlasting life.”

My hope is that you guys.. Jonah, Josh & Joel, will seek out and spend time with great men whose lives are led, despite imperfection, in an attempt, to mirror their convictions.

Dad