Corona Devo 3018

Up until the (approximately) 3 years of Jesus' public ministry, Pharisees were the authorities on God's Word and His ways.  Pharisees were the most learned men in religion, and they memorized, studied, and taught the Holy Scriptures first to themselves, and then to God's people. 

They were learned men, and they were disciplined in the continued study of God's Word.  Pharisees were smart and they were religious, and they believed what they read and learned in the first five Books of the Bible (the Torah) and in the writings of the Prophets.

But one of these educated Pharisees stole away under the curtain of night's darkness to find Jesus and to try to understand this new message that He was bringing.  Nicodemus was his name, and the Bible says that he  was a member of the Jewish ruling council.  He was very smart, but Nicodemis could not grasp the teachings that Jesus was proclaiming to the crowds in the city or on the hillside.  

Nicodemus listened, but his mind and intellect continued to ask the question, “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked (John 3:9).

~~~

Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. (2) 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.”  

(3) Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” 

(4) “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!”  

(5) Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. (6) Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. (7) You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ (8) 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.” 

(9) “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.  ~John 3:1-9

~~~

He couldn't get it.  Nicodemus knew the Law, and the Prophets, and he knew all about God.  But he did not (yet) know God.  He did not know yet what true faith and belief were.  And it will take true faith to accept who Jesus is and what He did for us.  

Why?  Because it makes no logical/reasonable/intelligible sense at all.  God's love for us and Jesus' sacrifice for us goes far beyond the human ability to reason or understand it.  

It made perfect sense for Nicodemus to ask, “How can be?”, because (without faith) we simply can't make the mental leap.  

“How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.  ~John 3:1

We might be asking the same question.  Maybe God sending His Son to die with His hands and feet punched onto a wooden cross has never made sense to us either.  

“How can this be?”, we wonder?

But Jesus tells us the same thing that He told Nicodemus.  We can't just be Bible book-smart, we must also have roots of faith.  These will be what tether us to God's truth.  It can't just be knowledge.  Knowledge will only take us so far, and then faith must step in, if we are to understand these things.

Jesus explains to Nicodemus just how much God loved the world...and how much God loved Him.  But it would take faith to accept this.

(10) “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? (11) 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.

(12) I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? (13) No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. (14) Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, (15) that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.” 

(16) 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. (17) For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. (18) 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.  ~John 3:10-18

In these eight verses (John 3:10-18), Jesus uses the word "believe" seven times.  Seven times.

Jesus said that to Nicodemus the educated and learned man years ago, and Jesus says it to us today: Do we believe?  Believing is the main requirement of faith in God.  We won't be able to explain it all...but will we believe it?

The words of Jesus can almost sound like a riddle, and some will be left asking, “How can this be?” .

Or...we can receive the words and truth of Jesus with faith, and then all of it makes sense.  

Lord, You were lifted up on the cross and then lifted up from death.  You heal us.  You save us from our sin.  You are the doorway to eternal life, if we will look upon You.

How can this be? 

Nicodemus asked.  We ask it too.  But ultimately we must take You on faith, Lord.  Our education, our insight, and our understanding cannot get us to You, Lord...only faith can. 

“How can this be?”, people ask.

“How can this be?”, people mock.

But faith in God requires that we believe.

I believe. 

This house believes.

But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”  ~Joshua 24:15

Blessings, 

sarah 

https://sarahsundy04.blogspot.com