This is the last in a 5 part series about Nicodemus....
At the beginning of Nicodemus' story, we are told that he came to Jesus by night - under the cloak of darkness (John 3:2). Now at the end of their time together, Jesus seems to bring this back up...
John 3:19-21 19 And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. 20 For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. 21 But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God."
I think two things are going on here. First, Jesus is telling Nicodemus that those who believe in Jesus and are born of the Spirit don't hide in the darkness. You don't become a follower of Jesus and keep it to yourself. You don't know the truth and hide it - if you are part of the light. In other words, Nicodemus has probably shown up at night because he doesn't want his students, other Jewish leaders, and especially other Pharisees to know he is talking with Jesus. Jesus is telling Nicodemus to step clearly into the light!
The second thing that I suspect is going on here is that Nicodemus belongs in the light... that his desire is to follow Jesus. We will see that he stands up for Jesus at the trial before Jesus' crucifixion (John 7). And we will see that Nicodemus will honor Jesus by providing a proper burial for Jesus after his crucifixion (John 19).
Those who desire to follow Jesus - who desire to be born of the Spirit, they will move out of the darkness and stand in the light to profess their desire. They will recognise the deeds they do in the darkness - deeds out of selfish desire (maybe in Nicodemus' case - a desire to protect his position in Jewish society) and want to shed them - desiring to step into the light where they can serve God instead.
What we learn in Jesus' encounter with Nicodemus is that God (out his love for us) has sent Jesus to reveal himself to us. Jesus was to do the work necessary on the cross to make our hearts clean. And the Holy Spirit will do the rest. For our part, Jesus calls us to follow him - to desire to step into the light.
Let the Holy Spirit transform you - not so you will go to heaven when you die - but so you might step out of the darkness and live in the eternal light now.
At the beginning of Nicodemus' story, we are told that he came to Jesus by night - under the cloak of darkness (John 3:2). Now at the end of their time together, Jesus seems to bring this back up...
John 3:19-21 19 And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. 20 For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. 21 But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God."
I think two things are going on here. First, Jesus is telling Nicodemus that those who believe in Jesus and are born of the Spirit don't hide in the darkness. You don't become a follower of Jesus and keep it to yourself. You don't know the truth and hide it - if you are part of the light. In other words, Nicodemus has probably shown up at night because he doesn't want his students, other Jewish leaders, and especially other Pharisees to know he is talking with Jesus. Jesus is telling Nicodemus to step clearly into the light!
The second thing that I suspect is going on here is that Nicodemus belongs in the light... that his desire is to follow Jesus. We will see that he stands up for Jesus at the trial before Jesus' crucifixion (John 7). And we will see that Nicodemus will honor Jesus by providing a proper burial for Jesus after his crucifixion (John 19).
Those who desire to follow Jesus - who desire to be born of the Spirit, they will move out of the darkness and stand in the light to profess their desire. They will recognise the deeds they do in the darkness - deeds out of selfish desire (maybe in Nicodemus' case - a desire to protect his position in Jewish society) and want to shed them - desiring to step into the light where they can serve God instead.
What we learn in Jesus' encounter with Nicodemus is that God (out his love for us) has sent Jesus to reveal himself to us. Jesus was to do the work necessary on the cross to make our hearts clean. And the Holy Spirit will do the rest. For our part, Jesus calls us to follow him - to desire to step into the light.
Let the Holy Spirit transform you - not so you will go to heaven when you die - but so you might step out of the darkness and live in the eternal light now.
April, you know that the subject of desire is one of my favorites! I am so glad you wrote about this element of the Nicodemus story. I think he teaches us that our desire does matter to God and that a good bit of spiritual growth occurs as a result of desire for God...not just obligation, knowledge, good works, beautiful ritual, etc. =)
ReplyDeleteHi Kate!! I thought about you as you wrote this. You were the one that first brought to my attention this beautiful concept of "desire"!
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