I have prepared a Bible Study to present at
the church convention of our Northwest District of our Lutheran denomination on
Saturday, June 11. My assignment is to
study Nicodemus, and see how God worked in the person of Jesus to bring love,
and to give purpose to Nicodemus. As I
have studied the accounts of Jesus’ interactions with Nicodemus in the Bible
(John 3:1-21, John 7:45-53, and John 19:38-40), I have discovered that in many
ways Nicodemus was clueless about who Jesus was and about how God was
working.
The only recorded conversation between Jesus
and Nicodemus is found in the first 21 verses of John 3. Nicodemus was an educated man. He took His faith seriously and was part of
the sect of “Pharisees.” The Pharisees are usually described as people who exhaustively studied God’s Word and tried vigorously to keep God’s law. The Bible often portrays Pharisees as men who are
sure of their own righteousness before God, because they trust their own keeping
of the law. And, Nicodemus was not only
a Pharisee, he was a member of the Jewish ruling council, the Sanhedrin. He was one of 70 men who ruled the nation in
religious and community matters. In
other words, Nicodemus was an important, educated man.
Yet, for being educated and accomplished,
Nicodemus is full of questions. He seems to have trouble understanding Jesus’
answers. Nicodemus first question to
Jesus is about who Jesus is. "Rabbi,
we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs
that you do unless God is with him." (John 3:2) Nicodemus and other religious leaders
have seen the miracles and signs Jesus has performed. They want to know who Jesus is and how He
performs these miracles. They should
know about the coming Messiah, but they don’t understand Jesus.
Jesus responds
to Nicodemus and explains about why He is performing His miracles. He explains in a way that affects Nicodemus personally. "Truly,
truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of
God." (John 3:3) Jesus teaches
Nicodemus that a person needs new life, life in the Spirit, the life of faith
given by the Lord Himself, in order to enter the kingdom of God. And, the reason Jesus came was to usher in
the kingdom of God.
Nicodemus
is caught off guard by Jesus’ answer, and goes from one question to
another. "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time
into his mother's womb and be born?" (John 3:4) Nicodemus does not understand the idea of new life in God and
thinks of the physical birth he experienced when an infant. He is lost.
So, Jesus responds with more explanation. "Truly,
truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot
enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is
flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not
marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.' 8 The wind
blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it
comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the
Spirit." (John 3:5-8)
New life comes in baptism. New
life comes when God’s Spirit works faith in our hearts. This life of faith, this life of the spirit,
is a mystery. Actually, Jesus gives
Nicodemus a way out of his conundrum. Jesus
is telling Nicodemus that often people do not understand the ways of God.
But this Pharisee, this educated leader,
doesn’t want to be in the dark. He asks
a third question, "How can these things be?" (John 3:9).
Therefore, Jesus lays out the truth of Nicodemus’ own spiritual
blindness. "Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these
things? 11 Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and
bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. (John
3:10-11) Jesus tells Nicodemus that He
ought to know about the life of faith, but this Pharisee who trusts his own
righteousness has refused to hear what Jesus has been teaching. Nicodemus’ lack of understanding, to a
certain extent, lies with himself.
Again, Nicodemus is “clueless.”
On Monday I went golfing in Palmer with my
son, Andrew, and my friends, Pastor Tony Schultz and his wife, Ronelle. As I finished on the first hole I swung my
putter to put it into my bag. But, somehow I hit myself in the mouth with my
putter, breaking a tooth. I texted my
wife, “I’m a dummy.” Two weeks earlier I
needed repair on the tooth next to the one I had just broken while golfing. I chipped the first tooth biting on fishing
line. These dental repairs are expensive! How can I be so accident prone? I felt “clueless,” like Nicodemus.
Being again reminded of my own lack of
wisdom, I find comfort in Nicodemus. I’m
thankful that Jesus taught, “The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its
sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with
everyone who is born of the Spirit." We don’t always understand how God works.
I am thankful that Jesus taught, "For
God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him
should not perish but have eternal life.”
(John
3:16) God gives hope in Jesus in spite of our failings. We don’t earn eternal life. God gives love and life as a gift, through
faith, in Jesus. I am also thankful
that Jesus taught Nicodemus, and encourages me, “For God
did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the
world might be saved through him.” (John 3:17)
If God were to hold me totally accountable for all my foolishness, and my
sin, I’m not only clueless, I’m lost and hopeless. But, in Jesus God has mercy. Our Heavenly Father puts our sin on Jesus so
that, in mercy, we have eternal life.
Jesus came, not to judge me, but to save me, if I will receive it.
My dentist,
Dr. Lindstrom, fixed one of my teeth for the second time in 3 weeks. She advised me against another similar visit in
the near future. If I’m foolish, I know
she is there. But, I am trying hard to be more careful.
Nicodemus listened to what Jesus told Him in
John 3, and later stood up for Jesus in John 7:50-51. Nicodemus came to believe in Jesus, and in
the end helped to take Jesus’ dead body off the cross, bringing costly spices
for His Lord’s lifeless body in John 19:38-40.
In other words, Nicodemus learned to trust the love and mercy of His
Savior, Jesus, instead trusting of himself.
I know I can be careless and “clueless.”
I am thankful for the love and mercy of Jesus in my life!
A Child of God, Thankful that When I am
Foolish and Clueless, Jesus is Merciful and Trustworthy!
Pastor Jonathan
P.S. St. John is again hosting the town of Palmer
for the Colony Days Picnic on
Saturday, June 11, after the parade. The
meal begins at noon. We have multiple
leaders for each of 5 areas of service. PLEASE SIGN UP on the signup sheets in
the back of the narthex at church if you can help cook, in the kitchen, serving
food and ice-cream, setting up and taking down, or march and participate in the
parade. J
P.P.S.
UVALDE – Many congregations are sending letters
of comfort, condolence, and hope to the families affected, in the care of
Trinity Lutheran Church. We know from experience that, at times like this,
one never receives too many words of condolence. If you wish to do so the address is below.
Trinity
Lutheran Church
762 N. Getty St.
Uvalde, TX 78801
*Rev. Mark
Tews is their pastor
How Else Can
You Help? Financial donations are very
helpful. Trinity Lutheran Church in Uvalde has indicated that this is the best
way to help at this time. 100% of every gift will go to help with the many
needs families and victims are experiencing. Trinity, Uvalde, TX, is partnering
with the Texas District of the LCMS to receive and distribute these donations. Read here for
more details.
P.P.P.S.
IT has been a busy time. I
attended a Workers’ Conference in Fairbanks May 24-26, and then was at a grave
side committal in Anchorage on Friday, May 27, celebrated the Wedding of Ethan
and Layla on Saturday, May 28, and then preached at Funny River Community
Lutheran on Sunday, May 29. But, I did
find time for a little fishing, gardening, and golfing. J
·
Here are pictures from Ethan and Layla’s
wedding. https://photos.app.goo.gl/PyPZRy24PZ3DMyEN6
·
Our garden is planted, and we are working on our
flower beds. https://photos.app.goo.gl/vAH9CzJW1HNMn4xC9
·
I went fishing on Chena Hot Springs Road with
Pastor Bill Hilgendorf on Wednesday, May 25.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/CAtrkNx5JXyaoNh16
*****
ABOUT
THIS DEVOTION - I retired at the end of August 2019 from serving as senior
pastor of St. John Lutheran Church in Palmer, AK. I was writing a weekly
devotion previously entitled, "Thoughts from the Pastor."
When I retired many asked me to continue writing these devotions. So I
have continued writing. However, with life's changes I now call this
weekly devotion "Journeys Through Life as a Child of God." Since
I am no longer senior pastor at St. John, I felt it right to only send
this message to those who asked to receive it. (Though I am now serving
again part-time at St. John as assistant to the pastor.)
So, if you stopped receiving these devotions and wondered why, now you
understand. And, if you are now receiving these devotions and do not wish
to receive them, please let me know, and I’ll gladly remove your name from my
distribution list. My e-mail address is jonrock53@mtaonline.net.
My
prayer is that these devotions help each of you in your daily walk with our
Lord, Jesus.
*******
Jonathan Rockey
Child of God
Husband, Father, Son, Grandfather
Emeritus, St. John Lutheran Church
E-Mail: jonrock53@mtaonline.net
“1 John 3:1 How great is the love the
Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that
is what we are!” (1 John 3:1a)
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