17. Nicodemus Part 2
Prayer
Heavenly Father, grant us, today, Your Word of eternal life to nourish our souls. Open our spiritual eyes, ears, hearts, and minds, so we may grasp the truths of the Spirit. Communicate with us in the unique way that only You can, through the Holy Spirit. Help us to discern Your guidance and wisdom amidst the distractions of the world. Fill us with peace and strength as we seek to follow Your path each day., in Jesus' name, Amen.
John 3:8-15
John 3:8, The wind blows where it wants to, and you hear its sound, but don’t know where it comes from and where it is going. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.
Reflection
A compelling comparison can be drawn between wind and the Spirit, as both are represented by the same Greek word pneuma. Just like the wind, whose movements elude our predictions, the workings of the Holy Spirit are equally unfathomable. The wind remains an unseen force—mighty, enigmatic, and genuine—mirroring the nature of the Holy Spirit. When your spiritual sensitivity is heightened, you can truly feel the presence of the Holy Spirit. Moreover, the transformative power of the Holy Spirit becomes evident through the profound testimonies of lives changed by His influence.
John 3:9-10, Nicodemus answered him, How can these things be? Jesus answered him, Are you the teacher of Israel, and don’t understand these things?
Reflection
Nicodemus, still rooted in his earthly mindset, was thinking in worldly terms, while Jesus conveyed profound spiritual insights. A person who has not undergone spiritual renewal cannot grasp the essence of spiritual truths.
1 Corinthians 2:14, But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
John 3:11-13, Most certainly I tell you, we speak that which we know, and testify of that which we have seen, and you don’t receive our witness. If I told you earthly things and you don’t believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven but he who descended out of heaven, the Son of Man, who is in heaven.
Reflection
The Greek phrase for very truly is amen, amen, conveying utmost certainty. The use of the plural pronoun we alludes to the Holy Trinity. Jesus used everyday images like childbirth, water, and wind to explain spiritual concepts, but Nicodemus found them difficult to understand. No one has ascended to Heaven except for Jesus Christ, who descended from there. His coming down signifies His pre-existence, as stated in John 1:1. The title Son of Man serves as a Messianic designation for Jesus, referenced in Daniel 7:13.
John 1:1, in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Daniel 7:13, In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence.
John 3:14-15, As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
Reflection
The bronze serpent that Moses raised in the desert, as God commanded in Numbers 21:9, foreshadows Jesus Christ. The phrase lifting up the Son of Man refers to Jesus’ crucifixion. Like the Israelites were healed by looking at the bronze serpent, you can find salvation by turning to Jesus.
Jesus willingly sacrificed Himself on the cross to redeem you from the consequences of your sins. If you look to Him in faith and truly believe, you will be saved. He stands as the substitutionary atonement for you and your sins. If you visit Mount Nebo in Jordan today, you can see the monument of the brazen serpent, a lasting reminder of this important truth.
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