John 3:1-2 Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews; this man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.”
John wrote in 2:23, “Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name, observing His signs which He was doing.” Nicodemus was an example of one of these “believers” because of the signs. Our lives should also provoke genuine seekers to inquire about our lives because love is a sign that we are from God. The apostle John wrote in 1 John 4:7, “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.” I’m guessing John wrote that because of what Jesus said in John 13:34-35. “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” Love is a sign that we are from God, born of God.
I have participated in the training of mission teams sent out by Global Challenge Expeditions based in South Africa for years. One year, a team of 8 young men traveled together for a week on a boat up the Amazon River. The passengers slept on deck in hammocks, and the team built relationships with others who were on board. My friend, Peter, told me about a conversation he had with two men, one an atheist and another a new ager who believed everything happened because of the power of the universe. Peter and his friends shared about the experiences with God that they had on their journey in hopes of witnessing to them about Christ. The two men told of their experiences but attributed their occurrences to either luck or the universe. It was like the contest of signs between Aaron and Moses and Pharaoh’s magicians. One would tell a story of God’s wonders, and the other would try to match the story with the wonders of the universe. Peter said they went back and forth until he drew the attention of the two men to how he and his team loved each other. Peter said something like, “You’ve watched us all week. Have you noticed how we love each other? That’s been the greatest experience of our journey together.” Both of the men remark that they had noticed and that they have never experienced that kind of love and luck, and the universe can’t do that. The door opened for them to have a discussion similar to that between Nicodemus and Jesus. The love of Christ within a community is a sign of God’s presence and power.
As we live to love with Jesus, we should expect and be ready for those who notice the love and want an explanation or more information. Are you living in such a way that those who observe your life on a daily basis take notice that there’s a supernatural power at work in you? I encourage you today to be ready for those inquiries. Over the next few days, we have much to learn from Jesus on how to direct those conversations. May we be encouraged today to live to love with Jesus, trusting our Father to draw people like Nicodemus to Christ in us.
I invite you to become a partner in our ministry. Would you pray about becoming a regular supporter of Elijah Ministries and the Live to Love with Jesus ministry? I hope you will receive the joy and benefit of “giving it forward,” so others may receive encouragement to turn their hearts to God and to live to love with Jesus. You may give online or send a check to the address listed at www.spiritofelijah.com/donate.
