The third chapter in John's gospel starts off with a "biology" lesson Jesus teaches a guy named Nicodemus. He was a religious leader of the day and countless sermons and papers have been written on the subject of spiritual birth. I'm in no way qualified to go there so I won't. The chapter ends up talking about John the Baptist and I'll mention him at the end the of this note. It's the middle portion of this chapter I think God wants me to focus on because these verses explain who Jesus is exactly: The Savior of the World.
I think every one who's watched any sporting event has seen the poster "John 3:16." If you haven't it goes like this, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." I find comfort in this in verse because who doesn't want to be loved. But it's the following two verses that nail things down for me. Verses 17 and 18 read, "For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world may be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believed has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." So it boils down to belief and judgement and this chapter tells me belief in Jesus as the Savior grants me eternal life and eliminates me from judgement. Basically that's what faith is and that's where I'm at.
So, what do I think God wants me to do in this chapter. Obviously its to have faith and believe Jesus is who He said He is. But there's a verse that kind of stuck out to me and its a little off the beat and path. Apparently there arose a discussion among the Jews comparing the ministries of John the baptist and Jesus. The humility of John the the Baptist is evident in verse 30 where we says, "He must increase, but I must decrease." Taken in context, John is aware the ministry of Jesus is the only way to eternal life. If you would grant me a little liberty, I would tend God wants me to "decrease" and yield to His desires. How many times do we look at ourselves as the center of our universe? I know I used to be that way all the time. Now I just find myself holding on to my life so tightly that God won't use me the way He intends. That's just how He is; not forcing anything on us. So, if I can decrease maybe God can increase in my life and have more control. Just a thought.
The thing that wowed me in this chapter has got to be the incredible, amazing love God showed man. To send His Son to earth to be the Savior of the world simply blows me away. I guess you really can't grasp it until you become a parent and feel the love that goes beyond words you have for your children. To be totally undeserving or unrelated just adds to it. I'll never grasp the magnitude of His love but I am indeed thankful and I hope you are to. God bless and talk again soon.
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