.We turn this week to the Gospel of Saint John for the Gospel Reading during the rest of Lent. In our Gospel Reading for John’s Gospel, Chapter Three, we have the encounter of Nicodemus, to came to Jesus by night - he had some questions.
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Listening closely to this story, there is a orderly rhythm. Listen: "Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. He came to Jesus by night and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God."
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Jesus doesn’t miss a beat. Gracefully he answers Nicodemus, "Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above." It is not the answer Nicodemus is expecting or can even begin to understand.
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Now baffled, Nicodemus said to Jesus, "How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother's womb and be born?"
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Elegantly, almost now like a dance routine Jesus answered, "Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be astonished that I said to you, 'You must be born from above.' The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit."
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Jesus doesn’t miss a beat. Gracefully he answers Nicodemus, "Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above." It is not the answer Nicodemus is expecting or can even begin to understand.
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Now baffled, Nicodemus said to Jesus, "How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother's womb and be born?"
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Elegantly, almost now like a dance routine Jesus answered, "Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be astonished that I said to you, 'You must be born from above.' The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit."
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Nicodemus is truly baffled. He is totally uncomprehending and says to Jesus, "How can these things be?" Perhaps the look on Nicodemus’ face says it all.
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Again, Jesus side-steps as he answered him, "Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things? "Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen; yet you do not receive our testimony.
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"If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him."
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Ah, the rhythm, the beat of the story. Eventually Nicodemus would understand. Along with Joseph of Arimethia, Nicodemus asked for the body of the crucified Christ and preparing it for burial, they laid our Lord’s lifeless body in a tomb.
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M. JOHN 3:1-17
Nicodemus is truly baffled. He is totally uncomprehending and says to Jesus, "How can these things be?" Perhaps the look on Nicodemus’ face says it all.
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Again, Jesus side-steps as he answered him, "Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things? "Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen; yet you do not receive our testimony.
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"If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him."
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Ah, the rhythm, the beat of the story. Eventually Nicodemus would understand. Along with Joseph of Arimethia, Nicodemus asked for the body of the crucified Christ and preparing it for burial, they laid our Lord’s lifeless body in a tomb.
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M. JOHN 3:1-17
NICODEMUS CAME TO JESUS ONE NIGHT LONG AGO
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T. JOHN 7:1-13
T. JOHN 7:1-13
JESUS GOES TO THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES
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W. JOHN 7:14-24
W. JOHN 7:14-24
JESUS IS ACCUSED OF BEING DEMON-POSSESSED.
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T. JOHN 7:25-44
T. JOHN 7:25-44
ANOTHER DANCE - WHO IS THIS CHRIST ANYWAY?
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F. JOHN 7:45-52
F. JOHN 7:45-52
NICODEMUS COURAGEOUSLY DEFENDS JESUS
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S. JOHN 19:38-42
S. JOHN 19:38-42
NICODEMUS HELPS TO BURY CHRIST IN A TOMB
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