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Psalm 90

02 Jan

Psalm 90

A prayer of Moses, the man of God.

1 Lord, through all the generations
    you have been our home!
2 Before the mountains were born,
    before you gave birth to the earth and the world,
    from beginning to end, you are God.

3 You turn people back to dust, saying,
    “Return to dust, you mortals!”
4 For you, a thousand years are as a passing day,
    as brief as a few night hours.
5 You sweep people away like dreams that disappear.
    They are like grass that springs up in the morning.
6 In the morning it blooms and flourishes,
    but by evening it is dry and withered.
7 We wither beneath your anger;
    we are overwhelmed by your fury.
8 You spread out our sins before you—
    our secret sins—and you see them all.
9 We live our lives beneath your wrath,
    ending our years with a groan.

10 Seventy years are given to us!
    Some even live to eighty.
But even the best years are filled with pain and trouble;
    soon they disappear, and we fly away.
11 Who can comprehend the power of your anger?
    Your wrath is as awesome as the fear you deserve.
12 Teach us to realize the brevity of life,
    so that we may grow in wisdom.

13 O Lord, come back to us!
    How long will you delay?
    Take pity on your servants!
14 Satisfy us each morning with your unfailing love,
    so we may sing for joy to the end of our lives.
15 Give us gladness in proportion to our former misery!
    Replace the evil years with good.
16 Let us, your servants, see you work again;
    let our children see your glory.
17 And may the Lord our God show us his approval
    and make our efforts successful.
    Yes, make our efforts successful!

Dear God, I thought about stopping reading just after verse 1. “Lord, through all the generations you have been our home.” Considering this was prayed by a man who led the Israelites after over 400 years of slavery–many, many generations of slaves–I think this is remarkable. For him to say that, even for those enslaved generations, you have been their home is powerful.

I was watching something this morning that made me cry. It is related to something that is my life’s great sorrow. An area in which I failed greatly. I’m still not sure exactly what I did to fail, but the evidence is that I failed spectacularly. I only pray that, like you used the hundreds of years of slavery to build up the children of Jacob into a nation, you will use my failings for your glory.

So let me paraphrase Moses’s closing with my own. Let me see what you are doing and how you are working. Help me to see your glory. And may my labor be pleasing to you. May it accomplish what you need it to accomplish. May it achieve what you need it to achieve. And I’ll just add, please heal my sorrowful situation.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on January 2, 2025 in Psalms

 

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Numbers 6:22-27

01 Jan

22 Then the Lord said to Moses, 23 “Tell Aaron and his sons to bless the people of Israel with this special blessing:

24 ‘May the Lord bless you
    and protect you.
25 May the Lord smile on you
    and be gracious to you.
26 May the Lord show you his favor
    and give you his peace.’

27 Whenever Aaron and his sons bless the people of Israel in my name, I myself will bless them.”

Numbers 6-22-27

Dear God, I’ve read these verses and heard them sung…gosh, I don’t know how many times. But I don’t know that I’ve ever spent much time with them. Especially 24-26. The actual blessing

  • May the Lord bless you: What does it mean to be blessed by you? Good health? Money? All of my needs met? When I told my children I blessed them I defined it as supporting whatever decisions they felt like they needed to make that was best for them, even if it cost me something. I wanted them to have good lives regardless of what it cost me. I don’t think that is what you mean here. I think I am going to tie this into the last one in the list: peace. There might be some who disagree with me, but I think this is the most precious fruit of the Spirit as listed by Paul in Galatians 5:22-23. If I am blessed by you then I have your peace regardless of whatever else is before me. I would love to ask for good health, plenty of money, and even all of my needs and a lot of my wants to be met, but having all of that will not draw me closer to you. Recently, when my wife and I experienced a health scare, it drove us to prayers to you and an appreciation of each other that we wouldn’t have otherwise had.
  • May the Lord protect you: Jesus kind of redefined this when he told us not to worry in the Sermon on the Mount. My worrying cannot add an hour to my life. There were people killed last night in New Orleans, and some of them loved you. Almost all of Jesus’s apostles were martyred. So is that the kind of protection you told Moses about here? I don’t think so. But I can see where you want to protect my heart. You want me to not be lead into temptation, but delivered from evil. I ask for that kind of protection from you.
  • May the Lord smile on you: I almost feel like this one is on me. Will I behave in a way that makes you smile or will I grieve you? I pray that my life will make you smile at least a little more than it grieves you.
  • May the Lord be gracious to you: Oh my, do I need your grace?!? My wife and I were talking about some people we love who have judged us very harshly. And I have been known to judge pretty harshly myself. But I need your grace. And I need to give grace. Graciousness needs to flow from you, through me, and to those I know and even those I don’t know. We all need your grace.
  • May the Lord show you his favor: I know you are on my side. Maybe not in a way that will give me every selfish thing my heart desires, but you want to love me and show me how to love. You want to grow all of the fruit of your Spirit within me and let it flow out of me. That is the favor I want from you. Do I want health for my wife, my children, me, and those I love? Of course. And I’ll take any good fortune you deem appropriate to send my way. But I do not require that to be here and worship you.
  • May the Lord give you his peace: Going back to the first one, this is the biggie for me. Peace. And the fruits of the Spirit are love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. I can fake most of those, but my peace only comes from you. And I must be tied into you to get it. Oh, Lord, especially when I am hurting over sorrows in my life, please help me to have your peace. A peace that passes understanding.

I pray all of this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on January 1, 2025 in Numbers

 

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Numbers 11:24-30

29 Sep

So Moses went out and reported the Lord’s words to the people. He gathered the seventy elders and stationed them around the Tabernacle. And the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke to Moses. Then he gave the seventy elders the same Spirit that was upon Moses. And when the Spirit rested upon them, they prophesied. But this never happened again.

Two men, Eldad and Medad, had stayed behind in the camp. They were listed among the elders, but they had not gone out to the Tabernacle. Yet the Spirit rested upon them as well, so they prophesied there in the camp. A young man ran and reported to Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp!”

Joshua son of Nun, who had been Moses’ assistant since his youth, protested, “Moses, my master, make them stop!”

But Moses replied, “Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all the Lord’s people were prophets and that the Lord would put his Spirit upon them all!” Then Moses returned to the camp with the elders of Israel.
Numbers 11:24-30

Dear God, I wonder if I could consider this attitude “sibling rivalry.” This is the Old Testament reading for many churches today. The Gospel reading in Mark 9 has the apostle John doing something similar in verse 38 when he tells Jesus he saw someone casting out demons in Jesus’s name and John told him to stop because he wasn’t part of their group. And this is after John witnessed the Transfiguration earlier in Mark 9. It’s also immediately after Jesus got onto the disciples about arguing over who would be the greatest in your kingdom. How could they do this?!?

And of course, this is when I look at myself and think about how I do this. I want to be considered to be the best Christian. I want to be more devout than someone else. I want to be wiser. I want to be more Christlike. I want to be more Godly. Me, me, me. Funny how I was praying yesterday about selfish ambition vs. humble ambition. I think this reveals my selfish heart.

I remember a few weeks ago, I was thinking about a man in our town who is very Godly. He is a humble, gentle spirt. Probably the most gentle man I know. He exudes your wisdom, peace, and presence. For anonymity for anyone reading this, I won’t list his job here, but he is not a church pastor and yet he might be the most Christlike person I know here. The reason I bring him up is because when I thought about him a few weeks ago, and I was thinking about him in this way, I felt a pang of jealousy in me. Now, if I am responding sinfully like Joshua and John, then I guess that at least puts me in good company, but it is still sin. It is still selfish ambition. I want to be known as the best Christian. Sure, I might now want credit for deeds I do, but for who I am, I want to be known as the best. So sad.

Father, I really do appreciate this man. And the most beautiful part about his is that he probably wouldn’t even think of himself in this way. I know he has struggles in his life. I know he is trying to figure out your call on him on a daily basis just like I am. I know he gets confused in difficult situations. I’m not saying he is Jesus. In fact, what I’m saying is that he is absolutely not Jesus, but he is humble enough to know that, pursue you with all his heart, soul, mind, and strength and then love others as himself. The fruits of your Spirit exude through him because of this attitude. I repent that I, for even one moment, felt jealous of him. That I had any thoughts of him that were not pure appreciation and admiration. I am sorry for thinking I have to be anything than your child who loves you, worships you, and surrenders his life to you.

I pray all of this through Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on September 29, 2024 in Numbers

 

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“Bad Advice” by Fred Smith

19 Dec

Dear God, sometimes we all give and get bad advice. I’ve received bad advice before. I’ve certainly given my share as well. I’m saying this because I read a really good blog post by Fred Smith a couple of days ago called “Bad Advice.” In it, Smith uses the story to Moses’s last words of instruction to Joshua as an example of someone who let his own perceptions and experience paint an incorrect picture. His predictions for Joshua and what Joshua could expect from the Israelites didn’t end up panning out. His final instructions didn’t end up doing Joshua much good–at least not that we can tell.

There are several examples of people in the Bible making the wrong decision. Sometimes we are told it’s the wrong decision and sometimes we aren’t. Paul and Barnabas splitting up over John Mark. Was one of them right and one wrong? How Abraham handled Sarah and Hagar (and Ishmael). Peter and going to the gentiles. My favorite that I’ve mentioned to you before is what I perceive as the mistake of appointing Mathias as the apostle to replace Judas instead of waiting for you to groom Paul. Just people working with limited information and going in the wrong direction.

The good news is that, most of the time, these mistakes don’t get in the way of your plan. You used Abraham’s mistreatment of Hagar to free her from slavery. You accomplished greater spreading of your message by splitting up Paul and Barnabas, and maybe even helped to convict John Mark and encouraged him to grow up in the process. And Joshua still led the Israelites into the Promised Land, experiencing mostly victories and your blessing.

I came up with the phrase a long time ago that you keep me on a need-to-know basis and I very rarely need to know. There are certainly things happening in my life right now that I don’t like and I would change in a heartbeat if I could, but I don’t know what you are doing through this path that I cannot see. And perhaps I will never see it on this side of heaven. I put a local pastor in an awkward position this week by requesting some pastoral counseling about some of my current trials. I chose him carefully as someone whom I deeply trust and respect, and also someone who doesn’t come in with any preconceived biases towards the players in the story. To his credit, he did not try to pontificate and give me an great wisdom. He took notes. He pointed out one connection he wanted to make sure I made, and then we agreed to meet again. He said he would commit the situation to prayer. It was a good lesson for me on listening and waiting. People come to me for advice and I am often too quick to feel like I need to be smart and wise. I need to espouse my “wisdom” so that they will be grateful they sought me out. Instead, I need to be much more willing to just listen, hear them, and wait, if that is what you are calling me to do.

Father, I have friends who are having marital problems. I see suffering through my work on a daily basis. And I certainly have my own personal life situations that vex me and bring me tremendous sorrow. Please help me. Help me to be at peace. Help me to trust you. Help me to not get out ahead of you. Help me to not short-circuit your plan. Make your plans beyond my own corruption. I give you praise. I give you glory. I thank you for everything you’ve done and continue to do.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on December 19, 2021 in Miscellaneous, Musings and Stories

 

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Exodus 24:12-18

15 Feb

The LORD said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain, and wait there; and I will give you the tablets of stone, with the law and the commandment, which I have written for their instruction.” So Moses set out with his assistant Joshua, and Moses went up into the mountain of God. To the elders he had said, “Wait here for us, until we come to you again; for Aaron and Hur are with you; whoever has a dispute may go to them.” Then Moses went up on the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain. The glory of the LORD settled on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days; on the seventh day he called to Moses out of the cloud. Now the appearance of the glory of the LORD was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the sight of the people of Israel. Moses entered the cloud, and went up on the mountain. Moses was on the mountain for forty days and forty nights.
Exodus 24:12-18.

 

Dear God, this is one of those scenes that reminds me of the proverb of the blind men touching different parts of an elephant and then describing an elephant to someone. There are a lot of people involved in this story, and each one has a different perspective:

  • Moses: He is the one that went into the fire and saw you up close. He got to be in the loop and have first-hand knowledge of you. But he didn’t know what it was like to just see a mountain with cloud and fire, not knowing what was going on. He was just trying to figure out what you wanted him to do and getting to know you better. And he was getting several chapters worth of instructions from you down to some pretty specific details.
  • Joshua: He went only so far, but not all of the way with Moses. He saw some special stuff. He probably heard more than the Israelites did. But he didn’t see everything Moses saw. He had a unique experience.
  • Aaron and Hur: Moses left them in charge. They were caught between watching Moses and Joshua disappear onto the mountain, seeing the cloud and fire, and then having to manage the people–mainly being their judge–while Moses was away.
  • The elders: They were in a unique form of leadership. They were watching Moses and Joshua disappear, witnessing the cloud and fire, and then submitting to the two men Moses left in charge. We don’t know how they felt about Aaron, but we know that they will feel leaderless after several days and demand that Aaron build them a god (Exodus 32). But from their perspective, they were coming from a world where they probably didn’t have much faith and gods were tangible inanimate objects, the person that seemed to be leading them and talking to you was missing into a cloud of fire for over a month, and they apparently felt lost. It’s hard for me to imagine how seeing a golden calf would make me feel better about my situation, but there was obviously something about it that helped them. Almost like a child’s security blanket or a prized stuffed animal. You and I know that the security blanket and stuffed animal don’t offer any real protections, but there is something about its presence that is reassuring to a child. The same is apparently true for the Israelites in this story. Come to think of it, what is it about cows (sacred cows?) that people find worthy of worship? I think that Hindus have a special place for cows as well. Hmm. Interesting tangent for another day.
  • You (God): Yes, you are a witness to this whole thing as well. You saw your interaction with Moses. You saw Joshua, Aaron, Hur, the elders, and the people all respond to this situation. You know what was in each one’s heart. And like the parent who can see things that their small child cannot see, you could and still can see things that we cannot see. You know more than we know. You understand more than we understand. You also are capable of loving us more than we are capable of loving you.

Father, once again the theme of what I seem to be learning through these times with you is that my knowledge of the past, present, and future is so limited. Faith is something that is not only recommended for a relationship with you and a life spent worshipping you–it is a requirement. So please give me the faith I need to have to let go of my own wisdom and simply trust in you. Whether it be in how I manage my own life or try to have input into others, please guide me beyond my own wisdom (a.k.a. foolishness) and into your peace.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 

 
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Posted by on February 15, 2020 in Exodus, Uncategorized

 

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Fathers of the Bible — Jethro

31 Jan

Moses’ father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, heard about everything God had done for Moses and his people, the Israelites. He heard especially about how the Lord had rescued them from Egypt. Earlier, Moses had sent his wife, Zipporah, and his two sons back to Jethro, who had taken them in. (Moses’ first son was named Gershom, for Moses had said when the boy was born, “I have been a foreigner in a foreign land.” His second son was named Eliezer, for Moses had said, “The God of my ancestors was my helper; he rescued me from the sword of Pharaoh.”) Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, now came to visit Moses in the wilderness. He brought Moses’ wife and two sons with him, and they arrived while Moses and the people were camped near the mountain of God. Jethro had sent a message to Moses, saying, “I, Jethro, your father-in-law, am coming to see you with your wife and your two sons.” So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law. He bowed low and kissed him. They asked about each other’s welfare and then went into Moses’ tent. Moses told his father-in-law everything the Lord had done to Pharaoh and Egypt on behalf of Israel. He also told about all the hardships they had experienced along the way and how the Lord had rescued his people from all their troubles. Jethro was delighted when he heard about all the good things the Lord had done for Israel as he rescued them from the hand of the Egyptians. “Praise the Lord,” Jethro said, “for he has rescued you from the Egyptians and from Pharaoh. Yes, he has rescued Israel from the powerful hand of Egypt! I know now that the Lord is greater than all other gods, because he rescued his people from the oppression of the proud Egyptians.” Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and sacrifices to God. Aaron and all the elders of Israel came out and joined him in a sacrificial meal in God’s presence. The next day, Moses took his seat to hear the people’s disputes against each other. They waited before him from morning till evening. When Moses’ father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he asked, “What are you really accomplishing here? Why are you trying to do all this alone while everyone stands around you from morning till evening?” Moses replied, “Because the people come to me to get a ruling from God. When a dispute arises, they come to me, and I am the one who settles the case between the quarreling parties. I inform the people of God’s decrees and give them his instructions.” “This is not good!” Moses’ father-in-law exclaimed. “You’re going to wear yourself out—and the people, too. This job is too heavy a burden for you to handle all by yourself. Now listen to me, and let me give you a word of advice, and may God be with you. You should continue to be the people’s representative before God, bringing their disputes to him. Teach them God’s decrees, and give them his instructions. Show them how to conduct their lives. But select from all the people some capable, honest men who fear God and hate bribes. Appoint them as leaders over groups of one thousand, one hundred, fifty, and ten. They should always be available to solve the people’s common disputes, but have them bring the major cases to you. Let the leaders decide the smaller matters themselves. They will help you carry the load, making the task easier for you. If you follow this advice, and if God commands you to do so, then you will be able to endure the pressures, and all these people will go home in peace.” Moses listened to his father-in-law’s advice and followed his suggestions. He chose capable men from all over Israel and appointed them as leaders over the people. He put them in charge of groups of one thousand, one hundred, fifty, and ten. These men were always available to solve the people’s common disputes. They brought the major cases to Moses, but they took care of the smaller matters themselves. Soon after this, Moses said good-bye to his father-in-law, who returned to his own land.
Exodus 18

Dear God, Jethro lived an interesting life. I’ve always wondered of which god he was a priest: “I know now that the Lord is greater than all other gods…”

In this story, we learn that he allowed his daughter and grandchildren to stay with him while Moses dealt with Pharaoh, the Egyptians, and the Israelites. We also know that he brought them back to Moses and that he apparently really respected Moses. Finally, he played the role of short-term advisor. Moses was so wrapped up in the trees that he couldn’t see the forest. I have a similar problem at my current job and the board of directors is trying to help me and play a similar role to what Jethro played for Moses here.

But I like this image of Jethro as father figure to Moses. I like the ole he is playing in his daughter’s life by 1.) helping her and her boys directly and 2,) helping her husband to keep his sanity which, in turn, will be of benefit to her as well. Basically, Jethro just seems like a good man who is offering himself to be used in whatever role you have for him.

On some levels, being a son-in-law to your father-in-law can be easier than being a daughter-in-law to a mother-in-law. The dynamics are different. But one of the hard things for either men or women is to humble themselves to take advice from their elder. Pride can get in the way. On the other hand, it can sometimes be difficult for the elder to know when to remain silent and let the young generation figure things out for themselves. The best lessons are learned through the experience of failure. Finally, there usually comes a day in the life cycle when the younger generation has to take over and start caring for the elder generation. That is an especially difficult transition because complete paradigms have to shift. My wife and I are moving into that phase now as the younger generation, but I am also trying to steel myself and prepare my ego and heart for the day 25 or so years from now when I will need to make decisions that will make life easier for my children when I am the aging elder and they are the younger.

Father, that last paragraph was a lot of words to just say that humility is important and a willingness to serve and step out in courage is important. I am sure that Jethro was at least somewhat nervous about giving Moses his advice. But he gave it well, and Moses was able to receive it. Help me to be both a good receiver and deliverer of your counsel so that I might be who you need me to be n the lives you have place around me.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on January 31, 2020 in Exodus, Fathers of the Bible

 

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Mothers of the Bible — Zipporah (Moses’s wife)

29 Jan

On the way to Egypt, at a place where Moses and his family had stopped for the night, the Lord confronted him and was about to kill him. But Moses’ wife, Zipporah, took a flint knife and circumcised her son. She touched his feet with the foreskin and said, “Now you are a bridegroom of blood to me.” (When she said “a bridegroom of blood,” she was referring to the circumcision.) After that, the Lord left him alone.
Exodus 4:24-26

Dear God, okay, I don’t remember this story and the author (Moses?) didn’t do a very good job of telling it. Moses and his family are on their way to Egypt and do some unexplained reason you were about to kill him. Was he griping too much? Was he telling Zipporah that he couldn’t do what you were asking him to do? Or had you told him to circumcise the boy and he wouldn’t do it? Either way, you were obviously fed up and Zipporah stepped up to the plate and circumcised her son in route. She was obviously upset about having to do it with her statement to Moses that he was now a “bridegroom of blood” to her.

Regarding circumcision, I don’t think I’ve ever thought about how Moses being circumcised would have impacted his life. I’m sure that why he knew the Hebrews were his people. (Exodus 2:6 and 2:11). I’m sure it came up with his wife too since he didn’t look like other males. So how did she know that circumcising her son would assuage you’re anger? How old was the boy anyway? I don’t know, but what I see is a woman who apparently saved her husband’s life by doing something she really didn’t want to do to her son (was Moses too weak to do it when the boy was born stricken by you to do it in that moment?)

Father, this one story gives me so much respect for Zipporah. She had to be scared to go to Egypt and take her family with her, but when the time came she was willing to do what needed to be done. Moms can be amazing. Wives too. As a man who has greatly benefitted from a great woman as my wife, I can recognize it when I see her. She left a life of comfort with her father and went through everything Moses did. Thank you for her example.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on January 29, 2020 in Mothers of the Bible

 

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Mothers of the Bible — Moses’s Mother

28 Jan

About this time, a man and woman from the tribe of Levi got married. The woman became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She saw that he was a special baby and kept him hidden for three months. But when she could no longer hide him, she got a basket made of papyrus reeds and waterproofed it with tar and pitch. She put the baby in the basket and laid it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile River. The baby’s sister then stood at a distance, watching to see what would happen to him. Soon Pharaoh’s daughter came down to bathe in the river, and her attendants walked along the riverbank. When the princess saw the basket among the reeds, she sent her maid to get it for her. When the princess opened it, she saw the baby. The little boy was crying, and she felt sorry for him. “This must be one of the Hebrew children,” she said. Then the baby’s sister approached the princess. “Should I go and find one of the Hebrew women to nurse the baby for you?” she asked. “Yes, do!” the princess replied. So the girl went and called the baby’s mother. “Take this baby and nurse him for me,” the princess told the baby’s mother. “I will pay you for your help.” So the woman took her baby home and nursed him. Later, when the boy was older, his mother brought him back to Pharaoh’s daughter, who adopted him as her own son. The princess named him Moses, for she explained, “I lifted him out of the water.”
Exodus 2:1-10

Dear God, isn’t it interesting that Moses’s mother’s name seems to be lost to history. His father too. It’s also interesting that we don’t get much about the father here, but who knows what his life was like. He might have been in hard labor and hardly around. No, these names are lost to history, but the are as important as any two people I read about in Genesis. They are responsible for saving the life of the boy/man who would lead your people out of Egypt.

I can’t imagine what it would have been like for the Israelite women to have to see their baby boys killed. Oh. Here’s a question I’ve never thought of before. I suppose that they circumcised Moses, meaning that’s probably how Pharaoh’s daughter knew immediately that the boy was a Hebrew. As mothers go, she’s as critical of a part of this story as Moses’s Hebrew parents. She was his adopted mother, and I don’t think we get her name either. In fact, the only name we get in these verses is Moses’s.

Why do I bring that up? Well, because we tend to think so much of ourselves, but it’s our actions that matter more than our words. These people all did the right thing. They had decisions to make and they did them. Whereas Jacob was so worries about his own name and his own convenience, these names are lost. It’s a reminder to me that my life isn’t about my name living forever, but the actions I take trickling through history.

Father, help me to do the right thing. Help me to be the husband, father, son, brother and uncle you need me to be. Help me to willingly decrease so that you can increase. Love through me above all else. Help me to stay in each moment and not be distracted by the future. Let your kingdom come and your will be done on earth through my life as you will.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on January 28, 2020 in Exodus, Mothers of the Bible

 

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Nicodemus Part 1 — John 3:1-21

03 May

John 3:1-21 [NLT]
There was a man named Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader who was a Pharisee. 2 After dark one evening, he came to speak with Jesus. “Rabbi,” he said, “we all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you.”
3 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”
4 “What do you mean?” exclaimed Nicodemus. “How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?”
5 Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. 6 Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. 7 So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.”
9 “How are these things possible?” Nicodemus asked.
10 Jesus replied, “You are a respected Jewish teacher, and yet you don’t understand these things? 11 I assure you, we tell you what we know and have seen, and yet you won’t believe our testimony. 12 But if you don’t believe me when I tell you about earthly things, how can you possibly believe if I tell you about heavenly things? 13 No one has ever gone to heaven and returned. But the Son of Man has come down from heaven. 14 And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life.
16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.
18 “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. 19 And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. 20 All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. 21 But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.”

Dear God, I want to take apart this conversation a little bit because I think it is important that John is the only Gospel writer who told us about Nicodemus. There is obviously something about him that John wants us to know. Much like good story telling, I think one of the things John is doing is giving us something early in the story that he will pay off in the end at the crucifixion.

So let’s start at the beginning:

There was a man named Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader who was a Pharisee. 2 After dark one evening, he came to speak with Jesus. “Rabbi,” he said, “we all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you.”

John sets up that Nicodemus is one of the dreaded Pharisees that are so ridiculed throughout the Gospels, but he immediately lets us know there is something different about this one. He didn’t come to publicly challenge, trap, and, hopefully, humiliate and disprove Jesus. He came to get to know him a little. He came with an open mind. He came to learn. And he doesn’t lead with a question. He comes “after dark” to speak directly with Jesus, one-on-one, and acknowledges that he recognizes that Jesus is from God.

3 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”
4 “What do you mean?” exclaimed Nicodemus. “How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?”

According to John’s account, Jesus immediately initiates the conversation, ignoring the flattery that Nicodemus gave him. He seems to want to challenge Nicodemus–to test him and see why he is really there.

We take the phrase “born again” and put it into the context of this passage, but Nicodemus didn’t have this passage. He was really trying to understand. Jesus is like one of those teachers who asks the vague, esoteric question that is hard to answer, or, in this case, says the provocative thing that will either send someone away or draw them in deeper. In this case, he drew Nicodemus in. Jesus had a lot more to say, but he wanted to first know if Nicodemus was ready to hear it. Would he scoff at Jesus’s statement and leave, or was he really there to learn? Apparently, Nicodemus was there to learn.

5 Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. 6 Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. 7 So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.”
9 “How are these things possible?” Nicodemus asked.

Water and Spirit. That’s the answer to Nicodemus’s question. Jesus acknowledges that, no, you can’t go back into your mother’s womb, but there is a new baptism that is of water and the Spirit. The problem is, the concept of being born of the Spirit is something that can’t be explained in words. So Jesus tells him that being born again means being born of water and the Spirit, but it’s a process that Jesus can’t put into words. But Nicodemus doesn’t give up. He wants to understand: “How are these things possible?”

10 Jesus replied, “You are a respected Jewish teacher, and yet you don’t understand these things? 11 I assure you, we tell you what we know and have seen, and yet you won’t believe our testimony. 12 But if you don’t believe me when I tell you about earthly things, how can you possibly believe if I tell you about heavenly things? 13 No one has ever gone to heaven and returned. But the Son of Man has come down from heaven. 14 And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life.

I’m going to break Jesus’s little speech to Nicodemus up into parts. I think this first part is about setting the context. Jesus is basically saying forthrightly to Nicodemus, “I am the Messiah.” Skipping verses 10-12 where he exhibits his exasperation with Nicodemus, Jesus goes on in verse 13 to say that he has come from God in heaven. Then in verse 14 he compares himself with the snake that was sent to save the Israelites from their sin and the snake bites that resulted in Numbers 21:4-9. But then he says that he, Jesus, will be the one lifted up so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life.

We never get Nicodemus’s reaction to this little speech, but I can only imagine what it was like to hear it in that context. Who does this guy think he is? On the other hand, Nicodemus entered this conversation earnestly trying to get an answer to that question, and now he was getting it. This guy claims to be the Messiah.

16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.

Now Jesus gives us a glimpse into your heart. You love us. How much? Well, so much that you gave us Jesus, your one and only son, so that we would have the opportunity to commune with you for eternity. Your heart is to give us a pathway to salvation. He is saying, “Nicodemus, you need to understand that this God that you worship as all powerful is everything you can imagine and so much more. But don’t miss this one fact that might be hard to believe. He loves you and he wants you. He loves and wants you so much that he sacrificed for it. God gave out of his own being and love just so that you and your fellow humans, Jew or Gentile, will be with him.”

18 “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. 19 And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. 20 All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. 21 But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.”

And finally, the wrap-up. You are doing your best to not judge me, but I have to at least love the light more than the darkness. I have to let go of my sin. I have to take the hand that is reaching out to me. You care about me, but as much as Nicodemus had to come to terms with his pride, as a Pharisee and as a man, so I must come to the end of my own pride and love the light more than the darkness.

Father, help me to not only internalize the words that John shared in this passage, but to reflect them to the world as well. Help me to be your ambassador. Help me to take your hand, receive your light, and the humbly share it with the world.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

Nicodemus Part 2
Nicodemus Part 3

 
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Posted by on May 3, 2019 in John, Nicodemus

 

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Peter & John — Luke 9:28-36

31 Oct

Luke 9:28-36 NASB
[28] Some eight days after these sayings, He took along Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. [29] And while He was praying, the appearance of His face became different, and His clothing became white and gleaming. [30] And behold, two men were talking with Him; and they were Moses and Elijah, [31] who, appearing in glory, were speaking of His departure which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. [32] Now Peter and his companions had been overcome with sleep; but when they were fully awake, they saw His glory and the two men standing with Him. [33] And as these were leaving Him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make three tabernacles: one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah”-not realizing what he was saying. [34] While he was saying this, a cloud formed and began to overshadow them; and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. [35] Then a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My Son, My Chosen One; listen to Him!” [36] And when the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent, and reported to no one in those days any of the things which they had seen.

Dear God, it seems like this telling of the transfiguration is a little more detailed than the others. I’d need to go back and check to see if the others do this, but I don’t remember the little details like eight days later and being afraid walking into the fog. I don’t even remember the part where they fell asleep and woke up to see everything happening.

It says that “they were afraid” about the cloud. Did that include Jesus, Moses, and Elijah, or was it Just Peter, James, and John? I would imagine at that point that Jesus, Moses and Elijah knew what was happening and were at peace.

I wonder if this felt like a dream to the three disciples. To wake up and see such an extraordinary sight. I’ve talked about Peter’s response before so I don’t know that I need to cover it again. It’s just an amazing thing that I’m convinced was meant to strengthen Jesus for the home stretch leading up to the crucifixion.

Father, give me what I need so that I can be strengthened to do your will. Give me courage. Give me strength. Give me love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, faithfulness, kindness, and self control. Let your fruit come to bear in my life.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on October 31, 2018 in Luke, Peter and John

 

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