In the previous two lessons in this study we have considered the call of Jesus and of the disciples to 'come
and see' and the call of Jesus to 'follow Me.' Now we concern ourselves with the third and vital call; the call of Christ to 'believe in Me.'It is one thing to go and see someone and perhaps even
follow someone, but it is a whole order of magnitude more to truly believe in someone! But that is what Jesus calls of us.
Our first scripture reading is from the third chapter of
John and contains what is probably the most quoted verse in scripture. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life."
Those words were spoken to a man named Nicodemus. Nicodemus was a Pharisee and a member of the Sanhedrin. As such, Nicodemus was a man of quite some influence and power in the community.
The Sanhedrin was the ruling council, and although that body did not have the powers that it had before the reign of Herod the Great, it was still a source of power in Jerusalem. Nicodemus
was almost certainly a wealthy and influential man.
Nicodemus felt the call to go to Jesus, but please remember that Nicodemus was a man of
influence and Jesus was someone who was already stirring things up in Jerusalem - and so there was an issue of public opinion involved. And Nicodemus chose to visit Jesus at night when no one would see him.
How many countless other people does Nicodemus represent in that action? How many people have felt the call to come and see Jesus and to come know what He offers, but have been afraid
of what others might think? How many people have been concerned that others might think that they had 'gone religious' or were showing signs of weakness or were chasing outdated
superstitious ideas? How foolish, and yet how understandable! To come and see Christ and to follow our conviction is a show of strength, not weakness.
In any event, Nicodemus slipped out at night and went to Jesus. Clearly Nicodemus had heard of Jesus. He had heard about the teaching and about the miracles. And now Nicodemus felt the call to come and see the man himself!
Nicodemus' opening words to Jesus show how he saw Jesus; "Rabbi, you are clearly a teacher who has come from God, for no one could perform the miracles you are doing if God were not
with him." Nicodemus was open to seeing Jesus as a gifted teacher sent by God. But no more than that.
In response, Jesus did not put Nicodemus to task and did not criticize him. How wonderful. I
believe that Christ knows when we take a first step to come and see Him. Christ knows that some times we are putting down concerns about what others might think, and hesitations about
our actions, and Christ shows gentleness. And such was the response to Nicodemus: "I tell you the truth, unless one is born again, one cannot see the Kingdom of God."
Jesus was stretching Nicodemus' thoughts, leading him to a deeper level. It is as though Jesus was saying something like this: 'all right Nicodemus, you have come to see Me—good. You think
of me as a teacher sent by God - good. But now let me tell you truth.'
And in the scripture, there follows the explanation of being born again. It is not the impossible
physical rebirth that sprang to Nicodemus mind, but a spiritual rebirth. It is taking the body and the life that has been given to us and having God bring it fully alive - having God complete the
job as it were, and to give the body a fullness of life now and even eternal.
Still Nicodemus did not understand. "How can this be?" Do not think this an idle or silly question
to ask. In the quietness of the night, alone with Jesus, Nicodemus was opening himself up and questioning. Christ expects no less from us! On our first stumbling visit to come and see Jesus,
He understands that we might be unaware and unsure, and so He expects us to question and probe in order to understand. When we really know Christ, and have made the decision to accept
and to follow Him; then come the boldness and the confidence of faith - but in the beginning I believe that He understands our uncertainty.
"How can this be?" In answer to his question, Jesus proceeded to remind Nicodemus about his Jewish faith, and to use Moses as an example. And then came those wonderful words of life:
"...so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in Him might have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should
never perish but have everlasting life."
God gave His only Son, who was lifted up on the cross so that we might live eternally. But before
drawing a conclusion we can first move ahead to John's fifth chapter where he tells us that Jesus also said: "...I tell you the truth, whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me,
has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death into life."
See again, there is the emphasis on eternal life. But do you catch the added truth? In our belief
we are saved and find eternal life, but we also find life NOW! At that moment when we believe, we cross over into life. We have gained l ife eternal and that life begins now. Christianity is not
just the living in the hope, or even in the assurance, of life eternal but the living of life now and to the full and knowing that this life will continue into eternity.
It is good to try and see Christ in your life; it is good to follow Jesus' teachings and it is good to lead a good life. But those will not lead to salvation and to eternal life. Jesus calls each of us to
come and see; to come and get to know Him. Jesus calls each of us to follow Him. Jesus calls us to follow His teachings and to live the right life with concern for ourselves and for those around
us. But above all He calls each of us to believe in Him. To believe that He is the Son of God; to believe that He gave His life so that we might be forgiven; to believe that in that act, God's
Grace is available to us, and to believe that in that Grace and in our belief we are saved to life now and eternal.
Come and see Him and come and follow Him - but above all, please believe in Him and so find
your salvation.
In the previous two lessons in this study we have considered the call of Jesus and of the disciples to 'come
and see' and the call of Jesus to 'follow Me.' Now we concern ourselves with the third and vital call; the call of Christ to 'believe in Me.'