Every Woman's Bible Journaling Edition, Filament Enabled - Book - Page 21
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in three days?” 21 But when Jesus said “this temple,”
he meant his own body. 22After he was raised from
the dead, his disciples remembered he had said this,
and they believed both the Scriptures and what
Jesus had said.
Jesus and Nicodemus
Because of the miraculous signs Jesus did in Jerusalem at the Passover celebration, many began to
trust in him. 24 But Jesus didn’t trust them, because
he knew all about people. 25 No one needed to tell him
about human nature, for he knew what was in each
person’s heart.
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JOHN 3
There was a man named Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader who was a Pharisee. 2After 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,
3
3:3 Or born from above; also in 3:7. 3:5 Or and spirit. The Greek word for Spirit can also be translated wind; see 3:8.
3:1-21 In Nicodemus’s encounter with Jesus, Jesus used the
new birth metaphor (literally “born from above [or again]”; see
text note on 3:3) to talk about entering God’s Kingdom. Nicodemus could only understand Jesus’ metaphor in relation
Come Close
to physical birth. But Jesus explained that becoming part of
God’s Kingdom must be the Holy Spirit’s work. Although it’s not
entirely clear how spiritual birth happens, it is evident when it
happens (3:8).
FREE TO FLOURISH
SCRIPTURE CONNECTION: JOHN 3:26-36
I’ve been reading and rereading about John
the Baptist, the part about how his disciples came to him all frazzled by the fact
that Jesus was also baptizing people and
that those people were “flocking to Him,”
heaven forbid (John 3:26 amp[c]). And isn’t
this how it is? When people start encroaching on our territory, gaining traction, we
deploy our defenses because, well, do
you see how many people are over there
flocking?
For a while I was puzzled by John the
Baptist’s response to his followers [in John
3:27]. . . . I pondered that phrase, wondering
what in the world he meant by this. But then
I realized he was merely setting his disciples
free to flourish in the gifts and calling they’d
been given. They no longer had to be threatened by what everyone else was doing, what
kind of followers another person had. They
didn’t have to compete or circle the wagons
to protect what was “theirs.” Whatever God
had given them to do, this would be their
bread and oil, and it would never cease sufficing. It would forever flow from the great
joy of accompanying the Savior. In other
words, when Jesus is your portion, the author
and finisher of your faith, comparisons gloriously melt into frivolousness.
REFLECT “No one can receive anything
unless God gives it from heaven.”
JOHN 3:27
Lord Jesus, when I feel threatened by
others, please help me to be content with
the gifts and calling you’ve given me.
Amen.
CONSIDER “When you have the lover
of your soul at your right hand and your
lot is secure, you don’t have to ask the
questions ‘What about him? Or her? Or
the recognition? Or how come she made
the cover?’ Because you’ve already drunk
your fill.”
Jesus sets his disciples
free to flourish in their
gifts and calling.
KELLY MINTER Wherever the River Runs
© 2014 by Kelly Minter. Used by permission of
David C Cook. May not be further reproduced.
All rights reserved.
