Help! I Need a New Life!
March 5, 2017
The Source: Help! I Need a New Life
John 3:1-17
The set up: (John 2:23-3:2)
- Impossible! (John 3:3-4; Philippians 3:4-9)
Impossible = incapable of being done, attained or fulfilled. Extremely undesirable: unacceptable. Extremely awkward or difficult to deal with.
- Incredible! (John 1:26, 33; 3:5-13; Titus 3:4-6; Ezekiel 36:25-27)
Incredible = too extraordinary and improbable to be believed
- Inconceivable!
(John 3:14-17; Romans 5:8; 1 John 4:9-10)
Inconceivable = impossible to comprehend
Going Deeper: For further study
The account of Nicodemus in John chapter three is preceded by these verses:
Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many people saw the miraculous signs he was doing and believed in his name. 24 But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all men. 25 He did not need man’s testimony about man, for he knew what was in a man. (John 2:23-25 NIV)
While it says that many believed in Jesus’ name because they saw his miracles, did they really have saving faith?
Verse 24 says Jesus would not entrust himself to them. There is a word play here in the Greek that does not translate into English. The word for believed in verse 23 and entrust in verse 24 are the same word. So it could be translated, many . . . believed in his name. But Jesus did not believe in them. That is to say because Jesus knew their hearts, he knew he could not trust their superficial faith.
Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus is the first of many conversations Jesus has with people throughout the gospel of John about what it really means to believe.
Nicodemus was one of those who believed Jesus because of the miracles (John 3:2). But what did he truly believe? Jesus challenged Nicodemus to go deeper and Jesus challenges us to go deeper about what we believe.
What is the basis of our faith in Jesus? Is it on what God can do for you (miracles) or on God’s amazing love and goodness?
What is God asking you to do that you think is impossible?
What is God trying to reveal to you that you have a hard time believing?
In what ways does the radical love of God, and the sheer goodness of God, seem inconceivable to you?
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