Time is of the Essence

1 Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ,

To those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:

2 May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. – 2 Peter 1:1-2 ESV

At first glance and, if taken at face value, it would appear that this book is a second letter from the apostle Peter. After all, the opening salutation presents “Simon Peter, a slave and apostle of Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:1 NLT) as its author, and later declares this to be the second letter he has penned.

This is my second letter to you, dear friends, and in both of them I have tried to stimulate your wholesome thinking and refresh your memory. – 2 Peter 3:1 NLT

Yet over the centuries, there have been those who have argued that Simon Peter was not the author of this letter. They cite the paucity of references to the letter by the early church fathers. In fact, the earliest reference to Peter being the author comes from Origin in his commentary on the Gospel of John, written sometime in the third century.

The lack of external evidence to support Peter as the letter’s author does not invalidate the internal proof provided by the letter itself. Its content and style are very similar to that of 1 Peter and a comparison with the sermons of Peter found in Acts reveals the use of similar vocabulary and grammar.  The internal evidence alone is sufficient to conclude Peter as the author. In the opening section of the letter, Peter gives a personal testimony of his presence at the transfiguration of Jesus.

For we were not making up clever stories when we told you about the powerful coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. We saw his majestic splendor with our own eyes when he received honor and glory from God the Father. The voice from the majestic glory of God said to him, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.” We ourselves heard that voice from heaven when we were with him on the holy mountain. – 1 Peter 1:16-18 NLT

In verse 14 of the opening chapter, Peter reveals how Jesus had forewarned him of his own pending death.

…our Lord Jesus Christ has shown me that I must soon leave this earthly life. – 2 Peter 1:14 NLT

This is a clear reference to the conversation Peter had with Jesus not long after they had shared their last Passover meal together.

“I tell you the truth, when you were young, you were able to do as you liked; you dressed yourself and went wherever you wanted to go. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and others will dress you and take you where you don’t want to go.” Jesus said this to let him know by what kind of death he would glorify God.” – John 21:18-19 NLT

There are those who point out the dissimilarities between the two letters and draw the conclusion that Second Peter was written by an unknown author who used Peter’s name to give his letter authenticity. But there is no overly compelling proof to conclude that the letter was written by anyone other than the apostle Peter, the “servant and apostle of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:1 ESV).

Assuming Peter to be the author and considering his reference that this was his second letter, he appears to be writing to the same audience he addressed in his first letter. In his earlier epistle, Peter wrote a circular letter intended for congregations located in the cities of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, located in the region of Asia Minor. These small, fledgling flocks were made up of both Jews and Gentiles who had placed their faith in Jesus Christ. As a result of their decision to follow Christ, they found themselves suffering persecution and ostracization. The cities in which they lived were part of the Roman Empire and their neighbors and friends were primary Greek-speaking Gentiles who viewed Christianity as a strange and potentially dangerous religious sect. 

There are indications within the letter that Peter was writing with a sense of urgency. It is believed that he wrote this letter from Rome sometime around 67-68 A.D. The writings of the early church fathers indicate that Peter spend the last decade of his life in Rome and was eventually martyred there. If their assessment is accurate, then Peter would have been in Rome during the reign of the emperor Nero, who launched his infamous and deadly persecution of Christians sometime around 64 A.D.

The letter has the feel of a last will and testament, almost as if Peter knows that this will be his final communication with his brothers and sisters in Asia Minor. He seems to know that the intensity of the persecution against them is going to increase. With the church’s continued growth and expansion, the enemy was going to intensify its opposition. So, Peter wanted to prepare his readers to remain strong, even in the face of his pending death and the inevitable increase in their suffering.

…our Lord Jesus Christ has shown me that I must soon leave this earthly life, so I will work hard to make sure you always remember these things after I am gone. – 2 Peter 1:14-15 NLT

Peter had been a faithful servant of Jesus Christ, having obeyed the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20) and taken the gospel of the Kingdom to “the ends of the earth.” Like Paul, Peter had made it is his life’s mission to tell the good news concerning Jesus Christ to as many people as possible. And, along the way, he had suffered greatly for his efforts. According to church tradition, Peter was eventually put to death by the emperor Nero, and his means of death was crucifixion – upside down.

Regardless of how Peter died, it seems evident that, as he wrote this letter, he was well aware that his days on earth were numbered. His words contain an urgency and unction that stress the need for watchfulness among the body of Christ. His greatest concern was the threat of false teachers, “who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction” (2 Peter 2:1 ESV). As the original apostles of Jesus grew older, there was a pressing need for the next generation of godly leadership within the church to step up. Since Peter seemed to know that his mission was drawing to a close, he had a deep sense of concern for the ongoing well-being of the countless flocks that had sprung up around the world. Who would lead and care for them when he was gone? It was the philosopher, Aristotle, who opined, “Nature abhors a vacuum.” And Peter was smart enough to know that, with his departure, there would arise a host of individuals who would gladly fill the space he vacated. These “false teachers” would prove to have a dangerous and, ultimately, deadly influence on the church if left undetected and free to propagate “their evil teaching and shameful immorality” (2 Peter 2:2 NLT).

Peter’s opinion regarding these people is far from opaque. He is brutally honest in his assessment of their character and intent.

These false teachers are like unthinking animals, creatures of instinct, born to be caught and destroyed. They scoff at things they do not understand, and like animals, they will be destroyed. Their destruction is their reward for the harm they have done. They love to indulge in evil pleasures in broad daylight. They are a disgrace and a stain among you. They delight in deception even as they eat with you in your fellowship meals. – 2 Peter 2:12-13 NLT

Not exactly a flattering endorsement of their leadership or moral character. But Peter knew they would be influential and solicit a following among the uneducated and gullible. Their words, though false, would sound persuasive. Their promises, though empty, would offer hope in the midst of all the difficult circumstances facing these local congregations. That’s why Peter opened his letter with a reminder of their faith in Christ.

I am writing to you who share the same precious faith we have. This faith was given to you because of the justice and fairness of Jesus Christ, our God and Savior. – 2 Peter 1:1 NLT

For Peter, it was essential that his readers remain committed to their faith in Christ. They were going to be bombarded with other truth claims that would attempt to undermine the sufficiency of Christ. These false teachers were promoting new “knowledge” that was intended to supplement the insufficient teaching of the apostles. But Peter took the same stance as the apostle Paul.

But I fear that somehow your pure and undivided devotion to Christ will be corrupted, just as Eve was deceived by the cunning ways of the serpent. You happily put up with whatever anyone tells you, even if they preach a different Jesus than the one we preach, or a different kind of Spirit than the one you received, or a different kind of gospel than the one you believed. – 2 Corinthians 11:3-4 NLT

These people are false apostles. They are deceitful workers who disguise themselves as apostles of Christ. But I am not surprised! Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no wonder that his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. In the end they will get the punishment their wicked deeds deserve. – 2 Corinthians 11:13-15 NLT

All of the apostles found themselves battling these false teachers who were promoting half-truths and flat-out lies concerning Jesus and the gospel. Jude was merciless in his assessment of these people.

…some ungodly people have wormed their way into your churches, saying that God’s marvelous grace allows us to live immoral lives. The condemnation of such people was recorded long ago, for they have denied our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. – Jude 1:4 NLT

So, as Peter began to pen his message to the churches in Asia Minor, he called his readers to seek an ever-increasing knowledge of God the Father and Jesus Christ the Son.

May God give you more and more grace and peace as you grow in your knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord. – 2 Peter 1:2 NLT

It was only as they focused their full attention on the Godhead that they would be able to recognize and withstand the onslaught of falsehood headed their way.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

New English Translation (NET)NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.

Fishers of Men.

18 While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 19 And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 20 Immediately they left their nets and followed him. 21 And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. 22 Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

23 And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people. 24 So his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought him all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, those oppressed by demons, those having seizures, and paralytics, and he healed them. 25 And great crowds followed him from Galilee and the Decapolis, and from Jerusalem and Judea, and from beyond the Jordan. – Matthew 4:18-25 ESV

In Luke’s Gospel, he records that immediately after His temptation in the wilderness, Jesus had returned to Nazareth, His hometown. While there, He had attended the synagogue one day and was given the privilege of reading from the Old Testament Scriptures, as was the custom. He opened up the scroll containing the writings of the prophet, Isaiah, and read from a particular passage.

16 When he came to the village of Nazareth, his boyhood home, he went as usual to the synagogue on the Sabbath and stood up to read the Scriptures. 17 The scroll of Isaiah the prophet was handed to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where this was written:

18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
    for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released,
    that the blind will see,
that the oppressed will be set free,
19     and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come.” – Luke 4:16-19 NLT

Having read the passage, Jesus sat down and then stated in the hearing of all those in attendance: “The Scripture you’ve just heard has been fulfilled this very day!” (Luke 4:21 NLT). Jesus had taken an Old Testament prophecy concerning the Messiah and applied it to Himself. He was claiming to be the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophetic prediction of the coming of the anointed one – He who would bring good news to the poor. And as Matthew pointed out earlier, Jesus was the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy concerning the great light that was to dawn, illuminating the spiritual darkness of the world.  

Jesus had begun His earthly ministry with the anointing of the Holy Spirit and was now prepared to take His message concerning the gospel of the kingdom to the world. But rather than begin His ministry within the confines of Jerusalem, the spiritual and political capital of Israel, Jesus had focused His attention on the region of Galilee, to the north. And instead of appealing to the powerful religious leaders of His day, Jesus took His message of good news to the peasants, even focusing His attention on common fishermen. Matthew specifically mentions two sets of brothers: Simon and Andrew and James and John. In his own Gospel account, John records that Jesus had actually met Simon, Andrew, Philip, and Nathanael some time earlier.

35 The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, 36 and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” 37 The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. 38 Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” 39 He said to them, “Come and you will see.” So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour. 40 One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. 41 He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ). 42 He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter).” – John 1:35-42 ESV

After their initial encounter with Jesus, it seems that Simon and Andrew had returned to their nets, having failed to sense any clear calling from Jesus to become His disciples. But when Jesus met them the second time, He made His intentions perfectly clear, commanding the two brothers to follow Him. 

“Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” – Matthew 4:19 ESV

This statement must have sounded odd to the two men. What could Jesus have meant by the phrase, “fishers of men”? It seems unlikely that the men to whom Jesus uttered His command to follow Him understood what He was talking about. But Jesus’ wording was intentional and carried great significance. He was calling these men to a task that was far greater than anything they could have ever imagined. Their lives were about to be radically changed and the entire focus of their existence was to become irreversibly altered. Four common fishermen were about to become key players in a drama that would have eternal implications on not only the nation of Israel, but the entire world.

Jesus’ use of the term, “fishers of men” was a direct reference to another Old Testament passage in which God spoke of His plan to return His people from their captivity in Babylon. Because of the generations of unfaithfulness on the part of the people of Judah, God had allowed them to suffer defeat at the hands of the Babylonians and sent them into exile for a period of 70 years. But God had also promised to restore them to the land.

14 “Therefore, behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when it shall no longer be said, ‘As the Lord lives who brought up the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt,’ 15 but ‘As the Lord lives who brought up the people of Israel out of the north country and out of all the countries where he had driven them.’ For I will bring them back to their own land that I gave to their fathers.

16 “Behold, I am sending for many fishers, declares the Lord, and they shall catch them. And afterward I will send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them from every mountain and every hill, and out of the clefts of the rocks.” – Jeremiah 16:14-16 ESV

The Hebrew word for “fishers” is dayag, and it refers to fishermen. God had promised to send fishermen to catch all those who were in exile, returning them to the land of promise. And while God had fulfilled this promise, eventually returning the people of Judah from their captivity in Babylon and restoring them to the land, they were still living in open rebellion to Him. Even at the time Jesus had begun His ministry, the nation of Israel was marked by spiritual darkness, living in the land, but still separated from God by their unrighteous and unfaithful behavior. What was missing was any kind of a right relationship with God. And Jesus was calling these four men to a task that would involve the seeking and searching for all those whom God desired to be returned to a right relationship with Himself. Simon, Andrew, James and John had spent their lives casting their nets in the waters of the Sea of Galilee, hoping to catch fish. Now, Jesus was calling them to assist in His mission to catch men.

These four unimpressive men from inauspicious backgrounds, were going to be used by God to accomplish something far greater than any of them could have ever imagined. They were to be part of a divine plan to restore sinful mankind to a right relationship with God. And these common Galilean fishermen would end up making an impact on the world that would have far-reaching implications for generations to come – on not only the Jewish people, but the nations of the world. Jeremiah wrote the words of God, promising to restore the lost and wandering people of God to a right relationship with Him.

8 Behold, I will bring them from the north country
    and gather them from the farthest parts of the earth,
among them the blind and the lame,
    the pregnant woman and she who is in labor, together;
    a great company, they shall return here. – Jeremiah 31:8 ESV

Notice that God focused on the needy? He emphasized the blind, the lame, the helpless and vulnerable. And Matthew records that Jesus began His ministry by focusing on those who had needs, “healing every disease and every affliction among the people” (Matthew 4:23 ESV). Matthew emphasized that “they brought him all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, those oppressed by demons, those having seizures, and paralytics, and he healed them” (Matthew 4:24 ESV). The hurting, the helpless and the hopeless were the focus of Jesus’ earthly ministry. He enlisted the aid of the unimpressive and unqualified in order to minister to the unwanted and undesirable. And Jesus’ fame spread and His following grew.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Message (MSG)  Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

At His Command.

Matthew 8:14-17; Mark 1:29-34; Luke 4:38-41

“This fulfilled the word of the Lord through the prophet Isaiah, who said, 'He took our sicknesses and removed our diseases.'” – Matthew 8:17 NLT

When the people in Capernaum had witnessed Jesus cast the demon out of the man inside the walls of their very own synagogue, they exclaimed, "What sort of new teaching is this? It has such authority! Even evil spirits obey his orders!" (Mark 1:27 NLT). They were blown away by what they had seen. Jesus spoke and even the demons obeyed Him. He had authority. His words had power. He was more than just another itinerant rabbi roaming the landscape of Palestine recruiting disciples. This man was special.

And as Jesus made His way from the synagogue to the home of Simon Peter, He found Himself confronted with another need, the mother-in-law of His host was sick with a fever. Luke tells us He rebuked the fever and it left her. And her healing was immediate and complete, because she got up at once and prepared a meal for them. By that evening, news had spread and crowds began to gather, bringing their sick and demon-possessed friends and family members to Jesus. Mark says, "The whole town gathered at the door to watch" (Mark 1:33 NLT. But there is an interesting dynamic going on in these passages. You have two groups interacting with Jesus and they each give us a vastly different perspective of just how they view who Jesus is. The people see a powerful healer. They obviously believe He can heal or they wouldn't be going through the effort of coming to Him with their various maladies. They aren't really sure who this man is, but if He can give them release from their physical ailments and deliver them from demon possession, that is all that really matters. They are stuck on a physical plane. But the demons are spiritual creatures and they have a much different perspective on just who Jesus is. Luke tells us that when Jesus commanded the demons to come out of an individual, they obeyed, but not before shouting, "You are the Son of God!" (Luke 4:41 NLT). Luke says that Jesus rebuked them and refused to let them speak because they knew He was the Messiah. They were fully aware of just who Jesus was, and they understood and feared the significance of His arrival in what had been their domain up until that time. He was competition. He was to be feared because He had power over them. He wasn't just some rabbi, He was the very Son of God, the Messiah. Jesus was their worst nightmare realized.

It is interesting that Jesus refused to let the demons acknowledge His true identity. But He knew that if the people began to connect the dots and realized that Jesus was the Messiah, as the demons stated, they would misunderstand. Their view of who the Messiah would be and what He would do was radically different than the role for which Jesus had come. They were looking for a conquering king and a political leader to liberate them from the oppression of the Romans. Jesus knew that the people, including His own disciples, would attempt to force His hand and try to get Him to set up His earthly kingdom now. But Jesus was on His Father's timetable, and He came to provide a different kind of liberation. He was going to set them free, but not from Roman rule. He was going to bring them salvation, but not from political oppression. The demons seemed to know this. They inherently understood that Jesus was out to do war on a spiritual plane. They had experienced His power and had been forced by Him to give up hard-fought territory. They were no match for Him. And it scared them.

It is interesting that many people today are looking to Jesus for only what they can get from Him, and their interest is purely physical in nature. They want better lives, happier marriages, more successful careers, better behaved kids, and trouble-free futures. They fail to realize that the realm in which Jesus works is a spiritual one. He came to do spiritual warfare with a spiritual enemy. He came to deliver from spiritual captivity and to heal spiritual diseases. This is not to say that Jesus cannot or will not heal us from physical sickness, but His main concern has and always will be our spiritual condition. He is out to restore us to spiritual wholeness and completeness. He wants to transform our hearts and radically change our inner beings so that we become increasingly like Him. Our greatest desire should be for spiritual healing. We should constantly look to Jesus and see Him for who He is, the Son of God, with the power and authority to radically transform our inner lives and completely restore our sin-sick hearts.

Father, it is so easy to get stuck on a physical plane and lose sight that our greatest problem is a spiritual one. We are spiritual creatures and the battle we fight each day is a spiritual one. Keep us focused on the real reason for which Your Son came. Don't let us lose sight of the prize and become distracted by short-term fixes that relegate Jesus to some kind of life coach who is here to make our physical lives better. Give us eyes to see life from a spiritual perspective. Amen.

Fishing For Men.

Mark 1:16-20; Luke 5:1-11

“Don't be afraid! From now on you'll be fishing for people.” – Luke 5:10 NLT

Some unwanted advice from an unlikely source. That's what Simon received that day when Jesus instructed him to "go out where it is deeper and let down your nets to catch some fish" (Luke 5: 4 NLT). Think about it. Here was Simon, a seasoned fisherman, who had fished the waters of the Sea of Galilee all his life alongside his brother, Andrew. Along comes Jesus, a thirty-year old carpenter from Nazareth who had never fished a day in His life. But He gives Simon some well-meaning advice on how to fish. At first, Simon attempts to offer up an excuse as to why he can't follow through with Jesus' tip, but he thinks better of it and decides to do as Jesus suggests. The result is, well, overwhelming. They find their nets so full of fish that they are literally ripping apart at the seams. They have to call for another boat to assist them and eventually, both boats are so full of fish that they are about to sink from the sheer weight of their catch. Suffice it to say that Simon and the other fishermen had never seen anything like this before. They were shocked. So much so, that Simon fell to his knees before Jesus and fearfully confessed his sinfulness and unworthiness to be in Jesus' presence. He knew that something miraculous had just taken place. He was aware that Jesus was more than just an ordinary man. At this point, it's not exactly clear just who Simon believed Jesus was. But he knew enough to know that he had just witnessed a supernatural event that was like nothing he had ever seen before, and it was all the result of the words of Jesus.

The next words out of Jesus' mouth had to have been confusing and cryptic to Simon and the others. "Don't be afraid! From now on you'll be fishing for people!" Of course, because we're looking back on the story and know how it ends, we get it. But for Simon and Andrews, this statement had to be a bit perplexing. What did Jesus mean by "fishing for people?" What kind of career path was He suggesting? But in spite of any questions or doubts Simon may have had, he followed. Not only that, he left everything and followed Jesus. That means he not only walked away from all he had ever known – his career, family, and friends – he also walked away from the single largest economic boon he had ever experienced. He walked away from two boats filled with fish that represented a sizable boost to his income.

It seems, that at times, Jesus gives us advice and counsel that appears illogical and a bit ridiculous. He tells us to do something that makes no sense and goes against our better judgment. Like Simon, we want to rationalize and reason our way out of doing what He says. We want to make excuses. But obedience brings blessing. And obedience requires faith. Simon had no guarantee that anything would happen when he pushed his boat back out into the water. If anything, he expected more of the same – empty nets and wasted effort. But this time out was going to be different, because it was under the direction of and in obedience to the Son of God. And what Simon was able to witness was not only an eye-popping haul of fish, but the power of God unleashed in daily life. The mundane suddenly became miraculous. The ordinary became extraordinary. And as a result, Simon's life would never be the same again. Catching fish became unimportant to him. Following Jesus and obeying His commands became the calling of his life. While he might not have know what Jesus meant for fishing for men, Simon was willing to do whatever Jesus told him to do. He had witnessed a miracle. He had seen the power of God revealed in his life through this man, Jesus. And so he followed Him. A move that would change his life forever.

Father, I want to witness Your power in my life more often. But I know that it requires obedience and faith. I have to listen to what Your Son is calling me to do, and then do it, even when I feel like it makes no sense. Too often, I want to figure out if it makes sense first, or try to determine if it will work before I step out. But that's not faith. Give me the strength and determination to respond as Simon did, "But if you say so." Amen.

A New Ballgame.

John 1:35-3:30

“God's light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil.” – John 3:19 NLT

John records for us those early days of Jesus' earthly ministry – from the choosing of His first few disciples to the wedding at Cana. Almost immediately, we begin to see Jesus' deity revealed. Somehow Jesus was able to see Nathanael long before the two met, knowing that he had been sitting under a fig tree prior to Philip's arrival to invite him to meet Jesus. This supernatural capability shocked Nathanael and caused him to exclaim, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God – the King of Israel!" (John 1:49 NLT). But Jesus tells him "You will see greater things than this" (John 1:50 NLT). These men are in for a wild ride. They have no idea what they are getting into as the follow Jesus. Each day is going to be an adventure, filled with excitement, confusion, awe, broken expectations, thrilling new insights, and mind-numbing lessons that make no sense.

They will watch as Jesus turns ordinary water into expensive wine. They'll stand back in shock as He angrily clears the Temple of venders, shouting, "Get these things out of here. Stop turning my Father’s house into a marketplace!" (John 2:16 NLT). They will scratch their heads in confusion as they listen to Jesus tell the religious leaders, "Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up" (John 2:19 NLT). Everything about Jesus was surprising and shocking to them. He was not what they were expecting and the things He said and did were surprising, confusing and a little bit disconcerting. Their world was being rocked and their preconceived notions about life, religion, God and man were being turned upside down.

And then comes the nighttime visit from Nicodemus, the Pharisee. This well-educated religious leader made his way to Jesus after dark in order to keep his visit a secret. Jesus had already begun to make enemies of the religious leadership by virtue of His words and actions. He had begun to attract the attention of the people and cause an uproar, and the Pharisees were not amused. But Nicodemus was curious. He wanted to know more. He knew that Jesus had miraculous powers and must have been sent from God, but he was unclear as to just exactly who Jesus was and what He was doing. And like the disciples, Nicodemus got more than he bargained for in his meeting with Jesus. Nicodemus was part of the religious elite of the Jewish people. He was well-educated and viewed as extremely righteous. He was considered among the holiest and most godly of the people. And yet Jesus reveals to him some shocking news. "I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God" (John 3:3 NLT). This was disconcerting news to Nicodemus. As a son of Abraham and a keeper of the Law, he had always viewed his place in God's kingdom as a sure thing. And now Jesus tells him he must be "born again." Not only that, but "I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit," Jesus says (John 3:5 NLT).

All Nicodemus can say in response is "How are these things possible?" (John 3:9 NLT).

He is confused. His brain is on overload. He is attempting to process information he has never heard before. He is being forced to reconcile what he is hearing with all that he has been taught over the years. Jesus is revealing to Nicodemus the truth regarding Himself and the truth about eternal life. It is not based on religious rule-keeping or hereditary purity. It is about the Son of God and belief in Him. "For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16 NLT). That verse is very familiar and comfortable to us, but to Nicodemus it would have been like a hand grenade exploding in the closet of his mind. Everything he had counted on and staked his life on was being ripped to shreds. The rules were changing and requirements were being altered. It was all about belief. Eight different times in His conversation with Nicodemus, Jesus mentions the word, "believe." He uses the imagery of the bronze serpent from the time of the Israelites wandering in the wilderness. Nicodemus would have been very familiar with it. Because of their disobedience, God had sent poisonous snakes to plague the people. He then instructed Moses to make a bronze snake and put it on a pole. If the people would listen to God's word and look at the bronze serpent, they would be healed from snakebite. But if they refused to believe and do as God said, as crazy as it may have sounded or looked, they would die. Jesus tells Nicodemus, "so the Son of Man must be lifted up, so that everyone who believes on him will have eternal life" (John 3:14 NLT). Belief in Jesus as the Son of God and the remedy for man's sin was the requirement. But Jesus knew that not everyone was going to believe. Not everyone was going to accept this new requirement. "God's light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil" (John 3:19 NLT). Just as there were those who refused to look at the bronze serpent and died in the wilderness, so there were going to be those who refused to believe in Jesus and die in their sins. Jesus was giving Nicodemus a choice to make. Did it sound illogical? Yes. Did it appear improbable? Most certainly. Could Nicodemus have found it all unacceptable? Of course. But that is the nature of belief. It requires faith. It demands trust. It necessitates risk. But it is all based on love – the love of God. "For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son…" (John 3:16 NLT).

Father, Your Son rocked the world. He shattered all preconceived notions and broke down all the man-made constructs that attempted to explain You and promote the path to righteousness. He is still rocking our world today. Sometimes it is so hard to simply believe. It is so difficult to just trust. We feel like we have to do it all. We are so performance driven. We want to earn our good standing with You by doing good works for You. But it has always been about Your Son. He is the key. For both salvation and sanctification. Never let me forget that. Amen.