May 26, 2024

“What is the Gospel?”
 John 3:16

 Are you scared of the dark? Scared of an alarm going off in the middle of the night? Stumbling around in the darkness can be scary. But darkness can also serve another purpose… Secrecy. What happens in the dark is harder to see. And that’s what is happening in our Gospel lesson today. It centers around the darkness because the character interacting with Jesus doesn’t want to be found out. Nicodemus came to Jesus by night. He thinks knows what the Bible says. Nicodemus came at night because he was ashamed. He didn’t want anyone else to know that he was interested in what Jesus had to say. His focus? What must “I do” to be saved? Perhaps he was sure that he had already done enough.   But Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” To Nicodemus this sounds crazy. It’s clear Nicodemus has no idea what Jesus is talking about. What Jesus is talking about is a new way of life. Jesus isn’t talking about a physical birth. Jesus is talking about a spiritual rebirth.  A rebirth that comes because the GOSPEL that Jesus brought to the world on the cross. He came to be the sacrifice so that all people might be saved by him.

 Questions:

1. Why did Nicodemus come at night to see Jesus?
2. What was he looking for?
3. Why was Jesus answer hard for him to understand?