Read John 2:13–3:30
Remember the foreshadowing we saw yesterday of missing spiritual truth through natural eyes? Here are four more examples of exactly that: the merchants and money changers saw financial opportunity in the Father’s house, the Jews saw the temple building in Jesus’ teaching, Nicodemus saw physical birth in spiritual rebirth, and John’s disciples saw changing social dynamics in the rise of the Messiah. It’s almost unbelievable to have example after example of people not seeing who Jesus truly is. Even John’s disciples, who should have known better, let a theological argument end in essentially saying, “John, why is everyone going to this Jesus guy instead of us now?”
So why is it that all these people missed the truth? Why didn’t they see it? According to Jesus, it seems like they weren’t born again. They were born of the flesh, so they understood the things of the flesh. They knew the things they could see, hear, touch, and feel. But other than that, they were blind. They couldn’t understand spiritual truth because they weren’t born of the Spirit. Even Nicodemus, a great and learned teacher of the Jewish tradition, couldn’t understand what Jesus, the God whom he had studied, was telling him.
So what should we do about this? How do the failures of others impact the way we live? We should learn from their mistakes. Don’t be spiritually blind. Don’t let the truth about God get lost in your own desires and understanding. You cannot see the truth unless you truly understand the One who gives truth. And in order to see Him for who He is, you must be born again. You have to ask God to make you a new creation, one that honors Him and truly knows Him.
Begin praying with Psalm 25:4–5:
“Make your ways known to me, LORD;
teach me your paths.
Guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are the God of my salvation;
I wait for you all day long.”