Jesus Challenges Nicodemus, a Pharisee

Text: John 2:23-3:15

Reflection and Question: Nicodemus comes into the Gospel of John several times as a very devout Pharisee who is attracted to and intrigued by Jesus. This exchange between Jesus and Nicodemus brings up a variety of mysterious terms. For me, Jesus’ central message here is “The wind blows where it will,” meaning that the Holy Spirit descends and inspires according to God’s own will, not according to our expectations or laws. Jesus’ challenge to Nicodemus was that there could be possibilities beyond his religious rules. If we are Nicodemus, how does Jesus challenge our assumptions?

Prayer: Holy Jesus, we lay before our astonishment, shared with Nicodemus, at Your call for us to be born again. We lay ourselves into Your comforting hands so that we may be born of water and Spirit and then do Your will and work in this world. Amen.

This meditation is based on the Daily Lectionary Year 2 from the Book of Common Worship for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) (1993).