This week in our series, Stories of God's People, we come to Nicodemus, a seeker. Nicodemus was a pharisee and a ruling authority on the Jewish council. He certainly had a solid base knowledge of scripture and what it meant to be a Jew. And yet he seemed to be seeking something more.
He came to Jesus under the cover of darkness. And in the midst of this secretive context, he talked with Jesus about deeper realities. He talked with Jesus about the intersection of his head knowledge with his heart need for rebirth. Nicodemus was a seeker of a deeper understanding of faith, the interaction of faith and life. Nicodemus was looking to understand and experience how his faith could influence and shape him.
Whether Nicodemus truly understood what he was seeking when he came to Jesus or not, we don't know. But Jesus knew and he led the conversation very quickly in this direction. He invited Nicodemus to move beyond a faith of understanding into a faith of transformation through new birth.
As you consider Nicodemus, a seeker; reflect on these questions
in a time of silence, through journaling or in group dialogue.
1. In what ways do you identify with Nicodemus and why do you think that is?
2. What does it mean to you to be born again and how does this affect your daily walk of faith?
3.What does it mean to be born of water and spirit and how do we invite others into this reality?
4. Describe a time in which you experienced the interaction of your understanding of scripture or faith with your daily walk or what you were experiencing in life.
5. Where else do we encounter Nicodemus in scripture and how does this shape our broader understanding of Nicodemus' journey into deeper faith?
May Jesus richly bless you in this week ahead, leading you in His kingdom purposes. Amen
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