“How can these things be?” asked Nicodemus. “Are you a teacher of Israel and don’t know these things?” Jesus replied. “Truly I tell you, we speak what we know and we testify to what we have seen, but you do not accept our testimony.” (CSB)

Have you ever struggled to understand something about faith? Or struggled to believe that you’re seeing God move? Nicodemus, a religious leader who had spent his life studying Scripture, found himself face-to-face with Jesus, yet still wrestling. Are we willing to believe in what we’ve seen and heard, even if we don’t fully grasp how it all works? Let’s dive in.

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The Gospel of John was written by the Apostle John for a primarily Gentile (non-Jewish) audience, addressing both believers and those still seeking faith. John’s gospel stands out from the others in its structure. He presents Jesus's story by alternating between accounts of His miracles and His teachings.  John’s purpose in writing? He states it clearly in John 1:7-8:  "He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light." John positions himself as a witness, like in a courtroom, testifying to what he has seen so that others might believe in Jesus through his testimony of Jesus’ works and teachings.  

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The full context of today’s focal passage is John 2:23-3:21, and I encourage you to read it all. For the sake of discussion, we’ll focus on John 2:23-3:12 (CSB).

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If anybody could have made a case for trying to get into heaven on their ability to keep the law, it would have been Nicodemus, a Pharisee leader and respected teacher. The Book of Law the Pharisees followed make up the first five books of our modern Bibles. After the Babylonian exile, Jewish scribes were so concerned about breaking God’s law that they created extra rules to prevent people from even coming close to disobedience. They compiled these interpretations in the Mishnah, essentially a set of guardrails to keep people from ever crossing the line. The Mishnah added countless rules to Jewish life – like 24 chapters to explain what “Keep the Sabbath” meant. Later, Jewish teachers wrote the Talmud to provide additional commentary on the Mishnah. At first glance, this may seem excessive. But if I’m honest, it’s easy for me to feel compassion for their mindset. They likely thought, “If we just create stricter rules, we’ll finally get it right! No more exile for us!” Nicodemus had spent his life meticulously following these religious laws and teachings.

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When Nicodemus encounters Jesus, he believes there’s something different about Him, but he can’t put his finger on it. He goes to see Jesus under the cover of night and admits, “We know God is with you because of the miracles you do.” Instead of responding with small talk or pleasantries, Jesus cuts straight to business: “You cannot see the kingdom of God unless you are born again.”  Jesus can see Nicodemus’ heart. Jesus knows what Nicodemus really wants to know, and He wastes no time getting right to the point.  

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Nicodemus is baffled when Jesus says he must be born again. No man can do that! But Jesus expands and explains what he means – you’ve got to be born of the Spirit. This concept should not have been so shocking to Nicodemus, and Jesus challenges him on this: “You’re a teacher of Israel, and you don’t understand this?”

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Old Testament prophets, including Ezekiel, Joel, and Isaiah, had all spoken about God pouring out His Spirit, cleansing people with water, and replacing hearts of stone with hearts of flesh. Nicodemus had spent his life studying these scriptures, yet he missed their fulfillment right in front of him. The language that Jesus uses, as always, is purposeful and should have connected in Nicodemus’ mind to the scriptures he studied so diligently.  

Jesus then made it clear: If Nicodemus couldn’t accept what Jesus said about earthly things, how would he ever believe in heavenly things? The same is true for us today. Without a regenerated heart, we cannot fully understand, believe, or live out God’s Word. We have to believe what we “see” through the gospels about Jesus.

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Chuck Smith, in his commentary on John, puts it this way: "People are foolish. Unless they can understand all the processes by which God is working, they won't accept it. I can't explain to you how that believing in Jesus Christ can cleanse you of your sin and cause you to be born again and become a child of God. All I can tell you is it will. It works. That's what God has ordained. How can these things be? They are the result of simply believing in Jesus Christ."  

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I like to believe Nicodemus did eventually understand. Later in John, he defends Jesus against being condemned without due process. And after Jesus' crucifixion, Nicodemus helps Joseph of Arimathea prepare Jesus’ body for burial. That’s a huge shift for a man who first sought Jesus in secrecy, a poignant reminder that faith is a journey!

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So, what about us? Do we believe what we “see” in the testimony of Christ in the Gospels, even if we don’t fully understand how it all works?  

Dear Lord, thank you for what you accomplished on the cross that provided a way for me to have a new, regenerated heart. Thank you for sending your Spirit to dwell with us, illuminate the scriptures, and help us to live lives that glorify You. Give each of us the childlike faith it takes to believe in what we have seen and heard, even if we may not fully grasp the “hows” of the process. Amen.