He Knows, He Loves

Right before Nicodemus comes to Jesus under the cover of night to question him, John drops this provocative thought: Jesus did not entrust himself to the men believing in him, because he knew what was in the heart of a man.

When we come to Jesus for relationship, that is exactly what it is: relationship. Sometimes I think of Jesus as a vending machine God. I put in what I think he requires and then he will give me what I want. But scripture tells us that God is relational, not transactional. Jesus didn’t entrust himself to men who just wanted something out of him.

When Nicodemus shows up to talk with Christ, it appears he is genuinely interested in finding out about Christ. But the questions Nicodemus had for Jesus were quickly replaced with questions Jesus had for him : “you are Israel’s teacher and you don’t understand these things?” Jesus knows us. He knows that we sometimes come to him with mixed motives and reluctant heart. Yet he loves us through it to truth, just like he did with Nicodemus.

We don’t know much about Nicodemus, but we know that he was changed by this very unusual encounter with the living Christ. In John 7, Nicodemus defends Jesus against his own “team”, the Jewish leaders. And then after Jesus’ death, he comes and provides a rich quantity of spices for Jesus’ burial, bucking his own system for what he knew to be true life.

All it took was a bit of curiosity and an honest conversation to change Nicodemus. Jesus knows your heart and he still wants you! As David said this morning in the Hope service, God wants honesty, not because he wants to punish you but because he wants to know you, and for you to know him.

This Thursday, we will look at Mark 9:14-31 together. As you read it this week, circle all the characters represented in these verses. And then ask yourself: who in this story struggles with unbelief? See you Thursday!