Daily Scripture Reflection & Prayer: April 9, 2024

Date:   Tuesday of the 2nd Week of Easter

Scripture Text:  John 3:7b-15

Jesus said to Nicodemus: "'You must be born from above.' The wind blows where it wills, and you can hear the sound it makes, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes; so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit." Nicodemus answered and said to him, 'How can this happen?"

Jesus answered and said to him, "You are the teacher of Israel and you do not understand this? Amen, amen, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but you people do not accept our testimony. If I tell you about earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? No one has gone up to heaven except the one who has come down from heaven, the Son of Man. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life."

Breaking the text open – background and summary:

The gospel reading from today is drawn for the 3rd chapter of the Gospel of John, it is the second part of Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus, a member of the Sanhedrin who came to visit Jesus at night, presumably so that his visit would not be seen by others. In the first part of the conversation, that precedes our reading today, Jesus tells Nicodemus he must be born from above. The Greek word for from above is anōthen. It can also mean “again.” Nicodemus took it to mean “again.” In today’s text, we see Jesus explaining to Nicodemus that it is not “again” but from above.”

There is another word that can be misunderstood; pneuma can mean either wind or spirit (as ruah in Hebrew). Jesus is telling Nicodemus that we must be born from above but also again – in water and the Spirit – in baptism.

Jesus also shares his being lifted up (upon a cross) with Nicodemus, but Nicodemus is unable to understand Jesus’ reference until the time of Jesus’ death on Calvary. It is not uncommon in the gospel for us to see Jesus announce what will be but the listener cannot comprehend the truth because it is outside the realm of previous experience.  

Meditating on the text with personal questions:

How open am I to the Holy Spirit? Do I allow the Holy Spirit to guide me, to lead me where the LORD wills that I go so that I might become the one the LORD created me to be? Do I recognize that through my baptism I was truly born again?

Praying:

LORD, Almighty Father, we come before You this day full of praise recognizing all that is because You are and because of your love that leads You in your creation and in your dominion. Your only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, came among us as You willed Him to do. He took our human nature and through his life, his teachings, his words and his actions, revealed your great love for us as well as “the Way.” It was your will that He give his lie selflessly upon the cross on Cavalry for our sins, for our salvation, because we ourselves were unwilling and unable. And in the Spirit, He rose from the dead on the third day. Dying He destroyed our death; rising He restored our life. Send your Spirit to open our minds and hearts wholly to your love and your will for us. Grant that the Spirit may stir within us the love that alone will allow us to recognize Jesus Christ as your only begotten Son, Son of God, and our Savior. Help us to seek, as Jesus did, your will for us. Grant that we may be willing, as Him, to deny ourselves, pick up our crosses, and follow Him home to You. We ask this in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You and the Spirit, one LORD, forever and ever. Amen.