John 4:9

The Samaritan woman responds ruefully, “How do you suppose you, as a Jew, dare ask me, a Samaritan woman no less, for some water to drink.  Jews don’t get along at all with Samaritans of the same gender, much less one of the opposite gender.”  John 4:9 EFP

I have to hand it to the lady—she is feisty.  Life has obviously taught her to speak up and defend herself.  Life has also taught her the realities of female-male relations, as we will discover later.  Try to see things through the eyes of a woman in first century Palestine.

She has no rights as a woman.  She is, for all intents and purposes, property of the man she marries.  Secondly, she is a Samaritan.  Although the citizens of the town have some status due to the presence of Jacob’s Well, this does not add any value to her in the eyes of the Jews.  If she is not low enough as a woman, than being a Samaritan woman secures her devaluation.  Consider the fact the she arrives in the middle of the day due to her checkered past and you can see how she is well-primed to go on the offensive against any threat, real or perceived.  Her words are defiant and defensive.  “How dare you” might even be a good paraphrase.  They should not be talking at all.  She doesn’t care if he was a Jew; she is not going to put up any nonsense from this stranger.  She knows how to handle men.

But Jesus knows the pitfalls and the risks of engaging in a conversation with this woman.  But he launches in unabashedly.  He sees in her a “diamond in the rough” and he is determined to get to the priceless center of this gem that had been abused by life and misused by people who claimed to care for her.  I am delighted Jesus is not intimidated by circumstance or first glances.  He would not have noticed me if he used lineage or status as the basis of his interest.  He sees me not for what life has made me but for what he intends to do in me if I let him.  The die has been cast.  He is taking all the risk. 

John 4:8

In case you’re wondering, his disciples are not with him at the moment.  They are in town looking to buy some staples for themselves and Jesus to eat.  John 4:8 EFP

And where are the disciples during this encounter?  What have they chosen to do while their Master meets with this local woman of ill repute?  John decides to share this information with us.  They are all in town gathering some grub.  They are hungry, and when guys get hungry they go looking for something to eat.  It’s normal.  It’s expected.  I will even give them the benefit of the doubt and grant that they go looking for food out of consideration for Jesus who they think is too tired and should take a break while they do the leg work.  They were hungry enough to go into a Samaritan town to find nourishment!

But Jesus has other things in mind.  His priorities are different.  His hunger is not for food, at least not the kind the disciples are seeking.  We already established that He certainly is not dependent on someone to quench his thirst, unless he chooses to be.  And this is what he elects to do. He depends on his disciples to bring him food. He asks for water from a woman he has never met. 

The way I see it, the first scenario is necessary for the second one to take place exactly like he wants it to happen.  He chooses to accept the disciples’ offer to go hunting for food knowing that their absence will facilitate the encounter with a very special Samaritan woman.  There are certain things that Jesus has to do alone, other than the incarnation.  He knows best when only a one-to-one meeting is needed.  This is one of those moments.  Days of crowds and chaos are in the future.  But today only an exclusive interview with an unsuspecting woman is warranted.  Come think of it, I also need times of corporate worship and praise.  That’s why God calls me to not neglect gathering together with fellow believers (Hebrews 10:25).  But I also need times of one-to-one with my Lord.  There are certain things that he wants to share that can only be communicated when I sit with him and listen to his voice—alone.  Sometimes he even has to make those moments happen.  I’m glad he does. I need it.

John 4:7

A Samaritan of the fairer gender arrives at the well where Jesus is sitting.  She has come to the well to draw some water.  Jesus, who has been sitting under the hot noontime Samaritan sun, addresses the woman.  “I am thirsty. Can you give me some water?” he asks.  John 4:7 EFP

So here is the reason Jesus comes through Samaria, stops by Sychar, sits down by Jacob’s Well on the plot of land the patriarch gave to Joseph his son.  A woman arrives at the well during the heat of the day to draw water.  Jesus is waiting just for her.  There is no coincidence here—no happenstance.  This is specifically what Jesus is expecting to happen.  He has sought out this situation for just such an outcome.

The fact that this woman arrives “around the sixth hour,” by Jewish reckoning about noon, is also significant.  This woman is not just any woman, she is a woman who is trying to avoid the other women is Sychar who come every morning to draw water.  She does not want to talk to them.  She prefers not to bump into them.  It probably is not even her choice, she may have been told to come draw water at a different time of the day, if not in words, certainly in the looks and frigid glances she endured in the past.  She is a lightning rod for gossip and innuendo.  She is the “other woman” or “that woman” in this little town.  But Jesus is “that man” and he came to town to talk to her.  Oddly enough, he does not just speak to her; he proceeds to ask something of her. “Would you be so kind as to give a cup of water?” Jesus requests of her.  “I’m very thirsty.”

What seems an innocuous petition is anything but.  Remember, this is Jesus!  He turned water into wine at a wedding in Cana.  He singlehandedly drove out the strong–handed merchants from the temple court.  He stood toe to toe with the temple guards and the religious leaders who questioned him.  He is anything but helpless.  Yet he asks for a cup of water.  The Giver comes as the one needing.  The Source presents himself as the recipient.  In a simple sentence he defines the incarnation—His coming into this world as a newborn baby.  The Almighty Father becomes the helpless son of a young Jewish maiden and a carpenter. How else can he engage the likes of me unless he becomes one like me in every sense of the word?  Even as one in need.  This seems truly odd when I think about it, but it is the unthinkable and untenable that becomes the non-negotiable and immovable core of the Gospel and the “power of God leading to salvation.” (1Corinthians 1:18)

John 4:6

A well dug by Jacob is located on this plot he gave his son Joseph.  Jesus, who is tired from a long day of traveling, sits down by “Jacob’s Well”.  By the way, it is about noon.”  John 4:6 EFP

John now adds a second bit of information.  Not only is this the town where a plot of land given by Jacob to his son Joseph can still be identified, it is also a place where that very same patriarch actually dug a well that has been in continual use to that very special day.

I guess that is more than a bit significant.  After all, on a hot day, as most likely it is in the heart of arid Palestine, having a place to quench your thirst is a very good thing.  To think that a well dug up by Jacob hundreds of years before still provides a place for people to come and quench their thirsts is pretty amazing.  On this particular day One, who according to the narrative by John, “was in the beginning with God” and as such precedes even Jacob who established the well, now finds a place nearby to sit and wait out the hot noonday sun like an ordinary man.

Oh yes, it is noon.  People didn’t use to go to the well in the middle of the day.  Most people, women usually, came out to gather water for the day in their earthen jars early in the day, before the sun became overbearing.  Today Jesus sits and waits patiently.  The disciples are in town.  There is no one there but Jesus, sitting in the hot sun, tired and undoubtedly thirsty, waiting next to a well he chooses not to access on this particular occasion.  There is something much more important that his own thirst to be addressed today.

John 4:5

So Jesus comes upon a small hamlet in Samaria by the name of Sychar.  It is a significant spot because Jacob, a prominent patriarch of the Hebrew nation, had given his favorite son Joseph this particular plot.  John 4:5 EFP

Jesus wanders into a town called Sychar, which just happens to be the location of a place called “Jacob’s Lot”.  This is a nice bit of information, but why does John feel like we need to know about it?

I thought about this and concluded that prior to this day, the most significant thing that could be said about Sychar is that it is the location of plot deeded by a patriarch of the Jewish nation to his son centuries before.  It bears mentioning that the Samaritans trace their heritage back to Jacob as well.  They are descendants of Abraham, Jacob, and Isaac, just like the Jews.  They are Israelites just like the Jews of the “Southern Kingdom”.  Their history is a bit more checkered than their brothers to the south, and for this their heritage is constantly questioned by the self-titled pure-bloods of Judea.

But something special is about to happen in this little town of Sychar.  With no fanfare or pomp, but plenty of divinely initiated circumstance the Desire of the Ages is making an appearance—a very personal one.  Sychar is previously known as the place where patriarch Jacob owned a plot, but from this day forward that location will be remembered for a totally different reason.  Everything will change today.  Their entire history will be anchored to a different event involving two people seeking: one seeking satisfaction, the other seeking to satisfy the longings of the human heart.  It is a beautiful thing when the seeker sinner and the Seeking Savior meet.

John 4:4

It so happens, Jesus has to cross through Samaria to get back to Galilee. John 4:4 EFP

It so happens….what do you know about that?  What seems to be a passing observation on Jesus’ itinerary is in fact a beautiful commentary on the way God uses every opportunity to “seek and save.”  John is setting the stage for something awesome.

Consider this; saying Jesus has to pass through Samaria is comparable to commenting, in passing, that a gentleman of orthodox Jewish persuasion had to go through the Arab sector of Jerusalem to get to his home.  It is a volatile and potentially violent scenario that would most likely not end well.  Consider the fact that Jesus has to cross through Samaria multiple times on his journeys up and down Palestine.  But he does—without hesitation or reservation.

Where does God not go to connect with the likes of me?  He leaves his home in heaven knowing he will have to pass through the gauntlets of earth in order to get back home. He knows the danger.  He knows the inevitable end.  He also knows this is the only way to save humanity—including me!  “It so happens” is an almost matter of fact description of the plan of salvation.  This is what it is.  This is what is going to happen.  It’s in the cards. And Jesus faces the possibilities because of His love for you and me; he walks the dusty and dangerous roads of Samaria (and Southern California), on his way back home.

John 4:3

In any case, Jesus leaves the region of Judea and sets out for Galilee once again. John 4:3 EFP

I cannot fathom Jesus simply reacting to some outside force, or avoiding discomfort or criticism.  No doubt Jesus was not looking for trouble everywhere he went, but trouble often came looking for him.  There was no shortage of people looking to derail his ministry because it was a threat to their livelihood or their lifestyle.

So when John, the apostle, chooses to mention that Jesus left Judea and returned to Galilee, the place he called home, I do not believe it was result of the scurrilous rumors being spread by his detractors.  That may have seemed to be the case from the outside, but there was always a reason to his actions and movements.  God does not act randomly—His every act is a saving act.

So it is that Jesus decides to leave Judea for Galilee, just like he left heaven—paradise, for earth—anything but paradise!  His relocation was not a last minute decision made in reaction to man’s decaying condition.  It was a plan devised and set in motion before the foundation of the world.  Before time on earth had come into existence, God knew exactly what he would do.  Long before Adam and Eve lost their innocence, God has found the way to restore it! Read 1 Peter 1:20 and the surrounding verses.  I am just one speck in the grand plan of God, but I am the speck for which the Lamb of God changed his address, and made his home in my neighborhood—my world. Awesome!

John 4:2

For the record, Jesus does not in fact baptize anyone; rather his disciples are the ones that do the baptizing for him. John 4:2 EFP

I do not really know why John finds it necessary to make this clarification.  Let’s just consider it a matter of accuracy.  It is a reminder that the writers of the Gospels were not just writing willy-nilly what came to their mind.  They, in fact, were not only moved by the Holy Spirit to write what they saw, but were inspired to be accurate so as to not bring disrepute on the cause of Christ by those who would be seeking to discredit the message on the account of inaccuracies and inconsistencies.

I can’t help but feel that this was the case with the apostle Paul some years later.  He went to some lengths to be very clear about his personal participation in baptizing anyone, lest the one baptized feel superior to others baptized by people of less renown (1 Corinthians 1:14-16), Jesus may have also made it a point not to be the one baptizing in order to avoid any sense of superiority by the ones he personally baptized.  Paul may not have thought this one through until after he had begun to baptize some people. Jesus anticipates this scenario.

Ultimately it is the act of being baptized that has meaning and significance.  It represents my baptism into Jesus Christ and the death of the person that I was before accepting Him (Romans 6).  It is a public testimony of something that takes place in private between me, the sinner, and my Savior.  But there is a second point that ought not to be lost here, that often is. I am not a follower of people or celebrity or status.  I was not baptized into Arnold Kurtz, the pastor in Redlands, California, who baptized me when I was but a child.  I was baptized into Jesus Christ—he is not divided (Read 1Corinthians 1:13), neither is my loyalty and faith.  Regardless of who baptizes me, I belong to Jesus Christ; and unlike frail and fickle humans, even pastors like me, Jesus never disappoints in the end.

John 4:1

It is a matter of time before Jesus realizes the Pharisees have gotten wind of his success attracting and baptizing more disciples that John, the Baptist. John 4:1 EFP

I don’t know how long it takes gossip to travel in Palestine in the first century, but I doubt it travels slowly.  News of Jesus’ success must have made the rounds as people travel up and down the dusty roads of Israel.  But it is the gossip that leaves the good news in the dust.  It is not a matter of finding bad things to say about Jesus, it is a matter of how they choose to spin the news.  Gossip has an awful way with words.

The Pharisees, who are considered the protectors of Jewish orthodoxy, could not find bad things to say about Jesus.  There is nothing there—sort of like the story of the prophet Daniel being thrown into the lion’s den as a result of a good deed twisted to become a violation of the law of Persia.  In this case the religious leaders are threatened by both the desert prophet of repentance and the new rabbi who preaches a message of forgiveness and new birth.  They begin to spread dissent among the disciples of John, as we see in the previous chapter.  They begin to insinuate Jesus is trying to move in and displace John from his prophetic pedestal.  The good he is doing is in fact bad for business if you are a “disciple of John.”

I have little use for gossip.  I detest it because it comes garbed in hypocrisy, a close kissing cousin.  It comes disguised in best intentions, but desires nothing less than the worst for the victim of its venom.  People who traffic in gossip are not interested in bettering others, rather in diminishing others and their success to better their position in life.  I have learned that what goes around comes around, so avoid gossip like the plague that it is.  Once you become a carrier, you seal your fate even as you destroy the fate of others.  Such is the web being spun by the Palestinian Pharisaic paparazzi intent in bringing down the two preachers on the banks of the Jordan.

John 3:36

“Everyone who places their faith and trust in the Son has everlasting life.  By the same token, all who do not place their faith and trust in the Son will never experience this life; on the contrary all they will know and experience is alienation from God.” John 3:36 EFP

The prophetic “voice calling in the wilderness” ends his testimony on behalf of the One whose entrance he is called to announce.  His words affirming the ministry of the Jesus, who will in essence make John’s unique ministry irrelevant, began in verse 27 of this passage in chapter three.  What begins as a response to those who perceive the ministry of Jesus a threat to the ministry of John leads him to clarify that Jesus’ ministry is the culmination of his life’s work, not the end.

But then John, in this closing statement, makes a statement so outrageously extravagant that it must either be a ridiculously over-the-top demonstration of loyalty, or a statement on the non-negotiable cornerstone of Christianity.  It is an unabashed confession of what salvation is, and how it is received.  In short: faith in Jesus equals life; absence of faith in Jesus equals an absence of life.  There is no middle ground.  There is no compromise.  No loophole.  To mimic the popular bumper sticker: Know Jesus, know life.  No Jesus, no life.

The way I see it—the whole thing boils down to how you understand “everlasting life.”  If everlasting life is equated with living forever, then this verse is very narrow in its scope.  Only those who accept and believe that Jesus is the Son of God will be saved and will, by consequence, live forever.  That leaves a lot of people out, even if we only include those who have lived after the death of Jesus Christ.  Even by the more permissive definition, more people are out than in.  On the other hand, if “everlasting life” is not defined merely by the length of time, but by the essence of the life being lived, then the text is descriptive of a life that can only be experienced by those who know God, as revealed through Jesus Christ.  Those who never have a chance to know the God revealed through the life of love, service, and sacrifice, lived by Jesus, will only see God as vindictive, capricious, and arbitrary.  That’s no way to live.

John 3:35

“Look at it this way—The Father loves his Son, and as a result he places everything into his hands.” John 3:35 EFP

Here’s a new concept.  John has already given all sorts of rationale to help his concerned students grasp the concept that there is nothing to fear from Jesus and his blossoming ministry.  It’s his time to shine.  God has ordained it.  As Jesus begins to broaden his ministry, it becomes necessary for John’s ministry to take a back seat.  All these are valid reasons for making room for Jesus to take center stage in the master plan set in motion by the Father of all.

But now John pulls out a trump card he has not used yet.  This does not make reference to some divine declaration or master plan initiated by heaven.  He simply says, “God loves his Son, and because of this he gives him everything.”  Period.  How do you argue with that?  God loves Jesus!  It seems obvious, but now it becomes foundational.  All the evidence attesting to the supremacy of Jesus as the Word of God, Son of God, God in the flesh, take a back seat to the “love factor”.

When you begin to think about what John is saying it becomes more than a bit difficult to grasp.  Love compels God the Father to place everything in Jesus hands.  OK.  Everything?  What does that mean?  Power?  Glory?  Authority?  All these are appropriate.  But this also means other things are placed in Jesus’ hands.  Submission? Hunger?  Suffering?  Pain?  Death? These are also given to Jesus because His Father loves him.  Loves him enough to give him these things?  That does not make sense.  But loving Jesus is in the truest sense loving himself, isn’t it?  He loves himself?  And because he loves himself he loves us.  That’s the great commandment turned back on itself.  He loves us as he loves himself.  God is once again modeling for us what he asks us to do—to love Him above all things and to love our neighbor like ourselves.  That’s pretty awesome.

John 3:34

“In other words, the One sent by God speaks the words God gives him to speak—and in doing so, God fills Him with an infinite measure of His Spirit.”  John 3:34 EFP

You cannot accuse John of being anything less than stubbornly persistent in his effort to establish Jesus as the ultimate revelation of the Eternal God.  Every statement anchors in this basic tenet of the soon to be established Kingdom of God.  Jesus is the Son of God sent by the Everlasting Father to reveal the truth about God through his life and his work on behalf of humanity.

There is something quite extraordinary about this passage.  It is unapologetically politically incorrect from today’s standards.  By saying that Jesus is the voice of God would simply place Jesus on the level of the many prophets that came before him.  The Scriptures (and history) are replete with stories of men and women who spoke for God, giving timely and powerful messages from the mind of Almighty to the ears of the intended.  But Jesus, in the words of John (apostle and baptizer as well) is the Word of God, who not only communicates the words God gives him to share, He is the actual Word of God being spoken with every step, every act, and every miracle.  Every encounter is imbued with “an infinite measure” of God’s Spirit.  There is “no measure” to the Spirit inside of Jesus, because He and the Spirit of God are one!

That separates Jesus Christ from every other prophet, seer, divine messenger, or wise man that every lived or is yet to come.  Jesus is not one in the line of great men of God—He is God!  Jesus is not simply another recipient of truth from God to be passed on to the intended recipients—He is the Truth of God.  God reveals himself in many ways and at many times across the annals of human history. (Hebrew 1:1)  But in Jesus, God comes in the flesh of humanity; He breaks into human history and stakes a claim on us through the incarnation of the Son of God. Incredible?  Yes! Unbelievable?  Most certainly!  But it is the power of God to all who believe! (1 Corinthians 1:18)

John 3:33

“The one who receives the testimony about heavenly things—mainly me, can certify on the basis of His first-hand experience that God is truth.” John 3:33 EFP

John, the Baptist, not the apostle, begins to wrap up his personal witness about Jesus to his disciples.  Remember, this response is John’s answer to his followers’ concerns about Jesus baptizing and preaching to the populace just like their teacher had been doing.  They are apparently concerned about the impact this might have on their ministry.

Jesus and John have been sharing ministry on the banks of the Jordan.  The two cousins see powerful manifestations of the Spirit of God working in their midst.  Lives are being changed.  People are turning from their evil ways and making commitments to living honorable lives.  The crest of the wave of John’s ministry is but a foretaste of what will become the history-changing ministry of Jesus, the Anointed One.  The transition has already begun.

John makes a heart-felt statement that sums up his feelings on this topic.  He is privileged enough to have been chosen to receive these truths from the lips of the only one who has first-hand knowledge of these realities.  Jesus can speak of things that the rest of us could never experience without his sharing them with us.  Then he says, “I certify that He is truth.”  He actually says, “God is truth” but the implication is clear—Jesus and God are One Truth.  Jesus’ purpose in coming is to reveal the truth about the Father.  The only way to reveal that truth is to be The Truth in the flesh!  Truth is best spoken using actions, not words.  We are called to carry on the task that Jesus began when he was on earth—to live the truth about God so that the world might believe and be saved!

John 3:32

The Baptist is not done.  “The One sent from heaven,” he continues, “Well, He perfectly describes what he has personally seen and heard in heaven.  Surprisingly, no one seems willing to accept what he has to say.” John 3:32 EFP

You have to keep focused when reading these passages because it is easy to lose track of who’s talking.  Both Johns seem at times to speak of Jesus in similar terms.  This is one of those passages.

John, the apostle, makes a reference about the Word earlier in the Gospel.  He says, the Word “came to his own, and his own did not receive him.” (John 1:11)  In chapter 3, he again makes reference to the world loving “the darkness more than the light.” (John 3:19).  In this verse, it is John the Baptist, who describes a group of people, including me, who choose to ignore heavenly realities in favor of earthly ones.  Jesus, the incarnate Word of God, comes to earth to communicate heavenly news of salvation.  Humanity closes its collective eyes and ears to the life and light-giving truths in order to cling to the darkness.

Why?  Maybe the darkness is cozy, or perhaps it allows us to be satisfied with our squalid condition under cover of night.  Perhaps it’s just too far-fetched for our scientific minds to digest.  It is John who says his message is intended to be a witness to the heaven-sent evidence that can only be grasped through faith, which can only be attained through the workings of the Holy Spirit.  One reality remains in this paradigm:  Life only comes from above and the only way to have access to Him is through a new birth experience. 

John 3:31

“In fact,” the baptizer continues, “You must recognize the one who comes from a realm higher than the rest of us, including me, is above the rest of us.  On the other hand, those of us who have known nothing but this earthly realm can only speak of what we see here on earth.  Bottom line: Heaven-sent is better than earth-bound.”  John 3:31 EFP

John is determined to put an end, once and for all, to this push to protect his personal interests in the face of the onslaught of Jesus’ success.  He is summing up what has been a significant argument for ending such silliness. 

First, he submits the witness of heaven.  Jesus could not be riding the crest of ministry success unless God placed his blessing on it.  Secondly, he adds his own witness.  He has stated many times before he is not the Messiah.   To this he adds the fact that Jesus is the focus of Kingdom of God and that is good enough for him.  In fact he sees it as a necessity that he diminishes in stature while Jesus increases in influence in order for the will of God to be fulfilled.  Now he adds that the heavenly is superior to the earthly, especially if the heavenly is a person, mainly Jesus.

This sounds like solid principles on which to build my life.  1) Success comes from God—I will seek Him first.  2) I am not God—I will recognize his sovereignty in my life. 3) Jesus is the focus—all else is a distraction to me.  4) More of Jesus, less of me, is a good trend—I will learn to surrender more each day.  5)  The Word from heaven keeps earth-bound realities in perspective—I’ll try to keep that in mind.

John 3:30

John ends the discussion, “It is necessary that he should grow and that I should shrink.” John 3:30 EFP

A brief review of the two principles John taught me yesterday.  Number one:  Jesus in the focus.  Lesson number two: That’s all I need.  These are two basic spiritual principles with which to guide my life.  But today John the Baptist shares another principle that defines a gentle, yet confident servant who is comfortable in his skin and understands his mission in life.

In his mind it was crystal clear:  it is best for Jesus to grow and flourish; it is also best for him to shrink and diminish.  This is no small thing!  John is at the height of his popularity and influence.  He is baptizing, preaching, and changing the world for God.  This is what he has been preparing for since he was born.  But now his mission becomes even more focused as he understands his ultimate mission is to support, promote, and usher in the ministry of the Anointed One.  The clincher is that he does not consider it a sacrifice.  He is delighted to do it!  Wow!

This is the hardest thing for me to get.  It’s best for my “self” to shrink and for Jesus to grow and grow until all that is left if Jesus in me.  It’s not a sacrifice, but it certainly is the end of me.  Maybe it is a sacrifice—a living one (Romans 12) It’s counterintuitive.  But it certainly is consistent with what Jesus, and both Johns, have been saying for the first three chapters of this Gospel.  It’s not about me, it’s about Him!  I will consider it my greatest joy to experience what John experienced in seeing my goals, dreams, my very life, swallowed up in the will of my God.  I have a long way to go.  But it is necessary that Jesus should grow, and that I should shrink….

John 3:29

“Listen,” John continues, “There are only one bride and one groom in a wedding.  The groom is the one that has the bride.  They are the main event.  The best man—well, he just hangs around being happy for the groom. So you see, Jesus’ joy and success is mine.  That’s all I need.”  John 3:29 EFP

What an incredible man John is.  Here he is being prodded to be jealous of Jesus, in a sense, by his very own disciples.  The mysterious Jewish man must have really built a case for Jesus trying to wrestle the prophetic mantle from John.  But John shows his mettle and takes the high road. 

He replies to the challenge with a simple mental picture, about a bride and a groom on their wedding day.  In this picture he is not the groom.  He is the best man.  On the wedding day, the best man is not on center stage, the bride and groom are firmly the focus of the attendees’ attention.  Lesson number one:  Jesus is the focus.  That’s the way things should be.  John says, “Jesus is on center stage,” and my role is to redirect the focus onto him when it’s on us.

But there is another point:  John also says, “That’s all I need.”  When Jesus is the focus, my life is complete.  John understands that premise.  He is not lured into the trap of believing he is the focus, or that he deserves the attention.  He has skills.  He is gifted.  He possesses a powerful message.  He draws people to listen to him from all over the countryside.  But all he needs is to see Jesus become the focus.  I don’t do well in the spotlight.  When I try, it does not end well.  If only I could learn as John the Baptist did—when Jesus is the focus, and that’s all I need!

John 3:28

“You heard what I said to the people who questioned me.  I always told them the same thing, ‘I am not the Messiah, but I am the one who is sent to prepare the world for His arrival.’” John 3:28 EFP

I wonder how many times John had to repeat these words to his followers as well as to his detractors.  Is John ever tempted to stake his own claim as a prophet and not be satisfied being a warm up act for the main event?  I can imagine how such thoughts could have been planted and cultivated in John by others who saw his potential or who feared his influence. 

John is a magnetic personality with intense passion, boundless energy, and deep insight, not to mention a special connection with the Almighty. I cannot imagine his aged parents had not repeated his miraculous birth story to him over and over in the hopes that he would understand how special he was and how he was destined to fulfill a special mission for God.  But when did he discover that mission?  When did he recognize his unique role in ushering in the coming of the promised Messiah?  Did he ever wonder why his younger cousin Jesus was chosen and not him, to be the One?  How does God first plant the big picture in his heart and how is that vision nurtured over time?

The fact is that at some point, perhaps when he strikes out into the desert on his own to wrestle with God, he forges the character that will not only provide a clear and certain voice announcing the arrival of the Lamb of God, but also cement a conviction that did not let him whither under the scrutiny and persecution that led to his untimely death.  What sustains him is a certainty that God called him and would sustain him through it all.  He resisted the temptation to claim what was not his, and to pour his heart and soul into proclaiming the arrival of the Kingdom of God.  I am humbled when I think of that level of commitment to a cause—to a person.  Lord, give me that passion for you and the certainty of your leading!  Let me also be one who prepares the world for your soon arrival.

John 3:27

John is not fazed at all.  He responds, “A person can only receive what heaven gives him.”  John 3:27 EFP
 
I like John, the Baptist.  He has a way with words.  He is forthright and unassuming.  His appearance is humble and low-key, but his words are fiery and unnerving.  There is one word I associate with John—confident.  Not self-confident, but confident in the One who called him for the very ministry he finds himself fulfilling.  He is the “voice crying in the wilderness” (Isaiah 40:3; John 1:23), the precursor of the Messiah.

In typical John fashion, he responds to the concern voiced by his discombobulated disciples by making a simple yet profound statement.  The NKJV translates it, “a man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him by heaven.” Understood in context, John is saying, “Whatever a person does that leads to spiritual success, is given by God. Let it be!”  If it comes from God, it’s good.  And if it’s good for the kingdom, it comes from God.  I venture to say more people feel comfortable with the first statement than with the second.

But it is the second statement that comes from a deep conviction and unmovable assurance that God is in control.  John could have joined the protest and negotiated terms with Jesus to limit his access to the river and the people.  This would have protected “his interests.”  But it is not about his interests, it is about God’s interests.  If Jesus is succeeding and bringing people to conviction and repentance, then it is God who is behind it.  His mission is not affected in any way not ordained by the will of the God who had called him.  He is not threatened by another’s success, even his own cousin’s.  He is secure in his place with God.  There is strength that seeks superiority, and strength that facilitates the success of others.  The second one comes from God.  I like John—he gets it!

John 2:26

As a result of the objections raised by this certain Jewish gentleman, John's disciples run back to Him and ask, "Teacher, what do we do?  The man who is baptizing with us on the other side of the Jordan River, the very one you have been recommending to the people-- well, he is baptizing people just like you do.  Everyone is flocking to him!"  John 3:26 EFP

It is still a mystery what objections are raised by this mystery man of religious convictions who appears out nowhere and just as quickly disappears.  We know that he has a significant impact on John’s disciples, because these prophetic newbies run back to John seemingly flabbergasted by the man’s criticism.  It appears what may have begun as a religious objection related to the custom of ceremonial cleansing practiced by many devout Jews of the day, morphs into a concern about ministry market share.

I find it more than a bit humorous that these concerned disciples of John could or would not even mention the name of “the one” who had been baptizing together with John just a few days before.  It is also a bit confusing to try to understand their apparent ambivalence regarding the fact that Jesus was baptizing people, on this side or the other side of the Jordan.  According to John, the author of this Gospel narrative, who was there by the way, they were in fact baptizing together.  It can be surmised that these particular disciples have not been in tune with what has been actually taking place at the Jordan.  In any case, they are in a panic, surprised that the one whose name cannot be spoken is baptizing people like their teacher John.

There is a second matter that is even more disconcerting to them.  Jesus is beginning to attract more and more people.  John’s market share is shrinking.  How their discussion regarding ceremonial rites ends up in a bout of professional jealousy I do not know.  Their fear that this Johnny-come-lately preacher will impact their ministry blinds them to the reality that they are working for the same God and under the same mandate.  Jesus and John are not in competition, they are in cahoots!  They understand that their calling is from God, their mission is to grow the kingdom, and their goal is to save the lost.  I do well to remember this when my competitive religious juices cause me to lose sight of God’s kingdom and His righteousness.  It’s not about me at all.

John 3:25

It so happens that a heated discussion takes place between the disciples of John and a certain devout Jewish man regarding special cleansing ceremonies required by the Law of Moses.  John 3:25 EFP

The good times being enjoyed by John and Jesus are not going to last forever.  There are difficult times for both of them looming on the horizon.  The wheels of persecution and prosecution are already turning in the lofty halls of power.  Most of these machinations are aimed at John, since he is the one who had been creating the majority of the waves affecting the religious status quo.

It is during this time that John and Jesus are reminded of the forces that are seeking to unsettle and disrupt this ministry they believe is such a threat to their power base.  The text mentions that a disagreement arises.  Other translations call it everything from a discussion to an argument.  All we know at this point is that the conflict is regarding Jewish purification ceremonies.  It's probably not a coincidence that there is also a reference to six ceremonial washing jars during the narrative of the miracle at the wedding at Cana (John 2:6).

The issue at stake we will deal with when we understand the objection.  All we have to deal with now is a disagreement between people of faith.  Both the disciples of John and the gentleman raising objections are men of Israel-- believers in the God of heaven.  Disagreements will arise.  There is nothing inherently evil with disagreeing-- but certainly there is danger in how I choose to deal with disagreements.  It is tragic if I lose my Christianity trying to defend it.  There is no place for contempt and demonizing those who do not see things as I do.  Perhaps there will be something to be learned about how to deal with disagreements as the journey through this portion of Scripture continues.

John 3:24

These are days of freedom for John, before he’s arrested and taken to prison. John 3:24 EFP

It struck me when I got to this verse that these must have been some of the best days in the lives of Jesus and his cousin John.  Yes, now they are prophet and preacher, but they are still family, full of memories of simpler days growing up in Galilee and Judea. 

Can you imagine the conversations these two had had growing up?  John would tell his younger cousin of the events surrounding his birth.  It must have been quite a story to retell—about an angel appearing to his aged father Zechariah, the priest.  Jesus would tell his tale of an angel speaking to his mother and the host of angels singing and wise men from the East.  Perhaps they dreamed of becoming preachers even then, knowing that God had chosen them for great things.  Did they ever imagine this day would come?  Two cousins spending time together, preaching and reaching people for the Kingdom of God!  They are living their dream!  Sharing Good News all day and sealing lives for heaven; what more could they ask for?  These are days they would treasure for as long as they lived.

But the text adds, “This was before John was put in prison.”  The NIV even puts these words in parenthesis.  In the midst of the best days of their lives, neither knew that storm clouds were forming in the not-so-distant future.  John’s days of tribulation would come first, but Jesus’ days would bring on him the sorrows of the whole world.  As is my lot as long as I live on this orb, I will have those special moments in my life.  I need to soak them in and thank God for them, because I do not know when the sunshine will be replaced by the floods of tragedy and trial.  The good times give me a taste of heaven. Thank you, Lord.  But the dark days remind me that this world is flawed—sin and death still have a say.  Those days remind me I ought to long more for heaven.  Thank you, Jesus!

John 3:23

It so happens that John the Baptist is also baptizing people at the same place where Jesus is baptizing, a place called Aenon (“spring”) also called Salim (“peaceful”), on the banks of the Jordan.  It is a convenient place since there is plenty of water and people come from all over in droves to be baptized. John 3:23 EFP

This must have been a sight for the ages.  Here they are—the desert prophet, John, and his cousin, Jesus, the up-and-rising teacher, baptizing people at the same time in the same section of the River Jordan.  This section of the river had become a popular place for people to come seeking to be baptized by John.  It was here that Jesus was baptized by John a few weeks prior.

But things are different now.  Jesus has already been baptized and has officially launched his ministry.  The news of the extraordinary events surrounding his baptism most certainly has gotten some press.  The miracle at Cana, followed by the many wonders he performs in Jerusalem, have likely created a stir among the populace.  And then there is the whole temple cleansing episode.  Can you imagine the conversations taking place across the countryside about this young upstart rabbi standing toe to toe with the pompous temple cast of characters?  There is a simmering discontent with the religious leaders because of the prevalent perception that they are corrupt and hypocritical.  But they hold the power over the people’s access to the temple, and according to them, to the very God that metes out blessings on those who deserve it, but who also deals severely with those who are rebellious and obstinate, a judgment they are too often quick to bring down on those who do not give them the obeisance they feel they deserve.

So people come to the desert, not Jerusalem, looking for something different—something in which to believe.  There they find John, who preaches a fiery message of repentance and restitution.  He brings the people hope through his inspiring allusions to the soon approaching Kingdom of God.  He is deliciously harsh on the religious leaders that dare to pry and spy on him.  People gravitate towards this strange man dressed in camel-hair garb.  He baptizes many.  Now Jesus had joined his cousin with a message of his own.  We have no record of his first sermons by the River Jordan.  I find it more than fascinating to read that this extraordinary pair was changing lives and bringing people into the Kingdom of God through their joint efforts.  This place had earned its name—“a peaceful spring,” dare I say, of living water where the masses could come and drink water they had never tasted before.  People are still looking today for something to believe in. My search never ends, not because I do not believe, but because I want to believe more!

John 3:22

Soon after the encounter with Nicodemus, Jesus and the disciples with him at the time begin traveling around the countryside of Judea.  They spend some time together and even baptize some people along the way. John 3:22 EFP

The meeting with Nicodemus must have taken a lot out of Jesus.  Soon after that fateful conversation with the conflicted Pharisee Jesus decides to take a working vacation.  The text seems to describe a journey across the countryside of Judea.  In other words, they do not go back to Galilee, where they had begun their journey to celebrate the Passover in Jerusalem.

I like the fact that Jesus is not all business all the time.  No doubt Jesus worked hard, and quite honestly, the work was just beginning to heat up, since he was not all that well known yet.  Jesus must have told, let me see, John, Andrew, Peter, Phillip, and Nathanael, “Hey guys, let’s get out of the city and chill a while!” or something to that effect. I don’t know if he has an agenda or if he is just living out what he described to Nicodemus—following the lead of the Spirit.  The fact is they just leave town and head nowhere in particular.  We know they eventually must have ended up spending some time near a river, since they even managed to baptize some people.  That will become an issue later on in this narrative.

But I like it when the story simply says, “they spent some time together.”  Just hanging out with his friends.  I don’t think I do that enough as a believer in Christ.  I’m either too wrapped up in the business of living, that I overlook the living part and focus on the business, or I’m not that fun to be around when I do get together.  The Gospel is about people, relationships, friendships, and life experiences with humanity.  Jesus does not call me to be cloistered or withdrawn from society, rather I am called to “bring out the God-flavors in the world” through my presence and influence.  This small group of six men must have been something to behold.  They draw people to them, since they actually baptize some people while they were just hanging out. Go figure!  People were coming to a moment of conviction while just hanging out with six itinerant guys.  Imagine what I could accomplish for the kingdom if my “hanging out” was so appealing and life-changing.  It’s something for me to think about.

John 3:21

"On the other hand, people who do the right thing don't need to hide; they walk in the light of day with no hesitation at all, since those who know them best can clearly see the things they do are a product of their relationship with God." John 3:21 EFP

At first glance this statement seems almost anticlimactic in light of the powerful declarations made by Jesus during this evening conversation with Nicodemus.  On the other hand it is a mirror summation of the previous verse, and I doubt that it is anything but a deliberate closing statement by Jesus. John is inspired to include it in the narrative.  I choose to consider it in light of what Jesus has been trying to communicate to Nicodemus all along.  These are his parting words as Nicodemus prepares to leave him for the safety of the city.

I remember this conversation begins as a challenge by Jesus to Nicodemus to enter into a new birth experience.  Jesus explains this is a pre-requisite to enter into the Kingdom of God.  That must have perked up Nicodemus' attention, since he was a Pharisee-- a protector of the law, the measure of righteousness and thus the basis for entering into the Kingdom.  But Jesus rapidly removes any human effort from the salvation equation and subsequently states the new birth experience is an initiative of the Spirit of God.  It is something that is done by God to and in us; not something that we do for or with God.

With no human by-product, salvation is clearly a gift given freely to all mankind.  All of humanity is a beneficiary of the inheritance of salvation.  Yet some will choose darkness over light-- death over life.  Why?  The obvious answer is because they are comfortable in spiritual darkness and blindness.  For some this might be the case because their lives are clearly in opposition to the will of God, but others may resist because their righteousness is a product of their own determination and spiritual grit, and not a product of the workings of the Holy Spirit.  Light will reveal the quality of the work, or the poor workmanship.  Only the work of God in me can stand the scrutiny.  My feeble efforts, as laudable as they may seem from a human perspective, fall short of the divine standard and are revealed as nothing more than "filthy rags" of human righteousness.  How sad that many will choose to live their lives satisfied with the praise of people who cannot see the heart, and miss out on the free gift of salvation given by the One who knows us best (and also knows the worst of us), but loves us most.

John 3:20

"Look at it this way, Nicodemus," Jesus adds, "People who are accustomed to doing things their way, even if they are wrong, detest the light and will avoid it at all cost if for no other reason than they do not want their evil nature to be exposed." John 3:20 EFP

Wow!  That adds a new twist to the position being proposed.  I get it when Jesus says people who are simply comfortable going about their way of life, even their spiritual life, will refuse to unsettle it even if it means missing out on the gift of new life.  I can see myself in that condition, because at times my nature just doesn't want to be bothered.  I'm happy—content as is.  Things are doing fine.  I have a place to live.  I am surrounded by people who marginally like me; and some who actually love me.  I am gainfully employed.  Matters pertaining to a realm beyond the tangible are certainly unsettling, but only if I let them become so.  Sometimes the temptation is to let good enough alone is, well, too tempting.

But Jesus is calling Nicodemus to a higher level of existence.  He's calling me too.  And in doing so he is warning me there is a second and more sinister reason why some of us do not get in line for a hefty serving of "save me!"  This particular strain of salvation-resistant behavior is reserved for those who are already saturated with the religious jargon and tradition.  Jesus is talking to the Nicodemus lying in wait within me who knows the trappings of religion but who does not know God.  I know what to do, but I resist inner renewal.  I know the words of Scripture, but am unacquainted with the Word of Scripture.  I appear from the outside to have a connection with God, but I have not had an encounter with the Almighty that is not scripted and stale.

This condition leads to a religion of fear.  I am afraid my bankrupt spiritual condition will be exposed.  I fear our spiritual veneer will begin to show my shallowness.  I resist any attempt by the Spirit of God to reveal my need because it requires admitting the hypocrisy that sustains my existence.  Why would I want to unsettle the comfort of my spiritual status quo?  This is the most dangerous of all spiritual conditions.  It will destroy me from the inside out.  Life will be replaced by mere existence.  Ritualism will replace genuine experience.  Decorum will become a cheap substitute for worship. Light will not enter my dark world because I like it that way, and I don't want to be exposed for the shallow, scared, and pathetic hypocrite I have become. This is a warning worth heeding.