Polite Interest?
Opening Prayer
Lord God, may Your Word and Your Spirit give me all I need to maintain my commitment to You today.
Read John 7:45-8:1
[45] Finally the temple guards went back to the chief priests and the Pharisees, who asked them, “Why didn’t you bring him in?” [46] “No one ever spoke the way this man does,” the guards replied. [47] “You mean he has deceived you also?” the Pharisees retorted. [48] “Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed in him? [49] No! But this mob that knows nothing of the law-there is a curse on them.” [50] Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus earlier and who was one of their own number, asked, [51] “Does our law condemn a man without first hearing him to find out what he has been doing?” [52] They replied, “Are you from Galilee, too? Look into it, and you will find that a prophet does not come out of Galilee.” [53][The earliest manuscripts and many other ancient witnesses do not have John 7:53-8:11. A few manuscripts include these verses, wholly or in part, after John 7:36, John 21:25, Luke 21:38 or Luke 24:53.] Then they all went home, [1] but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Scripture taken from the THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
What was the reason the religious leaders scorned Jesus?Do you have friends who seem to show an interest in Jesus, yet, year after year, they seem to be stuck at that stage and never get any nearer to expressing any clear faith in him? They’re neither hostile, nor even indifferent. They just continue to show a patient and even polite interest. The problem is that they never seem to progress beyond that point. John’s Gospel often seems to present faith as arising from a crisis moment, but with Nicodemus it’s different. Have a look back at Nicodemus’ famous first appearance in John 3:1-21. Notice the politeness, the questions, the apparent courtesy. Famous as that episode is, Nicodemus actually fades out of the encounter while Jesus goes on to speak some of his most famous words. Now come back to today’s passage. Verse 51 records Nicodemus’ polite inquiry and, although he is challenged fairly aggressively, no response by him is recorded (52,53) here. Now turn to John 19:38-42. What a mysterious man this Nicodemus is! Why all the spices? Does he believe? It’s hard to know. In some ways, he’s just like many of our families and friends!
Apply
Do you have friends and family who resemble Nicodemus? Pray for persistence to continue as a witness to them.
Closing prayer
Lord, may I be able to cooperate with Your Spirit so that friends and family may come to faith in You.
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