Earthly Perspective

John 3:1-15
In Nicodemus' encounter with Jesus, we have an individual who comes to Jesus from an earthly perspective.  He has seen the miracles and is impressed and led to believe in Jesus as, at least, a prophet (vs. 2).  At this point their interaction takes a confusing turn.  As Jesus goes on the explain eternal life and the reasons for which he has come, Nicodemus is left bewildered and confused.  He cannot grasp these truths.  He has come to a man who has impressed him, one that he respects and admires and honors.  But he is still earthly-minded about things.  Jesus tells him that as long as we testify to what we see and know, we cannot comprehend heavenly truths and wisdom (vs. 10-12).  Nicodemus is a Pharisee (vs. 1).  So his whole life has been spent learning and studying laws and rules and scripture from an earthly perspective.  Their religion is based on intellectual comprehension of spiritual truths.  This is exposed as he approaches Jesus from an intellectual, earthly perspective.  He cannot comprehend what Jesus is saying and telling him because he is still caught up in the tangible, the earthly and intellectual.  It is all he can attest to because it is all he knows.  Thus the necessity of abandoning all these things, that he may begin to believe and understand heavenly things (vs. 12, 16-18).  He must move past knowing to believing.  He must move past the physical to the spiritual, from the seen to the unseen.  If one can only go as far as he can see or understand, then he is doomed.  Jesus did not come simply to do miracles and impress people, but to seek and to save, to bestow eternal life and to open people's eyes to the truth.  If we are content to see miracles (admire and respect Jesus) and walk by sight, then our life will consist of nothing more than flesh and earth.  But if we are to see Jesus in the kingdom of heaven, our perspective, our beliefs, our very nature of who we are must be re-birthed (vs. 3, 5).  We need a do-over.  Nicodemus could not understand this because he could not look past the physical, the see-able, the understandable.  And belief (faith) is the required key.  We are quick to supposedly understand these truths and accept them (pray to receive Christ), but what have we really accepted?  A Jesus who impresses us, who we admire and appreciate, who we praise and honor, who we boast in his humanitarian efforts and sympathy?  Well Nicodemus did that also, and Jesus clearly pointed out to him his lack.  No, we must move beyond these things.  We must move to the realm of being exposed as evil and sinful, as wretched and in darkness, not because we make mistakes or mess up sometimes, but because we desire these evil things, because we love them and prefer them to Jesus (vs. 19-20).  We do not sin because of lapses in judgement, we sin because we love it.  If given a choice, we choose sin every single time, no exceptions (Isaiah 53:6).  This is why we cannot understand the concept of new birth, even though we think we do.  Nicodemus thought he understood the things of God and Jesus exposes that he does not.  We too must submit to Jesus' exposition of us or we cannot come to him.  His light must expose our darkness or we cannot see the kingdom of God.  Do not suppose because we have said we are sorry for our sins and have accepted Jesus that we have been re-born.  Nicodemus, being a Pharisee, would have prayed and asked forgiveness as well, and yet he is confounded by Jesus's words.  Have we been exposed?  Have we had our heart's darkness brought to light and remained there?  Have we been re-born?  Have our affections and desires and direction changed?  Have we abandoned earthly understanding and perspectives in favor of the "foolishness" of Christ crucified (I Corinthians 1:23)?  For we cannot begin to see heavenly things until we abandon earthly views (vs. 11).  To be re-born is to completely change, from the inside out.  Does your life look different?  What has changed since your heart was supposedly re-born?  Have you exchanged earthly mindsets in favor of heavenly ones?  If still walking according to this world and what it says is wise is to be blinded to heavenly truth (vs. 12).  Only in re-birth is this changed.  Nicodemus, one of the wisest teachers in Israel could not grasp this (vs. 10).  Are we so proud and arrogant to be sure we have?  Have we given him every aspect of our lives or simply been content to have him lead in some areas, but not others?