How Can This Be? (John 3:9)

 


Monday, July 7, 2025


Psalm 19

1 Samuel 25:23-44

John 3:1-21


How Can This Be? (John 3:9)


Nicodemus said to [Jesus], “How can these things be?”


I love watching movies and TV shows. The ones I like most are the ones that ask me, the audience, a question. Often they will suggest an answer, but I like to think as someone who reads their Bible I have a better one. Even still, the best questions really push us to reflect, and make us recognise that in spite of how much God has revealed to us, there is still a lot of mystery to this thing we call life.


One TV show I have been watching recently has been posing the question about control; specifically, control over our own lives. It is a good question, or at least I think so. Because there is so much political and social unease going on around us, maybe we should be asking the question about control. Who is in control? Are we in control? Can we be in control? Should we be in control?


This passage we read in today’s second lesson, of the conversation between Nicodemus and Jesus, is filled with important questions. Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews, is someone who we would expect to have answers. And having answers means a degree of control. But through his conversation with Jesus he is left only with questions. Any sense of control is completely taken away by Jesus’ answers.


If having the answers means having control, then Jesus’ answers teach us that he has control. This is a theme across the entirety of John’s Gospel: Jesus is always in control of the situation. His answers to Nicodemus show a degree of control in two respects: one that makes us tremble, and the other that makes us sigh with relief.


First, to be able to enter into his kingdom, one must be born again. No-one is in control of their human birth, and we are in control even less over our spiritual rebirth. We tremble in awe at the power of God in our spiritual rebirth.


But then Jesus goes on to talk about the great love of God; that God loves the world so much. From trembling, to a sigh of relief: God is in control, and he controls us through love. The bonds of love that lead us to do things we would not normally do make us rejoice rather than cower. Pleasing the one we love is the most fulfilling past-time. There is no fear in love; failure only leads to forgiveness and a deeper love. We can be confident in giving up control to the Lord, because the way he controls all things is through his great love, a love that is so great he gave himself for us, so that we could remain in his love forever.


What are you losing control of in your life? How might you hand over control to the Lord?


Lord God Almighty, whose love directs the movements of the stars in space and the hearts of people: free us from the controlling power of sin, that we may be free to live under your love.

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