November 20, 2025

GOD’S WORD FOR TODAY:

“Jesus answered, ‘Sincerely I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.’”

(John 3.5-6)

TODAY’S REFLECTION ON GOD’S WORD:

In reflecting upon the story of Noah and the Ark, we are shown the love of God for humankind. “How can you say that” you might ask “when God destroyed all human beings except for Noah and his family?” Without question, the destruction of the then known world of Noah was a great tragedy. Looking at it from a purely worldly and human viewpoint, the tragedy is overwhelming. However, we must focus on the heart of that story and the greater tragedy that was at work in the days of Noah. I would draw your attention to the words found in Ephesians 2.1-2, “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air (Satan), whose spirit is now at work in those who are disobedient.” The connection is real. In the days of Noah, there were three types of people: those who believed in anything but God, those who believed in rebellion against God and preyed upon those who believed in anything but God and those who believed in God who protected themselves from those rebelling against God. That last group consisted of eight people and it took a bit of convincing before six of them came “on board” with Noah. Using the template for understanding revealed in Ephesians, we might more easily understand that all but eight people in the world at the time of Noah were “dead in their sins.” They preferred to worship themselves and glorify themselves instead of accepting the Word and the Way of God. In a more modern vernacular, we might see them as spiritual zombies. They were alive in the flesh but dead in the spirit and were bound for eternal death. You see, mighty ones of God, the creation of life which God instituted is not as simple as some would love to believe. It is not just a physical reality. More importantly it is a spiritual reality which then includes the body. So, when those who die in Christ die in the flesh they will be raised in newness of life with a spiritual body being filled from the inside out. Sadly and terribly, when those who die in sin die in the flesh they were descend in the true deadness of life rotting to the core of their being. Without sounding calloused and unfeeling, God did not “destroy all humanity but eight people.” He removed that which was dead from the equation of life on earth as they were already dead to God and to one another. This is the tragedy of sin and the reality of it as well. The story of Noah and the Ark then becomes a story of reconciliation and restoration foreshadowing the story of resurrection which we know best in the gospel of Jesus as the Christ. It is that story which enlivens our immersion into His life for which we must be forever grateful and eternally thankful.

As I reflect then, with all of that I just mentioned, on the story of Jesus and Nicodemus and their midnight conference, I am reminded of that “inside out” calling into faith. Imagine the faith it took for Noah to obey God and put himself and his family at risk in the eyes of the world. What Noah did wasn’t done in a day. While there is debate as to the actual length of service depending on scriptural interpretations, let’s suffice to say it took between 50 and 120 years. Imagine the strength of will and character Noah had to have to complete a task. He did so in the eyes of not just one generation but as many as two or three generations. I can’t imagine the “talk” of the neighbors. (Evan Almighty pales in comparison!) It was not his flesh that gave him the strength and courage to withstand the storms of commentary that beat against him and his family. It could only be by faith and the spirit of God within him that promoted his success and survival. So, when Jesus speaks to Nicodemus, an influential Pharisee not completely aligned with his cohorts, that in order to understand the construct which God was proposing in Jesus of Nazareth he must be born again, we are given confirmation about the “inside out” reality of living by faith and not by sight. Nicodemus sees “faith” by the descriptors of the physical realm. From that point of view, Jesus’ call to “be born again” speaks of a literal rebirth as if he somehow must become a fetus to be delivered from a mother’s womb. That was a preposterous idea and shows the great failing of such logic and reasoning. Jesus redirects Nicodemus to the truth of our authentic existence as created and mandated by God. If we are to be truly “alive,” then we must be born of water and spirit. Jesus dare not deny a physical birth. He was the evidence of that wonderful creative process of generational blessing. He was God incarnate, the Word made flesh to dwell among God’s people to lead them to being once again the people of God. I have mentioned this paradigm previously in reflections on the works of Zechariah. We are all God’s people for His creation endeavor in the beginning establishes this reality. No amount of denial will change this faith fact. However, not everyone will be one of the people of God. The “people of God” are those who put their trust in Him alone for the whole of their lives. They recognize the spark of life within them as it calls, in the words of the psalmist David, “deep unto deep.” (Psalm 42.7) It is the surrendering to that call in one’s life which allows the Spirit of God to immerse them in the fullness of God’s mercy and love. To deny such a calling and its connected reality is perhaps the best description of what Jesus called “blasphemy of the Holy Spirit.” (Matthew 12.31) It was on the Day of Pentecost, fifty days after the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus, that the disciples/apostles became fully immersed in the Spirit of God. It came over them and empowered them as an anointing bringing the calling and the called into harmony. This is the life Nicodemus was seeking before he even knew it was a thing. This is the life we as mighty ones of God are seeking to. We give thanks that such a life is already available to us because of God’s willingness and desire to rid us of death and renew us with life. That life is, of course, the life of Christ whose spirit is waiting to immerse us in faith, hope and love. In answer to Nicodemus’ question of “How,” Jesus simply invites him to believe. The affirmation of that is the “gospel in miniature” which says “For God so loves the world that He gives His only begotten Son to them so that whosoever would believe in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.” (Yes, John 3.16) The fullness of that belief would not be bound by His teachings and miracles. They would point in the direction of what must truly be believed: His resurrection. For in that singular act, God allowed the death of His Son to be like the flood of Noah’s day. In the death of Jesus, that which is dead in us is washed away in His blood so that what is truly alive in us can be lifted up in His spirit and in His truth. Mighty ones of God, the choice is clear. Do we want to simply be people of God or do we desire to be God’s people?

TODAY’S PRAYER IN RESPONSE TO GOD’S WORD:

Father, in these days we are finding the need to believe even more than ever before. We all have known trouble, some in greater ways than others, but You are offering us the assurance that we will not be consumed by it forever. Regardless of the “time” we are in and the “time” we have been given, we ask for Your Holy Spirit which Jesus asked You to share with us, to lead and guide and direct us in the paths we should go. Teach us what we still need to learn. Empower us to put that learning into action. Bless our actions not as a works righteousness but as righteous works of faith, hope and love in Jesus’ name. AMEN.