Hey Fam - Feel free to share any revelations that the Lord has given you about the book of John so far. Instead of a separate thread, let's just specify the Chapter or verse at the top of your comment. I'll start.
John 7:45-53 Then came the officers to the chief priests and Pharisees; and they said unto them, Why have ye not brought him? 46 The officers answered, Never man spake like this man. 47 Then answered them the Pharisees, Are ye also deceived? 48 Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him? 49 But this people who knoweth not the law are cursed. 50 Nicodemus saith unto them, (he that came to Jesus by night, being one of them,) 51 Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth? 52 They answered and said unto him, Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and look: for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet. 53 And every man went unto his own house.
Notice how the scripture says that Nicodemus came to Jesus by night. I did a word search and the name "Nicodemus" appears in the Bible only 5 times, in 3 separate instances. Each of them notes that he came at night. So, why did Nicodemus come to Jesus at night?
Nicodemus came to Jesus at night because he knew that Jesus was not popular with his friends and associates, the Pharisees. Nicodemus was interested in understanding and possibly cultivating a relationship with Jesus, but he was too ashamed to be seen with him in public. It was not good for Nicodemus' image to be seen in public with Jesus.
It was almost like having a boyfriend or girlfriend who you like, but you don't want to bring them around your loved ones because you'll feel embarrassed about them. That's something for us to think about... Do we treat Jesus like a part-time (or even night time) lover or are we willing to show him off to the world?
Weigh in or post your own thoughts from your readings below. I'll be using this forum to post my thoughts and musings.
It was a wonderful chance to visit this kind of site and I am happy to know all about it.
John 9:34 They answered and said unto him, Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out....
I'll be doing a devotional and video soon, but as I was reading the story of the blind man, I started thinking about how he probably wanted too see his entire life and the moment that he finally did, he parents turned on him, the people around him turned on him, and he was literally cast out.
He got healed and found out that it wasn't all it was cracked up to be. In fact, Jesus was the only person who was there for him. It made me think a lot about believers' experiment with Christ. Once we get healed and start living for the Lord, the people that you would expect to be happy for us actually turn on us. Why is this?
Well, it's because they are blind as well, but just too self righteous to realize it. The irony is that the blind man was outside of the temple begging his entire life, but the people on the inside of the temple were worse off than him.
Chime in if you have any thoughts on this.