Nicodemus

“Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus. A Ruler of the Jews; this man came to Jesus by night.” - John 3:1-2A

Nicodemus came with a checklist, spiritual blindness and an emotional shield. The perpetual checklist can keep anyone from demands of the heart. When Nicodemus said “We know that you are ____...” it just meant he had done some calculations and was still making lists & categories that would avoid the truth. He was not ready for the reality simplicity demands. He prioritized gathering info over acknowledging the truth. 

Nicodemus thought checklist thinking was good enough. But not if he ever hoped to know God. Fulfilled prophecy only reveals the trail. It takes faith to enter the conclusion when the Messiah is standing right in front of you. It gets personal. “Nicodemus, is this what you were looking for...really?” Jesus flipped the mirror back to Nicodemus to reveal the truth of his heart. Nick, you are so entrenched in earthly perspective, you can’t see heaven right in front of you. And you are Israel’s teacher? You got to be born again. It’s relationship not a memory trivia game. 

Relationship is never checklist thinking. It’s something you enter by faith. Not just a collection of facts. It’s embracing the truth with all life’s implications (and in Jesus’s case, eternal ones). Jesus had already shown Himself true. Embracing Christ for who He is changes everything wholesale. You don’t see the same way as before. It’s a relationship you enter, surrendered. It changes you. A whole new reality & dynamic, not just a summation of points charted & digested with new editions proposed. 

Checklist thinking leaves the back door ajar and room for negotiation. All delay and no risk. Relationship thinking opens every door to the Beloved if He is who He is. 

Checklist thinking leads to visits in the cover of night. Relationship thinking leads to declarations in light of day. Finding the messiah and embracing the Messiah are two different things. 

Until you surrender, you have no relationship. Only checklist thinking and a cover story.