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Nicodemus: A Spirit-filled Story


“The wind blows where it chooses,
and you hear the sound of it,
but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes.
So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

Nicodemus' story is more than sorting out Jesus and the Pharisees differences.

It’s more than figuring out how Jesus gets the authority to do many “signs”.

The Nicodemus story is really about people coming to see and understand the amazing things Jesus does.

It’s all about understanding God’s Spirit, following Jesus and wanting to change to see God's kingdom in a new way.

Since the Spirit works mysteriously, it’s compared to the wind blowing wherever it wants.

It’s about God and people working together, so followers of Jesus notice and experience God’s work through him.

The “signs” Jesus does are meant to show God getting involved in the world God made and loved enough to send his Son.

Nicodemus’s story is a great example the Spirit’s work.

Nicodemus, story makes it clear something’s happening: he gets braver and acts more fairly because God’s Spirit is moving in his life.

Looking at Nicodemus’s whole journey you see something bigger.

You see Nicodemus’ story inviting everyone to see themselves in the narrative: starting out with questions, moving to standing up for what’s right, and eventually saying “yes” to Jesus, even when it’s risky.

The Spirit shows how God is always at work in the world getting people to respond.

Belief is how we see what God’s doing and get to be a part of it: “So must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life”.


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