Eternal Perspective: Nicodemus

Last week we reviewed the story of Jesus speaking with the woman at the well found in John 4. We noted how the Samaritan woman focused in and on time and the temporal situations of her earthly life, but Jesus continually pointed her to eternity and the reality of her personal eternalness.

This week, let's take a look at another famous passage where Jesus participates in a paradigm-shattering, eternity-focused conversation -- this time with Nicodemus in John 3. Many of us have read parts or the whole of this passage perhaps thousands of times, but let's look at it again today with the fresh eyes of eternity. In particular, let's notice the contrast between time-based questions and eternally based answers. This is a good lesson for us.

1 Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council.

2 He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.”

3 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”

4 “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely, they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”

5 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.

6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit[b] gives birth to spirit.

7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You[c] must be born again.’

8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

9 “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.

10 “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? 11 Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still, you people do not accept our testimony. 12 I have spoken to you of earthly things, and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?

John 3: 1-12, NLT

It is clear that Nicodemus was asking questions that were time-based, and Jesus answered his questions based on Nicodemus’ eternity and on Nicodemus’ personal eternalness.

We must answer all our earth-based and time-driven questions from the perspective of our eternity reality and from our personal eternalness reality. We are told to seek His kingdom first. His rule, His realm, His System and His way of doing and of being right/correct.

 His Kingdom is eternal. If it is not about eternity, it is not about the Kingdom. And if it is not about the Kingdom Realm it is not multi-dimensional where we are to access our power and to engage our authority that comes from our Creator and our Designer.

Our answers are found in understanding His eternal Kingdom and His Realm where His way of doing and being right are provided for us. This is where we began, and where we first encountered the multi-dimensional realm of the Kingdom. This is where we are to live and to have our being on the earth and always where we must go for our questions about everything, time included.