Who's the Teacher?

Jesus answered and said to him, "Are you the teacher of Israel and do not understand these things?" (John 3:10)

As I look at this it reminds me of verse two when Nicodemus first addressed Jesus as a Rabbi or teacher. He begins his conversation with Jesus giving Jesus credit for doing a good job as a young teacher and affirming Him as one who must be inspired by God. The reason he gives for this conclusion is the evidence of the signs that Jesus has done. Because of these signs Nicodemus concludes that God must be with Jesus.

"Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him." (John 3:2)

However, Jesus trusts Nicodemus enough to be very tough on him as a teacher. He believes that Nicodemus can handle some very straight talk that very few are privileged to receive from Jesus because of their lack of honesty. As a result, Jesus skips by all the potential dialogue and exposes immediately the things in Nicodemus that are preventing him from entering into a deeper experience with God. One of those things is his own pride and self-perception as an honored teacher in Israel. Another is his need for an attitude of genuine belief and faith in Jesus and His true identity and character.

What emerges here is the unspoken question creating tension here about who is the teacher and who is the student. Nicodemus likely must have come to Jesus with a mind to offer Him a mentorship position within the Jewish educational order to assist Jesus' entry into higher levels of acceptance in their intellectual circles. But Jesus confronts Nicodemus with the assertion that Nicodemus himself is sadly lacking in the true knowledge needed to understand real spirituality. He may be well-versed in religion and scriptural facts, but when it comes to the things that really matter and that prepare one for entering into the real kingdom of God, Nicodemus finds himself feeling like a first-grader.

In the back of Jesus' mind He could have been remembering this verse from Psalms.

I have more insight than all my teachers, for Your testimonies are my meditation. (Psalms 119:99)

Jesus has just confronted Nicodemus with a review, an entrance exam if you please, to find out where he places in the educational system of heaven. Nicodemus finds himself confused, baffled and nearly clueless by each question or statement and Jesus shares that Nicodemus is the one who needs mentoring here, not Himself. After a series of complete failures to perceive the right answers, Jesus gives Nicodemus the reason why he feels so clueless; it is because the focus of all his studies has been largely in the wrong direction.

"Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know and testify of what we have seen, and you do not accept our testimony. If I told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?" (John 3:11-12)

Jesus is pointing out here that true knowledge needs to be rooted in heart-sight, not just factual knowledge of the Scriptures. The wisdom needed for heaven's kind of education involves seeing things with different eyes than we are used to using. It also involves the necessity of believing the right things about God with both the head and the heart before one can progress to the next level in their education.

Like any educational system, heaven's curriculum involves building on previous lessons as a prerequisite for advancing to more complex subjects. Jesus exposes the fact that Nicodemus is not nearly so advanced as he assumed he was and that he needed to enter the school of Christ at the beginning level if he truly desired to advance in the knowledge that is really important.

I sense in these words that one of the very necessary ingredients for effectively staying in Jesus' school is maintaining an attitude of humility and teachability. Whenever a person thinks they are wise and that they have all the truth, that is most often a sure sign that they are unaware of the real nature of heaven's educational system. They are stuck in the world's grading system, the world's value system and are blinded by the men's paradigms about what is important and what is not. It matters not that they may have advanced degrees from Christian institutions or have spent years studying the Bible meticulously. Heaven's methods of education are so different than the ones we have developed that too often a highly educated person by our standards is more difficult for God to train than those who have not been so trained.

Don't get me wrong. I am not saying that formal education is all bad. But I have observed that the knowledge about factual truth and the way it is packaged in nearly every school on this planet fosters a spirit in the students that makes it more and more difficult for God to educate them in His ways. It takes conscious effort on the part of a person learning under men's tutorship to remain open and humble to the way God wants to instruct them. It is so easy for one to become self-deceived while advancing in earthly knowledge, thinking that they are becoming religious experts while all the while their spirit is preventing them from being tutored under the mentorship of Jesus.

I believe one of the main reasons for this is because men's educational systems focus primarily on facts, theories, formulas and external emphasis. Religious education can sometimes even potentially be more deceptive because it conveys the feeling that one is getting educated in the things of God while all the while actually remaining disconnected from the true Teacher who desires to instruct their hearts through methods that are very different from their other teachers.

Father, I know that I have spent years learning facts about truth but have become aware that I know very little about You personally. My mind has been pumped full of information about religion while my heart has been starving for real interaction with the Source of all love and life and true wisdom. You have been so gracious and patient with me for many years and I praise You and thank You for that. You introduced Yourself to me more clearly some years ago and offered to mentor me in Your school. Ever since then my life has been changing in ways I might not have expected.

Please continue to put a right spirit in me so that I can perceive Your lessons and learn the right things from them. Continue to transform my heart and mind to perceive reality from Your viewpoint which is always very different than what feels natural. As I continue to fill my mind with true facts about Your Word, continue to awaken my heart to learn the truth about Your feelings, attitudes and disposition. Increase my ability to perceive Your face and to become mesmerized with Your glory. Give me the wisdom that is often missing from all my earthly teachers and give me a spirit of genuine humility to make me a clear channel of Your truth for others to be drawn to You.

Cause me to keep You as the focus of my learning experiences. Train me to be an associate teacher with You so that others can learn the things that are truly important for salvation. I thank You for offering me opportunities to pass along to others what You are doing in my education. Use me in any way that may bring others closer to Your heart.

What's Wrong with Amazement?

Do not be amazed that I said to you, 'You must be born again.' (John 3:7)

So this question comes to my mind when I read this verse, Why did Jesus tell Nicodemus to not be amazed or to marvel? What is it about this word or the implications surrounding it that is something we are not supposed to do in certain situations?

I looked up this word in Greek and then followed each time it was used throughout the New Testament. What I discovered were some very interesting applications, especially when we are instructed not to do it or are warned about it. Here is Strong's definition of this word along with some ways it is translated.

To wonder; by implication, to admire:– admire, have in admiration, marvel, wonder, surprise, astonished.

Many times this word is used to describe people's reaction to the miracles or the words and wisdom of Jesus. It is sometimes even used to describe Jesus' reaction to certain situations. But what interested me was when it was used in close association with the issue of belief. Notice especially when Jesus experienced this emotion.

Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled and said to those who were following, "Truly I say to you, I have not found such great faith with anyone in Israel. (Matthew 8:10)

Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled at him, and turned and said to the crowd that was following Him, "I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such great faith." (Luke 7:9)

And He wondered at their unbelief. And He was going around the villages teaching. (Mark 6:6)

It has long intrigued me that something could amaze Jesus. And the only places that I find record of that is when either someone had unusual displays of faith or when the majority of people seemed so devoid of faith that it prevented Him from conveying the blessing to them that He desired to do.

The following texts are grouped around instructions or comments that seem to warn of something.

Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, (John 5:28)

Do not be surprised, brethren, if the world hates you. (1 John 3:13)

But when Peter saw this, he replied to the people, "Men of Israel, why are you amazed at this, or why do you gaze at us, as if by our own power or piety we had made him walk? (Acts 3:12)

Then there is this interesting twist using a command to be amazed in relationship to belief.

Beware, therefore, that what the prophets said does not happen to you: 'Look, you scoffers! Be amazed and perish, for in your days I am doing a work, a work that you will never believe, even if someone tells you.'" (Acts 13:40-41 NRSV)

The following verses actually have this Greek word doubled in the original which is always done for great emphasis. The effect is largely lost when translated into English.

Jesus answered them, "I did one deed, and you all marvel." (John 7:21)

I saw one of his heads as if it had been slain, and his fatal wound was healed. And the whole earth was amazed and followed after the beast; (Revelation 13:3)

And I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus. When I saw her, I wondered greatly. And the angel said to me, "Why do you wonder? I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and the ten horns. "The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to come up out of the abyss and go to destruction. And those who dwell on the earth, whose name has not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, will wonder when they see the beast, that he was and is not and will come. (Revelation 17:6-8)

Now here are some texts where people were amazed at Jesus in ways other than just for a miracle He had performed.

When the Pharisee saw it, he was surprised that He had not first ceremonially washed before the meal. (Luke 11:38)

While they still could not believe it because of their joy and amazement, He said to them, "Have you anything here to eat?" (Luke 24:41)

At this point His disciples came, and they were amazed that He had been speaking with a woman, yet no one said, "What do You seek?" or, "Why do You speak with her?" (John 4:27)

For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself is doing; and the Father will show Him greater works than these, so that you will marvel. (John 5:20)

This next verse includes the element of fear which also is often related to amazement.

And He said to them, "Where is your faith?" They were fearful and amazed, saying to one another, "Who then is this, that He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey Him?" (Luke 8:25)

We humans have this inherent assumption that miracles will somehow cause us to believe. We are often very excited and even addicted to the ideas of miracles sometimes and quite often pray for miracles to happen in our own lives or with those around us. That is not necessarily wrong, but I have noticed that there seems to be a subtle deceptive power often linked with amazement and miracles that God tries to warn us about. It is simply not true – even though it feels like it should be true – that genuine belief and faith will naturally spring up in reaction to stunning miracles.

I have experienced this strange twist of logic in my own life on a number of occasions. I can distinctly recall the sensation and even frustration inside emotionally whenever it became clear to me that God had answered some prayer, even in a dramatic way in my life; but upon examining my heart at that moment I realized that the faith that I expected to see springing up had suddenly become full of questions and rationalizations. I realized then that there was a foreign voice inside of me that was quick to offer up reasons why maybe this wasn't really a miracle after all or maybe it was just a coincidence or maybe....

It is at those times that I am reminded of my fallen nature that will never acknowledge the truth about God and His power in my life. Another lie that I have noticed inside of me is a hope that maybe given enough miracles and proof that my fallen nature will finally admit that God is right and change its opinion. But upon reflection I realize that is never going to happen.

Faith then becomes a choice that I have to make that is not dependent on irrefutable evidence. There are very many examples in history of those who failed to believe even in the face of overwhelming miracles and providences of God. Faith is not the by-product of miracles but is a choice to believe the truth about God in the face of everything insisting the opposite.

As I have spent time contemplating this I feel that I am just beginning to perceive this important link between amazement and belief. I realize that Jesus warns us to not be so keen on wanting things to marvel at as crutches for our faith. In fact, marveling and amazement may actually become a substitute for faith which may be why God warned Nicodemus about getting sidetracked into this mode of feeling and thinking.

Marvel and amazement may often actually become obstacles to faith. Wow! What does that say about our incessant desires for miracles in our lives and churches? But if we look at the history of salvation all along it can be seen repeatedly that faith and belief often had to thrive in the absence of miracles and even emotions of amazement many times. And often miracles are used to attract people away from the real truth about God instead of confirming it.

Yes, there are going to be plenty of opportunities for amazement and marvel when God unexpectedly shows up. We will be repeatedly amazed as God moves in hearts and performs wonders in response to our requests of faith. But when it comes to securing the foundation for faith it appears to me, at this point anyway, that amazement and even miracles are the wrong things to depend on as a stable footing on which to build our house.

Do not be amazed that I said to you... Evidently amazement can sometimes get in the way of really listening to what God has to say to our heart. When our emotions get so caught up in the external power of God and demonstrations of the supernatural, it can prevent our heart from hearing the still, small voice of God to our souls. Elijah had to learn that in his retraining exercise on the mountain and it is a lesson that has to be repeated again and again in all of our lives.

Belief is more important than amazement.

As I think about this I realize that amazement and wonder are things that tend to happen to us, that are induced in our emotions by external exhibitions of power or stunning performances. On the other hand, true belief and faith involve choices that we must make with or without the aid of evidences of God's glory and presence. Since true religion is both heart-based and intellectually rooted in truth, faith that bonds us to God's heart will require ongoing choices to continue to respond to the drawing of Jesus. Sometimes that will be easy in the light of glorious and exciting miracles and other times it may be excruciating when everything seems to scream that God is far away and has forgotten us. But faith, hope and love are the precious stones upon which we must build our experience if we are to be prepared to live in God's presence. And cultivating those things in our lives will require paying attention to what God is saying no matter how amazed we feel or how dull life appears.

God, I really enjoy being amazed like most people do. But thank-you for reminding me that there are even more important things to pay attention to. That does not mean that it's always wrong to be amazed, it just means that I must be careful not to depend on those kinds of feelings to be the basis of my relationship with You. Fill me with Your love and surround me with Your presence today to bring glory and honor to Your reputation.

Dual Identity

That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. (John 3:6)

Coming from where my thoughts led me yesterday, I see in this verse new perspectives about heritage and identity.

There are a number of different ways to view what this text may be indicating, and it may not be necessary to assume that it must only mean one particular thing. I have heard discussions presenting various interesting ideas about what these words may be implying and most of them have good merit to validate them. Right now what I sense here is that being born of flesh means that I am first born as a human being and being born of the Spirit involves embracing my identity as part of the new race of humans that was formed in the person of Jesus Christ the Son of Man.

What I have been learning in recent years that was never part of my upbringing is the fact that all of humanity has been redeemed at the cross. Jesus revealed on Calvary that God has unconditionally forgiven all sins as far as what is in His heart is concerned. But what remains is the effects of sin in our hearts that yet needs to be removed and healed (the English word forgiven) before we are safe to come into full fellowship with Him.

While it is becoming more clear to me that salvation is far broader and more real than I have ever perceived before, it is also clear that just because everyone has been given eternal life does not automatically mean they will all experience that for eternity. There is a choice that has to be made by each person in regards to this new reality created by Jesus. There is a choice to embrace and experience this thing that Jesus describes as a new birth in order for humans to benefit and accept personally from all that God has put into place to save us from the effects and infection of sin. It is like receiving medicine for fatal illness that is guaranteed to cure us but failing to take that medicine. Unless we believe and continue to embrace the salvation provided for us we can still suffer the wages of sin that infects our hearts and lives.

Looking at this from the perspective of entering fully into a new kind of humanity, I see this verse as alluding to my need to believe both the truths about God and the truths about my own new ancestry in Christ. In fact, it may be that I experience something like dual citizenship, though my loyalty must be firmly placed only on the new family/kingdom that I have been adopted into and not have conflict of loyalties with my old kingdom inherited from sinful Adam. Paul elaborates on this considerably when he talks about the old and new Adams and how it relates to our identity. But all of this is to say that Jesus formed the foundation of this new kingdom and literally fathered in the spirit realm a new race of humans into which everyone is to be adopted or grafted in, whichever analogy we wish to choose.

For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren. (Romans 8:29)

My choices as to how I perceive my heritage through ancestry is very important, for they strongly influence my sense of identity and worth. Humans are wired to cling tenaciously to their association with their ancestors and draw their sense of purpose, identity and destiny from their past. God made us this way, so in order to provide us with a new sense of identity and destiny He also had to provide us with a new history. In this new breed of humanity we can learn that our history can effectively be viewed now as really His-story instead of the sordid past that we assumed was ours by birth from our sinful human fathers.

This is something that I really want to understand and experience much more clearly myself. I was introduced to this a number of years ago and the effect on my spirit was profound. But because it was not real clear and not reinforced enough, the effects on my life have been far too limited. I find myself being reminded of this again as I look at this passage and again desire to experience much more clarity about my true identity in Christ. I want to more deeply rest and rejoice in this new kingdom/race that Jesus is drawing me into.