We Know Nothing

We speak of what we know
John 3:1-21 

“We know.” Smart guy, solid religious background, years of study, stimulating intellectual environment, wrong conclusion. Nicodemus comes to Jesus and starts off by saying, “Rabbi, we know…” A few mind-blowing facts from Jesus and Nicodemus’ last recorded words in this conversation are “How can this be?” This is followed by a sound rebuttal in a real us-and-them passage, Jesus points out that He and His disciples are actually the ones in the know: “We speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony.” Pretty strong words from the Lamb of God. 

How about us? Do we approach God from a “we know” perspective? We know our history, we know our doctrine, we know our Bible, we know what God said five years ago. The paradox is that we do know some things, and yet that very knowledge can leave us isolated from the mystery of the gospel. “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.” We live in times when people need truth incarnate “so that it may be seen plainly that what he [you and me] has done has been done through God.” Absent the presence, the power, and the mystery of truth made plain, we really know nothing. 

Lord, give us the humility to daily live in the light of the mystery of our rebirth with like-quality miracles in and through us each day. 

Reflections

• Has your approach to God become familiar?
  
  
• What does/would it feel like to be lost in amazement at who God is?