the real kingdom by talbot

Gospel Reading: John 3:1-8 by John Michael Talbot.

Flesh begets flesh, Spirit begets spirit. v.6

Today's reading has Nicodemus at a conversion point, approaching Jesus and acknowledging him as a teacher from God because of the signs and wonders he performed. Jesus' response was both negative and positive. He gave Nicodemus what has become a well-known scripture to us: You must be born again. With this, Jesus emphasized the necessity of a rebirth of the spirit. He also spoke of the importance of the rite of water baptism, used by itinerant preachers of his day, as a sign of renewal.

SIGNS & WONDERS ARE NOT ENOUGH

The negative side of Jesus' response was that he said the signs and wonders Nicodemus cited were not enough. He immediately called Nicodemus deeper, to the invisible things of the Spirit, to things beyond externals, to things that are like the wind.

On the positive side, Jesus encouraged Nicodemus, he did not rebuke him. Nicodemus was on the outside looking in, but at least he was looking! God’s grace touched the life of this Pharisee with a spark of renewal and Jesus fanned the spark into full flame. When all the apostles except John deserted Jesus, Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea stood by him at his trial, crucifixion, and burial. Tradition has it they both became disciples in the early church.

LET JESUS TAKE YOU TO THE SOURCE

We need to ask ourselves, do we limit God’s grace to signs and wonders? (Signs and wonders might be any external aspect of Christian or community life we find exciting.)

We must realize that we can do all the externals well and never know the Spirit and the charism. If we have the Spirit, however, we will do all the externals better. Let Jesus call you past the signs of the Spirit to himself as he did with Nicodemus. Let him take you past the stream to the well. Let him take you to the source. Otherwise, you will not be experiencing the real kingdom of God.