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May 25, 2024

God Loves So That

M. Kathryn Armistead   |   Read John 3:1-15

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Lectionary Week
May 20–26, 2024
Scripture Overview

The scripture passages this week give us an opportunity to reflect on the power and majesty of God and what God’s love, in its many forms, can mean for us. Through these verses, we get a glimpse of who God is and who we can be as God’s disciples: purposeful; humble; strong; joint heirs with Christ; open to God’s guidance; and recipients of peace, love, and eternal life. We read the account of the prophet Isaiah’s vision and calling. The psalm describes our sovereign God’s awesome voice. Paul declares that those who are led by the Spirit are children of God and joint heirs with Christ. In John’s Gospel we read of the story of Nicodemus’s visit to Jesus. Each scripture is compelling in its own way, but taken together, they illustrate the magnitude of a relationship with God that may be beyond our imagining but not beyond possibility.

Questions and Suggestions for Reflection

Read Isaiah 6:1-8. Reflect upon a time you were chosen for a special task. What helped you feel empowered to serve?
Read Psalm 29. How have you experienced the glory of God? Through nature? Through music? Through art?
Read Romans 8:12-17. What might it mean to God that you are a joint heir with Christ? What do you want to inherit from God?
Read John 3:1-17. How has your life been reshaped by the Spirit? How do you share God’s love with others? Who shares God’s love with you?

Respond by posting a prayer .

John 3:1-15

1 There was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a Jewish leader. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God, for no one could do these miraculous signs that you do unless God is with him.” 3 Jesus answered, “I assure you, unless someone is born anew,it’s not possible to see God’s kingdom.” 4 Nicodemus asked, “How is it possible for an adult to be born? It’s impossible to enter the mother’s womb for a second time and be born, isn’t it?” 5 Jesus answered, “I assure you, unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, it’s not possible to enter God’s kingdom. 6 Whatever is born of the flesh is flesh, and whatever is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Don’t be surprised that I said to you, ‘You must be born anew.’ 8 God’s Spirit blows wherever it wishes. You hear its sound, but you don’t know where it comes from or where it is going. It’s the same with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” 9 Nicodemus said, “How are these things possible?” 10 “Jesus answered, “You are a teacher of Israel and you don’t know these things? 11 I assure you that we speak about what we know and testify about what we have seen, but you don’t receive our testimony. 12 If I have told you about earthly things and you don’t believe, how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? 13 No one has gone up to heaven except the one who came down from heaven, the Human One. 14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so must the Human One be lifted up 15 so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life.

Unless otherwise indicated, scripture quotations are from the Common English Bible. Copyright © 2011 Common English Bible. Used by permission.

John tells us that Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews, secretly sought out Jesus at night so that he would not be seen. However, subsequently in John’s Gospel, we glimpse “the rest of the story.” John 19:39-42 tells us that Nicodemus accompanied Joseph of Arimathea to take Jesus’ body from...

Dear God, thank you for loving us enough that you give us a part to play in your ministry. Amen.


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