The Karate Kid Enters The Matrix

Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:1-3)

Nicodemus chose a time when it would be just the two of them and basically said, I understand who you are, I’m curious and kind of on your side, so we’re cool, right? Jesus’ response was stark. He said, no, you really don’t see what’s going on at all. “No one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.”  The words he uses for “no one can” are emphatically negative. They are the words you use to say no when everyone expects you to say yes and you want to make a point. Nicodemus is saying, “I think I know what’s happening with you” and Jesus is saying “you have no idea.” He’s saying “I am not a roundabout where you can pick a direction. I am a fork in the road, it’s time to choose. Red pill or blue pill buddy.”

A long time ago I spent a summer working for Calvin Thielman as his pastoral intern. He used to send me to his backyard, across a robust creek, with petunias and my Bible. He’d then prepare his sermon on the back porch while I planted the petunias and read loudly from my Bible. Calvin later explained that he wanted me to learn to read the Bible while thinking ahead and to always project my voice so that everyone could hear God’s word. He was teaching me to lead a Sunday service. It was a real Mr. Miyagi move (wax on, wax off, you get it). The point is that I thought I was doing one thing (mostly getting my Bible dirty) while Calvin was doing something else (making me a better communicator). There was a lot more going on than I understood, but it was still up to me to submit to the process. 

Jesus is doing the same with Niccodemus, though on a deeper level, and I think he wants to do the same with us . He is saying that we can come to him at night, that’s a fine starting place, but if you really show up then he’s going to change everything. He’s not going to be an add-on to your ambitions for a nice family, a good job and close friends; he’s going to make you on fire for something much larger. Jesus is saying that if you come to test the water you should be ready for me to shove you completely under. Now you can always crawl back out, but from that point on, if you do that, something will always feel off, like you're living in the wrong skin, like you were born to be someone else. 

So what should we do about this on a Friday? Spend a few quiet minutes and ask God:

1. If you made me into someone completely different, who would that be? In other words, who am I really supposed to be?

2. In what areas of my life have I crawled back out of the water?

On earth as it is in heaven...

Adam