Tuesday, March 22

Jesus said, “But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.” John 3:21

Thought for the Day: The Myth of Self-Reliance

You might ask the following question: What else happens in this supernatural birth beside God converting us into the worshippers he desires? Since Jesus says of himself that he is the life and no one comes to the Father except through him, then this supernatural birth means that in addition to the why of becoming worshippers the how of being born again is by being connected to him spiritually. To be born again means to be reborn spiritually in Christ himself through the work and presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives.  To be born again means we are now located in Jesus. While we are individually located in him, we are also located there with others, forming the body of Christ, the New Covenant people of God. So, while conversion is individual it also has communal implications.

Another thing that happens in the new birth is that we are liberated from the self-centeredness of our old selves and re-created to enjoy God passionately forever, knowing him as the way and the truth and the life. The new self is re-created by God to break off the curse of Adam, whose disobedience led him and us into self-reliant lives.

Self-reliance has at its core self-centeredness because it looks to the self to meet its needs. A self-reliant individual does not need to worship God because he has become his own God, making his own way, his own truth, and his own life. Ben Franklin wrote in Poor Richard’s Almanac that God helps those who help themselves, which is antithetical to the gospel. Neither an individual nor the collective church can rely on their own understanding of good and evil. Rather, they must be dependent on God and his word.

The irony of being born again means, in a sense, that we become babes, totally reliant on God and not on ourselves. As newborn selves we need Jesus to know and live the way and the truth and the life. To be born again is like God cutting an umbilical cord attached to ourselves and connect it to Jesus, who is the only one who can nourish us in spirit and in truth. Jesus says we are to become like little children, relying on God the Father as a child would reply on a parent in all aspects of life. We are to remain permanent children in this sense, not striking out on our own but living at home under the care and constant tutelage of our one and only Parent.

There is yet a forth aspect of our new birth, and that is cleansing from our sins—tomorrow’s topic. 

Self-examination, repentance, prayer, and worship:

Before you pray, take some time to reflect on your sins. Perhaps there is one in particular about which you are concerned. Tell the Lord you are sorry, ask him to help you stop this sin, and then pray a prayer like the following:

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your loving-kindness; in your great compassion blot out my offenses. Wash me through and through from my wickedness, and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions only too well, and my sin is ever before me. Holy God, Holy and Mighty, Holy Immortal One, have mercy upon us through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Spend further time in prayer and worship before studying the Gospel of John below.

Study: John 4:43-54, Jesus Heals an Official’s Son

 ⁴³After the two days he departed for Galilee. ⁴⁴(For Jesus himself had testified that a prophet has no honor in his own hometown.) ⁴⁵So when he came to Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him, having seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the feast. For they too had gone to the feast.

 ⁴⁶So he came again to Cana in Galilee, where he had made the water wine. And at Capernaum there was an official whose son was ill. ⁴⁷When this man heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went to him and asked him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. ⁴⁸So Jesus said to him, "Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe." ⁴⁹The official said to him, "Sir, come down before my child dies." ⁵⁰Jesus said to him, "Go; your son will live." The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way. ⁵¹As he was going down, his servants met him and told him that his son was recovering. ⁵²So he asked them the hour when he began to get better, and they said to him, "Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him." ⁵³The father knew that was the hour when Jesus had said to him, "Your son will live." And he himself believed, and all his household. ⁵⁴ This was now the second sign that Jesus did when he had come from Judea to Galilee.

Reflection Questions:

1)  The second miracle in John’s Gospel is the healing at a distance of a boy. Why do you feel Jesus chose to heal this boy in this way and not go in person?

2)  What do you think Jesus meant when he said, “Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe”?