Seeking the Light in a Shadowy World
John 3:1–21 Today we meet Nicodemus—a religious leader, a respected teacher, a man who has spent his life studying God. We first meet him not in public, but slipping quietly through the dark of night to visit Jesus. Nicodemus comes carrying his questions, his hesitations, and perhaps a measure of fear. Scripture tells us plainly that he comes at night , and John wants us to notice that detail. Nicodemus approaches the Light of the World under the cover of darkness. Just a few verses earlier, Jesus has expressed distrust toward those who believe in him only because of the signs they have witnessed—those drawn to spectacle more than relationship. So when Nicodemus appears as someone who has been watching the signs, someone intrigued by the miracles, the author invites us to feel the irony. This is how John’s gospel works. It weaves themes together—light and darkness, trust and misunderstanding, belief and belonging—inviting us to look more ...