“The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned.”—Matthew 4:16

Nicodemus sought an interview with Jesus at night, saying, “Rabbi, we know that Thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that Thou doest, except God be with him.” All this was true, as far as it went; but what said Jesus? He “answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Here was a man in a high position of trust, a man who was looked up to as one educated in Jewish customs, one whose mind was stored with wisdom. He was indeed in possession of talents of no ordinary character. He would not go to Jesus by day, for this would make him a subject of remark. It would be too humiliating for a ruler of the Jews to acknowledge himself in sympathy with the despised Nazarene. Nicodemus thinks, I will ascertain for myself the mission and claims of this Teacher, whether He is indeed the Light to lighten the Gentiles, and the Glory of Israel.

Jesus virtually says to Nicodemus: It is not controversy that will help your case: it is not arguments that will bring light to the soul. You must have a new heart, or you cannot discern the kingdom of heaven. It is not greater evidence that will bring you into a right position, but new purposes, new springs of action. You must be born again. Until this change takes place, making all things new, the strongest evidences that could be presented would be useless. The want is in your own heart; everything must be changed, or you cannot see the kingdom of God.

This was a very humiliating statement to Nicodemus and with a feeling of irritation he takes up the words of Christ, saying, “How can a man be born when he is old?” He was not spiritually minded enough to discern the meaning of the words of Christ. But the Saviour did not meet argument with argument. Raising His hand in solemn, quiet dignity, He presses home the truth with greater assurance: “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”—Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 367, 368.

Further Reflection: When was the last time that you came to Jesus for one thing but received something else, something unexpected?

From Jesus, Name Above All Names

“For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth.”—John 18:37

Christ was the greatest teacher the world has ever known. He came to this earth to shed abroad the bright beams of truth, that humanity might gain a fitness for heaven. “For this cause came I into the world … that I should bear witness unto the truth” (John 18:37). He came to reveal the character of the Father, that people might be led to worship Him in spirit and in truth.

Humanity’s need for a divine teacher was known in heaven. The pity and sympathy of God were aroused in behalf of human beings, fallen and bound to Satan’s chariot car; and when the fullness of time was come, He sent forth His Son. The One appointed in the councils of heaven came to this earth as man’s instructor. The rich benevolence of God gave Him to our world, and to meet the necessities of human nature He took humanity upon Himself. To the astonishment of the heavenly host the eternal Word came to this world as a helpless babe. Fully prepared, He left the royal courts and mysteriously allied Himself with fallen human beings….

When Christ left His high command, He might have taken upon Him any condition in life that He chose. But greatness and rank were nothing to Him, and He chose the most humble walk of life. No luxury, ease, or self-gratification came into His experience. The truth of heavenly origin was to be His theme; He was to sow the world with truth….

That during His childhood Christ should grow in wisdom and in favor with God and humanity was not a matter of astonishment, for it was according to the laws of His divine appointment that His talents should develop and His faculties strengthen. He did not seek an education in the schools of the rabbis, for God was His instructor. As He grew older He continued to increase in wisdom. He applied Himself diligently to a study of the Scriptures, for He knew them to be full of invaluable instruction. He was faithful in the discharge of His home duties; and the early morning hours, instead of being spent in bed, often found Him in a retired place, searching the Scriptures and praying to His heavenly Father.—Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, 259, 260.

Further Reflection: If Jesus was the eternal Word, why did He need to study the Scriptures?

From Jesus, Name Above All Names

“And we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight.”—Numbers 13:33

“And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night.” Revolt and open mutiny quickly followed; for Satan had full sway, and the people seemed bereft of reason. They cursed Moses and Aaron, forgetting that God hearkened to their wicked speeches, and that, enshrouded in the pillar of cloud, the Angel of God’s presence was witnessing their terrible outburst of wrath. In bitterness they cried. “Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness!” With the utterance of their discontent, their bitterness grew, until they began to reproach God, saying, “And wherefore hath the Lord brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt? And they said to one another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt.”

Cut to the heart by the rebellion of the people, feeling the enormity of their sin. “Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel.” And again Caleb and Joshua tried to reassure the people. Above the tempest of lamentation and rebellious grief their clear, ringing voices were heard, saying: “The land, which we passed through to search it, is an exceeding good land. If the Lord delight in us, then He will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey. Only rebel not ye against the Lord, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defense is departed from them, and the Lord is with us: fear them not.”

But the congregation would not listen to the earnest entreaty. The unfaithful spies were loud in their denunciations of Caleb and Joshua, and the cry was raised to stone them. The insane mob seized missiles with which to slay these faithful men. They rushed forth with yells of madness, when suddenly the stones dropped from their hands, a hush fell upon them, and they shook with fear. God had interposed to check their murderous designs. The glory of His presence, like a flaming light, illuminated the tabernacle…. A mightier One than they had revealed Himself, and no one dared continue his resistance.—The Review and Herald, May 20, 1902.

Further Reflection: Have I ever grieved the Holy Spirit in a fit of rebellion? Has my anger ever stopped God’s blessings for me?

From Jesus, Name Above All Names

He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you.—1 Peter 1:20

By rebellion and apostasy humanity forfeited the favor of God; not his rights, for he could have no value except as it was invested in God’s dear Son. This point must be understood. He forfeited those privileges which God in His mercy presented him as a free gift, a treasure in trust to be used to advance His cause and His glory, to benefit the beings He had made. The moment the workmanship of God refused obedience to the laws of God’s kingdom, that moment he became disloyal to the government of God and he made himself entirely unworthy of all the blessings wherewith God had favored him.

This was the position of the human race after they divorced themselves from God by transgression…. And the reason why humanity was not annihilated was because God so loved him that He made the gift of His dear Son that He should suffer the penalty of his transgression. Christ proposed to become humanity’s surety and substitute, that they, through matchless grace, should have another trial—a second probation—having the experience of Adam and Eve as a warning not to transgress God’s law as they did. And inasmuch as men and women enjoy the blessings of God in the gift of the sunshine and the gift of food, there must be on the part of men and women a bowing before God in thankful acknowledgment that all things come of God….

Humans broke God’s law, and through the Redeemer new and fresh promises were made on a different basis. All blessings must come through a Mediator. Now every member of the human family is given wholly into the hands of Christ, and whatever we possess—whether it is the gift of money, of houses, of lands, of reasoning powers, of physical strength, of intellectual talents—in this present life, and the blessings of the future life, are placed in our possession as God’s treasures to be faithfully expended for the benefit of humanity. Every gift is stamped with the cross and bears the image and superscription of Jesus Christ. All things come of God. From the smallest benefits up to the largest blessing, all flow through the one Channel—a superhuman mediation sprinkled with the blood that is of value beyond estimate because it was the life of God in His Son.—Faith and Works, 21, 22.

Further Reflection: What do I need God to send through the Channel for me today?

From Jesus, Name Above All Names

For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.—1 Timothy 2:5

In the Judgment, the use made of every talent will be scrutinized…. Have we improved the powers entrusted us, in hand and heart and brain, to the glory of God and the blessing of the world? How have we used our time, our pen, our voice, our money, our influence? What have we done for Christ, in the person of the poor, the afflicted, the orphan, or the widow? God has made us the depositary of His holy Word; what have we done with the light and truth given us to make people wise unto salvation? No value is attached to a mere profession of faith in Christ; only the love which is shown by works is counted genuine. Yet it is love alone which in the sight of Heaven makes any act of value. Whatever is done from love, however small it may appear in the estimation of human beings, is accepted and rewarded of God.

The hidden selfishness of men and women stands revealed in the books of Heaven. There is the record of unfulfilled duties to their fellow human beings, of forgetfulness of the Saviour’s claims. There they will see how often were given to Satan the time, thought, and strength that belonged to Christ. Sad is the record which angels bear to Heaven. Intelligent beings, professed followers of Christ, are absorbed in the acquirement of worldly possessions, or the enjoyment of earthly pleasures. Money, time, and strength are sacrificed for display and self-indulgence; but few are the moments devoted to prayer, to the searching of the Scriptures, to humiliation of soul and confession of sin.

Satan invents unnumbered schemes to occupy our minds that they may not dwell upon the very work with which we ought to be best acquainted. The arch-deceiver hates the great truths that bring to view an atoning sacrifice and an All-Powerful Mediator. He knows that with him everything depends on his diverting minds from Jesus and His truth.

Those who would share the benefits of the Saviour’s mediation should permit nothing to interfere with their duty to perfect holiness in the fear of God. The precious hours, instead of being given to pleasure, to display, or to gain-seeking, should be devoted to an earnest, prayerful study of the Word of truth.—The Great Controversy, 487, 488.

Further Reflection: Am I knowingly giving any portion of my strength to the cause of Satan?

From Jesus, Name Above All Names