Memorable Encounters. Roberto Badenas

voice say, “You are My beloved Child. I am satisfied with You.”

      In that single moment Jesus restored to each the love they had missed for so long. And although immediately after His baptism He disappeared into the mountains of the desert, many realized they had found the Teacher for whom they had been searching. They knew that only He could fill the void within their hearts. They knew that they

      must find Him again.

      In the Night

      I shall be… born again?

      Deserted streets stare in sinister silence as he pulls his cape partially over his face to prevent being recognized in the pale-white moonlight. Cautiously he steps out of the darkened doorway. Life in the city has taught him to distrust the shadowy portals, yet he prefers the darkness to the ridicule he will face if caught rendezvousing with the young Teacher.

      Jesus’ peculiar style both fascinates and frightens him. No one has ever displayed such a powerful, independent personality. Who else would be so bold, so forward, as to chase the merchants from the Temple?

      Nicodemus recalls the many teachers to whom he has listened in his spiritual quest. This man’s ideas do not come from any of the common schools of thought, nor from any known sect or political party. Jesus’ magnetic spirituality sparks Nicodemus’ professional curiosity. He decides that he must discover this Man’s secret.

      But approaching Jesus poses a difficult and compromising act. Nicodemus has spent his entire life preparing to be a doctor

      of the law. An excellent student in the rabbinical schools and now a powerful Pharisee, he is known for his knowledge of Scripture. He even holds a coveted seat on the Sanhedrin. To be seen consulting with this itinerant preacher would be to risk his reputation as a scholar.

      Nonetheless, after careful thought, Nicodemus decides to meet Jesus at night in an obscure place. And in order to avoid feeling intimidated by a visit that could become too personal, he approaches Jesus as the representative of a group who share his ideas. Nicodemus does, in fact, have friends who look with sympathy upon the Galilean. But they also fear risking position and honor, and have chosen to remain in the shadows.

      Nicodemus has reached the rendezvous. For a moment, standing in front of Jesus, he seems to forget his social status. At last he senses that he can allow his feelings of unrest to surface. He seems to

      know that with Jesus he can admit the nagging feeling of emptiness that has been with him for so long. In a spirit of humility rarely seen in men of his class, he addresses this country carpenter as Rabbi, or “Teacher.”

      The essence of this conversation, undoubtedly deep and engaging, takes only half a page in the Gospel of John.

      “Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with

      him” (John 3:2, NIV).

      Taking no notice of the flattery, and dispensing with protocol, Jesus accepts His role as teacher and presents Nicodemus with ideas that will force him to revise his entire way of thinking.

      Jesus begins with a challenge. “I tell you the truth, unless a man is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” That is, if you want your world to change, first you must change.

      Nicodemus takes a step back. What does Jesus mean? It is true that many things must be corrected and changed in order to make the world a better place. He himself wants a great change. He longs for the Messiah’s appearing and for the liberation of Israel and a prosperous kingdom under the divine blessing. He has come to Jesus to find out how he, as a national leader, can accelerate its coming. Even his name (Victory for the People) reveals his desire for change.

      But the idea of a new birth from above, of a new beginning,

      stops him in his tracks. He does not see any relationship

      between the desired change in world affairs and his own way

      of life. A complete transformation, a radical personal change, seems not only impossible but unnecessary. After all, he is Nicodemus—honest, sincere, religious, respected, admired, and appreciated.

      Must one really become a different person with other ideals, other goals, much higher than those held before? Cannot anything be salvaged? Is it even possible to break away from the past and begin again with better principles?

      If he understands Jesus correctly, then he must abandon even the most sure and indisputable of his beliefs and ideals. Does this mean that religious piety, even devotion as faithful as his, will not suffice? That such faithfulness is not enough to enter the kingdom of God?

      Nicodemus, good Pharisee as he is, believes that man can save himself through obedience to the divine laws. Is he not good enough to enter God’s kingdom? Must he admit that he needs a new life rather than new religious practices? Must he admit that he is a spiritual embryo when he has imagined himself upon the peak of spiritual maturity? Isn’t it all a bit excessive?

      Nicodemus cannot comprehend what Jesus is saying. You see, every man is a result of his past, a slave to his family upbringing, his social background, and the unique circumstances that have, to a great extent, conditioned his responses. No one can forget his past. Surely no one can break with everything and begin again.

      But Jesus insists. Not even the best heritage, the most advantageous surroundings, or the most exclusive religious education can guarantee entrance into the superior realm of reality that we call the kingdom of God. None of this is sufficient, because the simple reality is that we must allow God to reign unconditionally within us. And we all are so far from allowing Him this privilege that to do so truly means being “born again” or “from above.”

      To be “born from above” is to begin to live fully. We are marred and limited because we are humans. We are not born totally alive. From the

      moment of our conception we carry death’s seed deep within us. To be born from above means reaching the summit of human existence through the restoration of a lost spiritual dimension. It means shedding the thick skin that envelopes us, forcing us to see that our small world is not the sole reality. It means opening our eyes to the light of another, better world. It means discovering that by connecting ourselves to God even our finitude can be overcome.

      Nicodemus feels dizzy, off balance. To accept and follow this teaching would force him to abandon his conventional beliefs and attitudes. Controlling himself through sheer mental discipline and struggling to preserve his point of reference, he sarcastically asks, “How can a man be born again when he is old? Can he enter again his mother’s womb?”

      Is Nicodemus old, or does he feel that it is too late for him to start again? His rejection does not stem from stupidity nor bad intentions. Rather, it is the defensive mechanism of a man whose belief system has been threatened. It is the response of a frightened, yet honest, intellect. Nicodemus needs to test the new ground before stepping on to it.

      From his human perspective he cannot understand how God can change a man and yet respect his freedom of choice. His private interview with Jesus will teach him that the idea of being born again is less absurd than that of trying to save himself by his own efforts. Jesus will show him that he can have an infinitely greater guarantee of success if he responds to the all-embracing power of God rather than trusting his own limited resources.

      But at this point, Nicodemus does not understand that Jesus is not requiring the impossible but offering the seemingly unattainable. He does not yet realize that the new birth is not something Christ requires of him. Rather it is a gift that Christ is prepared to bestow on him, fully and generously.

      In the spiritual realm the “self-made man” does not exist. We are incapable of rebuilding without help from outside. To begin from ground level is beyond our capabilities. To begin a truly new life we must first experience our own helplessness and our need for outside intervention.

      Nicodemus does not yet comprehend any of this so Jesus states the same thing in different words. “I tell you the truth, unless a man is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.”