June 3, 2026
Do You Like a Mystery? - Part 3
John 3:9-12
06/03/2026
9 Nicodemus said to him, ``How can these things
be?''
10 Jesus answered him, ``Are you the teacher of
Israel and yet you do not understand these things?
11 Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we
know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but
you do not receive our testimony.
12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not
believe, how can you believe if I tell you
heavenly things?'' (ESV)
This week we are looking at the Trinity, the Church's
understanding of God, by studying the third chapter of Saint
John's Gospel. Jesus told Nicodemus, ``You must be born again.
Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the
kingdom of God.''
Nicodemus said to him, ``How can these things be?''
Jesus answered him, ``Are you the teacher of Israel and
yet you do not understand these things? Truly, truly,
I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear
witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive
our testimony. If I have told you earthly things and
you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you
heavenly things?''
This is the mystery we ponder. If we are not saved by our
good works, if we cannot please God by our actions, how can we be
assured of eternal life? Frankly, if we don't have faith, if we
have rejected the calling of the Holy Spirit, the message of
Christianity is foolishness. It was foolishness to Nicodemus, it
was foolishness to both Jews and Greeks in Corinth, it is
foolishness to modern ears.
Of course, there is a lot in the world that is true that we
don't understand, that we think makes no sense. Our inability to
unravel the mystery does not change the truth. It shows that we
need to learn more.
May our Lord grant us faith to learn and understand His
grace, love, and mercy so that we may have life everlasting.
Amen.