Cross My Heart and Hope to Die

A Series on New Testament Stories
(Click on the link below to read the verses.)
John 3:1-21 

[The Bible is mostly made up of stories. Stories about people’s lives, the struggles they faced and their faith, or lack of it. In this series we will be looking at some of those people in the Gospel of John. We’ll try to learn from their stories about who God is, how he worked in their life and how that applies to us today.]

  

When I was a kid growing up, there was a saying that we would use when we really wanted to confirm our credibility. If we really wanted someone to believe what we said, we’d follow it up with, “Cross my heart and hope to die”. 

 

In Jesus’ day there was a similar phrase that was used to announce that an important truth was following, and that the listener should pay close attention. In the King James it is translated, “Verily, verily, I say unto thee”.

 

Today’s story is about a conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus, who happened to be a Pharisee and a member of the ruling council. Which is to say, that he was a part of the religious establishment who Jesus would often confront.

 

The first thing Nicodemus said was to concede that God was with Jesus. But from then on, Jesus ran with the ball… so to speak.

 

Three times Jesus prefaced what he said to Nicodemus with “Verily, verily”. And all three times Nicodemus didn’t get it. Basically, Jesus was trying to tell him how to find the kingdom of God.

 

On the third try, Jesus made a reference to the Israelites who had wandered in the wilderness following their escape from Egypt. At the time, they bitterly complained to Moses about the conditions of life… mostly the food.

 

Because of their sin, God sent venomous snakes into the camp. When an Israelite was bitten by one, they died. Seeing this, the others repented. So, God had Moses fashion a bronze snake on a pole, and if people looked at the snake, they lived.  

 

From the context of our culture, this is a pretty bizarre story. But, it was one that Nicodemus would have been familiar with and could relate to. Here’s how Jesus made the connection.

 

¹⁴ And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, ¹⁵ so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life.                        NLT

 

Jesus often referred to himself as the Son of Man. So, he was telling Nicodemus that in order to enter the kingdom of God, all he had to do was look to Jesus. He then expounded on this truth with his now “football famous” words.

 

¹⁶ For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁷ For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.        NIV

 

Nicodemus’ story is as old as time, but as relevant as today. Who is this man Jesus that identified himself as both the Son of Man and the Son of God? No doubt Nicodemus was looking for the answer to that very question. However, the answer is not just for Nicodemus, but it’s for you and me also.

 

That’s the truth! Cross my heart and hope to die.

 

Copyright 2023 Joseph B Williams

 

 

 

 

 

Overspray and The Son of Man

John 3:1-18

 

At work, I park my car, a 2011 red Mitsubishi Eclipse, at one end of the parking lot, right next to the fence that surrounds the dumpster. Three foot tall poles were recently installed at each corner of the fence, and today - a very windy day, they were spray painted yellow.

 

This was not a light pastel yellow like you would paint a bedroom wall; but a bright yellow like you would use to paint lines in a parking lot. My car was parked less than three feet from the pole. I couldn’t see the wind blowing, but I sure could see where it went by the bright yellow overspray all over the side of my car.

 

Nicodemus was a religious leader who seemed to be sincerely searching for God even though he met Jesus at night so that nobody would see him. Jesus tried to explain things to him. First he told him how to see the kingdom of God. Then he told him how to enter the kingdom of God. Nicodemus didn’t get it.

 

If you listen closely, you might hear Jesus’ voice raise an octave as he seemed to get more and more frustrated with Nicodemus. He even made fun of him when he said, “You are Israel’s teacher and do you not understand these things?” Keep in mind, Jesus was a poor, uneducated carpenter mocking a highly respected, religious leader.

 

Finally, Jesus got very direct. He pointed to himself – the Son of Man. “No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man.”  It’s as if He said to Nicodemus, “Alright, if you don’t understand this, how about this? Look at me. I’m standing right here in front of you. Do you get it now?”

 

In many ways, we’re no different than Nicodemus. We’re on a journey trying to find our way. Sometimes we stumble. Sometimes we don’t know where we’re going. Sometimes life feels out of control. We try to make sense of it, but we just don’t get it. Often times, it isn’t until after the fact, when we are looking back with twenty/twenty hind sight, that we can see how Jesus was at work in our lives.

 

We may not know where the wind comes from, or where it is going; but we can see the overspray. If we pick ourselves back up and keep following Him; if we return to Him when we miss the mark; if we reach for Him to hold us in His arms - there is hope. Jesus was the incarnation of the Living God. Let us continually seek the Son of Man.