Reader’s Guide: “The Word for Today” Monday, January 27, 2014 Read John 3:11-16 In today’s reading, for a second time Jesus says, “Very truly…” We need to know that what is about to be said is critically important. In a strange sort of way the narrative now blends between the words of Jesus and the commentary of the narrator. It is difficult to tell when Jesus’ words end and the narrator’s words begin – we can be certain that at verse 16 it is the narrator who is speaking but perhaps he is already the one speaking at verse 13. Maybe our whole reading today comes from his hand – even though he seems to put the beginning at least into the mouth of Jesus. Several things are being proclaimed in these important words. The words are more about Jesus than the words of Jesus. If we are to understand Jesus then we are going to need to know that Jesus is the one who ascended to heaven because he first descended from heaven. The origin of Jesus is from God. Unless we understand Jesus in this way we will never believe. “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. The Word became flesh and lived among us.” That is the message proclaimed by John. And because Nicodemus cannot perceive this reality he is clueless. At this point John alludes to the story in the OT book of Numbers where Moses lifted up a bronze serpent so that those who looked upon that serpent might be healed from its bite. But Jesus transforms the image and he does so by using a third word with a double meaning. That word is “lifted up” which can mean “to ascend” or “to be crucified.” The proclamation is that just as salvation was found in looking at the bronze serpent salvation will be found only in those who come to see Jesus “lifted up” – “crucified” and “ascended.” This image will be used twice more by John later in his gospel. We will need to be watching for it. Those who believe in the “crucified/ascended” one will know eternal life – the very purpose for which Jesus came into the world – “in him was life and the life was the light of all people.” Verse 16 is probably the best known verse in the Bible and it is clearly the voice of the narrator who now speaks. The verse is about Jesus more than the word of Jesus. John proclaims to us God’s deep and amazing love that sent Jesus into the world – the reason the Word became flesh – so that all who believe in him might have eternal life. A story that began with an unsuspected visitor to Jesus by night has morphed into a sermon calling us to believe in Jesus, the one God gave for the world. But the story is not quite finished. John has one more important concept to introduce to his readers.