“How Can These Things Be?”

 “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” ~ John 3:2

In high school, I participated in the student organization, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

At times, I was outgoing in my faith and I had a teacher who I would introduce Biblical topics although I quickly realized that these conversations appeared spiritually fruitless because he believed that he already knew everything needed to know about Jesus.

He knew Jesus was:

1. Middle eastern carpenter 
2. A Jewish rabbi
3. A good man

In fact, this man knew the Scriptures inside and out; although, it was obvious to see that this man did not know Jesus.

He knew of Jesus. There is a massive difference between the two. In a Biblical context, “knowing” someone meant 1 of 2 things and both were of the intimate nature.

Knowing indicated either a sexual love or intimate knowledge of someone. As Christians, we possess the latter.

This is completely contrary to what I, a southern American is raised up to understand. In southern America, we are often asked and align ourselves with who we know. We are asked if “we know so and so.” This typically whether or not you know who someone is.

We do not want this mentality in our faith. We want to know Christ deeply as the Bible indicates.

In John 3, we find a Jewish leader by the name of Nicodemus who in the night came wanting to know of Jesus, but likely left understanding Jesus and His purpose on a much more intimate level. Jesus answered His questions much deeper than even Nicodemus had intended. This crash course of spirituality conspired by asking the right questions.

One such question is, “How can these things be?” (John 3:9). You see if you ask for clarity, God will and has provided it in His Word. If you want to know Christ intimately and of His love for you, look no further than His Word which affirms that you can be as close as a Son and as near as a coheir (Romans 8:17; Galatians 6:10)

Ask the right questions and you get the right answers.