Our Lord Jesus was, and remains, the greatest evangelist of all times. In the gospels, we constantly see him dealing lovingly and relationally with lost and broken people and confronting them with truth. Such is the case in John 3. This chapter records Jesus’ interaction with the “seeker,” Nicodemus, and the subsequent gospel-centered conversation that follows (3:1-21). In this passage and the one that follows it (John 3:22-36, which records John the Baptist’s discussion about Jesus’ Messianic ministry), the Apostle John records for us exchanges in which some of the essential, core truths of salvation are recorded. These passages remind us that evangelistic encounters must be about more than just relationships, love, and invitations to church. They are also about engaging false worldviews with theological and Christological truth. Notice the way this is done in John 3:
* In v. 3, Jesus speaks of the absolute necessity of regeneration
* In v. 8, He speaks of the activity of the Spirit in regeneration
* In v. 14-15, He speaks of the centrality of sacrifice to the plan of redemption
* In v. 16 (and again by John the Baptist in v. 36), we are reminded of the simplicity of faith
* In v. 18-19, Jesus speaks to the difficult truths surrounding the reality of human sinfulness and the resultant inevitability of divine judgment
Jesus’ evangelistic encounter with Nicodemus leaves us with no doubt that when he spoke with the lost, he engaged them with difficult truths concerning God and the gospel. We must do the same. And we must pray, like the Apostle Paul, that God will not only open the doors of opportunity for us, but that He will also give us the words to speak and the boldness to speak them when the opportunity arises (Col 4:2-5).
Today, pray for your lost friends to whom you have committed. Meditate on these truths from John 3. And pray for one another.
