Jesus Is LifeSample

Meeting Jesus

Have you ever seen a post on social media that made you wonder how you could be a part of it? Maybe you want to be in a certain circle of friends, but right now, you’re not. Maybe you want to vacation in that place your friend posted about but you’re sitting at home on your couch. You know the feeling you get when you have the fear of missing out, aka "FOMO"?

Today, we meet someone who probably had his fair share of FOMO—Nicodemus.

Nicodemus was an influential Pharisee and member of the Jewish ruling council. Basically, that meant he was a very respected religious leader who was an expert in the law.

Jesus and His disciples had been stirring up curiosity with their profound teaching and miracles, which probably ignited Nicodemus’s curiosity. But Pharisees were at odds with Jesus, so to visit Him could be dangerous. To protect his life and his reputation, Nicodemus wanted to meet Jesus privately, so he went to Jesus at night.

I believe his cautious approach of Jesus reveals his FOMO. He may have thought things like, "Am I missing something? Could this Jesus be from God? Would I rather be in His group than the Pharisees? I don't want to be an outsider reading about Jesus in tomorrow’s news! I want in!"

This one encounter with Jesus is all it took for Nicodemus to switch teams from the religious to a secret disciple. How do we know this? In John 7:52, he defended Jesus from the Sanhedrin (the religious rulers of the day). And in John 19:39, all the other disciples fled, but Nicodemus went public with his faith when he bought costly spices and helped prepared Jesus’ body for burial.

That loved one you are praying for is only one encounter with Jesus, one miracle, or one act of love away from knowing Jesus like Nicodemus. Sisters, let’s let the fear of someone missing out on Jesus fuel us to action by boldly praying for, loving, and serving those in our lives who don’t yet know the hope that Jesus offers.

Consider:

What do you think Nicodemus saw in Jesus that sparked his curiosity to meet Him?

What are some ways you can be bold in your faith?

Who is someone in your life who doesn’t yet know Jesus? How might you lovingly share the hope we have in Jesus with them?

Prayer:

Father, give me the confidence to go public with my faith and to share my faith with others. I choose to share Your truth boldly, and become love, like You.

*Keep up the good work on your Jesus Is … journal!