John 3

Moving From People-Talk to God-Talk

Remember the Rainbow Hair Guy who held up the John 3:16 poster during major sports events in the 1980’s? His name is Rollen Stewart, aka Rockin’ Rollen. He was a failing actor who became a Christian and decided to get the word out about Jesus by displaying his signs in strategic public places.

He later claimed some “secret knowledge” about Jesus that led him to do some extremely misguided things, like bombing and kidnapping, to attract attention. Today he is serving three consecutive life terms in prison for acting on his false beliefs.

My Truth or True Truth?

Obviously what Rockin’ Rollen thought was true was a lot different than what God knew to be true. How about us? How often do we act on what we “know” to be true that may not agree with God’s truth? And how does God move us toward His truth when we insist on going in our own direction?

 In the third chapter of John we witness a battle of truths. Nicodemus, a leading Pharisee, states his version of truth to Jesus by saying “we know you are a great teacher come from God, because no one could do the things you are doing.”

Jesus responds by telling Nicodemus what is really true – “that no one can see or enter the Kingdom of God unless they are born again.” This statement seemingly has nothing to do with what Nicodemus expected, and it throws him for a loop as he struggles to respond by asking how this can be true.

What we find in the ensuing discussion is a conversation model Jesus uses throughout John to guide people from their own assumptions into a deeper understanding of God’s reality – what we might call God-Talk versus People-Talk.

God-Talk Versus People-Talk

In People-Talk we state what we “believe” to be true, and Jesus responds with God-Talk about what he “knows” is true. For instance, when the disciples argue in People-Talk about which one of them is the greatest, Jesus responds with God-Talk by telling them if they want to be first, they must become last and servant of all. That is certainly not what they wanted to hear.

In chapter three of John, Nicodemus comes to Jesus with two big assumptions. He states he “knows” Jesus is a great teacher sent from God.  Also, as a leading Pharisee, Nicodemus “believes” he is qualified to be part of God’s Kingdom because he has strictly followed the Jewish law.

The truth is - Jesus is not a teacher sent from God; he is God. Jesus also knows that following the law could never qualify Nicodemus to be in the kingdom. So Jesus tells him the truth – that he must be born again into a new spiritual reality that Nicodemus never knew existed. Then Jesus begins to guide him from his own faulty assumptions into this new realm of truth.

 Our Personal God-Talk Journey

Doesn’t Jesus often do that with us? First, he meets us where we are, then challenges us to relook at what we think is true that may not line up with his truth. Then, through the Holy Spirit, he guides us on a journey that moves us from our own People-Talk assumptions into deeper God-Talk truth.

 Sometimes this journey is short and happens when we discover new insight from scripture or prayer. Other times the journey takes a lifetime as we resist changing who we are and what we think. We all have our own misconceptions and sins that we cling to and don’t want to let go of. But, as Corrie Ten Boom warned us, “Hold everything in your hands lightly, otherwise it hurts when God pries your fingers open.”

So how’s your personal People-Talk versus God-Talk journey going? Do you sometimes block God’s desire to move you toward His perspective in a particular area of your life? If you do, try to listen more openly to the God-Talk in your heart. That way God can guide you into deeper truth without needing to pry your fingers open.

Maranatha,

Andy