Lent 4: Gospel, John 3:14-21                        

John 3:14-21

Nicodemus, the “teacher of Israel” comes to our Lord at night. Darkness is a good blanket. Paul, later in the New Testament even reminds us that folks who do bad stuff often do it at night when no one can see. And even though Nicodemus coming to Jesus is a very good thing, there is an element of hiding in his visit.

Darkness, hiding and secrecy. All of these have to do with not wanting to be exposed. But mankind is in a worse place by far, than simply wanting to be hidden. Mankind loves the darkness. “And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil” (John 3:19).

How very lost we are without the Savior. On this fourth Sunday in Lent, when the church gains respite with every Sunday a celebration of resurrection, might we benefit from pondering the depths from which we have been rescued?

We pray: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on us sinners. Amen!