You be the judge

An interesting parallel is found in John chapter three.  First, Nicodemus comes to Jesus at night, when none of the other Jewish rulers of the Sanhedrin can see, and admits that he is troubled by Jesus' teachings (John 3.1-2).  Later in the chapter, a prominent Jew (or group of Jews) comes to John the Baptist, and challenges him (John 3.25).  Basically the Jew's argument is this: you baptize with water, which you say washes people's sins away; we do ceremonial cleansing with water, which our tradition says makes us clean from sin.  So how are you any different from us?  And besides, we heard Jesus, whom you are preaching about, is baptizing as well (John 3.26).  So who is right, you or him?  You can't both be the path to salvation, can you?

While Nicodemus came for answers, I'm sure the Jews came to John to challenge his teaching.  Yet John's answer is the same one that Jesus gave Nicodemus. "The one who comes from above is above all; the one who comes from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth.  The one who comes from heaven is above all.  He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. The man who has accepted it has certified that God is truthful." (John 3.31-33)

Jesus said this: "I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony.  I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?" (John 3.11-12)

In both these situations, both John and Jesus challenged their listeners to hear the evidence, the testimony that is put before them.  In both cases, the challenge was this: you be the judge.

John the Baptist answered the prominent Jew in this way: your ceremonial washing with water is all about you.  My baptizing with water is all about Him.  And now that He is here, I can take a step back and let Him take the stage.  He deserves all the attention, not me.  "You yourselves can testify that I said 'I am not the Christ, but I am sent ahead of Him'.  The bride belongs to the bridegroom.  The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom's voice.  That joy is mine, and it is now complete. He must become greater; I must become less." (John 3.28-30).

John's answer to the critics was to point them to Jesus.  He testified about Jesus.  His testimony was on the record--anyone could check.  More on this later.

Jesus' response to Nicodemus was to brush away all the fluff and get down to the real point: "You must be born again." This approach takes Nicodemus a minute to comprehend, and he asks questions from his world, the physical realm.  "How can a grown man be born--his mother's womb is not big enough--I'm confused."  Jesus directed him to the spiritual realm, but at the same time He gave Nicodemus a reference that all Jews knew about. "Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life." John 3.14-15.

That reference was to Numbers 21.4-9.  You can look it up if you want.  During the 40 years of wandering in the desert, the Israelites started complaining, whining that they had been taken out of Egypt.  They asked why they had been brought out to the desert to die.  So God sent poisonous snakes into the camp to bite all of the complainers.  Now they really were dying.  Then they came to Moses and said "We're sorry.  We didn't mean it.  Help us!"  Moses prayed to God, and God told Moses to make a snake out of bronze, and put it up on a pole.  Anyone who looked up at the snake would be healed of the deadly venom of the real snakes.  This was exactly the opposite of what the people of Israel expected--hadn't Moses been told by God at Sinai that they should not make any graven images or idols, and not to trust things made by man to save them? But those who held to the religious tradition died; those who looked up at the image of the snake lived.

In the same way, God came as a man.  Anyone who believed in this Man would be saved.  Those who held to the religious tradition (only look to God, not to man, for salvation) were lost.  This was the background to the most famous verse in the Bible.  "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life." (John 3.16)  Jesus further testified to Nicodemus that God had not sent Jesus to condemn the world--there was too much condemnation already.  He was sent to bring reconciliation with God.

"This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.  Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.  But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God." (John 3.19-21).

This may have been a gentle jab at Nicodemus for coming to see Jesus at night.  But in the bigger picture, isn't it testimony against all of us?  When we sin, we want the sin to be hidden.  When we lie, we shroud the truth in darkness.  But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with God the Father.

There has been a lot of legal terminology in this message.  Charges were made against both John the Baptist and Jesus.  Testimony was given by multiple witnesses.  Jesus read the verdict reached by the jury of His peers.  And now comes the time for sentencing.  You are the judge.  Are you going to listen to the testimony, and agree with the verdict? Or will you throw out the case? What evidence do you rely on?  Or are you a corrupt judge, swayed by evil? Who has offered you a bribe that is more valuable than Eternal Life?