A caterpillar saw a butterfly swooping and gliding in the sky above.  

'You'd never get me up there,' the caterpillar muttered as he crawled across the muddy track.  I don't know what the caterpillar thought the butterfly was - maybe a helicopter - but he sure didn't understand that, in God's time, he would turn into a cocoon and emerge as a butterfly himself.  Then he would fly.

The caterpillar reminds me of Nicodemus.  He couldn't understand that God makes wonderful things happen to those who put their trust in Jesus.  One of the greatest things is that God starts a new life inside them.  It's a new life that comes from God.  It comes through Jesus.  And, it never ends.  God calls it eternal life.  When you believe in Jesus, you are born again.

Prayer: Thank You, Lord Jesus, that You give us new life when we believe on You.  Amen.

Most of the priests were angry at Jesus.  But one, an old man with the long name of Nicodemus, must have done some thinking.  He came to Jesus one night to say that Jesus must be from God because only God can do miracles.

Of course this was true, but Jesus wanted to move on to something else that was also true.  The most important thing in life is to be part of God's kingdom; to know God; to be in God's family.  That was the most important thing Jesus wanted to tell the world.

Nicodemus was very religious.  He was an important man with lots of money.  He was a leader in the community.  Maybe he thought that was enough to please God.  Jesus said there was something else which had to happen before Nicodemus, or anybody, could be part of God's kingdom.  Jesus said, 'You must be born again.' (Verse 7)

Wow!  Telling an old man he must be born again.  Nicodemus couldn't understand that.  Do you?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, there's lots I don't understand, but I'm glad You always tell the truth.  Help me to trust You.  Amen.

The priests were mad at Jesus because He interfered with the Temple business.  They asked Him what right He had to do such things.  He gave them an answer they didn't understand.  Jesus said, '(You) destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.'

That sounded ridiculous to the Temple priests.  After all, it took 46 years for the temple to be built. 'And you're going to raise it up in three days?' they scoffed.

These people didn't understand that they were talking to the Son of God - and they didn't understand that He was talking about His own body - which was also God's dwelling place on earth.  Jesus was actually telling them in advance that they would destroy His body on the Cross and He would rise from the dead three days later.  If He had said it more plainly they wouldn't have believed Him.  Even when it happened, many of them didn't believe.  

But it is true.  When the time came, Jesus, God's Son, rose from the dead.

Prayer: Thank You, Lord Jesus, that You rose from the dead and are my living Savior.  Amen.

Can you imagine sheep and goats and birds being sold right in your church?  Can you imagine men shouting about how they will give you a better deal if you change your money at their table?  

That's what was happening at the temple where Jewish people went to worship God.  And Jesus didn't like it.  He called the temple 'My Father's house' - it was a place to honor God, not to make money.

Jesus made a whip out of cords, forced the keepers to round up the animals and drove them out of the temple.  He shooed all the birds away and threw over the moneychanger's tables.  Jesus was very angry that people would treat God's House this way.  The Temple was God's dwelling place on earth.

The leaders didn't like what Jesus did.  But that didn't stop Him.  Jesus always put God first.

Sometimes we have to do something that others don't like - maybe speak up for Jesus when others use His Name as a swearword.  If we do speak up, we are following Jesus' example of honoring God.

Prayer: Dear God, please help me to follow Jesus and honor You.  Amen.

What is a miracle?  A miracle is something that God and God alone can do.  Anybody can learn to make wine.  But they can't make the rain to water the vineyard, or the sun to ripen the grapes.  People only know how to press the grapes into wine.

When Jesus went to a wedding, the people ran out of wine.  Jesus did something only God can do.  He did a miracle.  There were six big jugs, about as tall and fat as fire hydrants.  Jesus told the servants to fill them right to the top - with water.  It was plain drinking water that went into the jugs - but Jesus changed the water into the very best wine.  And it all happened in a moment.  The people who saw it happen knew that this was a miracle.

Years later, John (who wrote it for us) said that Jesus, the Son of God, did miracles so that people would believe on Him and know that He is God.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You that You are God the Everlasting Son.  Thank You for bringing eternal life to all who believe on You.  Amen.