This Second Week of Easter we encounter Nicodemus in the Gospels—a man who is drawn to Jesus, but never fully steps across the threshold of faith. Nicodemus lives on the edge of faith.
Parallel to Nicodemus in the Scriptures this week, we see Peter and John filled with the Holy Spirit and speaking the Word of God with boldness (Acts 4:23–31). We also see the apostles who bore witness to the Resurrection of the Lord with great power (Acts 4:32–37). They lived their faith courageously, with boldness, and with the confidence that they were anointed by God to do so.
It is because of the apostles’ bold testimony and that of other believers that our faith was handed on to generation after generation. God bears fruit from the courage of these men and women witnessing to their faith. It is their testimony that calls us to move from living on the edge of faith to living our faith boldly and without apology.
Nicodemus reminds us of the cost of hearing the bold proclamation of faith and not believing it. Jesus says to him, “We speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen; yet you do not receive our testimony.” (John 3:11) The cost of not fully believing is the cost of eternal life.
This Easter season, let us beg God that we will not live on the edge of faith. Let us beg God to bring us fully across the threshold of faith so that we too may boldly proclaim and testify to the works of God in our lives the way the apostles did.
