New Article: All Are Welcome

Their stories could not have been more different from one another. One was a man, the other a woman. One is named, the other is anonymous. One was from the city, the other the country. One story happened in the dark of night and the other in the bright sunshine of mid-day. One was proudly Jewish and the other was from a mixed-race background. One was highly respected and honoured in society and the other was shamed and shunned. Both had a conversation with Jesus. However, one visit was initiated by the person and the other by Jesus himself. One conversation began with a spiritual question and the other with a question about something as mundane as a drink of water.

I do not think it is a coincidence that the story of Nicodemus coming to Jesus at night (John 3) and the story of the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4) are placed side by side in the Bible. While both stories are valuable on their own, it is their contrasting nature that makes them so powerful.

Jesus is not put off by Nicodemus’ privilege, nor is he offended by the woman’s past. He treats them kindly, starts where they are and leads them to something better. In the end, not only do each of them come to believe in Jesus, but they act on their faith as well. Nicodemus becomes a defender of Jesus (John 7:50-52). Later, he is part of the group that claims Jesus’ crucified body and makes sure that he has a proper burial (John 19:38-39). As for the woman, she runs into town and tells everyone about Jesus. Because of her, they become believers too (John 4:39-42).

These two stories remind us that no one is so good that they do not need Jesus and that no one is so beyond hope that they cannot come back to Jesus.

In other words, in Jesus’ kingdom, anyone can change and begin again.

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Peter 1:3).

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