The 3-Day Code Connecting Creation, Christ, and the Cross
The Most Important Question: What are you looking for?
Before Jesus called his first disciples, before he performed a single miracle, this is the question he asked them. And it’s a question that echoes down to us today. What brought you here? Are you moving on autopilot, going through the motions of another week? Are you seeking the comfort of ritual after a long, hard few days? Or are you simply acting out of obligation?
Sometimes, the deepest reasons we search for meaning are hidden, even from our own eyes and understanding. We feel a restlessness we can't quite name. But by exploring a few profound ideas embedded in this ancient story, we can find surprising clarity on what it is we’re truly seeking.
The Hidden Three-Day Rhythm Connecting All of Scripture
What if I told you that the opening of Jesus's ministry was not a series of random events, but a carefully choreographed dance with the first verses of Genesis? The opening of John's Gospel reveals a deliberate, three-day structural parallel that connects the Creation story, the start of Jesus's ministry, and the story of his death and resurrection. This is not coincidence; it is choreography. Jesus is not merely starting a ministry; he is consciously inhabiting the very rhythm of God's creative and redemptive work, proving his story is not new, but eternal.
Day One: Separating Light from Darkness. Just as God’s first creative act in Genesis was to separate light from darkness, the first "day" of John's narrative begins with an act of profound clarification. Leaders from Jerusalem confront John the Baptist at the Jordan River and demand, "Who are you? What do you say about yourself?" In that moment, John separates the truth from falsehood, defining himself against the one who is to come—the true Light. This is the primordial spiritual act of creating order from chaos. When have you been in a "Day One," a time of discerning who you are against what the world tells you to be?
Day Two: Immersion in the Waters. On the second day of creation, God separates the waters from the waters. On the second day of John’s account, Jesus descends into those very waters for his baptism, separating them with his own body in a powerful act of submission. This moment foreshadows the second day of the passion story, when he rests in the tomb and, as the creed says, “descends to the dead.” For us, a "Day Two" can feel like being overcome, having our familiarities washed away. But it is also the day the Holy Spirit descends, meeting us in the very waters that threaten to overwhelm.
Day Three: New Life Revealed. On the third day of creation, God commanded dry land to emerge from the waters, bringing forth vegetation and life. On the third day of his opening ministry, John the Baptist points to Jesus, and the first disciples emerge from their old lives to follow him. This act directly anticipates the third day of the passion story: the Resurrection, when the ultimate new life emerges from the tomb and the light triumphs over darkness once and for all.
He surrenders and accepts and molds himself to be shaped by the entirety of God's story of everything.
"Lamb of God" Is Not a Gentle Metaphor; It's a Statement of Sacrifice
When we hear John the Baptist call Jesus the "Lamb of God," it's easy to picture something soft and gentle. But its true meaning is far more powerful and visceral.
This phrase is a specific and direct reference to sacrifice. John is incredibly precise, using this title at two pivotal moments: at the beginning of day two, as Jesus approaches the water, and then again as day three opens, prompting his own followers to turn toward Christ. This is critically important. From the very outset of his public ministry, Jesus's core identity and mission are framed in the context of sacrifice. He is revealed as the one who has come to be the hoped for and long awaited sacrifice of God.
This is not some sweet identifier of a soft and supple creature, but a specific and direct reference to sacrifice.
We Are the Stars in the Continuing Story
This final insight offers a beautiful and deeply personal connection for us today. As the first disciples emerge on that "third day"—the day of new life—we hear an echo of God’s ancient covenant with Abraham: the promise that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars in the sky.
In this light, the first disciples who turn to follow Jesus are the first fruits of that cosmic promise. And what does that make us? We are the continuing stars, called to reflect the glory of God made known in Jesus Christ. Our lives and our faith are not isolated events. They are part of an ancient story of reflecting divine light into the world. In our own "third day" moments, when we are washed clean of our old assumptions, we are invited to be warmed by the light of the world, the heavenly light of Jesus Christ.
So, What Are You Looking For?
We return to the question that started it all. After seeing these layers of meaning—the cosmic rhythm of creation, the sacrificial identity of the Lamb, the call to be light-reflectors in the world—the question lands differently.
Perhaps what we are all looking for, in our own way, is a connection to this greater story. Maybe we are searching for a chance to find our place within God’s creative and redemptive work.
After seeing these connections, where in the three-day rhythm—discerning the light, being immersed in the waters, or reflecting the light for others—do you find yourself today?
