"Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.'" (John 3:7)
Nicodemus had no reference for Jesus' words, because He worshiped God according to the dictates and traditions of men. When He encountered God Himself in Jesus, he did not know what to make of Him. Jesus' words were spirit and life, and they were spoken with authority unlike any words Nicodemus had ever heard. The thought of being born again had never occurred to him, and those words challenged everything he believed. Being a Jew, a man of means, a ruler, and a Pharisee meant little or nothing from this moment forward. The only thing that mattered is what Nicodemus would do with these words, The same is true of you and me.
Witness how rarely you hear these words today. The simplicity of the Gospel offends the sin nature man inherited, so some seek to appeal to men without it. They rely on expertise, studies, and "theologies," while asking and answering all the wrong questions. Our sin nature desperately seeks to be coddled, to be heard, to be understood, to be counseled, and ultimately, accepted as it is. But Jesus never deviates, and His message today is the same one He shared with Nicodemus; "You must be born again."
Let's Pray - Dear God, thank You for sending Jesus to lay down His life so that I might have life. I truly believe Your Word, and I truly believe in Your Son. Amen.
Thank You Jesus, thank you. AMEN. The process of being "Born Again" seems to be an easy yoke & light burden in comparison to the thought of being in bondage to the flesh for a lifetime. Oh Happy Day.... when the light turns on and you are able to see thru the darkness that has surrounded so many of us. That ole song that says "Thank You Lord for saving me;" comes from the heart. FOR HE IS GOOD for REAL, for REAL!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteAmen! Born again and set free.
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