Post by foxjj on Sept 4, 2023 7:16:39 GMT
John 3:1-21 (ESV)
John chapter 3 records a conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus who was a Pharisee and also a member of the Sanhedrin which was the ruling council in Jerusalem. The conversation is unique because both the Pharisees, and the Sanhedrin were generally opposed to Jesus. As evidenced of this, Nicodemus met Jesus at night as though he did not wish to be seen in Jesus’s company:
“1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.”
We can see the heart of this man from his opening statements. Although the evidence of Jesus ministry speaks for itself, not all who witnessed the healings and heard the teachings, understood Jesus because of their hard hearts.
“3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?”
Nicodemus dose not understand that Jesus is speaking of regeneration. Our depraved nature, compared to God’s holy nature, demands spiritual change through the work of The Holy Spirit whereby we become born anew:
“5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’”
The new life is a work of The Spirit who moves through our life as a mighty, but at the same time, a gentle wind, bringing the required spiritual changes:
“8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
Jesus is speaking of something very important, so important in fact, that it affects our entire life. He is not just speaking of our natural life, but also our spiritual life, which starts in the here and now, going on for eternity. His words should be familiar to Nicodemus because they are reminiscent of Yahweh’s words in Ezekiel 36:25-27:
“25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. 26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.”
From these verse’s in Ezekiel we can see that the spiritual life is guided by Gods Spirit. To be religious is from the flesh - following rules and relying on good works. However, it is only through The Holy Spirit moving in a persons life that they can experiences a genuine spiritual rebirth:
“9 Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” 10 Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? 11 Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. 12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things?”
The natural mind cannot understand the Spiritual Kingdom therefore, we require the new birth guided by the Spirit who brings us to repentance, convicting you and I of our need of Jesus:
“13 No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.”
Jesus is now revealing to Nicodemus the most important - and life changing - spiritual truth for humanity:
“16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.”
It is crucial, both to know - and experience - God’s love revealed in Jesus, as it is to understand the consequences of refusing that same love:
“19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. 20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. 21 But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”
It is only when you and I have had the born again experience, and have become new creations in Christ, that we can truly understand the answer to Nicodemus’s question “How can these things be?” It can only be a reality to all who have repented of their sin, and turned to Jesus as their Savior and Lord. In so doing, our old sinful life passes away, and we begin our new life in Christ Jesus, cleansed of our sin and filled with The Spirit who gives believers eternal hope.
Today, let us give thanks for the Spirit who guides us to Jesus.
John Joseph Fox.
John chapter 3 records a conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus who was a Pharisee and also a member of the Sanhedrin which was the ruling council in Jerusalem. The conversation is unique because both the Pharisees, and the Sanhedrin were generally opposed to Jesus. As evidenced of this, Nicodemus met Jesus at night as though he did not wish to be seen in Jesus’s company:
“1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.”
We can see the heart of this man from his opening statements. Although the evidence of Jesus ministry speaks for itself, not all who witnessed the healings and heard the teachings, understood Jesus because of their hard hearts.
“3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?”
Nicodemus dose not understand that Jesus is speaking of regeneration. Our depraved nature, compared to God’s holy nature, demands spiritual change through the work of The Holy Spirit whereby we become born anew:
“5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’”
The new life is a work of The Spirit who moves through our life as a mighty, but at the same time, a gentle wind, bringing the required spiritual changes:
“8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
Jesus is speaking of something very important, so important in fact, that it affects our entire life. He is not just speaking of our natural life, but also our spiritual life, which starts in the here and now, going on for eternity. His words should be familiar to Nicodemus because they are reminiscent of Yahweh’s words in Ezekiel 36:25-27:
“25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. 26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.”
From these verse’s in Ezekiel we can see that the spiritual life is guided by Gods Spirit. To be religious is from the flesh - following rules and relying on good works. However, it is only through The Holy Spirit moving in a persons life that they can experiences a genuine spiritual rebirth:
“9 Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” 10 Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? 11 Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. 12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things?”
The natural mind cannot understand the Spiritual Kingdom therefore, we require the new birth guided by the Spirit who brings us to repentance, convicting you and I of our need of Jesus:
“13 No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.”
Jesus is now revealing to Nicodemus the most important - and life changing - spiritual truth for humanity:
“16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.”
It is crucial, both to know - and experience - God’s love revealed in Jesus, as it is to understand the consequences of refusing that same love:
“19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. 20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. 21 But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”
It is only when you and I have had the born again experience, and have become new creations in Christ, that we can truly understand the answer to Nicodemus’s question “How can these things be?” It can only be a reality to all who have repented of their sin, and turned to Jesus as their Savior and Lord. In so doing, our old sinful life passes away, and we begin our new life in Christ Jesus, cleansed of our sin and filled with The Spirit who gives believers eternal hope.
Today, let us give thanks for the Spirit who guides us to Jesus.
John Joseph Fox.