John 3:1-8 – Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.” 3 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” 4 “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!” 5 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”
“How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!” 5 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’”
Yesterday as I was drove up to the window of a fast food place I saw a young man who seemed very joyful. He had his back to me as he was responding to a coworker. The only thing I heard was “Why not? After all, you only live once! Right?” I understood that he was likely talking about doing something fun and perhaps daring. I smiled as I thought that I often had that attitude when I was about his age. But then the young man’s words echoed within me. The Lord inclined my heart to the words. I felt a very urgent need to tell him that I hope he does not only live once, but that He lives twice. I could have told him about these verses, but I would only have a few seconds, not enough to explain. So after he gave me my food, as he was turning away from me, I said to him “You know I hope it is not true for you that you only live once. I hope you live twice.” He smiled at me and I could see that he was amused and intrigued. He was waiting for the punchline. I told him that I got that from the Bible. He smiled at me. There were a lot of cars behind wanting their food. I said goodbye. I hope that the Lord brings those words back to Him and that some Brothers and Sisters come along and water and feed that seed.
Nicodemus, a man who was considered an expert in scriptures could not understand what we as Christians understand as something very basic. We understand that the Lord was giving him insight about spiritual matters. Really, Jesus was giving Nicodemus what he had come to know. He wanted to know if Jesus was indeed from God and what Jesus could tell him about being right with God. Yet, when Jesus did, Nicodemus was not ready to understand. Sometimes we can be so deep in wrong information which we have received that we are buried so that the light has a hard time breaking through. Jesus was telling Nicodemus that he indeed was physically born into this world but that now there is an important and absolutely necessary next step. To every person physically born they receive life as a gift from God. However, after being born into this world there is another life that is an absolute necessity for all who want to live in peace with God, a second spiritual birth that again, is provided only as a gift from God through Jesus Savior and Lord. God gives the births of water and Spirit. The first is necessary to be alive on earth, and the second is necessary to be alive spiritually. The first is fleeting, the second is eternal. True is the saying “Born once, die twice. Born twice, die once.”
“The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” We know that when we may read in the Bible spirit in the lowercase or Spirit in the uppercase. One means the spirit of a person, the other meaning the Spirit of God. The context is everything. One word is used in this verse for wind and for Spirit. They both are right and again it determined by the context. Yet Jesus is also pointing out the similarities. These people could feel the wind and they could see the effects of the wind, but they did not know much more about it. Those in the world knew little about the wind and those who are born once know little about the Spirit, if they even know about the Him. Unless a man gives His life to over to Jesus, He may see the Spirit move upon a man, but will not understand it. A man cannot understand the things of the Spirit unless the Spirit lives within him. But when a man walks in the Spirit, He knows what the natural man cannot know. (1 Corinthians 2:10-16) Family, God has called us to walk in the Spirit that we may understand. Let us seek to do so.
Praise God for the gift of being born from above (again)! Praise God for the gift of Jesus to us. Oh, just praise God! He deserves it! Praise God!
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will Hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown you, Oh man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you, but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
Numbers 6:24-26 The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 The Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.