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John 3:5-7

“Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.” (John 3:5-7)

Jesus was talking about spiritual birth. He was making Nicodemus aware that there was a spiritual life as well as physical life, a physical delivery as well as a spiritual beginning. It does not matter who you are, who your parents are, what nationality, or race you are. We all have the same need because we are all sinners. We need to be born again if we are ever going to have a relationship with God.

“The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.” (John 3:8)

It is hard to understand things we can not see. There are many things in this world that we believe exist that we can not see. Jesus takes Nicodemus to the wind. You can’t see it come or go. However, you can feel it upon your skin, and you can see it move the leaves on the trees. The same is true of the Spiritual life. While we can’t see it, we can feel its effect on us, and we can see its impact on others.

The spiritual birth affects every part of who we are. It changes our philosophy, attitude, outlook, and desires. Then a new, better person emerges from within. The spiritual life always works its way out into our physical being. This spiritual birth enables a deep and abiding relationship with God.

Questions to Ponder 

Do you have a spiritual life? 

Do you have a personal relationship with God? 

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Back In 1527

Back in 1527, a deadly plague hit Martin Luther’s town of Wittenberg and he wrote a letter to a friend, explaining how churches should deal with such complicated circumstances. This is very wise and balanced advice for us today.

“I shall ask God mercifully to protect us. Then I shall fumigate, help purify the air, administer medicine and take it. I shall avoid places and persons where my presence is not needed in order not to become contaminated and thus perchance inflict and pollute others and so cause their death as a result of my negligence. If God should wish to take me, he will surely find me and I have done what he has expected of me and so I am not responsible for either my own death or the death of others. If my neighbor needs me however I shall not avoid place or person but will go freely as stated above. See this is such a God-fearing faith because it is neither brash nor foolhardy and does not tempt God.”

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John 3:3,4

Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
Nicodemus saith unto him, “How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?” (John 3:3,4)

One of the main topics of Jesus’ teaching was the kingdom of God. This topic was something that was on everyone’s mind. Nicodemus wanted to know more about the kingdom of God. Understanding this, Jesus opens with the stunning statement. “Except a man be born again, he can not see the kingdom of God.”

While Nicodemus understood the words that Jesus said, he stumbles in understanding the meaning. The first thought he has is of the natural birth of a child. How can this possibly be! Can you imagine for a second what he must have thought? The impossibility of being born a second time as a baby. Who then could ever see the kingdom of God?

In his day, many thought that if you were a descendant of Abraham, you automatically got entrance into the kingdom of God. With this understanding, many gave no further thought to any deeper meaning to life. They were resting in the knowledge of being God’s chosen people.

The Pharisee’s were consumed with outward appearances. Of which Nicodemus was a member. These men made a show of their devotion to God, praying loudly in public, giving so others may see them and fasting so that everyone knew how godly they were. All of these things were done for the glory of men, not from a devotion of heart.

Like Nicodemus, often we are consumed with the temporal life. Where we are going, what we are doing, and how much we are making. We are overlooking the more essential matters in life and eternity. Nicodemus’s mind is so consumed with it that he is not ready to think in a spiritual manner. If we don’t take the time to slow down and meditate on God’s word, we will miss all the spiritual blessings and insights that God has for us.

“But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.” (1Samuel 16:7)

Questions to Ponder
When God looks at your heart, what does he see? A material and selfish minded person or a spiritually-minded person?

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John 3:1,2

“There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.” ( John 3:1,2)

“This man was not a common and ordinary man, but a man of note and eminence, of dignity and figure; and who was of the sect of the Pharisees, which was the strictest sect of religion and holiness, among the Jews; and which, as corrupt as it was, was also the soundest; as having not only a regard to a Messiah, and to all the writings of the Old Testament, but also believed the doctrines of angels and spirits, and the resurrection of the dead, which the Sadducees denied; but yet they were implacable enemies of Christ; and therefore it is the more to be wondered at, that such a one should come to him, and desire a conversation with him:” – John Gill

Why did Nicodemus come to Jesus? Out of curiosity or Conviction? He came out of a desire to know the truth of the kingdom of God. He was not the only one that had questions. But he was the only one that came to get the answers.

Jesus came into the public eye very quickly. He was going from one city to the next, teaching and doing miracles. It was the miracles that got Nicodemus’ attention.

He gave respect to Jesus in coming to him and addressing him as Rabbi. When one is intent on knowing the truth, they will do what they must to hear it. This is true with every one of us. If we want to know the truth of God’s word, we must come in humility, which means that we must accept God’s authority over us. We must study and seek to understand what God is teaching in his word. This is a task that is not quickly accomplished. Some promptly read the Bible through once, and declare that they understand it all. This can not possibly be the case. Many have spent a lifetime studying the Bible and still have not learned it all.

Questions to Ponder

Do you know everything there is about the Bible, or are you still learning?
Are you willing to do what the Bible says?
How important is studying the Bible to you?