5/9/14- Rebirth

This rebirth is wrought by the power of the Holy Ghost creating in the hearts of God's chosen ones an assured faith in the promise of God revealed to us in his Word; by this faith we grasp Christ Jesus with the graces and blessings promised in him.  (Scots IIIb)

3Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.^a ” 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!”

5Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit^b gives birth to spirit. 7You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You^cmust be born again.’  8The 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.”^d 9“How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.

10“You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? (John 3:3-9)

Thoughts: The Gospel does not leave us in our sin, hopelessness, skepticism and guilt.  Instead, Jesus speaks of a total transformation that happens when we are born again.  Knox speaks of such a regeneration in the Scots Confession.  Those in religious ferment- like the Pharisees of Jesus' day, the pre-reformation church of Knox's day, and the oldline Protestants in the West, do not emphasize the need for transformation.  Instead there is a steady stream of emphasis on some kind of rule.  In our day, it is the rule of tolerance.  For some the radical, transforming belief in Jesus is not nearly as important as it should be.  In fact, many in such ferment refuse to believe in the power of God to change people.  Jesus is amazed that a religious leader does not know that faith in God involves change- and even a stand against the culture around us.  Paul said it like this: "If anyone is in Christ they are a new creation- the old has past, the new has come" (2 Cor. 5:17).  I have heard people say, "They will never change"; "Only jail can change them"; "Do not expect them to act differently."  The good news, is that Christ is risen from the dead- and this same power that raises the dead raises us up from our sin to be a changed and better person.  Accept Christ in your life.  Believe in Jesus and let Him change you. 

Prayer: Lord, forgive me for trusting more in the skeptical way things are than in your ability to change me and those around me for the better.  

1/18/14- the Spirit Birth

5Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit^b gives birth to spirit. 7You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You^c must be born again.’ 8The 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.”

9“How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.

10“You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things?  (John 3:5-10)

Thoughts: Jesus broaches the subject of the Spirit here.  without the Spirit we cannot enter the kingdom of God.  The Spirit gives birth to spirit- in other words the Holy Spirit gives us a spirit of life.  The Holy Spirit regenerates, awakens in us a spirit of life.  The birth Jesus is talking about is not a physical one of re-entering the mother's womb (as Nicodemus asked), but a spiritual rebirth- a transformation of our soul.  Rebirth of the Spirit is not concrete, it is mysterious and uncontrollable.  So Jesus compared it to the wind.  The word "wind" and "Spirit" are the same word ("pnuema" in Greek- like pneumonia).  We can predict the physics of things, but we cannot predict the wind so well.  People who are transformed add surprise and mystery to life.  Our hopes are to depend on the Holy Spirit, opening our hearts to Him.  

Prayer: Holy Spirit move me and use me- shape me and take me after your will. 

(Nicodemus-Cijn Hendricks 1616-1645)

1/17/14- Born again John 3:1-4

1Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council.2He 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.”

3Jesus 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!”

Thoughts: Nicodemus was a religious leader who was open to religious truth.  No doubt Nicodemus had much training and was much connected among the religious elite as a member of the Sanhedrin.  As such, Nicodemus had every reason to keep the status quo.  Perhaps Nicodemus thought that we may grow in our faith as we grow in our knowledge and keeping of the Law.  But Jesus had a different idea- a transformation that is as radical as going from the warm safe womb to the cold unfamiliar air.
     Nicodemus began his conversation at night.  Perhaps he was nervous about coming to Christ when people would see him.  Later Nicodemus would boldly claim the dead body of Christ, though it meant some political pain.  Nicodemus began the conversation with a compliment and an openness to listening.
       But Jesus abruptly changed the tone.  He was not about to play games here.  It was important for Jesus that Nicodemus know that belief in Him was not full of compliments, but it meant a change- a transformation, being born-again.  True belief in Christ affects all that we are- belief, behavior, speech, and even thought.  It is like becoming a new creature (2 Cor. 5:17).
       Nicodemus, like most legalistic minds, took this saying too literally to understand its truth.  Jesus was not talking about physical birth- but spiritual birth. 

Prayer: Lord, change me.  Make me new.  Let me believe that you are able to change me for better.  

6/8/13- The Beginnings of the Eternity of the Church

23 For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. 24 For,

“All people are like grass,
    and all their glory is like the flowers of the field;
the grass withers and the flowers fall,
25     but the word of the Lord endures forever.”

And this is the word that was preached to you.(1 Peter 1:23-25)

Thoughts: The Church is born of imperishable seed.  The seed planted inside of us is the eternal Word of God.  Implied here is the eternity of the Church- those who have been born again into eternity.  Eternity does not begin after we die- the seed begins working in us now.  It is almost like this passage is saying there are perennials and annuals- two kinds of flowers.  There are people who will last forever and the things they do to glorify the eternal Father will make a difference forever. There are others who glorify themselves and build temporary kingdoms that fade away like the flowers and the grass.  The work of the Church is eternal work.  It is begun when the Father gives us birth- enables us to be born again.  The Church- believers- are born to do eternal work. 

Prayer: Lord, help me to last and the work I do in this life to please you and last forever.