The Word This Week
John 3:1…
You must be born again.
There, I said it.
But it wasn’t me who said it – it was Jesus.
Jesus said you must be born again to enter the kingdom of God. No exceptions. No excuses.
Why is it most of what calls itself the Church in these days shies away from the phrase, ‘born again?’
It seems to many, if not most Christians are uncomfortable with that phrase, let alone to ponder what it means. Many, if not most Christians have not been taught about being born again, because the church they attend or have attended all their lives has an aversion to the term as well.
Having seen the many signs Jesus had performed at Jerusalem at this Passover feast, and in the days following during the subsequent Feast of Unleavened Bread and Feast of First Fruits, one of the rulers of the Jews by the name of Nicodemus came to see Jesus by night.
He would not be seen by the other fellow members of the Sanhedrin, because of their consternation with Jesus already – due to the tumult Jesus had created in the Temple courts, overturning their vast money-making scheme.
When Jesus had accomplished the cleansing of the Temple, He had been asked by the rulers of the Jews, “What sign do you show us, since You do these things?” Over the next several days, Jesus had obviously performed many signs - enough to impress an honest religious leader of the Jews to become convinced Jesus was a teacher come from God.
Even though it was probably dangerous for him to do so, Nicodemus sought an audience with Jesus. He apparently did so under the cover of darkness to avoid detection. It was already perceived it was dangerous to be seen with Jesus – lest he be thought a traitor to the religious establishment.
His opening words to Jesus are telling of how convinced he is Jesus is a teacher come from God. It seems Jesus interrupted his train of thought to tell him the most important man’s ears have ever heard: “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.’
Pastor Bill
You must be born again.
There, I said it.
But it wasn’t me who said it – it was Jesus.
Jesus said you must be born again to enter the kingdom of God. No exceptions. No excuses.
Why is it most of what calls itself the Church in these days shies away from the phrase, ‘born again?’
It seems to many, if not most Christians are uncomfortable with that phrase, let alone to ponder what it means. Many, if not most Christians have not been taught about being born again, because the church they attend or have attended all their lives has an aversion to the term as well.
Having seen the many signs Jesus had performed at Jerusalem at this Passover feast, and in the days following during the subsequent Feast of Unleavened Bread and Feast of First Fruits, one of the rulers of the Jews by the name of Nicodemus came to see Jesus by night.
He would not be seen by the other fellow members of the Sanhedrin, because of their consternation with Jesus already – due to the tumult Jesus had created in the Temple courts, overturning their vast money-making scheme.
When Jesus had accomplished the cleansing of the Temple, He had been asked by the rulers of the Jews, “What sign do you show us, since You do these things?” Over the next several days, Jesus had obviously performed many signs - enough to impress an honest religious leader of the Jews to become convinced Jesus was a teacher come from God.
Even though it was probably dangerous for him to do so, Nicodemus sought an audience with Jesus. He apparently did so under the cover of darkness to avoid detection. It was already perceived it was dangerous to be seen with Jesus – lest he be thought a traitor to the religious establishment.
His opening words to Jesus are telling of how convinced he is Jesus is a teacher come from God. It seems Jesus interrupted his train of thought to tell him the most important man’s ears have ever heard: “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.’
Pastor Bill