June 21, 2015
Scripture:
Hymn 142 - A ruler once came to Jesus by night
Prayer
Today, we will look at the seventh Christian Blessing. But first, I want to tell you a story.
It happened long ago, in a land far away. There was a young man who found a fair young lady; they were married. Not long after, a child was born. What did they name him, you ask? Well, they called him by his nickname: Nick! Nick grew up and his parents sent him to school, and later to the college of Pharisees. He was taught very well, and became a prominent man in Israel. He was a teacher and ruler. One day, while he was teaching in the synagogue, a special person came along. Nick had probably talked about Abraham and Moses, and the children of Israel’s journey through the wilderness. But this Man said things that were different, such as “I am the way” or “I am the light of the world.” Nick didn’t know whether He was right or wrong. He wanted to speak to Him, but he didn’t want to do it publicly. He figured he would speak to Him in the dark at night. Here the story picks up in John 3.
John 2:23-24
Jesus is in Jerusalem on a feast day. Not only was His preaching very different, but He did things others couldn’t do.
John 3:1-6
Nick, who is Nicodemus, went to Jesus at night when everyone had gone home. I can just imagine Nicodemus as he comes to the Lord’s door, glancing around to make sure no one is watching. He knocks, and hears a voice from inside saying, “Come in Nicodemus.” He’s surprised. He slowly opens the door and Jesus says, “I’ve been expecting you.” Jesus knew all the time what was going on in Nicodemus heart. Nicodemus wanted to start a discussion about religion. He said to Jesus, “Teacher what You do is marvellous, and no one can do it unless God is with Him.” But Jesus knew what he really needed. He replied, “Verily, verily I say unto thee, Except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” If Nicodemus was confused with the things Jesus had said before, he was really confused now.
Jesus was telling him the way to heaven. There is only one way: you must be born again.
Nicodemus wondered what Jesus meant. Is that even possible? But Jesus didn’t say he had to be born. He said born again. He meant born from above. He says it differently in vv. 4 & 5. There He says, “Except a man be born of the Spirit…” The word *Spirit is capitalized. It’s a divine part of the trinity. Once we are born in the flesh then we need to be born again from above.
God’s Word is like water. The Spirit of God is the active agent, and the Word of God is the subjective agent. God’s Word and God’s Spirit both have a part in convicting us of our need of new birth.
When Jesus died, there were two men who took His body down, wrapped it in cloth, put spices on it, and laid it in the grave. One of those men was Nicodemus. He came out of hiding in the dark and stepped into the light. Nicodemus was born again. He believed. He was a follower of Jesus.
There is physical birth, and spiritual birth. We need both births. It has been said, if you have two births you die once, but if you only have one birth you’ll die twice.
But even though we have new life from being born again, we still have our old bad nature. With life comes a new nature. When we are born again, we receive a new nature. So, which nature are we, who are born again, showing? The old or the new nature? Before we are saved, we only have the old nature; but when we are saved, we have both natures. We must make sure we are in the new nature.
Our seventh Christian Blessing is new birth. When we get saved, we are born again. We have a new birth, and new life, and a new nature. Let’s live in the power of the new nature.