February 8th
PEOPLE JESUS MET
Profile: A Pharisee and a member of the Sanhedrin who visited Jesus under cover of darkness. Though he confessed Jesus’ role as a genuine Teacher from God, Jesus knew that he was missing the point - he needed a Saviour (John 3:14-16). Nicodemus could not understand the concept of being “born again" even though it was alluded to in Ezekiel 36:25-
Jesus emphasised that only he had come down from heaven and only by looking at him in faith, as the Israelites had looked at the serpent on the pole, could he be saved eternally (John 3:13-16). One day, three years later, he actually saw Jesus raised up on the pole as his sin-bearer, and he then believed and cared for his Lord’s body, thereby risking being cast out of the Sanhedrin and shunned.
A mother bears a child, has the labour pains, sheds blood and the baby does nothing. Likewise, Jesus bears everything for our rebirth. New birth is an act of God whereby forgiveness, eternal life, and sonship is imparted and the person is called to repentance and belief in the Son (John 1:12-13; 1 John 5:1,11-13).
PEOPLE JESUS MET
NICODEMUS – Religious but Lost
NICODEMUS – Religious but Lost
Most assuredly, I am saying to you, unless a person is born again, that second birth having the same source as the first one, he is not able to see the kingdom of God.
John 3:3, An Expanded Translation (Wuest)
John 3:3, An Expanded Translation (Wuest)
Profile: A Pharisee and a member of the Sanhedrin who visited Jesus under cover of darkness. Though he confessed Jesus’ role as a genuine Teacher from God, Jesus knew that he was missing the point - he needed a Saviour (John 3:14-16). Nicodemus could not understand the concept of being “born again" even though it was alluded to in Ezekiel 36:25-
Jesus emphasised that only he had come down from heaven and only by looking at him in faith, as the Israelites had looked at the serpent on the pole, could he be saved eternally (John 3:13-16). One day, three years later, he actually saw Jesus raised up on the pole as his sin-bearer, and he then believed and cared for his Lord’s body, thereby risking being cast out of the Sanhedrin and shunned.
Lessons:
Jesus did not say "Nicodemus, you are halfway to the kingdom already I will help you to the finishing line." No - he said all your works and morality are of no use - scrap the record – start all over! Back to the beginning. Become “born from above”. Not a renewed life but a new life. Not a heart bypass but a heart transplant. Not reformation, but transformation.A mother bears a child, has the labour pains, sheds blood and the baby does nothing. Likewise, Jesus bears everything for our rebirth. New birth is an act of God whereby forgiveness, eternal life, and sonship is imparted and the person is called to repentance and belief in the Son (John 1:12-13; 1 John 5:1,11-13).
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Our religion, morality, and works will not save us.
Our religion, morality, and works will not save us.
