"Ye must be born Again",,,the Wayfarer 3/16//13

                    “Ye Must Be Born Again”

3/16//13

“Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again."

(John 3:7)

Today, we go to the writings of Jesus’ beloved disciple, John, for our message. Of all the sermons I have ever given, the things taught today are most central and important to the beliefs I hold, and integral to Christianity itself.

I ask your indulgence as I go through several pertinent scriptures to attempt to teach the lesson Jesus was teaching Nicodemus when he made the opening statement. 

 Before we continue, we need to put into context the reason for the conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus. We need to know who Nicodemus was, and what the answers were that he was seeking as Jesus taught this lesson.  Part of this will be covered in this third chapter of John, but before we get there, we need to understand how this meeting came to be.

Nicodemus had heard of Jesus, and wanted to know more about what he was teaching. 

At the heart of this was repentance, a subject that we will soon delve into more deeply than is usually covered in most churches today. To remind you of the centrality of this to Jesus teachings, I remind the reader of another scripture:

“From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

(Matthew 4:17)

This, then, was the message that Jesus had been teaching that Nicodemus wished to know more about.

That is the what. The why is found in the fact that Pharisees and Sadducees were often in much disagreement about the resurrection and the path to reach the kingdom of heaven, and even where that kingdom existed.

Nicodemus comprehended the concept that all men would stand in judgment by God himself, and would spend eternity based on that judgment.  

What he wanted to know more about was the path to true righteousness that Jesus preached, and how to attain the kingdom of heaven.

Though Nicodemus didn’t have access to the scripture in Revelation, we do, and I take you there to emphasize the importance of the lesson that Jesus was teaching both Nicodemus and us:

“And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.

 And I saw the dead, small and great stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.

And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

 And whosoever was not found in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”

(Revelation 20: 11-15)

This is a description of the judgment that Nicodemus knew that all must face, and the outcome of that judgment. Take note that we decide the outcome of that judgment for ourselves now in this life!

This is why Nicodemus wished to know and understand Jesus message of repentance!

Now that we have established the reason for the conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus, let us return to John to follow that conversation, hopefully a little more closely now that we understand what is at stake for us as well as him:

“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.

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?

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.

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 3:1-8)

Nicodemus is a ruler of the Jews, highly educated, much respected and powerful, yet he comes to Jesus for answers to the questions that plague him about eternity.He does so under the cover of night wishing no criticism from his peers. After all they see Him (Jesus) , only as a simple carpenter, unworthy of listening to. 

He has difficulty understanding the answers, despite his education and powerful position in life. Remember that this is a man to whom others came for answers and judgments.

Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?

Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knoweth not these things?

Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.

If I have told you of earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?

And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:

That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

And this is the condemnation, that light is come unto the world, and men loved darkness rather than the light, because their deeds were evil.

For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.”

(John 3:9-21)

Now that we have examined the conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus, let’s attempt to clarify the message of redemption through repentance that Jesus was teaching.

In order to do this we must first define repentance. This is more than lip service or rote recitation of prayers taught in various celebrations of Christianity.

Take a moment to think back on your lives.

 Remember every injustice that you have ever committed.

Remember every time that you have been hurtful to others.

 Remember every time you cheated someone to get what you wanted.

 Remember every time you stole something, even as a child.

Remember every act of violence and retribution committed in your life.

 Remember every time you violated God’s laws as set forth in the Ten Commandments and in Christ’s teachings of how we are supposed to conduct our lives.

 Remember every opportunity you have had to help someone else, but ignored, because it was inconvenient to you to render help at that time.

Remember those who were hungry while you were blessed by plenty, and the fact that they never even crossed your mind.

 In short examine your life for all the sin that you have committed from the time you were born to this day.

And now, remember Christ hanging on a cross for those sins so that you have a way to atone for them!!!

Remember not only the physical anguish that he faced on that cross, but also the great, burdensome, deep, spiritual anguish for each of those sins that also pained his Father.

Now multiply your own sin by the number of human beings who have ever and will ever live.

This includes all of the "monsters" from the beginning of time, Hitler, Stalin, Pol Pot. Idi Amin, and  a long list of so many others that we recognize as symbolizing the very meaning of inhumanity and sin.

 If you are able to comprehend the immensity of that terrible grief and pain that Christ felt, then you begin to understand the need for repentance.

If you claim Christ as Savior, I ask you to take the time to make the same examination of your life and to add to that examination each time you failed to proclaim your faith in him, and love for him when you had the opportunity, because it was politically incorrect, or “embarrassing” at the time.

I ask you to look at the rest of the world around you through the eyes of our Lord and see the injustice, hunger, poverty, and miserable condition of your fellow human beings, for whom, for whatever reason you have done NOTHING!

Once you have done this examination, picture your soul when you were born, clean and white with purity, totally acceptable to God, and each of those sins you have remembered as stains on that purity, black with the dried blood of all the wrongs committed and  those not helped because of your apathy.

Picture the stains, so dark upon your very soul that the purity and whiteness of it is no longer visible on any corner, or on any portion of it.  

This is exactly how you are seen by our God. He made you pure. He gave you choice. He gave you a way to purify yourself through Jesus’ sacrifice. The only requirement was the repentance taught by Jesus and demanded by his Father!

If you truly repent, you will find yourself heartbroken because of your sin. Whether you consider yourself Christian or not, this same deeply felt sorrow for your decisions must exist in order to repent.

Once you have found that true repentance, then, and only then, can you ask forgiveness and accept Christ as Savior. Only after that true repentance can you ask others to forgive you for your acts that hurt them and truly mean it. Only by asking the forgiveness of others, and truly forgiving them may you seek and expect the forgiveness of the Father through Jesus.

Once you have come to true repentance, then and then only may you, and God the Father, once again see a soul with a clean slate, unstained and acceptable to Him because of the acceptance of His Son as Savior and intercessor.

We are human, born of flesh. To attain the kingdom of God we must be born again of the Spirit.

This may only be done by accepting Jesus as Savior and intercessor, and begging his forgiveness.

 Our righteousness is indeed, “as filthy rags”, because we are incapable of being more than human.

 We have only one hope for eternity.

 That hope and surety is in the fact of the blood sacrifice of our Savior GIVEN FREELY OF HIS OWN WILL FOR US.

 As I Have said before, and will say again, and again, salvation is forever, but repentance is a constant ongoing process that we must accept as our part of the bargain.

Once you have committed yourself to the repentance that is a requirement for Spiritual rebirth, you will not only understand Christ’s statement to Nicodemus, you will experience it!

You will find that your life and your entire being will also change.

This is not to say that you will never sin again, but you will know how to handle that sin.

It is not to say that temptation will never happen again, but you will know how to handle that temptation and have the eternal help of our Savior to get through it if you ASK!

I close with the same salutation, of love and hope, for all my brothers and sisters in Christ, and with a trepidation of fear for those too stubborn to accept Him and His terms for salvation, a simple sinner saved by HIS grace, through the blood sacrifice of Jesus, and through the faith in Him, and repentance demanded on my behalf  in the realization that without Him I am no more or less than the lowliest  of His creations.

 I do so, each time I close in hopes that others come to the same realization of who they truly are, and how small we are  in His sight, because if we consider ourselves above others, we are incapable of
looking on them with the love and respect demanded of us by God Himself!  

Be who you say you are!

Pray what you mean, and mean what you pray!

Know that Jesus carries that prayer to the Father!

I remind the reader that the 16^th verse of John 3 pertains to all men of all nations, of all creeds and colors! 

I also all attention to the less quoted 17th verse to remind you that the soul you most need have concern for is your own! Repentance  negates condemnation  and leads to the promised salvation!

 I pray that all who have ears to hear, will hear His message of repentance, before it is too late to repent.

 I share the sorrow of my Lord for those who do not!


2 Timothy 1:12 ¹²For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

AMEN and AMEN
the Wayfarer