Reflections on John 3:8
In the third chapter of John I find Nicodemus, a Pharisee and a ruler of the Jews examining Jesus. I am sure we all have our suspicions regarding the intention of Nicodemus. The fact he sought private council with our Lord and acknowledged Him as being from God leads me to suspect he was not seeking to defame or accuse Him. I think he was sincere in his desire for understanding and though the scripture does not plainly state this, his struggle to comprehend Jesus’ words is further evidence to me of his sincerity. In any event Nicodemus begins by establishing his position but before he can even ask the first question Jesus seems to respond with the answer. He tells him that unless one is “born again” he cannot perceive or “see” the kingdom of God. Nicodemus naturally ask for an explanation and upon receiving it replies, “How can these things be?”
I can only imagine how Nicodemus must have felt. To be honest I think most of us can actually sympathize with him. We had always found ourselves quite confident in our understanding of things but still there was this one nagging question. All at once, out of nowhere, we’re confronted with the answer and not only does it contradict all of our understanding but it has absolutely nothing to do with, or is it in any way common with, anything we had previously understood! It stands there alone with no understanding at all for support yet there is absolutely no doubt that we’re staring at the answer to our question; indeed the answer to every question, Jesus Christ the Son of God. This makes no sense at all! I just don’t understand! How can these things be?
But wait! What’s that? Don't be amazed? Are you saying that’s to be expected?
"The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit."
(Joh 3:8 NASB)
offered by Kc | 1/04/2008 04:06:00 AM
8 Comments:
KC,
We are all born to be like Nicodemus when we come into the world but when we accept Jesus into our lives we start feeling the Holy Spirit in our hearts and then start to comprehending what Jesus said in John 3:8 ! Thats also when we start to noticing and trying to understand more and more of the Meanings of the Scripture ?
God knows our hearts and capabilities and He slowly and continuely speaks to our hearts !
Thats why we should be grateful and thankful for all our blessings , like the lady in the email sitting and wondering how much pain we would be in if wrinkles were painful ? I would simply consider it another thought that It was in Gods perfect plan !
Blessings.
Grandpaw.
It why Hezekiah broke the brazen serpent, because the obvious answer became a relic to worship. It is why Jesus said, "You search the scriptures because in them you think you have eternal life, but these testify of me, but you will not come to me to have eternal life." Many Jews began to believe that the world was created by the commandments of God, even the ten commandments instead of an actual Eternal person who existed.
It is why Jesus said, "If you do not believe that I AM, you will perish in your sins."
More information does not save and is there to tell us of a Saviour and Messiah. Only life that is begotten of God can save and that is why we must look to Jesus for life. Only look to Christ. Nicodemus knew about this but what he treasured had to be broken like the Brazen Serpent in order for Him to see it. If we had the original manuscripts we would probably set up a shrine for them. That is why God often crushes us I think and turns upside down every thing that we prejudice in our minds and preconcieve in order for us to see...that is unless we received Him as a child and he must renew again the simple truth that traditions that came later began to hide.
Either way...only Look to the Son of the Living God and we are born again or renewed in the truth that we were born again when we first did. It is why He was crushed at the cross by the Father because we see Him clearly where he was crushed in our place.
Very good and true words brother. Thanks for the reminder of the not so obvious, yet obvious truth often vieled from the wisest of minds yet clearly seen by babes.
Perhaps I should have said that only life that is begotten of God can beget eternal life.
Amen Grandpaw! At that point all things are become new but still all the reasoning in the world will profit us nothing without enlightenment from the Holy Spirit.
(BTW the Doughboy Email still has me rolling on the floor!) ;-)
Great scriptures brother Brian! It's so good to read your thoughts here! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and are all doing well.
This article is the first of several I hope to post on the Gospel of John and, as always, I would really appreciate your thoughts.
Your very kind brother Casey. Yes, we had a wonderful Christmas and I trust you did as well. Happy New Year to you. I am often encouraged by what you post and comment on, but I guess I don't tell you very much. I think you minister to a lot of us out here who are newly birthed by the blood and water that came forth from His side at the cross. I always like the lyrics to the song by Marty Goetz when singing about we being many are one body in Christ, "We are His bride, taken from His side, where blood and water fell from the broken heart of Yisrael"
There is a lot of tension in the body today and I guess all of us are being led in differant ways by His Holy Spirit that is sometimes both grieving and rejoicing at the same time I really believe as He desire our worship to be in Spirit and Truth, but we can all pray and so I pray for you in Christ as you post on these precious truths about our Precious Messiah, Saviour and Bridegroom.
Just shortly after you posted this I stumbled into this on youtube and thought more on your post. It is by Ravi Zacharias...how ironic it is that it is a message spoken to Mormons. I thought it was good:
Answered In A Question
I pray the Lord leads both to be alet to the wolf in that we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against spiritual darkness that battles in the realm of the mind and into the reality that those who are known by Him will be led in truth and may we have no doubts about Him.
Those who think they know all the answers are a real source of annoyance to those of us who really do. ;-)
Praise God that we have the Holy Spirit who helps us to understand what Jesus said in John 3:8. However, I will never think I know all the answers, as only God does!
Brian I just noticed I only had responded at your sight but once more, thank you brother.
Preacher, ain't it the truth!?? ;-)
Amen Sis! (and Happy New year to you!) ;-)
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