lilmerl
05-25-2007, 02:20 PM
When I was around seven or eight years old, I would often gaze at the blackboard, and for some unknown reason I would look at all the markings on the board, and although the board had been erased many times over, the lessons from the whole week, and different colored chalk marks could still be seen from Monday, Tuesday, and every other day of the week. In other words, after all of the correcting and erasing, the blackboard was still scarred and marred from yesterday's lessons.
Today many men and women are just like that old blackboard; their lives are all marked up with the scars from yesterday tragedies, and no matter how many New Year’s resolutions, failed diets, sexual escapades, or countless applications of cold cream, the scars still can be seen, and there lives are still messed up just like that old blackboard.
Have you ever wished that you could start over again? Well in Jesus Christ you can do just that; you can have a second chance, if you would put your faith in what he has done two thousand years ago. That’s right! You can have a second chance.
In John’s Gospel, Jesus is having a conversation with a man, who is searching for something that would satisfy the thirsting of his soul. This man was not a bad or immoral man, in fact, he was a holy man who reverenced God, but he was still longing for that which satisfies.
Nicodemus had longed to talk with Jesus, but fear of his colleagues finding him in Jesus' presence prevented an earlier audience, but now he had to know if Jesus was the long awaited Messiah; everyone was convinced that Jesus was a marvelous and gifted teacher, but Nicodemus needed to talk to him alone.
“Teacher,” he said, we all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miraculous signs are proof enough that God is with you.” -John 3: 2
Then Jesus replied, “I assure you, unless you are born again, you can never see the Kingdom of God.” -John 3: 3
Nicodemus was wondering if Jesus was the one they were waiting for, but when Jesus said that he must be born again, his mind went blank, as he tried to figure out what this statement meant. “Born again,” he thought to himself; “How can a man be born when he is old?
He looked longingly into the eyes of Jesus as he tried to understand what he had meant: Jesus replied, “the truth is, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit.” -John 3: 5
Nicodemus no doubt was expecting a greeting similar to the one he had extended to Jesus, but Jesus tells him that unless a person is born again he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
Jesus explains that humans give birth to humans, and only the Holy Spirit can give birth to a human’s spirit, which died in the Garden of Eden. Man can only have fellowship with God through his spirit, because God is a Spirit, and then Jesus tells Nicodemus:
Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where if comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.” -John 3:8
BUT HOW CAN THESE THINGS BE
Nicodemus asks: “What do you mean? (John 3: 9)
Jesus was amazed at Nicodemus reaction, and he said: “You are a respected Jewish teacher, and yet you don’t understand these things?” -John 3: 10b
Many people wonder “could God change their lives today?” Some have a problem relating Jesus’ death two thousand years ago with today, but be assured that God is well aware of you today: Long ago, even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. –Ephesians 1: 4
This simply means before God ever made this world he chose you to be in his family in Christ Jesus. This also means before there ever was a Garden of Eden, or a devil to tempt Adam and Eve, God selected you to be a member of His own family in Christ.
Friend don’t you want a second chance? Today you may find yourself bound by drugs, alcohol, or sexual sins; but Jesus has the power to set you free from the stain of these sins. This means that you will not have to drink any more, or take any more drugs, or engage in any more illicit sexual affairs, but you can be free by the power of the Son of God.
“Today you must listen to his voice. Don’t harden your hearts against him.” -Hebrews 4: 7c
Today many men and women are just like that old blackboard; their lives are all marked up with the scars from yesterday tragedies, and no matter how many New Year’s resolutions, failed diets, sexual escapades, or countless applications of cold cream, the scars still can be seen, and there lives are still messed up just like that old blackboard.
Have you ever wished that you could start over again? Well in Jesus Christ you can do just that; you can have a second chance, if you would put your faith in what he has done two thousand years ago. That’s right! You can have a second chance.
In John’s Gospel, Jesus is having a conversation with a man, who is searching for something that would satisfy the thirsting of his soul. This man was not a bad or immoral man, in fact, he was a holy man who reverenced God, but he was still longing for that which satisfies.
Nicodemus had longed to talk with Jesus, but fear of his colleagues finding him in Jesus' presence prevented an earlier audience, but now he had to know if Jesus was the long awaited Messiah; everyone was convinced that Jesus was a marvelous and gifted teacher, but Nicodemus needed to talk to him alone.
“Teacher,” he said, we all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miraculous signs are proof enough that God is with you.” -John 3: 2
Then Jesus replied, “I assure you, unless you are born again, you can never see the Kingdom of God.” -John 3: 3
Nicodemus was wondering if Jesus was the one they were waiting for, but when Jesus said that he must be born again, his mind went blank, as he tried to figure out what this statement meant. “Born again,” he thought to himself; “How can a man be born when he is old?
He looked longingly into the eyes of Jesus as he tried to understand what he had meant: Jesus replied, “the truth is, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit.” -John 3: 5
Nicodemus no doubt was expecting a greeting similar to the one he had extended to Jesus, but Jesus tells him that unless a person is born again he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
Jesus explains that humans give birth to humans, and only the Holy Spirit can give birth to a human’s spirit, which died in the Garden of Eden. Man can only have fellowship with God through his spirit, because God is a Spirit, and then Jesus tells Nicodemus:
Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where if comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.” -John 3:8
BUT HOW CAN THESE THINGS BE
Nicodemus asks: “What do you mean? (John 3: 9)
Jesus was amazed at Nicodemus reaction, and he said: “You are a respected Jewish teacher, and yet you don’t understand these things?” -John 3: 10b
Many people wonder “could God change their lives today?” Some have a problem relating Jesus’ death two thousand years ago with today, but be assured that God is well aware of you today: Long ago, even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. –Ephesians 1: 4
This simply means before God ever made this world he chose you to be in his family in Christ Jesus. This also means before there ever was a Garden of Eden, or a devil to tempt Adam and Eve, God selected you to be a member of His own family in Christ.
Friend don’t you want a second chance? Today you may find yourself bound by drugs, alcohol, or sexual sins; but Jesus has the power to set you free from the stain of these sins. This means that you will not have to drink any more, or take any more drugs, or engage in any more illicit sexual affairs, but you can be free by the power of the Son of God.
“Today you must listen to his voice. Don’t harden your hearts against him.” -Hebrews 4: 7c