Sunday Morning Podcast June 5, 2016. Bro. Dave Goble.
TEXT: JOHN 3:1-7
1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:
2 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.
3 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.
4 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?
5 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.
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
Nicodemus was a ruler of the Jews, and in a crisis moment. He was desiring answers to the needs of His soul, and recognized Jesus had them. At his own risk, Nicodemus came by night, to seek answers for questions, when he realized his spiritual need. Jesus exhorted him that he, like all, needed to be born again, this time of the Spirit and the water. Otherwise, he would not be able to enter the kingdom of God. Just as a natural birth is a crisis moment in life, so also is a spiritual birth a moment of crisis spiritually. Jesus used the traumatic nature of natural birth, to make a clear example of how it is a time of true crisis when we realize our need to be born again of the Spirit. If the Spirit of God is not manifested through a religious profession in someone’s life, than a profession is all that person has. Matthew 3:1-8 is the account of John the Baptist preaching to multitudes to …”Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (verse 2). This is the only way Christ’s Spirit is offered to us. John here also expressed the need for people to show evidence of a repentant heart, (verse 8). It will be only then when people will truly not just repent, but forsake their own ways and sin, to follow and serve God.
Your own personal spiritual crisis moment, will be shown by your life. Your life will become one that is holy, of having turned away from all sin. “Your heart’s desire” will then be focused on obeying whatever God asks of you. Your blessing then will be with a renewed hope and reality of Salvation. Nicodemus came to Jesus with his own ideas and questions, and left the conversation with renewed life in his heart. Nothing you or anyone has, will pay for this Salvation, for God offers it freely to all those who thirst and hunger for Him. “Ho, everyone that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and price. ” Isaiah 55:1
Before that crisis in moment, we have nothing but “our own righteousness.” Our own righteousness is only as filthy rags in God’s sight. Our righteousness is nothing more than our own selfish thoughts, attitudes, pride and ways. And sin. God clearly states that those that sin, are of the devil. “He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. ” 1John 3:8 God’s word also promises us that if we have His seed in our heart, ..that we won’t sin. (1 John 3:9) If we, like Nicodemus, seek out Jesus, He will be there to meet us. God is that close.
God is waiting for you. You will never be the same if you come to Him! It will be a crisis moment.