Bible League: Living His Word Jesus answered, "I assure you; everyone must be born again. Anyone who is not born again cannot be in God's kingdom." — John 3:3 ERV Salvation is reconciliation with God through Christ Jesus! It is unmerited favor and forgiveness of sin. God sees those who have repented as guilt-free because the blood of Jesus has spoken for our deliverance and salvation! Nicodemus was a member of the Sanhedrin, a governing body for the Jews. In the Roman government, the Jews were allowed to have their independent court attending to matters regarding Jewish law and faith. Nicodemus did not know much about being born-again. He came at night to Jesus because of the miracles that Jesus had done. However, Jesus did not beat around the bush; He emphasized the importance of being born-again to Nicodemus. Jesus reiterates the word "born-again" several times in this chapter. In Acts 8, Philip had to reach out to the unreached and he led many people to Christ! The Ethiopian man went home excited after hearing the Good News. "The official continued on his way home. He was very happy" (Acts 8:39). The Good News draws our hearts to Christ's grace, leading each one to repentance! A minister of the Word once said that he would have lived a useless life if he did not lead his audience and colleagues to Christ! He shared a story about two friends who used to socialize and have parties together. One passed on before he was saved, and the minister was requested to preach and comfort the bereaving family. The friend who was alive heard the Gospel message and gave his heart to Jesus. Several years later, the saved friend died too. The minister imagined that in the spiritual world, they met together since both had died. The one who died before receiving Jesus invited the one who received Christ to the area where there are worldly parties, but the born-again one said, "No, my friend, I cannot come where you are, because I accepted Jesus Christ at your funeral. Now, I am crossing over from judgement to eternity, from darkness to light, from death to life in Christ" (John 5:24)! Beloved, Jesus said everyone must be born again! Give Jesus your heart and follow him! The Kingdom of God is governed by one King, Jesus Christ! So, to be part of it, one has to surrender everything to Jesus Christ. Nicodemus was a blessed man, but he visited Jesus during the night because of fear. You might be going through the darkest valley, but Jesus is there; even during the brightest day in your life, He is extending an invitation to come to His Kingdom! When the judgement was supposed to condemn us, we escaped by coming to His Kingdom which is filled with grace and wonder! (John 3:18). Nicodemus realized the most important decision was to give his life to Jesus. Scripture says: "I tell you this, brothers, and sisters: Our bodies of flesh and blood cannot have a part in God's kingdom. Something that will ruin cannot have a part in something that never ruins" (1 Corinthians 15:50). Nicodemus became a true follower of Jesus while being a leader of his community, he advocated that Jesus must have a fair trial (John 7:50-51). He even assisted a wealthy man in burying Christ's body after he died (John 19:38-39). When you follow Christ, you are not to be persuaded by anything—focus on Him alone! By Christopher Thetswe, Bible League International staff, South Africa Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingZechariah 10, 11, 12 Zechariah 10 -- God Will Bless Judah NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Zechariah 11 -- The Two Shepherds: Feed the flock of slaughter NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Zechariah 12 -- Jerusalem a Burdensome Stone to Her Adversaries: They will mourn the one they have pierced NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Revelation 20 Revelation 20 -- Satan Bound for a Thousand Years; The Judgment NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth.Insight Here, John was attacking the second claim of the false teachers: that people had no natural tendency toward sin, that they “[had] no sin,'' and that they were then incapable of sinning. This idea is at best self-deception and at worst a bald-faced lie. The false teachers refused to take sin seriously. They wanted to be considered Christians, but they saw no need to confess and repent. The death of Christ did not mean much to them because they didn't think they needed it. Instead of repenting and being purified by Christ's blood, they were encouraging sin among believers. Challenge In this life we are always capable of sinning, so we should never let down our guard. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Matthew 22:42 What think ye of Christ?The great test of your soul's health is, What think you of Christ? Is he to you "fairer than the children of men"--"the chief among ten thousand"--the "altogether lovely"? Wherever Christ is thus esteemed, all the faculties of the spiritual man exercise themselves with energy. I will judge of your piety by this barometer: does Christ stand high or low with you? If you have thought little of Christ, if you have been content to live without his presence, if you have cared little for his honor, if you have been neglectful of his laws, then I know that your soul is sick--God grant that it may not be sick unto death! But if the first thought of your spirit has been, how can I honor Jesus? If the daily desire of your soul has been, "O that I knew where I might find him!" I tell you that you may have a thousand infirmities, and even scarcely know whether you are a child of God at all, and yet I am persuaded, beyond a doubt, that you are safe, since Jesus is great in your esteem. I care not for thy rags, what thinkest thou of his royal apparel? I care not for thy wounds, though they bleed in torrents, what thinkest thou of his wounds? are they like glittering rubies in thine esteem? I think none the less of thee, though thou liest like Lazarus on the dunghill, and the dogs do lick thee--I judge thee not by thy poverty: what thinkest thou of the King in his beauty? Has he a glorious high throne in thy heart? Wouldest thou set him higher if thou couldest? Wouldest thou be willing to die if thou couldest but add another trumpet to the strain which proclaims his praise? Ah! then it is well with thee. Whatever thou mayest think of thyself, if Christ be great to thee, thou shalt be with him ere long. "Though all the world my choice deride, Yet Jesus shall my portion be; For I am pleased with none beside, The fairest of the fair is he" Daily Light on the Daily Path James 4:8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.Genesis 5:24 Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him. Amos 3:3 Do two men walk together unless they have made an appointment? Psalm 73:28 But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, That I may tell of all Your works. 2 Chronicles 15:2,4 and he went out to meet Asa and said to him, "Listen to me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin: the LORD is with you when you are with Him. And if you seek Him, He will let you find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you. • "But in their distress they turned to the LORD God of Israel, and they sought Him, and He let them find Him. Jeremiah 29:11-13 'For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. • 'Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. • You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. Hebrews 10:19-22 Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, • by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, • and since we have a great priest over the house of God, • let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org. |
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