Reverend Robert Hudson, Littlebye Baptist Church
In the Gospel of John, we read about a conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus. Nicodemus was a spiritual leader, he likely had wealth, power, and influence in the world.
He approached Jesus as an equal, but soon found out that he did not know who he was talking to.
Jesus told Nicodemus that one must be born again to see the Kingdom of God. Jesus tries to clarify what He is saying in John 3:5.
“Jesus Answers, “Truly I tell you, unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.”
Jesus was telling Nicodemus that we must be born of water, we need to repent of the sin in our lives. We need to confess to God that we are putting our desires and the things of this world before Him. After we repent of our sin and choose to follow Jesus, then the Holy Spirit will fall on us and begin to work in us. It is a lifelong journey that God is eager to work in us, but He is waiting for us to take that first step of repenting.
As the conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus continues, Nicodemus express that he does not understand how someone can be born again. He does not understand what Jesus was talking about.
“Are you a teacher of Israel and don’t know these things?” Jesus replied.” John 3:10
Nicodemus was a religious ruler. He had people who sat under his teaching. He knew the Old Testament prophecies better than most and Jesus questioned how much he really knew. Nicodemus could likely quote the words, but did they truly speak to him? Did it change the way he viewed the world? Did they change the way he lived his life?
Nicodemus did not understand what Jesus was saying, he struggled to connect the dots. As we go about our days, living our lives, focused on providing for and take care of our families, it is easy to be like Nicodemus. We may read the words, but do they really sink in, do they change how we view the world, do they change how we live our lives?
Jesus went on to say: “For God loved the world in this way: He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into this world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.” John 3:16-17
For the complete column, see this week’s edition of the Centralia Fireside Guard
