Coffee With The Lord

You’ve got to get the picture… (I read the account this morning during my time of “Coffee with the Lord” – John 3:1-16…)

A mature, distinguished looking, influential religious leader approaches Jesus at night… He starts his conversation with the Lord with a complement… “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do the signs that you do unless God is with him! (But he never gets to the question he intended to ask – Jesus breaks in with Divine spiritual insight)…

“Truly, truly, I say to you, UNLESS ONE IS BORN AGAIN HE CANNOT SEE THE KINGDOM OF GOD!”

Now we cannot be sure about what Nicodemus, the mature, distinguished religious leader wanted to ask Jesus… It may have been a sincere question about some spiritual matter. Or it might have been a deep theological question. Perhaps it was sincere – or it might have been confrontational…

But think about it… Jesus’ answer? “Start over – start at the very beginning again? Be “born again?” Nicodemus blurted it out… “How can a person be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?!”

Yup, that’s it ‘Nick’! … That’s it for us all – YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN! “That which is born of the flesh [a natural physical birth] is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit [a Spiritual rebirth] is spirit! Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN!’”

Hey, we get so much from our ancestors and parents through physical birth (and the nurture that follows it)! … I’m no physician or physiologist, but the genetic impact and legacy are BIG – it shows up physically, intellectually, emotionally – even socially! DNA is a big deal with an incredible impact!

Jesus argued a “Spiritual re-birth” – a birth of the Holy Spirit – was essential for Nicodemus…for us ALL! Jesus said that birth leads to the “Kingdom of God!” That birth leads to “eternal life!” (Vs. 15-16). That birth leads to TRANSFORMATION (in keeping with “Spiritual DNA” that characterizes it)! It has an impact on your values, your outlook, your expectations, your appearance, your choices, your values, your behavior, your speech, your thinking, your emotions, your present and your future… and I could go on! It makes a “new person” out of you! Hey, “YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN!”

AND IT’S A PROCESS… “New Birth” kicks in that “Spiritual DNA” … and moment by moment, day by day, year by year, you are being changed – transformed into “Christlikeness!” Until one day we enter His presence – “Heaven!” Hey, consider these follow-up verses…

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to His great mercy, He has caused us to be BORN AGAIN to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead…” (1 Peter 1:3-4)

“And we all…are being transformed into the same image [the likeness of Christ] from one degree of glory to another!” (2 Corinthians 3:18)

“See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are! … Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him as He is! And everyone who has the hope in Him purifies himself as He is pure!” (1 John 3:1-3)

Hey, take from me – no, take it from Jesus… “YOU REALLY MUST BE BORN AGAIN!”