Quote for the Day
“Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.”
Today's Prayer
This week seek to listen to the Spirit and not the flesh. Ask God to direct your thoughts each day as you mature in your relationship with Him.
John 3:1-15
John 3:1-15 (NIV)1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him.”3 In reply Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the unless he is born again.”4 “How can a man be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!”5 Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the unless he is born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”9 “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.10 “You are ’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? 11 I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. 12 I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? 13 No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. 14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.
Message
As we begin this third chapter of John we continue to see the principle of relationship, not signs and wonders, as the basis for belief and understanding. Earlier we saw Jesus clear the temple of the money changers and merchants and then have a very tense discussion with the temple leaders. Now one of these leaders wants to hear a little more about what Jesus has to say. Being a bit concerned about how he might be viewed by his associates, he approaches Jesus at night, hoping that he can have a private discussion, not a public one. This is a great step towards relationship yet the first words out of his mouth are about how he is sure Jesus is from God because of the miracles that Jesus had performed. Jesus attempts to help Nicodemus understand that it is not the miracles but rather the relationship with God that brings salvation. It is the Spirit giving birth to spirit. Yet Nicodemus is stuck in the earthly world of miracles and proof statements. He has yet to move out of the earthly world of words and theories into a true relationship with God.This is the case today as much as it was 2000 years ago when the Pharisees had reduced the relationship God had intended with His people to a set of rules and regulations. It is easy to follow rules and regulations and difficult to have a relationship. It is much more difficult unless that relationship is with the God of the Universe and He provides the power and authority (via His Holy Spirit) to have SUSTAIN that relationship.Jesus is patiently trying to show Nicodemus (and you and I) that all relationships MUST begin first with the ultimate relationship: one with God Himself. God as the Creator of the universe began that relationship in eternity past, and it has transcended time through the work of Jesus during His death, burial, and resurrection. It remains today though His Spirit living our lives. God lives through and in us for a purpose. That purpose is to have the ultimate relationship with Him and to share that relationship with others.