One of the great passages in Scripture is the story of Nicodemus visiting Jesus and learning about the New Birth. As I was looking at this passage I find that there are a few things that I should be pointed out about the lesson Nicodemus needed to learn. So, I have decided to break this passage into three parts over the next three posts. The first lesson for us is taken from John 3:1-8, which says:
There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.” Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
We have all heard the rather straight forward statement by Jesus - "You must be born again." Yet, when sharing my faith with others I have noted that it is not uncommon for people to wrestle with the same question: "How does God give a person a spiritual birthday?" or "How can God truly save me?" In these instances I point people to verse 8 in this passage. Jesus describes the wind blowing where it wishes, and we have no idea how that happens, yet we still see the effect. Let me try to use another way to explain it, with a modern example.
One of my favorite past-times is working on computers. I am admittedly a closet techno-geek. I was doing work on my in-laws' computer recently and tried to explain what I was doing to them. And yes, my father-in-law developed that thousand yard stare. You know the one; that stare that goes out of focus because he understands nothing I am saying. The technical details are beyond his knowledge base. At the same time, I know computer techs who can begin to talk about even more details in the working of a computer; and guess what happens when they talk to me - I get the out of focus thousand yard stare. Most of the people I know have different levels of understanding about the inner workings of a computer. But you know what I have also noticed. The computer programs and games that I play, work no better for me than they do for my father-in-law. My six year old son plays his games and he knows nothing about the computer. We do not have to know all the details to be able to enjoy the bennefits.
The same holds true for God's working in our lives; be it salvation or just His works of grace. A big part of the lesson about the new birth is found in the simple fact that I do not have to have some great theological understanding to be saved, I just need to be able to trust Him. I need to allow His Spirit to work that great work of grace and regeneration in my heart and life. I do not need to be a spiritual techno-geek to be born again. Just a man of faith.........more ont hat in my next post.
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