The Second Birth
Rex Yancey
John 3:3-5
There are many speculations as to the reason Nicodemus came to Jesus by night. Some say it was because he did not want anyone else to know that he was seeking Jesus. We might guess that he was under conviction. The miracles had moved him. What amazes me is that he would come to Jesus at all. He was an aristocrat coming to a commoner. He that had credentials was coming to one who did not have credentials.
It seems to me he made some mistakes in his introductory remarks. "We know you are a teacher come from God." Was he there representing members of the Sanhedrin? Or, was he there representing himself?
Jesus answered the questioner and not the question. "Nicodemus, you must be born again." He cut right through the veneer and got to the point. "If you want to see the kingdom of God, you must be born again." Nicodemus was a religious man but he lacked perception. One cannot see, perceive, understand, or experience the kingdom of God without having a new birth experience.
It is obvious that he was having a hard time understanding what Jesus was talking about. How can one understand a miracle without experiencing it? What confused Nicodemus was that there were two births, one physical and one spiritual. The physical birth does not satisfy the spiritual and vice versa.
Today I want us to make a comparison between the physical and spiritual birth.
1.THE PHYSICAL BIRTH IS A DEFINITE EXPERIENCE.
The Spiritual birth is also a definite experience. I was born in a small four room house in the country. My dad got into an iron tired wagon and met a mid wife and brought her to that little house. The date was recorded for the event of my birth. My mother said it was a wonderful event. She even gave me a name. I was not at myself when I was born so I don't remember it. However, I know it was a definite experience because I am here now.
The second birth is even more definite than the first. It t ...
Rex Yancey
John 3:3-5
There are many speculations as to the reason Nicodemus came to Jesus by night. Some say it was because he did not want anyone else to know that he was seeking Jesus. We might guess that he was under conviction. The miracles had moved him. What amazes me is that he would come to Jesus at all. He was an aristocrat coming to a commoner. He that had credentials was coming to one who did not have credentials.
It seems to me he made some mistakes in his introductory remarks. "We know you are a teacher come from God." Was he there representing members of the Sanhedrin? Or, was he there representing himself?
Jesus answered the questioner and not the question. "Nicodemus, you must be born again." He cut right through the veneer and got to the point. "If you want to see the kingdom of God, you must be born again." Nicodemus was a religious man but he lacked perception. One cannot see, perceive, understand, or experience the kingdom of God without having a new birth experience.
It is obvious that he was having a hard time understanding what Jesus was talking about. How can one understand a miracle without experiencing it? What confused Nicodemus was that there were two births, one physical and one spiritual. The physical birth does not satisfy the spiritual and vice versa.
Today I want us to make a comparison between the physical and spiritual birth.
1.THE PHYSICAL BIRTH IS A DEFINITE EXPERIENCE.
The Spiritual birth is also a definite experience. I was born in a small four room house in the country. My dad got into an iron tired wagon and met a mid wife and brought her to that little house. The date was recorded for the event of my birth. My mother said it was a wonderful event. She even gave me a name. I was not at myself when I was born so I don't remember it. However, I know it was a definite experience because I am here now.
The second birth is even more definite than the first. It t ...
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