Perspectives

John 3: 2-5 … 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 kingdom of God 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 kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. (NIV1984)

Many people find it somewhat difficult to put their trust in Christ; I know I did many years ago. However, when I think back to the days before I had accepted Jesus Christ my thinking was not much different with this man called Nicodemus. There was a tug-of- war going on in my heart, and there was a tug-of- war going on in Nicodemus’ heart. Part of him wanted to trust in Jesus, but his religious teaching demands not to believe what Jesus was teaching. Nicodemus was at the top of his profession, he was a teacher of religion. If he could have earned entry into heaven because of his reputation, he would have been ushered into the very presence of God himself. Jesus, on the other hand, tries to tell Nicodemus that just because he is a religious teacher does not open the door to heaven because, He said, “it is a very personal spiritual matter, you must be born again.” Nicodemus had no idea what Jesus was talking about. He could not understand how he, a righteous man, would not be welcomed into heaven.

In the gospel of John 3:2-5 we find that Nicodemus came to see Jesus during the night. There were probably several good reasons for that. Perhaps it was a sign of suspicion. He may not have wanted to commit himself by coming to Jesus when others could see him. However, I must not condemn him for that, after all, with his background it was a miracle of grace that he overcame his narrow-mindedness about Jesus’ followers, and the life of these followers to approach Christ at all. Yes! That was a miracle. But give this a thought; perhaps he wanted an absolute private kind of meeting where nothing would interfere with such a close encounter with Christ.

It is not difficult to understand why Nicodemus was somewhat confused. Neither is it difficult for us to recognize that within his heart and life there was this longing that only Christ could satisfy. We can say this because many of us have experienced that kind of longing ourselves. So Nicodemus meets Jesus and Jesus engages him in a conversation that would change his life. This is what Nicodemus says to Jesus in verse 2, Rabbi; we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the incredible signs you are doing if God were not with him.”  Jesus answers him in a way that is, to a certain extent, hard for him to understand. Verse 3, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again,” That answer totally confused Nicodemus because look what he says in verse 4, “How can a man be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely no one can enter a second time into their mother’s womb and repeat the birth process all over again!” in verse 5 Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.” At this point Nicodemus had a battle waging within his heart that only the Holy Spirit could win for him. His mind is confused when he asked Jesus how anyone could enter again into his mother’s womb and be born a second time when he is already an old man?

Nicodemus had reached a point in his conversation with Jesus where many of us have been and where, perhaps, some of us are at this very moment. It was not the desirability of the New Birth that Nicodemus was questioning; he understood his problem all right. The problem of the person who wants to be changed, but cannot change themselves. For this change to take place we must ask Jesus Christ to come into our lives. The shortest prayer I ever said was, “Lord heal my sin sick heart.” And He did.

Would you pray this prayer with me? “Lord Jesus, come into my heart. Forgive my sins. I want my life to change. My thoughts and my attitude need to change. I do not have the peace in my heart that I yearn for. I really want that peace, joy and happiness that fulfills my heart’s desire. Please let the Holy Spirit help me be the kind of Christian that will honour Your Name. Amen.”