Can this abandoned land restore itself? Can it begin to produce new life without any help? No. Someone has to come and pull out the stones, the hard areas. Some one has to come and turnover the soil and plant the right seeds after they weeds are removed and then it has to be tended to. This is the same with us. We cannot restore ourselves without the help of someone else. That help comes from the Lord. His power will remove the stony heart and turnover the soil so the right seed can be planted. Then he will give us his Spirit who comes to tend the garden to let us know when weeds try to get in so they can be removed.
In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." "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!" Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. - John 3:3-5
Nicodemus. Can I be Born Again When I am Old? Jesus continues speaking to Nicodemus regarding his statement that Jesus is a good teacher. Jesus tells Nicodemus that in order to see the Kingdom of God, he has to be born again.
Nicodemus does not understand what Jesus is talking about. His question of how can I be born again when I am old? How can I go back into the womb? This must seem such a strange thing for Nicodemus to understand. He is looking at this statement from natural eyesight.
Jesus' response to Nicodemus' question is he explains it again with more information. He tells him that to see the Kingdom of God one must be born of water (cleansing) and Spirit (indwelling and sanctifying).
Do you think Nicodemus truly understands yet? Even though Nicodemus is a Pharisee and therefore verse in the Law he still does not understand the mysteries of God.
Isn't that us sometimes? We sometimes become verse in our traditions, our customs, the rules that we govern ourselves with, but stop short of understanding the mysteries of the Kingdom of God.
This is because in order to truly understand God's Kingdom we must be one with the Master. His Spirit is what helps us to understand all truth. His purpose is to guide us into all truth. We miss the great understanding of the mysteries just as Nicodemus did.
We forget the simply truth that we must be born again in order to understand the path of God. It is not our works, our standing, our abilities or gifts that give us understanding and wisdom about God. I am about to begin working on my Masters of Religious Education in a few weeks but I tell you this truth, it is not my education that helps me understand the Kingdom of God. As soon as I begin to think it is, I'll be off the mark. What helps me to understand (which is the same for all of us) is my relationship with the Father through the Son.
God's Spirit has been the one guiding me in all truth even though my path took me going to school. Others may never step into the doors of a college or seminary but they can still understand the mysteries of God, because it is by His Spirit.
Today, my prayer for us is that we seek God to know what we must do or what might be standing in our own ways from us understanding the mysteries of the Kingdom. Lord help us, because even though Nicodemus didn't understand, he did not stop questioning. Help us continue to seek you for those things we do not understand so that you can give us the wisdom we need.
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