John 3:7-15

1) Silence, Stillness and Centering before God (2 min.)

2) Scripture Reading: John 3:7-15 (click to listen)
 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 Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? 11 Very truly I tell you, 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 wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,15 that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”

3) Devotional
Have you ever felt the frustration of reading a passage of scripture and not being able to understand what it said? This happened to me a lot, especially before I had a relationship with God through Jesus. Now that I do have a relationship with God through Jesus,  reading a passage of scripture without understanding happens only on rare occasions. I can’t help but think that Nicodemus felt the same frustration I had felt when he was speaking with Jesus. “How could this be?”, was Nicodemus’s reaction when Jesus was trying to explain the meaning of being “born again.” He just could not understand the teaching of Jesus.

What is the difference between reading scripture with or without understanding? It is the Holy Spirit. When we enter into a personal relationship with God by accepting Jesus as Savior and Lord, God gifts us with His Holy Spirit. One of the works of the Holy Spirit is the illumination of the scriptures. In other words, Scriptures that were read before without understanding now have meaning. Since Nicodemus did not have the Holy Spirit, he could not understand what Jesus was saying.

4) Thoughts to Consider:
If you are reading the scriptures and not understanding them, you either need a personal relationship with God through Jesus or you need a mentor to help you. Either way, please reach out to an elder or staff member. We can meet with you and find you a mentor or help you to begin a personal relationship with God through Jesus which will transform your life.

5) Prayer: Almighty God, I know you have the ability to help me understand the Bible. You want me to understand Your Word and apply it to my life. Please make the words on the pages real to me so I can apply them to my life and accomplish your will on Earth. In Jesus name I pray these things, Amen.

6) Conclude with Silence (2 min)

John 3:1-6

1) Silence, Stillness and Centering before God (2 min)

2) Scripture Reading - John 3:1-6 (click to listen)
 ¹Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. ²He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.  ³Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” ⁴“How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!” ⁵Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. ⁶Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.

3) Devotional
We seem to have a preference for engaging God on our terms, putting God in a man-made box of ideas, doctrines and theologies. Nicodemus came to Jesus that night almost 2,000 years ago because Jesus wasn't fitting into the box that the Pharisees had forced God into. But, Nicodemus came to Jesus humbly and respectfully, calling Him "Rabbi", willing to learn and reshape his box with a fresh understanding of the God whose ways were higher than his ways and whose thoughts were higher than his thoughts.

We need to remember that every effort we make to define, or describe who God is or what He has done, or what He will do is at best an imperfect man-made thing. So, like Nicodemus, we need to hold such boxes with great humility and willingness to learn and experience God in new and fresh ways. And we need to be gentle and respectful with each other when our boxes bump into each other.

4) Questions to Consider
What box, or boxes have you put God in?
In what ways might God be wanting to reshape your box?

5) Prayer
Father, help me to see where I've boxed you in, or boxed you out. Give me a spirit, born again of your Spirit, that is gentle and humble and willing to learn anew from You. In Christ's name, Amen.

6) Conclude with Silence (2 min)