Repentance 4

John 3:1-5

Recently one of our children, frustrated with school, wondered out loud why anyone would need to study history. Our canned response was the old adage – “Those who do not know the past are doomed to repeat it.” If we do not know and understand what happened in our history we are likely to make the same mistakes.

But when it comes to our faith we could say that those who do not forget the past are doomed to repeat it. If we can’t let go of our sinfulness, if we can’t get over our foolish mistakes and erroneous behavior, we are likely to keep living a sinful life.

Jesus was approached by Nicodemus, a religious leader and scholar of his time. In this encounter Jesus took the opportunity to give some spiritual teaching. What does Jesus say is necessary to see the kingdom of God? What specification did Jesus add to this comment in verse 5?

Most are familiar with the late night conversation with Nicodemus. Most are familiar with how the man could not understand the simple message of repentance and salvation. How can a man be born again? An adult can not return to the womb.

Well, of course not. But this is not what Jesus was talking about. Jesus was talking about spiritual rebirth. He was talking about shedding our old way of thinking and believing and acting. In its place we need to put on a new life, a life of holiness.

We can move forward in our faith and in our journey to perfection when we get rid of our old ways, ways of selfishness and sinfulness. We need to repent of our sins, seeking forgiveness from Christ. And when we seek that forgiveness we will be given the opportunity for a new life.

We can be born again – not physically – but reborn in the spirit. Our souls can be made new through the water of baptism, a reminder of our salvation. But we must also begin living with a new spirit of godliness.

DAILY CHALLENGE: What must you do to be reborn?

New 5

John 3:1-5

There is a clever challenge we have used before in church to show how God can make the impossible happen. We challenge people to cut an opening into an 8x11 piece of paper, leaving the paper in one piece. The hole must be big enough to allow your whole body to pass through without tearing the paper.

At first it seems like it can’t be done, but if you fold the paper down the middle and then make about a dozen cuts from the fold toward the edges and back again the paper can open up like a string of paper dolls – remaining in one piece – but with a hole large enough for an adult to pass through.

Nicodemus, a Pharisee, was presented with what appeared to be an impossible task. What did Jesus tell him about seeing the kingdom of God? What was Nicodemus’ interpretation? What did Jesus say?

Like so many, Nicodemus was trying to comprehend the ways of faith by looking at things from a human perspective. But Jesus clarified the situation by explaining that Jesus was talking about spiritual things.

To be part of the kingdom of God, to be immersed in our faith and a vibrant believer in Christ we must be born again. But this rebirth is not a physical matter. It is a spiritual matter. We are called on to be reborn in our spirits, to take on a new faith life, to give our spiritual attitudes a revival.

This lesson from Jesus was not for a new convert, someone unfamiliar with faith, but to a man who was a leader in spiritual matters. Like Nicodemus we are also called to have a new spirit put in us. We are called to ask God for a new heart, a revived and steadfast spirit, so that our faith life – our beliefs and our actions – might gain a new energy.

By being reborn by the Spirit, even when we are quite familiar with God and faith, we can have a new heart and new attitude toward our holy living.

DAILY CHALLENGE: How can you allow yourself to be reborn?