Tag Archives: born again

What’s it like being born? (John 3:3-8), January 20, 2017

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Today’s Podcast


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  1. Thanks for joining me today for “A Little Walk with God.” I’m your host Richard Agee.
  2. Do you remember what it was like being born? I don’t and it’s probably a good thing. But maybe we should remember some of it so we can understand what it’s like to be born again. The Christian life isn’t all fun and games if that’s what you’re looking for.
  3. Scripture
    1. John 3:3-8
    2. Jesus:  I tell you the truth: only someone who experiences birth for a second time can hope to see the kingdom of God.

Nicodemus:  I am a grown man. How can someone be born again when he is old like me? Am I to crawl back into my mother’s womb for a second birth? That’s impossible!

Jesus:  I tell you the truth, if someone does not experience water and Spirit birth, there’s no chance he will make it into God’s kingdom.  Like from like. Whatever is born from flesh is flesh; whatever is born from Spirit is spirit.  Don’t be shocked by My words, but I tell you the truth. Even you, an educated and respected man among your people, must be reborn by the Spirit to enter the kingdom of God.  The wind blows all around us as if it has a will of its own; we feel and hear it, but we do not understand where it has come from or where it will end up. Life in the Spirit is as if it were the wind of God.

  1. Devotional
    1. Born again. You’ve probably heard that term all your life if you grew up in the church or around Christian people. Those in the Christian community know what it means. Or at least they think they do.
      1. Dying to self
      2. New life in Christ
      3. Reborn into a new way of life with God’s plan and purpose in mind
    2. Have you ever thought about how this sounds to someone outside the church?
      1. Nicodemus
      2. Question wasn’t unreasonable
      3. How would you explain this relationship you have with God
      4. What is being born again like?
    3. Too often we talk just about the happy moment of forgiveness and forget the rest
      1. Make people disillusioned when they begin their Christian walk
      2. Childbirth is hard for both mother and baby
      3. First breath is great, but come out into a cold, brutal world
      4. Times of joy when held in mother’s arms
      5. Times of fear, aloneness, inability to express thoughts and feelings, unable to communicate
      6. So much unknown
      7. So much to learn
    4. Jesus tells us to weigh the cost
      1. Christian life is a hard one
      2. Costs everything
      3. Misunderstood and hated
      4. Unbelievable reward in the end
  2. If you want to learn more about my church, you can find us at SAF.church. If you like the devotional, share it with someone. If you don’t, tell me. I hope you’ll join me again tomorrow for “A Little Walk with God.”

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved. In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Nicodemus is a lot like us (John 3:1-21), August 1, 2015

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Today’s Podcast


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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – John 3:1-21

Set – Isaiah 66; John 3

Go! – Isaiah 65-66; Psalms 62; John 3

John 3:1-21
1 Nicodemus was one of the Pharisees, a man with some clout among his people. 2 He came to Jesus under the cloak of darkness to question Him.
Nicodemus: Teacher, some of us have been talking. You are obviously a teacher who has come from God. The signs You are doing are proof that God is with You.
Jesus: 3 I tell you the truth: only someone who experiences birth for a second time can hope to see the kingdom of God.
Nicodemus: 4 I am a grown man. How can someone be born again when he is old like me? Am I to crawl back into my mother’s womb for a second birth? That’s impossible!
Jesus: 5 I tell you the truth, if someone does not experience water and Spirit birth, there’s no chance he will make it into God’s kingdom. 6 Like from like. Whatever is born from flesh is flesh; whatever is born from Spirit is spirit. 7 Don’t be shocked by My words, but I tell you the truth. Even you, an educated and respected man among your people, must be reborn by the Spirit to enter the kingdom of God. 8 The wind blows all around us as if it has a will of its own; we feel and hear it, but we do not understand where it has come from or where it will end up. Life in the Spirit is as if it were the wind of God.
Nicodemus: 9 I still do not understand how this can be.
Jesus: 10 Your responsibility is to instruct Israel in matters of faith, but you do not comprehend the necessity of life in the Spirit? 11 I tell you the truth: we speak about the things we know, and we give evidence about the things we have seen, and you choose to reject the truth of our witness. 12 If you do not believe when I talk to you about ordinary, earthly realities, then heavenly realities will certainly elude you. 13 No one has ever journeyed to heaven above except the One who has come down from heaven—the Son of Man, who is of heaven. 14 Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness. In the same way, the Son of Man must be lifted up; 15 then all those who believe in Him will experience everlasting life.
16 For God expressed His love for the world in this way: He gave His only Son so that whoever believes in Him will not face everlasting destruction, but will have everlasting life. 17 Here’s the point. God didn’t send His Son into the world to judge it; instead, He is here to rescue a world headed toward certain destruction.
18 No one who believes in Him has to fear condemnation, yet condemnation is already the reality for everyone who refuses to believe because they reject the name of the only Son of God. 19 Why does God allow for judgment and condemnation? Because the Light, sent from God, pierced through the world’s darkness to expose ill motives, hatred, gossip, greed, violence, and the like. Still some people preferred the darkness over the light because their actions were dark. 20 Some of humankind hated the light. They scampered hurriedly back into the darkness where vices thrive and wickedness flourishes. 21 Those who abandon deceit and embrace what is true, they will enter into the light where it will be clear that all their deeds come from God.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

People have mixed emotions about Nicodemus. Some praise him for his coming to Me and inquiring about My message even though he risked everything in doing so. He held a position in the Sanhedrin as an honored Pharisee. He ruled on matters of the law and yet he came seeking answers from Me because of what he heard others saying about Me.

Others condemn Nicodemus because of his cowardess for coming to Me at night, not daring to approach Me in the daylight. Some see his motives as impure because of the line of questioning he raises and his lack of understanding. Some think he tries to trap Me in his own misunderstanding.

I see Nicodemus as I see all My children, confused by a veil of darkness until the light of My truth breaks through that darkness and touches your heart. But just a little faith in Me shatters the darkness. It doesn’t take much. Faith the size of a mustard seed, not much bigger than the head of a pin, burst through the veil that keeps truth from you. Once you let Me in, I will reveal My heart to you. I will help you see as I see. I will give you My Spirit to teach you and guide you.

Like Nicodemus, you will learn what being born again means. It isn’t just a few words. It’s not a catch phrase to throw around. It’s a total transformation. It’s dying to the old you and becoming someone you never thought you could be. In fact, it’s more than a transformation, it’s a metamorphosis. You can come to Me any time, anywhere. Just call My name and I’ll be there for you.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.