Have You Been Born From Above To Be In Unity With God’s Spirit?
Good Morning Friends,
In past devotional I have included today’s passage from Acts with the story of the loaves and fishes and explored the problem of thinking we do not have enough. Part of the problem is that we live in a capitalist society that fixates on having more than we need. Now the Bible does not forbid commerce and in fact supports it. But the reality is that we must think in a new way about money and the incentives for being generous if we hope for the Spirit of love to be birthed in us. It is pointless to gain great wealth for one’s self and not have a liberal heart which freely gives to those in need. On our journey to Pentecost and its unity we must lift our eyes and ears to a new way of sensing and thinking. Have You Been Born From Above To Be In Unity With God’s Spirit?
Scripture: Now the whole group of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one claimed private ownership of any possessions, but everything they owned was held in common. With great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as owned lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold. They laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. There was a Levite, a native of Cyprus, Joseph, to whom the apostles gave the name Barnabas (which means “son of encouragement”). He sold a field that belonged to him, then brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.
Acts 4:32-37 (NRSV)
Do not be astonished that I said to you, ‘You must be born from above.’ The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” Jesus answered him, “Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things? “Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen; yet you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.
John 3:7b-15 (NRSV)
Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus before, and who was one of them, asked, “Our law does not judge people without first giving them a hearing to find out what they are doing, does it?
John 7:50-51 (NRSV)
After these things, Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, though a secret one because of his fear of the Jews, asked Pilate to let him take away the body of Jesus. Pilate gave him permission; so he came and removed his body. Nicodemus, who had at first come to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, weighing about a hundred pounds. They took the body of Jesus and wrapped it with the spices in linen cloths, according to the burial custom of the Jews. Now there was a garden in the place where he was crucified, and in the garden there was a new tomb in which no one had ever been laid. And so, because it was the Jewish day of Preparation, and the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.
John 19:38-42 (NRSV)
Message: Nicodemus was a member of the Pharisees. No doubt he sought to keep all the man-made rules of his religion, as well as the law of God which was given to Moses. Nicodemus was a religious man with the hope of life after death, something the Sadducees did not believe in. Nicodemus was a successful, upright man, a leader, and a teacher who was respected in society. Because of his position, fearing what people may think of him seeking advice from Jesus, Nicodemus made his approach to our Lord secretly and at night. Nicodemus knew within himself that something was missing in his life. He was troubled. He believes Jesus to be of God and addresses him with respect. In their conversation Jesus points to the basis of our faith saying, “And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.” Nicodemus was having trouble believing that heaven is attained not by his own merit, but only by the merits of our Lord Jesus Christ. After this first encounter with Jesus, Nicodemus went away. We cannot tell what went on in his mind and what doubts in his own position as a holy man of Israel were awakened within him. The second appearance of Nicodemus in the Gospel of John was when those of his own party, the Pharisees, wanted to condemn Jesus. It was Nicodemus who stood up for Him. Nicodemus became a fearless upholder of justice on His behalf. Then, at a time when the inner circle of disciples had all but one deserted their Lord, Nicodemus joined Joseph of Arimithea in bearing away the body of Jesus after the crucifixion. These two secret disciples together were making public their adherence to Jesus, and all that He stands for. It is reasonable to conclude that Nicodemus was born again for his story glorifies the story of Jesus and instructs us as to what it means to be born again.
And So, Jesus tells Nicodemus that he needs to be born again. His response, just before this passage, is that he is not sure how he would go about crawling back into his mother’s womb, especially since he is pretty old now and therefore would not fit. Like that’s really the issue. I can just imagine Jesus putting his face in his palm and saying, No, Nicodemus. No. I mean really? Did you honestly think that’s what I meant? But that was not Jesus’ style. Jesus really wants Nicodemus to be born of the Spirit. Jesus says, “The wind blows wherever it wills, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know whence it comes or whither it goes. So it is with everyone who is born in the Spirit”. The Spirit goes where God wills, not where we will. God is free! We cannot control Him. And here Nicodemus is hiding from the Pharisees, worried about being made known, hiding within his comfort zone, somewhere that he is safe, where he has control. God says, “No, Nicodemus, you must rely, depend upon, and trust in Me! Stop hiding in the darkness, come out! Rise to new life! Believe in Me, trust in Me and I will lead you. Give up the illusion of comfort and safety of your own control and let Me keep you safe and lead you where I will! Since we are a people born of the Spirit, let us not then return to the darkness and visit the Lord in the secret of the night, clinging to what we desire. We must let go of everything and abandon ourselves to God.
Pray we are of one heart and soul and mind. Pray we realize that until we come to a faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, that there is something missing in our lives. Pray we realize the power of healing found on the cross of Jesus to bring us the answers we seek. Pray we know that whatever reason brings us to seek answers to life’s most important questions, that God is already working to fill up the missing parts. Pray we realize that the flesh gives birth to the flesh but that the Spirit gives birth to the Spirit…the very breathe of God breathing on us like a gentle wind. Pray we move beyond a mere admiration of Jesus to public actions that witness our faith in Him. Pray for all people that they would see the light and the truth and be born into a new way of living.
Blessings,
John Lawson
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