New Birth. New Perspective.
From John 3 – 1 There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, "Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with Him."
3 Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."
David Garrow's biography of Pres. Barack Obama, Rising Star, contains a glimpse that transcends politics. An Illinois voter weighs a vote for the U.S. Senate and considers that if Obama's parent is from somewhere else, his perspective will be larger than just the United States.
With respect, the Lord may be making much the same connection for Nicodemus in John 3. Nicodemus is a man interconnected into its contemporary culture. John says so. He is accustomed to deference, and to a lifetime of Scriptural assumptions. Jesus could have seen this as an advantageous encounter.
Instead, Jesus insists on new birth for Nicodemus. Without it, without starting again, without parentage from somewhere else, Christ insists that this man wise in the world and, in some sense, in God's Word, can't even see God's Kingdom. Nicodemus needs a perspective larger than his culture of origin, Bible-saturated though that culture may be.
With Nicodemus, we are all too ready to assume the place in the world today that was familiar to us yesterday. It's too tiring, in fact, to re-examine our every assumption. One who is born again, however, has his or her every energy devoted to such renewal and healthy acclamation.
With parentage from "somewhere else" comes light to see, and liveliness to pursue that is beyond anything this world can grant. The eyes Christ opens, or reopens, give light to the soul and allow us to undertake many of the same tasks with a new energy and purpose.
3 Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."
David Garrow's biography of Pres. Barack Obama, Rising Star, contains a glimpse that transcends politics. An Illinois voter weighs a vote for the U.S. Senate and considers that if Obama's parent is from somewhere else, his perspective will be larger than just the United States.
With respect, the Lord may be making much the same connection for Nicodemus in John 3. Nicodemus is a man interconnected into its contemporary culture. John says so. He is accustomed to deference, and to a lifetime of Scriptural assumptions. Jesus could have seen this as an advantageous encounter.
Instead, Jesus insists on new birth for Nicodemus. Without it, without starting again, without parentage from somewhere else, Christ insists that this man wise in the world and, in some sense, in God's Word, can't even see God's Kingdom. Nicodemus needs a perspective larger than his culture of origin, Bible-saturated though that culture may be.
With Nicodemus, we are all too ready to assume the place in the world today that was familiar to us yesterday. It's too tiring, in fact, to re-examine our every assumption. One who is born again, however, has his or her every energy devoted to such renewal and healthy acclamation.
With parentage from "somewhere else" comes light to see, and liveliness to pursue that is beyond anything this world can grant. The eyes Christ opens, or reopens, give light to the soul and allow us to undertake many of the same tasks with a new energy and purpose.
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