Born Again

 John 3: 1-8

Jesus Teaches Nicodemus

3 Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. ² He 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.”

³ Jesus 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!”

⁵ Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. ⁶ Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 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.”

The notion of being born again has fascinated humans for ages.  Reincarnation intrigues us, and for Hindus, is a "given."  Is that the new life, the "being born again" that Jesus speaks of?  No, it is a new life in the Spirit, which brings us into a deeper relationship with him, the Father and all others "born of the Spirit."  It is the new life of grace, the life that enables us to do what we thought was impossible, to bring the Presence of God into our world to help others find purpose, meaning, and their own personal relationship with the Father. We can be born again, we must be born again.  Now that we have risen with Jesus, we look ahead to Pentecost, and the "baptism" of the Spirit.  "Come, Holy Ghost, Creator blest, and in our hearts take up thy rest."

Bro. Rene