FROM THE PASTOR'S PORCH: The Mystery of being "Born Again"!!!

[Lynn D. Walker]

Please visit us at COWBOY COUNTRY CHURCH

FROM THE PASTOR'S PORCH: The Mystery of being “Born Again”!!

   I like a good Mystery, don't you---A good whodunit movie on TV that keeps you on the edge of your seat wondering who the culprit really is, or a good novel that you can't put down for wanting to know how it's going to end?? It seems that mankind has always wanted to know the mysteries of life. Many times we are not satisfied just knowing the way things are; We want to know WHY things are the way they are!

   That is why Nicodemus, a pharisee and ruler of the Jews, came by night to see Jesus. Nicodemus knew that Jesus was a great teacher come from God because of all the miracles Jesus had done. He wanted Jesus to teach him about the mysteries of life and WOW, did he get his money's worth. Jesus unloaded on old Nicodemus and told him of the greatest mystery ever revealed to mankind. In John 3:3 Jesus told him,”....Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”!!

   Does that statement raise some questions in your mind? It certainly did for Nicodemus. He asked Jesus, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?”. Legitimate questions I'd say! What a mystery! But when you are asking questions to the Son of God, you are bound to get some pretty profound answers. Jesus answered Nicodemus with this, “Except a man be born of water and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.”

   What in the world does all this mean? Well, it's really pretty simple if you understand that most of the ways that God works are completely opposite to the ways of the World. Being born of water, or born into this world means that your mother's water breaks and you “come out” of your mother's womb. But to be born of the Spirit, and come into the kingdom of God there is no “coming out” involved in this birth; the Holy Spirit must “come in” to YOU!!!

   Oswald Chambers wrote the best description I've ever read explaining the great mystery of being “born again”---”The gift of the essential nature of God is placed and made effective in us by the Holy Spirit. He imparts to us the quickening life of Jesus, making us truly alive. He takes that which is "beyond" us and places it "within" us. And immediately, once "the beyond" has come "within", it rises up to "the above", and we are lifted into the kingdom where Jesus lives and reigns!” (see John ...3:5)

   How wonderful, now the mystery is solved!! But wait..... this just explains what has to happen. How do we make it happen?? Can we buy this, can we win it, can we earn this or work for it, can we get born again by being “good enough”?? Another great Mystery!!! Well, tune in next week and we will talk about it, or you can cheat a little and read John 3:16 and solve the mystery for yourself. Nothing solves a good mystery like the Revelation of God's Word. ~Pastor Lynn

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 4092 Norge Road Chickasha, Oklahoma