Hello, I’m Daniel Westfall on the channel “Pray With Me”.

Have you been born again? What does that mean? 

Jesus shocked Nicodemus when he lobbed a birth metaphor into his religious life. A member of the Jewish parliament, Nicodemus was a scholar who helped make laws and settle disputes. His religious colleagues hated Jesus, but Nicodemus wanted the facts. 

One night he came furtively to Jesus. “Your miracles suggest that God is with you” he said. “But you reject the religion God gave Moses. You confuse me. What’s the truth here?” (John 3:2). 

A great opportunity for Jesus to teach Nicodemus, to show him Old Testament prophecies that point to Christ.A chance for Jesus to start an ecumenical dialogue with the Jews. 

Nope! Jesus says, “You need to be born again” (John 3:3)

Not quite the answer Nicodemus was looking for. He wanted to understand the relationship between God, Jesus, and the Jewish religion. Instead Jesus criticizes Nicodemus’ first birth experience and says he should try again. 

“Really?” Nicodemus replies. “Go back into Momma’s womb and emerge again? Impossible. Ludicrous” (John 3:4).

Reminds me of Jesus’ earlier statement, “Destroy this temple and I’ll rebuild it in three days” (John 2:19). A mysterious saying, impossible to take literally. Jesus confused the Jews with building and birthing metaphors.

“Listen,” said Jesus to Nicodemus, “you must be born of water and the spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, spirit gives birth to spirit” (John 3:5-6). 

And you? Have you been born of water? Have you been born of the spirit? 

Let’s pray. 

Our father, we don’t know born of water means, but we believe we have been born of the spirit Jesus mentions. 

Yet how little our lives seem to be born again. We work at jobs, read novels. Embrace social media, go to church. Activities that follow our physical birth. But where is our wellspring of life in the spirit? 

We are humans. We are physical bodies inhabited by invisible life forces–mind, soul, emotion, and spirit. Dwell in us by your spirit, until your goodness and power animates all our thoughts and actions. 

Amen.

I’m Daniel, on the channel “Pray with Me”.  

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