The Beginning Of The New Life – The New Life

The Beginning of the New Life – the New Life (John 3:1-16)

1 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.”

9 “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.

10 “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? 11 Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. 12 I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? 13 No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. 14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.” 16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

We all like new experience, new thing, new event, and meeting new persons.

Some of you just graduated from the school you spent 2 years, 4 years and even 6 years. But, Suppose you have to go to a same school year after year but never graduating; you have only one place to visit year after year only; you have only one car to drive year after year; year by year getting old but never getting married; you have only one restaurant to go year after year. Your life would be like in a prison, so bored to death. Doing new things, having or trying new things always create some kind of excitement, hope, happiness and satisfaction.

Only problem is our excitement doesn’t last long before you find yourself longing another new thing.

Solomon said he tried all the new things under the Sun: “I also tried to find meaning by building huge homes for myself and by planting beautiful vineyards. 5 I made gardens and parks, filling them with all kinds of fruit trees. 6 I built reservoirs to collect the water to irrigate my many flourishing groves. 7 I bought slaves, both men and women, and others were born into my household. I also owned large herds and flocks, more than any of the kings who had lived in Jerusalem before me. 8 I collected great sums of silver and gold, the treasure of many kings and provinces. I hired wonderful singers, both men and women, and had many beautiful concubines. I had everything a man could desire!

9 So I became greater than all who had lived in Jerusalem before me, and my wisdom never failed me. 10 Anything I wanted, I would take. I denied myself no pleasure. I even found great pleasure in hard work, a reward for all my labors. 11 But as I looked at everything I had worked so hard to accomplish, it was all so meaningless—like chasing the wind. There was nothing really worthwhile under the sun.” Ecclesiastes 2:4-11

His conclusion: there is nothing new under the sun; I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind. And finally he said, “Meaningless! Meaningless!" says the Teacher. "Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless." Ecclesiastes 1

Having observed all this, would it really possible to live a new life? Is there such a thing as new life?

When Nicodemus visited Jesus, I believe, he wanted to experience something new in his life. That’s why he took a courageous step to actually to see Jesus by visiting at the night though as Pharisee and a member of the Jewish ruling council and very respected teacher, if his visit were known or discovered, his fame and reputation would have been at the stake He knew Jesus was not like any other man he has known in his life and said to Jesus, “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.”