Today's Scripture
Question #22 John 3:3-17
– Is Christ real to me?
3 Jesus answered him, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.” 4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womb and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. 6 What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not be astonished that I said to you, ‘You must be born from above.’ 8 The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” 9 Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” 10 Jesus answered him, “Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things?
11 “Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen; yet you do not receive our testimony. 12 If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. 14 And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.
16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.
17 “Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
RJ's Devotion
As we start 2017, we wanted to examine the 22 questions of John Wesley. He challenged his followers to ask these rigorous self-examining questions, as they walk toward holiness. For the next four weeks, we will examine each question, daily. Also, I encourage you to read the ‘One Year Bible Reading Plan’ suggested by Bishop Sharma Lewis.
What the passage says
V. 1-10 Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews, comes to Jesus and ask a question, “How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womb and be born?” The questions come from his desire to see the Kingdom of God. Jesus answers his questions by saying, ” Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit.”
V. 11-17 To complete his answer, Jesus shares the secret of being born again. The spiritual relationship between God and human has to be redeemed, and Jesus shares that this is possible through believing in him.
What does the passage say to me/us?
“Is Christ real in me?”
Through believing, once the broken relationship has been restored. Accepting Jesus as my personal savior makes it possible to have a relationship with God.
We do not believe in a vague sense. We believe in a God, who actively reaches out in our life to build a relationship. Through that relationship, we get to learn who God is and learn who I am. The deeper we dive into that relation, the more we become like God. That is how we know that Christ is real to me. We can’t say that we believe in God without having that deep relationship. That is the reason we need to examine our relationship with Christ every day.
Prayer
Lord, helps us to see your presence in our lives every day. Help us to build a relationship with you. Help us to be more like you in this world. Shine your light through us, to this dark world. In Christ name, we pray, AMEN
*Thank you for joining us in this journey of examining the 22 questions of John Wesley. Remember that these were the questions, early Methodist reviewed every week. Imagine how the world can change if we strived to live and examine our hearts, by these standards. Join us in this journey, to see how God transforms us.
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