Good morning,
Praise the Lord for this second day of February, also known as Groundhog's Day. It has been very mild. Alice and I walked for over 4 miles last night between 8: 45 and a little after 10 PM. The days are getting longer. The Lord is upon the Throne. He is sovereign. He is Almighty and all-glorious. All is well. Though it is Groundhog's Day here in the USA, it is the Day of God's Grace in His Kingdom everywhere. It is about grace upon grace.
For our Wednesday Gathering yesterday evening we looked briefly on John 3, which contains the first Nick at night incident. It is about coming face to face with grace.
Some time ago I read that during a British conference on comparative religions, experts from around the world were discussing whether any one belief was unique to the Christian faith. The debate went on for some time until C. S. Lewis wandered into the room. "What’s the rumpus about?" he asked, and heard in reply that his colleagues were discussing Christianity’s unique contribution among the world’s religions. Lewis responded, "Oh, that’s easy. It’s grace."
We read in John 3 how our Lord Jesus made room and time for one man who came to him by night. It was the dark night of the soul for Nicodemus. Our Lord also made room and time for a woman whom He met at midday by the well of Jacob as is recorded in John 4. It was the dark night of the soul for the Samaritan woman, whose name we do not know.
Nicodemus had devoted his life to keeping God’s law as well as all the manmade laws that were attached to it. He was an outstanding religious scholar & well respected in His field. He seemed to have everything: position, wealth, influence; status, education, & respect---yet he was searching for something more. He was awakened to his need of something far greater that what he had attained. He became aware of his own need of grace.
Nicodemus came to Jesus and put forth a question to Christ. Then he waited expectantly for a response from Jesus. The eyes of God looked at this intellectual, inquisitive, educated, wealthy, respected, religious, searching Pharisee, and saw beyond the courtesy of his demeanor to the inward cry of heart. With compassionate gentleness, yet convicting truthfulness, Jesus pinned down his need when He declared in simplicity, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of unless a man is born again,” (John 3:3). In essence, Jesus was saying, “Nicodemus unless you have a completely new beginning, unless you are born again you will not see the kingdom of God. Spiritual rebirth is the only answer to the unspoken, unconscious need of your heart.”
The expression of studied politeness must have been wiped from his face as Jesus' response pierced through all the layers of morality and religiosity,
all the years of thinking and training, all the accumulated pride and prejudice, all the complicated reasoning and rationalizing. Jesus’ words touched the very nerve in Nicodemus’s soul, and he asked with unbelief, “How can a man be born when he is old? . . . Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born” (John 3:4). With amazing clarity and simplicity Nicodemus seemed to have grasped that this was exactly what he was searching for. This was the need of his heart. This was the missing piece in his life. Nicodemus knew the answer was impossibly unattainable. It was beyond his reach. To be born again as Jesus described was beyond human achievement. Perhaps for the first time in his life, Nicodemus was aware that he was totally helpless .
Jesus makes change possible! Grace is the answer to our need! Grace teaches us that God loves us because of who God is, not because of who we are. Grace appeals to us, beckons us, calls to us.
Nicodemus came to Jesus and put forth a question to Christ. Then he waited expectantly for a response from Jesus. The eyes of God looked at this intellectual, inquisitive, educated, wealthy, respected, religious, searching Pharisee, and saw beyond the courtesy of his demeanor to the inward cry of heart. With compassionate gentleness, yet convicting truthfulness, Jesus pinned down his need when He declared in simplicity, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of unless a man is born again,” (John 3:3). In essence, Jesus was saying, “Nicodemus unless you have a completely new beginning, unless you are born again you will not see the kingdom of God. Spiritual rebirth is the only answer to the unspoken, unconscious need of your heart.”
The expression of studied politeness must have been wiped from his face as Jesus' response pierced through all the layers of morality and religiosity,
all the years of thinking and training, all the accumulated pride and prejudice, all the complicated reasoning and rationalizing. Jesus’ words touched the very nerve in Nicodemus’s soul, and he asked with unbelief, “How can a man be born when he is old? . . . Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born” (John 3:4). With amazing clarity and simplicity Nicodemus seemed to have grasped that this was exactly what he was searching for. This was the need of his heart. This was the missing piece in his life. Nicodemus knew the answer was impossibly unattainable. It was beyond his reach. To be born again as Jesus described was beyond human achievement. Perhaps for the first time in his life, Nicodemus was aware that he was totally helpless .
Jesus makes change possible! Grace is the answer to our need! Grace teaches us that God loves us because of who God is, not because of who we are. Grace appeals to us, beckons us, calls to us.
Ernest Hemingway told a story about a Spanish father whose relationship with his son Paco had become strained to the point that it eventually shattered. When his rebellious son ran away, his father began a long and difficult search to find him. As a last resort the exhausted father placed an ad in the Madrid newspaper, hoping that his son would see it and respond. The ad read, "Dear Paco, Please meet me in front of the Hotel Montana Noon Tuesday. All is forgiven. Papa". Since Paco is a common name in Spain, when the father went to the square he found eight hundred young men named Paco waiting for their fathers.
I believe that everyone is a “Paco”. They don’t know how but they long to experience the grace of God. We all have a longing, a need for a true home, where we can be accepted & cherished. We have this longing because God’s Spirit whispers to us to come home. Whatever we have done can be forgiven through Jesus’ finished work at the cross. No matter what we have done and regardless of what we have become, we can be made new through the grace and power of God.
I believe that everyone is a “Paco”. They don’t know how but they long to experience the grace of God. We all have a longing, a need for a true home, where we can be accepted & cherished. We have this longing because God’s Spirit whispers to us to come home. Whatever we have done can be forgiven through Jesus’ finished work at the cross. No matter what we have done and regardless of what we have become, we can be made new through the grace and power of God.
In His Grace,
On FEBRUARY 11, 2012 Saturday, at First United Methodist Church, 53 McKinley Ave., Endicott, at 5:30 PM - There will be a Special Banquet prepared by Joe Walker, which will include a variety of international Cuisine. It will be a great celebration. At 6:30 PM there will be a Hymn Sing with Aric Phinney at the Grand Piano and Yancey Moore at the Organ. Dave Berry will lead the Hymn Sing.
On FEBRUARY 4 & 5, the Movie, “Courageous” is to be shown. On Saturday, at First United Methodist Church, 53 McKinley Ave, Endicott the Doors will open at 5:30. On Sunday the movie will be shown at Union Center UMC, doors opening at 2:00. As vividly illustrated in COURAGEOUS, the impact of fathers in the lives of their children is immense. This powerful film has been the starting point for a movement of fathers creating a legacy of Godly families. A free will offering will benefit the youth retreat in April. For Information call : 607-748-1358. 607-748-6329
