Well, a lot has happened in the world in the past two weeks.  The housing market continues to deteriorate.  Oil prices continue to rise.  Yet the economy keeps clicking along, baffling most economists that I know.  I have a friend who works for a major bank and he has shared with me how he simply does not understand how it is all working.  And I just heard today that China's economy is worse than ours.  Yet the Bible tells us that, during the time of tribulation, economic conditions will be severe.  Could these be the birth-pangs?  Just another reason to get excited about the coming of the Lord Jesus.

Last week an interesting event happened that really did not get the attention it should have.  I am speaking of the visit of Russian President Putin to Iran.  What was discussed has not been officially released.  But it really takes little imagination to figure that out.  Immediately, Israeli Prime Minister Olmert makes a hasty visit to Moscow.  Russia is certainly digging a deeper hole in the Middle East.  And the movement continues toward a Middle East peace summit, scheduled for next month in Annapolis.  First, it was to be in early November...the latest I have read is that it might now be held in early December.  There is a lot of jockeying going on as to what are the important issues to be put on the table.  And will Israel and the Palestinian Authority reach some type of agreement even before the summit begins?  Will Jerusalem become, once again, a divided city?  Will the Palestinians gain control over all of the Old City?  What will that do for Christians wanting access to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre or to Jews wishing to pray at the Western Wall?  It seems the questions are many...the answers are few.  I am so glad that God is in control, aren't you?

For our continuing study in the Gospel of John, I would invite you to turn to a very familiar story.  It is found in the third chapter.  We know it as the dialogue between Jesus and Nicodemus.  What do we know about the man named Nicodemus?  First, the Bible tells us that he was a member of the Pharisees.  He was a member of an elite group of men who had taken a pledge that they would spend all their lives observing every detail of the scribal law.  And, as we will see later in our study of John, these men got to be very picky about their rules and regulations.  Second, the Bible tells us that Nicodemus was a member of the Jewish ruling council known as the Sanhedrin.  This was like the Supreme Court for the Jews.  The Sanhedrin had religious jurisdiction over very Jew.  It had the power to deal with anyone suspected of being a false prophet or who swayed from the norms of Jewish religious life and thought.  Nicodemus held a very powerful position.  Finally, we will read in John 19:39 that Nicodemus was very rich.  He assisted Joseph in the burial of Jesus, purchasing one hundred pounds of spices and burial supplies that probably cost in the neighborhood of over $5,000. 

Now I find it very interesting that this very important person chose to come to Jesus in the middle of the night.  The Bible does not tell us the reasons for this decision, but it is fun to speculate.  Perhaps it was Nicodemus wanted to be sure of an uninterrupted interview.  He knew that Jesus was very busy during the day, and so waited until nightfall when Jesus was not quite as busy.  Or, perhaps it was a matter of not knowing how long Jesus was going to be in Jerusalem and so taking those moments when they were available.  Nicodemus was willing to forgo sleep so that he might have time with Jesus.  (Lesson here, by the way: We need to seek Jesus while He may be found; sometimes it might mean that we must give up something we might rather do).  But, I think a more probable answer is that Nicodemus came in the middle of the night because he was fearful of what his colleagues might think and say if they knew he was with Jesus.  Nicodemus had a love for the truth, but he was a rather timid soul.  (Note: Later in John we will read where Nicodemus takes a more public stance for Jesus - John 7:50-52). 

Why did Nicodemus come to Jesus.  The statement he makes in verse 2 is very interesting.  It is almost like Nicodemus wants to find out more about Jesus.  He states that he knows that Jesus is someone very special...even admitting that Jesus came from God.  Then he states the reason for such an admission...the miracles Jesus had performed screamed that Jesus was someone very different.  I usually tell my students that I think Nicodemus came to Jesus to discuss religion.  But, Jesus knew that religion was not what Nicodemus needed.  He needed a changed life.

Jesus knew that the real problem was on the inside of Nicodemus.  He needed to understand that there could be no entrance into the kingdom of God unless there had been a change in his nature.  And, now Jesus introduces a term that has almost come to be synonymous with salvation...being born again.  What does it mean for a person to be born again?  Well, birth is the beginning of life; therefore being born again is the beginning of a new life.  But we cannot simply patch up the building on the old foundation.  We must have a new foundation upon which to build a new building.  You might remember that the Apostle Paul said that "we are new creation" (2 Corinthians 5:17). 

Beginning in verse 4, the dialogue becomes very interesting.  Nicodemus, very proud of his Jewish birth, asks an important question: How can I be born again?  This is not a question raised in arrogance.  But it is a question raised out of ignorance of spiritual truth.  I believe Nicodemus truly wanted to know.  In verses 5-8, Jesus answers that important question.  Jesus basically says to Nicodemus, "You can't do this by yourself.  You have already figured that out.  This is something that only God can do for you."  You see, man cannot change himself.  Only God can change a man through the workings of the Holy Spirit.  Becoming a member of God's kingdom could not be achieved through keeping rules and regulations, which is the game plan Nicodemus and the other Pharisees were operating under.  No, in order to become a member of God's kingdom a person had to surrender himself wholly to God.  In other words, he had to start over again...being born again. 

In verse 9, Nicodemus questions the validity of what Jesus has just said.  Jesus immediately rebukes him for not knowing.  As a religious leader Nicodemus should have known those Old Testament passages that described God's new creation, i.e. new heart (Ezekiel 18:31; Ezekiel 36:26).  In verse 11 Jesus simply says, "Nicodemus, trust Me, I know what I am talking about.  You can count on Me to tell you the truth."  And, finally, in verses 13-15, Jesus authenticates His message.  He has come from heaven.  No one else can speak authoritatively from God for no one else has ever come directly from God as did Jesus.  He also shares with Nicodemus how this new birth will be made possible...through His own death. 

Was Nicodemus ever born again?  The Bible does not directly answer that question.  But in the passages alluded to previously - John 7 and John 19 - it would appear that he did.  So, the midnight meeting was successful.  Nicodemus did not discover more about religion...but he entered into a relationship with the Son of God.  And, what a difference it made in his life.

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK: Be contemporary but do not be prisoners of the present.
 (John C. Bennett)