Late One Night

Late One Night

By Shirley Mitchell

“Late one night he visited Jesus and said, ‘Rabbi, we all know you're a teacher straight from God.  No one could do all the God-pointing, God-revealing acts you do if God weren't in on it.’ ”

John 3:2 (The Message)

Nicodemus was one of the Pharisees, a group of religious leaders in Israel. We met these leaders when we studied John the Baptist. They are easy to pick out of the crowd for they were the ones pointing their fingers and bearing the proud faces. They were the dry ones - physically and spiritually - too pious to accept the invitation of baptism by John. Nicodemus was a member of a group of 70 men who had given their lives to study and obey the Law of Moses and follow the traditions. He was a man of prominence, wealth, and power. He could have summoned Jesus to his home or addressed Him in the temple. However, he chose to come in the shadows of night.

Isn’t it interesting that Nicodemus sought Jesus in the cover of night?  Scholars conjecture many reasons why the visit was after darkness settled. Most Pharisees studied the Torah at night after a day’s work in the temple. Or maybe he wanted a private conversation with Jesus’ full attention and no interruptions. Or was it because he was too afraid of his peers and coworkers to be seen with Jesus? I think it was fear. I picture him looking over his shoulder to make sure no one was watching and pulling his prayer shawl over his head to conceal his face. I wonder if he sneaked past the Romans who guarded Jerusalem or if he had the influence to move freely.

I lived the first part of my life with a desire to keep my faith in Jesus to myself. In college, I was so embarrassed when my older sister placed a bumper sticker on my mother’s convertible. The sticker said “Jesus Lives.” She branded the most hip car that we ever owned in the family declaring to everyone that we were Christians. My, oh my, isn’t it interesting how God can change a heart? Not only would I proudly have that bumper sticker on my car, I want it to be the neon sign of my life! How I long to use my frail mouth with His mighty Spirit to tell precious souls that Jesus really does live today.

Consider what Nicodemus was thinking that led him to visit Jesus. He watched the crowds as they listened to Jesus. He never held their attention like Jesus did. Jesus used simple words, but He taught with power. Nicodemus, Israel’s teacher, had never performed one miracle. He had to visit Him and understand how this could be. It would be too bold, and possibly foolish, to talk to Him where the other guys could see. 

He was drawn to Jesus because He knew that He was a teacher sent straight from God. No one could do the God-pointing, God-revealing acts Jesus was doing without God’s involvement. Jesus was pointing the people to God! Jesus came to reveal God to man and to be His Messenger to us! Jesus replied to Nicodemus in verse 3 of the Message, “You’re absolutely right.”

Do you think he accepted Jesus as Savior as a result of this encounter? God’s Word does not tell us directly. We can only guess by his actions. Nicodemus and Jesus met publicly soon after this private meeting. In John 7:45-52, Nicodemus stands up to the Pharisees who want to bring Jesus in because they think He has deceived the people about the Law. He plays it safe, sticks to the Law, and says, “Does our law condemn anyone without first hearing him to find out what he is doing?"

The third encounter helps us to be more certain about Nicodemus’ faith. After Jesus died on the cross, Joseph of Arimathea, a secret disciple who feared the Jews, asked Pilate for His body. With Pilate’s permission he took the body and prepared it for burial with Nicodemus. They brought myrrh and aloes and wrapped the body with strips of linen according to Jewish customs. Both men risked judgment by the religious leaders if it was revealed that they were followers of Jesus. Additionally, Jesus was crucified as a criminal and enemy of Rome. It was dangerous, but they were convinced of who He was and stood for the truth. 

Aren’t you proud of our shadow walker? His life was changed by the courage that it took one late night to come to Jesus. Later, he took a greater step of courage to risk his life to be involved with Jesus. He did it! Oh, precious one, may you and I be willing to risk something precious to us for the most precious thing in all life – Jesus! May no one be confused about our alliances. May it be evident to all who observe our lives that we believe in Jesus Messiah and live for Him!

Pray with me: Oh, God, we worship You! We exalt You. Give us the courage to seek You even though the crowd may not. Give us the desire to want to understand the deep things of You. May it be obvious whom we are in covenant relationship with. It’s in the Name above all names, in Jesus’ Name, Yeshua’s Name, we pray. Amen.

Excerpt from the Jesus Lives Bible study

Born Again

Born Again
By Shirley Mitchell
“In reply Jesus declared, ‘I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.’
‘How can a man be born when he is old?’ Nicodemus asked. ‘Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!’
Jesus answered, ‘I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.’ ”
John 3:3-5

When Jesus met with Nicodemus late one night, He told him that he must be “born again” in order to see the kingdom of God. Being “born again” made no sense to Nicodemus. Nicodemus thought his first birth as a Jew would be sufficient to enter the kingdom of heaven. Jesus did not say position, power, religious acts, knowledge of the Law, or adherence to traditions would save Nicodemus. If works could grant you access to heaven, this man had the credentials to be escorted in. Religion will not get you to heaven. Reforming our behavior does not save us. Ephesians 2:8-9 says that we are saved by grace through faith, not from ourselves, but it is a gift of God, not by works so that no one can boast. His Word tells us doing good works does not save us. It is by God’s grace through faith. The Holy Spirit reveals this grace and Jesus as Savior.

Jesus used the wind to explain spiritual rebirth. We know the wind exists even though we can’t see it. We see its effects like leaves of the trees shaking. We hear the wind hissing. We feel the wind on our faces. Wind can’t be tamed nor controlled by man; neither can the Spirit of God. We see the results of the Spirit of God. No one can come to Christ unless the Holy Spirit draws her to the cross, and she is born again.

Jesus showed Nicodemus the road to freedom… No longer bound in chains of the religious rules...No more emptiness...Only the compulsion to serve and obey the one you love for your safety and benefit…Born again people are transformed people. They are new creations. Their actions are changed from the moment they first believed. Don’t make the mistake of believing every sinful desire is removed. God will leave some of that old nature for Him to refine later and for us to learn to depend on Him.

To illustrate how to be born again, Jesus referred to a familiar story for any Jewish teacher. This event happened while the children of Israel wandered in the desert for 40 years and is recorded in Numbers 21:4-9. Venomous snakes were biting and killing the people and many Israelites died. God told Moses to place a snake on a pole. So Moses put a bronze snake on a pole. Anyone who was bitten by a snake looked at the bronze snake and lived.

God gave the Israelites a physical picture of a spiritual concept. He showed the salvation His Son would bring to the Jewish people and all mankind. All of mankind, including you and me, has been bitten by sin. Sometimes it is hard to see ourselves as sinful because we can seem like pretty good people. However, James 2:10 says, “For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.”

Just one lie...Just one prideful desire to exalt oneself...It takes a perfect score. It is impossible for us. Every person has contracted the deadly disease and desperately needs the cure. The righteous and holy God, who judges sin, knew we could not be perfect. He sent His Son to be lifted up on the cross like the serpent on the pole as our symbol of sin. He bore all of our sins. Through the cross, Jesus cleansed away the sins of every person who believes in Him. God offers to us the choice to look to His Son who hung on a cross, a pole. If we accept Jesus and believe in Him, then we will not perish but have eternal life. You and I will be born again. He is the cure for death.

A few years ago, my very good friend Jennifer shocked me by calling me on the phone to tell me that she had been saved. “WHAT?” We had prayed earnestly together every week and conducted Bible studies for teen girls together. She appeared to do all of the right things, but inside she was missing something. She said she had head knowledge but not the heart knowledge. Her salvation shocked everyone who knew her. I learned not to assume someone is saved - even if I’m praying with her or serving Him with her. Only God knows the heart. I ask everyone so I must ask you. Are you saved? Do you have any doubt?

If you have doubts and you feel the tug drawing you to the cross, then today is the day. That tug is the Holy Spirit. Do not stop reading this now, and say you will come back to it later. Deal with it now. Ask God to give you the words to say, or pray the prayer below. Repeating these words without meaning them does not save you. These words are only expressing outwardly what is happening in your heart. If you have no doubts at all, then pray this prayer in remembrance of the time that you accepted Jesus as Savior. Remember your salvation and praise Him for your certainty of a life in heaven.

Pray with me: LORD, God of heaven and earth, I know Jesus was Your Son sent to earth. He lived a perfect life and died on the cross as payment for my sins. Then He rose again and ascended into heaven. I am so sorry for the things I have done. I do not want to live in sin anymore. I repent of my sins and ask You for forgiveness. I believe the Truth stated in Romans 10:9 – that if I “Confess with my mouth ‘Jesus is Lord’ and believe You, God, raised Him from the dead, I will be saved.” I do not ask merely to be a resident in heaven. I ask because I desire to be in Your presence and to be with You forever. In the Name of my Savior, my Redeemer and King, Jesus, I pray. Amen.

Copyright ©2009 Christ Compels
Excerpt from the Jesus Lives Bible study

Late One Night

Late One Night
By Shirley Mitchell

"Late one night he visited Jesus and said, 'Rabbi, we all know you're a teacher straight from God. No one could do all the God-pointing, God-revealing acts you do if God weren't in on it.' "
John 3:2 (The Message)

Nicodemus was one of the Pharisees, a group of religious leaders in Israel. We met these leaders when we studied John the Baptist. They are easy to pick out of the crowd for they were the ones pointing their fingers and bearing the proud faces. They were the dry ones - physically and spiritually - too pious to accept the invitation of baptism by John. Nicodemus was a member of a group of 70 men who had given their lives to study and obey the Law of Moses and follow the traditions. He was a man of prominence, wealth, and power. He could have summoned Jesus to his home or addressed Him in the temple. However, he chose to come in the shadows of night.

Isn't it interesting that Nicodemus sought Jesus in the cover of night? Scholars conjecture many reasons why the visit was after darkness settled. Most Pharisees studied the Torah at night after a day's work in the temple. Or maybe he wanted a private conversation with Jesus' full attention and no interruptions. Or was it because he was too afraid of his peers and coworkers to be seen with Jesus? I think it was fear. I picture him looking over his shoulder to make sure no one was watching and pulling his prayer shawl over his head to conceal his face. I wonder if he sneaked past the Romans who guarded Jerusalem or if he had the influence to move freely.

I lived the first part of my life with a desire to keep my faith in Jesus to myself. In college, I was so embarrassed when my older sister placed a bumper sticker on my mother's convertible. The sticker said "Jesus Lives." She branded the most hip car that we ever owned in the family declaring to everyone that we were Christians. My, oh my, isn't it interesting how God can change a heart? Not only would I proudly have that bumper sticker on my car, I want it to be the neon sign of my life! How I long to use my frail mouth with His mighty Spirit to tell precious souls that Jesus really does live today.

Consider what Nicodemus was thinking that led him to visit Jesus. He watched the crowds as they listened to Jesus. He never held their attention like Jesus did. Jesus used simple words, but He taught with power. Nicodemus, Israel's teacher, had never performed one miracle. He had to visit Him and understand how this could be. It would be too bold, and possibly foolish, to talk to Him where the other guys could see.

He was drawn to Jesus because He knew that He was a teacher sent straight from God. No one could do the God-pointing, God-revealing acts Jesus was doing without God's involvement. Jesus was pointing the people to God! Jesus came to reveal God to man and to be His Messenger to us! Jesus replied to Nicodemus in verse 3 of the Message, "You're absolutely right."

Do you think he accepted Jesus as Savior as a result of this encounter? God's Word does not tell us directly. We can only guess by his actions. Nicodemus and Jesus met publicly soon after this private meeting. In John 7:45-52, Nicodemus stands up to the Pharisees who want to bring Jesus in because they think He has deceived the people about the Law. He plays it safe, sticks to the Law, and says, "Does our law condemn anyone without first hearing him to find out what he is doing?"

The third encounter helps us to be more certain about Nicodemus' faith. After Jesus died on the cross, Joseph of Arimathea, a secret disciple who feared the Jews, asked Pilate for His body. With Pilate's permission he took the body and prepared it for burial with Nicodemus. They brought myrrh and aloes and wrapped the body with strips of linen according to Jewish customs. Both men risked judgment by the religious leaders if it was revealed that they were followers of Jesus. Additionally, Jesus was crucified as a criminal and enemy of Rome. It was dangerous, but they were convinced of who He was and stood for the truth.

Aren't you proud of our shadow walker? His life was changed by the courage that it took one late night to come to Jesus. Later, he took a greater step of courage to risk his life to be involved with Jesus. He did it! Oh, precious one, may you and I be willing to risk something precious to us for the most precious thing in all life - Jesus! May no one be confused about our alliances. May it be evident to all who observe our lives that we believe in Jesus Messiah and live for Him!

Pray with me: Oh, God, we worship You! We exalt You. Give us the courage to seek You even though the crowd may not. Give us the desire to want to understand the deep things of You. May it be obvious whom we are in covenant relationship with. It's in the Name above all names, in Jesus' Name, Yeshua's Name, we pray. Amen.

Excerpt from the Jesus Lives Bible study

Copyright 2009 © Christ Compels