The Everyday Prayer

• Re:Verse passage – Mark 1:4-5, 9-11; Acts 8:9-13, 34-39 (day three)

⁹ But there was a man named Simon, who had previously practiced magic in the city and amazed the people of Samaria, saying that he himself was somebody great. 

Here in this Re:Verse section of Acts, we find a man (Simon) that thinks very highly of himself. The man was, no doubt, a very popular man and had followers (disciples) of his own. The people that followed him and observed him even compared him to the power of God. Luke tells us that Simon heard Philip’s preaching and observed his miracles; and he believed and was baptized. But then Luke keys us in on how the man followed Philip, constantly being amazed by the great works that were done.

Did Simon truly believe in God or was he more enthralled with the power on display by Philip? He obviously was drawn to power as he called himself a great man. We are not told if Simon praised the Lord after converting. But Luke is quick to point out later in this chapter that the Ethiopian eunuch went on praising the Lord even after Philip was whisked away by the Holy Spirit.

Jesus alluded to this kind of belief in John 2:23-25. Many people saw Jesus perform miraculous signs and wonders and trusted in Him. But Jesus also knew that many of those same people were not true believers because He knew what was in their hearts. They were amazed at the things Jesus could do, but were unchanged in their own lives because of what they observed. Take a survey of your heart with the Lord right now. Why are you following Him? Why do you trust Him? Are you changed by the Lord, or are you merely following an idea of Him? Do you fall in more with Simon or with the Ethiopian man?

Re:Verse passage – Mark 1:4–5, 9–11; Acts 8:9–13, 34–39
(day two) 

As they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch said, “Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?”

How does baptism figure in to discipleship? Like so many other things we do, it points to Jesus. He did it, he demonstrated how we are to act and behave, and it signals to others not only our obedience, but a symbol of our new life as well. We must continue to fight the rhetoric that faith is a quiet personal matter that doesn’t impact others. Jesus publicly called his disciples, and he was baptized for all to see. Our lives should be oriented around a living declaration of who Christ is to us, and what he has done for us. Baptism is a way to demonstrate that.

We are currently finishing our Mission Choir Tour to Boston. You would be so proud of our youth and the way they have demonstrated their faith to others in very bold ways. It is a privilege to watch them grow as disciples.

Re:Verse passage – John 3:1-9 (day seven) 

Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews; this man came to Jesus by night… John 3:1-2a

Why did Nicodemus come to Jesus by night? It is commonly taught that he was avoiding being seen by his religious counterparts. The first verse lets us know that he was a prominent member of the Jewish community. Had he gone to Jesus during the day, word would have spread quickly that he was there. The other stance you could take was that Nicodemus knew that this was his best shot to have an uninterrupted moment with Jesus. No matter the initial reason, this is what he got: time with Jesus. It wasn’t immediate, but it was this time with Jesus that changed his life forever.

When Jesus was taken down from the cross, Nicodemus was there: Nicodemus, who had first come to Him by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds weight. 

Discipleship is all about planting seeds. Nicodemus came to Jesus timid and unsure, but by the end of Jesus’ ministry, he was bold and confident. Why? Time with Jesus is never wasted. Time with Jesus will always bring change.

Re:Verse passage – John 3:1-9  (day six)

No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us. 1 John 4:12

Every disciple must eventually reckon with Jesus, just as Nicodemus did. His questions were sincere, but Jesus invited him beyond curiosity to transformation. That conversation raises an important question for us: Isn’t this the heart of disciple-making? We become the kind of people through whom others encounter Christ.

John later writes, “No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us.” (1 John 4:12) The invisible God becomes visible as His love is perfected in His people. Others may never sit across from Jesus as Nicodemus did, but they will sit across from us. They will hear our words, observe our lives, and experience our love. What will they discover about Christ? May we so abide in Him that others are drawn to reckon with the same Jesus who transformed Nicodemus.

 

Re:Verse passage – John 3:1-9  (day four)  How does our Re:Verse passage make you feel?  Hopeful? Inquisitive? Confused? Relieved?  Nicodemus exhibits some of these emotions.

We are privy to his honest conversation with Jesus. We get to see and sense the savior’s heart and kindness towards those who are genuinely seeking Him. Jesus demonstrates patience, gentleness and truthfulness to Nicodemus. Don’t leave out the last one. Above all else, even bringing confusion and tension, Jesus points to and tells Nicodemus the truth.

For me, I tend to feel alarmed. Here’s one of the most religious men that you will ever meet. A devout knower and keeper of the scriptures. A religious leader. He was extremely religious but not redeemed- born again. Had tons of scriptural knowledge. Knew and followed the scriptures devoutly. Yet, he was NOT a believer.  Jesus hones in on it from the start. It’s a warning that we all must heed. This rebirth and new life happens internally. In the heart- a place where priorities, values, actions and attitudes are formed. Leading to trust and surrender. Nicodemus had missed it. What he had in his head and his mind had not transformed his heart.

But, I am also encouraged that Jesus goes straight to the truth that Nicodemus must hear and wrestle with- being born again. When I am confused or am unaware of God’s truth and wisdom, I am encouraged that God through His Spirit will challenge and confront me with the truth I must trust and follow. My honest conversations these days are in large part, daily asking and begging the Lord to patiently and constantly show me the truth and wisdom I must follow and obey. What about you?  Are you willing to have an honest conversation with the Lord? Will you listen to the truth He will speak?

Re:Verse passage – John 3:1-9  (day four)

To be born again means to submit yourself to something new. When we are born in the first instance, we’re submitted to the flesh. Our natural tendency is to serve our fleshly desires, both the good and the bad. Though a life devoted to fulfilling your own desires at first sounds like freedom, it quickly shows itself to be a form of slavery. To submit to the flesh is to become a slave to the flesh. The initial fun of fulfilled cravings quickly gives way to an endless pursuit of chasing satisfaction that is always out of reach.

Nicodemus learns here that life in Christ requires submission to something else. When we’re born again by the Spirit, we are now to live in submission to that Spirit instead of the flesh. This is a completely different experience. We’re still “slaves” to something, but Romans 6 tells us that those who are in Christ are now “slaves to righteousness” and “slaves of God.” When we submit ourselves to the Spirit, we inherit God’s holiness and eternal life. A life of submission to the Spirit means a life of unique joy, hope, and peace that can’t be found anywhere else.

Following Jesus costs us something. It costs us our entire life. But it replaces our old life that was headed for death with a new life that is headed for eternity.

Re:Verse passage – John 3:1-9  (day three)

⁶ That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

In this after-dark conversation with Nicodemus, Jesus draws a figurative line in the sand. On one side of the line are true believers. On the other side are those that choose not to follow and love God. There is no area in between the two sides. You are either fully in or fully out. We are either born of the flesh (seeking to lift ourselves up) or born of the spirit (seeking to lift God up).

We know that, at this point in his life, Nicodemus knew everything there was to know about being a devout religious person. He could recite the scriptures, point out the ways to follow the Law, tell others what sacrifices were needed, and knew a myriad other things, but he did not know Jesus as his Lord. Jesus addressed this with Nicodemus. Head knowledge lands us on the side of the flesh. We can know all the right things to say at church. We can know all the ways to act to look like good followers. We can lie to ourselves and think we are doing okay. We can even believe the things we hear and read in the Bible but miss the main point of salvation and living for Jesus (even Satan believes Jesus died and rose from the grave, but he is not born again!).

So where does that leave you? For us to disciple others, we must first understand which side we are on. Which side of the line are you on? If you find yourself on the side of the flesh, do you have someone you can ask questions of like Nicodemus did? If you find yourself on the side of the spirit, do you have someone you are discipling to that side?

Re:Verse passage – John 3:1-9 (day two) 

Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?” v. 4

Each week during the children’s time in worship, we are answering questions that kids have asked Pastor Jimmy in the past few months. It is a lesson in discipleship, for sure. Kids have no guile, just inquisitive spirits. All of us have questions, but often, age and pride have often dulled our willingness to ask the questions. Nicodemus fought through his trepidation, and asked Jesus to explain how a man could possibly be born twice. Yes, he came at night and away from the crowds, but he found a way to get to Jesus with his questions. Notice that Jesus did not chastise him for the hour or location of the interview, and he was patient with this sincere inquiry. For Nicodemus, he took a great risk to come to Jesus. He was in a position where people expected him to have all the answers, and yet he was humble enough to recognize his need.

Along your journey of being a disciple you will likely find yourself in both positions. Someone will ask you a tough question. Recognize their vulnerability and help them; don’t make them feel ashamed for not knowing. At the same time, examine your own journey and find someone whom you trust; ask them the hard questions. Dig into the truth of scripture together. This is how we grow.