March 22: A Miracle More Wondrous Than Physical Birth
♫ Music:
March 22 - March 28
Theme: Momentous Encounters
The Gospels record fascinating stories of Jesus’ conversations with a wide variety of colorful characters. These momentous encounters each emphasized distinctive aspects about the ministry and person of Christ, helping us understand Him better. What was it like to have a personal encounter with Christ during His earthly sojourn? One thing we know for certain is that each of these individuals found themselves changed forever after interacting with the living God.
Sunday, March 22
Scripture: John 3:1-5
Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
A MIRACLE MORE WONDROUS THAN PHYSICAL BIRTH
Nicodemus
By Carol Fleming Klein
Robed in black
Stepping slowly through silent stony streets
Covering his face from curious starlight
overhead
He guides his doubtful steps upward
and on the mountain finds
the Master waiting
Masking his doubts and saying slyly
'Teacher, we know you come from God'
Flattering to avoid Jesus' soul searching
inquiry, and pressing questions
But Christ
without regard to propriety and forms
and divining his intent
Straightway fitted arrow to the bow
and sent it piercing home
'Unless a man is born again
from Spirit life renewed
Coming, as a cautious lover wooed
to feel the gentle blowing
wind song of the Spirit
he walks in night,
forever alone.'
An expert in Jewish religion and rite offers Christ flattering remarks, and God's response? To tell him to be born again. On this night, in this matter Nicodemus’ training, reputation, students and knowledge do not matter. Here, Jesus does not begin a gradual conversation, offer a soft invitation, or employ friendship evangelism. Rather, Jesus knows what Nicodemus, a religious ruler, needs to hear. He directly unveils the deep and profound spiritual event necessary for seeing God's Kingdom. It’s not a change in philosophy, or attitude, or allegiance, not a sacrifice or offering. But a miracle; perhaps more wondrous than physical birth, a change so profound it is likened to re-entering the world. No one autonomously decided to enter the world, it simply happened to us. And likewise, Jesus teaches that being born of the water and the Spirit, cleansed by the Word of God and brought to life by the Spirit of God, mysteriously happens to us, and this is all that is required. Has it happened to you, Christian? Has Christ, the Incarnate Word, so cleansed you and His Spirit so drawn you to Himself? Then let us walk together not in darkness or night but in newness of light, as he is in the light. Let us have fellowship with one another that the blood of Christ may cleanse us all.
PRAYER
Jesus, thank you that you are more than a teacher, but that you worked the miracle of our re-birth. How deeply mysterious and wonderful, that you who made us once physically have re-made us again spiritually, giving us spiritual eyes and spiritual sight. Help us everyday to not only see but to show and shine your light and love to the world, until you return. Amen.
Behzad Varamini, Assistant Professor of Biological Science
Study for Nicodemus Visiting Jesus
Henry Ossawa Tanner
1899
Private collection
Oil on canvas
About the Artist & Art
Henry Ossawa Tanner (1859-1937) was one of the first African-American painters to gain international acclaim. Born to a minister in the African Methodist Episcopal Church, religious themes pervaded much of Tanner’s work. After training at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in Philadelphia, he moved to Paris in 1891 and decided to stay there, as he was readily accepted in French artistic circles. Tanner took a pilgrimage to the Holy Land and responded to his journey with powerful paintings of the life of Christ. The story of Nicodemus visiting Christ at night spoke to African American worship habits that Tanner remembered from his youth: after emancipation, freed slaves continued to meet at night, as they had done when their masters had forbidden them to read the Bible. He painted this secret nighttime meeting many times, with Nicodemus sitting in submission at the feet of Jesus in later ones. Themes of race and status pervade many of his Biblical paintings.
About the Music
God So Loved the World lyrics
God so loved the world
That He gave His one and only Son
That anybody who believes in Him will have
Everlasting life
God so loved the world
Every man and woman
Every boy and girl
God so loved the world
About the Musicians
Aaron Shust (b. 1975) is a three-time Dove Award winning singer-songwriter from Pennsylvania. He studied music theory at Toccoa Falls College in Georgia, and released his first album in 2004, which debuted at #1 on the Christian music charts. He has since released five albums and one EP. God So Loved the World is from his album Morning Rises, which he wrote and released in the midst of dealing with his children’s serious health problems. He says, “Morning Rises, to me, represents hope. Morning Rises represents promise.”
http://aaronshust.com/site/
About the Poet
Carol Fleming Klein is an elementary teacher in California. She’s been writing since she was young and strives to reflect Psalm 45:1: “My heart is inviting a good matter; I speak of things which I have made touching the King: my tongue is the pen of a ready writer.” Klein's works also include sermons and inspirational stories.