February 24, 2013

The Miracle of Re-Birth

Both of my boys love to play with my iPhone. They use it to play games, watch cartoons and rearrange my previously organized applications. The truth is, they can find their way around that little phone better than many adults can. If I were to ask them how it operates, however, I’d likely get a shrug and then they’d be off to playing Angry Birds or watching SpongeBob.

There are some things in life that we just can’t explain. It may be that we just haven’t been educated in the subject matter enough or it may be that it is beyond our understanding all together. My dog, for instance, cannot fathom how I go to work and earn money in order to purchase food and dog treats for her to eat. All she knows is that I’m the one who supplies her food.

This is what Jesus meant when he told Nicodemus, “Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit” (John 3:7-8).
We may not understand how God does it, but when we place our faith in Jesus Christ a miracle happens. He supplies us with the Holy Spirit who makes us into new creations spiritually. Jesus calls it being born again and says that it must happen in order to enter the kingdom of heaven. We see the change in the person who comes to know Christ. They begin to desire God like they had not before, but we do not see the Holy Spirit himself nor completely understand how the Spirit performs the miracle of regeneration.

This revelation is not given by means of our own intellect, but rather by means of the Spirit of God. When we draw near to God in faith, He draws near to us. Though we may not fully comprehend the new birth, we can have confidence from God’s Word that if we call upon the Lord Jesus, we shall be born again!

- Scott Hescht

February 14, 2013

Was Jesus a Chauvinistic Sexist?

On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples. 3 When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” 4 And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” 5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” (John 2:1-5)

While at a wedding in Cana, Jesus’ mother realized that the banquet had run short on wine, so she informed Jesus in order that he use his power to do something about it. His response might be startling to some of our 21 Century ears. He answers, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.”

Wow that sounds like a strong rebuke; and what’s up with him addressing her as “woman”? The problem is that we naturally read into things we read, hear or see based on our previous assumptions and life experiences. We immediately are reminded of the abusive wife beaters or disrespectful sons that we may have witnessed in our lifetime. However, when Jesus refers to his mother as “woman”, it is an enduring term. We must take into account culture and time period. Jesus also uses the term several other times in John’s gospel in the same enduring manner (see John 19:26-27; 20:15). Another thing to remember is that we cannot hear his tone. Because of the word “woman” and the way we read into that term, we might hear a rather harsh sounding Jesus here. However, it is much more likely it was tender, especially by her reaction in implying to the servants that Jesus was about to act anyway.

So what was Jesus getting at then? Well, just because this was indeed a gentle rebuke, does not mean that it was not a rebuke. Since his baptism, Jesus had officially begun his ministry, and in a sense is distancing himself from his mother. What I mean is that Jesus is Mary’s son, but Jesus is Mary’s Lord. He must honor her in earthly matters, but she must honor him in heavenly matters. Her instructing Jesus to work a miracle is beyond the bonds of her role as his mother. It is according to his timing and his will; better yet according to his Heavenly Father’s timing and will.

The beautiful thing here though, is that Jesus acts anyway. He has compassion for his mother and for the wedding party and performs the first miracle in his ministry. What a miracle it was! He turned water into the finest of wines, showing that what Jesus has to provide is always the best! His grace, his undeserved favor toward those who believe, is the greatest blessing anyone could ever receive!

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