Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

January 10
Saturday


TOO LATE TO
CHANGE?

READ:
John 3:1-8,13-16
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Nicodemus said to
[Jesus], "How can a
man be born when he
is old?" __John 3:4
______________________________________________________________________________________________________

There are sayings in many languages about the difficulty of changing long-established habits. In English, "You can't teach an old dog new tricks." In French, "ce n'est pas a' un vieux singe qu'on apprend a' faire la grimace" (You can't teach an old monkey how to pull a funny face). In Spanish, "El lor viejo no aprende a hablar" (An old parrot can't learn to speak).

When Jesus told Nicodemus that he must be "born again" to "see the kingdom of God," he replied, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?" (John 3:3-4). Professor and author Merill Tenney suggests that Nicodemus was saying in effect, "I acknowledge that a new birth is necessary, but I am too old to change. My pattern of life is set. Physical birth is out of the question and psychological rebirth seems even less probable....Is not my case hopeless?"

Jesus' reply included these words, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life" (v.16). That is the offer of new life and a new beginning for anyone, young or old.

Whatever our age or situation in life, with God's power, it's not too late to change. __David McCasland

`````````````````Father, old habits are hard to break, new ones```````````````
```````````````are harder to learn, and sometimes we don't want`````````````
````````````````to do either. Thank You for Your faithfulness to``````````````
```````````````````continue teaching us new ways, Your ways.``````````````
________________________________________________________________________________________
Because God is powerful, change is possible.

********************Today's Bible Reading __ John 3:1-8, 13-16

1 There was a man of the
Pharisees named
Nicodemus, a ruler of the
Jews. 2 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."

3 Jesus answered and said
to him, "Most assuredly, I
say to you, unless one is
born again, he cannot see
the kingdom of God."

4 Nicodemus said to Him,
"How can a man be born
when he is old?..."

5 Jesus answered,
Most
assuredly, I say to you,
unless one is born of water
and the Spirit, he cannot
enter the kingdom of God.

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

7 Do not marvel that I said
to you, 'You must be born
again.' 8 The wind blows
where it wishes, and you
hear the sound of it, but
cannot tell where it comes
from and where it goes. So
is everyone who is born of
the Spirit....

13 "No one has ascended to
heaven but he who came
down from heaven, that is,
the Son of Man who is in
heaven. 14 And as Moses
lifted up the serpent in the
wilderness, even so must the
Son of Man be lifted up,

15 that whoever believes in
Him should not perish but
have eternal life. 16 For God
so loved the world that He
gave His only begotten Son
that whoever believes in
Him should not perish but
have everlasting life."

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Nicodemus was one of Israel's religious rulers and leading teachers
(v.10). He apparently turned to Christ and even assisted Joseph of
Arimathea with Jesus' burial (19:38-39).