The Basics of Christianity -Nicodemus (part I)

BEGINNING OF SPIRITUAL THINGS

By Odon Bulamba (summary - 13th April, 01)

We are going to share about the beginnings of spiritual life. You cannot build a house if you don’t have a foundation and to have a good foundation you must dig up the ground. We know that physical life is the image of spiritual life and that both need good foundations. If the foundation is not good I don’t know how long your house will stand, that is why we are going to speak about the beginning of Christian life. We all know Jesus. One night a man named Nicodemus wanted to speak with Him.

John 3: 1-10
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 have come from God as a teacher: for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.” Jesus answered and said to 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? He cannot enter a second time into his mother womb and be born, can he?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter the kingdom of God. “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. “Do not be amazed that I said to you, “You must be born again.’ “The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going: so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” Nicodemus said to Him, “How can these things be?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and do not understand these things?

Nicodemus was a human being like you and me. We all need salvation for our lives. Nicodemus means to conquer. Nicodemus was a highly respected man for he knew the law and theology. Because he knew the Jewish law everybody feared him and called him master. When Jesus met him he was a Pharisee who wanted to re-title Moses law and forget about God’s presence in that law. He knew the law with his mouth but would not practice it. The Pharisees knew drinking alcohol to get drunk was a sin, but sometimes they drank. They would apply the law only if others were making the mistakes but for them it was alright and Nicodemus was one of them.

Nicodemus decided to visit Jesus. The first thing he did in order to visit Jesus was to forget he was a Pharisee. You and me, we have our church that we go to but church does not save anyone and the church is not the way to heaven. Church is a place where Christians can be together to be spiritually fed; to share God’s word, pray together and have a good knowledge of the faith.

Nicodemus was one believer among the Pharisees who put aside his doctrine in order to see the Lord. If you want to see the Lord you have to make a decision. A lot of Christians are ashamed to speak about Jesus. “If people saw me talking with Jesus I might be excommunicated from my church”. Nicodemus made a personal decision and decided to put aside what people thought. It is like you and me when we are saved, people say, “aren’t you drinking anymore? Why don’t you sin anymore”? You’ll think it is dumb to be a Christian and some people hide their Christianity. Nicodemus was a leader of the Jews but he put aside his authority. As Christians we must humiliate ourselves before Christ.

SUMMARY
- In order to see Jesus we have to put aside our pride, our church and what other people will say or think about us

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