(I wanted to encourage you once again to check out our website, WWW.livingwordgreene.com for information, messages and more. I also want to ask you to check my Amazon book page. We have a number of books available, but I want to direct your attention to one in particular. It is my newest book, Divine Prosperity in Trying Economic Times. I have been doing this blog since 2009. In all that time, I have had the most comments and questions about the subject of tithing. Most have been good questions that I have tried to answer from my perspective on what the bible says about this subject. Some have disagreed with me. That is fine. I had a friend who used to say, “That is why there is more than just vanilla ice-cream.” This book contains what I believe about the tithe as well as a spiritual foundation for experiencing Divine prosperity. All purchases of my books will go to help us travel around the world helping churches and church leaders grow and prepare for the coming move of God.)
John 3:3 (NKJV) 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.”
This week we had the privilege of re-marrying a couple whose divorce had recently become final. They were originally married under difficult circumstances. She had a child already and they had two together. As often happens the marriage did not work out, but then she started coming to our church. God touched her, saved her and filled her with the Holy Spirit. Their son, I believe he is somewhere between 8 and 10, would ask almost weekly if we would pray that his father would come to church. The parents were not speaking much at the time but we agreed in prayer with the young man who wanted his family restored.
One week, his dad came. He was born again and filled with the Holy Spirit. After a number of weeks of prayer and searching their hearts, they believed it was the will of God for them to restore their family.
She did not have a “real” wedding the first time and she decided she wanted one this time. I am not much of a wedding person. That is my wife’s department. At first I thought, “They are really already married. We just need to take care of the legalities so there is no ‘resemblance of evil’ to the world.” The Lord rebuked me. He reminded me that these were not the two people who had been married before.
2 Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV) 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
They were new creatures and if she wanted a “New Creation” wedding, she should have it. They were starting all over again. They could not be “joined in the spirit” before but now they could!
Sunday after church, we had a full wedding ceremony. She walked down the aisle and her father gave her away. They exchanged vows and rings. Songs were sung and unity candles lit. I believe that God did a wonderful miracle in that service and a family that had been destroyed by divorce was established because the husband/father and wife/mother were born again in the spirit.
At the end, I did not just introduce the new couple to the congregation, as is tradition. I asked if they would mind if I called up the children as well. I told the church that we were introducing a new family not just a couple. This family has a new beginning because of the reality of the new birth!
Of course, I do not believe that all people who were married before salvation need to be remarried. This was something the Lord said to me about them. However, I want to share it with you because it emphasized to me the power and importance of the New Birth.
As I was sharing before the marriage ceremony, I talked about the first time this term was used. A man by the name of Nicodemus came to Jesus by night. He was a Pharisee. The Pharisees were the most powerful religious party of their day. They saw Jesus as a threat. They followed him and listened to his teachings to find a way to neutralize him.
Among them was Nicodemus. He knew there was something different about Jesus. He heard what the majority of the Pharisees said about him, but he needed to find out about this man for himself. Was he a prophet or a heretic? What did he really believe? What about the miracles he performed? The other Pharisees discounted these things but Nicodemus had to know more. He comes to Jesus by night because he knows he is risking his position and maybe his life by talking to him directly. He just does not feel he has an option.
I want to share a fictionalized account of Nicodemus’ encounter with Jesus. I like to put myself in the action of the bible. Let yourself become Nicodemus and listen to what Jesus says as if you have never heard the words “born again” before.
First Encounter
As Nicodemus left the strange meeting, his mind was filled with ideas and his heart with emotions. He thought back to the first time he had heard this young man speak. Nicodemus was a Pharisee and those of his party were called “Doctors of the law.” They believed it was their responsibility to protect the Law of Moses and the traditions of the elders. These two things kept Israel from becoming just another province swallowed up by the pagan Roman world. They were the chosen people of the one true God, and it was their duty to protect that identity.
When they first heard that yet another “prophet” had appeared, they decided to see for themselves what kind of threat this man posed. Was he a heretic, a revolutionary or just another would be leader seeking a following? When John, called the Baptist, had appeared, they had done the same with him. They concluded that he was not dangerous but watched him closely. His preaching on repentance from sin could hardly be challenged, and as he baptized he did not try to draw a following to himself. He proclaimed openly that he was not the one to come. The people saw him as a true prophet, so they decided to leave him alone
The new arrival had burst on the scene with John’s endorsement. This was more of a problem. John himself had proclaimed that this new prophet was the one who was to come. The implication was that this man was the Messiah. Many in Israel looked for the Messiah to bring them freedom from Rome. There was even some talk of a voice from heaven proclaiming him the Son of God himself. Upon further investigation, this had been proven just some random thunder. There were, however, the reports of healings and miracles. They were probably exaggerations or tricks, but these reports were so widespread they could not be completely ignored. Yes, they must see for themselves.
(We will continue tomorrow.)
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