PRAY IT! Street Hero - John 3.1-15

Spring is here.  (Well, it's Illinois... so... it's kind of here, sporadically.) New life is all around us.  The geese have cute little babies waddling along beside them.  The plants are starting to turn green.  Change is in the air.  New life is exciting.  

Trees get to shed their leaves and have new growth.

Caterpillars get to transform into butterflies.

Even snakes get to shed their skin.

New life is exciting.  Refreshing.  Exhilarating.  Rejuvenating.  

Have you ever wished you could get some of that?

In John 3.1-15, Jesus talks about how we can be born again... we must be born again.  It may not look quite like a snake shedding skin or a tree getting a bud.  But with Jesus, we have new life available to us.  

How then should we pray?  We should pray boldly, often, specifically, and with a sense of urgency.

According to The Expositor's Bible Commentary, there seems to be some question as to whether we are to look at Nicodemus and view him as one who was "attracted by Jesus' miracles but not openly committed to following him" or if Nicodemus was sincerely seeking out Jesus.

Regardless of what Nicodemus' intentions were, we can and should look to Jesus in this passage as we pray.  Jesus' intent is clear:

New life is possible.

New life is necessary.

1 Peter 1:3 states:  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!  According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead (ESV).

Spend some time in prayer as the Lord directs.  Perhaps you are in need of new life in Christ.  Accept him fully.  Lean in fully.  Perhaps you are experiencing new life in Christ.  Praise him fully.  It's okay to be excited!  Perhaps you have one or two people on your mind who are in need of new life.  Pray for them now.  Because this new life is possible.  And this new life is necessary.

Pastor Celia