‘Get a life!’
The Apostle Paul in Ephesians Chapter 2 uses an interesting word. The word is “quickened.” It means to come alive, the opposite of being dead — and to be made alive for a purpose.
Nicodemus, the man who came to Jesus at night asked the question, “How can I experience life? I don’t know what I need but I need something!” Jesus told him that he had to be born again. What does that mean to you? you poll 100 people you might get a few to agree, but most would have their own opinion. One thing we do know — being born is a very personal experience, and being born again is as well. You can’t be born for someone else and can’t be born again by proxy. Nicodemus understood that fact! It’s much more than feeling. Most people at one time or another have experienced religious feelings. On special days like Easter, Christmas, Mother’s Day, and Memorial Day feeling is high. Many have had emotional highs during revivals or crusades or religious concerts, or even watching videos. Crowds come forward. They shake hands, sign a card, repeat a prayer, cry, join the church, they make a turnaround, decisions are counted and recorded, and it’s wonderful. The cost is not important, it’s worth the price — but are they born again? Are they made alive? Let’s hear what Jesus says to Nicodemus. Jesus was talking to a scholar. Nicodemus was in advanced studies, graduate school, but the language that Jesus used wasn’t part of what his church taught him! “Born again” wasn’t in his study book. For some reason the experience wasn’t required If in his church.
Nicodemus knew that he needed something or someone. He needed to know more and came to Jesus. Verse 2 calls Him “a teacher sent from God.” Nicodemus wanted to know God and sense the presence of God. “No man can do these miracles unless God is with him!”
Nicodemus went from a religion to a desire to taste reality. He acknowledged the supernatural. We’re talking about a new beginning — a quickening. When a person is born again he sees, hears, feels and understands what he never saw, felt, heard, or understood before!
The word quickened is descriptive. Christ is the only one in history that could claim to be Life. Made alive in Christ. Nicodemus came to the Source to become alive — to be released from stagnation and death. To be born again is to be saved from a meaningless bondage. Saved by Christ. It’s a good word. Sin is a waste and sin wastes. Sin is a lie. Sin destroys any good in me! Being born again is more than being reformed or rehabilitated. We, by nature, are born in sin — and so the seed is in us. There has to be a change of nature. You must be recognizable as a new man or a new woman. Unless there is a visible change, there is not new birth!
Jesus is too big to be ignored. He is not a myth. He is an offense to the world. That’s why His Name, and His Book, and His Word is not welcomed in public. He’s real. A real choice. The only choice for life! When you are born again your life is redirected and you do what He wants you to do. A born-again person puts Jesus first at all times. It’s not optional. It’s essential!