Believing in Jesus, trusting in his grace, and giving your life to him is the way to grow into yourself and have the life God intended for you. The story of Nicodemus in the Bible is an example.
One path people follow is to conform to expectations and attempt to succeed by the world’s standards. That was the path Nicodemus had taken. There’s nothing wrong with working hard or building a good career. It likely won’t give you the life you want. That is why Nicodemus sought out Jesus.
Another path people follow is to defy conventions and the world’s standards. It happens a lot today. People don’t have to live where they grew up, do the work their parents did, or adhere to the values they inherited. There is nothing wrong with being original, but there are two cautions. The first is that we often are not as original as we would like to think. When we avoid following tradition we wind up following fads. The other caution is that charting our own course likely won’t give you the life you want. The way to the life you want is the path Jesus sets before us. There are three key words that will help us understand this path: regeneration, spirit, and dedication.
Regeneration means you have to start over. At some point you make the decision to begin again. Jesus said as much when he told Nicodemus that no one inherits the kingdom of God unless they are born again. What this will mean to individuals will vary according according to their circumstances. The common factor is that everyone needs a new start.
Spirit refers to the power of the Holy Spirit in your life. To be born again means to be born from above. It’s not about a self-help project. It’s about being open to the power of God’s Holy Spirit to change your life and help you grow into who God wants you to be.
Dedication means giving your life to God. Nicodemus eventually became a disciple of Jesus. People who live for themselves eventually find themselves disappointed. People who live for others have the richest life imaginable. Dwight Moody said, “Give your life to God. He can do more with it than you can.”
In our sermon this Sunday we will look at the story of Nicodemus and what it means to grow into yourself.