尼哥德慕遇见了耶稣。身为法利赛人（宗教领袖），尼哥德慕深谙遵守律法之道，他知道做一个忠心的犹太人意味着什么，他行事为人大概都会像一个忠心的犹太人那样。当尼哥德慕来见耶稣、希望多认识祂时，他或许预料耶稣会告诉他一些规条或要求，他可能想知道，“我当做什么事，才可以成为跟从你的人呢？”
耶稣以意想不到的方式来回应尼哥德慕。耶稣告诉他，他必须重生。如果我们熟识约翰福音3章这段经文，我们或许看不出，尼哥德慕对这个说法会感到何等惊讶，然而，尼哥德慕“岂能再进母腹生出来吗？”这句话却提醒我们，他实在感到非常惊讶。
耶稣解释说，祂所说的是灵命的重生，而不是肉体的重生。耶稣所赐的新灵命是如此完美和包罗万有，所以祂称之为重生。单单遵守几条新法则是不足够的，耶稣赐给我们的乃是更美好的：一个崭新的开始。
像对尼哥德慕一样，因着神奇妙的赦免和慈爱，耶稣也会赐给你重生和新生命带来的喜乐。
耶稣基督，我赞美你，因你到来拯救我和赐我新生命；求你藉着你的圣灵叫我重生，好叫我的生命满有信心、盼望、和爱心。奉你的名祈求，阿们。
约翰福音 3:1-15
1有一个法利赛人，名叫尼哥迪慕，是犹太人的官。
2这人夜里来见耶稣，说：“拉比，我们知道你是由神那里来做师傅的，因为你所行的神迹，若没有神同在，无人能行。”
3耶稣回答说：“我实实在在地告诉你：人若不重生，就不能见神的国。”
4尼哥迪慕说：“人已经老了，如何能重生呢？岂能再进母腹生出来吗？”
5耶稣说：“我实实在在地告诉你：人若不是从水和圣灵生的，就不能进神的国。
6从肉身生的就是肉身，从灵生的就是灵。
7我说你们必须重生，你不要以为稀奇。
8风随着意思吹，你听见风的响声，却不晓得从哪里来，往哪里去。凡从圣灵生的，也是如此。”
9尼哥迪慕问他说：“怎能有这事呢？”
10耶稣回答说：“你是以色列人的先生，还不明白这事吗？
11我实实在在地告诉你：我们所说的是我们知道的，我们所见证的是我们见过的，你们却不领受我们的见证。
12我对你们说地上的事，你们尚且不信，若说天上的事，如何能信呢？
13除了从天降下仍旧在天的人子，没有人升过天。
14摩西在旷野怎样举蛇，人子也必照样被举起来，
15叫一切信他的都得永生。
Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” - John 3:3
Nicodemus met Jesus. As a Pharisee (a religious leader), Nicodemus was very good at following rules. He knew what it meant to be a faithful Jew, and he probably acted like a faithful Jew most of the time. When Nicodemus approached Jesus to learn more about him, he might have been expecting Jesus to tell him about some rules or requirements. He might have been wondering, “What do I have to do to be your follower?”
Jesus responded to Nicodemus in an unexpected way. Jesus told him that he must be born again. If we are familiar with these verses in John 3, we might not realize how shocking this idea must have been for Nicodemus. But Nicodemus reminds us how shocking it was when he said, “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”
Jesus explained that he was talking about a spiritual rebirth, not a physical one. The new spiritual beginning that Jesus offers is so complete, so all-encompassing, that he called it being born again. It’s not enough to follow a few new rules. Jesus offers us something better: a fresh start.
As he did for Nicodemus, Jesus offers you the joy of being born again, the joy of a fresh start at life because of God’s amazing forgiveness and love.
Jesus Christ, I praise you for coming to save me and to give me new life. By your Holy Spirit, give me new birth that results in a life of faith, hope, and love. In your name, Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
