Before …

Before you set your plans … to make your money, to buy your house, to set off on your American dream

Before …

Before you pick your perfect love, your perfect love story, and your perfect dream

Before …

Before you plan your perfect vacation, your perfect party, your perfect Eutopia to live in and live your best life

Pick your perfect God

Because the rest of this … can NEVER, EVER, EVER … be PERFECT

Never worship or pursue a god who will never fill you up.

Your life … will end up empty

John 3 1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council.2 He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him.”

3 In reply Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.”  4 “How can a man be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!”

5 Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”  9 “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.  10 “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things?11 I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony.12 I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?13 No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven–the Son of Man.14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,15 that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.

16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

I have always wondered about Nicodemus.  I think that he was a “good” guy.  I think that he wanted the best for others.  I think that, though he saw flaws in the system, he looked beyond them and tried to do his best.

But sometimes … looking past the very system that is breaking others is exactly what we shouldn’t do.

And so Nicodemus pursued this Jesus to question Him.  In the dark of night.

Sometimes, our encounters with Jesus need to be at night.  Because when we get to see our broken view, we will surely not want others to see us.

But Jesus … He’ll meet us.

And He will meet us with honesty.

Because much has changed … But one thing has not:  

John 3  16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Our lives, and all they carry, can only hold on to ONE THING as we go forward.  And that’s Jesus.

In The Name of the Father and the 

Son and the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

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Coach J