Born again?
- Gary Fritsch
- Apr 28
- 2 min read
The day-by-day evidence is building. It's almost as though Peter and John, and to be honest, the whole early Christian community is providing an answer to Nicodemus' inquiry from today's Gospel: "How can a man once grown old be born again?"
Let's rewind just a little bit. Several months earlier, Jesus was threatened with stoning in the Temple area for overturning the tables, and for His claim that He was the Son of God. Afterward, as he considered what He was going to do about Lazarus' illness, He proposes returning to Jerusalem (actually through Jerusalem) and the Apostles are quick to caution him: "Rabbi, the Jews were just trying to stone you, and you want to go back there?” Important to note here that the Apostles had not been directly threatened yet were extremely fearful.
Now fast-forward to today's episode from Acts. Peter and John have been imprisoned and threatened but then released. Of course, given their past pattern of behavior, we know what they will do, right? Not go back there. Here is where we see that they are indeed NEW MEN; born again of WATER and THE SPIRIT. Their response now: "And now, Lord, take note of their threats,
and enable your servants to speak your word with all boldness." They pray that they will continue in the face of threats to continue to speak boldly, which is exactly what Jesus did. They were being molded into the form of Jesus Himself.
My friends, this is what our Baptism and Confirmation is MEANT TO DO for us - make us bold enough to be Christ-like. Consider the ways in which you have failed to live up to the name Christian. OK - that seemed a little harsh, but amongst friends I think we can all admit that we have failed in this regard in some way. I know that I have. Today, let us recognize that WE HAVE been born again, and like the Apostles pray for the fruits of that rebirth: "And now, Lord, take note of the things we fear, the unspoken threats that hold us in our silence and inaction, and enable your servants to speak and act with all boldness."
Comments