Good morning. Paul continues his message to King Agrippa. I
declared, even to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God,
performing deeds appropriate to repentance. That’s the same thing that John the
Baptist told the Pharisees when they came to be baptized. He tells how the Jews
wanted to put him to death, but he obtained help from God. I state nothing but
what the prophets and Moses said was going to take place; that the Christ was
to suffer, and that by reason of His resurrection from the dead He would be the
first to proclaim light both to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles. So Paul
has given King Agrippa the gospel in a nutshell, tailoring it to both Jews and
Gentiles. My Bible says that King Agrippa was allied with the Sadducees. Remember
that his relative, the first King Herod, was extremely upset when the Magi said
they were seeking the One born king of the Jews. While Paul was talking to King
Agrippa, he was also talking to Festus, who was a Gentile. Festus said, you are
out of your mind! Your great learning is driving you mad (probably as a result
of him talking about someone being resurrected from the dead). King Agrippa, do
you believe the Prophets? I know that you do. Agrippa replied, in a short time
you will persuade me to become a Christian. I would wish to God, that whether
in a short or long time, not only you, but also all who hear me this day, might
become such as I am, except for these chains. This man is not doing anything
worthy of death or imprisonment. He might have been set free if he had not
appealed to Caesar. That was the two edged sword of his appealing to Caesar. It
kept him from having to go to Jerusalem to stand trial and be killed on his
way; but now it means that he has to go to Rome. Father thank You for Your love
of the reader and his/her love of You. Guide him/her today and every day. Make
today go by very quickly.
Unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God
Good morning. While Jesus was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name, observing His signs which He was doing. Jesus was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men. Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. It doesn’t say, but I assume it is still during this time of the Passover. This man came to Jesus by night. Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do the signs that You do unless God is with him. It just said that the people believed in His name because of the signs He was doing; yet it does not say what those signs were. Unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God. That is why unbelievers cannot tell what is of the kingdom of God and what is not – they’re not born again. Nicodemus doesn’t have a clue. How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he? Unless one is born of water and the Spirit ...
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