June 15, 2023 • 24 mins
Have you ever wondered what it truly means to be born again and how it can transform your relationship with God? Join me, your cousin in Christ, as we embark on a journey to uncover the profound insights hidden within the story of Nicodemus. We'll dive into John, chapter 3, to explore Jesus' teachings on being born again spiritually and by water.
As we journey through this episode, we'll discuss the life-changing concept of being born again and its impact on our thoughts, actions, and interactions with others. Together, we'll learn how to articulate this transformative experience to others and grasp the importance of believing in Jesus, God's son, as our savior and the key to eternal life. So, grab your Bible, and let's embark on this enlightening journey, growing closer to God and becoming the vessels He desires us to be in this world.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Juantrell Lovette (00:30):
Let's talk about wealth.
Let's talk about greed.
Let's talk being broke, livingin poverty.
Let's talk about black.
Let's talk about white.
Let's talk about how we stillfight for our rights.
Let's talk government, sexgames and drugs.
Let's talk about God.
Let's talk about love.
Let's discuss our feelings.
Hey y'all, welcome to Bless ToBe Us.
I'm your cousin in Christ,Juantrell Lovette, and this is
(00:52):
Buji Bible Study.
If you are new here, i'd liketo welcome you to the number one
Bible Study class that you willever come across.
And if you are not new here,you already know how we get down
as we dive into the Bible andread a chapter a week.
Now you can dive into the Bibleas many times as you like.
You can simply pick up yourBible and read as many chapters
(01:14):
as you choose to.
I myself just like to make iteasy for those who do not dive
into the Bible much or who wantsto learn about a relationship
with God but just don't know how.
I make it easy for you and thatis why I am related through
Christ so that I could do a jobhere on earth, giving back the
best way that I can.
(01:34):
My purpose is to solely followGod and to allow Him to use me
every day that I give breath.
So I'm very thankful andhonored to be here and have this
platform that I've designed andcreated for my beautiful
cousins, who I'm related tothrough Christ.
I know that reading the Biblesometimes can not be ideal, and
(02:01):
I love the fact that I'm able togo into the Bible and dive into
the Bible using my Bibletracker and getting an
understanding of the stories inthe Bible, since they're so
important and vital for ourlives, to understand what Jesus
did for us or what God isspeaking to us about
individually.
Since we all can have arelationship with God, i see
(02:23):
it's no harm for us to actuallycome together in the best way
that we possibly can throughfaith, and treat each other with
love, like God would want us todo, and just be a helping hand
to each other the best way thatwe can.
I ain't gonna do too muchcheater-chat, but if you want to
check out any episode beforethis, go ahead and do so.
(02:44):
We're on episode 47, so we'vebeen doing this for some time,
and the episode that we'regetting into today, actually I
went over it in week 8.
So today's title for our classwill be John, chapter 3, and it
is Jesus Explains Born Again.
(03:05):
Now, if you want to hear thestory before which, i did it in
week 8, which episode, which isepisode 8, the title of that
episode was A Conversation withJesus.
Now, as I'm diving into week 47and I'm able to go over the
chapter that I went over in week8,.
I'm very intrigued andinterested to see what God is
(03:26):
speaking to me today about John,chapter 3, the way he explains
born again.
I know for some people, a lotof us, don't understand that
terminology and that term bornagain, because obviously you
cannot enter into your parentwomb and be born again.
But let's get into the storyand dive into it and see what
(03:48):
God is talking to you about,because he talked to us
individually about the word, noteven the word, the term, born
again.
So grab your Bibles Again.
we'll be in John, chapter 3.
You can read out any version youchoose to.
I read out an NIV versionbecause I have a Bible tracker
here that's helping meunderstand where I'm going to
(04:11):
dive deeper into it Again.
You can read out any versionyou choose to.
That's your business.
But if you're ready, i am too,and let's go.
Jesus teaches NicodemusNicodemus, i think that's his
name, nicodemus, i think.
I say it fast, it soundsNicodemus, but that's the title
of our chapter today.
Jesus teaches Nicodemus.
As we dive into Now, there was aPharisee, a man named Nicodemus
(04:35):
, who was a member of the Jewishruling council.
He came to Jesus at night andsaid Rabbi, we know that you are
a teacher who has come from God, for no one could perform the
signs you are doing if God werenot with him.
Jesus replied very truly.
I tell you, no one can see thekingdom of God unless they are
(04:56):
born again.
How can someone be born whenthey are old?
Nicodemus asked Surely theycould not enter a second time
into their mother's womb to beborn.
Jesus answered Very truly.
I tell you, no one can enterthe kingdom of God unless they
are born of water and spirit.
(05:18):
Flesh gives birth to flesh, butthe spirit gives birth to
spirit.
You should not be surprised atmy saying you must be born again
.
The wind blows wherever itpleases.
You hear its sound, but youcannot tell where it comes from
or where it is going.
So it is with everyone born ofthe spirit.
(05:40):
How can this be?
Nicodemus asked You are Israel'steacher, said Jesus.
And you do not understand thesethings Very truly.
I tell you we speak of what weknow and we testify to what we
have seen, but still you peopledo not accept our testimony.
I have spoken to you of earthlythings and you do not believe.
(06:02):
How, then, will you believe ifI speak of heavenly things?
No one has ever gone intoheaven except the one who came
from heaven, the Son of man.
Just as Moses lifted up thesnake into wilderness, so the
Son of man must be lifted upthat everyone who believes may
have eternal life in him.
(06:23):
For God so loved the world thathe gave his one and only Son
that whoever believes in himshall not perish but have
eternal life.
For God did not send his Soninto the world to condemn the
world, but to save the worldthrough him.
Whoever believes in him is notcondemned, but whoever does not
(06:45):
believe stands condemned alreadybecause they have not believed
in the name of God's one andonly Son.
This is the verdict.
Light has come into the world,but people love darkness instead
of light because their deedswere evil.
Everyone who does evil hatesthe light and will not come into
(07:05):
the light for fear that theirdeeds will be exposed.
But whoever lives by the truthcomes into the light so that it
may be seen plainly that whatthey have done has been done in
the sight of God.
John testifies again about Jesus, verse 22.
(07:26):
After this, jesus and hisdisciples went out into the
Judean countryside where hespent some time with them and
baptized.
Now John also was baptizing atAenon, near Salem, because there
was plenty of water and peoplewere coming and being baptized.
This was before John was put inprison.
(07:49):
An argument developed betweensome of John's disciples and a
certain Jew over the matters ofceremonial washing.
They came to John and said tohim Rabbi, that man who was with
you on the other side of theJordan, the one you testified
about, look, he is baptizing andeveryone is going to him.
To this John replied A personcan receive only what is given
(08:14):
from heaven.
You yourselves can testify that.
I said I am not the Messiah,but I am sent ahead of him.
The bride belongs to thebridegroom.
The friend who attends thebridegroom awaits and listens
for him and is full of joy whenhe hears the bride's groom's
voice.
That joy is mine and it is nowcomplete.
(08:37):
He must become greater.
I must become less.
The one who comes from above isabove all.
The one who is from the earth,belongs to the earth and speaks
as one from the earth.
The one who comes from heavenis above all.
He testifies to what he hasseen and heard, but no one
accepts his testimony.
(08:58):
Whoever has accepted it hascertified that God is truthful,
for the one whom God has sentspeaks the words of God.
For God gives the Son spiritwithout limit.
The father loves the son andhas placed everything in his
hands.
Whoever believes in the son haseternal life, but whoever
(09:19):
rejects the son will not seelife, for God's wrath remains on
them, and that's the end of ourchapter.
Okay, so boom, let's break it.
Let's break it down.
Late night, rindivis Nicodemustakes a risk.
Chapter 3, verse 16.
(09:39):
For God so loved the world thathe gave his one and only son
that whoever believes in himshould not perish but have
eternal life.
John's gospel tightens thecamera angle, closing in on a
few individual faces A woman ata will, a blind man and a member
(10:00):
of Jewish ruling council tocompose an intimate, in-depth
portrait of Jesus impact onothers.
Consider this conversation withNicodemus, who comes to Jesus
at night, possibly in order toavoid detection.
He risked his reputation andsafety by meeting with Jesus,
(10:21):
whom his fellow Pharisees havesworn to kill.
But Nicodemus has some burningquestions.
The most important questionanyone could ask who are you,
jesus?
Have you really come from God?
Jesus responds with the imageof a second birth, using words
that have become some of themost familiar in the Bible.
(10:43):
One of Jesus statements hasprobably been memorized more
than any other in the Bible.
In a few words it tells thestory of salvation, god's love
for the world, god's gift of hisson and the opportunity for
anyone who believes to be saved.
In verse 16, the keys to life.
(11:06):
Evidently, some of Jesus' wordsto Nicodemus sink in, as his
later behavior indicates.
John follows this conversationwith a report from John the
Baptist.
People are questioning theradical prophet about the new
teacher who is drawing all thecrowds.
In words that echo Jesus' own,john confirms that Jesus hold
(11:30):
the key to eternal life.
Jesus is indeed the one Johnhas come to herald.
A great prophet still is hisprime.
John nonetheless bows to Jesus.
He must become greater.
I must become less.
In chapter 3, verse 30, lifequestion How would you explain
(11:55):
the term born again to someonewho has never heard it?
Well, i wouldn't at first knowhow to explain born again,
because it has been thrown outso much in church And people
just saying it.
You know I'm born again, butthey still may do the same thing
(12:20):
that they have done prior tobeing born again.
So how would I explain the wordborn again?
My thing is when you dosomething that is not right,
maybe you still lie or kill or,you know, do deceitful things to
(12:41):
sabotage your way of life Orsabotage your way of getting
whatever it is that you may wantor whatever it is maybe it
could be wrong.
When you commit yourself overand decide to be born again, you
no longer commit those types ofcrimes.
You no longer could do certainthings like tell those lies or
(13:01):
have those urges to want to hurtsomebody or feel the way that
you once did.
People literally explain in away that I could tell somebody.
Before I got born again Ididn't have a problem with
sitting up gossiping, talkingabout people.
I didn't have a problem withfeeling bad for myself or
(13:23):
talking bad about myself orother people.
I never had a problem, beforebeing born again, with turning
up smoking.
Having my way, i'm not sayingthat you have to stop any of
that once you're born again.
But it goes for me as far aslike actions, taking certain
(13:45):
actions, certain actions that Iused to take prior to being born
again.
I don't take those actions.
I pay more attention to detailswhen it comes to me, the things
that I believe in, how I'mspeaking over my life, how I'm
speaking over other people,those come from a place where
you actually born again.
You go into wanting arelationship with Jesus or
(14:10):
wanting to understand what Godis doing in your life, So you
start to really dissect yourself, so that you can understand how
God is operating for you, sothat you can do the right thing.
And this can be anything whenit comes to just dealing with
people or dealing with yourself.
You could be working on yourfinances, you could be working
(14:32):
on your health, you could beworking on your relationships
with people.
But to be born again isbasically not thinking how you
used to think, not behaving howyou used to behave, Not probably
creating drama like youprobably used to do.
I don't know, i don't know yourstory.
I'm just saying how I wouldexplain being born again to
(14:52):
somebody.
I would literally tell them myexperience And when I got back
from my life I was like I'm notgoing to be born again, baptized
, obviously when I was just ayoung girl.
It's kind of thrown on you ifyou are a church goer,
especially in a black communityLike if you go to church, you
will get baptized in your earlystages.
I don't even know if it's justfor black people this would be
(15:14):
for anybody but when you go tochurch you get baptized in your
early stages.
But then you have anopportunity and a chance to get
baptized again.
And for me, when I got baptizedagain this time it was
something.
It was like a life-changingexperience for me.
It's like I can't even say likea 3D, 4d lens on my life and on
(15:37):
other people.
I started to really senseenergy more and started to see
people, heart more and my ownself and started to lighten up
on myself because I knew thatGod was just in full control,
because I was born again And Ican honestly say, like today,
yes, i'm born again, but it justagain.
It falls back onto my actions.
(15:59):
It falls back onto how I treatpeople, how I act and how I deal
and how I fall on God.
You know how I lean on him howI believe that Jesus came and
died for my sins.
Like just that long is likethat's a lot, because people
really don't believe that.
And like it says, if you don'tbelieve that God sent his son,
(16:22):
you are already condemned.
And the fact that I believethat Jesus came I'm not
condemned because Jesus alreadycame and did something for me
where I don't have to feelguilty about And that was sent
from God.
It gives me that sense ofunderstanding and know that,
like when you're born again, youreally got God on your side.
God is really fighting yourbattles, like you could really
(16:43):
fall on God, you could reallytalk to God and you could really
become friends with God in thatnew relationship.
Prior to being born again, ididn't wanna get close to God.
I didn't wanna talk to God.
I didn't wanna express how Ifelt about certain things going
on in my life or other people.
I didn't want the help from GodAnd I didn't realize how much I
needed the help and I needed tofeel that comfort or that peace
(17:06):
or that love coming from God sothat I could dish it out to
other people.
And that was me being born again.
Because I'm born again, i'mable to look at somebody's heart
and see that they may need tobe prayed for, i could step in
on somebody and talk to God ontheir behalf, because they may
(17:26):
want a relationship with God butthey don't know how to get one.
So I'm doing my due diligencebecause I'm born again and I
have that relationship withJesus that I could talk to him
about somebody else, just stufflike that.
that would just kinda helpsomebody understand that when
you're born again, you'reactually doing something that
God wants you to do by being avessel that he could use in this
(17:47):
world.
And that's just how I see it.
Like I could be wrong.
I'm not a preacher, i'm not aprophesier, i'm not.
But I do take the Bible and Itake the stories and I try to
make them make sense for mebecause, like, you don't really
get it but you kind of feel it.
It's kind of hard to explainsometimes.
But how would you explain bornagain to somebody who don't
(18:13):
believe or who heard the term somuch and they just don't get it
?
Like, how would you explain theterm born again to someone who
has never heard it?
Because it's easier said.
And then, when people get totalking about Jesus or God, and
how do you feel when peopleactually come to you and say, oh
, have you been born again?
Like, but if you've been bornagain, are you still robbing or
(18:35):
are you still stealing, or areyou still having the thoughts of
negativity in your mind thatyou may wanna hurt somebody or
hurt yourself, like all of thatplays a part and plays a role in
to being born again.
So not only do you have to beborn again by spirit, but also
by water.
For me it happened spirituallyfirst.
Spiritually, i felt like Godwas trying to get my attention,
(19:00):
like the higher power.
I didn't always think I likelike the higher power was trying
to protect me and get myattention and give me a place to
rest.
And before I was born again itwas just like something that
just was trying to keep me, tolike to avoid getting in the
Bible or even about my life,which was so crazy.
Cause when I started readingbooks, when I started reading
(19:22):
like inspirational books orbooks about yourself and things
like that, always in my booksthey will talk about God in a
way that scientists couldn'tunderstand how this being was so
in charge of all even science,you know And that just really
kind of made me really want togo into the Bible, because books
(19:44):
outside of the Bible were stilltalking about the Bible, and so
it just made me really liketake a step and say you know
what?
I need to really go into theBible and hear these stories for
myself.
Not just hear them in church,not just hear what the preacher
is throwing out and puttingtheir context on it, but
actually going into the Bibleand reading stories and letting
(20:06):
God have the Holy Spirit deliverthe message to me.
It made me start doing that,and so that's how podcasts of
Blessed Be Us became the Biblestudy class, because it's just
like I want to share the Biblewith my cousins, my family, my
friends, because what God isdoing for me being born again is
it's a beautiful thing.
(20:26):
I could be going like lately,every day something's been going
on in my life, like one thingafter the next, something bad
that's just been happening, onething after the next, and I
could be like all stressed outand going crazy, like pulling my
hair out, because that's how Ifeel deep, deep down inside that
I just want to scream and justrun away and be so mad at life.
(20:48):
But my relationship with Godhas really relaxed me.
It's brought me to anunderstanding that, you know,
give me the courage to changethings that I can change, and to
understand when I can't.
Like that's a big deal for me,because I know that there's some
things in life that I justcan't change and I can't work
(21:10):
with.
But when it comes to me, it'slike relying on God is like
super big for me, super huge forme.
So I think that's a reward inbeing born again, being able to
feel that relaxed calmness and amidst of chaos, it's like what?
How could you be so calm?
and everything is going crazy,you know.
Well, that's the reward ofbeing born again.
(21:31):
It's the gift of it.
It's beautiful.
So, you guys, that's the end ofour chapter.
I hope you guys enjoyed thestory.
Until next week, don't forgetto check us out on social media
Bless 2BS on Instagram, bluegeeBible Studies on Facebook.
My personal Instagram is Legion, underscore love And, if you
(21:52):
feel generous, go ahead andsupport this podcast.
Anything counts.
Anything works.
I really truly love mylisteners.
I did say that I was going toshout you guys out for the
cities that I do get mylisteners from, and I think it's
super dope.
So let's give a huge shout outto a lot of my places that
(22:14):
listen and tune into my podcast.
We got the United States comingin at 82% of people that
listened to the podcast.
And then we got Germany and wehave Kenya.
We have Germany at 11% and thenwe have Kenya at 5%, with
Switzerland coming in almostclosely Not 1% yet, but they're
(22:37):
coming in slowly but shortly.
So shout out to that Big.
Shout out to Pennsylvania,philadelphia.
We get a lot of listeners fromthat, especially Germany.
Hesse, we get a lot oflisteners from there.
Narobi shout out to I believethat's in Kenya.
And then we got Nashville,tennessee, charlotte, north
(22:59):
Carolina, houston, texas, lasVegas, nevada, sacramento,
california, New York, new York,los Angeles, california.
Shout out to big on California,pomona, oklahoma, massachusetts
, maryland, south Carolina,oregon, georgia.
We got a lot of places Illinois, michigan, alabama, indiana,
(23:24):
rhode Island, houston, texas.
Shout out to everybody.
Yeah, i just want to kind ofgive a shout out to your city
and your state.
So if you heard your place, goahead and send this message to
somebody you feel that canrelate to and also who wants a
relationship with God, but justdon't know how.
You know, like, let's build acommunity of faith And I'm so
(23:45):
honored to be your cousinthrough Christ, and I can't wait
to one day meet you guys, allof my listeners, and just have
this platform.
Grow, grow, grow that the Biblejust start taking over of
people who don't believe and theother people who feel like they
got the Bible all figured out,but they really don't.
Yeah, i know those people thatI'm talking about, but we're
(24:05):
going to spare them this time.
So until next time, you guys, iwill talk to you next week.
Bye.
Let's talk about wealth.
Let's talk about greed.
Let's talk being broke, livingin poverty.
Let's talk about black.
Let's talk about white.
Let's talk about how we stillfight for our rights.
Let's talk government, sexgames and drugs.
Let's talk about God.
Let's talk about love.
Let's discuss our feelings.
Hey y'all, welcome to Bless ToBe Us.
I'm your cousin in Christ,Juantrell Lovette, and this is
(00:52):
Buji Bible Study.
If you are new here, i'd liketo welcome you to the number one
Bible Study class that you willever come across.
And if you are not new here,you already know how we get down
as we dive into the Bible andread a chapter a week.
Now you can dive into the Bibleas many times as you like.
You can simply pick up yourBible and read as many chapters
(01:14):
as you choose to.
I myself just like to make iteasy for those who do not dive
into the Bible much or who wantsto learn about a relationship
with God but just don't know how.
I make it easy for you and thatis why I am related through
Christ so that I could do a jobhere on earth, giving back the
best way that I can.
(01:34):
My purpose is to solely followGod and to allow Him to use me
every day that I give breath.
So I'm very thankful andhonored to be here and have this
platform that I've designed andcreated for my beautiful
cousins, who I'm related tothrough Christ.
I know that reading the Biblesometimes can not be ideal, and
(02:01):
I love the fact that I'm able togo into the Bible and dive into
the Bible using my Bibletracker and getting an
understanding of the stories inthe Bible, since they're so
important and vital for ourlives, to understand what Jesus
did for us or what God isspeaking to us about
individually.
Since we all can have arelationship with God, i see
(02:23):
it's no harm for us to actuallycome together in the best way
that we possibly can throughfaith, and treat each other with
love, like God would want us todo, and just be a helping hand
to each other the best way thatwe can.
I ain't gonna do too muchcheater-chat, but if you want to
check out any episode beforethis, go ahead and do so.
(02:44):
We're on episode 47, so we'vebeen doing this for some time,
and the episode that we'regetting into today, actually I
went over it in week 8.
So today's title for our classwill be John, chapter 3, and it
is Jesus Explains Born Again.
(03:05):
Now, if you want to hear thestory before which, i did it in
week 8, which episode, which isepisode 8, the title of that
episode was A Conversation withJesus.
Now, as I'm diving into week 47and I'm able to go over the
chapter that I went over in week8,.
I'm very intrigued andinterested to see what God is
(03:26):
speaking to me today about John,chapter 3, the way he explains
born again.
I know for some people, a lotof us, don't understand that
terminology and that term bornagain, because obviously you
cannot enter into your parentwomb and be born again.
But let's get into the storyand dive into it and see what
(03:48):
God is talking to you about,because he talked to us
individually about the word, noteven the word, the term, born
again.
So grab your Bibles Again.
we'll be in John, chapter 3.
You can read out any version youchoose to.
I read out an NIV versionbecause I have a Bible tracker
here that's helping meunderstand where I'm going to
(04:11):
dive deeper into it Again.
You can read out any versionyou choose to.
That's your business.
But if you're ready, i am too,and let's go.
Jesus teaches NicodemusNicodemus, i think that's his
name, nicodemus, i think.
I say it fast, it soundsNicodemus, but that's the title
of our chapter today.
Jesus teaches Nicodemus.
As we dive into Now, there was aPharisee, a man named Nicodemus
(04:35):
, who was a member of the Jewishruling council.
He came to Jesus at night andsaid Rabbi, we know that you are
a teacher who has come from God, for no one could perform the
signs you are doing if God werenot with him.
Jesus replied very truly.
I tell you, no one can see thekingdom of God unless they are
(04:56):
born again.
How can someone be born whenthey are old?
Nicodemus asked Surely theycould not enter a second time
into their mother's womb to beborn.
Jesus answered Very truly.
I tell you, no one can enterthe kingdom of God unless they
are born of water and spirit.
(05:18):
Flesh gives birth to flesh, butthe spirit gives birth to
spirit.
You should not be surprised atmy saying you must be born again
.
The wind blows wherever itpleases.
You hear its sound, but youcannot tell where it comes from
or where it is going.
So it is with everyone born ofthe spirit.
(05:40):
How can this be?
Nicodemus asked You are Israel'steacher, said Jesus.
And you do not understand thesethings Very truly.
I tell you we speak of what weknow and we testify to what we
have seen, but still you peopledo not accept our testimony.
I have spoken to you of earthlythings and you do not believe.
(06:02):
How, then, will you believe ifI speak of heavenly things?
No one has ever gone intoheaven except the one who came
from heaven, the Son of man.
Just as Moses lifted up thesnake into wilderness, so the
Son of man must be lifted upthat everyone who believes may
have eternal life in him.
(06:23):
For God so loved the world thathe gave his one and only Son
that whoever believes in himshall not perish but have
eternal life.
For God did not send his Soninto the world to condemn the
world, but to save the worldthrough him.
Whoever believes in him is notcondemned, but whoever does not
(06:45):
believe stands condemned alreadybecause they have not believed
in the name of God's one andonly Son.
This is the verdict.
Light has come into the world,but people love darkness instead
of light because their deedswere evil.
Everyone who does evil hatesthe light and will not come into
(07:05):
the light for fear that theirdeeds will be exposed.
But whoever lives by the truthcomes into the light so that it
may be seen plainly that whatthey have done has been done in
the sight of God.
John testifies again about Jesus, verse 22.
(07:26):
After this, jesus and hisdisciples went out into the
Judean countryside where hespent some time with them and
baptized.
Now John also was baptizing atAenon, near Salem, because there
was plenty of water and peoplewere coming and being baptized.
This was before John was put inprison.
(07:49):
An argument developed betweensome of John's disciples and a
certain Jew over the matters ofceremonial washing.
They came to John and said tohim Rabbi, that man who was with
you on the other side of theJordan, the one you testified
about, look, he is baptizing andeveryone is going to him.
To this John replied A personcan receive only what is given
(08:14):
from heaven.
You yourselves can testify that.
I said I am not the Messiah,but I am sent ahead of him.
The bride belongs to thebridegroom.
The friend who attends thebridegroom awaits and listens
for him and is full of joy whenhe hears the bride's groom's
voice.
That joy is mine and it is nowcomplete.
(08:37):
He must become greater.
I must become less.
The one who comes from above isabove all.
The one who is from the earth,belongs to the earth and speaks
as one from the earth.
The one who comes from heavenis above all.
He testifies to what he hasseen and heard, but no one
accepts his testimony.
(08:58):
Whoever has accepted it hascertified that God is truthful,
for the one whom God has sentspeaks the words of God.
For God gives the Son spiritwithout limit.
The father loves the son andhas placed everything in his
hands.
Whoever believes in the son haseternal life, but whoever
(09:19):
rejects the son will not seelife, for God's wrath remains on
them, and that's the end of ourchapter.
Okay, so boom, let's break it.
Let's break it down.
Late night, rindivis Nicodemustakes a risk.
Chapter 3, verse 16.
(09:39):
For God so loved the world thathe gave his one and only son
that whoever believes in himshould not perish but have
eternal life.
John's gospel tightens thecamera angle, closing in on a
few individual faces A woman ata will, a blind man and a member
(10:00):
of Jewish ruling council tocompose an intimate, in-depth
portrait of Jesus impact onothers.
Consider this conversation withNicodemus, who comes to Jesus
at night, possibly in order toavoid detection.
He risked his reputation andsafety by meeting with Jesus,
(10:21):
whom his fellow Pharisees havesworn to kill.
But Nicodemus has some burningquestions.
The most important questionanyone could ask who are you,
jesus?
Have you really come from God?
Jesus responds with the imageof a second birth, using words
that have become some of themost familiar in the Bible.
(10:43):
One of Jesus statements hasprobably been memorized more
than any other in the Bible.
In a few words it tells thestory of salvation, god's love
for the world, god's gift of hisson and the opportunity for
anyone who believes to be saved.
In verse 16, the keys to life.
(11:06):
Evidently, some of Jesus' wordsto Nicodemus sink in, as his
later behavior indicates.
John follows this conversationwith a report from John the
Baptist.
People are questioning theradical prophet about the new
teacher who is drawing all thecrowds.
In words that echo Jesus' own,john confirms that Jesus hold
(11:30):
the key to eternal life.
Jesus is indeed the one Johnhas come to herald.
A great prophet still is hisprime.
John nonetheless bows to Jesus.
He must become greater.
I must become less.
In chapter 3, verse 30, lifequestion How would you explain
(11:55):
the term born again to someonewho has never heard it?
Well, i wouldn't at first knowhow to explain born again,
because it has been thrown outso much in church And people
just saying it.
You know I'm born again, butthey still may do the same thing
(12:20):
that they have done prior tobeing born again.
So how would I explain the wordborn again?
My thing is when you dosomething that is not right,
maybe you still lie or kill or,you know, do deceitful things to
(12:41):
sabotage your way of life Orsabotage your way of getting
whatever it is that you may wantor whatever it is maybe it
could be wrong.
When you commit yourself overand decide to be born again, you
no longer commit those types ofcrimes.
You no longer could do certainthings like tell those lies or
(13:01):
have those urges to want to hurtsomebody or feel the way that
you once did.
People literally explain in away that I could tell somebody.
Before I got born again Ididn't have a problem with
sitting up gossiping, talkingabout people.
I didn't have a problem withfeeling bad for myself or
(13:23):
talking bad about myself orother people.
I never had a problem, beforebeing born again, with turning
up smoking.
Having my way, i'm not sayingthat you have to stop any of
that once you're born again.
But it goes for me as far aslike actions, taking certain
(13:45):
actions, certain actions that Iused to take prior to being born
again.
I don't take those actions.
I pay more attention to detailswhen it comes to me, the things
that I believe in, how I'mspeaking over my life, how I'm
speaking over other people,those come from a place where
you actually born again.
You go into wanting arelationship with Jesus or
(14:10):
wanting to understand what Godis doing in your life, So you
start to really dissect yourself, so that you can understand how
God is operating for you, sothat you can do the right thing.
And this can be anything whenit comes to just dealing with
people or dealing with yourself.
You could be working on yourfinances, you could be working
(14:32):
on your health, you could beworking on your relationships
with people.
But to be born again isbasically not thinking how you
used to think, not behaving howyou used to behave, Not probably
creating drama like youprobably used to do.
I don't know, i don't know yourstory.
I'm just saying how I wouldexplain being born again to
(14:52):
somebody.
I would literally tell them myexperience And when I got back
from my life I was like I'm notgoing to be born again, baptized
, obviously when I was just ayoung girl.
It's kind of thrown on you ifyou are a church goer,
especially in a black communityLike if you go to church, you
will get baptized in your earlystages.
I don't even know if it's justfor black people this would be
(15:14):
for anybody but when you go tochurch you get baptized in your
early stages.
But then you have anopportunity and a chance to get
baptized again.
And for me, when I got baptizedagain this time it was
something.
It was like a life-changingexperience for me.
It's like I can't even say likea 3D, 4d lens on my life and on
(15:37):
other people.
I started to really senseenergy more and started to see
people, heart more and my ownself and started to lighten up
on myself because I knew thatGod was just in full control,
because I was born again And Ican honestly say, like today,
yes, i'm born again, but it justagain.
It falls back onto my actions.
(15:59):
It falls back onto how I treatpeople, how I act and how I deal
and how I fall on God.
You know how I lean on him howI believe that Jesus came and
died for my sins.
Like just that long is likethat's a lot, because people
really don't believe that.
And like it says, if you don'tbelieve that God sent his son,
(16:22):
you are already condemned.
And the fact that I believethat Jesus came I'm not
condemned because Jesus alreadycame and did something for me
where I don't have to feelguilty about And that was sent
from God.
It gives me that sense ofunderstanding and know that,
like when you're born again, youreally got God on your side.
God is really fighting yourbattles, like you could really
(16:43):
fall on God, you could reallytalk to God and you could really
become friends with God in thatnew relationship.
Prior to being born again, ididn't wanna get close to God.
I didn't wanna talk to God.
I didn't wanna express how Ifelt about certain things going
on in my life or other people.
I didn't want the help from GodAnd I didn't realize how much I
needed the help and I needed tofeel that comfort or that peace
(17:06):
or that love coming from God sothat I could dish it out to
other people.
And that was me being born again.
Because I'm born again, i'mable to look at somebody's heart
and see that they may need tobe prayed for, i could step in
on somebody and talk to God ontheir behalf, because they may
(17:26):
want a relationship with God butthey don't know how to get one.
So I'm doing my due diligencebecause I'm born again and I
have that relationship withJesus that I could talk to him
about somebody else, just stufflike that.
that would just kinda helpsomebody understand that when
you're born again, you'reactually doing something that
God wants you to do by being avessel that he could use in this
(17:47):
world.
And that's just how I see it.
Like I could be wrong.
I'm not a preacher, i'm not aprophesier, i'm not.
But I do take the Bible and Itake the stories and I try to
make them make sense for mebecause, like, you don't really
get it but you kind of feel it.
It's kind of hard to explainsometimes.
But how would you explain bornagain to somebody who don't
(18:13):
believe or who heard the term somuch and they just don't get it
?
Like, how would you explain theterm born again to someone who
has never heard it?
Because it's easier said.
And then, when people get totalking about Jesus or God, and
how do you feel when peopleactually come to you and say, oh
, have you been born again?
Like, but if you've been bornagain, are you still robbing or
(18:35):
are you still stealing, or areyou still having the thoughts of
negativity in your mind thatyou may wanna hurt somebody or
hurt yourself, like all of thatplays a part and plays a role in
to being born again.
So not only do you have to beborn again by spirit, but also
by water.
For me it happened spirituallyfirst.
Spiritually, i felt like Godwas trying to get my attention,
(19:00):
like the higher power.
I didn't always think I likelike the higher power was trying
to protect me and get myattention and give me a place to
rest.
And before I was born again itwas just like something that
just was trying to keep me, tolike to avoid getting in the
Bible or even about my life,which was so crazy.
Cause when I started readingbooks, when I started reading
(19:22):
like inspirational books orbooks about yourself and things
like that, always in my booksthey will talk about God in a
way that scientists couldn'tunderstand how this being was so
in charge of all even science,you know And that just really
kind of made me really want togo into the Bible, because books
(19:44):
outside of the Bible were stilltalking about the Bible, and so
it just made me really liketake a step and say you know
what?
I need to really go into theBible and hear these stories for
myself.
Not just hear them in church,not just hear what the preacher
is throwing out and puttingtheir context on it, but
actually going into the Bibleand reading stories and letting
(20:06):
God have the Holy Spirit deliverthe message to me.
It made me start doing that,and so that's how podcasts of
Blessed Be Us became the Biblestudy class, because it's just
like I want to share the Biblewith my cousins, my family, my
friends, because what God isdoing for me being born again is
it's a beautiful thing.
(20:26):
I could be going like lately,every day something's been going
on in my life, like one thingafter the next, something bad
that's just been happening, onething after the next, and I
could be like all stressed outand going crazy, like pulling my
hair out, because that's how Ifeel deep, deep down inside that
I just want to scream and justrun away and be so mad at life.
(20:48):
But my relationship with Godhas really relaxed me.
It's brought me to anunderstanding that, you know,
give me the courage to changethings that I can change, and to
understand when I can't.
Like that's a big deal for me,because I know that there's some
things in life that I justcan't change and I can't work
(21:10):
with.
But when it comes to me, it'slike relying on God is like
super big for me, super huge forme.
So I think that's a reward inbeing born again, being able to
feel that relaxed calmness and amidst of chaos, it's like what?
How could you be so calm?
and everything is going crazy,you know.
Well, that's the reward ofbeing born again.
(21:31):
It's the gift of it.
It's beautiful.
So, you guys, that's the end ofour chapter.
I hope you guys enjoyed thestory.
Until next week, don't forgetto check us out on social media
Bless 2BS on Instagram, bluegeeBible Studies on Facebook.
My personal Instagram is Legion, underscore love And, if you
(21:52):
feel generous, go ahead andsupport this podcast.
Anything counts.
Anything works.
I really truly love mylisteners.
I did say that I was going toshout you guys out for the
cities that I do get mylisteners from, and I think it's
super dope.
So let's give a huge shout outto a lot of my places that
(22:14):
listen and tune into my podcast.
We got the United States comingin at 82% of people that
listened to the podcast.
And then we got Germany and wehave Kenya.
We have Germany at 11% and thenwe have Kenya at 5%, with
Switzerland coming in almostclosely Not 1% yet, but they're
(22:37):
coming in slowly but shortly.
So shout out to that Big.
Shout out to Pennsylvania,philadelphia.
We get a lot of listeners fromthat, especially Germany.
Hesse, we get a lot oflisteners from there.
Narobi shout out to I believethat's in Kenya.
And then we got Nashville,tennessee, charlotte, north
(22:59):
Carolina, houston, texas, lasVegas, nevada, sacramento,
california, New York, new York,los Angeles, california.
Shout out to big on California,pomona, oklahoma, massachusetts
, maryland, south Carolina,oregon, georgia.
We got a lot of places Illinois, michigan, alabama, indiana,
(23:24):
rhode Island, houston, texas.
Shout out to everybody.
Yeah, i just want to kind ofgive a shout out to your city
and your state.
So if you heard your place, goahead and send this message to
somebody you feel that canrelate to and also who wants a
relationship with God, but justdon't know how.
You know, like, let's build acommunity of faith And I'm so
(23:45):
honored to be your cousinthrough Christ, and I can't wait
to one day meet you guys, allof my listeners, and just have
this platform.
Grow, grow, grow that the Biblejust start taking over of
people who don't believe and theother people who feel like they
got the Bible all figured out,but they really don't.
Yeah, i know those people thatI'm talking about, but we're
(24:05):
going to spare them this time.
So until next time, you guys, iwill talk to you next week.
Bye.
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