February 8, 2013 (Friday)
“To me to live is Christ and to die is gain”-The Apostle Paul
Who was Nicodemus? When asked, most of us would reply that he was the man who was told by Jesus, “You must be born again.” The gist of their conversation is recorded in the gospel of John, chapter 3.
Nicodemus was a member of the powerful Sanhedrin, the ruling body of the Jewish people. Most Bible students believe he became a secret disciple of Jesus, based on the fact that later on he helped remove Jesus’ body from the Cross and assisted in his burial.
One wonders how many people today are “secret disciples” of Jesus. In their hearts they accept the truth about Jesus being the Savior of the world, but they are not yet ready to “come out.”
Paul never hid his feelings about Jesus. Before he accepted Christ as his Savior, he hated the very name of Jesus and dramatically opposed all who identified with Him. After he met Jesus on the Damascus Road, however, he was very vocal about his change of heart. He suddenly loved the one he had hated. There was nothing secret about his faith. He faithfully shared the good news about his Lord. He said, “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16 NIV).
Remember who you are: “..you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light” (1 Peter 2:15 NLT).
“Praise God for the privilege of being called by his name!” (1 Peter 4:16 NLT).