We just finished our Vacation Bible School a couple of weeks ago. The theme of our adult classes was Touched by Jesus. We looked at four different God Encounters. Over the next few weeks, I would like to share with you some things about those four encounters. I pray that the encounters of these four people will bless your own God Encounter.

Jesus Touches A Religious Leader
You may find these words somewhat offensive, or confusing at best. The Grace of God is scandalous! Grace goes beyond human comprehension. By our very nature, we want to merit God's favor. We believe that there is something that we must do to get into Heaven. So God's Grace wreaks havoc on those basic assumptions. It scandalizes our view of God, ourselves and our world. In fact, the scandal of Grace challenges our normal way of thinking about salvation and Heaven.
Nicodemus was a religious leader, who came to Jesus, holding those kinds of assumptions about God, himself, Heaven, etc. He was a very conscientious, religious man who had a hard time understanding the difference between religion and relationship. The story of Nicodemus and his Encounter with God is found in John 3:1-21.
Jesus challenged Nicodemus' basic assumptions about his religion, himself and his world. Nicodemus looked for natural answers to his questions, but Jesus offered supernatural, or otherworldly solutions to his inquiries. Jesus taught Nicodemus that true life-change occurs from the inside-out, not from the outside-in. Jesus taught him that he must be born again ... born from above ...must be impregnated by God, and allow God to grow on the inside, transforming the host. Usually, when we think of this kind of thing, what comes to mind is some type of science fiction book or movie, where an alien being invades the human host, and then breaks free to destroy the world. Just the opposite is true in the case of an encounter with Jesus Christ. We are impregnated by God, just as Mary received the conception seed from God. And God grows within us to give birth to a new creature - a new you and a new me. That goes against everything we hold to be rationally sane. It is scandalous! If you are having trouble with it, you are in good company. Nicodemus had a very hard time grasping and accepting this truth. But he finally did and he defended Jesus and his ministry. In fact, he was there to prepare Jesus' body for burial, and he placed him in the tomb.
Nicodemus' Encounter with God was transforming on a number of levels. I would like to share two truths that I think he learned and lived by after that encounter:

• Being born again or from God is NOT about human effort. A person's position, popularity, prestige, power or piety do not save.
• Being born again or from God is NOT about religion, but is about relationship. This birth is a spiritual birth. It is a supernatural birth. It is God-initiated and God-controlled. This new birth comes only through an Encounter with God.

Encounter The Word

"Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he or she cannot see the Kingdom of God. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit" (John 3:5-6).

Some Encounter Questions

• Religion seems to emphasize the "keeping of rules" for salvation. What is wrong with a church that is based only on rules? Why is it so easy to reduce Christianity to a set of rules?
• Can you see some parallels between Nicodemus (and other Pharisees) and religious people today? What are they?
• How much of your religious activity is about pursuing something other than intimacy with Jesus Christ? Make a list of the five things that you think are most important about the Christian life. Think about those things and determine whether they are helping you to know Jesus better, or simply helping you to keep your set of rules.