‘예수님이 나의 선생인가? 구세주와 주인인가?’
본문관찰과 묵상
유대인 사회에서 가장 엘리트였던 니고데모는 산헤드린 공회원중 한명이었다. 남의 시선을 피해 밤중에 예수님께 와서 한 말이 하나님께로부터 온 선생이라고 불렀다. 그 말에 예수님은 그가 거듭나지 못함을 아셨다.
QT를 통하여 듣는 주님의 음성
물과 성령으로 거듭나야 내가 하나님으로부터 온 메시야 구세주인줄 알게되리라는 말씀이다. 바람이 어디서 와서 부는지 모르나 내가 바람이 있는 것을 실제로 체험하듯이 성령으로 거듭난 사람도 본인도 사람들도 다 알게 된다.
결단과 적용
나도 성령으로 거듭나기 전에는 예수님이 훌륭하신 선생님으로 알고 그가 하신 말씀을 지식적으로만 깨달았었다. 성령으로 거듭난 후에 예수님이 하나님이시오 나의 죄를 위해 죽으시고 나의 새로운 삶을 위해 부활하신 생명의 주님이심을 깨닫고 전파하며 산다. 내가 어디서 와서 어디로 가는지 나도 사람들도 모르나 내가 변화 받은 성령의 사람임을 모든 사람들도 체험한다. 유대인들은 홍해를 건널 때 모세에게 속하여 물세례를 받았다(고전 10:1-2). 구약의 마지막 선지자 세례요한이 물세례를 주며 회개를 촉구했다. 율법을 대면 누구나 자신이 죄인임을 알아 회개하며 물로 씻김받듣이 죄 사함 받기를 원하지만 물 세례는 상징일뿐 나의 죄를 씻는 것은 성령세례를 통하여서만 이루어진다. 고넬료의 집에 가서 말씀을 전했을 때 거기 있던 사람들이 모두 성령세례를 받음을 보고 베드로는 물세례를 금할 이유가 없다고 물세례를 공중앞에서 주었다. 성령세례를 받아 예수가 선생이 아닌 구세주이심을 고백한자는 공중앞에서 물세례를 받음으로 자신의 믿음과 구원받음을 선포하고 지교회에 일원으로 소속되는 것이다.
‘Is Jesus my teacher or my Savior and Lord?’
John 3:1-9
Observation and meditation on the text
Nicodemus was a member of Sanhedrin, who was well known elite among the Jewish society. However, he visited Jesus at night for fear of public eyes, and he called Jesus a rabbi, teacher who came from God. Immediately, Jesus realized that he was not born again.
I hear the voice of the Lord through QT
Jesus immediately declared to Nicodemus that unless he was born again, he could understand that Jesus was Messiah and Savior. No one knows where wind comes and go, likewise people do not know whether I am a born-again person or not, but they feel, realize, and experience that I am a born again Christian.
Decisions and applications
I understood Jesus was one of the four great teachers before I was born again because I understood him by learning about him academically and intellectually only. However, since I was born again, I have lived to witness Jesus is God who died for my sins and resurrected for my new life. People may not know about me where I came from and to where I may go, but they would feel, realize that I am a transformed person who is born again. The Jews when they passed through the Red Sea, they were baptized with water and they were united with Moses, the Law (I Co 10:1-2). The last prophet in the O.T, John the Baptist, therefore, rebuked people to repent of their sins as he baptized them with water. As water washed away dirty thing of our bodies, if I stand before the Law, I am convicted as a sinner and want to be pardoned from my sins as water washes away dirty tings from my body. However, the water baptism is a simple symbolic to emphasize the necessity of my sins to be washed away, but it cannot do it. It happens only by the baptism of the Holy Spirit. When Peter saw those who listened his gospel were anointed by the Holy Spirit and accepted Jesus as their own Savior, he declared that no one would prevent them from being baptized with water. And Peter baptized them in public. Anyone who confess Jesus is not a rabbi, but their Savior and Lord strengthen their faith in Jesus in public through the water baptism, and belong to a church of Jesus Christ, not Moses because they are united with Jesus, not the Law.