The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

John 3:1-7, “Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews;

2 this man came to Him by night, and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.”

3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

4 Nicodemus said to Him, “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?”

5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

6 “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

7 “Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.”

Nicodemus was a ruling member of the Sanhedrin, the court system of the Jews. He was also a Pharisee, a religious-political group that sometimes bent the Scriptures to fit their ideas. Furthermore, Nicodemus was extremely wealthy, some say the wealthiest man in Jerusalem. It was this same Nicodemus, who was seeking spiritual answers that only Jesus could provide.

There are various ideas by writers as to why Nicodemus came by night. The most logical reason is that he knew that Rabbis did their scriptural studies at night. In any event, Nicodemus was polite and commenced his interview with a valid compliment, “You have come from God…” Jesus knew what was in Nicodemus’ mind and heart and answered his question almost before he could ask it. “You must be born again.” Literally, Jesus said, “You must be born from above.” Nicodemus understood only the physical birth; he had never known what “from above” meant. In fact, he might never have heard of it previously.

Jesus spoke to him of being “born of water and the Spirit.” Children are encased in what could be called a “water sack” prior to being born. That’s what “water” means in this passage. The “spiritual birth” is activated by the Holy Spirit when He enters into a human life at salvation. He turns from sin and accepts Jesus Christ as LORD and Savior. Literally, “born again” is translated “born from above.”

This whole encounter has often been confused by those who want “water” to always mean “baptism.” It does not mean that here. Had baptism been the focus of Nicodemus inquiry, he could have asked John. It was deeper than that. Some people are immersed in water without first confessing their sins. That is not true baptism. Baptism is a symbol of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. When we confess our sins, we bury them, put them away completely. Unless the burial of sin comes first, the immersion in water is meaningless. Where are you in all of this? Have you been “born from Above”? That’s what Jesus sald was necessary for Nicodemus. It’s necessary for you a well. Think about it. It’s how you answer Christ’s invitation.

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”

Dear Grands,

John 1:25-29, “And they asked him, and said to him, ‘Why then are you baptizing, if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?’

26 John answered them saying, ‘I baptize in water, but among you stands One whom you do not know.

27 “It is He who comes after me, the thong of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.’

28 These things took place in Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

29 The next day he saw Jesus coming to him, and said, ‘Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!’”

In was June of 1971 and my family and I were in Israel, attending the Jerusalem Conference on Evangelism. Various non-descript speakers had occupied the platform, when suddenly the announcement came and there at the podium stood David ben Gurion, the primary national founder of the State of Israel and her first Prime Minister! Was that a surprise!! Ben Gurion was the preeminent leader of the Jewish community from 1935 until the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948!

Remember those insincere questioners of John the Baptist to whom we introduced you last night? Well, they’re back, and they’re in for a big surprise, too! John the Baptist was called “the Baptist” because he went about baptizing people. He was repeatedly asked who he was, and he consistently replied that he was not the Christ, but a mere messenger ordained to introduce Him to a lost and dying world. No reply ever seemed to satisfy his critics.

Among their endless questions was this: “Why then are you baptizing?” they continually asked. And John’s reply was always the same: “I baptize in water, but among you stands One whom you do not know. It is He who comes after me, the thong of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” The religionists were stymied for the moment, but their big surprise was to come the very next day.

It was while John was still busy baptizing repentant sinners, “he saw Jesus coming to him, and said aloud, ‘Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!’ It was a far more grandiose introduction than that Ben Gurion was to receive many years later. Furthermore, it was far more significant and encompassed the entire world. Jesus was His Father’s sacrifice; and it is the sacrifice destined to erase sin from the human heart and life of everyone – if those hearts and lives repent of their sins and accept Jesus Christ as God the Father’s Sacrifice for their sin.

If this Great Announcement is a surprise to you, you need to repent and trust Him right now. Say a prayer

like this and mean it in your heart:

Dear LORD, I know that I am a sinner. I know I’ve done many wrong things

in my life. I’m sorry for my sin. I know that Jesus loves me, and that He died

and rose again to save me from my sin. Right now, in my heart, I willingly

turn from my sin, and by faith I receive the LORD Jesus Christ as my Savior.

In Jesus’ Name, I pray. Amen.

Now, if you sincerely prayed that prayer, take God at His word and believe that you are a “born again”

Christian! Jesus said, “…him who comes to Me I will in no wise cast out” (John 6:37). Nor can you ever

again be lost outside of Christ. As a born-again believer, you are thoroughly and forever secure in

Jesus Christ! God bless you!

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”

Dear Grands,

John 1:19-23, “And this is the witness of John, when the Jews sent to him priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?”

20 And he confessed, and did not deny, and he confessed, “I am not the Christ.”

21 And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” And he said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.”

22 They said then to him, “Who are you, so that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?”

23 He said, “I am a voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as Isaiah the prophet said.”

When you really get down to the root of it, there are only two basic kinds of questioners: One is sincere and really

wants to know what you know. The other is insincere, doesn’t know what you know, but wants you to think that what he knows is better than what you know. One is a sincere seeker; the other is only argumentative. John the Baptist encountered both, but the latter (the insincere), those who had come from the priests and the Levites, were contentious and obnoxious.

John, on the other hand, kept his composure and responded graciously to his inquirers. Politely (as we interpret his replies), he responds saying, “I am not the Christ…I am not (Elijah or the Prophet). I am a voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord’ (just as Isaiah said).”

What we can profitably draw from this passage should be self-evident. Those who approach us regarding our beliefs, or those whom we approach with a witness for Christ Jesus, are either sincere and wanting to know, or they are insincere and want to endlessly debate. The latter seek debate as a means of self-extraction from the guilt of sin. Some of them know they are outside of God’s will. If they can “defeat” the one witnessing for Jesus, they feel less guilty, if guilty at all. But, in this they are self-defeating because “defeating a witness is not extraction from sin. It takes the love and blood of Jesus to deliver them.

So, how should we behave in such a situation? What did John the Baptist do? He refused to be ruffled. He spoke

Truth in love. He stood his ground in the Prophet Isaiah. John was not the Savior, yet he had fulfilled his responsibility in witnessing. Can you behave like that? Most definitely you can! He cared for his questioners, but their insincerity barred them from the Truth. Be like John! Don’t get discouraged. You were not called to “win” them, but to witness of the One who could. May the blessed LORD both ground and guide you is my prayer.

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”

Dear Grands,

John 1:5-9, “There came a man, sent from God, whose name was John.

7 He came for a witness, that he might bear witness of the light, that all might believe through him.

8 He was not the light, but came that he might bear witness of the light.

9 There was the true light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man.”

Did you ever meet someone and think he was someone else? Situations like that are embarrassing.

If anyone mistook John the Baptist for Jesus, it was his own fault, because John made sure no one

thought he was Jesus. Oh, John came with authority from God. Make no mistake about that. But his

mission was to introduce Jesus. Jesus is the Light, and John is presenting Him to the world. Why?

The world is in darkness and in desperate need of the Light. It has been that way since the beginning

of Creation. God has sent His Son, Jesus, into the darkness to rescue mankind from sin. The “true

Light” is the only One who can affect man’s rescue. Moreover, He makes salvation possible for every

person, no matter how deeply embedded they might be in sin.

He “enlightens every man.” That does not mean that every man will be rescued or saved. It simply

means that God is not partial to anyone; therefore, He makes it possible for everyone to be saved.

It’s not just an effort to do better that saves man; nor is it man’s affiliation with religion that saves him.

God sent His Son, Jesus, to die on the cross as God’s own sacrifice for sinful, decadent mankind.

And when man expresses to God his sorrow for his sin (that’s repentance), and expresses thanks to

God for sending His Son (that’s faith), God accepts man into His own Family of believers.

I once witnessed to a young woman, who said, “I guess I’ve just not gone that far yet.” That has been

many years ago. I still pray for her that she might accept Jesus Christ before it’s too late. How about

you? Are you in God’s Family? If you’re not, let’s settle that right now. And if you are in His Family,

are you praying and witnessing for those who are not? That’s the calling of every believer.

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”

Dear Grands,

John 1:6-8, “There came a man, sent from God, whose name was John.

7 He came for a witness, that he might bear witness of the light, that all might believe through him.

8 He was not the light, but came that he might bear witness of the light.”

Names are primarily the designations of specific people. “George, come here immediately!” If there is but

one “George” in your family, you know immediately who is intended by that solicitation. If you were calling a

“George” in my family, I can count six “Georges”: George William, George Wayne, George Wallace, George Henry,

George C., and just plain George. Which George do you want?

It’s somewhat the same with the “Johns” in the Bible. We have John Mark, John the brother of James (i.e., the Apostle), and John the Baptist. John Mark went by Mark, thus we have only two Johns, if we think of John Mark

simply as “Mark.” John the brother of James (i.e., the Apostle John) is the author of the Gospel of John, as well

as 1ST, 2ND, 3RD John, and the Revelation.

John the Baptist has no direct, relational affiliation as what we know today as the Baptist Church. Literally, he

should be known as “John, the baptizing one.” He was, however, a first cousin of our LORD Jesus Christ, and

was divinely selected to be Jesus’ forerunner. Think of it like this: the Vice President of the United States generally

speaks first and introduces the President. John the Baptist came on the scene first to introduce the LORD Jesus

Christ to everyone. He came as a preliminary witness to the Light in order that all might believe through him.

It is not the calling of any believer to be the primary witness of the LORD Jesus; yet, it is the calling of every true

believer to witness to others of that same LORD! And we are to bear witness to Him through our dedicated lives

that all (that is, everyone!) might believe upon Him as their Savior and LORD. I’ve led some people to faith in

Jesus, who said of me, “He saved me!” No, I never saved anyone. But, I have had the privilege of sharing my

faith with some who then came to know Him!

If you are a born-again believer in Jesus Christ, you have this responsibility, too. We are not “saviors,” but we are

to be witnesses. We are not responsible for whether others accept Him, but we are responsible whether we tell them how! Tell someone this week! You’ll be amazed at how good you feel just knowing that you have obeyed the King of Kings and LORD of Lords! God bless you!

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”