Radio Silence

During World War II, a fleet of US ships was patrolling the waters in the Northern Atlantic in search of German U-boats. One night, some American pilots took off from an aircraft carrier and were ordered to return by a certain hour.

But the pilots thought that with a little more time, they could find the enemy and score an impressive hit. So, they stayed out a bit longer. And as the sun set, German ships entered the area.

What the pilots didn’t know was that the Americans had ordered radio silence between the ships and the aircraft so the enemy wouldn’t find them. And the pilots who hadn’t returned on time were running out of fuel. They desperately were trying to find the aircraft carrier, but all the ships had gone dark.

The Americans had to make a decision. They could either save the lives of several American pilots or lose hundreds, maybe thousands, of American sailors. So, to the shock and horror of those onboard the ships, the planes crashed into the icy waters of the Atlantic.

In the same way, there are people who repeatedly reject God’s call. They keep resisting the urging of the Holy Spirit. But one day, God will order radio silence, so to speak. God said, “My Spirit will not put up with humans for such a long time, for they are only mortal flesh” (Genesis 6:3 NLT).

Speaking through the prophet Isaiah, God also said, “Seek the Lord while you can find him. Call on him now while he is near” (Isaiah 55:6 NLT).

Most people become Christians by the age of eighteen. That’s because when we’re young, we are open. We’re flexible. By nature, young people thrive on adventure. In contrast, when you get older, you become set in your ways. Older people like routine, predictability, and stability.

Nicodemus, a Pharisee, understood this. John’s Gospel tells us his story. He was getting on in years. And when he was talking with Jesus, he had enough spiritual perception to realize that he had to act on what Jesus was saying.

Jesus had told him, “Unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God” (John 3:3 NLT). From the original language, we could translate the term “born again” as “born from above.” This is not evolution but revolution. It is not reincarnation but a spiritual birth. That’s because apart from Christ, we are dead in our sins (see Ephesians 2:1).

Here’s what Jesus was saying: “Nicodemus, although you’re a moral guy and a religious guy, it isn’t enough. The fact that you are at the top of the heap in your religion means nothing. It hasn’t brought you any closer to Heaven. You need to be born again.”

There are a lot of people like Nicodemus out there. When someone tells them, “You need Jesus,” they say, “It’s okay. I’m already a churchgoer.”

The question is, Are they born again? Either you are or you aren’t. We must be born again to enter the kingdom of God.

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