In the Name of the Father, and of the Son and the Holy Spirit, One God Amen.

The seventh Sunday: “Nicodimos=ኒቆዲሞስ”: A Ruler of the Jews (St John 3: 1-13)

The theme in the seventh Sunday in the Great Fast points to the new birth given by water and the Holy Spirit. Nicodimos a ruler of the Jews came to our Lord by night seeking to escape the world of darkness and sin because he saw in Christ the light of salvation and life. Our Lord did not reject him but received him with Heavenly instructions. He explained to Nicodimos the precondition of salvation in the kingdom of God exists only if he believed that he was the God' own Son and that he was equal with God the Father, (St John 5; 17-18) and that the power to become children of God by rebirth is available only through the mystery of Baptism, which is one of the seven sacraments of the Church. St John 3: 2-13

Misbak of  this coming Sunday

You have tested my heart; You have visited me in the night; You have tried me and have found nothing; I have purposed that my mouth shall not transgress. Psalm 17 : 3

John 3: 1 – 12: 1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodimos, a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him." 3 In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." 4 "How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodimos asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!" 5 Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.' 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit." 9 "How can this be?" Nicodimos asked. 10 "You are Israel's teacher," said Jesus, "and do you not understand these things? 11 I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony

Meaning In this passage we learn that baptism is the necessary thing for humans to have salvation from God. As we are born from our father and mothers, we also need to be born again from God through the baptism that the Church gives each of us either in 40 or 80 days. Baptism is one of the seven sacraments through which a believer receives an invisible grace under the form of an outward sign visible or audible. Through baptism, offer being dipped into water three times in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, a person is born again and accepted into the membership of the church.

Memorable verses about Baptism:

• Through baptism, we receive the second birth, which is of Water and the Spirit. /Jn. 3:5–8/
• In baptism, there is forgiveness of sins. /Acts 2:37, 38/
• Baptism is dying with the Lord Jesus Christ and Rising with Him. /Rom.6: 23, Phil.3:10, Col. 2:21/
• In baptism, there is newness of life. /Rom. 6: 4/
• In baptism, we put on Christ. /Col. 3:27/
• In baptism, we became members of the church. /Col. 2: 11 – 12/

Glory Be to God

And to His Virgin Mother

And to the Glorious Cross

Amen.

Dn. Medhanie