There is a new trend in our world today—the world tells us we must have a life coach if we want to reach higher levels of achievement.  I have lived long enough to realize that this really isn’t a new idea, however, as I experienced, well timed people of wisdom come into my life to guide me but were called mentors.  Life Coach seems to be an upgrade of the mentor process.  People with the gift and ability to mentor, are now trained with specific ways to “coach” people to realizing their gifts and abilities so they can effectively reach their goals in life. 

Defined, a life coach is now a type of wellness professional who is paid to help people make progress in their lives to attain greater fulfillment.  This “professional” becomes an advisor in every area of your life as you make decisions, set and reach goals, and deal with problems that arise along the way.  Life coaching is the process of helping clients gain clarity about different aspects of their lives.

Jesus, Son of God is The Coach of Life!  Let’s listen in as Jesus coaches Nicodemus!  In this coaching session, Jesus listens to this “well respected teacher of Israel” and leads him to Truth by explaining the basics of Life.  Real Life.  Eternal Life.

John 3, The Message

Born from Above

^1-2 There was a man of the Pharisee sect, Nicodemus, a prominent leader among the Jews. Late one night he visited Jesus and said, “Rabbi, we all know you’re a teacher straight from God. No one could do all the God-pointing, God-revealing acts you do if God weren’t in on it.”

³ Jesus said, “You’re absolutely right. Take it from me: Unless a person is born from above, it’s not possible to see what I’m pointing to—to God’s kingdom.”

⁴ “How can anyone,” said Nicodemus, “be born who has already been born and grown up? You can’t re-enter your mother’s womb and be born again. What are you saying with this ‘born-from-above’ talk?”

^5-6 Jesus said, “You’re not listening. Let me say it again. Unless a person submits to this original creation—the ‘wind-hovering-over-the-water’ creation, the invisible moving the visible, a baptism into a new life—it’s not possible to enter God’s kingdom. When you look at a baby, it’s just that: a body you can look at and touch. But the person who takes shape within is formed by something you can’t see and touch—the Spirit—and becomes a living spirit.

^7-8 “So don’t be so surprised when I tell you that you have to be ‘born from above’—out of this world, so to speak. You know well enough how the wind blows this way and that. You hear it rustling through the trees, but you have no idea where it comes from or where it’s headed next. That’s the way it is with everyone ‘born from above’ by the wind of God, the Spirit of God.”

⁹ Nicodemus asked, “What do you mean by this? How does this happen?”

^10-12 Jesus said, “You’re a respected teacher of Israel and you don’t know these basics? Listen carefully. I’m speaking sober truth to you. I speak only of what I know by experience; I give witness only to what I have seen with my own eyes. There is nothing secondhand here, no hearsay. Yet instead of facing the evidence and accepting it, you procrastinate with questions. If I tell you things that are plain as the hand before your face and you don’t believe me, what use is there in telling you of things you can’t see, the things of God?

^13-15 “No one has ever gone up into the presence of God except the One who came down from that Presence, the Son of Man. In the same way that Moses lifted the serpent in the desert so people could have something to see and then believe, it is necessary for the Son of Man to be lifted up—and everyone who looks up to him, trusting and expectant, will gain a real life, eternal life.

^16-18 “This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn’t go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person’s failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him.

^19-21 “This is the crisis we’re in: God-light streamed into the world, but men and women everywhere ran for the darkness. They went for the darkness because they were not really interested in pleasing God. Everyone who makes a practice of doing evil, addicted to denial and illusion, hates God-light and won’t come near it, fearing a painful exposure. But anyone working and living in truth and reality welcomes God-light so the work can be seen for the God-work it is.”

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Jesus—The greatest Life Coach of all!  Watch, listen and learn how Jesus coaches Nicodemus:

• Jesus listens to Nicodemus express his thoughts before telling Him what He needs to know.  This helps Nicodemus see for himself where he stands with God.  By saying his questioning thoughts out loud to Someone who is really listening to him, he is put at ease to express more and ask more. 

• Jesus understands what Nicodemus currently believes about God as it relates to his faith in God.  Jesus knows who Nicodemus is and who he associates with in the religious community of leaders.

• Jesus presents new information to extend what Nicodemus already knows about Scripture.  Jesus begins with where he is, accepts him, then presents new information that leads to salvation—spiritually “born again” into a new life—eternal life with God!

• Jesus patiently clarifies Truth by saying it in a way Nicodemus can understand.  “Let me say it again” …   “When you look at a baby, it’s just that: a body you can look at and touch. But the person who takes shape within is formed by something you can’t see and touch—the Spirit—and becomes a living spirit.”

• Jesus follows up with more examples about God’s Spirit that Nicodemus can relate to in his world.  “You know well enough how the wind blows this way and that. You hear it rustling through the trees, but you have no idea where it comes from or where it’s headed next.”  “That’s the way it is with God’s Spirit.”

• Jesus does not give up on Nicodemus. Jesus see the heart of Nicodemus and knows he is still having a hard time relating his past knowledge and diligent obedience to The Law while trying to understand that Jesus is showing the way to have a new relationship with God.  So, Jesus stops to go over the “basics” once more.  I am reminded of scripture that tells us it is not God’s desire that anyone perish.  (2 Peter 3:9)

• Jesus is the Truth who tells the Truth of who He is to Nicodemus—so that Nicodemus might grasp the love of God that is in Him.  That love is so great, Nicodemus, that “He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life.”

• Jesus did not come to condemn but to reconcile all people to God.  “God didn’t go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again.”

• Jesus is the Way to God who gives life eternal!  Jesus relates information that not many in the community have heard yet:  I am the Way, the Only Way, to an intimate relationship with God.  “In the same way that Moses lifted the serpent in the desert so people could have something to see and then believe, it is necessary for the Son of Man to be lifted up—and everyone who looks up to him, trusting and expectant, will gain a real life, eternal life.

• Jesus teaches opposing views to point out the difference between living life to the full here with the bonus of eternal life with God and living a life that only leads to death.
• “This is the crisis we’re in: God-light streamed into the world, but men and women everywhere ran for the darkness. They went for the darkness because they were not really interested in pleasing God. Everyone who makes a practice of doing evil, addicted to denial and illusion, hates God-light and won’t come near it, fearing a painful exposure. But anyone working and living in truth and reality welcomes God-light so the work can be seen for the God-work it is.”

Bottomline, we have two choices:  God-Light of Life Eternal or the eternal darkness of death.  What we say we believe will be reflected in our behaviors each day.  We will mess up and allow evil to distract and deceive us at times or we will react to circumstances in our lives that are less than holy know this:  Jesus does not give up on us.  He made a way for us to be perfectly forgiven.  All we need to do is ask. 

Who is your life coach?  Want the best life coach known to mankind? 

When we repent of our sins, God’s Holy Spirit rushes in immediately to live within us as our “life coach” who guides us to all that is of God.  His Holy Spirit, promised by Jesus, and sent by God is our ever-present Counselor and Helper in decision making, discernment of right and wrong, while leading us to grow in our intimate, loving relationship with God.  God’s Holy Spirit helps us design holy priorities for living a life that develops the character of Jesus in us. When we remain in Jesus as He remains in us, we will see our behaviors begin to change to reflect these holy traits!  The behaviors we are striving to develop as we live to reflect the love of God in our lives are listed in Galatians 5:22-23; “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

Lord,

Thank you for not giving up on me but teaching me your love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  All for God nothing less. I’m still a work in progress, but I’m not where I was.  All because of You, dear Jesus.  I trust you with my life because you ARE Life! 

In Jesus Name, Amen