Minister’s Letter
God’s Grandchildren?
I
suspect
that
many
of
you
will
recognise
the
man
in
this
photograph.
Some
of
you
may
have
heard
him
preach,
in
person.
It
is
of
course
the
late,
great
Billy
Graham.
Recently
I
was
scrolling
through
my
Facebook
feed
and
found
myself
staring
at
his
image.
Underneath
some
words,
attributed
to
him,
“God
has
no
grandchildren.”
This
set
me
thinking,
I’ve
heard
this
said before, but what point is he making?
Billy
was
highlighting
an
important
reality
-
nobody
becomes
a
Christian
simply
by
being
connected
to
Christian
people
or
being
part
of
a
Christian
family
even
if
we
have
Christian
parents,
grandparents
or
generations
before.
We
cannot
live
on
someone
else’s
faith.
Sooner
or
later,
the
question
comes
to
each
of
us
personally:
What
about you?
My
thoughts
turned
to
the
remarkable
meeting
between
Jesus
and
Nicodemus
which
we
encounter
in
John
3:1-21.
Nicodemus
was
a
serious,
moral,
devout,
and
well-educated
Pharisee.
He
wasn’t
far
from
God’s
kingdom
by
human
standards.
But
Jesus
didn’t
flatter
him
or
reassure
him
that
he
was
almost
there.
Instead,
he
told
him
the
truth
he
needed
to
hear:
“You
must
be
born
again.”
We
can,
for
a
moment,
enjoy
or
even
chuckle
at
the
response
that
Nicodemus
gave.
He
clearly
misses
the
point,
“How
can
anyone
be
born
after
having
grown
old?
Can
one
enter
a
second
time
into
the
mother’s
womb and be born?”
However,
the
Lord’s
words
leave
no
wriggle
room.
Jesus
was
not
suggesting
an
improvement,
but
a
transformation;
not
extra
knowledge,
but
new
life.
And
it
was
something
Nicodemus
himself
needed. Not the nation. Not his family. Him.
We
all
need
to
hear
that
just
as
clearly.
It
is
possible
to
sit
in
church
for
years,
to
sing
the
hymns,
to
serve
faithfully,
to
be
known
as
a
good
and
kind
person
—
and
yet
never
have
come
personally
to
Christ.
We
can
admire
the
gospel,
agree
with
it,
even
defend
it,
and
still
hold
back
from
entrusting
ourselves
to
the Saviour.
But
Jesus
calls
for
more
than
interest.
He
calls
for
response.
The
new
birth
is
God’s
gracious
work,
yet
it
is
received
as
we
turn
to
him
in
repentance
and
faith.
There
comes
a
moment
—
whether
dramatic
or
quiet
—
when
we
stop
standing
at
a
distance
and
say,
“Lord,
I
need
you.
I
cannot
save
myself.
I
place
my
trust
in
you.”
No
one
else
can
do
this
on
our
behalf,
each of us must come.
I
recall,
when
I
was
young,
that
certain
Christians,
with
certain
preferred
styles
of
worship
and
approaches
to
faith
would
declare
themselves
to
be
“Born
Again
Christians!”
It
was
a
label
viewed
by
some
as
slightly
amusing,
strange
or
apart
from
the
norm.
But
friends,
there
is
no
other
kind
of
Christian.
To
be
born
again
does
not
require
us
to
enjoy
guitar
music
or
to
dance
in
church
with
our
hands
in
the
air
(although
please
feel
free
to
do
so),
not
to
worship
or
pray
in
a
particular
way
–
it
is,
instead,
the
need
we
all
have
to
make
a
personal
response
to
God’s
invitation
of
salvation.
We,
like
Nicodemus,
must
be
born
again.
The
wonderful
news
is
that
Christ
is
ready
to
receive
all
who
come
to
him
in
faith.
He
turns
no
one
away.
The
door
is
open,
the
promise
is
sure,
the
welcome
is
real.
But
we
must
enter.
God
has
no
grandchildren,
only
children,
adopted
through faith and co-heirs with Jesus Christ.
Rev Adam Earle
Minister’s Letter
God’s Grandchildren?
I suspect that many of you will recognise
the man in this photograph. Some of you
may have heard him preach, in person. It is
of course the late, great Billy Graham.
Recently I was scrolling through my
Facebook feed and found myself staring at
his image. Underneath some words,
attributed to him, “God has no
grandchildren.” This set me thinking, I’ve
heard this said before, but what point is he
making?
Billy was highlighting an important reality -
nobody becomes a Christian simply by
being connected to Christian people or
being part of a Christian family even if we have Christian parents,
grandparents or generations before. We cannot live on someone else’s faith.
Sooner or later, the question comes to each of us personally: What about you?
My thoughts turned to the remarkable meeting between Jesus and Nicodemus
which we encounter in John 3:1-21. Nicodemus was a serious, moral, devout,
and well-educated Pharisee. He wasn’t far from God’s kingdom by human
standards. But Jesus didn’t flatter him or reassure him that he was almost
there. Instead, he told him the truth he needed to hear: “You must be born
again.” We can, for a moment, enjoy or even chuckle at the response that
Nicodemus gave. He clearly misses the point, “How can anyone be born after
having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womb and
be born?”
However, the Lord’s words leave no wriggle room. Jesus was not suggesting an
improvement, but a transformation; not extra knowledge, but new life. And it
was something Nicodemus himself needed. Not the nation. Not his family.
Him.
We all need to hear that just as clearly. It is possible to sit in church for years,
to sing the hymns, to serve faithfully, to be known as a good and kind person
— and yet never have come personally to Christ. We can admire the gospel,
agree with it, even defend it, and still hold back from entrusting ourselves to
the Saviour.
But Jesus calls for more than interest. He calls for response. The new birth is
God’s gracious work, yet it is received as we turn to him in repentance and
faith. There comes a moment — whether dramatic or quiet — when we stop
standing at a distance and say, “Lord, I need you. I cannot save myself. I place
my trust in you.” No one else can do this on our behalf, each of us must come.
I recall, when I was young, that certain Christians, with certain preferred styles
of worship and approaches to faith would declare themselves to be “Born
Again Christians!” It was a label viewed by some as slightly amusing, strange
or apart from the norm. But friends, there is no other kind of Christian. To be
born again does not require us to enjoy guitar music or to dance in church
with our hands in the air (although please feel free to do so), not to worship or
pray in a particular way – it is, instead, the need we all have to make a personal
response to God’s invitation of salvation. We, like Nicodemus, must be born
again. The wonderful news is that Christ is ready to receive all who come to
him in faith. He turns no one away. The door is open, the promise is sure, the
welcome is real. But we must enter. God has no grandchildren, only children,
adopted through faith and co-heirs with Jesus Christ.
Rev Adam Earle
