January 15
Bible Reading: John 3:1-3
John 3:1, “Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.”
John 3:12, “Jesus answered him, ‘Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things?”
My coworker was a man of much ambition and many vices. We were talking one day about Christian matters, when I asked him if he had ever trusted in Jesus. His response was telling. He said he had taken care of that, having been baptized long before when he was a teenager. But a man’s religious deeds, no matter how impressive, are no substitute for being born again.
Nicodemus was a religious man with exemplary religious credentials. As a Pharisee, he lived an extremely regimented life according to the countless Pharisaic rules that governed nearly every aspect of his daily experience. He was a man who would have fasted, prayed, gave alms, read the Scriptures, attended synagogue, etc. As a “ruler of the Jews” he was a leader amongst the Pharisees, overseeing various aspects of the Pharisaic cult that governed religious life in those days. He was “the teacher of Israel,” well-schooled in the Scriptures and various Pharisaic laws. But none of that worked to save him! Jesus told him he needed to start all over with a spiritual re-birth (John 3:7).
The birth of a child is a fitting analogy to what happens in the spiritual rebirth of a person. A newborn child is a passive participant in the process whereby he enters this world. He expends no effort and can take no credit for it. Likewise, to be born again, a person must “be born of the Spirit with live from above into God’s family divine.” He must receive Jesus to be given “the right to become” a child of God (John 1:12). It is a work of the Spirit alone (John 3:5-8).
We cannot know for sure, but it seems likely that Nicodemus was, at some point, born again. Later, when the officers of the chief priests were sent to bring Jesus, Nicodemus defended Jesus. He advised his colleagues to hear and investigate Jesus’ claims before making a final judgment (John 7:45-52). At Jesus’ burial, Nicodemus brought a costly mixture of myrrh and aloes for the embalming of His body (John 19:39). According to church tradition, Nicodemus embraced the faith and eventually met martyrdom for his beliefs. But it all started when Nicodemus went to meet with Jesus! The preeminent word Jesus had for him is the same He has for each of us: “You must be born again!” Have you been born again?
“Except a man be born again, he will wish one day he had never been born at all.” -J. C. Ryle
ROCK OF AGES
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee;
Let the water and the blood,
From Thy riven side which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure,
Save me from its guilt and power.
Not the labor of my hands
Can fulfill Thy law’s demands;
Could my zeal no respite know,
Could my tears forever flow,
All could never sin erase,
Thou must save, and save by grace.
Nothing in my hands I bring,
Simply to Thy cross I cling;
Naked, come to Thee for dress,
Helpless, look to Thee for grace:
Foul, I to the fountain fly,
Wash me, Savior, or I die.
While I draw this fleeting breath,
When mine eyes shall close in death,
When I soar to worlds unknown,
See Thee on Thy judgment throne,
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee.
Author: looking2jesus13
Jerry L. Conklin was born and raised in Hillsboro, Oregon. After graduating from high school, he enlisted in the United States Navy and served for six years in the Navy’s Nuclear Power Program. He was assigned to the USS *Omaha* (SSN-692), a nuclear-powered fast-attack submarine, where he served as a reactor-plant electrical operator. His military service took him to ports and locations throughout the world and provided extensive technical training, leadership experience, and an enduring appreciation for those who serve in the Armed Forces.
Following his Navy service, Jerry earned a bachelor’s degree in Nuclear Technology from Thomas Edison State University. He worked at the Trojan Nuclear Plant near Rainier, Oregon, first as a reactor operator and later as a training specialist. After sensing God’s call to pastoral ministry, he left the nuclear-power industry and earned a master’s degree in theology from Western Conservative Baptist Seminary in Portland, Oregon.
Jerry served for twenty-seven and a half years as senior pastor of Lewis and Clark Bible Church in Astoria, Oregon. During those years, he preached and taught the Scriptures, provided pastoral counseling, performed weddings and memorial services, trained church leaders, and served individuals and families throughout the community. He also served as a fire department chaplain and participated in a variety of community ministries.
After retiring from full-time pastoral ministry, Jerry and his wife, Laura, moved to Heppner, Oregon. There he served for approximately four years as a chaplain with Pioneer Memorial Home Health and Hospice, providing spiritual and emotional support to more than 150 patients and their families. In 2023, the Oregon Association for Home Care honored him as its Chaplain of the Year.
Jerry also helped establish South Morrow County Seniors Matter, a nonprofit organization created to address the needs of older adults following the COVID-19 pandemic. As chairman, he worked with community leaders and volunteers to develop a weekly senior meal program, a monthly veterans’ lunch, and other activities and services. The organization served hundreds of seniors, mobilized more than 200 volunteers, and received statewide and national recognition. In 2025, Jerry was named Heppner’s Man of the Year, and his community service was later recognized by United States Senator Jeff Merkley.
International missions have also been an important part of Jerry’s ministry. He has made ten trips to Uganda, where he has taught at pastors’ conferences, preached in churches, participated in Bible-school graduations, distributed Bibles and Christian materials, and encouraged local pastors and ministry leaders. He developed the discipleship booklet *First Steps with Jesus* to help new believers understand and grow in their faith.
Jerry is the author of numerous books, Bible studies, devotionals, and teaching resources, including works centered on prayer, Christian hope, spiritual growth, and the person of Jesus Christ. His decades of preaching and teaching reflect his commitment to presenting biblical truth clearly, practically, and faithfully.
Jerry and Laura were married for nearly forty-two years and raised four children. They were also blessed with three grandchildren. Laura passed away in August 2025 following an eight-and-a-half-year battle with cancer. Jerry currently lives in Hillsboro, where he helps care for his elderly father. He continues to preach, teach, write, and serve others through pastoral and community ministry.
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