John 3 - Jesus Teaches Nicodemus What it Means to Be Born Again - John the Baptist Continues to Baptize and Lead People to Jesus!

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Jesus Teaches Nicodemus

This is one of my favorite chapters in all of scripture. It starts off with Jesus teaching Nicodemus, who is one of members of the Sanhedrin, the ruling body for the Jews. Nicodemus came to him at night suggesting he didn't want anyone to see him with Jesus. He had seen the signs and wonders and heard Jesus' teaching, which is why he called him "rabbi". He is one of the few Jewish leaders who connect the signs Jesus did with who he was. 

Jesus responded to him by saying, "Unless you are born again you cannot see the kingdom of God." Nicodemus took him literally and didn't understand how someone could jump back into their mother's womb. Jesus answers him again by explaining that he is talking about being born of "water and the Spirit". There are lots of different explanations of what he means when he says by being "born of water", but I think given the context it is referring to one's natural birth. In verse six he says, "flesh gives birth to flesh" referring to one's physical birth. 

But the key to being "born again" is being "born of the Spirit". It is helpful to know that the Greek word "anothen" can also mean being "born from above" which I think is the best translation. We often call this "spiritual rebirth". It seem very likely that John is referring to the Holy Spirit, as we will see throughout the gospel he refers to the Holy Spirit as "the Spirit". 

And we know that we cannot come to faith without the help of the Holy Spirit. The natural man does not see the things of God, they are spiritually revealed. The Holy Spirit removes our spiritual blinders, so we can see and understand the truth of God, which leads to the regeneration of our hearts and minds through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit shows us our need for the saving work Jesus has done for us on the cross. He convicts us of our sin and need for a Savior. This is why we can't take credit for our salvation. It is a gift of God. The Spirit has made known to us what God the Father did by sending His Son to save us. 

Nicodemus is still confused and Jesus wonders how Nicodemus could be a teacher and not connect the dots of Jesus' role and mission with the Old Testament. Then Jesus refers to his crucifixion when he says, "Just as Moses lifted up a snake in the wilderness, so shall the Son of Man be lifted up."  

Jesus made a remarkable statement, explaining that the serpent of Numbers 21:4-9 was a picture of the Messiah and His work. - Guzik

So, a bronze serpent does speak of sin, but of sin judged. In the same way Jesus, who knew no sin became sin for us on the cross, and our sin was judged in Him. A bronze serpent is a picture of sin judged and dealt with. - Guzik

Then we get to the most well known verses in the bible John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that he gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life." 

This is the Good News of the Gospel. First it says, "God so loved the world". It doesn't say God just so loved "Jews", or "Christians", He so loved the whole world. He loved all of His creation, and especially all of those who were made in His image. Since we are made in His image we born with the purpose of knowing and glorifying him. 

God did not wait for the world to love him. He loved us first. He reconciled us through His Son. But there is also the invitation for people to believe in His Son, which suggests someone can reject him. God has given us a gift, but we still need to trust it is from him and open it. Many people reject the gift of God in Christ Jesus before even opening it to see what's inside. Or, they throw it in the trash, or discard it as useless. 

Importantly God did not send Jesus to condemn the world but to "save it" (verse 17). Many people think God is a condemning God, but how could he be if he sent His own Son to save the world. Importantly God promises eternal life to those who believe in Him. Eternal life is the most important gift you could give someone. God's desire is not only for us to know Him in this life, but enjoy him forever in heaven. 

The sad thing is many people don't know God, or have not heard of the Good News of him sending His Son to show them how much He loves them. Or how much He must love us if he is willing to let His Son die a horrible death on the cross for those he loves. 

John Testifies Again About Jesus

Meanwhile as John the Baptist continued to baptize people for repentance to prepare the way for Jesus, Jesus and his disciples were also baptizing people near him. Some got confused and called John on it as if to say John was competing with Jesus for followers. John made it clear that his baptism and his words were of human origin, but Jesus taught as one who received His words directly from God. John clearly let them know again that he was not the Messiah, but one who served the Messiah. He took backseat to Jesus, because He knew Jesus was God. John continued to teach that as time went on Jesus would become greater and greater and he would become less and less. 

He went on to say that God had placed everything in Jesus' hands. Whatever Jesus said was straight from God and had the full authority of God. Therefore to reject Jesus' testimony was to reject God. John is clearly already in the third chapter teaching about the divinity of Jesus. This is one of the distinctives of John's gospel, as it was written later in the 1st century. Later, in the first century, heresies started being spread that Jesus was not really God, just a good moral teacher. This heresy still exists today.

Newsweek magazine came out the other day and said, "52% of people in the U.S. think Jesus is not God, just a good moral teacher!"  

From start to finish John, the gospel writer, emphasizes Jesus work as the only Son of God, fully human and fully divine!