John 3 - Make Sure You Share the Good News, Not the Bad News!

John 3 - NIV

John 3 - Enduring Word Commentary

Jesus Teaches Nicodemus

3 Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.” 3 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.[a]” 4 “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!” 5 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit[b] gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You[c] 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.”[d]

The next 16 verses are some of the most important in the bible. Jesus teaches about what it means to be "born again".  We see the most memorized and quoted verse in the bible John 3:16. Some people think the idea of being "born again" is more of a modern day idea, which is usually relegated to evangelicals or charismatics. Sometimes there can be a negative connotation with this term, I have heard people say, 

"You are not one of those born-again Christians?" The perception might be that these people are "bible thumpers", always looking for a way to convert someone on their own terms. They can be very legalistic with issues like drinking. But if you study the evangelical movement that is not the case. The evangelical movement's most popular face  is Billy Graham. Billy Graham had an impeccable walk with God, and always presented the gospel powerfully, but also respectfully. I think this is was made him so likeable, respected, and effective in leading people to Christ1 

Jesus says to Nicodemus, the Pharisee, "No one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born again."  So what does this mean? John 3:3

First, let's look how Jesus defined being "born again". Jesus compared one's physical birth with spiritual birth. A person is born once naturally through their mother's womb, and obviously they can't be born again in this way. Then he describes the difference between these two as being born of water and being born in the Spirit. We know the Spirit is a member of the Trinity. We will see a little later how the Trinity is clearly shown in a person coming to faith. 

The context of the conversation is Jesus answering a question from Nicodemus, a Pharisee. He came to Jesus at night to avoid being seen with Jesus by his fellow Pharisees. Nicodemus could not make the connection logically. Nicodemus came to see Jesus because he said that no one could do the signs Jesus was doing if he were not from God. But the key to being able to understand those signs was the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit would be the only one to connect the signs to the Jesus the Messiah. 

9 “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked. 10 “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? 11 Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. 12 I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? 13 No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man.[e] 14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,[f] 15 that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”

Jesus mildly rebuked Nicodemus for his lack of understanding. To be fair to him, this is a pretty difficult concept to understand. But Jesus assumed he had studied the prophets who talked about how the Spirit would be given to all people when the Messiah comes. I.e. Joel 2 and Ezekiel 36. Jesus had done his best to make spiritual truths known to the Pharisees and other religious leaders with earthly analogies, but they still didn't get it. 

Jesus references another Old Testament illustration where Moses lifted up a snake in the wilderness. As you know serpents were usually referred to as evil in the bible, as evidenced by the serpent in the garden. But this serpent was made of a gold, so that when anyone had been bitten by a snake they looked up to the golden serpent and lived. 

It was a foreshadowing of Jesus being lifted up on a cross. Jesus conquered the power of the devil, the serpent, when he died and rose again. He defeated all dominions and powers which the devil had been given. See Colossians 2:15

By looking up to Jesus on the cross, those who believed in him would be healed. Not healed from a snake bite, but from the power of sin. This deliverance would be from sin, death, and the power of the devil leading to eternal life. 

16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. 19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.

If there is one verse people can quote from memory, it is John 3:16. It is the Gospel in a nutshell. God sent Jesus because he loved us. Before we could do anything to love God, He loved us. He loved us even when we had sinned and walked away from him. He loved us so much that He sent His only Son to come and save us. Anyone who has a child knows how hard that would be. God so loved us that he wanted to spend eternity with us. If we think this life is good, the best it yet to come. 

And what does the Good News require of us? Believe in Jesus! That's it. Belief is the same as trust. We trust Jesus was the Son of God who died for us and has forgiven us of all our sins. And from earlier we see this is what it means to be born again of the Spirit. 

Importantly God didn't come into the world to condemn the world but to save it. A lot of people see God as a condemning and judging God, especially in the Old Testament. Though God condemns sin, he never condemns us. We only condemn ourselves when we choose darkness (the evil one) over the light (Jesus Christ). God has given us free will so we can choose to reject God and the gift of His Son. 

Jesus, the light, exposes the darkness. Jesus knows the hearts of all people. The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome us. 

John Testifies Again About Jesus

22 After this, Jesus and his disciples went out into the Judean countryside, where he spent some time with them, and baptized. 23 Now John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water, and people were coming and being baptized. 24 (This was before John was put in prison.) 25 An argument developed between some of John’s disciples and a certain Jew over the matter of ceremonial washing. 26 They came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan—the one you testified about—look, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him.”

Jesus and his disciples also baptized people. It was likely similar and a continuation of John's ministry of baptism. This was a baptism of repentance and cleansing from sin. Because they were both baptizing (which was called "ceremonially cleansing" from a Jewish perspective), John's disciples wondered why so many people were following Jesus. Note they called John "Rabbi" indicating that he was a teacher too. This gave John a chance to distinguish himself from Jesus.  

27 To this John replied, “A person can receive only what is given them from heaven. 28 You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah but am sent ahead of him.’ 29 The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. 30 He must become greater; I must become less.”

John makes it clear what is the difference between him and Jesus. Jesus came straight from heaven. When John baptized, he made it clear he was not worthy to untie the sandals of Jesus' feet. He also said, "He must increase and I must decrease". In this passage he says, "He must become greater and I become less." John had no interest in competing with Jesus! 

John uses the analogy of a wedding. The groomsmen take their cues from groom not not visa versa. The wedding is all about the bride and groom, not the groomsmen or bridesmaids. John's role was to a be forerunner and messenger of Jesus. His joy was now made complete because his role had been fulfilled! 

31 The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all. 32 He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. 33 Whoever has accepted it has certified that God is truthful. 34 For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God[i] gives the Spirit without limit. 35 The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands. 36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.

John is building a case that Jesus is God, because he came from heaven. Therefore, everything Jesus says has more authority than a human messenger. Even though Jesus is sharing what he has heard and seen in heaven, John predicts the people will still reject him. Those who do accept Jesus, show that they believe in truth. Jesus has been given the Holy Spirit, who is at work in him to speak the truth. Notice again we see the role of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. 

Jesus has come from the Father and speaks with the authority of the Father. Therefore, everything he says in true. If it were false it wouldn't be from God. God cannot lie, or else God is not God. Jesus speaks the words of God in the power of the Spirit. The Father has given the Son the Sprit without limits. Jesus has the Spirit without limit, unlike the prophets. (Guzik)

The Father loves the Son and has given him all things. Jesus' words and deeds were all different than any earthly prophet or messenger. The Father has placed everything in his hands. This is why when someone rejects Jesus the Son, they are rejecting God. 

Later in John 14:6 Jesus will say, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except by me." He is the way, the truth, and the life because He is Father's Way, Father's Truth, and the Father's Life. 

As I say often, it is hard for me to believe that anyone would reject Jesus, especially if someone has clearly had explained the Good News to them. Some people hear only the bad news because some preachers and Christians focus on the bad news (our sinful nature), rather than on Jesus' divine nature why out of love for us he died for us. Of course we need to repent and turn from our sin, but it is more about who we are turning to. 

You are not saved by turning from sin per se, but by turning from unbelief to belief! 

Do you see the difference in these two approaches? As you share your faith make sure you are sharing the Good News, not just the Bad News. The Good News is what people need to hear and is what will transform their lives and the world!

31 The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all. 32 He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. 33 Whoever has accepted it has certified that God is truthful. 34 For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God[i] gives the Spirit without limit. 35 The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands. 36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.