John 3:1-9 The New Birth
“There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.”
Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”
Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
Nicodemus answered and said to Him, “How can these things be?”
Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things?
When we are considering the stories about Jesus, we might conclude that all the Jewish religious leaders in that time were supercilious hypocrites, but that would be far from the case. Throughout human history, God has always had those who are truly seeking and worshiping Him. There were many religious leaders in Jesus’ day who wanted to worship God and who passionately desired holiness. This lovely story illustrates that fact.
“There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.” Nicodemus is one of those whole-hearted worshipers who are truly seeking God and who were longing for the coming of Messiah. Nicodemus knows holiness when he sees it and hungers to know more. Although there are those who have criticized Nicodemus for coming to Jesus at night, when else would he come? During the day, both Jesus and Nicodemus are busy. Only at night when things are quiet can Nicodemus possibly have a heart-to-heart talk with Jesus.
Jesus immediately recognizes Nicodemus as an honest searcher after God. In this discussion, Jesus gives Nicodemus timeless truths. “Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
“Nicodemus answered and said to Him, “How can these things be?”
Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things?” While it might sound as if Jesus is mocking Nicodemus, in fact, Jesus is looking at Nicodemus with eyes full of eternal love.
“Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus might be pardoned for being confused by Jesus’ statements about being born by water and the Spirit. John the Baptist is immersing people in the Jordan River. At this juncture, Nicodemus might wonder if Jesus wants him to go be baptized by John. Does the Jordan have some mystical properties in its dirty water? And what does Jesus mean about “being born of the Spirit?” Certainly, Jesus must be referring to God’s Holy Spirit, but mere men have no power to summon God’s Spirit, let alone be born by it.
Then things become even more confusing. “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
Slowly Nicodemus is coming to realize that Jesus is speaking about a divine rebirth, not merely a physical one. Jesus wants Nicodemus to know the glorious truth that nobody controls the Holy Spirit apart from the One True Living God who sends the Spirit. While the Holy Spirit moves, we cannot dictate to it; neither can we predict what the Holy Spirit will do or where God will act. For men to attempt to control the Holy Spirit is as futile as trying to control the wind. But God sends His Holy Spirit on all those who truly worship Him and who follow Him. We cannot control the Holy Spirit, but we may attract Him by our worship and prayer.
Recently, I heard a great short sermon that pointed out the fact that we become what we worship. If we worship money, our emotions will rise and fall with the stock market. If currency loses value, we too will feel that we are losing our value as human beings. Only when we allow God to bring us to the point where we desire a spiritual rebirth will we find true holiness and happiness that will last. The question for us as we enter this new year is a simple one: Have we allowed God to work in our lives so that we are new creatures in Christ Jesus, or are we dragging all our old spiritual and emotional garbage into this bright new year?
God wants us to dump our spiritual and emotional burdens at the cross of Jesus and allow Him to work in our hearts so that we become new people. But many of us are clinging to the idea that we can fix ourselves with just a bit more work, and that we really don’t need God. Such thinking actually indicates just how much we really need God, for the paradox is that the less we think we need God, the more we really do need Him. Today, why not pray and ask God to cleanse your heart and mind so that you can really have a fresh start in the New Year?
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, we confess that we have dragged huge bags of stinking thinking into this new year. We surrender those bags and we surrender the idea that we can fix ourselves. Please take complete control of our lives and help us to be re-born. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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