Scripture: John 3:1-13
There was a man named Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader who was a Pharisee. After dark one evening, he came to speak with Jesus. “Rabbi,” he said, “we all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you.”
Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the kingdom of God.”
“What do you mean?” exclaimed Nicodemus. “How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?”
Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.”
“How are these things possible?” Nicodemus asked.
Jesus replied, “You are a respected Jewish teacher, and yet you don’t understand these things? I assure you, we tell you what we know and have seen, and yet you won’t believe our testimony. But if you don’t believe me when I tell you about earthly things, how can you possibly believe if I tell you about heavenly things? No one has ever gone to heaven and returned. But the Son of Man has come down from heaven.”
Some Thoughts
One of the more familiar accounts in the gospels is the interaction between Nicodemus, a leader of the Pharisees and one of the esteemed seventy rulers (like a Jewish Supreme Court), and Jesus. His coming at night presents a picture of one who is in the dark spiritually seeking light, a common theme in John’s gospel. In this portion of their conversation, one thing you notice is Nicodemus’ struggle to think beyond a literal physical birth in trying to understand the meaning of a spiritual birth or being born again. Jewish leaders did not believe they needed to repent of their sin. Their way to salvation was through observing the law and the traditions. They didn’t need to be saved or born again. After all, they were God’s chosen people. So Jesus’ idea of being born into the Kingdom of God did not fit their theology. But Nicodemus was open minded toward Jesus, hence this meeting under the cover of night.
Jesus’ challenge to Nicodemus was if you won’t believe what I tell you about earthly things, how can you possibly believe what I tell you about heavenly things? Jesus’ explanation was a magnificent account showing how earth-bound humans can be connected to heaven, to God, a relationship established through the action of the Holy Spirit resulting in a spiritual birth. No person has a spiritual birth simply as a result of rational thinking. The point Jesus was making was that human striving or effort will never get one into the kingdom of heaven. The Holy Spirit is the agent from above granting a new birth even as a person exercises faith. Baptism is the result of the gracious act of God and a believing human.
In Jesus’ words on entering the Kingdom of God, he said that it was necessary to be born of water and the Spirit. There has been much discussion through the centuries as to what born of water means. One thought was that it referred to John’s baptism of repentance. A second thought was that it refers to procreation and a third is that it alludes to Christian baptism, though that has not yet occurred at this point. Whichever view one holds, the main point is the activity of the Spirit in bringing new birth.
In giving added authority to his comment, Jesus then makes a once in eternity statement, “No one has ever gone to heaven and returned, but the Son of Man has come down from heaven!” In other words, there is no way humans can ever attain heaven on their own. In Jesus, earthly history and theology are melded into one. The Son of Man came from heaven, took on human flesh, died, rose again, returned to heaven awaiting his final return to earth. There is no religion in the world where the god became fully human, dwelt on earth, died, and rose again, and returned to heaven. Christianity is unique. Thank God today for your spiritual birth and continue to pray for those who have not yet been born of water and the Spirit. Be encouraged. Keep praying for the Nicodemus’ in your world.
While today’s music is often associated with Advent, it is music of the Incarnation and after all, Advent, Christmastide, Lent, Easter, and Pentecost are all part of the same story! The name of the group is perfect for today’s Scripture passage.
Music: “Of the Father’s Love Begotten,” Out of Darkness
Bonus:
Jesus interacts with Nicodemus in “The Chosen”
Prayer:
Gracious God, you brought Christ into the world to bear our afflictions, and by his stripes we are healed; we come with thanksgiving for his cleansing redemption. Purge the stain of sin within us and give us clean hearts, that we may serve you more faithfully. Renew right minds that we may enjoy the fruits of your Spirit and abound in the love, joy, peace, goodness, and faithfulness we find in the reconciling love of Christ Jesus, our Savior and Lord.
―Prayers for Easter, James G. Kirk, p.15