Born Again

JOHN 3:1-16 Born Again 1-12-08

Today were here in John 3: and we’ll read & talk a little about Nicodemus as he comes to Jesus after dark, he was a great religious leader in Israel at that time, and this factual account comes to a close with one of the most often quoted verses in the Bible, John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Jesus was going to explain to him what it means to be born again.

We read here in these verses that Nicodemus came to Jesus after dark and we believe it was in order to keep his standing in the Jewish community and that he wouldn’t be rejected in the temple services.

There were many other Jewish religious leaders that secretly believed in Jesus as well, for we read in John 12:42 Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: 43For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.

They didn’t have the freedom to speak their minds about what they really believed for fear of being condemned by their self-righteous friends who thought they knew exactly what everyone should believe.

Listen as I read today’s text found in

John 3:1-16 1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: 2The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, * [master] we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.

3Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 4Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?

5Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water **[word] and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

~~Ephesians 5:26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, ~~There is a cleansing, a sanctifying power in the Word.

In ~~John 15:3 Jesus says, “Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you”~~

Verse 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; **and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

8The wind bloweth where it listeth, **[will] and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.**

9Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be? ** [a logical question]

10Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master [teacher] of Israel, and knowest not these things? 11Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. [We believe this to be the witness from heaven, the Father and the Holy Ghost; the Father was with him, the Spirit of the Lord was upon him; and so here Jesus speaks in the plural number, as in ch. 14:23: We will come unto him.

1st Jn. 5: 7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.

12 If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?

13And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.** [Now at this particular time, he is talking with Nicodemus on earth, and yet, as God, he is in heaven.]

John 16:28, “I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father.” ~ John 10: 30 I and my Father are one.~ John 17:22 --even as we are one:

14And as Moses lifted up the serpent* [sin] in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: * [When Moses lifted up that brass serpent on a pole because of God’s judgment upon the sin of the people of Israel, all they had to do for healing was to look to it. As Moses lifted up the serpent, so Jesus Christ was going to be lifted up. That serpent represented the sin of the people. And Jesus Christ was made sin for us on the Cross-because He bore our sin there.]