You Must Be Born Again (John Pt. 9)
Text: John 3:1 – 15
Well, today we’ve come to the most familiar chapter in the Gospel of John… and it contains probably the most well-known verse in all the Bible. It’s John chapter three, and we’re going to read verses 1 – 15, so we won’t get to John 3:16 today, but we’ll probably spend at least two, if not three Sunday’s on this chapter, just so everyone gets a really good understanding of it.
(READ TEXT)
So the text starts out by telling us that there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, and that he wasn’t only just a Pharisee, but he was considered a ruler of the Jews. That’s John’s way of telling us that this guy Nicodemus was part of the ruling council of Jews known as the Sanhedrin. And then verse two tells us that he came to Jesus at night.
Now I think that’s important… there’s a reason that John tells us that. It tells us something about Nicodemus at the time. You see; we know he’s a Pharisee, and we know he’s a ruler of the Jews… meaning he’s part of the Sanhedrin. And so he had the authority to go and talk to just about anyone he wanted to concerning religious matters. He could question anyone in Israel about what they believed. In-fact; later on, in the Book of Acts, it’s the Sanhedrin that sends Saul (who later becomes Paul) out to persecute Christians. So it wouldn’t have been out of Nicodemus’ range of authority to approach Jesus at any time and say, “So tell me about what you believe Jesus?” But he comes at night. And there are some pastors and scholars out there, who say that Nicodemus did that because he was afraid of being seen with Jesus, and afraid that people might start talking. That may be the case, but remember, it wouldn’t have been a big deal for Nicodemus to be seen talking to Jesus. In studying this Gospel, and in studying this guy Nicodemus, I actually think he comes at night for concern over Jesus’ well-being.
You see: had Nicodemus come during the day, and made his talk with Jesus public, and Jesus didn’t answer the questions in a way that was acceptable to the Sanhedrin, then Nicodemus would’ve been obligated to turn Him in and have Him arrested. But he doesn’t want to arrest Jesus. He wants to see where He’s coming from, and what it is that Jesus is actually teaching. And not only that… the last part of verse two tells us that Nicodemus is interested in these signs and wonders – these miraculous things that Jesus is able to do.
And one of the most interesting things in this entire passage is that when Nicodemus approaches Jesus, he calls Him “Rabbi” – “Teacher”. That’s amazing to me… that would be sort of like a college professor calling a first semester freshman “professor”. So there’s some respect here from Nicodemus. And there’s an awareness of at least some of what Jesus has said and taught.
And basically Nicodemus comes up to Jesus and says, “Jesus, we know that somehow God is involved in what You’re doing, otherwise You wouldn’t be able to do all these miracles.” But Jesus doesn’t bite. Verse 3 – (I love this), “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.” Instead of answering Nicodemus, or even addressing what he’s brought up, Jesus goes right to the point.
Now I want you to catch what’s happened here. Nicodemus, this highly respected religious leader had come to Jesus, and he’s asking him religious questions, and Jesus basically tells him, “Nicodemus, you won’t be able to see it or understand it unless you’re born again.” This guy – Nicodemus – is a ruler of the Jews… he’s supposed to be right with God. So this would be like a David Platt, Al Mohler, or John Piper, or even a Billy Graham coming up to Jesus and Jesus telling them that they needed to be born again… Now I’m not saying that those guys aren’t or weren’t born again. I’m just saying that this is what this situation would be like.
So Jesus says to Nicodemus; and I’ll read it like it’s written in the original Greek, “If anyone is not born from above then he will not be able to see and understand the rule and reign of God.”
You won’t be able to get it. You won’t be able to comprehend it; or even understand it.
It will make no sense to you. The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing
And then look what happens – Nicodemus proves what Jesus has just said. He asks, “How can a man be born when he’s old? Can he enter again into his mother’s womb?”
It’s kind of funny when you think about it. Jesus has just said, “Nicodemus, if you’re not born again, you won’t be able to understand God’s rule and reign.” And in reply; Nicodemus says, “I don’t understand.”
Now look with me at verses 5 & 6 (READ)
So Nicodemus was thinking in purely physical terms. He’s like, “It’s impossible… I’m an old man… I can’t get born again…” So Jesus clears it up: “Nicodemus; you’re thinking of physical birth, but I’m talking about a spiritual birth.”
And I have to say this, because people get really confused here. But we need to address what Jesus is saying when He says “water” and “Spirit”. And we’ll probably spend the rest of our time today on dealing with this.
Now there’s three different views given to explain Jesus’ phrase “born of water” here.
Some people say that being born of water means to be born physically… they say that the “water” here is the amniotic fluid that surrounds the baby in the womb. Usually people who interpret it this way are folks who don’t understand grammar. First of all, Jesus makes it clear “that which is born of flesh IS flesh, and that which is born of Spirit is spirit.” He’s talking about spiritual birth, not physical birth… The flesh profits nothing. Second; Water and Spirit here are tied together in the Greek in this sentence. So it’s like the water is the instrument being used to do something, and it’s the Spirit Who is using it to do it. Now, because of that… there are some who say that the “water” here is referring to water baptism… which makes a lot more sense than the amniotic fluid. But that’s not what Jesus is saying here either. Nowhere in Scripture does it teach that water baptism is necessary for salvation… in-fact if you go forward one chapter in John’s Gospel, you’ll see that Jesus Himself refrained from baptizing people… He only baptized His own disciples. You go forward to the Book of Acts, and you’ll see that Paul also didn’t do a lot of baptisms… he left that to the local pastors. So if water baptism was necessary for salvation; you’d think that both Jesus and Paul would be doing it. Instead; what we see in Scripture is that people get born again… and THEN follow that up with water baptism as a public profession of the fact that they HAVE ALREADY been born again… So baptism follows salvation.
Jesus even makes it more clear in verse 6 where He says, “That which is born of flesh is flesh, and that which is born of Spirit is spirit.” Water does not wash away sins from your spirit/soul. It can’t cleanse sin away from your nature. It can wash your body (AND IT SHOULD), but it cannot wash away sin. Sin has infected and infested every part of our being, our mind, our soul, and even our spirit. We are conceived in iniquity and born in sin. We are born enemies of God. We are born with a sin nature… That’s why we need to be born again. Born from above. Born with a new nature – a Christ-like nature.
For our spirit to be born again, it has to be born of the HOLY SPIRIT!
Turn with me to 1st Corinthians 12:12 – 13 (READ). So how do we get placed into Christ? By the Holy Spirit… we know that’s exactly what Jesus was saying – because in our text there in John 3:6 that’s what Jesus says, “That which is born of flesh is flesh, that which is born of the Spirit is spirit”. Later on Jesus says it again in John 6:63, “It is the SPIRIT who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The Words that I have spoken to you are Spirit and life.” Then; if you look ahead at 2nd Thessalonians 2:13 it says, “But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification BY THE SPIRIT, and belief in the truth.”
So what is the “water” here that Jesus is talking about? Well, we’ve already see that John likes to use descriptive terms to paint a picture of what he’s saying. He’s called Jesus the “Word”. He’s called Him “the light”. So what does he mean by “water”? Well… That verse we just looked at in 2nd Thess. gives us some insight… the last part of the verse says, “through sanctification BY the Spirit, and belief in the TRUTH.” There are two things there… The Spirit and belief in the truth.
In John 17:17 Jesus is praying to the Father, and He says, “Sanctify them in the truth – THY WORD IS TRUTH.”
The TRUTH that we are called to believe in is the truth of GOD’S WORD!
Now turn with me over to Ephesians 5:25 – 27 (READ). Did you catch that?
Washing of water… WITH THE WORD. Christ sanctifies His bride (the Church) and cleanses Her with His Word. 1st Peter 1:23 says, “Since you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and abiding Word of God.”
And just to tie it all together, 1st Corinthians 6:11 says, “But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”
Now I know, I just had you look at like 8 different passages – rapid fire – but I want everyone to see what the Bible says here.
The “Water” that Jesus is talking about here is the cleansing, regenerating power of the Holy Spirit, that comes to us through God’s Word
Church; here’s the message of this passage: NO ONE is fit to enter into the Kingdom, or even see it until they are born again.
That which is born of flesh (our old, corrupt, sin nature) is flesh (corrupt and sinful). We all like sheep have gone astray. There are none righteous, no not one. We are all born carnally minded, worldly minded people who are enemies of God, and far from Him. That’s how each and every human being is born into this world. This is why we need a second birth… to be born again.
In verse 9 Nicodemus again shows his need for this… he asks, “How can these things be?” He can’t comprehend the things of the Spirit. And Jesus chides him for it. He says, “You’re supposed to be the teacher of Israel… You’re supposed to be the Bible scholar of all Bible scholars… and yet you don’t know what I’m talking about?” And so Jesus makes it plain for him… He basically says to Nicodemus… “I’m the Son of Man… I descended from heaven, and I’m going to ascend back to heaven. But first I’m going to be lifted up…” In other words, Jesus is saying He’s going to die on a cross.
And Church, that’s exactly what He did. He went to the cross to pay for our sin. What’s your sin? Lust? Pride? Jealousy? Envy and covetousness? Do you have hatred in your heart? Do you gossip, or lie, or slander? Do you bear false witness against others? Or maybe you’re a religious person… maybe your sin is trusting in your own righteousness, thinking that you can somehow earn your own way into heaven?
Well Jesus is saying that you can’t ascend to heaven unless you’re in Christ… It’s Christ in me that gives me the hope of glory. The only way we can stand justified before God is if we exchange our filthy, polluted, and corrupted “righteousness” for Christ’s righteousness.
So let me ask you – have you done that? Have you trusted in Christ alone, and in His finished work?
I pray you will this morning. That the Holy Spirit will take God’s Word, and arrest your heart, and draw you to the Savior.
CLOSING
