The Joy And Privilege Of Serving Jesus (John 3:22-36; 4:1-3) Series

Today's passage is a little tricky. I'll try to talk slowly. I'll try to not lose you. But if you get lost about parts, I'd be happy to give you my manuscript, or answer any questions afterward.

Let's start this morning by rereading John 3:1-5 (NRSV, lightly modified):

3 Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Judeans. 2 He came to Jesus[a] by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God.” 3 Jesus answered him, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above/again.”[b] 4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womb and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit.

If you want to "see" the kingdom of God, and "enter" it, what do you have to do?

Jesus says, there are two things you have to do, to be born "from above." Water, and Spirit. And Jesus then went on to talk with Nicodemus about the Spirit, and what that means.

But nowhere else in Jesus' conversation with Nicodemus, did Jesus say anything about water. That got dropped.

So what we were supposed to make of that?

I argued, and some of you I'm sure are not convinced, that Jesus was referring to water baptism. I think Jesus was saying, you have to be born of water and of Spirit to enter God's kingdom. You have to be baptized to have eternal life (understood John 17:3 style). Both the water, and the Spirit, are necessary.

Many of you maybe struggle with this idea, because you think that the only thing that's necessary for a relationship with God is faith (along with repentance, at least, hopefully). The idea that baptism is (1) commanded, and (2) necessary, is hard.

And I get that. So let's turn to Acts 2:36-41.

36 Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”

37 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” 40 And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” 41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.

Peter said that there were three things you had to do to be saved: (1) "believe in" Jesus, (2) turn from your sins to God (=repent), and (3) be baptized. And repentance and baptism here are connected to two things: (1) forgiveness of sins, and (2) the gift of the Holy Spirit.

These verses, along with others (1 Peter 3:21; Romans 6, in particular), should make us cautious about assuming that when it comes to baptism, we are actually simple Bible believing Christians. This is one of those areas where I think what the Bible teaches is incredibly straightforward. Baptism is how you die to yourself (Romans 6) and to Sin, and how you choose God, and commit to him.

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So, what I had argued when teaching on John 3:5 was that Jesus meant, you have be born from water through baptism, and the Spirit, in order to have eternal life (17:3 style).

But I assumed, in saying this, that I wouldn't actually persuade anyone. Teaching on this feels a little bit like poking a bear, more than anything. I don't expect any good to come from it.

And I realized that it was hard to say what Jesus meant by water there, because neither Jesus, nor AJ, said anything else about water in that entire discussion.

Right? Jesus brings up water, says it's necessary, and then he drops it.

Here, that changes. And I think the best way to understand this passage, is as a partial explanation of the other half of the new birth "from above"-- of being born "of water." (And in defense of this, there's a ton of verbal links between 3:1-21, and 3:22-4:3, some of which I'll bring out below. We are supposed to read chapter 3 as a whole).