When Jesus told Nicodemus, “You must be born again,” it’s fair to say that it sounded as weird to Nicodemus as it does to most people today.
If you’re a Christian, and you’ve ever explained to someone what that means, you might find them asking you, “Are you one of those ‘born again’ types?” They mean it with a kind of odd zealot in mind. But you have to say, “Yes!” – and then explain it!
So we’ll take a look at that conversation so that you know that you must be born again. But we need to press further.
Knowing it (believing it) is one thing. But… you must be born again! And we can learn from John the Baptist what it means to live it.
These notes accompany a sermon on YouTube delivered at Bromborough Evangelical Church in June 2024. You can find more in the series in our sermon index.
You must be born again (1-8)
Read John 3:1-2.
In John 1:5, Jesus was described as “the light that shines in the darkness.” In this gospel, John often uses day & night, light & dark as metaphors for truth & falsehood, understanding & not. So it’s notable that Nicodemus came to Jesus at night. Nicodemus might have been a Pharisee and ruler of the Jews, but he was spiritually in the dark – and didn’t know it. And yet… he was here, meeting with Jesus.
Nicodemus had the religious establishment on his side. He’d come to check Jesus out. And in one sentence, Jesus took him out! Read John 3:3.
You might have a footnote in your Bible next to “again”. The word can mean “again” or “from above.” It’s a typical double-meaning in John’s gospel. There are other words for again, and this choice is deliberate.
Unless someone is born again – from above – he cannot see the kingdom of God. (You might speak to people who get confused by the phrase “born again”, but don’t fear using it! Own it!)
30 seconds into his conversation, Nicodemus has had the rug pulled from under his feet. He’s lost.
Read John 3:4. He obviously understood Jesus’ words as born “again,” rather than born “from above.”
So Jesus begins to explain. Read John 3:5-6.
Like gives birth to like
Flesh gives birth to flesh; spirit gives birth to spirit. Nicodemus was like lots of religious people. They “do religion” and think it’s some kind of spirituality. But you can’t dream up spiritual life: It comes to you from above, from the Spirit.
Unless you understand the need for spiritual rebirth you’ll never see the kingdom of God. And that’s a disaster, as we’ll come to.
Jesus has a mild rebuke for Nicodemus: Read John 3:7-8.
Nicodemus knew his Old Testament; it was a big part of his job. So he’d realise Jesus was alluding to Ezekiel 37, the vision of the valley of dry bones. The valley floor was covered with human skeletons – as dead as could be. On God’s command, Ezekiel prophesied to the bones and they clickety-clicked, grew tendons and flesh, and became bodies. Then he prophesied to the wind.
Now in Hebrew, there’s one word for wind, and breath, and spirit. Amazingly, it’s the same in Greek. So in Ezekiel 37 the wind blew; the bodies gained spirit; and they breathed – alive. At no point could you see the wind, the breath, or the spirit – but you could see them alive!
And that is the point Jesus is making Nicodemus. For someone to truly be spiritually alive, their spiritually dead body needs the breath of the life of the Holy Spirit in them – you don’t see the Spirit, but you do see his work.
There is no evangelistic tract, method, or system that will save a soul without the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit bringing new life from above.
Let that seep deep into your prayer life.
Be born again (9-21)
You need to go from understanding the idea, to actually doing it. Poor old Nicodemus was still struggling: Read John 3:9.
But Jesus won’t let him off that easily. Read John 3:10.
Nicodemus should have understood from Ezekiel 37’s bones the need for God to give Spirit for life. He might have meditated on Psalm 87, on how the birth records of Babylon and other nations would be altered to say they were born in Zion – born again, as it were. Nicodemus was a teacher of God’s people who didn’t understand the true nature of coming to God. He thought it was all religion, rules and regulations. It was all flesh, and no spirit. Especially no spirit from God.
But who is Jesus to be teaching this Pharisee and leader of the Jews? Read John 3:11-13.
Nicodemus had appeared with all his religious authority, all his teaching, qualifications and recommendations. But Jesus is the man from heaven. You can’t know more about how to come to the kingdom of God than God the King does. If you want to know for sure about matters of heaven and hell, life and death, listen to the man who knows: Jesus.
The lifted-up bronze snake
Jesus then takes Nicodemus to an amazing event in Numbers 26, one that Nicodemus would have known well:
- The nation of Israel were rebelling and complaining (again)
- So God sent poisonous snakes among them, and they bit the people and “many Israelites died” (Numbers 26:6).
- The people repented of their sin, and so God provided a way to live.
- The snakes stayed in the camp, as that was the just outcome for their sin.
- But Moses was told by God to make a bronze snake on a pole.
- If you were bitten, and under the curse of death, you looked up to the bronze snake and you’d live, not die.
- It was an act of faith. Look, and you live. Don’t look, and you die.
So read John 3:14-15.
The snake was lifted up. You’d look by faith, and you’d live. Jesus was lifted up. You can look by faith, and you’ll receive eternal life. He was lifted up to the cross in death. That death is the punishment you deserve. He takes that for you as a substitute, a sacrifice for your sins. That’s what you’re putting your faith in. Then he was lifted up from death in his resurrection. And he was lifted up to the glories of heaven, where he reigns now and forever.
That Jesus offers you eternal life because he has it to give. And that offer of life comes to you because God loves you.
God loves you
Read John 3:16.
You’re called to faith in Christ. God has no desire for you to suffer eternal death in hell, though that is the punishment due for your sins. So he gave his Son to be lifted up for you, so that you will look to him and receive eternal life. Some might have strong faith, others will have weak faith. But salvation isn’t about the strength of your faith, but the one in whom you put your faith – Jesus.
Your sin already condemns you before God. You’re naturally hell-bound. He sent you Jesus so that you might be saved; but just like an Israelite who didn’t look to that bronze snake would die, you’ll die in your sin if you don’t look to Jesus.
Read John 3:17-18.
See how we’ve shifted from “You must be born again” to “Be born again”?
Your knowledge of what Jesus said must become belief that it’s true. And then your belief that it’s true becomes actual faith in Jesus.
YOU must be born again
At that point, you must go to him.
Find a quiet place, a quiet moment. Anywhere. He waits.
Speak to him. “Lord, I’m sorry for all I’ve done. Please forgive me. Turn me round, and help me live for you.” You’re accepting Jesus as both Saviour and Lord. He has given you eternal life, and you will live this life for him – joyfully so, with thanksgiving.
Examine your heart, your motives, your loves. If you love darkness more than light, you’ll avoid Jesus.
Read John 3:19-21.
Those who do come to Jesus in faith are born again. You’re given the right to become a child of God, a child of light. And you will want to do right, even as God himself works in you and through you for his own glory. So:
Live born again (22-35)
That is, live in a way that show you’re a child of God, saved by faith in the lifted-up Christ.
John the Baptist was baptising and as a result of a dispute some of John’s disciples came to him to tell him about Jesus. They were concerned that everyone was going to Jesus instead of John! John’s response is beautiful and a prime example of what it means to live the life of someone born again, born of God. Read John 3:27-30.
John’s ministry wasn’t for his glory; he was sent from God to point people to Jesus. So he’s utterly thrilled that people are doing just that. He’s not saying that through gritted teeth (“oh, I’m really happy for him…”) – he’s genuinely joyous.
There’s such a thing as “humble bragging.”
- “I’m humbled by how our church has grown from just a handful to this multisite mega church you see today.”
- Sounds like humility, but it’s bragging.
- “I’m humbled to have been able to achieve this great thing with God’s help…”
- Sounds like humility, but it’s bragging.
- It’s really common, and easy to spot once you’ve got the idea.
John the Baptist has not an ounce of that in him. He was genuinely humble, in that all he wanted to do was to see Christ exalted. It brought John joy.
Joy at Jesus’ exaltation
At no point would he dream of photobombing Jesus, stealing Jesus’ glory.
John describes himself as a friend of the groom: On the wedding day, John’s delight is to see the groom (Jesus) having a wonderful day. The best man mustn’t steal the groom’s limelight – and doesn’t want to, either. More, the bride of Christ is the church: You. His bride is to delight in him, be faithful to him, find pleasure in mystical union with him.
Wonderfully, he says that Christ must increase and John must decrease. And that’s an image that carries for you too.
The old you, the sinful you, is dead to the world. By faith in Christ you are born again, growing as a newborn baby, becoming less like you and more like Christ. You’ve been predestined to be conformed to his likeness, so every day is a day where he is to increase and you (the old you) is to decrease.
And you do that by taking more and more joy in Jesus. Be with him; learn what pleases him. Trust him; learn dependence. Thank him; love him. Know him.
The theme of ‘old’ being replaced by ‘new’ in these chapters is clear, but it’s also a theme for your life daily.
The final verses act as a summary: Read John 3:31-35.
You must be born again. Spiritual life is given spiritually, by God.
Be born again. In faith, look to Jesus. Your sins already condemn you, but you can live as you look to him for eternal life.
Live born again. Delight in the groom, Jesus. Make him the star of your life.