Introduction
Read 2:23-25. John now shows how Jesus met one such man (Nicodemus) and
led him to true faith. Read vs 1,2. Nicodemus' identity affects our understanding
of this passage.
He was a "Pharisee" (vs 1): a member of the strictest sect
of Judaism. The Pharisees were a closed fraternity of less than 6000
Jewish men who were committed to a high level of religious discipline.
They tried to follow the 600+ Old Testament laws with thousands of applications
(now codified in the Talmud >> EXAMPLES). Nicodemus was a rigorous
religious practitioner--more than any of us (PARALLEL).
He was a "ruler of the Jews" (vs 1): a member of the Sanhedrin.
The Sanhedrin was the supreme court of Israel with real political power
under Rome. 70 wealthy and socially prominent men made up this elite
group. Nicodemus was one of the movers and shakers of Jewish
society.
He was also "the teacher of Israel" (vs 10): a biblical
and theological scholar in a society which was deeply immersed in
biblical knowledge. This is important, because Jesus frequently alludes
to Old Testament passages as he talks with Nicodemus.
Nicodemus is a great man! No one today could claim to be more religious
than Nicodemus. Yet, for all of his religious discipline and social influence
and theological knowledge, he evidently senses something is missing. So,
coming by night so as not to risk his reputation, he requests a conversation
with this controversial young rabbi who has aroused the ire of the religious
establishment by cleansing the temple.
We don't know where Nicodemus would have taken the conversation because
Jesus cuts him off before he starts. He tells this man, who exemplifies
the cream of the old order, that he needs more than some theological
fine-tuning--he needs a whole new birth. Their dialogue answers
three questions about this new birth . . .
What is it?
Jesus tells us three things about this new birth. The first is in vs
3-6.
Read vs 3. As a devout Jew, Nicodemus had longed for the coming of
God's kingdom. Because of his Jewish heritage and religious devotion,
he undoubtedly felt that he was qualified to enter God's kingdom when
it came. But Jesus shatters his confidence by declaring that it was
only for those who were born again.
Read vs 4. Nicodemus interprets Jesus literalistically. But Jesus
clarifies himself by saying that the new birth is not a second physical
birth, but a spiritual birth (read vs 5,6). Being born physically
("born of water" as amniotic fluid) only makes us alive
to this physical realm. But if we want to be alive to God and experience
his loving leadership in our lives, this requires a spiritual birth.
No ancestry, no amount of religious devotion can cause this. It takes
God's Spirit to conceive his life in us so that we come into direct
contact with him.
So the first thing we learn about the new birth is that it is
the means by which God's Spirit makes us alive to his loving leadership.
At this point, Nicodemus' jaw was evidently hanging open (read vs 7):
"Right, an invisible birth." That's why Jesus said vs 8 (read).
To ancient man, the wind was a mysterious reality. They could not see
it, they had no idea what caused it--but they knew by the pressure on
their faces and the sound of the leaves it rustled that it was real.
Some things go beyond our ability to fully comprehend or explain,
but that doesn't mean they are irrational or unreal (COPIER). In the
same way, the new birth is a mysterious event which nonetheless
produces undeniable results. I may not be able to explain fully
to you how God enables us to be born spiritually, but you can see
the effects of it in the lives of those who have received it--and
if you receive it you will experience those same effects.
In vs 9, Nicodemus expresses amazement that such a profound spiritual
change could take place. Jesus is equally amazed that Nicodemus could
be the preeminent Old Testament scholar of Israel and not know about
it, because it was a fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy (vs
10-12; "we" refers to Jesus and Old Testament prophets). Here,
Jesus is undoubtedly referring to Ezek. 36:25-27. This was a prophecy
of what God would make available when his Messiah came, and it explains
three effects of the new birth.
He will cleanse us from the guilt of our sins (vs 25).
He will replace our hearts/spirits which are dead and insensitive
to God with hearts/spirits that are alive and sensitive to him (vs
26).
He will actually put his Spirit within us, thus imparting a new desire
and ability to follow his will for our lives (vs 37).
Most people are open to this . . . the question is . . .
How do we get it?
From Nicodemus, we can infer two ways we don't get it:
Not by good works or religious discipline. If you could earn
the new birth this way, Nicodemus would have already had it. As amazing
as it may seem, there is no biblical correlation between your good works
and receiving the new birth. Some of the people who committed the most
terrible sins received the new birth, but some of the people who are
most religious didn't receive it.
Not by believing Jesus was a good teacher sent by God. Nicodemus
believed this (vs 2: "Rabbi"), but he didn't have the new
birth. This is because Jesus is far more than just a good teacher; he
is the unique Son of man, God-incarnate (vs 13)--who did something unique
to make the new birth possible . . .
Read vs 14,15. The answer to this question, Jesus tells Nicodemus, is
foreshadowed by a strange event recorded in the Old Testament. This event
was well-known by Nicodemus (but not by most of us!). Read Num. 21:4-9.
First let's make sure we understand the elements of this event, then we
can see what Jesus says it foreshadowed.
The elements of the event:
The venomous serpents are clearly the judgment of God on the Israelites
for their rebellion against him. Their sins were resulting in their
deaths.
God's solution was very strange. Moses, God's appointed spokesman
who did not participate in their rebellion, had to nevertheless identify
himself with their sin. He did this by making a bronze serpent and
personally holding it in clear view of the people.
God healed the guilty people when they simply looked at the
bronze serpent. They didn't have to crawl over to it (because they
were unable), but they did have to show that they trusted God's promise
by looking at this unlikely means of healing.
How does this explain how to receive the new birth?
The Israelites picture the human condition. We are all under God's
judgment because of our rebellion against him. This is our
central problem--not that we are already gods or one with God but
ignorant of this (NEW AGE; PANTHEISM), not that we are basically good
people who have been mistreated by others--but that we have sinned
against a holy God and are therefore justly under his judgment.
Moses lifting up the brazen serpent is a picture of Jesus being lifted
up on the cross. Just as Moses identified himself with the sins of
the Israelites, Jesus identified himself with our sins on the cross
and took God's judgment on himself for us ("ELOI;" 2 Cor.
5:21).
We are forgiven by God and receive the new birth when we put our
personal trust in Jesus' death for our sins. We don't have to change
first--we simply have to "look" to him in faith.
Read vs 16. Now this famous verse is perfectly understandable. If you
want to receive the new birth, you must personalize this verse.
God so loved you that he gave his only Son to pay for your
sins. Even though he is not happy with what you have done, he loves
you and has provided a way out. If you will put your personal
trust in him to do this for you, he will spare you from
his judgment and give you the new birth. ("Eternal life"
is more than heaven. It is being indwelt by God's spiritual life, and
it begins the moment you receive Christ.)
Notice how Jesus puts us on the spot in vs 18. Now that we know what
he has done for us we are responsible to receive it through faith.
There is no neutral ground for us now; we are either in or out. If
we choose to believe in Jesus, we are not judged. But if we refuse
to believe in Jesus, we remain under God's judgment because we have
rejected his only provision for our rescue (IRS DEBT).
Why do people reject it?
Read vs 19-21. What an amazing statement! Jesus predicts that some will
reject his incredibly generous offer. I sure have seen this myself: I've
been the person who rejected it, and I have seen people reject it. Even
when we clearly explain this gift Jesus offers, and distinguish it from
misconceptions of Christianity (WORKS; BLIND FAITH), people will often
still refuse it.
Why? Because they love the darkness and hate the light! How different
this explanation is form the one that is normally given--that people want
to find God but that he is not accessible. Jesus says it is the other
way round: he is the light seeking us out, but some of us go skittering
like cockroaches into the darkness as soon as the light goes on.
According to Jesus, the real barrier to receiving the new birth is
not intellectual or evidential, but rather moral. The real problem
is not insufficient evidence, but unwillingness to humble themselves
to God. People turn down Jesus' offer of the new birth, not because
they suspect it isn't true, but because they suspect it is true--and
don't want anyone (including God) intruding into their lives.
Some people prefer the darkness of religious pride. Religious
people often hate this message, because it means they must admit that
all their good works aren't good enough. They have to come to God
just like the person who has never worked at being religious.
Others prefer the darkness of self-rule. This is the way it
was with me. I knew the first time I heard this message that it was
true and that I need to receive Christ. But I rejected it because
I had other things I wanted to do, and I sensed intuitively that receiving
Christ would change the course of my life. Because I wanted to do
my own thing, I used my mind to justify this by becoming an atheist.
But two years later, when I was willing to admit to myself and to
God that I was lost, he reminded me again of his offer. I told Jesus
that if he came into my life and made his presence evident, I was
ready to follow God's will for my life. That's when I received the
new birth . . .
What about you? Are you willing to admit that you aren't good enough
to work your way to God? Are you ready to admit that being your own ruler
doesn't work? Why not call out to Jesus Christ and ask him to forgive
you and indwell you and begin to direct your life?
Epilogue
What happened to Nicodemus? Evidently, he believed in Jesus-and slowly
became a witness for him (Jn. 7:50-52; 19:38,39)