How can a person be born again?

9“How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.

10“You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? 11Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. 12I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? 13No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man.^e 14Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,^f 15that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him." For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3)

Thoughts: Nicodemus asked "How can a man be born when he is old?".."How can this be?"  Jesus is a bit surprised that Nicodemus does not understand.  But at the time there were few proselytes and lots of people leaving the faith (this is also true in our day).  Jesus wanted Nicodemus who was assuming faith comes through genetics and education, to see that there is a spiritual element of faith.  Jesus was saying something radical- that he was like Moses' snake that healed people of their snake bites.  He would be lifted up in order that people could see and believe they would be healed.  Just as God loved the people of Israel in order to save them from death by serpents, so God loves the whole world to save them from spiritual death into eternal life.  So it takes believing and trusting in Jesus in order to be healed spiritually; saved from sin,death, and hell; and born again to a new way of life. Being born again is not going into the womb again, but it is becoming a brand new person- with new eyes, a new way of life.  It is like getting glasses and being able to see again.  It is like getting an operation and being able to hear for the first time.  It comes by the grace of God drawing us out.  Just as a baby cannot make itself be born- so God draws us out into the new life by the Spirit.  

Prayer: Lord, it is not so important that I know how to be born again but that I am being born again.  

Nuances of Being Born Again

3Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.^a ” (John 3:3) 

4“How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”

5Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit^b gives birth to spirit. 7You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You^c must be born again.’ 8The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”  (John 3:3)

Thoughts: Jesus speaks of the radical transformation of the heart.  It is like being a zombie and then being made alive.  It is like just existing- to living with meaning and a purpose. 
       The word "anothen" in Greek is the word that is translated different ways.  The two most common ways are born "again" (King James, NIV, ESV, NAS) or born "from above" (ISV, CEV).  The American Standard version says "born anew." The Literal Translation says, "generated from above." 
   So what is the big difference?  It is subtle.  Born again is like a transformation- doing it all over again.  Here anothen emphasizes time but also doing it again. 
      "From above" is a common translation too- and it emphasizes position.  John 3:31- speaks of the one who comes "from above." James 1:17 says "every good and perfect gift is from above. (See also James 3:15,17, Mt. 27:51, Mk. 15:38). 
        Truth is, being born again comes from heaven- from God.  A person can be focused only on the stuff of earth or they can be focused on God.  This emphasizes that the Christian faith comes not from ourselves but from the grace and love of God. 
     However, being born again is also a very good translation.  Nicodemus did not understand Jesus' words because it seemed radical to him- like being born again not just born from above.  Some (Ehrman) have said that Jesus spoke Aramaic and the Aramaic does not allow "again"- but this is not true.  The word "derish" in Aramaic allows both meanings- again/anew and from above.
          For many, the Christian life is just a slow evolution of thought.  It makes sense. It is a call to live not by our instincts like animals but a call to live from above.  But such a way of life differentiates the Christian from others.  It is a holy way of life. The word "holiness" emphasizes "otherness"- being separated from the mundane and usual.  The Greek word "anothen" here emphasizes both senses.  The Christian life indeed is a radical transformation that comes from above.
      Jesus also says we must be born or water and born of the Spirit.  This emphasizes the need for cleansing (symbolized by baptism) and the need to have God's Spirit inside of us.  Again it is like a zombie being filled with a soul and real life.  We can be functionally alive like an animal but having faith in God (not just intellectual belief- but trust) makes us alive to Him.  Calvin speaks of it like being blind to the Word and then the Spirit giving us spectacles to see it.  The world opens up with beauty, understanding, meaning, wholeness and peace.  

Prayer: Lord, keep me from being focused only on this world.  Help me to be radically transformed by your Spirit.   

Be Born Again

3Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.^a ”

4“How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”

5Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit^b gives birth to spirit. 7You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You^c must be born again.’ 8The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” (John 3)

Thoughts:  Most scholars believe Nicodemus was exposed to the idea of proselytes becoming Jews by being born again.  But Jesus was asking Jews to be born again.  Yet, there is a spiritual rebirth necessary when someone believes in Jesus.  It is not a flesh birth- like being born a Jew.  It is an opening of the blind eyes- the hearing of the deaf ears.  It is being born all over again.  Life begins when someone starts to believe in Jesus.  Being a Christian is not about a political stance.  It is about a change of heart not a change in vote or simply a change in mind.  

Prayer: Lord, let me be a new creation to find your hope.  

Nicodemus

1Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.” (John 3)

Thoughts: Nicodemus wanted to believe, but he was perhaps embarrassed to go seek out an upstart rabbi. Or maybe he was just curious.  It is to be commended that he came at all.  No one else from the Sanhedrin bothered to come.  Nevertheless, he came at night.  Now nighttime then was not like nighttime now.  There weren't flashlights, streetlamps, car lights.  There were torches and candles, and it was hard to discern anyone. 
    There are people today who are curious about Jesus.  Maybe they kind of believe, but they have not learned how to trust yet.  Believing in Jesus is not about believing he is smart or wise, but trusting He is God who will help us, save us, and see us through. 

Prayer: Lord, let me not be ashamed of you and your words.  Let not any mere earthly power or lust for status keep me from humbling myself to you.  

(Henry O Tanner- By Henry Ossawa Tanner - idlespeculations-terryprest.blogspot.com, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10980764)

A Leader Who Had a Hard Time Listening

1Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.”

3Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.^a ”

4“How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”

5Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit^b gives birth to spirit. 7You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You^c must be born again.’ 8The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”^d

9“How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.

10“You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? 11Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. 12I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? 13No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man.^e 14Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,^f 15that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.” (John 3)

Thoughts: There is much debate about this passage and Nicodemus.  Nicodemus was a leader in the Sanhedrin.  He was well educated, respected, and wealthy.  Nicodemus tried to stand up for Jesus at his arrest, and boldly took Jesus' body for burial along with Joseph of Arimathea helping to treat the body with care.  So Nicodemus became a listener to Jesus.
      Nicodemus came at night to Jesus as it is recorded in this passage.  He may have been curious, or trying to trap Jesus, or he could have been genuinely beginning an inquiry.  I think the latter.   He came at night without an entourage or soldiers.  He came saying that Jesus was a great teacher and seemed to believe in the miracles of Jesus.  The miracles piqued interest and laid credence to the uniqueness of Jesus.  Jesus' words in verse 11 point out that Nicodemus at this time was not a believer or fully accepting the testimony of Jesus. 

Jesus' words to the learned man were important.  They were not another lesson in ethics- like the Sermon on the Mount.  It was not a discussion on the fine points of the Law or Philosophy or politics.  Nicodemus' problem was not intellect but belief.  To believe the testimony of Jesus is to be born again.  This is not a literal second physical birth, but a spiritual re-birth.  It is when everything in life becomes new- including how we look at the Law, Philosophy, politics, and education.  I am convinced that the Law, Philosophy, politics and education are all important, but they are limited in what they can do for both human behavior, and in the face of death and our own failures (sin).  Nicodemus needed the power of the one lifted up on the cross to forgive him, and he needed to believe in him in order to have the life beyond the Law, Philosophy, politics, and education.  Today, the crisis we face is a crisis of belief and trust in God.  When people are transformed, the world becomes transformed- and yes, for the better.  Being born again means that we stop going our way- and we are born into a new way of life- the way of eternal life.  

Prayer: Lord, transform me into the person I need to be.  Let me live as your new creation- leaving the old behind.  Give me ears to hear and a heart to respond and be born again.

Testifying To What He Has Heard

29The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. 30He must become greater; I must become less.”^h

31The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all. 32He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony.  (John 3)

Thoughts: John testifies to what he has heard.  He has heard and understood that Jesus is the Messiah.  Earlier John had said, "Behold the lamb of God who takes away the sins of ht =e wolr.  The best man rejoices with the groom.  John has seen and understood that Jesus is to be elevated.  John's message was pure and true because he clearly heard God's call upon his life and the life of his people. John's call to repent comes from a hear that is humble.  He is able to give up his pride to glorify God and to allow Jesus' messiahship. We too are able to listen to God best when we humble ourselves before Him. 

Prayer: Lord, give me ears to hear and hearts to respond. 

Putting together the stories

October 20- Putting Together the Stories  – John 3:16-17

Today we will put together the story line of the good news of Scripture in a way that is clear

and engaging to people outside the church. We will learn to engage the story of Scripture in a way that can be authentically shared with others. We have not only our story to share, but also the message of Scripture.

James Choung’s book, True Story: A Christianity Worth Believing In, is very helpful in learning how to share the essentials of the faith with another person. His portrayal of the Big Story of Scripture is a very compelling and effective way of sharing God’s mission. By telling this story, you are able to help people identify where they are and where they want to be in the faith. The major parts of the story are the following:

1)      WE ARE DESIGNED FOR GOOD: Choung describes God’s good creation and emphasizes God’s purpose for human beings as loving God, one another, and caring for creation.

2)      WE ARE DAMAGED BY EVIL: Creation is broken because of our desire to be God instead of trusting God and living into our purpose. All of creation is broken! Relationships are broken. Our lives are broken. Communities are broken.

3)      WE ARE RESTORED FOR BETTER: The life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ bring us forgiveness and hope and set us on a journey of healing the world.

4)      WE ARE SENT TO HEAL TOGETHER: This is the mission of the church! This, and only this purpose, is the reason the church exists.

Pray about what seems helpful and what seems difficult about this way of describing the

gospel. Pray about how to share the story in your own. Write out your own story of faith. Some helpful ideas to ponder are:

1)      The closest I have felt to God in my life was . . .

2)      If I could thank God for one person or circumstance in my life, it would be . . .

3)      If I could name a turning point in my relationship with God, it would be . . .

4)      How have you responded to a nudge from God?

Tracie notes that John 3:16 is often called “the gospel in a nutshell.”  Reflect on John 3:16 -17.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁷ For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

1/21/14- Loving Darkness more than Light

19This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. 21But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.

Thoughts: Jesus describes Himself as the "light of the world" (John 8:12).  We still talk about people who have "seen the light" or have been "enlightened."  What this passage points out is that many refuse to come to the light of Christ because they did not want their evil deeds being exposed next to His wonderful life.  Wrong thinking and wrong behavior can be addicting- to the point where we justify its wrongness.  When we are addicted to evil or wrong then we do not want to be exposed tot he light anymore than a fish who has grown up blind in a cave wishes to come into the light.  Our eyes are designed to see light, and light brings beauty, color, the truth and hope.  But if we are not used to the light the nerves of our eyes become dysfunctional from lack of use. 

 Lightning hitting the statue of Christ over Rio De Janeiro

1/19/14- Jesus the Cure

9“How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.

10“You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? 11Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. 12I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? 13No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man.^e 14Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,^f 15that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.” (John 3:9-15)

Thoughts: Jesus was saying we must be transformed to go to heaven, but Nicodemus was still thinking of earthly things.  Even when Jesus spoke of the Spirit as uncontrollable as the wind, Nicodemus still did not get it.
      Jesus talks about his message, the message of salvation. Jesus indicated that he had come from heaven and he would be going back to heaven.  "Just as Moses lifted up the snake" is a reference to Numbers 21.  The people had sinned and were being bitten by poisonous snakes.  God provided a bronze snake that, when looked upon, could cure those bitten.  Jesus would be "lifted up" on the cross and cure us of sin.  All we have to do is to look to Him in belief.  

Prayer: Lord, help us to look to you, believing in you.  

1/17/14- Born again John 3:1-4

1Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council.2He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.”

3Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again. ”

4“How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”

Thoughts: Nicodemus was a religious leader who was open to religious truth.  No doubt Nicodemus had much training and was much connected among the religious elite as a member of the Sanhedrin.  As such, Nicodemus had every reason to keep the status quo.  Perhaps Nicodemus thought that we may grow in our faith as we grow in our knowledge and keeping of the Law.  But Jesus had a different idea- a transformation that is as radical as going from the warm safe womb to the cold unfamiliar air.
     Nicodemus began his conversation at night.  Perhaps he was nervous about coming to Christ when people would see him.  Later Nicodemus would boldly claim the dead body of Christ, though it meant some political pain.  Nicodemus began the conversation with a compliment and an openness to listening.
       But Jesus abruptly changed the tone.  He was not about to play games here.  It was important for Jesus that Nicodemus know that belief in Him was not full of compliments, but it meant a change- a transformation, being born-again.  True belief in Christ affects all that we are- belief, behavior, speech, and even thought.  It is like becoming a new creature (2 Cor. 5:17).
       Nicodemus, like most legalistic minds, took this saying too literally to understand its truth.  Jesus was not talking about physical birth- but spiritual birth. 

Prayer: Lord, change me.  Make me new.  Let me believe that you are able to change me for better.