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.  

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.

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.