John 3:1-36 (Living Bible)

After dark one night a Jewish religious leader named Nicodemus, a member of the sect of the Pharisees, came for an interview with Jesus.
"sir," he said, "we all know that God has sent you to teach
us. Your miracles are proof enough of this."
Jesus replied, "With all the earnestness I possess I tell you this: Unless you are born again, you can never get into the Kingdom of God."
"Born again!" exclaimed Nicodemus. "What do you mean? How can an old man go back into his mother's womb and be born again?"
Jesus replied, "What I am telling you so earnestly is this: Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God. Men can only reproduce human life, but the Holy Spirit gives new life from heaven; so don't be surprised at my statement that you must be born again! Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it will go next, so it is with the Spirit. We do not know on whom he will next bestow this life from heaven."
"What do you mean?" Nicodemus asked.
Jesus replied, "You, a respected Jewish teacher, and yet you don't understand these things? I am telling you what I know and have seen--and yet you won’t believe me. But if you don't even believe me when I tell you about such things as these that happen here among men, how can you possibly believe if I tell you what is going on in heaven? For only I, the Messiah, have come to earth and will return to heaven again. And as Moses in the wilderness lifted up the bronze image of a serpent on a pole, even so that everyone who believes in me will have eternal life. God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it."
"There is no eternal doom awaiting those who trust him to save them. But those who don't trust him have already been tried and condemned for not believing in the only Son of God.
Their sentence is based on this fact; that the light from heaven came into the world, but they loved the darkness more than the Light, for their deeds were evil. They hated the heavenly Light because they wanted to sin in the darkness. They stayed away from that Light for fear their sins would be exposed and they would be punished. But those doing right came gladly to the Light to let everyone see that they are doing what God wants them to."
Afterwards Jesus and his disciples left Jerusalem and stayed for a while in Judea and baptized there.
At this time John the Baptist was not yet in prison. He was baptizing at Aenon, near Salim, because there was plenty of water there. One day someone began an argument with John's disciples, telling them that Jesus' baptism was best. So they came to John and said, "Master, the man you met on the other side of the Jordan River--the one you said was the Messiah--he is baptizing too, and everybody is going over there instead of coming here to us." John replied, "God in heaven appoints each man's work. My work is to prepare the way for that man so that everyone will go to him.
You, yourselves know how plainly I told you that I am not the Messiah. I am here to prepare the way for him--that is all. The crowds will naturally go to the main attraction--the bride will go where the bridegroom is! A bridegroom's friends rejoice with him. I am the Bridegroom's friend, and I am filled with joy at his success. He must become 

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greater and greater, and I must become less and less. He has come from heaven and is greater than anyone else. I am of the earth, and my understanding is limited to the things of earth.

He tells what he has seen and heard, but how few believe what he tells them! Those who believe him discover that God is a fountain of truth. For this one--sent by God--speaks God's words, for God's Spirit is upon him without measure or limit. The Father loves this man because he is his Son, and God has given him everything there is. And all who trust him--God's Son--have eternal life; those who don't believe and obey him shall never see heaven, but the wrath of God remains upon them."

This chapter can be divided into two main parts--the interview between Jesus and Nicodemus--and the witness of John the Baptist concerning the public ministry of Jesus Christ.

Let's talk about Nicodemus: For the most part. we see Jesus surrounded by the ordinary people, but here we see Him in contact with one of the aristocracy of Jerusalem. How fascinating that a member of the "Who's Who of Jerusalem" should seek out Jesus. a rustic itinerant preacher!

Could He have anything in common with Nicodemus, a man with impeccable credentials? John describes Nicodemus as "a man of the Pharisees," which meant he was one of the separated ones, an elite lay theologian dedicated to studying and living out every jot and tittle of the law and "a ruler of the Jews," meaning he was a member of the Sanhedrin, that exclusive council which controlled the religious life of Israel.

There is a strong possibility that Nicodemus was also very wealthy. When Jesus died, it was Nicodemus who brought for His body "a mixture of myrrh and aloes about a hundred pound weight" (John 19:39), and only a wealthy man could have brought that for the burial of Jesus. We noted that John also introduced Nicodemus as a PHARISEE. In many ways, the Pharisees were the best people in the whole country of Palestine. There were never more than 6,000 of them; they were what was known as the brotherhood. They entered into this brotherhood by taking a pledge in front of three witnesses that they would spend all their lives observing every detail of scribal law. It was the Scribes who spent all their lives writing out all the meticulous detail of the explanations in working out the Ten Commandments. God gave general principles of living in the Ten Commandments--and it was the Scribes who redefined those principles into exacting and detailed laws which numbered over six thousand different laws for living! 

Also, Nicodemus was a member of the Sanhedrin. The Sanhedrin was a court of seventy members and it was the supreme court of the Jews. Of course, under the Romans, its powers were more limited than once they had been; but they were still extensive. In particular, the Sanhedrin had religious jurisdiction over every Jew in the world and one of its duties was to examine and deal with everyone suspected of being a false prophet.

Question! Why did Nicodemus come to Jesus and why did he select to do it under the cover of darkness?

Maybe...Nicodemus had come because of all that had been going on. He said, "No one can do these things that you do unless God is with him." The dramatic cleansing of the temple and the works that followed had created quite a stir. Surely these happenings had become common gossip on the streets of Jerusalem! He may have come to Jesus at night because he was a cautious man. If he had made his visit in the day, it may have caused a misunderstanding amongst his peers. Or, he may have come in the night time because that is when the Rabbis had said that was the best time for study...and maybe in the late hours, Nicodemus was studying the Old prophets and their writings and began to wonder if this Christ could be the one which they all prophesied about!

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Nicodemus says, "we know." He seems to be speaking for more than himself. He may have come to voice some of the questions being raised by a group within the Sanhedrin. By what authority was Jesus doing these things? What was His purpose?

Jesus responds with a friendly statement directly to the heart of the matter. Christ ignored Nicodemus' address and with startling abruptness said, "VERILY, VERILY I SAY UNTO THEE, EXCEPT A MAN BE BORN AGAIN, HE CANNOT SEE THE KINGDOM OF GOD."

This brings us to the central truth of the passage--the teaching of our Lord upon the new birth. Here we find that He speaks of first, the supreme Importance of the new birth (v. 3); second, the Instrument of the new birth—"water" (v. 5); third, the Producer of the new birth--"the Spirit" (v. 5); fourth, the imperative Necessity of the new birth--a new nature, "spirit" (v. 6); fifth, the obvious Imperativeness of the new birth (v. 7); sixth, the Process of the new birth (v. 8).

It is profoundly significant that the new birth formed the first subject of the Savior’s teaching in this Gospel. It is not how man should live about which we are first instructed by Christ in this Gospel. but how men are made alive spiritually. A man cannot live before he is born; nor can a dead man regulate his life.

And Jesus started his conversation with Nicodemus with the most solemn and weighty words He could use...VERILY, VERILY. When He was about to say something of momentous meaning, he always began with these words. Christ plainly intimated the supreme importance of the new birth by affirming that "except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." Then Jesus continued..."VERILY, VERILY, I SAY UNTO THEE, EXCEPT A MAN BE BORN OF WATER AND OF THE SPIRIT, HE CANNOT SEE THE KINGDOM OF GOD."

This expression has been the occasion of wide difference by Bible scholars. But my understanding of the phrase is that Jesus was referring to the Word of God when He spoke of "water." I know that many believe that He is referring to baptism as absolutely essential to salvation. The WORD is ever the instrument used by God in regeneration. In every passage where the instrument of the new birth is described, it is always the Word of God that is mentioned.

In 1 Corinthians 4:14, we find the apostle saying: "I have begotten you through the gospel." Again, we are told, "Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth." (James 1:18). Peter declares, "Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the Word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever." (1 Peter 1:23).

The new birth, then, is by the Word of God, and one of the emblems of the Word is "water." God employs quite a number of emblems to describe the various characteristics and qualities of His Word. It is likened unto a "lamp" (Psalm 119:105) because it illumines. It is likened unto a "hammer" (Jer. 23:29) because it breaks up the hard heart. It is likened unto "water" because it cleanses (Psalm 119:9; John 15:3; Ephesians 5:26). "Born of water" means born of the cleansing and purifying Word of God.

Then Jesus speaks of the work of the Holy spirit irt the act of regeneration and redemption. He explains the work of the Holy Spirit by illustrating His actions to the actions of the wind! "The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth; so is every one that is born of the Spirit" (3:8).

One of the great Bible teachers of the past (A. W. Pink) writes in his commentary these words: "The wind bloweth where it pleaseth...so is every one that is born of the Spirit." This describes the sovereignty of His actions. The wind is an element altogether beyond man's control...so is the Spirit of God!

The wind is irresistible! When the wind blows in the

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fullness of its power, It sweeps everything before it. Those who have looked upon the effects of a tornado just after it has passed know something of the mighty force of the wind. It is so with the Holy Spirit. When He comes in the fullness of His power, He breaks down man's prejudices, subdues his rebellious will, overcomes all opposition.

The wind is irregular! By this, I mean it sometimes moves so softly it scarcely rustles a leaf; at other times it blows so loudly that its roar can be heard miles away. So it is in the matter of the new birth. With some, the Holy Spirit works so gently His work is imperceptible to onlookers; with others. His action is so powerful, so radical, revolutionary His operations are apparent to many. Sometimes, the wind is only local in its reach; at other limes, it is widespread in its scope. So it is with the Spirit. Today, He acts on one or two souls; tomorrow, He may--as at Pentecost--"prick in the heart" a whole multitude. But, whether He works on few or many, He consults not man; He acts as He pleases!

The wind is invisible! It is one of the very few things in nature that is invisible. We can see the rain, the snow, the lightning's flash, but not so the wind. Even so the Holy Spirit--He is unseen.

The wind is inscrutable! There is something about the wind which defies all effort of human explanation. Its origin, its nature, its activities, are beyond man's knowledge. Man cannot tell whence it cometh or whither it goeth. It is so with the activities of the Holy Spirit. His operations are conducted secretly; His workings are profoundly mysterious!

The wind is invigorating! The life-giving properties of the wind are illustrated every time a physician orders his sick patient to retire to the mountains or to the seaside. It is so, again, with the Spirit. He is the One who strengthens with might in the inner man. He is the One who energizes, revives, empowers.

"The wind bloweth"--there is the fact.
"And thou hearest the sound thereof"--there is the mystery behind the fact.

The one born again knows that he has a new life and enjoys the evidences of it, but how the Holy Spirit operates upon the soul, subdues the will, creates the new life within us, belongs to the deep things of God. Nicodemus answered and said unto him, "How can these things be?" In response to Nicodemus' question, Jesus calls him a TEACHER OF ISRAEL and expressed amazement at his lack of understanding. Having such a position, Nicodemus should have known what Jesus was talking about for the new birth is not a topic foreign to the Hebrew Scriptures (I Samuel 10:6; Isaiah 32:15; Jeremiah 31:3; Ezekiel 36:25-27; Joel 2:28-29).

This Jewish teacher of the Bible knew the Old Testament thoroughly, but he didn't understand what it said about the Messiah. Knowledge is not salvation..."You search the Scriptures, for you believe they give you eternal life. And the Scriptures point to me! Yet you won't come to me so that I can give you this life eternal!" (John 5:39)

In verse 13, Jesus tells why He is uniquely qualified to speak about heavenly matters. His authoritative message about heaven was based on personal experience. HE CAME FROM HEAVEN! It was His home and from there, He left on His mission to rescue and redeem us from our sins.

Please note in passing, the title Jesus gives to Himself: THE SON OF MAN. It comes from Daniel 7:13-14: "I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed."

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Life Begins With Jesus (section 2, p. 5)

When you study the Gospels closely, you will note that this title Jesus used for Himself more than any other title! "As Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up." (v. 14)

The Son of Man came from heaven and became flesh in order to die--but his death would have special importance. That significance had been 'taught' by God throughout the experiences of his chosen people. To illustrate this, Jesus compared his coming death to a story well known to Nicodemus, for it came from Jewish history. According to Numbers 21:6-9, while the Israelites were wandering in the wilderness, God sent a plague of snakes to punish the people for their rebellious attitudes. But God also gave the remedy for the poisonous snake bites--he told Moses to erect a pole upon which he was to attach a bronze snake. Those bitten by the snakes could be healed by obeying God's command to look up at the elevated bronze snake and believe that God would heal them. Their healing came when they looked upon this lifted-up, bronze snake. Jesus used this incident to picture his coming salvation work on the cross. To be lifted up in Jesus' time-according to the usage of John--was a euphemism [or death on the cross (the victim was literally lifted up above the earth): it also spoke of his subsequent glorification. NOW WE COME TO THAT VERSE MOST FAMILIAR IN ALL THE BIBLE!

"For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

A GREAT LOVE…................. For God so loved the world,
A GREAT GIFT…................... that He gave His only begotten Son,
A GREAT OPPORTUNITY.....that whosoever believeth on him,
A GREAT DELIVERANCE.....should not perish,
A GREAT POSSESSION.........but have everlasting life.

One Bible commentator divided it this way: GOD...the greatest love; SO LOVED...the greatest degree; THE WORLD...the greatest number; THAT HE GAVE...the greatest act; HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON...the greatest gift; THAT WHOSOEVER...the greatest invitation; BELIEVES...the greatest simplicity; IN HIM...the greatest person, SHALL NOT PERISH...the greatest escape; BUT...the greatest difference; HAVE...the greatest certainty; ETERNAL LIFE...the greatest destiny.

For some, living forever may not sound so great! Some people are repulsed by the ideas of eternal life because their lives are miserable with pain, hunger, poverty or disappointment. But, eternal life is not an extension of a person's mortal life; eternal life is God's life embodied in Christ given to all believers now as a guarantee that they will live forever. Not only will we be changed, almost everything else will also be changed. In eternal life, there is no death, sickness, enemy, evil or sin. When we don’t know Christ, we make choices as though this life is all we have. In reality, this life is just the introduction to eternity. Oh! What good news! The gospel truly is good news! It is not always seen as good news because people are often afraid it is too good to be true! Moments of honest reflection usually confront us with the hopelessness of our lives. We know we are far from perfect. The bad news is so bad that we can hardly stand it. So, we try to protect ourselves from our fears by putting our faith in something we do or have--good deeds, skill, intelligence, money, possessions. Since perfection is far out of reach, we are tempted to settle for effort. We end up living barely a step ahead of despair. To those who can see their predicament, the gospel is welcomed news. Only God can save us from the one thing that we really need to fear...eternal condemnation. We believe in God by recognizing the insufficiency of our own efforts to find salvation and by asking him to do his work in us.

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"FOR GOD DID NOT SEND HIS SON INTO THE WORLD TO CONDEMN THE WORLD."  

Why condemn an already condemned world? All people are already under God's judgment because of sin--specifically the sin of not believing in God's Son. The only way to escape the condemnation is to believe in Jesus the Son of God, because he came "that the world through Him might be saved."

"LIGHT HAS COME INTO THE WORLD, AND PEOPLE LOVED DARKNESS RATHER THAN LIGHT BECAUSE THEIR DEEDS WERE EVIL." What a tragedy that people have turned away from God's offer, embracing instead the darkness in the hope of covering up evil actions. There is probably no more painful moment than when we honestly confront our tendency to love darkness, to twist or withhold the truth. The Son did not come to judge, but in the light of his character the sharp shadows of our sinfulness stand out. Graciously, God does not reveal everything about us that needs changing at once. But as we move toward the light, as our lives become filled with God's presence, we become more aware of sin, as well as more aware of the benefits God brings to us. Like people in a dark room when the lights suddenly come on, it takes time for our eyes to grow accustomed to seeing. But as Jesus points out later in 16:7-11, the presence of the Holy Spirit in us will make us specially sensitive to sin and the need for continued cleansing. Once we are in the light, we must also guard against the temptation to 'close our eyes tight' when God is showing us something by the light of his WORD.

The setting is simply this: the disciples of John were disturbed when they noticed more people were coming Io Jesus for baptism than to their leader, John the Baptist!

It is obvious they were jealous over the success of Jesus. What an insight into a very human weakness. This too frequently happens amongst servants of the Lord. Moses had to handle a matter (Numbers 11:26, 27) where two men went into the camp to prophesy and Joshua was jealous for Moses. The reply: "And Moses said unto him, Enviest thou for my sake? Would God that all the Lord's people were prophets and that the Lord would put his spirit upon them."

When the Apostle Paul was a prisoner in Rome, many of the brethren waxed confident and were bold to speak the Word without fear. True, some preached Christ of envy and strife and some, also, of good will. How then did the Apostle feel? Did he think these others were seeking to take advantage of his absence? Was he jealous of their labors? Not so; he said, "Notwithstanding...I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice." (Phil. 1:14-18)

We must always remember...God gives each of us gifts and talents that may not be as outstanding as others. But He only holds us responsible for our talents...not the talents of others. As your Pastor, I do not have the gifts and talents of Billy Graham or Charles Swindoll. These are men graciously gifted by God, but that should never disturb me or make me jealous!

"John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven" (3:27). It is beautiful to see how John conducted himself on this occasion. His reply was most becoming. First, he bows to God's sovereign will (v. 27). Second, he reminds his tempters of his previous disclaimer of any place being his save that of one "sent before" the Lord (1:28). Third, he declared that Israel belonged to Christ, not to himself (v. 28). Fourth, he affirms that his own joy was fulfilled in seeing men turning to the Lord Jesus (v. 29). Finally, he insists that while Christ must increase, he must decrease (v. 30).

John lifted the eyes of his followers to Christ and magnified Him for who He is, the "heaven-sent" One, and turned attention and devotion to Him! That is the task of all of us as His followers!