Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” John 3:3
Under the cover of darkness to save himself the embarrassment of being seen in the same room with Jesus, Nicodemus visited at night. This devout, prestigious member of the Jewish ruling council expected to take the new, young rabbi in hand and settle him down a little bit. He wanted to shape him, help him find his way in the religious leadership of Israel, and redirect him so that he quit offending the religious elite.
Nicodemus’ visit and his tone implied that the establishment was against Jesus. But, if Jesus was willing to submit to some instruction, Nicodemus would school him as he’d done with others, and welcome this inexperienced rabbi onto his team.
But Jesus isn’t interested in joining the ranks of the Sanhedrin. Instead of accepting the compliment implied in Nicodemus’ visit and offer of time, Jesus doesn’t agree or even try to convince the Pharisee of the anticipated outcomes to his miraculous signs.
He changes the subject, and the first words out of his mouth are, “I tell you the truth.” He goes on to say that no one can see the Kingdom unless he is born again.”
Consider who Jesus is saying this to. Who does he say needs to be born again? It’s the person who is respected for his religious education and authority. It’s the person who is already practicing devotion to God and teaching others how to do it. It’s the person who is looked up to and trusted for their counsel and wisdom.
But isn’t that what we strive for? When these traits are present in our lives, doesn’t that mean we’ve arrived on our journey of faith and are finally starting to get things figured out?
Not according to Jesus. The call to be born again isn’t an invitation to become more religious. It’s the call to start over, and to begin a new life with a whole new source. Jesus wants Nicodemus to understand that he needs a spiritual rebirth, a second birth that only God’s spirit can accomplish. For the loyal Pharisee, careful observation of the law is the way of salvation. But according to Jesus, this misses the Kingdom’s entrance. More law isn’t what is needed, but rather the power of God working within a person to remake him or her completely.
Ezekiel 36:26-27 say, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you. I will remove from you a heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees.”
When the Spirit is poured out, it is a new source of life from above. No one can enter the Kingdom unless the reality of the spirit born of water and Spirit come about. Then a person experiences a deep-rooted change with Jesus as the foundation. Nicodemus, and all of us, need a new life with a new root. We need a savior, not a teacher. We all need a new spirit, God’s spirit.
Later in chapter three is one of the most famous Bible verses of the Christian faith. John 3:16 is, for some of us, the first passage of Scripture we memorized, and it has stayed with us since our earliest days of Sunday school. During this meeting in the dark, Jesus tells Nicodemus, “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.”
God’s love is wide enough to embrace all people from the religious elite who tell others how to keep the law all the way to the thief who hung next to Jesus on the cross. His love isn’t confined to any national group or spiritual experts. It’s meant for you, for me, for everyone. It’s a love that flows from the fact that God is love. Loving comes natural for him. He loves people because that is just the kind of God he is. His love is shown in the gift of his Son. It isn’t a vague, sentimental feeling, but a love that costs. God gave what was most dear to him. The death of his Son shows us his love as the Father. Believers are rescued from their own death by the death of the Son. Because of this, they have eternal life, a fresh start, and a new Spirit breathed into them by God himself.
