Spiritual Birth
John 3:1-15
Nicodemus, a respected ruler of the Pharisees, came to Jesus and asked how he could be more like Jesus. Nicodemus saw Jesus as a person who was always with God; doing great things because God was always with him. He wanted to be like that and asked for the formula to be a better person. Jesus told him, you must be born again which confused and perplexed Nicodemus. He took this very literally and asked “how can I re-enter my mother’s womb?” Nicodemus wanted to learn more and to experience God the same way Jesus did. Jesus answered him, it’s not about practical steps, as his answer was not practical, but an epistemological way of knowing.
How can we be born again? If you are born of the flesh, you are flesh. If you are born of the spirit, you are spirit. Jesus was making Nicodemus more confused by this answer. Rather than answering his question, he posed another question. At that time, there was no clear answer given. The answer can be found after reading the chapter John, but the answer was not given in this specific passage.
Images: baby duck, adult duck. Baby elephant, adult elephant. Puppy, adult dog. Baby, adult person, etc.
As those images showed, whatever you are born of, you are.
One thing is very clear in the gospel of John: how are we born again? Through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. You are born of God, you are a child of God.
Nicodemus came to Jesus and asked what more he could do? He replied, it is what anyone can do, but what God has done for you. He was shifting his thinking.
We need Jesus Christ to be born again.
It was hard for Nicodemus to accept this because he didn’t want to give up his pride, his life up until that moment. He pursued the right things in the wrong method.
Are you born again or are you Nicodemus from the Bible? He wasn’t a bad man, he was a very respectable man in society. He was honest, good, morally and ethically a good person. He was knowledgeable and had wisdom.
Those who were born again will experience the kingdom of God. If you want to experience the kingdom of God, you need to be born again. Allowing God to take control of your life, that is the kingdom of God. If you want to take control of your own life, that is the kingdom of yourself.
Think about what you really want. If you want God to take control, you will experience the kingdom of God. Entering the kingdom of God, being a child of God, and overcoming the world, all happens after spiritual rebirth.
We need to decide whether we want to overcome the world or if we let the world overcome us.
(We also cannot keep sinning. When you are born again, you are not able to continue your sin habits. Miraculously, when we are born again, we may experience this.)
Jesus told Nicodemus, don’t be shocked or afraid that I’m telling you you just be born again. We need to hear Jesus calling our name, telling us to be born again.
Reflection Questions:
What is stopping you from entering the kingdom of God? Are we trying to take control of our lives, or letting God have the control?
Share any other thoughts or reflections after hearing this message.
