BORN AGAIN, NOT BEGINNING AGAIN!

John 3: 1-21, Text; 3:1-8  (8-12-07)

Background: In John 2, Jesus has performed miracles, disrupted the temple business of the day, and talked of a new “Temple.”  People are receiving Christ but primarily for the miracles, and Jesus would not commit to them because He knew their hearts. Somehow this has impacted a “teacher of Israel” and we pick up the scene there.

The Character: Nicodemus has come to Jesus at night. Nicodemus seems genuinely interested in conversation with Christ and has shown respect to Jesus. They are alone.  Nicodemus is also a Pharisee, which is the dominant religious group of leaders of the Jews.  They have become elite.  They are also characterized as  “Brood of vipers” (Matthew 3:7), “lip service not heart people” (Matt. 15:8), teachers of the “doctrines of men” (Matt. 15:9), “wicked sign seekers” (Matt. 16:4), and the plotters of the murder of Jesus (John 11:53).  The Cause: (John 3:2)  Nicodemus is focused on two things.  “These miracles” and that Jesus is a come from God.  Interesting, but that would grab most of us enough to make this man a disciple of ourselves.  BUT this is information or at best inspiration from Nicodemus.  Many people today are willing to accept Jesus as teacher, and a miracle worker, but that is not enough for anyone to “see” the Kingdom of God.

The Contrast: First;  JESUS’ REMEDY: (John 3:3) In v.3 Jesus responds strangely but firm.  He goes to the heart of the matter.  Nicodemus is about religion, Jesus is about relationship which only comes by regeneration- “a new and higher spiritual life” (Oxford dict. def.3).   Jesus said firmly, firmly...unless Nicodemus is “born again” he will not ever have his life changed.  His behavior maybe, but not his life.  There are two key elements here: 1.  “Born again,” born being procreation of the father (only by extension the mother here); and again being (in the Greek-anothen- “anew, above, higher level).  2.  “Cannot see,” cannot here being from the word (Gk. dunamai) for dynamite or power!  In other words Jesus is saying, without a whole new spiritual genealogy there is no view even of the Kingdom or realm of God.  You have no power.

Second; NICODEMUS RESPONE: (John 3:4) In v.4 Nicodemus is using a word that is “again or second time” whereas Jesus has used a word for “anew, above etc.”  This is REPEAT OF THE SAME  vs. REBORN  OF A NEW SOURCE.  What could be worse than repeating the same stuff, the same issues, the same patterns that have failed.  This is not “I wish I could start OVER, this is I wish I could start NEW!

Creation vs. Conditioning: (John 3:5-8) Jesus will not let up!  Firmly, surely, absolutely this has to happen Nick.  1.  Things of man can only produce things of man, things of God will produce things of God.  2.  Unless this happens you cannot see or “enter” into His realm of life.  3.  Verse 7, Don’t wonder about this, it is a must.   It is in Jesus’ language MUST is present tense, and BE BORN AGAIN is passive.  This is not your doing it is His Spirit!  This is not programming, this is not practicing, this is His production in your life.  It is as mysterious as the wind (v8), but it is real.

The Cross: Verse 14.  Jesus said His being lifted on a cross was the only way.  It is in seeing Jesus as the only answer.  It is seeing Jesus as the only program.  It is seeing Jesus as the only performance, that can change my life.  He took on my sin, so that I could be saved, and He became like me, so that I could become like Him, and it was His cross.  It is with His stripes my life is healed.  Verse 16.  It is the believing IN Jesus, entrusting  (giving) my life to this Jesus that MUST be the answer.

The Clear Response: Verses 17-21.  Jesus didn’t come to condemn you, He came to make you new!  It really is about what you love (v. 19).  Do you love the way your going, or do you love truth?  Do you love your religious activity, more than you love Truth?  Do you love your heritage more than Truth?  What are you after  good teaching and miracles or Truth??

Joh 3:21  But anyone working and living in truth and reality welcomes God-light so the work can be seen for the God-work it is."  Well, here is the Truth from Jesus:  Joh 3:6  When you look at a baby, it's just that: a body you can look at and touch. But the person who takes shape within is formed by something you can't see and touch--the Spirit--and becomes a living spirit.

Joh 3:7  "So don't be so surprised when I tell you that you have to be 'born from above'--out of this world, so to speak.