Key Scripture: John 3:15

I. Nicodemus

Nicodemus is a perfect example of a man who would have been accepted in any church, and yet, he was not a Christian, he was not saved; but from his outward appearance he looked like someone who would have been a magnificent church member. He was:
Religious
A Jew, he held to the oral tradition of the law
He was a Pharisee. (means separated one)
He was separated into a group of a most highly respected brotherhood.
He took a pledge in front of witness that he would spend his entire life observing every strict detail of the scribal law
The Pharisees believed they walked more strictly to the Pentateuch (the law of God, the Law of Moses) than any other religious sect at the time.
The Pharisees would fast twice a week, give a tithe on all they possessed, and add more restrictions on to their life than what you would find in the first five books of the Pentateuch.
The Pharisees felt they were the best in terms of those who were religious.
Even to this religious man Jesus said, “You must be born again.” It is possible to be religious, and not be righteous. Religious means you do something with regularity. But it doesn’t necessarily mean that you have a relationship with God through Jesus Christ, which is what makes you righteous.
Nicodemus was also a ruler of the Jews. He was a part of the Sanhedrin Council. The Sanhedrin was made up of 70 Jewish men who were the religious, political, social, and judicial system of the Hebrew people. They were the “supreme court” of the Jews. Nicodemus was a man of rank, of prestige, and prominence. He made decisions that affected other people’s lives. He was a man of honor and popularity. He was an important person, and yet Jesus says, “It’s still not enough. You need to be saved. You need to be born again.”

II. Why did Nicodemus come by Night?

One of my professors says because he was part of the religious elite and didn’t want people to see him interacting with Jesus. He was afraid.

Afraid that he might lose his position.
Afraid that he might lose his reputation.
Afraid of what his family and friends might say
Afraid of what the members of the Sanhedrin Council would say.
Afraid of losing his prestige, his influence in society.

But notice Jesus’ response. His appeal is always the appeal of love. Jesus understood why he might be afraid or ashamed. Jesus understood why he might have had mixed motives, yet he did not turn Nicodemus away. You can come to Jesus with mixed motives, divided heart, or with nagging doubts in the back of your mind, but you are still going to Jesus. The problem is when these things keep you from going to Jesus.
Maybe Nicodemus came by night because he wanted to be alone with Jesus. There is value in wanting to be alone with Jesus. Everywhere Jesus went there were crowds of people following Him. Every so often you have to get alone with Jesus.
Maybe Nicodemus came by night because it seemed urgent. Maybe whatever he was dealing with just couldn’t wait until morning. Maybe he had that sense of “I have to do this tonight!” Maybe he couldn’t sleep because when it is something spiritual, there’s an urgency about it. The Bible says, “Today is the day of salvation,” and “Choose this day whom you will serve.” Salvation is today because what you do today will determine your tomorrow.

III. It’s about a requirement, a necessity.

Jesus says, “You must be born again, Nicodemus. He didn’t tell Nicodemus , “You need to give it some consideration.” No, “You have to.” Jesus knew who Nicodemus was. He knew his reputation, his credentials. Yet He says to him, “You must be born again, you must be saved.” It is a necessity. Why is it a necessity? Nicodemus might ask, “Why must I be saved?” In verse 3 Jesus says, “ if you’re not saved, if you’re not born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”
1 Cor. 2: 9-15 - The things of God can’t be seen without the Spirit of God revealing them to you.

IV. The Kingdom of God

What does Jesus mean, “If you’re not born again you can’t even see the Kingdom of God?” He means that until you are born of the Spirit, you won’t be able to understand a relationship with God, and the work of God and the Kingdom of God.
The Kingdom of God is not talking about some earthly rule here and now, but rather it speaks of a relationship that you and I have with Him. It’s not about physical eyesight, it’s about spiritual insight. The Spirit must reveal these things to you. Jesus is saying, “Nicodemus, you can’t see the Kingdom of God unless something happens in your spirit.”

V. To be born again

To be born again (Greek- anothen) is to be born from above. It means to be born anew, to be born afresh, or to be born of the Spirit.
To be born again is a radical, fundamental, change in somebody’s life, where they receive a new heart, a new spirit, and a whole new attitude. Something happens that is radically new. This change cannot come from yourself because that which is born of the flesh gives birth to the flesh. So it has to come from above. It’s a drastic, fundamental change. When people see you, you’re not the same. It’s like going from a caterpillar to a butterfly. One day you see him slithering along, the next day you see him soaring.

Paul says, “ If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.”
Peter says, “we’ve been born again to a new and living hope”
I John says, “We can’t keep doing the things that we’ve been doing because we have been born of God.”

How can this happen?

Verse 4- Nicodemus says, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter into his mother’s womb and be born?” In other words:

How can somebody whose habits have been cemented by time change?
How can somebody who has sinned for so long change?
How can somebody who smoked crack and weed for so long now put it down?
How can somebody who gets hooked on pornography change?
How can somebody who has gotten drunk for the last 20 years throw down that bottle?

                2. Nicodemus is saying, “How can I change when I’ve been a mess for so long.”
       D. Born of water
1.   Verse 5- “ Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of the water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God.” Born of the water has been given several interpretations. Some have thought it refers to physical birth, some have related it to John’s baptism. Others have pointed to Ephesians 5:25-26.

Eph 5:25-26 “Husbands love your wives as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of the water of the Word of God.” The water of the Word of God is often used as a cleanser. As you and I read the Word, it brings the things to the surface that are not right. The Word of God brings conviction and the Holy Spirit bringing conviction brings us to confession and repentance whereby we are cleansed of our sins.
But this practical way of cleansing would not be possible with out the blood of Jesus shared on the cross. We sing this song in church “What can wash away my sins? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. Oh, precious is the flow that makes me white as snow. No other fount I know, nothing but the blood of Jesus.” The blood of Jesus will make you clean.

Nicodemus says, “How can I be saved? How can it happen?”

Jesus gives Nicodemus an illustration of how the Holy Spirit works. The Spirit is like the wind. You can’t see it, but you can hear it. You don’t know where He came from, and you don’t know where He is going, but you can feel Him.

Jesus says in verse 7, “ Do not marvel that I said to you, you must be born again?”

He says in verse 13, “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up.” These two verses show us the two “musts.” They connect a spiritual relationship with God and Christ’s death on the cross.
Jesus says if you want this new birth you need God’s plan for salvation. Jesus says that Moses raised up the serpent in the wilderness and those who were bitten by the snakes were getting ready to die, because death was on the inside as the consequence of sin. But God in His mercy had a plan. He said, “Moses, I want you to take this brass snake. All I want you to do is to hold it up in front of the people, and when you hold it up everyone who looks at it by faith is going to be saved. Everyone that doesn’t look at it is going to die with the poison in their bodies.” Moses goes out and says, “I’ve got God’s plan for salvation! Everybody gather around” Moses holds up the serpent and says, “All you have to do is look at this by faith. You will be saved.” Some of them did not believe and died. But the rest of them did what God’s plan said. They looked at the serpent by faith and they got saved from the death on the inside of them.

VI. God’s plan of salvation for us. Now, we have sin in our blood stream, and the way they got saved is how we get saved, by looking at Jesus who was lifted up on the cross. And that is God’s plan for salvation. Jesus, the Son of man must be lifted up today and whoever looks at Him by faith shall be saved. Jesus says, “Nicodemus, you cannot have a new birth without someone paying the penalty for your sins; it’s not about being good enough. It has never been about your conduct, it’s about your condition. What in the world can any man or woman do whereby their good works will transform their spirit and make it alive? You can do absolutely nothing. All the religion, all the good works, all the promises, all the consideration, all the concern, all the love, nothing else deals with the basic problem; which is a sinful condition of that which is dead to God. But thanks be to God, our sin debt was paid in full by the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. So He says, “Nicodemus, if you want this new birth, if you want to be saved, you must connect these two “musts”. This is God’s plan of salvation. You must be born again and the Son of man must be lifted up. Without the shedding of the blood of Jesus Christ, there is no new birth, no salvation, and no forgiveness.

Discussion Questions:

Have you been born again? Can you describe that event?

How is being born again different from being religious?

What does Jesus mean “If you’re not born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God”? (See 1 Cor. 2:9)

Why can there be no new birth without the shedding of Christ’s blood?