The Everyones - John 3:1-17 - Second Week of Lent

 

John 3:1-17 NIV

3 Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. ² He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.”

³ Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”

⁴ “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”

⁵ Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. ⁶ Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. ⁷ You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ ⁸ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

⁹ “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.

¹⁰ “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? ¹¹ Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. ¹² I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? ¹³ No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. ¹⁴ Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, ¹⁵ that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”

¹⁶ For 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. ¹⁷ For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

The Everyones

Nicodemus was a Pharisee. Pharisees focused on God’s law. Pharisees were like the cream of the religious crop of the day. This focus on the law would often times fall in conflict with what Jesus taught. But the conflict arose in the understanding of the law. Well Jesus, really knew the Law, not some enhanced version of the law that had developed over time. So, Nicodemus coming to Jesus, even if it was in secret and at night, was a way for Nicodemus to check out what he could learn from Jesus.

And that’s a good thing. Shouldn’t we all check out what we could learn from Jesus? We come to Jesus with our own perceptions and misunderstandings and our own view points. In this we need to check out what Jesus really teaches and get beyond our own ways of thinking.

But why at night? Was Nicodemus afraid of being seen? Was it because he really believed but didn’t understand, or maybe he did understand. Listen to how Nicodemus referred to Jesus as “teacher,” maybe Nicodemus really understood more than we give him credit for. He even admitted that Jesus came from God. And he says “we.” Does this “we” include many others, or perhaps most? Nicodemus could see what Jesus was doing and the Godly signs that Jesus has already shown to the crowds and His disciples. I really think Nicodemus was aware that Jesus was the Messiah, he just didn’t want to say it out loud, as of yet, for fear of rejection by his colleagues.

Jesus speaks to Nicodemus, and all of us as well, with authority and truth. This “truly” bit from Jesus in Greek is “amen, amen.” Remember how Luther explained the “Amen” in the explanation to the Lord’s Prayer? It was “Yes! It shall be so!” Kind of like shouting it out with authority. We looked at this last week as well. So, here being “born again” is without a doubt necessary to enter the Kingdom of God. And the Kingdom of God covers more than just what we see here on earth, in the physical realm in which we live. We also live in a spiritual realm with God. Jesus speaks of the “Kingdom of God” over and over in His teachings. The Kingdom of God is a central reason that the Father sent the Son to this world in flesh and blood. Why? To usher mankind back into an eternal relationship with God through the gift of faith. So, it is like being born all over again in some way.

But this “born again” concept is foreign to the thinking of Nicodemus. Nicodemus was familiar with the Law, of here and now. The Law of how to live life as obedient to God. So, in some sense, Nicodemus has a literal interpretation of the Law. Jesus was going beyond the literal interpretation, to the spiritual and eternal reality with God. So, being born again, sounded ridiculous to Nicodemus, but not at all ridiculous to Jesus. It’s a change of mind brought on by God that leads us all to a new heart and new spirit as a new creation in Christ. So, yea, born again, in this way makes sense. But born again in the physical sense of coming out of your mother’s womb, doesn’t.

Then Jesus shifts the focus a bit about entering the kingdom of God, to being born of water and the Spirit. Sounds a bit like baptism to me. And baptism is a gift from God where we die to self, under the waters, to raise to NEW life in the Spirit. So, yea, “Born Again.” Born again with the gifts and guidance of the Holy Spirit to act out our lives in the plans that God has set for each of us, using the gifts God has given us, to bear the fruit which God produces in our lives FOR Him. That’s all new stuff there. A new life, new gifts, changed focus and an inward change in us that springs forth from ourselves, through God’s action in our lives. Talk about some water and Spirit!

Do you see how Jesus is drawing us out of our sinful flesh to new life with God in the Spirit? All through baptism. A baptism that sort of looks like resurrection. We are buried in the water to be raised again to new life. So, if you haven’t been baptized, what are you waiting for? Seek out someone, some church and DO IT! It’s a free gift of God! Don’t neglect to accept God’s gifts. Why would you?

So, like Jesus told Nicodemus; don’t be amazed that Jesus emphasizes that “You must be born again.” It’s a big deal folks!

In baptism, the Holy Spirit blesses you. Like the wind, it blows around and does what you may not expect. You can’t predict or plan this stuff out. Why? Because your life in the Kingdom of God is not your plan. But it’s God’s plan to be one with you into eternity and into everlasting life. God takes your sinfulness, and the sin of your life, and makes something altogether new and exciting. So, God promises a new heart and a new spirit for His people.

Jesus’ teaching here goes beyond the typical lineage and background of the past. Jesus’ teaching here goes beyond the letter of the Law. We can read the letter and gain an interpretation. Jesus’ teaching goes into the Spirit of the Law. It’s something many of us in our literal worlds have a tough time grasping. So, I can see how Nicodemus wanted more from Jesus. And shouldn’t we all seek to understand more of what Jesus teaches. We, disciples of Jesus are learning, bit by bit, all through life. So, it’s good to question, it’s good to show honest doubt, it’s good to go to God in prayer for knowledge and guidance throughout life. So, to make it plain. Study, and return to Jesus’ day after day after day. He will lead and guide you along the way. Make it a habit.

Dig deep, and don’t go on the defensive. Learn about spiritual matters. Hear what Jesus has to say, and research what other disciples have learned on the way, throughout the centuries. Challenge yourself to grow in knowledge and understanding, not only of the written Word, but of God’s spiritual Word as well. Jesus reveals spiritual meanings to us as well as physical meanings and healings. Love Jesus for this!

And you can depend on what Jesus teaches. He knows what He is doing! He is our guide, our leader, our Savior. Accept Jesus’ testimony of God’s action! It’s a gift from Him to you. Rejoice in that gift.

Jesus shows us earthly things that we don’t hold on to, or understand. But those miracles are gifts as well. Gifts designed to draw us to believe in all that God has done. Gifts that pull us back to God in a way that we can’t help but to have faith and believe. But, wait there’s more! Just imagine how great the heavenly things are, and will be. See the difference between heaven and earth. Only Jesus can show us this. Why? Because He knows both. Without a doubt. He came from heaven to earth, to show the way, like that little tune goes.

In the wilderness the Israelites complained against God and Moses. Venomous snakes killed many of the Israelites. So, God had Moses make a bronze snake and put it on a pole. If you were bitten by a snake, you were instructed to look at the bronze snake on the pole and live.

As we see Jesus on the cross, we can see what He had to go through, to save us from our sin. And we also see how looking to Jesus draws us into faith and healing and the gift of eternal life. Why? Because of what God did in Jesus, for us and all the world.

When you look at Jesus upon the cross, see your own sin. See the sin and the punishment you deserve. Yet, also see God taking on your sin, to put it to death. So, sure, like the Israelites were bitten by poisonous snakes, we have been bitten by sin. And like the snake on the pole in the wilderness, we see OUR sin, on the cross, in Jesus. And recognizing OUR sin, as the Israelites recognized the snake on the pole, and were healed, we too recognize our sin, on that cross in Jesus, and God heals us, and forgives us, and saves us, from the power of sin. Like the Israelites were saved from the poison of the snake as they looked on the pole, we are saved by the power of Jesus on the cross, defeating the power of sin forever.

I encourage you to latch on to the word “everyone” that Jesus speaks to Nicodemus. Everyone who believes. For much of the religious leaders of the day, there wasn’t an “everyone.” It was the Chosen Race of the Jewish people, particularly descendants of Abraham. But here, Jesus emphasized “everyone.” This opens up salvation to “everyone.” Yet, if you look closely in the Old Testament, this “everyone” really did exist in word and meaning. It was just easy to miss it. So, Jesus opens up this thinking, beyond race and descendancy to “everyone.”

And then the, “believes in Him” leaps out. We believe in Jesus, not just some prophet, priest or king to grant us eternal life, but Jesus. This eternal life begins here and now and extends on from this life on earth, to heaven, and the New Jerusalem, forever. What’s that about? Eternal life begins when we receive all the faith we need to believe in what Jesus has done for “everyone.” In our eternal life, as we believe, the Holy Spirit leads us and guides us and causes the fruits of the Spirit to be given to the “everyone” in our lives here and now.

And then the punctuation mark of the great exclamation by Jesus. Even the guy with the wild hair at the football games proclaims and shows this passage of Scripture. John 3:16, tells us God the Father’s plan, God the Son’s carrying out of that plan, and God the Holy Spirit’s guidance all along the way of that plan. God loved the world that He created, from the start, so much that His plan, all along, was to save mankind from any failure to sin. This giving of His Son is played out, throughout the ages, told of in the Old Testament. God has been showing “everyone” His plan all along, yet now, we can see the results. What are these results? Jesus! Believe it! God gives us eternal life through the faith that God plants in us, and, we believe. Either we believe, or we deny.

Let’s look at this eternal life Old Testament prophecy and its fulfillment…

Isaiah 65:17 NIV

¹⁷ “See, I will create
    new heavens and a new earth.
The former things will not be remembered,
    nor will they come to mind.

 

Revelation 21:1-4 NIV

21 Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. ² I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. ³ And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ⁴ ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

That’s the eternal life Jesus speaks of in John 3:16, for all the “everyones” who have faith and trust and believe in Him. Believe what? Believe that Jesus is the source of life. The source of life all along, from creation to today and into eternity. All provided for by God the Father, inspired by God the Holy Spirit, because God wants us to live with Him in His Kingdom into eternity.

God didn’t send Jesus to put us away, rather God sent Jesus to save us. And, that there, IS Grace!

Romans 3:20 NIV

²⁰ Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin.

So, back to Nicodemus and his life of examining the Law of God. Jesus sets him straight. It’s not about how well we do in keeping the law, that saves us. It’s about how Jesus forgives us, and keeps the law, FOR us. It’s not our works or efforts into keeping the law. We won’t be able to keep the law in this state of sinfulness in which we live. But the law does make our sinfulness obvious, to the point that when God spins us around, maybe, just maybe, we will acknowledge our sin and see our need for a Savior. A Savior that God provides in the life, suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus freely given to us, as Jesus forgives us and draws us into His arms to live with Him into eternity. Eternity IN the Kingdom of God. How great is that?!

Do you want this gift? Accept it! Believe it!

And then what?

You will still sin, but the power of sin is gone. You will still die, but death has been defeated. And you will rise again on the Last Day. Why? Because of the plan God provided, from the start, to offer salvation to, who? To “Everyone!”

Sometimes God calls us to go to places that just don’t make sense to us. Why does He do this? Why did God tell Abram to go to some place, unknown to Abram, when he was 75 years old? But Abram went anyway. God was taking Abram to a land that God would show him. Do I trust God to take me to a land that He will show me? This takes, trust, faith, and the willingness to believe that God has my back, that God loves me, that God will take care of me.

Don’t you just love how God watches over you in life? In the finality of it all, you are taken care of with His love, not only just for you alone, but for all the world, yep those “everyones.” It’s like a building up to the climax of everlasting life with God, beginning here and now.

For Nicodemus, and you and I as well, it’s not about the hard reality of the Law that everything depends on. Another words, it’s not only about this physical world in which we live. Jesus leads us to learn about the Kingdom of God, that for sure, contains the here and now, but also leads us to His grace beyond, our here and now, in this world. And this is where the gift of faith, that leads us to believe in things that just don’t make sense, to our literal vision, brings us to believe in Jesus’ gift of grace. It’s about God’s love for His people, and how God chooses to bring us back to Him. It’s about God’s gift to the world, that He gave His only Son to lead us to believe in Him, that we may have eternal life.

I’m so glad that this encounter between Nicodemus and Jesus was recorded for all of us to peek in on, to see just how much God loves “everyones.” I’m so glad of how Jesus teaches with authority and strength. I’m so glad that God laid out a plan of salvation, in and through Jesus, right from the start of creation. Probably even before creation, maybe, just maybe. This is THE story of a gracious, and merciful God. A God that loves His children to death. A God that saves… today… tomorrow… and forever! Believe it! Thanks be to God.

I leave you with this YouTube music video that inspired me this week as I reflected…

“Lord I Lift Your Name on High”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6I6orjM3NI&list=RDU6I6orjM3NI&start_radio=1