We all have likely heard people mock the idea of someone being born again. The term has been used to distinguish responses to the good news of the gospel even among those who claim to be Christians. That means it invariably creates a distinction between those who believe without being born again (as is true of the devil, his demons, and many religious folks), and those who believe because they are born again.
In this next scene of John’s account of the “good news of great joy”, we are invited to consider how Jesus helped a religious leader grapple with the mind-boggling concept of being “born again”. As we enter the stage with our own story, we can hear the Savior address this need to our lives just as a man named Nicodemus received Jesus’ ministry then.
The crucial issue is that Jesus makes being “born again” an absolute, non-negotiable prerequisite to becoming part of the kingdom of God. For that reason, we are urged to first consider deeply what Jesus was teaching Nicodemus then, and open our hearts to receive this amazing gift as it is offered to us now.
If you want to load a Word document version of this study onto your computer for prayer-journaling, you can find it here:[1] If you want a PDF version to print out, you can find it here:[2] If you have suggestions to improve this study, please send me an email. I would love the input! And, if you need assistance attaching to the Savior with the faith this section of God’s Book reveals, I would love to help!
John Bible Study ~ John 3:1-15 ~ Jesus Introduces “Born Again”
1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” 3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
9 Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” 10 Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? 11 Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. 12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. (John 3 ~ ESV)
When reading God’s word, we often find references to things we haven’t read yet. We are also introduced to concepts that may not make sense to us because they speak of things to do with God, the greatest person in every way. The aim of this Bible study is not to try to understand every word and meaning, but to get the sense of what Jesus was teaching. There is always room for deeper study of the Bible, but reading to understand the basic sense of a passage also helps us to get to know what Jesus was teaching back then, and how that continues to speak to us today.
Part 1: Introducing the Need for the New Birth
John the Baptist had already announced that Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Now this gospel account clarifies that for Jesus to take away someone’s sins, they must experience a new birth.
1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” 3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. (John 3)
1.
What do
you think is the connection between Nicodemus being a ruler of the Jews and him
coming to Jesus “by night”?
2.
How far
has Nicodemus journeyed in his belief about Jesus?
3.
What does
Jesus say is absolutely essential to entering the kingdom of God?
4.
What does
this mean about your relationship to God’s kingdom?
Part 2: Clarifying the Reality of the New Birth
Jesus now clarifies why we should not be surprised that the new birth is necessary to enter his kingdom.
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” (John 3)
1.
What are
the two births that Jesus contrasts?
2.
What has the
gospel of John revealed about Jesus’ kingdom that would make sense of the necessity
of being born again?
3.
What
characteristic of the spiritual life helps us accept the parts of it we do not
yet understand?
4. Everyone alive today has been “born of the flesh,” meaning, we all have physical life. What is your present standing in relation to the spiritual life that is only experienced by those who are “born of the Spirit”?
Part 3: The New Birth and Eternal Life
We all know how the first birth connects us to physical life. Jesus now leads us to see how the new birth connects us to eternal life.
9 Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” 10 Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? 11 Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. 12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. (John 3)
1.
How much
does Nicodemus’s question compare to your response to Jesus’ teaching about
being born again?
2.
What does
Jesus explain is the reason that Nicodemus doesn’t understand (and how does
this compare to you)?
3.
When Jesus
speaks of the serpent image Moses lifted up in the wilderness, it was an
historical event Nicodemus understood very well. When his people were in
trouble from a plague of poisonous serpents (snakes), an image of a serpent was
lifted up as a rally call to those who wanted to trust God, and whoever looked
to that serpent lived. How does this illustrate what Jesus will do for the
people?
4.
If being
born again gives us eternal life, what is the key issue for anyone to be born
again?
Conclusion: Hearing, Seeing, Joining
After seeing how Jesus dialogued with Nicodemus regarding being born again:
1.
What do
you hear God speaking to you about?
2.
What do
you see God doing in you through this part of his word?
3.
How are
you going to join God in his work?
© 2021 Monte Vigh ~ Box 517, Merritt, BC, V1K 1B8
Email: in2freedom@gmail.com
Unless otherwise noted, Scriptures are from the
English Standard Version (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text
Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of
Good News Publishers.)
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