Born Again

Use these materials to go deeper into this message on your own, or with your small group. 
Passage Breakdowns, SOAPS Format & Instructions (Weeks 1-12)
Passage Breakdowns, SOAPS Format & Instructions (Weeks 13-26)

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8:40 Service | 10:00 Service | 11:20 Service | Sermon Audio

Good morning Chapel family. We’re continuing our 8-month study of the Gospel of John. Last week we looked at the scene in chapter 2 where Jesus cleared out the temple, and there were a few verses at the end of that chapter that I was originally going to include in that message, but I realized they really belong with today’s message. So let me begin by reading the last three verses of John chapter two, starting in verse 23:
23 Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, many people saw the signs he was performing and believed in his name. 24 But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people. 25 He did not need any testimony about mankind, for he knew what was in each person.
This tells us something so important about unique power of Jesus: he knew what was in each person. See, we can get really good at projecting an image. If I went on your Facebook or Instagram profile, and I looked at your pictures, I would probably get the message that you have an amazing, perfect life…and that’s probably not true. So you could fool a lot of people…but you can’t fool Jesus—because he knows what’s in each person.
In today’s passage, Jesus meets a guy who, on the surface, seems to have it all together. Spiritually, socially, financially—this is the kind of guy people envy. But Jesus sees beneath all that because he knows what’s in each person. And he tells him: “Actually, the main thing you need—you don’t have.”
We need to lean in and listen to this conversation. Because some of us are projecting an image that’s so convincing, we’ve even deceived ourselves into thinking we’re okay. But Jesus sees beneath all that. And this morning is an opportunity to see yourself the way Jesus sees you. Which is really scary at first! But it winds up being the best news you could ever hear.
So—John 3, verses 1 through 21. Let’s hear God’s Word…
3:1 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. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. 19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God. This is the Word of the Lord.
Let’s talk first about The Need for New Birth. Jesus is still in Jerusalem, at Passover time. He’s approached by a Pharisee named Nicodemus. Pharisees were the strictest sect within Judaism—they were known for meticulously obeying God’s laws. And Nicodemus isn’t just a Pharisee; he’s also a member of the Jewish ruling council, also known as the Sanhedrin. So he has a position of authority and respect within the community. Most people would look at Nicodemus and say, “There’s a guy who’s got his act together. If you have questions about life, try to get some time with Nicodemus.”
For most of his life, Nicodemus probably thought that he did have all the answers…but lately he’s having doubts. Because he’s heard the teaching of this traveling rabbi named Jesus. And he’s heard of the miracles Jesus is preforming. And he has this sudden bout of imposter syndrome. Because Jesus clearly has something he doesn’t have. So he decides to go and try to meet him in person.
He finds him, and he starts with the typical niceties: “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.” Very respectful, and he’s probably leading up to some kind of question. But Jesus doesn’t let him get there. He cuts right through the small talk, and raises the most essential issue—verse 3: 3 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” Whatever Nicodemus was about to ask, it was not as important as that.
Because Jesus knew what was in each person. And he knew that this educated, admired Pharisee was actually outside of the kingdom of God. And here’s where this is going to get personal: you need to ask yourself: could this be true of me? No matter what I look like on the outside; no matter what my reputation might is; no matter that I attend church, Jesus knows who I really am. Is he telling me I’m outside the kingdom of God?
Can I tell you one way to diagnose whether you’ve entered the kingdom of God? How you respond to the light. Look at verses 19 and 20: 19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. Years ago, my family took part in a pre-field missionary training program, and we spent three months living in low rent apartment in Bakersfield California. And every time we turned on the kitchen lights, there was this mad scurrying of cockroaches on the kitchen floor. They were terrified of the light, and they frantically got themselves back under the cabinets, where it was dark. And the Bible says that’s how people outside the kingdom of God act when they get around the light: it scares them, because they’re terrified they’ll be exposed, and they instinctively shrink back into the darkness.
But then, it says in verse 21: But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God. When you live by the truth of Jesus Christ and his grace, you realize how ridiculous it is to hide in the darkness. Because God sees everything! Everything you’ve done has been done in the sight of God. Which sounds terrifying! Until you realize that God is a God is a God of grace. And he loves you. So you can stop hiding in the darkness. My friends who attend AA meetings tell me that when you get the courage to stand in front of a bunch of people, and say “I’m an alcoholic,” it’s so freeing. Because you’re so used to hiding your habit, and it’s finally in the light. And only by acknowledging it can you find freedom.
How do you respond to the light? Do you instinctively cover up and hide? Or do you say, “Yes—this is who I am. I am flawed. My sin is big! But it’s okay—because my Savior is even bigger.”
Did you notice what time of day Nicodemus comes to see Jesus? At night. I think part of that is because he has a reputation to keep up, and he’d be embarrassed if people knew he was coming to Jesus for answers. But it also symbolizes the fact that he’s living in spiritual darkness, and to his credit he has the courage to take a step toward Jesus, the light of the world.
So Jesus says, “Nicodemus, you’re never going to see God’s kingdom unless this radical, dramatic change happens in you. I’m not saying you’re 80% there and you need a little boost to get you over the top. I mean you need to get born all over again.” And Nicodemus says—verse 4—“How can someone be born when they are old? Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!” Now, let’s give Nicodemus some credit. He’s not dumb. He knows Jesus isn’t saying you need to get physically born again. Here’s what he’s saying: “I’m a grown man! I’m an educated, established man. And now you’re telling me I need to go back and start from scratch? Do you realize how socially humiliating that would be? That would be like admitting I’ve been wrong all along! How could a person of my age and stature possibly make that kind of radical change?!”
And Jesus doubles down. Verse 5: 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. We have a friend who just had a baby last week. And we got word on Thursday that her water broke—so we knew it was almost time. Because when a baby is born, they’re born through water (technically amniotic fluid, but we call it water). So “born of water” is your physical birth—we all have that. And Jesus says, “You need more than that! You also need to be born of the Spirit. You need to experience this new beginning that only God can produce in your life. It’s not from your effort or your accomplishments; it’s from God’s Spirit.
I don’t know what question Nicodemus had in mind when he approached Jesus, but Jesus knew this is what he needed to hear. And if you approached me as your pastor, and you said, “Pastor Dave, how can I be a better husband?” Pastor Dave, “How do I conquer this addiction,” or “How do I deal with this anxiety”—whatever your question is, if I’m doing my job, I’m going to remind you pretty quickly that there’s a more essential issue underlying all those questions: Have you been born again? Until you get right on that, I can’t give you any real solutions to your problems. Because any solution that’s not energized by the kingdom of God—which you can only enter by being born again—is just going to be a band-aid solution. Are you tracking with me?
“No one can see the kingdom of God unless they’re born again.”
Okay, so how does that work? Let’s talk about The Cost of New Birth. In verse 13, Jesus says No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. In other words, “I’m the only one who’s qualified to tell you how this works, because I’m the only one who’s been to the other side. I’ve come from heaven to tell you about heaven.”
And then he continues in verse 14: 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.” What is that? Well, back in Numbers chapter 21, there’s a story where the people of Israel start grumbling against God, so God sends poisonous snakes, and people are getting bitten and dying from the snake bites. And God says to Moses, “Make a bronze snake and hold it up on a pole, and whoever’s been bitten, if they look at that bronze snake, they’ll live.” Sure enough, when people look at that image of the snake, they’re healed. Now, that might seem like an obscure Old Testament story to you, but remember: Nicodemus was a Pharisee—he knew exactly what Jesus was talking about.  
So here’s what Jesus is saying: “Here’s how this ‘born again’ thing works: just like those people had to look at the bronze snake when it was lifted up, people need to look at me when I’m lifted up.” And you say, “Oh, that means Jesus is going to be honored and exalted and lifted up on a throne.” That’s not what it means. “Lifted up” means nailed to a cross. Crucified. In other words, listen: the only way to be healed from the snake bite of sin, which is poisoning all of us, is to look at the one who took all of our sin on his shoulders and was lifted up on a cross.
Let me say it really clearly: the cost of new birth for us is an act of sacrifice by Jesus.
Did you hear about that Australian kid last week? 13-year-old Austin Appelbee from Australia; he was at the beach with his mom and his two younger siblings. They were playing around in the shallow water on a kayak and inflatable paddleboards. All of a sudden the weather shifted, and they got dragged out from the shore; their kayak filled with water and flipped. And the mother, Joanne, realized they were in trouble. And she made a decision no mother should have to make: she sent her 13-year-old boy back to shore to get help. So listen to this: he swam for four hours through rough water; he collapsed on the beach; then got right up and sprinted another mile to reach a phone. He called emergency services; they sent out rescue boats and a helicopter. And by 8:30 P.M. they found the mom and the two kids nine miles out from shore, clinging to an inflatable paddleboard; and everyone was fine.
By the way, Austin’s family are strong Christians, which is pretty unusual in Australia. And while he was swimming, he prayed and sang worship songs to keep himself going. He later said, “I don’t think it was me who did it — it was God the whole time. I kept praying and praying…”
So this past week, that story captured the heart of the world. Because this young boy sacrificed his safety—he risked his life—for the good of others. And we are drawn to stories of sacrifice. You know why? Because there is an ultimate story of sacrifice: someone who sacrificed everything for us, and unlike that young boy, this hero lost his life saving ours. And we were made to give our hearts to that hero. So any time we hear a smaller story of sacrifice, we might not even know why, but we feel our hearts drawn toward it.
Let me give you one more example of that. There’s a guy named David Mains who directs a Christian ministry. One day he was at the orthodontist, and his orthodontist told him about a movie he’d seen that really moved him emotionally. He said, “I’ve seen it several times, and I don’t know why, but every time it gets to certain point in the movie, I just break down.” And the orthodontist viewed David Mains as kind of a spiritual mentor, so he said, “Would you be willing to come over and watch the movie with me, and help me figure out why I react that way?” He said, “Sure. What’s the movie?” And he said, “It’s Terminator 2. With Schwarzeneggar.” So he came over and watched the movie, and toward the very end, there’s a scene where a child is about to die, and the Terminator gives his life to save the life of the child. And sure enough, David looked over, and there were tears streaming down the face of his friend.
They talked after the movie. And David basically said, “This is what you’re looking for. This is what you’re longing for. That act of sacrifice in the movie is what we all need, and it was done for you by Christ on the cross.” And that night, that middle-aged orthodontist opened his heart to Christ, and experienced new birth. Possibly the only person in history to be saved by The Terminator.
The cost of new birth is the sacrificial death of Jesus in our place. We deserved it; he took it. Why would he do that for us? Because he loves us. 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. There’s a reason it’s the most famous verse in the Bible. It’s the most important thing every human needs to know.
And this is key: who does it say God loves? The world. Everyone. This act of sacrifice was made for everyone, so the door is open to everyone—even the people who seem the most unlikely to need it—like Nicodemus the Pharisee. Last week at the Grammy Awards, Jelly Roll, the singer, spoke openly about his faith. He talked about experiencing new birth in a 6x8 jail cell, with just a Bible and a radio. And he said this: “Jesus is for everybody. Jesus is not owned by one political party. Jesus is not owned by no music label. Jesus is Jesus and anybody can have a relationship with him.” That was at the Grammys. Well said. God so loved the world.
So…we need the new birth; the cost was paid by Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. Then finally, let’s talk about Experiencing New Birth. How does a person get in on this? We already saw in John 3:16 that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. So you have to believe in him. But how does belief actually happen?
Let’s back up earlier in the conversation with Nicodemus—look at verses 7 and 8—Jesus says: 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.” You’ve probably heard me mention before that the Greek word for “wind” and “spirit” is the same word—pneuma in the Greek—p-n-e-u-m-a. Pneuma. Because the Holy Spirit functions a lot like the wind: you can’t control the wind; you can’t see it; but there’s no question it’s real. There’s a reason I came home the other day and my garbage cans were 50 feet down the street. So you might not be able to see the wind, but you see the effects of it all the time.
And Jesus says, “The Holy Spirit is like that. You can’t see or predict or control the Spirit. But he’s real and he’s moving.” And he was moving in the heart of Nicodemus, making him restless. That’s why he came to see Jesus that night. Something was stirring in him, and he didn’t know what it was, but he had the sense Jesus might know.
So that’s the first thing: to experience new birth, you don’t start the process. You don’t initiate this. It starts when God’s Spirit stirs in you—like the Spirit stirred in Nicodemus in Jerusalem, and the Spirit stirred in the heart of Jelly Roll in that prison, and the Spirit was stirring in the heart of that orthodontist as he watched that movie. Maybe that’s where you are. There’s something stirring in your heart, and you’re not sure what it is or how to put it all together. But the wind of the Holy Spirit is blowing. Don’t waste the opportunity. Like it says in Hebrews, “Today, if you hear his voice, don’t harden your heart.” Move toward the light of Christ.
And when you see what Jesus did for you—his act of sacrifice on the cross because of his love for you—choose to believe in him. Because whoever believes in him will not perish, but have eternal life. Belief is not complicated. We all know what it means to believe in something. But it’s also not limited to intellectual assent. The kind of belief the Bible talks about is not just agreeing in your head that something’s true. It’s a personal trust, and entrusting yourself to the person of Jesus.
And I would say this: it’s also an act of desperation. Because you realize you are in mortal danger without him. See there’s a reason Jesus chose the story of the snake-bitten Israelites. They had been poisoned and they were going to die. And when they looked at that symbol on the pole, it was a look of desperate need and trust and dependence. That’s what it means to believe: look to Jesus in desperate need.
Charles Spurgeon was a powerful preacher in England in the 1800s. And his conversion happened when he was a teenager—he attended a little Chapel, and there was a substitute preacher that day, who preached on a verse in Isaiah 45 that says, “Look unto me and be saved, all the ends of the earth.” And the preacher said:
My dear friends, this is a simple text indeed. If you want to be saved, look. It’s not moving your foot or your finger; just look. Now, a man need not go to college just to look. You may be a big fool; you can look. A man need not be worth a thousand pounds a year; you can look. Anyone can look! A child can look! And that’s what the text says: look unto me. Oh, many of you are looking to yourselves! No use looking there—you’ll never find comfort in yourselves.
And then, he turned to young Charles Spurgeon and said, “Young man, you look very miserable. And you will always be miserable in life and miserable in death if you do not obey my text.” At that point, Spurgeon said, “There and then, the cloud was gone. The darkness was rolled away, and at that moment I saw the sun, and I could have risen that moment and sung with the most enthusiastic of them of the precious blood of Christ.”
Whoever believes in him—whoever looks to Christ in faith—will not perish, but will have eternal life. What an indescribable gift God offers to us.
So what about Nicodemus? The passage ends, and it doesn’t seem like he believed. But I’ll tell you something interesting: you know where the last time we see Nicodemus in the Bible is? John chapter 19—Jesus has been crucified, and a man named Joseph of Arimathea asks permission of Pontius Pilate to take the body off the cross and get it ready for burial. That was a bold step—to associate with this executed criminal. But Joseph doesn’t come alone—he’s accompanied by one other man. You know who it is? Nicodemus. Somewhere between that night conversation with Jesus and the death of Jesus, Nicodemus believed, and he entered the Kingdom of God.
How about you?