The Gospel of John – Written ‘So That You May Believe’ – A Primer on Christian Living – You Must be Born Again

The purpose of the gospel of John is twofold: first, as to salvation, directing the ones seeking a relationship with God; and secondly, as to discipleship, instructing the true followers of Jesus in how to enjoy life in the truest sense.   Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book.  But these are written that you may believe^[a] that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. John 20:30-31.  Our study will look at seven signs in this book that direct our attention to Jesus.  This is the message of a second birth – being born again – how to become children of God.   These seven signs are:
1. Water Turned to Wine (John 2:1-11)
2. Healing of the (Nobleman’s) Son Near Death (John 4:46-54)
3. Healing of the Lame Man at the Pool (John 5:1-17)
4. Feeding of the Five Thousand (John 6:1-15)
5. Walking on the Water (John 6:16-21)
6. Healing of the Man Born Blind (John 9:1-41)
7. Raising of Lazarus from the Dead (John 11:1-47)
In the middle of these signs, Jesus now instructions on spiritual birth – rebirth – to enter the Kingdom of God.

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.^[a]”  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^[b] gives birth to spirit. ⁷ You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You^[c] 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”.  John 3:1-8.

1. The Purpose of Miracles in the Bible.  Whether in the Old Testament or the New Testament, God imprinted his representatives, and ultimately his Son, with the power to do miracles – Moses, Joseph, the Prophets, Jesus and the later Apostles.  But the purpose was not entertainment, or even attention-grabbing alone.  It was to point to the Truth of the authority of God, or of one who spoke for God.  So, here, when Nicodemus is drawn to Jesus by His miracles, Jesus redirects the questions to the truth of one of spiritual birth and standing.   ³ Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.

1. Distinguishing the Physical from the Spiritual World.  This first truth in this passage leads Nicodemus to the logical question: how?  Jesus can’t mean this literally?  Correct.  He means this figuratively, to illustrate the need for spiritual transformation, to becoming a new person, restored to a relationship with God.  Remember Ecclesiastes 3:11.  He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.  Jesus is here teaching that we as humans are not fully finished, restored, completed until we understand the eternity – God in us through Jesus – that is every human heart.  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^[b] gives birth to spirit.

1. Distinguishing Physical Sight from Faith.  Using the illustration of things we know are real but cannot see – like the wind – we feel it, we can hear it, we know it is real, but we can’t physically see it.  Likewise, this spiritual rebirth is real – we can sense it, we can experience it, but we cannot see it.  It changes us internally, spiritually, not physically.  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.

This, then, is the first strategic instruction of the Kingdom of God, verified and directed by the signs of God and work of Jesus – all for the purposes of bring salvation, spiritual renewal, restoration, to men and women who have the knowledge and eternity of God in their hearts, but are not yet children of God.  Children of this world, physically, but not yet children of God, spiritually. 
The second stage of this teaching will take Jesus and Nicodemus to the predicted work of the cross and the resurrection, and explain the way in which we are born again.  Great Christmas meditations for this season. Stay well.