Born Again – John 3:1-8

My wife and I were out walking this morning and immediately as we began were hit with a strong, cool breeze that felt really good.  But the breeze did not remain consistent and when it wasn’t blowing we would get hot.  The wind seems to have a mind of its own.  Jesus used the wind to help Nicodemus understand the nature of being born again.

Now there was a man of the Pharisees, Nicodemus by name, a ruler of the Jews.  He came to Jesus by night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher sent from God, for no one is able to do the signs you do except God is with him.”  Jesus answered, “Truly, truly I say to you, unless someone is born again, he is not able to see the kingdom of God.”  Nicodemus responded, “How can a person be born when he is old?  He cannot enter into his mother’s womb a second time and be born.”  Jesus replied, “Truly, truly I say to you, unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, he is not able to enter the kingdom of God.  That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.  Don’t marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’  The wind blows where it wills and you hear its voice but you do not know where it comes from or where it is going.  So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.  (John 3:1-8)

Nicodemus is not only one of the respected Pharisees but sits on the supreme court of Israel, the Sanhedrin.  He is a ruler of the Jews.  Though by “Jews” John often means Jewish people in Judea (Jesus was a Jewish person from Galilee), here he likely means those who worshiped in Jerusalem and honored the Law of Moses.  As a Pharisee Nicodemus represented a certain perspective of Israelites who saw themselves as pure keepers of the Law.  Not all Sanhedrin members were Pharisees (see Acts 23).  He comes by night because his curiosity about Jesus cannot overcome his shame at being seen with Jesus.  His respectful greeting and statement about what should be obvious to everyone is met with a seemingly unrelated answer from Jesus.  But it is precisely on target. 

Jesus isn’t flattered that such a powerful man would acknowledge him.  He cuts to the chase and challenges this man’s relationship to God.  To be born again is to start brand new and Nicodemus thinks this is impossible.  But Jesus alludes to God’s message through Ezekiel where he said, “I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean…and I will give you a new heart…and I will put my Spirit within you” (Ezekiel 36:25-27).  Being born of water and the Spirit is an act of God and the only way of entrance into the kingdom.

Jesus emphasizes the sovereign nature of this salvation by likening the work of the Holy Spirit to the blowing of the wind.  The wind blows wherever it wills at the discretion, really, of God alone.  Bringing someone to new birth, to a new start that they can’t cause themselves, is the choice and work of the Holy Spirit.  Nevertheless, Jesus challenges us to believe and be reborn, and so, if we do, we must acknowledge that even this was the work of the Holy Spirit (see John 6:44; Philippians 1:29; Ephesians 2:8,9).

Discussion Questions

1. What are  your earliest memories as a child?
2. Why would Nicodemus have been ashamed of talking to Jesus during the day (see John 7:45-52)?
3. Why do you think Jesus uses the metaphor of new birth to describe salvation to Nicodemus?
4. The word for ‘wind’ and ‘spirit’ are the same word in Greek, pneuma.  Some have even translated the passage, “The Spirit blows where He wills, etc.” though this does not seem to make as much sense of Jesus’ words.  What do you think the intent of Jesus’ analogy is?
5. Why do you think Nicodemus had such a hard time with thinking of salvation as new birth?
6. How do you view the sovereign aspect of the Spirit’s work in salvation?