Read John 3:3-8. Circle the words that stand out to you. What is the Lord saying to you?
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.
Digging Deeper
“My water bag broke!” says my wife. The only thing on my mind was tp drive safely to the hospital. And hours later our daughter was born. The obstetrician handed her to me and I held her gently in my arms for less than a minute and then she was placed by my wife. Our son was born four years later.
The joy that I felt seeing and holding my baby daughter and son was incredible. Nicodemus’ parents felt the same way when he was born. Nicodemus thought being a Jew was surely enough to enter the Kingdom of God as long as he obeyed the Laws of Moses, but he was absolutely sure. Nicodemus wanted to ask Jesus this question of entering into the Kingdom of God.
Before he asked his question, Jesus declared to him, “You must be born again!” In other words, Jesus was saying that to him that his physical birth brought him into the physical kingdom of Israel. The physical birth certificate doesn’t automatically grant him entrance into the spiritual kingdom of God. All his devotion and good works wasn’t enough to gain entry into the Kingdom of God. He needed a spiritual birth to enter the spiritual Kingdom of God! Nicodemus was shocked with Jesus’ words. He paused in his thinking, “Is Jesus telling me the truth that I must be born again?”
“Born into a Christian family? Being a member of your church? Being active in your church? Being a good person? Is that enough to gain entrance into heaven?” you might ask yourself. It seems so to us, but we have a doubt whether our good works is enough to assure us entrance into the Kingdom of God or heaven.
Are you like Nicodemus standing on a crossroad? Jesus says to you and me, “Very, Very, I tell you the truth, you must be born again.” Do you believe that Jesus is telling Nicodemus and us the truth? Do you believe that you need a spiritual birth to enter the Kingdom of God just as Nicodemus needed one? Jesus says that you and I need to be born again. Do you believe Jesus’ words? I hope you will.