Born Again?

I am glad that we are here together this morning. Last week we started the Easter season with a story about Jesus and the temptations that he faced. The story continues though. I was thinking about this mornings message and the story about Jesus that we are going to explore and it had me thinking about the weather.

The Weather

Now you know you have reached adulthood when you talk about the weather. I am a firm believer that when you hit 30 or so that you center your life around the weather. Think about it.

How often do you make small talk about the weather?

How much of your life is affected by the weather?

I mean just the other day. The weather played a big factor in our lives. Friday was a wet and rainy day. To really appreciate it though I have to go back to Thursday.

I have a problem in my life. Isaac has learned how to look up the weather on the tablet. Now some of you might be like that isn’t that big of a deal, or what is wrong with that? The problem is Isaac like most kids doesn’t like storms. He sees severe weather and he gets worried. Not only does he get worried he works his sister us and they can’t think about other things because they are so focused on the weather.

On Thursday, Isaac had looked up the weather and saw the storms that were coming on Friday. Of course he also saw the severe wind possibilities and the fact that there was a Tornado Watch. Now of course he couldn’t think about anything other than the fact that there was a possibility of a tornado. I explained to him the difference between a watch and a warning.

It didn’t matter.

The idea of a tornado was more than enough to make him too concerned.

Now Friday came and it was rainy and it was windy. Yet, no tornado. What I did think was interesting is though that i notice on days like that are the affects of the wind. The Narrow gap between the parsonage and the church creates a wind tunnel of sorts. The wind gets very strong right there. It is an intense feeling. You can move out into the parking lot and it isn’t nearly as bad but it is right in those spots. We have seen the effects of the wind too because if you haven’t noticed we lost some shingles on the parsonage porch roof. It is always amazing though to see how the weather changes our day and the outlook of our day.

In fact even Jesus hit that age 30 mark and had to talk about the weather with other adults. Let’s look at this story together in John chapter 3. We will be reading verses 1-17. This is the story of Jesus’ interaction with Nicodemus. Let us read it together.

John 3:1–17 NIV

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.

Nicodemus Comes at Night

This story begins with Nicodemus a Pharisee coming to Jesus in the night. Now there are a lot of reason’s you might wait until night to come visit someone. You might have had to work late and that was the earliest you could make it. You might just be more a night owl. There are so many reasons but the truth is that Nicodemus came at night for his own reasons.

The problem with the night time is that even to this day when we think of night time it isn’t always positive. In fact we probably think of it more negatively than we do positively. Shady things happen at night under the cover of darkness. It is in the darkness that it is harder to be recognized by others. To keep things secret from the world around you. It is, likely that this was the reason that Nicodemus came to him at night. He didn’t want to be seen. He didn’t want others to know that he was coming.

Yet, Nicodemus is not only speaking for himself. Look at it again.

John 3:2 NIV

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.”

WE know that you are a teacher. That We is the Pharisees and the Jewish ruling Council. We aren’t sure if he was sent or if he was simply curious and was sharing what they had been discussing with Jesus. At this point the Pharisees weren’t openly opposing Jesus but I can imagine it still would have been controversial for Nicodemus to be seen with him. This is the setting for some great truth and teaching of the Gospels though and it is important to note that it was done under the cover of darkness.

If we want to see the work of the Spirit and the affects of the Spirit that can’t remain in the Darkness but must come to the light.

The Work of the Spirit

This is the meat of what Jesus is sharing with Nicodemus in this conversation. Nicodemus is trying to understand what Jesus is all about and Jesus starts speaking to him about all kinds of strange things.

You have to be born again.

I mean come on is that really possible. I don’t think there are any mothers who would be happy about their kids asking to be born again.

Now we know this isn’t the birth that Jesus was talking about he was talking about a second birth through the work of the Spirit.

John 3:5–6 NIV

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.

The truth is that as humans we are born into weakness. We suffer from the failures of the human nature and we have to deal with the problems of sin and the things that keep us from God. The flesh is born of the flesh.

The only way that we can experience true change and a movement away from the challenges of our humanness is through the work of the Spirit.

The Work of the Spirit

The Spirit is what changes us and allows us to be born again not of the flesh but through supernatural means that we are a changed creation. We no longer are our old self but something new. We now find ourselves in connection to God in a new way.

Then Jesus starts talking about he weather. The fact that the Spirits work is like the wind. We may not be able to see the Spirit but we can see the affects of the Spirit. We can see the fruit of the spirit and the work that it does inside of us. It is in this transformation that we find that we have changed and that we can testify to the work of the Spirit in our lives. All this is made possible though because...

God’s Love for the World

God’s love for the world is so much and so deep that he sent his son. John 3:16 probably one of the most famous and well known passages of scripture in the Bible. It is quoted extensively when we talk to others about the love that God has for the world. Simply because well it says it.

John 3:16 NIV

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.

God’s Love for the World

He gave us his son. He sent his son so we could have access to eternal life. That we might be born again through the Spirit. It is amazing to think that at this moment no one would really fully understand what was being said in the moment.

One of the problems with John 3:16 though is that we often forget to read or share the other two verses. The next two verses share an important truth that we have to deal with.

John 3:16–18 NIV

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.

Belief or Unbelief

We come to the cross roads. The truth of the situation.

Yes, Jesus came to this world to save it not to condemn it. However, that doesn’t mean we are free from judgement. Jesus openly shares the truth of what it takes to be a follower of God. It is belief. Belief though is more than just simply saying a special set of words or prayer. Belief when we truly believe in something it changes us. It leads us to be “born again”.

We can’t sit in between on this issue. We either choose to follow after him or we choose to not.

Psalm 32:1–2 NIV

1 Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. 2 Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord does not count against them and in whose spirit is no deceit.

There can be no deceit or hiding before God. He calls us to more. He calls us to not only repentance and a new life style but he calls us to follow him.

Psalm 32:8 NIV

8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.

Belief or Unbelief

We stand not condemned because we have chosen to be born again. We have chosen to follow after him. It is through his work in us that this is possible though. That is the love of God. That he sent his son to die for us. WE draw closer to that time. We draw closer to the cross. We need to seek him more than ever.

Let’s Pray.