Journey Through The Bible
     Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 49-51
     New Testament Reading: John 3

Jesus answered, “Truly I tell you, unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. Whatever is born of the flesh is flesh, and whatever is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be amazed that I told you that you must be born again (John 3:5-7).

Nicodemus was initially attracted to Jesus because of the miracles He performed and wanted to know more about Jesus and the message He taught. Nicodemus was ‘the teacher of the Jews’ and he had great respect for this teacher from Galilee. Nicodemus was sincere in his quest for truth and may have come to Jesus at night to have a quiet uninterrupted conversation with the new ‘Teacher come from God’.

Jesus began with something familiar, the universal experience of being born. Though all human beings have experienced natural birth on earth, if they expect to go to heaven, they must experience a second supernatural spiritual birth from above.

While all Christians are to be baptized as a symbol of our obedience to Christ, the phrase born of water is not a reference to water baptism. Instead, it refers to being born physically as the mother’s water breaks just before or during delivery.

Just as we must experience physical birth to begin Human Life, so we must experience a new birth to begin Spiritual Life. Because of his great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope … you have been born again—not of perishable seed but of imperishable—through the living and enduring word of God (1 Peter 1: 3 & 23).

God’s plan of salvation is a gift from Him, a new life through a spiritual rebirth. Nicodemus must have had a surprised and bewildered look on his face, for Jesus said to him, do not be amazed that I told you that you must be born again (v7). This new birth from above is a necessity, but it is also a mystery. Being born of the Spirit is like the wind; You cannot fully explain or predict the wind, or the Spiritual Birth of a Child of God.

Nicodemus came by night, and he was still in the dark. He could not yet understand the new birth even after Jesus explained it to him. Jesus said, If I have told you about earthly things and you don’t believe, how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? (v12).

Fortunately, like any good storyteller, John doesn’t leave us in the dark regarding the outcome of this nighttime encounter. Nicodemus finally came to the light and experienced a Spiritual Re-Birth. After they crucified Jesus, Joseph of Arimathea requested His body from Pilate so he could give his Lord a proper burial. Assisting in the burial was a man who now was willing to be seen with Jesus, fearless and unashamed, in the full light of day. Nicodemus (who had previously come to him at night) also came, bringing a mixture of about seventy-five pounds of myrrh and aloes. They took Jesus’ body and wrapped it in linen cloths with the fragrant spices, according to the burial custom of the Jews (John 19:39-40).