Nicodemus: Being Born (John 3:1-6) 1 of 5

The Story of Nicodemus... Part 1 of 5

John 3:1-6 Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews.  ² He came to Jesus by night and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God."  ³ Jesus answered him, "Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above."  ⁴ Nicodemus said to him, "How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother's womb and be born?"  ⁵ Jesus answered, "Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit.  ⁶ What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. 

Nicodemus wants to talk privately.  He is aware of Jesus' miracles and is in awe, but he doesn't know exactly who Jesus is and what he is up to.

Jesus explains who he is in terms of the Kingdom of God.  It is important to note that the Kingdom of God is not synonymous with heaven.  Jesus isn't referring to what happens after we die.  The Kingdom of God is what lives inside followers of Jesus ... it is what Jesus reigns over, both now and forever ... it is many things all with Jesus as the eternal Lord over them.  We will see this concept of the Kingdom of God come up time and time again in the gospels and it isn't an easy concept to grasp.  But it is not a place with gold streets and big mansions.  It is among us now and forever NOT where we go after we die.

So when Jesus tells Nicodemus that he needs to be born of the Spirit  - born again - in order to experience the Kingdom of God, he isn't worrying about Nicodemus' afterlife!  The culturally popular gospel story that focuses on getting people into heaven is missing an understanding of the Holy Spirit's role in being born again.  The gospel story is not just about the Father sending the Son to die for us... and us believing the story as children believe in Santa.  The gospel story is trinitarian - it isn't complete until we hear the part where the Holy Spirit enters our lives by birthing us and putting us to use in service to Jesus.

The Holy Spirit - births the Kingdom of God within and through Jesus' followers - this rebirth starts in this life enabling us to follow Jesus - to be his hands and his feet.  Following Jesus is not achieving belief in the story of Jesus, it is allowing the Holy Spirit to do its work in our lives.

Have you been born of the Spirit?  Are the things you do today a result of that birth?

This is a 5 part post... more tomorrow.