Share Life
This term, let’s keep chatting about our evangelism as a church, so that we can pray for each other.
Are you on track?
Have you got your head around Share Life?
Are you doing what you hoped to do?
Is anything holding you back?
What do you need to do to move ahead?
Pray
Pray for progress, and for Big Fridays (kids and youth).
Opening Up
In John 2, Jesus revealed his glory by showing his authority over a basic element like water, turning it into wine. He did this as a sign of the Messianic age to come.
His response to the traders in the temple precinct pointed to the day when he himself would replace the temple and inaugurate a time when God would dwell in his people by his Spirit.
The question is: how can a person enter the Messianic age and rightly relate to God, if the Jerusalem temple will no longer be relevant?
In today’s passage, we encounter Nicodemus, one whom Jesus describes as “Israel’s teacher” (v.10). Until now, the Jewish leaders and Pharisees have been curious and suspicious (1:19-25), angry and incredulous (2:18-20). And Nicodemus is one of them.
Like the other Pharisees and rulers, he is highly educated in the Law and Scriptures, and rigorous in his personal religious devotion. Nicodemus is also a member of the ruling council. But he remains curious.
Read
John 2:23 – 3:21
23 Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, many people saw the signs he was performing and believed in his name. 24 But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people. 25 He did not need any testimony about mankind, for he knew what was in each person.
Jesus Teaches Nicodemus
3 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. 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. 19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.
Digging In
What stood out to you or surprised you? What questions arise from the passage?
Many people now believe in Jesus’ name. Why do you think he will not entrust himself to them (2:23-24)?
The next person to show up is Nicodemus, an impressive, powerful and influential man.
Why is it significant that Nicodemus comes to Jesus at night?
Initially, Nicodemus shows his curiosity by making a diplomatic observation (v.2). But Jesus has a deeper concern, about the kingdom of God, and he gets straight to the point. (The ‘kingdom of God’ is another term for the Messianic age.)
How does Jesus counter any assumption that a highly religious man like Nicodemus would easily enter the kingdom of God (v.3-6)?
The need for rebirth was declared centuries earlier through the prophet Ezekiel.
Read Ezekiel 36:24-28.
What does Ezekiel reveal about humanity? How will God change that condition?
What did we learn from John 1:11-13 about becoming a child of God?
Entry into the kingdom requires that we receive new birth from God. There is much debate about what “born of water and the Spirit” means (3:5). It is not two events, but one, and most likely does not refer to formal baptism.
The Ezekiel 36 passage gives us the best clue to its meaning. God promises to cleanse impurity with water, even as he imparts new life and hearts to his people. The Holy Spirit is his agent of cleansing and rebirth.
In John 3:8, why does Jesus compare the wind to those born of the Spirit?
In John 3:10, Jesus rebukes Nicodemus. As “Israel’s teacher”, a man steeped in the Scriptures, he should have understood these things.
In John 3:12-13, what does Jesus reveal about himself?
Even as he reveals where he came down from, Jesus immediately indicates the means by which he will return there, and what he will achieve by it. To illustrate, he cites a dramatic incident with Moses in the wilderness, when God saved many of his people, even as he judged them.
Read Numbers 21:4-9.
In this passage, where do we see both God’s judgement and his mercy?
In John 3:14-15, how does Jesus link the incident in Numbers 21 to his mission? How does this relate to God’s judgement and mercy?
The theme of salvation in the midst of judgement continues in the rest of today’s passage.
What does John 3:16-18 reveal about the character of God?
In John 1:5 & 9, John refers to the light coming into a dark world. According to John 3:19-21, what does that light reveal? How do you respond to the exposing light of Jesus?
Taking it with you