A Spiritual Miracle | John 3:1-21

Read John 3:1-21

RAMP: READ / ANALYZE / MEDITATE / PRAY

R: Read the Passage

Read the passage fully from start to finish without taking any notes — just read! And then … read it again. Always read the same passage at least twice (if not more) without taking any notes. Never allow yourself to read a passage just once and them jump into ‘figuring it out.’ Sit in the scriptures for a while, train your brain to read and comprehend the full message.

A: Analyze

Journal your response to these questions:

1. What does this say about God?

Are there characteristics of Him listed? Look for adjectives used about Him. 

Does He describe Himself? 

How does Nicodemus address and describe Jesus?

2. What does this say about you?

Are you in this passage? Do you relate with Nicodemus?

I think it’s important to note here how Jesus responds to Nicodemus, because it’s exactly how He responds to us when we have questions. God never rolls His eyes at our questions but He answers them. With grace and truth. 

How will we ever know Him, or alllll the things about Him if we don’t ask questions?! He welcomes our questions. Always. 

Also, remember we live in a world that is spinning and functioning after Jesus lived, died and was resurrected. Our perspective is completely different (and more clear in many ways, praise God!) than the people we will read about in John. However, I do envy their opportunity to walk the earth with Jesus and see Him move and work and teach in person. What a gift.

Nicodemus was so brave and courageous to seek out understanding about Jesus. He was confused, he had seen a lot and needed clarification. So he bravely sought out Jesus to learn for Himself. Let’s take a page out of Nicodemus’s playbook and do the same! Let’s be brave to seek and ask.

As we continue studying Jesus through John’s words, ask God to bring humility to your perspective. See yourself as the learner. See Jesus as the Teacher. 

3. Is there a command to follow?

Maybe or maybe not, but look closely. Do you see anything that appears to be how God intends for you to live?

4. Is there a sin to repent of?

Many times, this is where the Holy Spirit begins to convict YOU personally as you are reading Scripture.  Even if the passage does not clearly state a sin to avoid, what is the Spirit convicting you of at this moment?

Note a very clear message in this passage — those who do not believe in Jesus Christ stand condemned. There is no condemnation for those who DO believe.

In Jesus’ teaching, He warns about about evil and light. Evil doing is hate towards the Light. There is no in between or passive language regarding the relationship between evil and light. Where might you be passive in your view toward evil and light?

5. Is there a promise to claim?

All throughout scripture, God gives us promises — promises of Himself, His perfect plans for us, His love for us, His eternal grip on us and so much more.

This passage is filled to the brim with promises (verses 3, 5, 13-18, 21) which all point to the same ultimate promise — eternal life (and salvation) for those who believe! A promise of light is a promise of His presence for eternity.

Nicole’s Notes:

I love Nicodemus. Here he is, an official of the Jewish ruling council coming IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT to get the scoop on Jesus FROM Jesus himself. You can likely imagine his workdays during this season have been nothing but chaos management, because this guy named Jesus is performing miracles and just threw one fine fit in the temple threatening to tear it all down and build it back up again (in three days, no less. The disciples didn’t get this until AFTER the resurrection, but you know Jesus was talking about Himself, right?! Jesus is a smart and witty and clever one).

The Jewish rulers were concerned and completely blinded to the reality that this Jesus was the one they had read, studied and hoped for their entire lives. The Jewish leaders were simultaneously managing the chaos and exploring the claims and wondering just how they were going to stop this thing before got out of hand.

Nicodemus — a Jewish ruler — just had to know more. Maybe to settle his curiosity and maybe to validate his yearnings. Either way, he took a mighty risk and ended up receiving the first recorded spoken message of the Gospel — salvation is here and eternal life is available. 

I love his questions and I love Jesus’ responses.

Nic opens up by calling Jesus Rabbi — he had heard him teach in the temple and had seen the miracles. And he needed some more information and answers. Notice Nic doesn’t ask a question to open the conversation. He speaks a truth — ‘You are a teacher and you’ve performed miracles.’ To which Jesus brings up the Kingdom of God — an answer to a question Nic did not ask.

Back in John 2:12-25, where Jesus throws the temple fit, He references the Kingdom of God which sent the Jewis rulers into a frenzy. Nic probably witnessed it all, so I’d like to think Jesus is like ‘let’s get to the point, Nic, the Kingdom of God IS THE POINT OF WHO I AM!” 

And then He drops a bomb about rebirth. What?! Nic is confused. You can’t possibly be born again!

HEAR THIS —> Jesus is not condescending here. He is TEACHING. He is being the teacher, the Rabbi. He is doing what He does. He doesn’t come at Nic with a tone that implies Nic should know all the answers. Instead, He takes what Nic does know and uses it to teach Him even more. Verse 10 is not said in a “ you should know this” tone. Instead, it’s “you’re teaching the law and you don’t see it — let me help you see it fully.”

And here we have the love story being told by the Hero Himself: 

“God love you so much that He sent Me here to save you. I’m here to save, not condemn. I’m here to rescue. I’m here to redeem. Believe in me — as the Savior, the Messiah, the Redeemer — and you will experience the Kingdom of God, the Light and eternal life.” 

God’s design for redemption (redeeming you and me back to Himself) is not dependent on us. We know this, but boy it is hard to believe. God’s design for redemption is fully dependent on the work of Jesus Christ — His death, burial and resurrection. In order to die, Jesus had to come. And in His coming, He came on mission — to be fully God among His people, to be sacrificed for the sins of man, to take the wrath and punishment for the sins we have committed and to defeat the death penalty by raising to life and returning to His throne in the presence of God Almighty.

In Jesus’ presentation of His own Gospel, He hits on a few truths that probably left Nicodemus shook. Nic was an expert in the Jewish law, the church and the story of God. But Jesus threw him a few curveballs.

Lifted up?! 

Jesus is referencing a story you may know from the Old Testament. Nic knew this story verrrry well. Take a look at Numbers 21:4-9  and see the connection between the lifting up of a snake and the lifting up of Jesus. In order to be saved from the plague of snakes (horrible), the Israelites had to look up to the bronze snake Moses put on a pole. In looking up, they were able to live. If they did not look up to the bronze snake, they did not live. See the connection?!

Born again?! 

There’s no way. Nicodemus very clearly states that we can’t go back into our mothers’ wombs! 

Jesus seems pretty serious about this concept of new birth/rebirth, clearly, if one MUST be born again to enter the Kingdom of God. I like how John Piper explains the seriousness of Jesus’ words here:

Until we realize that we must be born again, and why we must be born again, we probably will not realize what our condition really is without salvation. Most people do not know what is really wrong with them. One way to help them make a true and terrible and hopeful diagnosis is to show them the kind of remedy God has provided, namely, the new birth. If you have a sore on your ankle and after the doctor does his test, he comes in and says, “I have hard news: We have to take your leg off just below the knee,” that remedy would tell you more about the sore than many fancy words. So it is with the remedy “you must be born again.” 

From John Piper's series You Must Be Born Again, 2007. 

Being born again is central to the reality of our eternity. Unless you are born again, you will not see the Kingdom of God.

Before our new birth/rebirth, we are:

• Spiritually dead

• Morally selfish and rebellious

• Legally guilty before God’s law

Without Jesus, we are hopelessly unresponsive, corrupt and guilty.

We see this in Nicodemus — religion is not enough. Religion is not the answer. Believe me, Nic knows way more about God’s law and word that we do and Jesus kindly tells him that while he may know some things, knowledge is not getting him into the kingdom of God. 

Knowledge, or in Nic’s case, more knowledge, isn’t needed. What is needed? LIFE, a birthing, a re-birth, a NEW LIFE.

Let’s answer the question Nic is asking — can our physical bodies be born again?

No. What Jesus is teaching is not a physical rebirth, but a spiritual new birth. Our physical bodies cannot be born again. Jesus is talking about our spiritual condition by using a physical reference. In our physical birth, we are spiritually dead.

Jesus is teaching here the core and most vital concept of salvation — being born again brings us from spiritually dead (our default condition) to spiritually alive in Christ.  

Nic had seen Jesus perform miracles, but seeing and even acknowledging them isn’t the answer. Experiencing the miracle of rebirth IS the answer. Nic had seen miracles and praised Jesus for them. But Jesus tells hom that he must experience a miracle himself — the miracle of salvation in being born again. Again, Jesus is painting a picture of the difference in physical and spiritual — Nic can physically see miracles happen, but in order to receive salvation and experience eternal life in God’s Kingdom, he must EXPERIENCE THE SPIRITUAL MIRACLE of brought from spiritually dead to spiritually alive.

We will continue to see this explained by Jesus throughout this story, but hear it first right now. Re-birth, new life, salvation, eternal life is available only through Jesus Christ. It is only possible because of Jesus Christ. It is because of Him, by Him and through Him that we may be born again and enter the Kingdom of God.

BONUS: John 3:16 is probably the most known scripture in the world. To dig a little deeper into the culmination and fulfillment of God’s redemption plan, spend some time reading these passages this week: 

• Romans 5:8 — God demonstrates His own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

• Ephesians 2:4-5 — But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions — it is by grace you have been saved.

• 1 John 4:9-10 — This is how God shows his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

• Isaiah 9:6 — For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government shall be on his shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful. Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

• Romans 8:32 — He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all — how will he not also, along with Jesus, graciously give us all things?

• Genesis 22:12 — Now I know you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son. 

• John 1:18 — No one has ever seen God, but God is the One and Only, who is at the Father’s side, has made him known.

• John 6:29— Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.” 

• John 6:40 — For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.

• John 11:25-26 — Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die."

M: Meditate

Sit here for a second and journal about where your mind is going. 

If you have experienced the new birth of salvation, thank God for the miracle in your life that allows you to be in His presence and one day experience eternal life with Him.

If you have never experienced the new birth of salvation, ask God to reveal Himself to you in this way. Be courageous and bold in seeking Him.

Being born again begins with acknowledging your sin before a holy God, but instead of internalizing the guilt/shame, taking it to Jesus and asking Him for forgive you for your sins. Believing that He will and wants to, and believing that He is able to forgive you because He gave His life in exchange for yours, surrender your life to Him. Release the control of your own life and surrender to His lordship over your life.

P: Pray

Take the notes you've made and pray them back to God. 

Start with what you saw about Him — tell Him who He revealed Himself to be in that passage. 

Ask Him to forgive you of any sin revealed through conviction. 

Thank Him for the promises you found.