Is there anyone who hasn’t heard of John 3? Often only one verse is mentioned, but there is so much in this chapter that explains exactly what we need to do and what we have already. Wonders, miracles, all Jesus. Enjoy.
Please read John 3:1-2
The New Birth
1 Now there was a certain man among the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler (member of the Sanhedrin) among the Jews, 2 who came to Jesus at night and said to Him, “Rabbi (Teacher), we know [without any doubt] that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs [these wonders, these attesting miracles] that You do unless God is with him.”
We know… you do, right? The wonders and signs He still does, every time we need one. Every time we ask for one. I have several stories of times He has done wonders in my life. A laugh I heard one day that left no doubt He was watching, the promise ‘it is time’ earlier, churches really close to every single school I have ever had to take my daughter to, the vision of being at His feet, the best of friends in our local church. All wonders, always miracles, some requested, some just needed, always given, in answer to faith.
Please read John 3:3-6
3 Jesus answered him, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, unless a person is born again [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, sanctified], he cannot [ever] see and experience the kingdom of God.”
4 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter his mother’s womb a second time and be born, can he?” 5 Jesus answered, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot [ever] enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh [the physical is merely physical], and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Water and the Spirit. The only way to enter the Kingdom of God is to have been baptized by water and filled with the Spirit. Faith.
Please read John 3:7-10
7 Do not be surprised that I have told you, ‘You must be born again [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, sanctified].’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it is coming from and where it is going; so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
9 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can these things be possible?” 10 Jesus replied, “You are the [great and well-known] teacher of Israel, and yet you do not know nor understand these things [from Scripture]?
The Spirit is power. Power to do what God wants you to do. Not seen power, empowering power. Strength for the day and bright hope for tomorrow. That kind of power.
Please read John 3:11-15
11 I assure you and most solemnly say to you, we speak only of what we [absolutely] know and testify about what we have [actually] seen [as eyewitnesses]; and [still] you [reject our evidence and] do not accept our testimony. 12 If I told you earthly things [that is, things that happen right here on earth] and you do not believe, how will you believe and trust Me if I tell you heavenly things? 13 No one has gone up into heaven, but there is One who came down from heaven, the Son of Man [Himself—whose home is in heaven]. 14 Just as Moses lifted up the [bronze] serpent in the desert [on a pole], so must the Son of Man be lifted up [on the cross], 15 so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life [after physical death, and will actually live forever].
Whoever believes will in Him have eternal life. Right now. Today. You can have it immediately. Eternally. Does not mean your body won’t die, it likely will, but you will wake up. What makes you the person you are, will wake up and be alive forever. Thus eternal life.
Please read John 3:16-17
16 “For God so [greatly] loved and dearly prized the world, that He [even] gave His [One and] [a]only begotten Son, so that whoever believes and trusts in Him [as Savior] shall not perish, but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send the Son into the world to judge and condemn the world [that is, to initiate the final judgment of the world], but that the world might be saved through Him.
You are Greatly loved and dearly prized.
If you believe and trust Him as Savior. The gift is eternal life. The gift for belief and trust. Count on Him. He’s completely trustworthy.
Please read John 3:18
18 Whoever believes and has decided to trust in Him [as personal Savior and Lord] is not judged [for this one, there is no judgment, no rejection, no condemnation]; but the one who does not believe [and has decided to reject Him as personal Savior and Lord] is judged already [that one has been convicted and sentenced], because [b]he has not believed and trusted in the name of the [One and] only begotten Son of God [the One who is truly unique, the only One of His kind, the One who alone can save him].
No judgment, no condemnation if you believe and trust. Oh thank You, Lord. Yet if you reject Him oh my already convicted and sentenced. Yet even right now, you can turn around and believe and trust Him. And then all your sins will be forgiven and you will be His forever. There is still time. But don’t wait long. He will return soon. And no one knows just when. But by then, it will be too late to turn to Him.
Please read John 3:19-21
19 This is the judgment [that is, the cause for indictment, the test by which people are judged, the basis for the sentence]: the Light has come into the world, and people loved the [c]darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. 20 For every wrongdoer hates the Light, and does not come to the Light [but shrinks from it] for fear that his [sinful, worthless] activities will be exposed and condemned. 21 But whoever practices truth [and does what is right—morally, ethically, spiritually] comes to the Light, so that his works may be plainly shown to be what they are—accomplished in God [divinely prompted, done with God’s help, in dependence on Him].”
Practice truth, do what’s right morally, ethically, spiritually, for only with that will we know that we are in the Light and can accomplish it all in God. By His prompting and with His help and by depending on Him.
Please read John 3:22-27
John’s Last Testimony
22 After these things Jesus and His disciples went into the land of Judea, and there He spent time with them and baptized. 23 Now John was also baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was an abundance of water there; and people were coming and were being baptized— 24 for John had not yet been thrown into prison.
25 Therefore there arose a controversy between John’s disciples and a Jew in regard to [d]purification (ceremonial washing).
26 So they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi (Teacher), the Man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan [at the Jordan River crossing]—and to whom you have testified—look, He is baptizing too, and everyone is going to Him!” 27 John replied, “A man can receive nothing [he can claim nothing at all] unless it has been granted to him from heaven [for there is no other source than the sovereign will of God].
Is that something you can just believe? That last sentence. Echoes something Jesus says in John 15:5 5
“I am the Vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him bears much fruit, for [otherwise] apart from Me [that is, cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing.”
Please read John 3:28-30
28 You yourselves are my witnesses that I stated, ‘I am not the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed),’ but, ‘I have [only] been sent ahead of Him [as His appointed forerunner and messenger to announce and proclaim His coming].’ 29 He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands by and listens to him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. So this pleasure and joy of mine is now complete. 30 He must increase [in prominence], but I must decrease.
Pleasure and joy, abundant is promised. Abundant life, abundant joy, abundant pleasure is given. If we don’t have it, maybe what we need is more of the Spirit, more of Jesus. And how to you get that? Prayer and focus and all in faith.
Please read John 3:31
31 “He who comes from [heaven] above is above all others; he who is of the earth is from the earth and speaks [about things] of the earth [his viewpoint and experience are earthly]. He who comes from heaven is above all.
Above all. There’s something about that that reminds me of Ephesians 1:21
far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.
Please read John 3:32-35
32 What He has [actually] seen and heard, of that He testifies; and yet no one accepts His testimony [as true]. 33 Whoever receives His testimony has set his seal [of approval] to this: God is true [and he knows that God cannot lie]. 34 For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God [proclaiming the Father’s own message]; for God gives the [gift of the] Spirit without measure [generously and boundlessly]! 35 The Father loves the Son and has given and entrusted all things into His hand.
I love it when Scripture agrees with Scripture. When the words in my head as I read bring other Scriptures to mind and a quick search can verify the words are in other places.
Ephesians 1:22-23
22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.
Please read John 3:36
36 He who believes and trusts in the Son and accepts Him [as Savior] has eternal life [that is, already possesses it]; but he who does not believe the Son and chooses to reject Him, [disobeying Him and denying Him as Savior] will not see [eternal] life, but [instead] the wrath of God hangs over him continually.”
Thank you, Lord, for this verse. And the assurance that belief, trust and acceptance of You is all we need to have for eternal life and we already have it. May everything we do reveal that faith You look for us to have.
Footnotes
[a] John 3:16 –[a]only begotten Son- Jesus, God’s only Son, the One who is truly unique, the only one of His kind.
[b] John 3:18 -because [b]he has not believed and trusted- The Greek refers to an unsaved person who has made the decision not to believe in the Son, Jesus Christ, that is, not to accept the salvation offered by the Son and commit to follow Him. Such a person stands condemned by God unless he changes his mind.
[c] John 3:19 -people loved the [c]darkness rather than the Light- See note 1:5.
– – John 1:5 -in the [c]darkness- I.e. the world immersed in sin: all that stands in opposition to God and biblical truth.
[d] John 3:25 -in regard to [d]purification (ceremonial washing)- An immersion baptism was one of the requirements for a convert to Judaism, and John the Baptist had most likely taken over the ritual, giving it new meaning in his own ministry. Jewish tradition specified that there had to be enough water to completely cover a person, and that it had to be collected naturally.
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