John 3:4-8
The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.
In earlier verses, we have seen how Jesus highlighted and explained to Nicodemus that one needs to be born again to see and enter the kingdom of God. Nicodemus, being a pharisee, a teacher of the law who had been drawn to Jesus by the signs he did, humbly came to Him, acknowledging Him as a rabbi who came from God.
Unfortunately, Nicodemus’s second response to Jesus in verse 9 suggested that although he was a teacher of the law, he could not understand Jesus’s teaching about the kingdom of God. Despite Jesus’ further clarification in verses 5–8, Nicodemus still could not accept what he was hearing. He could not let go of his legalistic religious system and realise that salvation was a sovereign, gracious work of God’s Spirit. As the teacher of Israel, Nicodemus had knowledge, but he lacked spiritual understanding.
The dialogue between Nicodemus and Jesus now evolves into a monologue, with Jesus speaking the entire time. For the third time, Jesus doubled up His strong affirmation, “Truly, truly”, to emphasise to Nicodemus that what follows is valid, binding, true, and trustworthy. Daniel Fuller writes in his book, The Unity Of The Bible, “Jesus . . . did not speak for God but as being God Himself. Of all the biblical spokespersons, only Jesus attached amen to His own statements, thereby declaring that He Himself as God had the authority to affirm His teaching as reliable and true.” v To demonstrate His authority to speak about spiritual matters, Jesus emphasised that he was the person who descended from heaven, the Son of man, and therefore can speak heavenly truths. No one else will ever have that access and authority to speak heavenly realities.
Reflection:
Dear brothers and sisters, if we’ve been born again, we will believe what Jesus says. We will accept His testimony. We will understand he came from heaven to be born as a man, and we place our faith in Him. The unmistakable sign of the new birth is to believe in Jesus. It’s not respect for Jesus or a good opinion of Jesus—which is what Nicodemus had. It’s wholehearted faith in Jesus. It’s believing in Him and committing everything to Him.
What is Jesus to you and me? He is not merely a respectable moral teacher or a philosopher with honourable and admirable teaching, as many in the world have viewed Him. He is the son of God who has descended from heaven to testify about what he knew, such that whoever believes in Him may have eternal life (John 3:15). Is this what you believe?
Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, Thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus, to bring us the heavenly truth. Forgive us those times when we struggle to understand Your ways and fully grasp Your heavenly truths. Forgive us the times we rely on our own understanding rather than trusting in You. Strengthen and renew our faith by the power of Your Holy Spirit so that we may deepen our trust in Your Son and follow Him wholeheartedly, knowing that He alone is the truth, the way to eternal life. In Jesus’s precious name, we pray. Amen.
In earlier verses, we have seen how Jesus highlighted and explained to Nicodemus that one needs to be born again to see and enter the kingdom of God. Nicodemus, being a pharisee, a teacher of the law who had been drawn to Jesus by the signs he did, humbly came to Him, acknowledging Him as a rabbi who came from God.
Unfortunately, Nicodemus’s second response to Jesus in verse 9 suggested that although he was a teacher of the law, he could not understand Jesus’s teaching about the kingdom of God. Despite Jesus’ further clarification in verses 5–8, Nicodemus still could not accept what he was hearing. He could not let go of his legalistic religious system and realise that salvation was a sovereign, gracious work of God’s Spirit. As the teacher of Israel, Nicodemus had knowledge, but he lacked spiritual understanding.
The dialogue between Nicodemus and Jesus now evolves into a monologue, with Jesus speaking the entire time. For the third time, Jesus doubled up His strong affirmation, “Truly, truly”, to emphasise to Nicodemus that what follows is valid, binding, true, and trustworthy. Daniel Fuller writes in his book, The Unity Of The Bible, “Jesus . . . did not speak for God but as being God Himself. Of all the biblical spokespersons, only Jesus attached amen to His own statements, thereby declaring that He Himself as God had the authority to affirm His teaching as reliable and true.” v To demonstrate His authority to speak about spiritual matters, Jesus emphasised that he was the person who descended from heaven, the Son of man, and therefore can speak heavenly truths. No one else will ever have that access and authority to speak heavenly realities.
Reflection:
Dear brothers and sisters, if we’ve been born again, we will believe what Jesus says. We will accept His testimony. We will understand he came from heaven to be born as a man, and we place our faith in Him. The unmistakable sign of the new birth is to believe in Jesus. It’s not respect for Jesus or a good opinion of Jesus—which is what Nicodemus had. It’s wholehearted faith in Jesus. It’s believing in Him and committing everything to Him.
What is Jesus to you and me? He is not merely a respectable moral teacher or a philosopher with honourable and admirable teaching, as many in the world have viewed Him. He is the son of God who has descended from heaven to testify about what he knew, such that whoever believes in Him may have eternal life (John 3:15). Is this what you believe?
Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, Thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus, to bring us the heavenly truth. Forgive us those times when we struggle to understand Your ways and fully grasp Your heavenly truths. Forgive us the times we rely on our own understanding rather than trusting in You. Strengthen and renew our faith by the power of Your Holy Spirit so that we may deepen our trust in Your Son and follow Him wholeheartedly, knowing that He alone is the truth, the way to eternal life. In Jesus’s precious name, we pray. Amen.