Nicodemus

• Ruling member of Pharisees.

• a Jewish religious leader
•

“ Marvel not…
“ •
He likely risked danger by meeting with Jesus at night
secretly.
Recognized the stamp of God upon Jesus because of the
miraculous signs.

You must be • Jesus must have a strong effect in him. He stood up for
Jesus at the Jewish ruling council (7:50) and helped
prepare Jesus’ body for burial (19:39)

Born Again! Pharisees

• In Luke 10:31 – The Good Samaritan, The priest saw the

robbery victim in a half-dead state. According to OT Law,

(John 3:7) ” a priest who touched a dead body made himself

ceremonially impure (Leviticus 21:1-4). The priest and
religious Levite decided not to go to get involved
• Were a legalistic and separatist group who strictly, but
often hypocritically, kept the law of Moses and the
unwritten tradition of the elders.

Passage:
• Most of them were opposed to Jesus.

Samaritan

• A racial minority despised in Israel.

John 3: 1 – 16 A. The New Birth ( or Being “Born Again”) – vv. 1 – 12

1. Read vv. 1 & 2. By what means did Nicodemus
recognize Jesus as Lord?
– Nicodemus acknowledge Jesus’ name as Rabbi –
meaning a teacher that comes from God.
June 7, 2009 – He also believes in Jesus because of the miracles
He had done, for without God in Him, Jesus can’t
(SUNDAY Bible Study) do these miracles.
2. Read v.3. Is there any exception on how we can
see the kingdom of God?
None. There is only one way, and it is to be Born
Again.
Discussion:
3. Read vv. 3 – 7. In what specific verse did we
see the difference of Pharisees being a teacher
versus Jesus being a teacher to us?
Verse 4 – Nicodemus spoke this ridiculous process of
being Born Again and has shown his ignorance.
4. Jesus showing his transparency unto
Nicodemus, do you think the topic Jesus shared
to Him is just an accident?
No. It’s not an accident.
5. Do you think Jesus knew what does Nicodemus
really long for?
Then what do you think was Nicodemus’
deepest need?
Yes, Jesus knew what Nicodemus longs for. Jesus
knew Nicodemus’ (and our) deepest need –to be born
again - unless he is born again, he cannot enter
the kingdom of God (vv. 3, 5, 7).
6. How do you think did Jesus know of
Nicodemus’ need?
It is by Nicodemus’ curiosity and faith that Jesus is
from God.
Jesus was conversing with Nicodemus. For a man like
him, the only requirement for entering the kingdom
of God was to be physically born a Jew. To help
Nicodemus understand His radical teaching, Jesus
used a contrast: two kinds of birth. He said unless a
person is born again, he cannot get into the kingdom
of God (v.3).
7. Now reflect. Do you think when God spoke with
you, wanting you to be born again is an
accident?
No. Everything has a purpose. God speaks in the
right time. When God sees our earnest heart longing
for Him, that is the perfect time when He wants you
to be with Him, not just now, but forever. Being born
again is never an accident to Christians like us; it’s
not a joke or just like any ordinary occasion held in
our lives. So when we decide of being a born again
Christian, we must take this seriously and do our
“part” as a Christian.
8. Nicodemus was confused in v.4. What is the
true meaning of “born again”? Why do we
need this?
During our first birth, we were born physically with a
sinful nature. We need to have a new birth, so that
God’s life, God’s nature will be in us.
In v. 5 Jesus mentioned 2 kinds of birth (water and
Spirit):
a. “born of water”
What is your interpretation of being/having
“born of water”?
 physical birth (re: water bag of the mother)
 Baptism – the baptism of repentance practiced by
John the Baptist.
b. “born of Spirit”
What is your interpretation of being/having
“born of Spirit”?
 Spiritual regeneration initiated by the Holy Spirit.
Conclusion – Being born of water and Spirit is
inseparable. * Outward rite was insufficient
without spiritual regeneration
Alban Douglas says in 100 Bible Lessons:
“Conversion and regeneration are inseparable;
conversion is the act of turning from sin to Christ;
regeneration is being made a new creature by the
Spirit’s power. It brings us into the family of God.
The new birth is the door to salvation and
consequently to heaven.
9. In v.3, Jesus mentioned that there is only one
way to see the Kingdom of God. Why does
having a new birth the only way? What is this
thing that makes us so sinful that having this
new birth is the only way? – this means that we
have something in us that is so dirty… What is
it?
It is our sinful nature. It disqualifies us from entering
the kingdom of God.
10. What is sinful nature?
The deeds which we know are wrong, yet we still do
them (like lying, cheating, hating, etc.) and We do
not have the power not to do them.
11.Then, who has the power? Is there anything we
can do to change this?
We cannot do anything to change this in our own
power. The only way is to be born into a new kind of
life – the life of God.
Sometimes we resolve to change for the better,
especially during New Year’s Day, but after a few
days we are back to our old selves. This is because of
our sinful nature.
12. Aren’t you wondering why do we have this
sinful nature? On how this thing came upon
us?
Actually, we were born with a sinful nature. When the
first man, Adam, sinned (disobeyed God), his nature
become corrupted and sinful.
We inherited this sinful nature and have been
following our own ways, our own desires, which
actually are controlled by Satan.
Because of our sins, we are separated from God. And
being separated with God means that we are
spiritually dead.
13. Read v.5, 6, 15. How can we be born again?
i. Born of water and Spirit (v.5 & 6)
The Holy Spirit is the one that indicates our new
birth, not something we can do by ourselves.
ii.Believe … and have eternal life (v.15)
Believe
• The word “believe” here does not only mean
mentally saying, “It is true.” (Satan also believes
Jesus is the Son of God, but obviously he is not
saved.)
• To take God at His word, acknowledge His claim on
our life, and say, “Yes, Lord, I surrender. I’m
coming home (through the cross).” When we
“receive” Jesus into our heart, we receive Him not
as guest, but as the Lord and Master of our life.
iii.Receive (Christ)… to become children of God (Jn.
1:12)
14. Satan believes in Jesus. The why is Satan not
saved?
It is acknowledging and receiving Jesus as our
Saviour and Lord that Satan would not willing to do.
It is believing in Jesus with all our heart, repenting of
our sin, turning our lives to Jesus Christ to control,
making Him the center of our lives that really
matters. We are not of ourselves no, but of God’s.
And Satan didn’t achieve these things.
15. Sometimes we meet non-Christians who live
better lives than Christians. Do they need to
be saved also?
Yes. None of us are perfect in God’s sight. Since
God’s standard is perfection, none of us are
acceptable in God’s sight.
 Then, we Christians are not also perfect in
God’s sight. Are we acceptable or not? How
can we explain this?
Think… who is the only creature who is perfect?
It’s Christ, we come to God through Jesus Christ.
Now, if we let Him control us, use us, do whatever He
wanted to us – surrendering ourselves to Him. Then,
it is just like we have our Superman in us, carrying
us.
16. Read v.8. We may not know where the wind
comes from or where it is going, but we can
hear it, and see its effect on things.
What does this mean?
3. Verse 16 is called “the gospel in a nutshell.”
Similarly, we may not fully understand how the Holy
Spirit gives us the new birth but we know he does it,
by observing its effect on people
17.What is the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives?
It is the Holy Spirit who caused the yearning in our
heart to come back to God. It is the Holy Spirit who
convicts us of sin so we can repent. And it is the Holy
Spirit who regenerates us.
18.What simple thing did Jesus want Nicodemus
to do in vv. 11 & 12?
Accept… Believe
B. Why we believe in Jesus – vv. 13 – 16
1. Read v. 13. How could Jesus demand the faith
and confidence of Nicodemus or any of other
person?
Jesus came down from heaven, so He is qualified and
the only person who has the right to tell us of
heavenly matters, because He has been in heaven.
2. Read v. 14.
• This verse refers to an incident recorded in
Numbers 21: 4-9. Moses did as the Lord says for
Israelites to believe that God sent Moses and that
they may follow His servant.
• Jesus’ explanation and reference to Himself
through this illustration speaks about the totality
of His work: God becomes man, dies in cross and
is raised again.
• Thus, Jesus’ death on the cross brings about
reconciliation between God and man. Anyone
who looks to Jesus by faith can be cured of the
deadly disease of sin.
• “…so the Son of Man must be lifted up” – this is
the body of Christ will taken up or lifted up to the
cross. – that we may believe.
“For God so loved the world that He gave His one
and only Son, that whosoever believes in Him
shall not perish but have eternal life.”
God is the one who took the initiative to reach out to
us, because we were hopeless and helpless to
change the situation on our own.
loved – God’s plan begins with His love and creates
an eternal love relationship, not a fear relationship.
world – everybody
gave – salvation is freely given to us. We cannot
work for it or pay for it. (Eph. 2:8,9)
one and only Son – refers to Jesus Christ. Although
believers are also called “sons of God” (2 Cor. 6:18,
Rev. 21:7), Jesus is uniquely God’s Son.
whoever – no discrimination. Salvation is offered to
everyone who is willing to believe.
not perish– to have a new nature (God’s nature), a
new life inside Him

believes – not just head knowledge, but full faith

and trust in God,
acknowledging that He created us and owns us.

eternal life – refers to a mode of life characterized

by living fellowship with God – both now and forever.
It is not simply a prolongation of our present life. If a
person is not “born again”, his spirit will continue to
exist even after he dies physically – but separated
from God, and continually under God’s wrath (John
3:36). During the Last Judgment, he will be thrown
into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second
death (Rev. 21:8).

Some people say that we do not know if we are

“born again” or “saved” until the time when
we are about to die, or after we die. This is not
correct. See John 5:24.

APPLICATION
It is not possible for a person to be born again
and yet his life remains unchanged. The Lord
Jesus Christ said, “A tree is recognized by its
fruit” (Matt 12:33). So examine your life. If
there are no changes in your life ever since
you claimed to be saved, what does it mean?