Jesus’ Second Invitation: Receive the Gift of Eternal Life (John 3:1-17)
John’s telling of Jesus’ life takes us to the most quoted passage in the New Testament, most assuredly because of the preeminent Gift offered to us!
Let’s look at this passage in John 3 together. It may be initially confusing, but it is clear in the end!
Jesus was approached late at night by a man, Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish Ruling Council. Nicodemus came respectfully to Jesus saying, “We know you have come from God because no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him.”
Nicodemus is saying, “Seeing is believing.” But look closely at Jesus’ redirected reply, “No one can see the Kingdom of God unless he is born again.” Nicodemus is caught off guard and replies, “How can a man be born again when he is old? Surely he can’t enter a second time into his mother’s womb!”
Once again, Jesus answers Nicodemus’s question with what Nicodemus needs to understand and is seeking without knowing it. We too are given what we need to understand and are likely seeking, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the Kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to Spirit.”
John the Baptist offered a baptism of water to cleanse people in preparation for the greater birth Jesus offers, being born of the Spirit!
Being born of the Spirit is God’s Gift to anyone who desires it! This gift accompanies the first invitation I wrote of in the last blog (click here to read), which is to become a child of God. These two occur together as a completed work of God in us: When we choose to believe in Jesus and are born of God, we are also, in that act, born of the Spirit. Nicodemus’ seeking out Jesus that night allowed Jesus to declare who he is and what he came to bring. Jesus is the Son of God who gives NEW BIRTH to those who ask, bringing the Holy Spirit to live in the believer.
Yet there is more Jesus offers to Nicodemus and to us, “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. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”
This is Jesus’ Invitation. He opens the floodgate of God’s amazing love! Let’s look closely to grasp what Jesus is saying. If we, like Nicodemus, choose to believe in Jesus:
We are changed, being born of God and the Spirit. Jesus’ literal Spirit comes to live in us. We are, from that moment on, human beings living day to day with the Spirit of God alive within us.
We are able to see and enter the Kingdom of God, having our eyes opened by the Holy Spirit’s presence within us.
We live with God eternally, here and now and forever.
This AMAZING INVITATION, being born again, born of the Spirit, able to see and enter the Kingdom of God, experiencing Jesus’ life here and for eternity is present today and anyone can respond! John’s life was changed by saying yes to Jesus. And he invites you, like him, to come and receive and then journey with Jesus through this life into eternity.
The Renewing Life Center is a place to assist you in exploring this INVITATION of JESUS’, to renew your relationship with Jesus, or say yes to this invitation to believe, know and journey with Jesus. We welcome you to call us at 702-434-7290.