Did Jesus Really Say That?
John 3:1-21 (NLT) There was a man named Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader who was a Pharisee. 2 After dark one evening, he came to speak with Jesus. “Rabbi,” he said, “we all know that God has sent You to teach us. Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with You.” 3 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.” 4 “What do you mean?” exclaimed Nicodemus. “How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?” 5 Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. 6 Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. 7 So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.” 9 “How are these things possible?” Nicodemus asked. 10 Jesus replied, “You are a respected Jewish teacher, and yet you don’t understand these things? 11 I assure you, we tell you what we know and have seen, and yet you won’t believe our testimony. 12 But if you don’t believe Me when I tell you about earthly things, how can you possibly believe if I tell you about heavenly things? 13 No one has ever gone to heaven and returned. But the Son of Man has come down from heaven. 14 And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 so that everyone who believes in Him will have eternal life. 16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 God sent His Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through Him. 18 There is no judgment against anyone who believes in Him. But anyone who does not believe in Him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. 19 And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. 20 All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. 21 But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.”
John 3:1 (NLT) There was a man named Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader who was a Pharisee.
John 3:2 (NLT) After dark one evening, he came to speak with Jesus. “Rabbi,” he said, “we all know that God has sent You to teach us. Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with You.”
John 3:3 (NLT) “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”
Isaiah 64:6 (AMPC) For we have all become like one who is unclean [like a leper], and all our righteousness (our best deeds of rightness and justice) is like filthy rags or a polluted garment…”
If I’m a good person, I’ll go to heaven.
If my parents love God, surely I’ll go to heaven too.
I go to church.
I believe in God.
John 3:4-7 (NLT) “What do you mean?”…“How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?” 5 Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. 6 Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. 7 So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’ [from above]
Romans 3:23 (NLT) For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.
Isaiah 59:2 (NLT) It’s your sins that have cut you off from God.
Romans 5:8 (NLT) But God showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.
1 Peter 2:24 (NLT) He personally carried our sins in His body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right.
1 John 1:9 (ESV) If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Ephesians 2:8-9 (ESV) For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Titus 3:5 (NLT) He saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit.
John 3:8-9 (NLT) “The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.” 9 “How are these things possible?” Nicodemus asked.
John 3:14-15 (NLT) And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 so that everyone who believes in Him will have eternal life. 16 For this is how God loved the world: He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.
How is a person saved?
Hear the Gospel (Rom. 10:17)
Recognize our sin (Rom. 6:23)
Repent of our sin (Acts 3:19)
Believe in Jesus’ death and resurrection (Acts 16:31)
Receive the gift of salvation by faith (Eph. 2:8-9)
…in response to our faith…
Be baptized in water (Acts 2:38)
Pray for power from the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8)
Obey the Word (Jn. 14:23)
Walk out the new life (Lk. 9:23)
How do we know if we’ve been born again?
1. Our spirit bears witness
Romans 8:15-16 (NIV) The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by Him we cry, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God.
2. We have a new attitude toward sin
1 John 3:9 (NLT) Those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, because God’s life is in them. So they can’t keep sinning, because they are children of God.
3. We have a hunger for God
Psalm 42:1-2 (NIV) As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?
4. We genuinely love people
1 John 4:7-8 (NLT) Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. 8 But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
5. Our personality changes
Galatians 5:22-23 (NLT) But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control.
6. We are led by the Holy Spirit
Romans 8:14 (NIV) For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.
Ezekiel 36:26-27 (NLT) And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations.