If you were called in to see a person who was dying, and wished to read a chapter from the Word of God, and you were afraid that the sick one did not know the way of salvation, you could not select a better portion than the one we are about to read. I have chosen it in the hope that some may now learn from it what they must do to be saved.
John 3:1-2. There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: the same came to Jesus by night,
Perhaps he was very busy during the day. It is better to come to Jesus at night than not to come to him at all. All hours are convenient to Christ; you may come to him when you are at home tonight. When everybody else is asleep, Jesus is still awake. In all probability, however, Nicodemus did not wish to commit himself by coming to Christ by day. He had not yet tried and tested him, so he would not be thought to be Christ's follower till he had first had a quiet private talk with him. As a ruler of the Jews, he was wise in acting thus discreetly.
John 3:2. And said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.
He admitted the truth as far as he could see it. The miracles of Christ proved him to be a divinely-commissioned teacher. Always be willing to go as far as you can go in the pursuit of truth. If you cannot see everything at once, see all that you can see. Be not of a cavilling spirit; be frank and teachable as this man was.
John 3:3. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
It is such a mystery, a thing of such a marvilous character, that his old nature cannot see it. He must have new eyes, be must be a new man, be must be born again, before he can «see the kingdom of God.» Have you caught this idea, my dear hearer? Do you understand that you cannot polish yourself up to a certain point, and then see the kingdom of God? You must be born again; there must be a radical change in you, a new birth, a birth from above, if you are ever to see the kingdom of God.
John 3:4-5. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
At first Jesus said that a man could not see the kingdom of God except he was born again; now he tells Nicodemus that a man cannot enter the kingdom except he is born of water and of the Spirit. There must be a cleansing; he must be «born of water.» There must be a spiritual life; he must be «born of the Spirit», or he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
John 3:6. That which is born of the flesh is flesh;
Nothing more. However godly your father, however gracious your mother, all that is «born of the flesh is flesh.»
John 3:6. And that which is born of the spirit is spirit.
There must be, then, a Spirit-birth, or else you have no spirit; you belong not to the spiritual realm; and you cannot see and you cannot enter the spiritual kingdom.
John 3:7-8. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof,
The sounding of the wind blowing through the trees,
John 3:8. But canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth:
Where it begins, whither it goes, or where it comes to an end, you cannot tell.
John 3:8. So is every one that is born of the Spirit.
You do not know where the spirit-life begins; and you cannot tell to what it will lead. There are heights to which the spirit-life can carry you, of which you have never dreamed; this is a mystery beyond your ken.
John 3:9. Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?
He did not deny that they might be; but he asked how they could be. Ah, many a man has asked the same question! «How may I be made anew? How may I become a new creature?» Only he that makes all things can make all things new. The new birth is as great a wonder as creation itself; and there is as much, and a great deal more, to be wrought upon you to make you a Christian, as has been wrought upon you to make you a man.
John 3:10. Jesus answered and said, unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?
These truths lie on the very doorstep of our holy religion. There are deeper and higher mysteries than these.
John 3:11-12. Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. If I have told you earthly things,
Common-place things, the lower things of faith. «If I have told you these,»
John 3:12. And ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?
There are mysteries in our holy religion which we would not tell to everybody. It would be casting pearls before swine to mention them to unregenerate men. Christ tells Nicodemus that the primary truths must be believed before the more advanced doctrines can be revealed.
John 3:13. And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even, the Son of man which is in heaven.
It is Christ who knows everything. He understands all mysteries; he can teach all truth, for he has been in heaven, he came down to earth, and he has gone back again to heaven. Now, perhaps, some of you will be saying, «How are we to be saved? If there is no salvation without the new birth, how can we obtain the new birth?» Listen. The same chapter which tells you of the mystery of regeneration, tells you of the simple way of salvation by faith in Christ.
John 3:14-15. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
«Whosoever.» If you believe in Christ, you are born again. If you trust him, you have the new life. This simple way of salvation is not contradictory to the way of salvation by the new birth, it is the same thing stated in a form that we can comprehend.
John 3:16. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
This text has saved thousands of souls. The constellation in the heavens, called the Great Bear, has in it the two pointers which direct the eye of the observer to the pole star; and this verse points to Christ so clearly, so distinctly, that many have found him by it, and have lived. Let me read it again: «For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.»
John 3:17-18. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn, the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth, not is condemned already,
Not, «shall be condemned at the last,» though that also is true; but «he that believeth not is condemned already,»
John 3:18. Because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
May the Lord bless to us the reading of this very simple gospel chapter, for our Lord Jesus Christ's sake! Amen.