Message 9. The Night Visitor: A Lesson on Regeneration.
By J.B. Hughes
Terms:
Regeneration = the act or process of regenerating or the state of being regenerated; rebirth or renewal.[i]
Text: John 3:1-12.
Thesis: God himself stepped into human history in the person of Jesus. Instead of a welcome the world put him on trial. The reason that the heart of man did not accept him is because the heart is depraved. Human beings cannot be reformed or revised they have to be remade. In this story Nicodemus becomes a foil [ii] for Jesus to teach us about regeneration.
Preview: I. What is Regeneration?
II. The Need to Reborn.
III. Believing leads to Seeing.
I. What is Regeneration?
A. To understand regeneration it is crucial that depravity is understood. Depravity means that every part of a person is corrupted by the nature and power of sin. Romans 1:28, 1:20-3:20, II Corinthians 4:4, Ephesians 4:18, I Timothy 4:2. [iii]
B. The heart is exceedingly corrupt and cannot attain salvation through its own goodness. Isaiah 64:6, Jeremiah 17:9.
C. It is true that man was created in God’s image but through the fall man has been dramatically altered so that he cannot be a true image-bearer apart from a work of redemption.
D. Regeneration is an act of God where he steps into the human life to salvage it because it cannot be redeemed otherwise. [iv] [v]
E. Regeneration has both a future and a present element in it. It is both now and later. Matthew 19:28.
F. It has been suggested from the last chapter (2:23-25) that the reality of the Temple illustrated the heart condition of the worshippers that filled it. Corruption exists because worshippers permit it. Plus, it is one’s own laziness and complacency that invites it. This is why one must be born again.
II. The Need to be Reborn. (Vs. 1-4).
A. This part of John’s Gospel introduces to a character that has not been known before. Who is Nicodemus?
1. Nicodemus means “Victor over the people” and was very popular in Jesus day. [vi]
2. Some think that it was Naqdimon Ben Gurion who was a wealthy Jews who gave water to pilgrims at the festivals [vii]. But he would have been too young at the time of Christ to be the Nicodemus in this story.
3. He was a member of the Pharisees which was a sect organized during the Maccabean revolt of 167 B.C.E. Their name meant “separated ones.” [viii] He was a ruler who had achieved status who served as one of the chief members of the rulers. They had tons of rules. [ix]
4. The Pharisees were no friends of Jesus but to Nicodemus’ credit he comes to Jesus anyway and enquires into his identity.
B. Vs. 2. There are three things to make note of:
1. He comes to Jesus by night. Why?
a.) Maybe he was ashamed to be associated with Jesus. This does not explain John 7:50.
b.) Maybe it is a symbol for spiritual darkness. Is that reading into the text?
c.) Maybe he and Jesus are busy men in the day.
2. He uses the term “we know.” There could have been more people with him and John may have been there but did not write himself into the story. [x]
3. He acknowledges Jesus as sent from God. [xi] He is okay with referring to Jesus as a teacher. [xii]
C. Vs. 3. This is an odd response. Either part of this conversation is not recorded or Jesus is cutting to the chase and getting right to the kingdom talk.
1. Jesus is saying, “If you want to talk about the kingdom then you need to be born again.” [xiii]
2. He says it must be seen or “experienced.” [xiv] Luke 9:27. Nicodemus wants to get into the kingdom that is coming but his vain traditions won’t help him.
3. Sinners often cannot understand the things of God, at least in part because they need to be regenerated in order to understand.
D. Vs. 4. Nicodemus partially understands the metaphor and partially doesn’t. He does not know how all of this applies to him. The metaphor was familiar the application was not. [xv]
1. What is it that Nicodemus misunderstands?
a.) Did not know how it applied to him as a Jew. [xvi]
b.) Did not know how to facilitate (or make happen) this process.
c.) Felt that he was too far gone to change. [xvii]
III. Believing Leads to Seeing. Vs. 5-12.
A. Vs. 5. Jesus accelerates the conversation discussing not only the need of Nicodemus but the universal need of sinful man.
1. What does Jesus mean by the term “Spirit and Water?”
a.) The Infilling of the Holy Spirit. [xviii]
b.) Water Baptism.
c.) The use of the terms “water and spirit” together remind us of the original story of creation when the Spirit of God brooded over the waters and brought new life. This would harken back to our “new creation” theme.
d.) Repentance and Regeneration.[xix] I personally believe the latter two.
2. Nicodemus understands that the regeneration happens at the end of the world but Jesus says that happens before the end of time. What Jesus requires regeneration in order to enter the kingdom! [xx]
For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring, and my blessings upon your descendants. [xxi]
Come everyone who thirsts, come to the waters. [xxii]
I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart and a new spirit I will put within you. [xxiii]
And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy….On that day there shall be a fountain opened for the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and uncleanness. [xxiv]
3. The first step towards regeneration is repentance not the other way around. Romans 10:9-10. Justification comes after repentance and faith.
4. Regeneration is an act of God but it is still conditioned on repentance and turning away of sin. Acts 2:38 places forgiveness after repentance.
B. Vs. 6-7. Because humans must take action does not mean that the new birth can be produced by human flesh. John 1:12-13.
1. The flesh has no currency in the spiritual order. [xxv] Abraham or not, regeneration is a work of the Spirit. [xxvi]
2. You cannot reform the flesh because it is at enmity with God. Romans 8:7. [xxvii]
3. The term born “again” means born “above.” [xxviii]
C. Vs. 8-9. Regeneration is an act that is empowered and carried out through the authority of the Spirit of God.
1. The word for wind, breath and spirit are interchangeable and are all the same word “pneuma.” [xxix] This process is as mysterious as the wind itself. Romans 8:16.
2. There is possibly an allusion to a prophecy spoken in Ezekiel. [xxx]
Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Behold I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. [xxxi]
3. All of this is a radical message for Nicodemus. [xxxii] [xxxiii]
D. Vs. 10-12. It almost seems that Jesus is questioning the sincerity of Nicodemus. One hand he cannot fully understand, on the other hand he is not as dumb as he is letting on.
1. The problem with Nicodemus and the other religious leaders is they will not believe what Jesus is saying.
2. Nicodemus is unwilling to accept the testimony of God’s star witness because he cannot wrap his mind around it, earn it, or work it out in the flesh. [xxxiv]
Conclusion:
A. Jesus must be accepted as more than a teacher, but as a Savior.
B. Spiritual life is a gift from God not a product of human works.
C. No one can join themselves to the kingdom they have to be born into it.
D. Nicodemus can’t validate Jesus’ message so he must put faith in him.
E. The central message is “Believe and See.”
i. regeneration. Dictionary.com. Collins English Dictionary – Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition. HarperCollins Publishers. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/regeneration (accessed: May 31, 2012)
ii. Witherington 92
iii. Enns [e-text]
iv. Ibid
v. Wayne A. Grudem, Systematic Theology : An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine (Michigan.: Zondervan Pub. House, 1994), 700
vi. MacArthur, The MacArthur New Testament Commentary: John 1-11 [e-book]
vii. Bruce 81
viii. Green 475
ix. John A. MacArthur, “Jesus is the Lord of Sabbath, Part 1” from Grace to You http://www.gty.org/Resources/Sermons/41-11 (Accessed June 8, 2011)
x. Edersheim 264 3.6
xi. Sproul 35
xii. Newbigin 36-37
xiii. Sparks 39
xiv. Stallings 51
xv. Beasley-Murray 47-8
xvi. Gench 21
xvii. Bruce 83
xviii. Whitelaw 66
xix. Calvin [e-book]
xx. Carson 189
xxi. Isaiah 44:3 (ESV)
xxii. Isaiah 55:1
xxiii. Ezekiel 36:25-26
xxiv. Zechariah 12:10, 13:1
xxv. Stallings 52
xxvi. Ironside 61
xxvii. Newbigin 40
xxviii. Stallings 50
xxix. Carson 197
xxx. Bruce 85
xxxi. Ezekiel 37:5
xxxii. Carson 198
xxxiii. Witherington 98
xxxiv. Lincoln 68
Thirsty Soul 