You Can't
There are many things we can do, and there are many things Jesus tells us to do. But there are a few things He tells us we can’t do.
John 3
1 Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.”
3 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you (here’s our you can’t), no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” 4 “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!” 5 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” 9 “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.
10 “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? 11 Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. 12 I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? 13 No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man 14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”
16 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. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. 19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.
Nicodemus came to Jesus at night.
Pharisee/Jewish ruling council is similar to a supreme court. This took place at night, so maybe they didn’t want to be seen doing this, or it might’ve been the only time he could get an appointment. We don’t know.
It’s not just about miracles, but signs. Signs identify something prior to something. He’s coming, but not out of a sense of need. He’s not an emotional, broken person, he’s educated and curious.
Jesus does this thing that Jesus always does. He interrupts and doesn’t truly answer the question.
This is one of the fascinating, yet frustrating things about Jesus. We have all these important questions, but instead of answering, He says a cryptic thing and then tells a story. But as He begins to speak, it becomes clear that Jesus knows where Nicodemus is going.
“No one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”
Nicodemus didn’t just notice the things Jesus was doing as miracles but as signs. They identified something or someone (Messiah). Many people saw the signs while He was in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival. He was performing and believed in His name. (John 2:23)
They were connecting the dots, seeing the signs, and seeing Jesus. In Jewish prophecy and legend, this political, religious figure called Messiah would reveal himself at the Jewish feast of Passover and begin the revolution. Kick out the Romans and restore the good old days when Israel was a nation, and God was in charge.
This Messiah would restore the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God was synonymous with the Kingdom of Israel to them. Nicodemus was connecting the dots too. And so, Jesus gets out in front of where Nicodemus was going.
“No one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”
They (and us) think we can get the good times back with the right figure, timing, and circumstances. They (and we) are found asking Jesus, “Is this the time, is this the moment? Do the stars align? Are we seeing the signs?”
And Jesus says the thing about being born again. Nicodemus chuckles and says, “How can someone be born when they are old? Surely, they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born.” He’s obviously not being literal here.
When people in America hear the term “born again,” they think of a type of person. They have lots of problems, they need moral structure, or they are a conservative/fundamentalist. But none of these describe Nicodemus. Instead of saying it more clearly, Jesus makes it more confusing. He talks about how no one can enter God’s Kingdom unless they are born of water and born of the Spirit. Born twice. We have all been born once, but twice?
And then He begins to talk about the wind.
Define wind. There is a great mystery in how it works. You can describe various aspects, but you cannot describe them completely. Jesus says it goes where it pleases. You hear it but can’t fully grasp it.
The word for wind is the same as spirit. And not just any spirit, it’s God’s Spirit. God’s breath of life. The Holy Spirit. How this second birth takes place is a mystery like the wind. But it’s something God does.
And Nicodemus answers the way many of us would in this scenario, “How can this be?”
Jesus responds, “You are Israel’s teacher, and you do not understand these things!”
Nicodemus was smart, educated, and didn’t need more moral framework. The Sanhedrin was the moral framework. He kept the law as best he could as an observant Jew. And we usually find ourselves – Christians or not – in the same spot. We are competent, have a moral compass, and do our best to be good people.
Most of us don’t start by thinking we have a works-based approach to faith. But unless we begin at the right point, it is the Spirit of God who animates us and brings us to life in God, and God is the one who did, does, and will do the work. And we stay anchored there.
There is no other option or outworking of our faith, but a works-based approach to faith. We’ve received God’s grace; now, what do we have to do? The problem is how we see our Messiahs, or what we think will save us, even when it’s Jesus.
Jesus refers to the Old Testament scriptures, which Nicodemus would have been intimately familiar with.
Numbers 21 tells the story of people cursed with snakes infesting the camp and biting them. It led to death, suffering, and destruction. God instructed Moses to make a bronze snake and put it on a pole where everyone could look up to it and be healed. They would exchange death for life.
This was God’s promise and power that would do the work. And Jesus says, “The Messiah, the one who will save you, heal you, the one you’ve been looking for, he’ll be lifted up like that on something like a pole.”
And Nicodemus had to start filling in some blanks. The only way a man would be lifted up on a pole would be if he were to be killed – possibly crucified. The Kingdom of God won’t come because the Messiah conquers or defeats our enemies or brings back the good old days of God and country. It’ll be because He gives his life, He dies.
Have you ever had someone interrupt a story they were in the middle of telling you?
This aims to provide more information needed to understand what’s happening. John does this. He wants to ensure we know something so important that he interrupts the story.
John 3
16 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. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
Nicodemus didn’t have this extra context. But John’s readers did. And we do. We want our Messiahs to save us and condemn others. The Jews did too. We don’t know a lot more about Nicodemus. We see him briefly mentioned a couple of other times.
Much later in the story, we have every reason to suspect that Nicodemus saw Jesus again from a distance as he was lifted up (not on a throne, but on a cross). In that moment, it becomes clear.
“You associate God with action – here is God’s ultimate action.”
It comes down to belief and trust. You can’t really quantify it, you can see it, but not completely. This is something God does, but it is something we step into. We participate in being born, but it mostly happens to us.
“We sometimes doubt what we believe, but you can equally doubt your doubts.”
Maybe you prayed a prayer you believe, but you’re stuck with just how much of that belief has become about those same things that characterized Nicodemus – morality, structure, being good people, and hard work when it’s more about the wind, the Spirit, the breath of God that gives new life.
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Want to play catch-up, or are you looking for a specific topic? Check out our collection of sermons here.
John 3
1 Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.”
3 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you (here’s our you can’t), no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” 4 “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!” 5 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” 9 “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.
10 “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? 11 Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. 12 I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? 13 No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man 14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”
16 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. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. 19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.
Nicodemus came to Jesus at night.
Pharisee/Jewish ruling council is similar to a supreme court. This took place at night, so maybe they didn’t want to be seen doing this, or it might’ve been the only time he could get an appointment. We don’t know.
It’s not just about miracles, but signs. Signs identify something prior to something. He’s coming, but not out of a sense of need. He’s not an emotional, broken person, he’s educated and curious.
Jesus does this thing that Jesus always does. He interrupts and doesn’t truly answer the question.
This is one of the fascinating, yet frustrating things about Jesus. We have all these important questions, but instead of answering, He says a cryptic thing and then tells a story. But as He begins to speak, it becomes clear that Jesus knows where Nicodemus is going.
“No one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”
Nicodemus didn’t just notice the things Jesus was doing as miracles but as signs. They identified something or someone (Messiah). Many people saw the signs while He was in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival. He was performing and believed in His name. (John 2:23)
They were connecting the dots, seeing the signs, and seeing Jesus. In Jewish prophecy and legend, this political, religious figure called Messiah would reveal himself at the Jewish feast of Passover and begin the revolution. Kick out the Romans and restore the good old days when Israel was a nation, and God was in charge.
This Messiah would restore the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God was synonymous with the Kingdom of Israel to them. Nicodemus was connecting the dots too. And so, Jesus gets out in front of where Nicodemus was going.
“No one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”
They (and us) think we can get the good times back with the right figure, timing, and circumstances. They (and we) are found asking Jesus, “Is this the time, is this the moment? Do the stars align? Are we seeing the signs?”
And Jesus says the thing about being born again. Nicodemus chuckles and says, “How can someone be born when they are old? Surely, they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born.” He’s obviously not being literal here.
When people in America hear the term “born again,” they think of a type of person. They have lots of problems, they need moral structure, or they are a conservative/fundamentalist. But none of these describe Nicodemus. Instead of saying it more clearly, Jesus makes it more confusing. He talks about how no one can enter God’s Kingdom unless they are born of water and born of the Spirit. Born twice. We have all been born once, but twice?
And then He begins to talk about the wind.
Define wind. There is a great mystery in how it works. You can describe various aspects, but you cannot describe them completely. Jesus says it goes where it pleases. You hear it but can’t fully grasp it.
The word for wind is the same as spirit. And not just any spirit, it’s God’s Spirit. God’s breath of life. The Holy Spirit. How this second birth takes place is a mystery like the wind. But it’s something God does.
And Nicodemus answers the way many of us would in this scenario, “How can this be?”
Jesus responds, “You are Israel’s teacher, and you do not understand these things!”
Nicodemus was smart, educated, and didn’t need more moral framework. The Sanhedrin was the moral framework. He kept the law as best he could as an observant Jew. And we usually find ourselves – Christians or not – in the same spot. We are competent, have a moral compass, and do our best to be good people.
Most of us don’t start by thinking we have a works-based approach to faith. But unless we begin at the right point, it is the Spirit of God who animates us and brings us to life in God, and God is the one who did, does, and will do the work. And we stay anchored there.
There is no other option or outworking of our faith, but a works-based approach to faith. We’ve received God’s grace; now, what do we have to do? The problem is how we see our Messiahs, or what we think will save us, even when it’s Jesus.
Jesus refers to the Old Testament scriptures, which Nicodemus would have been intimately familiar with.
Numbers 21 tells the story of people cursed with snakes infesting the camp and biting them. It led to death, suffering, and destruction. God instructed Moses to make a bronze snake and put it on a pole where everyone could look up to it and be healed. They would exchange death for life.
This was God’s promise and power that would do the work. And Jesus says, “The Messiah, the one who will save you, heal you, the one you’ve been looking for, he’ll be lifted up like that on something like a pole.”
And Nicodemus had to start filling in some blanks. The only way a man would be lifted up on a pole would be if he were to be killed – possibly crucified. The Kingdom of God won’t come because the Messiah conquers or defeats our enemies or brings back the good old days of God and country. It’ll be because He gives his life, He dies.
Have you ever had someone interrupt a story they were in the middle of telling you?
This aims to provide more information needed to understand what’s happening. John does this. He wants to ensure we know something so important that he interrupts the story.
John 3
16 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. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
Nicodemus didn’t have this extra context. But John’s readers did. And we do. We want our Messiahs to save us and condemn others. The Jews did too. We don’t know a lot more about Nicodemus. We see him briefly mentioned a couple of other times.
Much later in the story, we have every reason to suspect that Nicodemus saw Jesus again from a distance as he was lifted up (not on a throne, but on a cross). In that moment, it becomes clear.
“You associate God with action – here is God’s ultimate action.”
It comes down to belief and trust. You can’t really quantify it, you can see it, but not completely. This is something God does, but it is something we step into. We participate in being born, but it mostly happens to us.
“We sometimes doubt what we believe, but you can equally doubt your doubts.”
Maybe you prayed a prayer you believe, but you’re stuck with just how much of that belief has become about those same things that characterized Nicodemus – morality, structure, being good people, and hard work when it’s more about the wind, the Spirit, the breath of God that gives new life.
For more LHC content, subscribe to our newsletter below or follow us on Instagram.
Want to play catch-up, or are you looking for a specific topic? Check out our collection of sermons here.
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