June 22, 2024 • 13 mins
In Week 12 of the Living Words Podcast, hosted by Charles Vance, the focus is on Nicodemus and the profound concept of being born again, derived from John 3:1-21. Charles opens with a prayer and delves into the secret nighttime meeting between Nicodemus, a Pharisee, and Jesus. This pivotal encounter unveils the necessity of spiritual rebirth for entering God's kingdom, highlighting the mysterious and transformative work of the Holy Spirit. Jesus' explanation to Nicodemus emphasizes the contrast between physical and spiritual birth, illustrating the profound change required to see the kingdom of God. The discussion further explores the depth of God's love as expressed in John 3:16, underscoring salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. Reflections on the nature of light and darkness encourage listeners to examine their own life choices and embrace the illuminating guidance of the Holy Spirit. The podcast concludes with prayers for spiritual rebirth, embracing God's love, and living in the light, inviting listeners to seek a deeper understanding and transformative relationship with God.
Get a copy of the In His Footsteps devotional here.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
is Living Words Podcast.
This is the 12th week of In HisFootsteps Devotional and this
week our topic is Nicodemus andbeing born again.
The passage of the text for theweek is John 3, 1 through 21.
I'm going to open up with abrief prayer and then we'll read
the scripture.
Father in heaven, we justpraise your name.
(00:21):
We thank you for your mercy andfor your goodness.
I just pray that you would openup your word for hearing, open
our eyes and our ears and ourheart to perceive your word.
There was a man of the Phariseesnamed Nicodemus, a ruler of the
Jews.
This man came to Jesus by nightand said to him Rabbi, we know
that you're a teacher, come fromGod, for no one can do these
(00:44):
signs that you do unless God iswith him.
And Jesus answered and said tohim Most assuredly I say to you,
unless one is born again, hecannot see the kingdom of God.
Nicodemus said to him how can aman be born again when he is
old?
Can he enter a second time intohis mother's womb and be born?
When he is old, can he enter asecond time into his mother's
(01:05):
womb and be born?
And Jesus answered Mostassuredly I say to you, unless
one is born of water and theSpirit, he cannot enter the
kingdom of God.
And that which is born of theflesh is flesh and that which is
born of the Spirit is spirit.
Do not marvel that I said toyou.
You must be born again.
The wind blows where it wishesand you hear the sound of it but
(01:26):
cannot tell where it comes fromand where it goes.
So is everyone who is born ofthe Spirit.
Nicodemus answered and said tohim how can these things be?
Jesus answered and said to himAre you the teacher of Israel
and do not know these things?
Most assuredly, I say to you wespeak what we know and testify
(01:52):
what we have seen.
And you do not receive ourwitness.
If I have told you earthlythings and you do not believe,
how will you believe it if Itell you heavenly things?
No one has ascended to heaven,but he who came down from heaven
, that is the Son of man, who isin heaven.
And as Moses lifted up theserpent in the wilderness, even
so must the Son of man be liftedup that whoever believes in him
should not perish but haveeternal life.
For God so loved the world thathe gave his only begotten Son,
(02:14):
that whosoever believes in himshould not perish but have
everlasting life.
For God did not send his Soninto the world to condemn the
world, but the world, throughhim, might be saved.
He who believes in him is notcondemned, but he who does not
believe is condemned alreadybecause he has not believed in
the name of the only begottenSon of God.
And this is the condemnationthat the light has come into the
(02:38):
world and men love darknessrather than light because their
deeds were evil.
For everyone who practices evilhates the light and does not
come to the light, lest hisdeeds should be exposed.
But he who does the truth comesto the light, that his deeds
may be clearly seen, that theyhave been seen by God.
(03:00):
John 3, 1-21 captures a pivotalencounter between Jesus and
Nicodemus, a Pharisee and amember of the Jewish ruling
council.
This nighttime conversationunveils fundamental truths about
the nature of salvation, theconcept of being born again and
the essence of God's love forhumanity.
So here's a deeper look intothe significant dialogue and its
(03:22):
implications.
First, it was a secret meeting.
Nicodemus came to Jesus atnight, likely indicating his
curiosity and caution.
Despite his status as aPharisee, nicodemus acknowledges
Jesus as a teacher from God,based on the miraculous science
he has performed.
So being born again.
Jesus introduced the concept ofbeing born anew, or from above,
(03:44):
as a prerequisite for seeingthe King of God.
This spiritual rebirth,contrasted with physical birth,
confounds Nicodemus, promptingJesus to explain that this new
birth is of water and spirit, atransformation that allows for
entry into God's kingdom.
The Role of the Spirit Jesusemphasizes the mysterious,
(04:04):
sovereign work of the HolySpirit in the process of
spiritual rebirth, likening itto the wind which blows
unpredictably.
This highlights the Spirit'svital role in the regeneration
and renewal of the believer.
Salvation through faith in theSon.
Central to the passage is John3.16, one of the most quoted
verses in the Bible, summarizingthe gospel.
God's love for the worldmotivated the giving of His Son,
(04:27):
so that belief in Him resultsin eternal life rather than
condemnation.
Light and Darkness thediscourse concludes with a
contrast between light anddarkness, serving as metaphors
for truth and evil respectively.
Jesus' presence brings light,but people's natural inclination
to choose darkness, due totheir deeds, underscores the
(04:50):
human condition of sin and theneed for a Savior.
Now the theological significanceis first salvation is a divine
initiative.
The encounter underscoressalvation as initiated by God,
not through human effort orunderstanding.
It points to the necessity ofdivine intervention, in the form
of the Spirit's work, to bringabout spiritual rebirth.
(05:10):
The universality of God's loveJohn 3, 16-17 broadens the scope
of God's covenantal love toinclude the whole world, not
just Israel.
This universal love offerssalvation to all who believe in
Jesus, irrespective of theirbackground or previous beliefs.
The passage presents belief inJesus not merely as intellectual
(05:33):
assent, but as transformativetrust that results in moving
from death to life.
It also introduces the theme ofjudgment based on one's
response to Jesus, with beliefleading to salvation and
unbelief leading to condemnation.
The new birth being born again,is depicted as a radical
transformation that affectsone's ability to see and enter
(05:56):
God's kingdom.
It signifies a spiritualawakening that impacts one's
understanding of andrelationship with God.
Here are some lessons thenecessity of being born again
for kingdom entry.
Jesus emphasizes that beingborn again, spiritually reborn
from above, is essential to seeand enter the kingdom of God.
(06:18):
This rebirth, facilitated bythe Holy Spirit, marks a
fundamental transformation inour relationship with God,
underscoring that entrance intoGod's kingdom transcends
religious heritage or moralaccomplishment.
Next, the sovereign work of theHoly Spirit and the power of
divine love.
The Holy Spirit's role inspiritual rebirth is likened to
(06:40):
the wind mysterious and beyondhuman control, highlighting the
Spirit's transformative power inour lives.
Moreover, the foundation ofsalvation is God's love,
demonstrated through thesacrificial giving of His Son,
emphasizing that eternal life isa gift received through faith
in Jesus, not earnedcondemnation to eternal life,
(07:10):
illuminating the path out ofspiritual darkness.
This belief is not merelyintellectual, but a trust that
transforms, inviting us to livein the truth of His teachings.
The narrative encouragespersonal openness to the work of
Jesus Christ, akin toNicodemus' encounter, leading to
a renewed understanding of lifeand faith.
(07:33):
Here are some questions forreflection and discussion.
Reflect on the concept of beingborn again.
What does this signify for yourpersonal faith journey in
relationship with God?
Born again, what does thissignify for your personal faith
journey in relationship with God?
Well, for me, you know it's atotal change of life.
(07:55):
Some people have talked about alessening of a load or a load
being lifted off.
You go from death to life.
Your attitude changes, yourheart is recreated, you have new
eyes.
You have new eyes.
You see things from a differentperspective when you have
(08:17):
received the inner light ofJesus Christ in your heart.
So discuss the role of the HolySpirit as described by Jesus.
How have you experienced theSpirit's work in your own life?
That the voice of God, the HolySpirit, that the voice of God,
(08:40):
the Holy Spirit, is a smallstill voice in your heart.
It's not an audible voice, butit's an impression.
It's definitely a voice thatyou hear, but you hear it in
your heart.
You don't hear it in your earsaudibly, like somebody talking
to you, like voices, but youhear the impression of the will
of God in your heart and youhear his voice quietly speaking
(09:03):
to you, empathically, to yourheart.
Consider the depth of God's loveas described in John 3.16.
How does this verse shape yourunderstanding of the gospel and
its implications for the world?
John 3.16 is, like I said, it'sprobably one of the most quoted
scriptures in the Bible.
It's one of the first versesthat kids learn in Sunday school
(09:25):
.
For God so loved the world thathe gave his only begotten son
that whosoever believeth in himshould not perish but have
eternal life.
And it's one of the key versesthat people will use whenever
trying to lead somebody tosalvation.
It is the promise of eternallife and it's the reason why he
said because he loved the world.
And it doesn't mean that heloved evil people.
(09:47):
It means he loves everybodyequally, but it's not.
It's an open invitation, butit's not.
There is a requirement in itsobedience, so it's just that
it's.
He broadcasts his salvationmessage to everybody.
Not everybody will accept it,but everybody can.
Anybody can.
(10:08):
So in what ways does thecontrast between light and
darkness challenge you toexamine your own life choices?
I think when we look at our ownlife choices, every choice we
make is a little bit betweenwhat's good and what's bad.
You know what's the light andthe dark.
It's dark to light.
We want to find things that aregoing to illuminate our lives
(10:30):
and make our lives better.
It's destructive whenever wechoose things that are not good
for us, that we may like, but weknow the end of it is bad.
So we want to try to learn howto make those choices that are
going to be good for us in thelong run, and that's where the
(10:52):
illuminating guidance of theHoly Spirit comes in.
So how does Nicodemus' encounterwith Jesus inspire questions or
insights about seeking truthand understanding in your faith?
Nicodemus was confused becausehe did not understand that Jesus
was not talking about aphysical rebirth.
He did not have to enter hismother's womb again.
(11:14):
He's talking about a spiritualrebirth, and that's actually
what's the identity in baptism.
When you go down into the waterit's symbolic of you being
buried with him, and when youcome out of the water you're
rising again a new creature, anew creation with a new heart
and new eyes and new earsspiritual eyes, spiritual heart,
(11:37):
spiritual eyes, spiritual earsthat you can hear and see him
and hear his voice in your heart.
Now here's some suggestedprayers.
This is a prayer for spiritualrebirth.
Heavenly Father, we come beforeyou in awe of your mighty power
(12:05):
to transform and renew.
This is a prayer for spiritualrebirth.
Truly see and enter yourkingdom.
Open our hearts to thisprofound spiritual renewal that
our lives may be a testament toyour transformative work.
In Jesus' name, we pray Amenand a prayer for embracing God's
love.
Lord Jesus, you have shown usthe depths of God's love, a love
(12:39):
so vast that it bridged the gapbetween heaven and earth,
bringing salvation to all whobelieve.
Help us to not only embracethis love for ourselves, but
also to extend it to those.
Amen.
Prayer for Living in the Light.
Holy Spirit, guide us to walkin the light of Christ, shunning
the darkness of sin anddeception.
Illuminate our path with yourwisdom and truth that we might
(13:02):
live lives that reflect yourpurity and righteousness.
Help us to be honest in ourdealings, transparent in our
relationships and open in ourfellowship with one another,
asking always to seek to bringglory to your name.
Empower us to be bearers oflight in.
Thank you for joining me thisweek.
I hope it's been a blessing toyou and I hope you have some
(13:28):
food for thought and food forheart as you move forward this
week.
Again, if you want a copy ofthe In His Footsteps, 52 Weeks
in the Gospel of John devotion,I'll leave a link to it in the
show notes.
Again, have a good day.
is Living Words Podcast.
This is the 12th week of In HisFootsteps Devotional and this
week our topic is Nicodemus andbeing born again.
The passage of the text for theweek is John 3, 1 through 21.
I'm going to open up with abrief prayer and then we'll read
the scripture.
Father in heaven, we justpraise your name.
(00:21):
We thank you for your mercy andfor your goodness.
I just pray that you would openup your word for hearing, open
our eyes and our ears and ourheart to perceive your word.
There was a man of the Phariseesnamed Nicodemus, a ruler of the
Jews.
This man came to Jesus by nightand said to him Rabbi, we know
that you're a teacher, come fromGod, for no one can do these
(00:44):
signs that you do unless God iswith him.
And Jesus answered and said tohim Most assuredly I say to you,
unless one is born again, hecannot see the kingdom of God.
Nicodemus said to him how can aman be born again when he is
old?
Can he enter a second time intohis mother's womb and be born?
When he is old, can he enter asecond time into his mother's
(01:05):
womb and be born?
And Jesus answered Mostassuredly I say to you, unless
one is born of water and theSpirit, he cannot enter the
kingdom of God.
And that which is born of theflesh is flesh and that which is
born of the Spirit is spirit.
Do not marvel that I said toyou.
You must be born again.
The wind blows where it wishesand you hear the sound of it but
(01:26):
cannot tell where it comes fromand where it goes.
So is everyone who is born ofthe Spirit.
Nicodemus answered and said tohim how can these things be?
Jesus answered and said to himAre you the teacher of Israel
and do not know these things?
Most assuredly, I say to you wespeak what we know and testify
(01:52):
what we have seen.
And you do not receive ourwitness.
If I have told you earthlythings and you do not believe,
how will you believe it if Itell you heavenly things?
No one has ascended to heaven,but he who came down from heaven
, that is the Son of man, who isin heaven.
And as Moses lifted up theserpent in the wilderness, even
so must the Son of man be liftedup that whoever believes in him
should not perish but haveeternal life.
For God so loved the world thathe gave his only begotten Son,
(02:14):
that whosoever believes in himshould not perish but have
everlasting life.
For God did not send his Soninto the world to condemn the
world, but the world, throughhim, might be saved.
He who believes in him is notcondemned, but he who does not
believe is condemned alreadybecause he has not believed in
the name of the only begottenSon of God.
And this is the condemnationthat the light has come into the
(02:38):
world and men love darknessrather than light because their
deeds were evil.
For everyone who practices evilhates the light and does not
come to the light, lest hisdeeds should be exposed.
But he who does the truth comesto the light, that his deeds
may be clearly seen, that theyhave been seen by God.
(03:00):
John 3, 1-21 captures a pivotalencounter between Jesus and
Nicodemus, a Pharisee and amember of the Jewish ruling
council.
This nighttime conversationunveils fundamental truths about
the nature of salvation, theconcept of being born again and
the essence of God's love forhumanity.
So here's a deeper look intothe significant dialogue and its
(03:22):
implications.
First, it was a secret meeting.
Nicodemus came to Jesus atnight, likely indicating his
curiosity and caution.
Despite his status as aPharisee, nicodemus acknowledges
Jesus as a teacher from God,based on the miraculous science
he has performed.
So being born again.
Jesus introduced the concept ofbeing born anew, or from above,
(03:44):
as a prerequisite for seeingthe King of God.
This spiritual rebirth,contrasted with physical birth,
confounds Nicodemus, promptingJesus to explain that this new
birth is of water and spirit, atransformation that allows for
entry into God's kingdom.
The Role of the Spirit Jesusemphasizes the mysterious,
(04:04):
sovereign work of the HolySpirit in the process of
spiritual rebirth, likening itto the wind which blows
unpredictably.
This highlights the Spirit'svital role in the regeneration
and renewal of the believer.
Salvation through faith in theSon.
Central to the passage is John3.16, one of the most quoted
verses in the Bible, summarizingthe gospel.
God's love for the worldmotivated the giving of His Son,
(04:27):
so that belief in Him resultsin eternal life rather than
condemnation.
Light and Darkness thediscourse concludes with a
contrast between light anddarkness, serving as metaphors
for truth and evil respectively.
Jesus' presence brings light,but people's natural inclination
to choose darkness, due totheir deeds, underscores the
(04:50):
human condition of sin and theneed for a Savior.
Now the theological significanceis first salvation is a divine
initiative.
The encounter underscoressalvation as initiated by God,
not through human effort orunderstanding.
It points to the necessity ofdivine intervention, in the form
of the Spirit's work, to bringabout spiritual rebirth.
(05:10):
The universality of God's loveJohn 3, 16-17 broadens the scope
of God's covenantal love toinclude the whole world, not
just Israel.
This universal love offerssalvation to all who believe in
Jesus, irrespective of theirbackground or previous beliefs.
The passage presents belief inJesus not merely as intellectual
(05:33):
assent, but as transformativetrust that results in moving
from death to life.
It also introduces the theme ofjudgment based on one's
response to Jesus, with beliefleading to salvation and
unbelief leading to condemnation.
The new birth being born again,is depicted as a radical
transformation that affectsone's ability to see and enter
(05:56):
God's kingdom.
It signifies a spiritualawakening that impacts one's
understanding of andrelationship with God.
Here are some lessons thenecessity of being born again
for kingdom entry.
Jesus emphasizes that beingborn again, spiritually reborn
from above, is essential to seeand enter the kingdom of God.
(06:18):
This rebirth, facilitated bythe Holy Spirit, marks a
fundamental transformation inour relationship with God,
underscoring that entrance intoGod's kingdom transcends
religious heritage or moralaccomplishment.
Next, the sovereign work of theHoly Spirit and the power of
divine love.
The Holy Spirit's role inspiritual rebirth is likened to
(06:40):
the wind mysterious and beyondhuman control, highlighting the
Spirit's transformative power inour lives.
Moreover, the foundation ofsalvation is God's love,
demonstrated through thesacrificial giving of His Son,
emphasizing that eternal life isa gift received through faith
in Jesus, not earnedcondemnation to eternal life,
(07:10):
illuminating the path out ofspiritual darkness.
This belief is not merelyintellectual, but a trust that
transforms, inviting us to livein the truth of His teachings.
The narrative encouragespersonal openness to the work of
Jesus Christ, akin toNicodemus' encounter, leading to
a renewed understanding of lifeand faith.
(07:33):
Here are some questions forreflection and discussion.
Reflect on the concept of beingborn again.
What does this signify for yourpersonal faith journey in
relationship with God?
Born again, what does thissignify for your personal faith
journey in relationship with God?
Well, for me, you know it's atotal change of life.
(07:55):
Some people have talked about alessening of a load or a load
being lifted off.
You go from death to life.
Your attitude changes, yourheart is recreated, you have new
eyes.
You have new eyes.
You see things from a differentperspective when you have
(08:17):
received the inner light ofJesus Christ in your heart.
So discuss the role of the HolySpirit as described by Jesus.
How have you experienced theSpirit's work in your own life?
That the voice of God, the HolySpirit, that the voice of God,
(08:40):
the Holy Spirit, is a smallstill voice in your heart.
It's not an audible voice, butit's an impression.
It's definitely a voice thatyou hear, but you hear it in
your heart.
You don't hear it in your earsaudibly, like somebody talking
to you, like voices, but youhear the impression of the will
of God in your heart and youhear his voice quietly speaking
(09:03):
to you, empathically, to yourheart.
Consider the depth of God's loveas described in John 3.16.
How does this verse shape yourunderstanding of the gospel and
its implications for the world?
John 3.16 is, like I said, it'sprobably one of the most quoted
scriptures in the Bible.
It's one of the first versesthat kids learn in Sunday school
(09:25):
.
For God so loved the world thathe gave his only begotten son
that whosoever believeth in himshould not perish but have
eternal life.
And it's one of the key versesthat people will use whenever
trying to lead somebody tosalvation.
It is the promise of eternallife and it's the reason why he
said because he loved the world.
And it doesn't mean that heloved evil people.
(09:47):
It means he loves everybodyequally, but it's not.
It's an open invitation, butit's not.
There is a requirement in itsobedience, so it's just that
it's.
He broadcasts his salvationmessage to everybody.
Not everybody will accept it,but everybody can.
Anybody can.
(10:08):
So in what ways does thecontrast between light and
darkness challenge you toexamine your own life choices?
I think when we look at our ownlife choices, every choice we
make is a little bit betweenwhat's good and what's bad.
You know what's the light andthe dark.
It's dark to light.
We want to find things that aregoing to illuminate our lives
(10:30):
and make our lives better.
It's destructive whenever wechoose things that are not good
for us, that we may like, but weknow the end of it is bad.
So we want to try to learn howto make those choices that are
going to be good for us in thelong run, and that's where the
(10:52):
illuminating guidance of theHoly Spirit comes in.
So how does Nicodemus' encounterwith Jesus inspire questions or
insights about seeking truthand understanding in your faith?
Nicodemus was confused becausehe did not understand that Jesus
was not talking about aphysical rebirth.
He did not have to enter hismother's womb again.
(11:14):
He's talking about a spiritualrebirth, and that's actually
what's the identity in baptism.
When you go down into the waterit's symbolic of you being
buried with him, and when youcome out of the water you're
rising again a new creature, anew creation with a new heart
and new eyes and new earsspiritual eyes, spiritual heart,
(11:37):
spiritual eyes, spiritual earsthat you can hear and see him
and hear his voice in your heart.
Now here's some suggestedprayers.
This is a prayer for spiritualrebirth.
Heavenly Father, we come beforeyou in awe of your mighty power
(12:05):
to transform and renew.
This is a prayer for spiritualrebirth.
Truly see and enter yourkingdom.
Open our hearts to thisprofound spiritual renewal that
our lives may be a testament toyour transformative work.
In Jesus' name, we pray Amenand a prayer for embracing God's
love.
Lord Jesus, you have shown usthe depths of God's love, a love
(12:39):
so vast that it bridged the gapbetween heaven and earth,
bringing salvation to all whobelieve.
Help us to not only embracethis love for ourselves, but
also to extend it to those.
Amen.
Prayer for Living in the Light.
Holy Spirit, guide us to walkin the light of Christ, shunning
the darkness of sin anddeception.
Illuminate our path with yourwisdom and truth that we might
(13:02):
live lives that reflect yourpurity and righteousness.
Help us to be honest in ourdealings, transparent in our
relationships and open in ourfellowship with one another,
asking always to seek to bringglory to your name.
Empower us to be bearers oflight in.
Thank you for joining me thisweek.
I hope it's been a blessing toyou and I hope you have some
(13:28):
food for thought and food forheart as you move forward this
week.
Again, if you want a copy ofthe In His Footsteps, 52 Weeks
in the Gospel of John devotion,I'll leave a link to it in the
show notes.
Again, have a good day.
Popular Podcasts
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.