Memory Verse:
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only
begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him
should not perish but have everlasting life.”
begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him
should not perish but have everlasting life.”
(John 3:16)
If you ask anyone to quote a verse in the Bible, it likely will be from this book, this chapter and in verse 16. Read the verse at the top of this page and see if you can say it from memory. But this chapter is so much more than just this verse. It is about an old religious man who finds out that he doesn’t know as much about God as he thought he did. It is about an Old Testament story about serpents being lifted up on a stick to provide healing (foreshadowing what Christ would do on the cross).
It is about new beginnings, being born again, and being born from above. It’s about knowing God and being known by Him. Your new belief is going to result in a new behavior. It is not only about love from God, but also about hate.
John the Baptist comes back on the scene and shows humility worthy of our imitation. He tells a story about a best man being happy for the groom, and not jealous of him.
Finally, we will hear again the word “testimony” or “witness” and how important John the Baptist’s testifying of Christ was. We too must be ready to give testimony.
Day 5: Morning
New Beginning: You Must Be Born Again
(Read John 3:1–8)
Picture this: It’s very late. John, the consummate brain-picker, is alone with Jesus, asking Him more of the ministry, trying his best to understand the Messiah. Suddenly there is a knock at the door of the house. It is Nicodemus, a quiet, even mousy-type of Pharisee, who looks very out of place and uncomfortable meeting with the unorthodox Rabbi.
Jesus had come to the temple and refused to show a sign to the other Pharisees. He made a mysterious “destroy this temple” statement but did not explain He was speaking of the temple of His body.
Now read John 3:1–21 as though you were a fly on the wall with Jesus and Nicodemus. Maybe Nicodemus was afraid to be seen with Jesus so he came at night. We will see Nicodemus again later, feebly trying to defend this Man whom he believed was “a Teacher who came from God.”
Some explain “be born of the water” as water baptism but that seems unlikely. As important as water baptism is, if it were essential to the kingdom of God, Jesus would surely have explained it better. A good way to figure out a difficult concept is to look at its context. Verse 5 is explained by verse 6. Being “born of the water” is physical birth; being “born of the spirit” is salvation or spiritual rebirth.
The word “again” literally means “from the top” and like in English, it has a literal and figurative meaning. If a musician says, “Let’s take it from the top,” it means “let’s do this again from the beginning.” Spiritual rebirth is to be born “from the top” and is the same word used in John 3:31 “from above,” Acts 26:5 “from the first” and Gal. 4:9 “all over again”. See other passages about being made new in 2 Cor. 5:17, Titus 3:5 and 1 Peter 1:23.
Being born again is more than merely starting over. It’s different than a “New Year’s Resolution” that goes by the wayside in a few months. Being “born from above” means God is now with you and in you.
Pray this prayer to God: “Thank You Father for loving me so much that You sent Your Son to die for me. If I have never truly trusted You, I do today. Thank You that I have been born again. In the name of Jesus I pray. Amen.”
Day 5: Evening
New Benefit: It’s Not What You Know But Whom You Know
(Read John 3:8–12)
How much do you need to understand about life in Christ in order to receive it? Do you have to understand every smallest detail in order to accept it? I do not have to understand how an airline jet works in detail in order for me to enjoy the benefits. Think of all of the things you put your faith in without knowing every answer to every question before using it.
John uses the verb “to know” frequently, usually as a deeper knowledge of God previously unknown. We don’t know everything about the wind but if we put up a sail, we can enjoy the benefits of it. Fill in the blanks from the following verses (using the New King James Version).
John 3:11— “We ________________ what we know.”
John 7:28b-29— “He who sent Me is _______, whom you do not know. But I know Him, for I am from Him, and He sent Me.”
John 8:14b—“I know where I came from and where I am __________; but you do not know where I come from and where I am __________.”
John 10:14b-15a— “I know My _______, and am known by My own. As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father.”
John 14:7—“If you had known Me, you would have known My ___________ also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.”
Being “born of the Spirit” means that we have Christ’s Spirit in us. I ask little children sometimes, “When you asked Jesus to come into your heart, you didn’t open up your chest and put little, bitty Jesus inside you, did you?” They almost always smile and say “no” but one little kid said, “Yes, I did!” She, her parents and I had a long talk before I baptized her!
Jesus defines eternal life as “knowing God intimately” in John 17:3, “And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” Eternal life doesn’t begin when we die. It begins with an intimate knowledge of Christ.
Pray this prayer to God: “Our Father in heaven, as I am growing to know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You sent, help me to live for You each day. Thank You that I have been born again into Your family. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.”
Day 6: Morning
New Belief: Believe In The Only Begotten
(Read John 3:13–21)
According to John 3:18, what is the condemnation that will keep a person from eternal life with Christ in heaven?
a) If a person is morally evil
b) If a person does not believe in the name of the Son of God (Jesus)
Jesus told Nicodemus that we are already condemned because we are sinners. Faith in Christ is the only way to avoid condemnation.
The word only begotten literally means “only generated Son.” We may be children of God by faith but Jesus is the “only begotten Son.”
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| Traditional tomb of the Holy Sepulcher |
God sent forth His Son … to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.” (See Gal. 4:4–6)
His unchanging plan has always been to adopt us into His own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ. (See Eph. 1:5, NLT)
John 3:20 explains that our sins (lust, worry, envy, etc.) are actually hatred toward God, the Light. On the other hand, our obedience is love for God. John 14:21 says if we truly love God, we will obey Him.
Various translations render John 3:36 differently. They either say whoever “does not obey” (ESV, NASB) or “does not believe” (NKJV) will not see life. The Greek word is not the typical word for either disbelief or disobedience. It could be translated as “refuses to believe” (HCSB). There is a connection between believing God and having life and not believing God and not having life.
You cannot love sin and love God at the same time. Are you persuaded by the only Begotten Son of God? If so, you will show your love through faith in your obedient actions.
Pray this prayer to God: “Dear God, take away all judgment of my sins. Strengthen me to refuse to practice evil and instead help me to do what is true in response to Your love for me. Amen.”
Day 6: Evening
New Behavior: Christ Must Increase, We Must Decrease
(Read John 3:22–36)
You might think that John the Baptist would be “tempted” to be jealous of Jesus. However, his entire life was preparing the people to hear from Jesus. When he baptized people, he immersed them in much water (verse 23), getting the people totally wet to signify their repentance, or turning away from their sins. But he knew there was going to be a greater baptism.
He said “the Lamb of God” would baptize with the Holy Spirit (John 1:33) and with fire (Matt. 3:11; Luke 3:16). Fire purifies by burning off the bad and leaving the purity God wants for us.
Like a loyal best man in a wedding, John knew the Bridegroom had come for His bride. He was not jealous of Jesus, but some people were instruments of temptation. When we are “born again,” we still are tempted and when we are weak, we can still sin.
“He must increase and I must decrease.”
John knew what Jesus was doing was right. The Baptizer eventually would be put in prison and be beheaded for his convictions (Luke 3:18–20). John willingly suffered for the sake of righteousness and we also need to be prepared for temptation and suffering.
Have you suffered since you have come to Christ? Have you experienced doubt? Persecution? Temptation? Read Rom. 8:18–39; 2 Tim. 3:12; and 2 Cor. 12:7–10 to encourage you to “decrease” as you face adversities in your life as a Christian so that Christ can “increase.”
Ask God to continue to create opportunities for you to spend time daily with Him in prayer and Bible reading. And if you have not been baptized, or totally immersed in water, since your receiving Christ, decrease your resistance to His will and increase your obedience and follow the Lord’s command (Matt. 28:19) and example (Matt. 3:15) in this area of your life.
Pray this prayer to God: “Lord God Almighty, give me insight to see things from Your heavenly perspective. Grant me the ability to have the mind set on the things of God and not on the things of human beings. In the power of Jesus Christ, I pray for Your glory, not mine. Amen.”
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