Bible Studies

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The Gospels
John 3:1-17 - Blowing in the Wind
Key Verses: (NRSV)

• 1-2: "Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus… ²He came to Jesus by night." – Nicodemus was a leader in the community, a man of power and influence, yet he had a hunger for truth and this hunger lead him out of the darkness and into the light of Christ.
  
  
• 2b: "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God." – These words were probably designed more to put Jesus in His place than to compliment Him. Nicodemus was reminding Jesus, with this well-rehearsed opening statement, that he was a man of influence.
  
  
• 3: "Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above." – In one statement, Jesus puts Nicodemus on the defensive. Here stood a religious leader whose belief structure was focused on the miracles of Jesus' ministry. Jesus states that he could not possibly know anything about God unless he was 'born again,' 'reborn in the Spirit,' or 'born from above.'
  
  
• 8: "The wind blows where it chooses… So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit." – The Holy Spirit works through us in ways we cannot predict or understand. Just as in this meeting with Nicodemus, He works in the lives of unexpected people in unexpected ways.
  
  
• 16: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him may not perish but may have eternal life." – The Gospel in a nutshell. These verses tell all the world of God's love and gift of grace.
  
  
• 17: "Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that world might be saved through Him." – God's love is not judgmental. Instead, it is a love of freedom and encouragement.
  

Points to Contemplate:

• Are you in the dark? Do you try to control God according to your terms and in your time or place? Does the pride of your position in life keep you aloof to the teachings of Christ? Do you look for proof of His love from concrete evidence or in miracles? Do you attempt to gain salvation by being a better person or by filling your time with good deeds and tasks? Is it easier for you to trust in something earthly such as your skills, intelligence, good works, money, friendships, or possessions than it is to accept the promise of eternal life that is found in today's verses?
  
  
• Have you been born of the Spirit? What does it mean for you when Jesus says, "No one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit?" Is this verse telling you that your role in the kingdom of heaven cannot be accomplished without first being reborn in your beliefs? Does it mean that without a focus on the guidance of the Holy Spirit your ability to respond to your calling is impossible? Does this illustrate the importance of turning your life over to God and allowing His Spirit to enter, guide, and inspire your thoughts and actions?
  
  
• Do you attempt to "bottle-up" God? Are you only comfortable in your relationship with Him when you are able to define Him in specific and concrete terms? Does it get a little scary when you experience the Spirit blowing through your life in ways you don't quite understand? Jesus says that those who are born of the Spirit experience an essence similar to a wind blowing through their lives; not knowing from where it comes and where it is going? Is this disconcerting? Or are you able to release your grip on your life and allow Him to carry you wherever He chooses? Picture a small piece of paper being lifted and carried by the wind; can you give in and experience this type of relationship with the Holy Spirit?
  

Promises of the Gospel:

The story of Nicodemus is an illustration of how we tend to try and accept God on our own terms. We want to control the situation, manage the outcome, and define the results. We want to have solid evidence and proof. But Jesus tells us that this way of thinking needs to change. Our relationship with Him is based on our belief that He is the Son of God and with this belief we are to give our lives over completely to His Spirit. In this act of faith, the winds of the Spirit will blow into our lives and will carry us wherever He chooses. All we are to do is to accept His gift of love and hang on for the ride of our lives.

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