Jesus Offers the Gift of New Birth
Daily Scripture
John 3:3-8
3 Jesus answered, “I assure you, unless someone is born anew [or from above], it’s not possible to see God’s kingdom.”
4 Nicodemus asked, “How is it possible for an adult to be born? It’s impossible to enter the mother’s womb for a second time and be born, isn’t it?”
5 Jesus answered, “I assure you, unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, it’s not possible to enter God’s kingdom. 6 Whatever is born of the flesh is flesh, and whatever is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Don’t be surprised that I said to you, ‘You must be born anew.’ 8 God’s Spirit [or wind] blows wherever it wishes. You hear its sound, but you don’t know where it comes from or where it is going. It’s the same with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
Daily Reflection & Prayer
Life is a major theme from the very start of John’s gospel (John 1:3-5). So it made sense that when Jesus met the cautious Pharisee Nicodemus—who sought Jesus under cover of night—he used the image of birth to point to the new quality of life he offered. As Bishop Curry put it, “He said to Nicodemus, ‘You must be born again.’ In the Greek it can be translated born again, born anew, or born from above. And the point, I think, the only reason to be born is so that you can live. God wants you to live.” *
- Jesus compared the Spirit’s work to wind—invisible yet undeniably powerful. You can’t control where it comes from or where it goes, yet you can feel its effects. In what ways have you experienced the Spirit working invisibly but powerfully in your life? How, if at all, are you living in a new way because of God’s presence?
- Most members of the group called the Pharisees (from a Hebrew word that meant “set apart”) opposed Jesus’ ministry. At times, Jesus felt anger at their hard-hearted “righteousness” (cf. Mark 3:5). Yet he never wrote them all off as “enemies” or “hopeless.” When a Pharisee like Nicodemus showed any willingness, however tentative, to listen, Jesus responded in love. What does his conversation in today’s reading teach you about one aspect of loving your neighbor?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, you never wrote Nicodemus off—and you’ve never written me off. I open my heart to your Spirit’s work, giving me the refreshing, renewing gift of new life. Amen.
GPS Insights
Open to the Wind of the Spirit
Nicodemus came to Jesus with honest questions. He was a respected religious leader, yet he sensed there was something about Jesus that he didn’t fully understand. Rather than dismissing his questions, Jesus invited him into something deeper: a new way of living.
When Jesus speaks about being “born anew” he’s not talking about starting life over. He’s talking about allowing God’s Spirit to continually renew us from the inside out. Just as we can’t see the wind but can clearly see its effects, the Holy Spirit often works quietly in our lives—softening our hearts, changing our perspective, giving us courage, or leading us to extend grace where it doesn’t come naturally.
Sometimes we expect spiritual growth to happen in dramatic moments, but more often it unfolds in the ordinary rhythms of daily life. We notice we’re becoming more patient. We find ourselves choosing forgiveness instead of resentment. We begin trusting God in situations that once filled us with fear. These are signs that God’s Spirit is at work in us.
I love how Jesus responds to Nicodemus. He doesn’t shame him for his questions or write him off because of his background. Instead, Jesus meets him with compassion and truth. It’s a reminder that loving our neighbors often begins by listening well, creating space for honest questions, and trusting that God’s Spirit is already at work in their lives.
May all of us be open to the Spirit’s gentle leading.
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