The Gospel Series

Born of the Water and Spirit

Sunday March 30, 2025 - Pastor Wungreiso Valui

John 3:1-9

Nicodemus: A Religious Insider:

"There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews" (John 3:1).

1. Reflect on having knowledge but still needing transformation.

A Nighttime Encounter:

"This man came to Jesus by night..." (John 3:2a).

1. Reflect on your fear, secrecy, and spiritual searching-spiritual darkness.

Respect but without Faith (Yet):

"Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God..."(John 3:2b).

1. Are we seeking information or revelation? (Transformation)

Jesus Goes Straight to the Heart:

"Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God" (John 3:3).

1. Jesus skips flattery and confronts Nicodemus with the core issue: "Born again" born from above (Greek: anothen) - a divine transformation.

Nicodemus's Logical Mind Can't Grasp It:

"How can a man be born when he is old?" (John 3:4).

1. Reflect on the limitation of religious intellect apart from the Spirit.

Born of Water and the Spirit:

"Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God " (John 3:5). Jesus likely refers to Ezekiel 36:25-27:

1. Water = cleansing from sin | Spirit = new heart and indwelling presence
2. A clear message: Transformation, not tradition, brings new life.

Flesh vs. Spirit:

That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit" (John 3:6 ).

1. Wordly effort produces worldly results.
2. Only the Holy Spirit can birth spiritual life-no amount of religion or morality can.

The Mystery of the Spirit:

"The wind blows where it wishes... so is everyone who is born of the Spirit" (John 3:8).

1. The Spirit moves sovereignly and mysteriously-like the wind.
2. His work is invisible, but the results are unmistakable. Salvation is not a formula-it's a miracle.

The Honest Question

"How can these things be?" (John 3:9).

1. Nicodemus is stunned. This doesn't fit his system.
2. Like Mary in Luke 1:34, he's confronted with something divinely impossible.
3. Jesus is challenging him to move from religious certainty to spiritual dependency.

Reflection Question:

Have you experienced spiritual rebirth, or are you still depending on background, knowledge, or performance?

Application:

Surrender your heart to the Spirit. Believe in Jesus to transform your life-not just to improve your life. Let go of self-effort and receive new life from Jesus.