John 3:1-8 Bible Study | "Holy Birthday"

First streamed on 10.12.22. First posted on 10.25.22.

Much of this material was shared in a previous sermon.

Introduction
Context
Bible Study Audio
Bible Study Video
Live Stream Recording
Bible Study Slideshow
Bibliography

Introduction

Thanks be to God, yesterday, I celebrated another birthday. And, I’m getting to that point, you know, where people stop broadcasting exactly how old they are…

Now, I’m not embarrassed or anything. I may have quite a few gray hairs, but I think that’s just wisdom. And, truth be told I’m likely just a little older than Jesus was during His earthly ministry (30-33).

I’m not embarrassed… I just don’t think it’s necessary to keep count of my years as much as I used to. ‘Cause you know there’s really only two birthdays that really count.

It’s a blessing to have a first birthday, to be born from our mother’s womb. But as one of the ministers previously reminded us in morning prayer, we all need to have a second birthday.

It’s great to be born. It’s greater to be born again. I thank God for another revolution around the sun (S-U-N). And may everyday revolve around the Son (S-O-N).

As I’ve said before:

Right from birth I was scorned-within

Adorned-with-sin, but I’m glad I’m born again

My relationship with God used to be worn-and-thin

But I’m sworn-to-Him; there’s sun where the storm-had-been

Inform-ya-kin about His Amazing-Grace

With my poetic praise I try to raise-the-place

Fire shut up in my bones at a blazing-pace

And we are not of this world like rays-in-space

They made-the-case for Christ and delivered the verdict

He bled, hung, and died everyone in town heard-it

Hours-of-pain… but they were not hours-in-vain

‘Cause of His sacrifice His mercy is ours-to-gain

He was resurrected, He rose on the third-day

My heavenly home’s erected, that’s just what the word-say

In the worst-way, His message you could-use

I’m alive in Christ and I’m tellin’ the Good-News

My brothers, the good news is that, by being faithful to Christ, through the Holy Spirit, we can be born again, and enjoy eternal life in the Kingdom of God.

I thank everyone who wished me a Happy Birthday. And I wish we all may have a Holy Birthday.

Context

In our text today, John 3:1-8, Jesus is going to talk about the necessity of a holy birthday.

In context, at this point in John, Jesus in Jerusalem around the time of the Passover (cf. Jn 2:13).¹

A few verses earlier, John 2:23 says:

Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, many people saw the signs he was performing and believed in his name. (Jn 2:23, NIV)²

In John, Jesus’ miracles are called signs. For Christ’s miracles signified that He was the Savior – that Christ the King was ushering in the Kingdom of God.

Now, as you may recall, the first sign was turning water into wine (Jn 2:11),³ which pointed to the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies about their being new wine at the consummation of the Kingdom.

Continuing in John 2:24-25, it says:

24 But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people 25 and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man. (Jn 2:24-25, ESV)⁴

You see, Jesus knew that those who followed Him because of His miracles were not following for all the right reasons. Many follow Him for signs, but they need to follow Him for salvation.

And the Savior knows the true, inner character of every person – of every man.⁵

And notice the segue in John 3:1, which speaks of a man named Nicodemus…

Bible Study Audio

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Bible Study Slideshow

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10-12-22 Bible Study Slides John 3-1-8

Bibliography

Abbott, Edwin A. Johannine Grammar. London: Adam and Charles Black, 1906.
Arndt, William, Frederick W. Danker, Walter Bauer, and F. Wilbur Gingrich. A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000. [BDAG]
Balz, Horst Robert, and Gerhard Schneider. Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 1990–. [EDNT]
Black, David Alan. It’s Still Greek to Me: An Easy-to-Understand Guide to Intermediate Greek. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1998.
Burge, Gary M. “Gospel of John.” In John’s Gospel, Hebrews–Revelation, edited by Craig A. Evans and Craig A. Bubeck, First Edition., 37–164. The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary. Colorado Springs, CO; Paris, ON; Eastbourne: David C Cook, 2005. [BKBC]
Burge, Gary M., and Andrew E. Hill, eds. The Baker Illustrated Bible Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2012. [BIBC]
Burge, Gary M. John. The NIV Application Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 2000. [Burge]
Guthrie, Donald. “John.” In New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition, edited by D. A. Carson, R. T. France, J. A. Motyer, and G. J. Wenham, 4th ed., 1021–65. Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press, 1994.
Keener, Craig S. The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament. Second Edition. Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic: An Imprint of InterVarsity Press, 2014. [IVPB]
Keener, Craig S. The Gospel of John: A Commentary & 2. Vol. 1. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2012.
Köstenberger, Andreas J. “John.” In Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament, 415–508. Grand Rapids, MI; Nottingham, UK: Baker Academic; Apollos, 2007. [CNTUOT]
Long, Fredrick J. Kairos: A Beginning Greek Grammar. Mishawaka, IN: Fredrick J. Long, 2005.
Louw, Johannes P., and Eugene Albert Nida. Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains. New York: United Bible Societies, 1996. [LN]
Newman, Barclay Moon, and Eugene Albert Nida. A Handbook on the Gospel of John. UBS Handbook Series. New York: United Bible Societies, 1993.[UBS]
Porter, Stanley E. Idioms of the Greek New Testament. Sheffield: JSOT, 1999.
Silva, MoisÈs, ed. New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology and Exegesis. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2014. [NIDNTTE]
Wallace, Daniel B. Greek Grammar beyond the Basics: An Exegetical Syntax of the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1996.