Some of us have heard the phrase, "born again" so often that we can hardly stand the sound of it anymore. But how could something that used to have a rich and dramatically important meaning become so pedestrian to most of us? In today's episode on the third chapter of John, we are going to hear Jesus use those two powerful words to explain something exciting and life-changing to Nicodemus, a Pharisee who was searching for significance and risking his reputation by talking to this upstart rabbi from Nazareth. Nicodemus shows up at night, an indication that he wanted his encounter with Jesus to remain as incognito as possible. He started out his clandestine encounter with Jesus with flattery, telling him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for on one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him." But Jesus doesn't even take time to thank him. He simply starts talking about being born again. And this unexpected turn in the topic of conversation leaves Nicodemus dazed and confused. It wasn't what he came to hear, but he was about to find out that it was exactly what he desperately needed to hear. Jesus was sharing words of life, abundant life and eternal life. He was dropping a bombshell on that would rock Nicodemus' comfortable world of righteousness earned through self-effort.
