John 3

3:2 - God sent Jesus to teach us.

3:4 - Born again = Born from above

3:5 - ... born of water and the Spirit - This water is most likely not talking about baptism, but about the natural human birth (water) and the rebirth at conversion (Spirit).

3:6 - Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. - I loved the way the NLT put this. We can only produce what humans can produce. look at our churches. So many of them are only producing a human can produce (a good show, a good service, a good sermon, a good worship set), but God wants us to experience what only the Spirit can bring. We need to rely on the Spirit so we can have what the Spirit is capable of instead of just what we are capable of.

3:12 - (NASB) If I told you earthly things and you do not believe, how shall you believe if I tell you heavenly things?

3:14 - Moses lifting the snake in the wilderness was a foreshadowing of Christ.

Numbers 21:8 - Then the Lord said to Moses, "Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a standard (pole); and it shall come about, that everyone who is bitten, when he locks at it, shall live." - I love the imagery God uses of one who is bitten. If you have been bitten by sin than you need to look to the Savior. The promise for the Israelites is the same as the promise for us. If we have been bitten by the snake (the devil) then we must look to the One who was on the pole (the Cross) to be saved.

3:16 - one and only or only begotten is better translated one of a kind or especially unique.

3:19 - ... people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil.

3:20 - All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed.

3:30 - (NLT) He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less. (NASB) He must increase, but I must decrease. - I hope we can learn to live this way. I think the Greek here indicates a cause and effect. For Jesus to become greater John HAS to become less. For Jesus to become greater in and through us we HAVE to become less. We cannot have more of Jesus without less of us. That really stops me in my tracks. I have prayed so often for more of Jesus, but I have never associated more of Him with less of me. If I truly want more of Him when I pray that prayer I need to go back with Him through my life with a chainsaw and begin cutting out me, so He has room. I have responsibility when I want more of Jesus.

3:34 - (NLT) He speaks God's words, for God give him the Spirit without limit. (NASB) For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God; for He gives the Spirit without measure. - I think this verse is saying that Jesus was given the Spirit without limit. I tried to look in other commentaries to see if that was for Jesus or for us to. But, I wonder because of what Jesus said, if the Spirit is given to use without measure as well.

3:36 - Anyone who believes in God's Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn't obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God's angry judgment. - In this verse Jesus married the idea of belief and obedience together. You cannot say you believe and not obey.

Love, Michael