基督的死就是我们的生
约翰福音三章1至16节
1有一个法利赛人，名叫尼哥底母，是犹太人的官。
2这人夜里来见耶稣，说「拉比，我们知道你是由神那来作师傅的；因为你所行的神迹，若没有神同在，无人能行。」
3耶稣回答说：「我实实在在地告诉你，人若不重生，就不能见神的国。」
4尼哥底母说：「人已经老了，如何能重生呢？岂能再进母腹生出来吗？」
5耶稣说：「我实实在在的告诉你，人若不是从水和圣灵生的，就不能进神的国。
6从肉身生的就是肉身；从灵生的就是灵。
7我说：『你们必须重生』，你不要以为希奇。
8风随着意思吹，你听见风的响声，却不晓得从那里来，往那里去；凡从圣灵生的，也是如此。」
9尼哥底母问他说：「怎能有这事呢？」
10耶稣回答说：「你是以色列人的先生，还不明白这事吗？
11我实实在在的告诉你，我们所说的是我们知道的；我们所见证的是我们见过的；你们却不领受我们的见证。
12我对你们说地上的事，你们尚且不信，若说天上的事，如何能信呢？
13除了从天降下、仍旧在天的人子，没有人升过天。
14摩西在旷野怎样举蛇，人子也必照样被举起来，
15叫一切信他的都得永生（或作：叫一切信的人在他里面得永生）。
16「神爱世人，甚至将他的独生子赐给他们，叫一切信他的，不至灭亡，反得永生。
信息分享
基督对他说：「这不是你所明白的！尼哥底母，你必须重新开始，让神赐你一颗新心和新的生命，你才能得救，与神建立关系。」尼哥底母最初的回应和随后的问题，都可以用「如何」这两个字来概括。
基督的讲解非常棒，涉及三位一体真神的每一个位格。人若老了，怎能重生呢？就要借着圣灵的工作赐人新生。圣灵怎能将新生赐给有罪的人呢？乃是借着神的儿子受死。神的儿子怎能受死呢？乃是因为父神的爱。
尼哥底母是在逾越节期间来找基督。他一定听到等待被宰的羔羊的叫声，他当然知道这些祭牲并不能除去罪，而仅能遮盖献祭人的罪，这样，神在祂儿子降世之前，才能与人同在。
尼哥底母必定知道举起铜蛇的故事。它不是一条活蛇，否则用它来象征基督，便等于说基督充满了恶毒的罪。然而，基督纵使成了肉身的人，祂却是无罪的。当祂被挂在十字架上，任何人只要举目望祂，便能够得救，获得基督所讲的新生。
那么，尼哥底母怎能得着永生呢？只要仰望被钉的基督。昔日，人类始祖在伊甸园因为注目分别善恶树上的果子，然后把它吃掉而堕落；今天，人只要注目十字架便能得救。自此之后，信徒便能靠着圣灵的能力，继续为主而活。基督赐给我们何等全备的救恩！同时又给尼哥底母和我们一个何等详尽的答案！
CHRIST’S DEATH MEANS OUR LIFE
John 3: 1-16
1 There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.
2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.”
3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
4 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”
5 Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’
8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
9 Nicodemus answered and said to Him, “How can these things be?”
10 Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things?
11 Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness.
12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?
13 No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven.
14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
15 that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.
16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
Message
Christ told him, “It isn’t what you know, Nicodemus. If you want to be in a saving relationship with God, you will have to begin again and let God give you a new heart and a new life.” Nicodemus’ first statement and his further questions can all be summed up in the one word “How”.
Christ gave a wonderful explanation which involved the whole Trinity. How can a man be born again when he is old? By the personal work of the Holy Spirit communicating life. How can the Spirit do this for a sinful mankind? By the sacrificial death of the Son. How did it happen that the Son of God came to die? Because of the love of the Father.
It was Passover week when Nicodemus came to talk with Christ. He must have heard the bleating of the sacrificial lambs waiting to be killed. He should have known that these sacrifices could not take away sin but only covered the one bringing the offering so that God could live with him until His Son came.
He would have known the story of the brass serpent on a pole. It could not have been a live serpent or it would have portrayed Christ as being full of the venom of sin. But while Christ was made in the likeness of sinful flesh He remained sinless. When He was lifted up on the cross, anyone looking to Him would be saved and given the new life He was proclaiming about.
How can you have eternal life, Nicodemus? By a look at the crucified Christ. Man was lost by a look, then an action, in Eden. Man is saved now by a look at the cross. And following that saving look, the believer goes on to live for Christ in the strength of the Holy Spirit. What a complete salvation and what a wonderful answer to Nicodemus and to us all.