Born From Above

At Beloved New York, we began our very first teaching series in the Gospel of John with a clear conviction: we want to be a church known for how deeply we love Jesus. Not for our programs, not for our activism, and not for our performance, but for our affection for Christ. We believe that when a community truly cherishes Jesus, everything else flows naturally. Justice flows. Worship flows. Faithfulness flows. But it must begin with Him.

That is why we chose the book of John. Among the four Gospels, John presents Jesus with a unique intimacy. He does not simply describe what Jesus taught; he invites us to see who Jesus is. And we believe that lasting transformation does not come from trying harder, but from seeing Jesus more clearly.

A Late-Night Encounter With Jesus

John chapter 3 introduces us to Nicodemus, a Pharisee and a member of the Jewish ruling council. He comes to Jesus at night, acknowledging that Jesus must be from God because of the signs He performs. Nicodemus is educated, respected, religious, and successful. By every external measure, he has life figured out.

Yet Jesus responds with words that disrupt everything Nicodemus understands:

“No one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”

Nicodemus takes this literally and asks how an adult could possibly be born a second time. Jesus clarifies that He is speaking of being born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but Spirit gives birth to spirit. This new birth is not something that can be controlled or manufactured. Jesus compares it to the wind, unseen yet unmistakably real.

Nicodemus is confused, and Jesus presses deeper. This conversation leads to one of the most well-known declarations in Scripture:

“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Not Better, But New

This passage confronts a common misunderstanding about faith. Many people approach Christianity as a self-improvement project, especially at the beginning of a new year. New habits, new goals, new commitments. But Jesus does not tell Nicodemus how to become a better version of himself.

Instead, Jesus tells him he must become something entirely new.

Nicodemus does not need more discipline, more success, or more religious knowledge. He needs a new source of life. The phrase Jesus uses can mean “born again,” but it can also mean “born from above.” Jesus is calling Nicodemus to shift his origin, to stop drawing identity and worth from achievement, status, and self-sufficiency, and instead receive life from God.

This is not about trying harder. It is about redefining what we measure and where our lives are rooted.

When Desires Change

A changed heart is revealed through changed desires. Following Jesus does not mean instant perfection. Scripture makes clear that believers will still struggle and fail. But when someone is born from above, what once satisfied them no longer brings lasting joy.

Sin may still tempt, but it no longer feels like home. The heart longs to return to God.

Jesus is not forming people who never stumble. He is forming people who are continually drawn back to Him.

The Serpent Lifted Up

To help Nicodemus understand, Jesus refers to an Old Testament story from Numbers 21. As the Israelites wandered in the wilderness, they were bitten by venomous snakes and were dying. God instructed Moses to lift up a bronze serpent. Anyone who looked at it was healed.

Jesus says that just as the serpent was lifted up, the Son of Man must be lifted up, so that whoever believes may have life.

The people in the wilderness did nothing to heal themselves. They did not climb the pole. They did not fix their wounds. They simply looked. They were helpless, and healing came through trust.

Jesus is inviting Nicodemus to the same posture. To release self-sufficiency. To stop being the savior of his own life. To look to Jesus and receive life.

Eternal Life, Right Now

Eternal life in this passage is not presented as something that begins after death. It is life that begins now. Jesus speaks of people who are alive but perishing, moving through life exhausted, anxious, and burdened.

Jesus does not offer religion that only matters for a few hours on Sunday. He offers life that restores the soul in the present. A faith that only promises rules now and joy later is not the life Jesus describes.

To believe in Jesus is to begin experiencing life that is truly alive.

Seeing Love Clearly

Transformation happens when love is finally seen clearly. When we misunderstand love, our hearts grow hard. When love is revealed, hearts come alive again.

That is why Jesus does not say, “Try harder.” He says, “Look at Me.”

The mystery of being born again is not solved through effort. It happens when we behold Jesus lifted up on our behalf. When we see how deeply He loves us, our desires change. Our hearts change. And new life begins.

Why This Matters

This is why Beloved New York continues to walk slowly through the Gospel of John. We are not trying to produce behavior modification. We are seeking transformation that flows from love.

We do not become new by striving.
We become new by seeing.

And as we behold Him, we are born from above.