God is offering new life in Christ to all who will believe.  That regeneration and rebirth may happen in a moment or it may come about over a period of time.  Jesus’ encounter with Nicodemus in the third chapter of John’s Gospel is perhaps the purest, most concrete presentation of the Gospel message in the New Testament, and it comes from Jesus’ own mouth.  But the context of this late night meeting between Nicodemus and Jesus adds even more to that Gospel message.  By addressing a Pharisee and member of the Jewish council, representing the group of people who were Jesus’ most dangerous enemy, Jesus shows that his message of reconciliation to God is freely available to everyone.  And he makes it very clear that it is the only way for anyone to be saved.  It requires a radical change in a person, however, which only God can do.  And God does do it all, in his way and according to his timing.  The use of the new birth metaphor is very significant in this text and is more than just a metaphor.  As an analogy to physical birth it teaches us so much about the reality of what happens when we become Christians.  It helps us to understand how to help others come to saving faith and what to expect in the process. As we do the Lord’s work in sharing his Word and our faith with others, we hold on to the hope that never fails, and we continue to pray for the lost who have heard the Good News of Jesus Christ but have not yet received him.