3 Questions That Need Answered

“3 Important Questions”

John 3:1-3; 14-18

I. Introduction

A. Read John 3:1-3; 14-18

B. Notice vs. 17 – “3 World’s of John 3:17”: (also found in John 1-2; and 1 John Ch. 1)

1. World that WAS

2. World that IS

3. World that is TO COME

C. The problem today is same as then – MOST love the wrong World!

D. In our text, we find “3 Questions that Need Answering”:

1. Who must be born-again?

2. Why must one be born-again?

3. How can a person be born-again?

II. WHO Must Be Born-Again?

A. “Born-Again” means to be “re-gened”.

B. Jesus told the most religious man in Israel that he must be born-again!

C. Nicodemus was head of the Sanhedrin – 71 men in charge of religion of Judaism – made up of both Pharisees and Saduccees.

D. To tell Nicodemus that he needed to be born-again was to say that Dale Earnhardt needed to learn how to drive!

E. Nicodemus was bound by RELIGION! Surely, IF he needed to be born-again, then everyone else in the world needed to be also!

F. That is exactly WHY we have this story recorded in God’s Word – to prove just that – Everyone needs to be born-again!

G. The Word of God says that Mary, the mother of Jesus, needed to be born-again!

H. It is really quite simple – MANKIND is born WRONG!

I. “I hope my GOOD works outweigh my BAD works!” How ridiculous!!

J. Just how much does a good work weigh, anyhow?

K. Who holds the scales? Who calibrates them??

L. No, my friends, no matter how morally good or bad you are; no matter how religious you are; no matter what you have achieved in life… there is no escaping the fact that YOU MUST BE BORN-AGAIN!

III. WHY Must a Person Be Born-Again?

A. John 20:1-8 – John & Peter coming to the empty tomb of Jesus

B. There are 2 words of importance here – “see” / “saw”

C. Both mean to “look at; to study; to understand

D. 3 Reasons WHY a Person Must Be Born-Again:

1. To Understand the Kingdom of God

a. The word “see” in John 3:3 is the same word used in John 20:1-8.

b. It is impossible for the natural (unregenerate) man to comprehend the things of God.

c. The only way you can comprehend such is to be born into the family of God.

d. How can a preacher explain how God called you to preach to lost person?

2. To Enter the Kingdom of God

a. There are 4 Levels of Life:

1. Plants 2. Animal 3. Human 4. Spiritual Life

b. It is impossible to enter into any of these without A BIRTH.

3. To Escape the Wrath of God

a. Condemnation is already upon YOU!

b. John 3:18 – Read

c. Condemned men are condemned WHEN FOUND GUILTY…the execution date comes later.

d. Romans 5:12; 3:23; 6:23

e. We are born Convicts (someone found guilty)

f. But someone says, “I don’t FEEL Guilty.”

g. Conviction is NOT a Feeling…it is a FACT!

h. Not feeling guilty does not change the FACTS… “ALL have sinned and come short of the glory of God!”

IV. HOW Can a Person Be Born-Again?

A. Jesus insulted Nicodemus by asking him about the Brazen Serpent in the day of Moses.

B. However, Jesus illustrated to him the means by which a person can be born-again…The Same Way – BY FAITH – Just Look & Live!

C. Some today would rather try to climb the POLE on which the serpent rested.

D. The brazen serpent did not heal those in Moses’ day… it was the God in whom they exercised their Faith!

E. There is a fine line between Believing & Faith – One can believe only and die in their sins!

F. FAITH not only believes but exercises it in obedience!

G. You can believe an airplane can take you to California, but you will not go there unless you get on board the plane.

H. The same is true concerning Christ….many say, “I believe in Jesus!”, but they have never trusted HIM as Savior and Lord.

I. Satan doesn’t care IF you believe in Jesus (demons do also); Satan doesn’t even care IF you go to church, carry a Bible, sing songs in the choir, etc.

J. Satan only cares IF you start to exercise FAITH in Christ as the only means of salvation available to a lost and dying world.

K. Satan will do everything in his power to prevent you from being BORN-AGAIN!

L. You say, then how can I be born-again? Rom. 10:9-10; 13; 17

M. Jesus said, “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

N. Jesus said, “He that cometh unto me, I will in no wise cast out.”

O. IF you will exercise your belief in an act of faith by calling upon Jesus, you can be born-again NOW!