From Law To Love Series

From Law to Love 

John 3:1-18

Introduction

Today our  message centers on one of the best known verses of the Bible. G. Campbell Morgan said that "John 3:16 is the most famous verse in the Bible because it encapsulates the heart of the Christian message.”

“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. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” - John 3:16-17

N. T. Wright: “But when we say that John ‘talks about’ love, we are only scratching the surface. John’s gospel is a great love story, the great love story of all time. John plants love at the very center of his book.”

In this passage is the first of 39 times the word “Love” is mentioned in John’s Gospel. That love is expressed to someone who deeply needed the message of love because he was so focused on law. Notice who Nicodemus was…

1. Nicodemus (John 3:1-2)

John 3:1-2 Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.”

Nicodemus is a Pharisee (the separated ones) - wanting to live a life separate from sin. Pharisees were ultra-committed law keepers, and wanted to make sure everyone else kept the law as well.  He was trained to believe that by obeying each technicality of God’s Law, he was attaining God’s approval.

He is a part of the Jewish Ruling Council. The Sanhedrin was the body of seventy elders that controlled Jewish matters in Jerusalem. Swindoll: They “served as Israel’s Parliament / Congress and Supreme Court.”

He was a spiritual and social leader; a teacher of Israel.

Nicodemus came to Jesus by night—We are not told why. Perhaps to escape the criticism of the Sanhedrin?  To seek some uninterrupted time together? Clovis Chappell wrote that it is not so important that he came to Jesus at night, but that he came at all. 

At the end of John 2, we are told that, “He Himself knew what was in human nature. [He could read men’s hearts.]” (AMPC) When Jesus saw the heart of Nicodemus, he immediately addressed his greatest need.

John 3:3 “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”

John 3:3 NET “...unless a person is born from above, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

Nicodemus is concerned with the law, but Jesus wants him to know something else - LOVE.

2. Love is More Powerful Than Religion!

Greater than the power of religion! If religion and goodness could have ever saved a man, it would have saved Nicodemus! Jesus is saying these words to one of the most morally upright, religious, law-keeping, spotless, no-skeletons in the closet, righteous men in Israel!  The law always leaves us in the struggle. 

-It reveals to us our imperfection and failure.

-It offers no hope to redeem ourselves.

-It gives us an idea of the life that God wants us to live but cannot empower us to do it.

-It directs our way to live, but doesn’t direct our way to life.

-The law functions like an X-ray: it shows the break but cannot set the bone; only the loving Physician who bears our sickness in his own body can heal

“Entrance to heaven is out of reach, even for the most moral, upstanding, law-keeping person you know.” (Carter) Jesus wants to move Nicodemus, and us, from law to love.

3. God Expresses Love Through New Birth (John 3:4-8)

John 3:4-8 “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”5 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

In the last chapter, Jesus flipped tables, now “Jesus is flipping Nicodemus’ theology upside down. 

Nicodemus thought entering God’s kingdom had everything to do with physical birth. If a person was born a Jew, he would automatically have a spot in God’s kingdom. … But Jesus says the opposite. 

No matter who a person is, he is automatically kept out of God’s kingdom by his sin. He would only be let in if he were born again.”  (Carter)