“Unless A Man Be Born Again..”
John 3:1-3
3:1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him."
3:3 In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again. "
Nicodemus-Pharisee/Smart Man/Knew Law and Scripture
New concept, never heard before, puzzled Nicodemus
John 3:4
JN 3:4 "How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!"
John 3:5-6
JN 3:5 Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is 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.’
Need to be born of Spirit of God
2nd birth because we must die to self
Romans 3:23
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Bible-All men will proclaim themselves righteous
Review 10 Commandments W.O.T.M. Style
God shows us the mirror of his law, the ten commandments, so that we know what we truly are. We can think that we look like Brad Pitt or Tom Cruise, but when we look at ourselves in the mirror, we know the truth. When we look in the mirror of God’s law we see ourselves as we really are. We see that we don’t live up to what God demands.
CH Spurgeon said, “The law is for the self righteous to humble their pride. The Gospel is for the lost to remove their despair”
We are all guilty. No chance to go to Heaven on our own accord or effort
Why?
Romans 6:23
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Death is separation from God
There are so many people walking around dead, they just don’t know it yet.
Don’t know Jesus?-Don’t know what fate awaits you
Across the street from the bombed out Federal Building in Oklahoma City, where 168 people died needlessly and senselessly, there stands a memorial. At the heart of that memorial is a nine foot statue of Jesus. But this statue is not one of a stony Jesus with arms out wide like you may have seen in the Ozarks or in Brazil. No, this is a nine foot statue of Jesus with his face in his hands, turned slightly away from where the acts of terror took place, and the plaque reads, "And Jesus Wept."
John 3:16-18
JN 3:16 "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. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.”
When Martin Luther was printing his translation of the Bible in Germany, pieces of the printed Scripture fell to the floor. A young girl picked one of them up and read the phrase of the text, “For God so loved the world that he gave”. The rest of the sentence was missing. That moment for her was a defining experience as the truth griped her. You see, she had been told so often that God was a Judge and One to be dreaded. She ran home with excitement in her heart, passing the note to tell her mother and talking endlessly of this wonderful discovery. Her mother read it and perplexed asked, “But what did He give?” The young girl was lost for a moment with a puzzled expression, not knowing the answer. But suddenly a thought came to her and her face lit up again as she said, “I don’t know; but if He loved us well enough to give us anything, we need not be afraid of Him.”
John 3:16 Most famous verse in Bible, but not well understood
“Surely not for me” “I’m not worthy” “Never loved or wanted”
(Friends, Family, Spouse-Abandoned/Gone) (Damaged Goods)
GOD STILL LOVES YOU
Romans 5:8
8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
-come just as you are-
Ephesians 2:4-5
4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions--it is by grace you have been saved.
Gods love has given us a 2nd chance
One Sunday, a monk was invited to speak about the ‘love of God’ in his church. He waited until it is dark and proceeded into the sanctuary and up to the altar with a lighted candle. He first illumined the crown of thorns then the two hands that are nailed after that he continued to light the spear wound in the side and lastly he put the candle by the two feet nailed in the cross. He then set the candle down and left the altar. There was nothing else to say....
1 Peter 2:24
24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.
Isaiah 53:5
ISA 53:5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.
Pierced, Beaten, Mocked, Bleed, Died, for everyone.
Without Jesus-Guilty, Convicted, Dead
With Jesus-Free from wages of sin (Romans 6:23)
Romans 8:1
RO 8:1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
With Jesus, you have the right to be children of God.
You have the right to the same inheritance as Jesus
-Kingdom(Heaven)
-Power(Life over Death, Over Sin)
-Glory Forever(Reign and Rule over new Heaven and Earth)
With Jesus you have a package deal-God, Holy Spirit, Angels, all on your side!
John 1:12-13
12 Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God-- 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
Revelation 3:20
20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.
Jesus is knocking today. You may have new feelings or a new revelation of what you have to do to enter Heaven
FOLLOW IT!
ALTAR CALL
Public Declaration-“If you deny me before men, I will deny you before my Father”
Romans 10:11-13
11 As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame." 12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile--the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, 13 for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."
Don’t worry about what people will think. If you were on a sinking boat or inside a building on fire would you worry about what people would think if you got out?
Romans 10:9-10
9 That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.
You must believe in your heart, confess with your mouth, and understand with your mind.
You need Jesus for Salvation. Understand why you need to come and who you are coming too.
This is the God that you will 1 day face in judgment.
It is also the same God who has provided someone to stand beside you at that judgment.
Closing before Altar Call
A traveler fell into a deep pit and couldn’t get out. Several persons came along and saw him struggling in the pit.
The sensitive person said, "I feel for you down there."
The reflective person said, "It’s logical that someone would fall into the pit."
The artistic person said, "I can give you ideas on how to decorate your pit."
The judgmental person said, "Only bad people fall into the pit."
The analytical person said, "Help me measure the depth of your pit."
The curious person said, "Tell me how you fell into the pit."
The perfectionist said, "I believe you deserve your pit."
The self-pitying person said, "You should have seen my pit."
The specialist in meditation said, "Just relax and don’t think about the pit."
The optimist said, "Cheer up! Things could be worse."
The pessimist said, "Be prepared! Things will get worse."
Jesus, seeing the man, took him by the hand and lifted him out of the miserable pit.
Today, I want you to be lifted out of your pit and have endless hope for the future.
If you are not born again
If you are not a Christian
If you are not sure of your Salvation
Now is the time, there is no guarantee of tomorrow. Satans favorite words are
“Next time, maybe later, or someday”
Gods favorite words are “Right now, this minuet, Today!”
