The Pressures Off
Never The Same Again (8)
I hope you are getting pumped up about taking the One Month To Live Challenge. NEXT WEEK – we will kick off the series with an Easter Message. AND THEN – things will really start to rock and roll the week of March 30th when we launch our One Month To Live Challenge Groups.
OKAY – that is where we are heading next week…
TODAY – we wrap up a study that we began on January 27th. A study where we are taking a look at some of the one-on-one encounters that people had with God when He walked this earth in the flesh. AND – let me tell you one thing was evident as we looked at these encounters. WHEN – people come face to face with Jesus Christ (the invalid on a mat by a pool, the leper, the paralytic man who was lowered through a roof, the Mary in the garden, the Samaritan woman at the well, the rich young ruler, the Canaanite mom with a demon possessed daughter) they were never the same again!
Have you ever been driving down the road and all of a sudden things don’t look that familiar anymore. Your heart starts beating faster. The back of your neck starts to sweat. You have no idea where you are. Awhile back you thought you were on the right road, but now you are clueless as to where you are. You frantically look for anything (a building, a sign, a landmark, a tree) anything that will help you figure out where you are. Then the questions start to come flooding in: should I stay on this road? Is it taking me further away from where I need to be? Do I have enough gas in the tank? Should I turn this thing around and just head back the way I came.
QUESTION – have you ever made a U-Turn? Do you like to make U-Turns? Do you make them a lot? Do you ever fight against them and keep driving the wrong way? Do you find it frustrating when you need to make a u-turn and either there isn’t a place to hang one or there is a sign that says you can’t?
I’ve made a lot of U-Turns in my life. AND – to be honest I love them. IN FACT I used to have a license plate hold that said ‘God Allows U Turns.’
THIS MORNING – we are going me a religious guy. A GUY – who thought he had it all figured out. A GUY – who though he had the system down. A GUY – who had a one-on-one with the King of Glory. AND – was told that he was headed in the wrong direction and needed to hang a U-turn and begin driving on a new road, a road that led to a life where the pressure was off.
Prayer…
AFTER – all of these years. He was confident that he had everything pretty well figured out. He had crossed all his T’s, dotted all of his I’s, he had the system down. I MEAN - IF anyone knew how this thing worked it was him. HE - had spent nearly all of his adult life not only studying the system but teaching others all about it. HE WAS - looked up to, respected… PEOPLE – were constantly coming to him to have their questions answered.
YES – he had driven many miles down this road… AND – he had never (not even once) encountered anything (a sign, a land mark, a unfamiliar twist in the road) that would lead Him to believe that he was headed in the wrong direction… (ever been that sure of something?)
UNDERSTAND – Nicodemus thought it was just going to be another typical holiday season, get everything ready, make all the necessary preparations (choose the lamb, bake the bread, cook the bitter herbs) THEN - celebrate the Passover… (You know the annual reminder that God’s people had been observing on the 14th day of the first month for over 1400 years).
A CELEBRATION – where Israel remembered the time that God delivered them from 400 years of bondage in Egypt, BRINGING - the mighty Pharaoh to his knees with 10 plagues… THE – last one (the death of all the firstborn in the land) ‘passed over’ God’s people because they had applied the blood of a lamb to their doorway.
OVER – the years Nicodemus had celebrated 50 or 60 Passovers (so many that he has lost count)… AND – when spring rolled around once again there was no reason for him to expect that this years observance would be any different then the last…
MAYBE – you felt the same way about coming to church today. I MEAN – you’ve been to so many services over the years - that you don’t expect anything to REALLY happen. JUST – a typical Sunday: get up; get dressed, go to church and come home.
UNDERSTAND – that is where Nicodemus was at… AND – he was okay with that. I MEAN – over the years he had become pretty comfortable with how things were – the routine, the rituals, the responses, (though all so predictable) were also quite comforting…
YEAH, if it was up to him things could stay just the way they were… NO – need to rock the boat now… BUT THEN – that young carpenter from Nazareth came storming into the scene and into the Temple (the symbol, the focus, the very center of their entire religious system).
NICODEMUS – had never seen anything like it in all of his years. I MEAN – the fire, the passion of this bold Galilean must have been what David was talking about when he wrote the words of Psalm 69:9; “Zeal for your house will consume me…”
THERE WERE – thousands in the Temple that day. The money changers had arrived early to set up their business’ in the courtyard vying (like vendors at a flea market) for the best spots. THEY - had been looking forward to this season all year long. AND – who could blame them… They made almost as much money during this one week of Passover then they did the rest of the year.
YES – theirs’ was a very profitable business. They had a complete monopoly on Temple worship… YOU SEE - they with help from the priests (who they bought at a price) HAD - the only acceptable sacrifices that people could offer at the Temple.… AND – they were more then willing to exchange an over priced animal for the people’s hard earned money. AND – they did so by the 1000’s… “I’m so sorry Mr and Mrs Smith the lamb you brought is not acceptable… Go ahead and ask Priest Bob, he’ll tell you. But not to worry you didn’t make the long trip to Jerusalem for nothing I have just the lamb for you..” (low miles, one owner, barn kept)
LISTEN – these guys were as happy as me at an all you can eat seafood buffet as they set up their tables that day. THEY – had advertised heavily (full page adds in the Jerusalem Constitution)… THE – sky was blue, the air crisp, the birds were singing, the Judean sand cool… IT – was all systems go… YES EVERY - indication said that it was going to be another wonderful day in the Temple courtyard.
BUT THEN – Jesus walked in… AND – without any hesitation whatsoever, started overturning table after table after table… THEN - He took several pieces of rope and fashioned them into a whip… using it to chase out sheep, oxen, the money changers. People and animals were running around frantically as his whip cracked like thunder in the air…
IT - was an unbelievable scene… the sounds, the sights, the air full of flapping wings and flying feathers, the floor covered with the coins He had scattered, the religious leaders huddled in the corners… AND - the people cheering him on… BECAUSE FINALLY – someone in this place of worship, seems to be taking a stand for them and for what is right. NEVER BEFORE – had the people seen such power, such authority… THEY – were stunned as the words of Jesus echoed throughout the Temple courtyard like a thundering volcano, "Get these out of here! How dare you turn my Father’s house into a market!" … IT – was easy to tell who was in charge… AND - no one (not the priests, not the Pharisees, not the money changers and not even the Temple guards) dared to stop Him or to stand in his way…
YES - Nicodemus was stirred by what he saw Jesus do that day. IT - caused him to think back to the time when he had known such passion for God’s house… BUT – that was such a long time ago… BEFORE – the titles, BEFORE – the robes, BEFORE – the rules, BEFORE – the routine… BEFORE – the formulas… BEFORE – the system…
EVENTUALLY – a few leaders were able to muster up enough courage (as they huddled together in a corner) to at least say something to Jesus… BUT – even as they spoke you could still sense the fear in their voices… "What right do you have to do these things? If you have this authority from God, show us a miraculous sign to prove it."
SUDDENLY – the entire courtyard became as still and as quite as the eye of a hurricane. … EVERY – head was turned, every mouth was closed… AND - every ear was tuned in to hear His answer… "All right… Jesus replied… Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." "What!" they exclaimed. "It took forty-six years to build this Temple, and you can do it in three days?" – John 2:18-20 (NLT)
UNDERSTAND - the events of that day had come out of nowhere like an earthquake in Southern California. Nicodemus was completely taken by surprise… AND - he found himself totally unprepared for the tremors and aftershocks that violently shook his comfort, his certainty, his faith and his life.
I MEAN - he didn’t even know what to think anymore. SO - much of what he had built his life on, no longer made sense. So many pieces no longer seemed to fit together… He now had more questions then he had answers.
[Tim, Laurie] – put yourself into the sandals of Nicodemus… IN – a single moment… (This man, this Nazarene, this young guy with fire in his eyes and thunder in voice, this homeless-x carpenter-traveling teacher)… IN – a single moment Jesus had with power and authority passed judgment on the very institution that Nicodemus had been pouring his life into all of these years…
2,000 years ago a religious guy, a guy who thought he had it all figured out, a guy who thought he had the system down had an encounter with the King of Glory and was told that he was headed in the wrong direction and needed hang a U-turn… and begin driving on a new road, a road that led to a life where the pressure was off.
EVENTUALLY – after many troubling days and sleepless nights Nicodemus decides to pay Jesus a visit. THE – apostle John records that visit for us in the 3rd chapter of His gospel.
1Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night…
NOW - John in those few words tells us quite a lot about this man…
• ONE – his name is Nicodemus, a name that means ‘well liked or popular.’
• TWO – that he was not just a Pharisee, he was also a member of the Jewish ruling council, the Sanhedrin, the Supreme court of Jewish religion.
• THREE – John tells us that Nic came at night….
QUESTION – why do you think Nic came at night?
• Was it to avoid the crowds and have a private uninterrupted talk with Jesus?
• Was it because he didn’t want his religious buddies to see him talking with the guy who caused such a disturbance at the Temple?
UNDERSTAND – John uses the word dark 13 times in his gospel… And darkness is always seen as being in opposition to the light… In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.” (John 1:4,5) AND – even later in his talk that night with Nic Jesus will say to him, This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil (John 3:19)…
NOW – the truth is we don’t really know why Nicodemus came at night. BUT – I for one think that John makes of point of mentioning that this encounter with Nicodemus took place in the dark… BECAUSE – that is exactly where Nicodemus was at the time in his understanding of God and His kingdom… YOU SEE – Nic thought it was all about controlling about getting in line the external things of ones life… while for the most part ignoring what happens on the inside (in the heart). HOWEVER – Jesus (the King of Glory) is about to give Nic an opportunity to hang a U-turn into His marvelous light.
1Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. 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." 3In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."
I have always loved how Jesus’ starts off this encounter with Nicodemus… PICTURE – the scene;
• It’s dark,
• Nicodemus is a very powerful and influential leader
• He comes to speak to Jesus
• He has some very deep questions
• NOW - I think Nic is extremely intimidated (I MEAN – he saw what Jesus did at the Temple) so he starts off with a flowery greeting… "Rabbi, we know…”
AND JESUS – says, ‘Nicodemus, I KNOW - why you are here… I KNOW – that all of the things I’ve been doing have gotten your attention. I KNOW – that you are starting to think that I just might be the Messiah. (No one could or would do the things I have be doing unless they were ‘The One,’ right…) HOWEVER – there’s a slight problem, what I am doing, the things I have said, the people I hang out with… AND -the other day at the Temple don’t fit with your idea of how the kingdom of God is supposed to work… YES – Nic I KNOW why you are here. YOU - want to know if I really am the Messiah then how come you can’t see the kingdom. NIC - you can’t see it, because you are still in the dark. IN FACT – the only way anyone will ever see or enter the kingdom is if they experience a new birth. A spiritual birth. A birth from above.”
NOW – let me tell you something that I found interesting in my studies for this message this week. THAT - the primary meaning of the word that is translated ‘again’ in John 3:3… is above. It is the same word that we find in;
"You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world… “ – John 8:23
Jesus answered, "You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. – John 19:11
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. – Colossians 3:1,2
"I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God
unless he is born form above."
UNDERSTAND – what Jesus did the other day at the Temple stirred Nicodemus… BUT – what Jesus said to Nic that night 2000 years ago, nearly put the guy into cardiac arrest… QUESTION – do you see what Jesus is telling Nicodemus?
JESUS – is telling Nicodemus, a Pharisee, a member of the ruling council… THAT HE - a guy who everyone looked up to… THAT HE - a man who had studied the word of God for years… THAT HE - a descendant of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob COULD NOT in his present condition; see, experience or enter the kingdom of God…
2,000 years ago a religious guy, a guy who thought he had it all figured out, a guy who thought he had the system down had an encounter with the King of Glory and was told that he was headed in the wrong direction and needed hang a U-turn… and begin driving on a new road, a road that led to a life where the pressure was off.
"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!"
UNDERSTAND – Nicodemus is sooo clueless right now, he doesn’t really understand what Jesus is saying… BUT – since what little he does understand kind of offends him… I think Nicodemus is being a little sarcastic here. "Surely I cannot enter a second time into my mother’s womb to be born!" EAND JESUS - even if I wanted to I don’t think my mom would let me back in. YES NIC – responds to what he feels is absurd with a little absurdity of his own.
BUT – Jesus is not effected by the sarcasm… INSTEAD HE – stays right on task and begins to explain this birth from above in even greater detail…
5Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. 6Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7You should not be surprised at my saying, ’You must be born again.’ 8The 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."
Nicodemus, it’s a spiritual birth… AND YES – I know that it is hard for you to get your brain around this. Just like it is hard for you to get your hands around the wind. THINK – about it Nic, you can hear the wind, you can see it’s work all around you… BUT – the wind is beyond the grip of your flesh.
IT IS – the same way with the new birth… You don’t see it coming, you can’t explain exactly what it does inside of a person to make them a new creation… BUT – you can clearly see the effects of the spirit in the changed lives of the people in which He lives…
NOW – notice in verse 5 Jesus says that this new birth is a birth of water and spirit.
AND UNDERSTAND – it is NOT a birth water and then another birth of spirit… BUT RATHER – ONE BIRTH that is of (water & spirit)…
What does that mean? QUESTION – is there any event (in the life of a Christ-follower) that involves both water and the spirit?
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit – Matthew 28:19
Peter replied, "Each of you must turn from your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. – Acts 2:38
5he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, 6whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. – Titus 3:5-7
LISTEN – I have no doubt whatsoever, that this new birth from above, this birth of water and spirit is Christian baptism… (is a repentant, believer being baptized into the name of Christ)… NOW - exactly how being immersed in water allows the Holy Spirit to invade the lives of Christ followers and bring about this birth from above I cannot see, explain or understand in the flesh. I just believe Jesus when he says that it happens… I just believe that - Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.
9"How can this be?" Nicodemus asked.
GUYS – you need to understand that at this point Nicodemus’ head is spinning around so fast… that I think it’s about to pop off his shoulders and go airborne … I MEAN – think about it, Jesus has just placed a huge sign on the Interstate of his understanding of God and how to be right with Him… A SIGN – which said in bold letters… “
NIC, you are headed the wrong way… THERE IS NOTHING YO CAN DO! No act. No performance. No ritual. No title. No position. No family line. No rule keeping and measuring up… THAT WILL - enable you to enter the kingdom of God. Nic you cannot earn you way to God) YOU – need to hang a U-turn now! It’s time for you to travel a new road that leads to a life where the pressure is off!
NOW - I love how one writer describes the intensity of this encounter that Jesus has with Nicodemus…
The meeting between Jesus and Nicodemus was more than an encounter between 2 religious figures. It was a collision between 2 philosophies. 2 opposing views of salvation.
Nicodemus thought the person did the work; Jesus says God does the work. Nicodemus thought it was a tradeoff. Jesus says it’s a gift. Nicodemus thought man’s job was to earn it. Jesus says man’s job is to accept it…
All word religions can be placed in one of two camps: legalism or grace. Humankind does the work or God does it. Salvation as a wage based on deeds done – or salvation as a gift based on Christ’s death…
A legalist believes the supreme force behind salvation is you. If you look right, speak right and belong to the right segment of the right group, you will be saved. The brunt of responsibility doesn’t lie within God it lies within you.
The result? The outside sparkles. The talk is good and the step is true. But look closely. Listen carefully. Something is missing. What is it? Joy. What’s there? Fear (that you won’t do enough). Arrogance (that you’ve done more than others). Failure (that you have made a mistake).
Legalism is a dark world.
AND - it is the world that Nicodemus had been living in for so many years now. It is a world where you don’t really need God. It’s a world of defending self, explaining self exalting self and justifying self. YOU SEE - legalist are obsessed with self – not God.
NOW – while his head is still spinning Jesus says to Nicodemus; "You are Israel’s teacher," said Jesus, "and do you not understand these things? AND YES – Jesus is getting a little rough on the old guy.
Come on Nic, what do you mean you don’t get it? You are Israel’s teacher, aren’t you? You know the word. You’ve studied it all your life… SURELY – you’ve heard the prophets talk of a new time that was coming.
A TIME – when God’s people would stopping focusing on outside acts that are void of heart and meaning… A TIME – when God’s people will no longer try to do things in order to be right with God, BUT INSTEAD – because they ARE ALREADY right with God will do even better things – then the law requires. (Not only will they not murder but they will not get angry with their brother…)
A TIME – is coming that would involve His spirit and newness… Come Nic, this U-turn shouldn’t surprise you, remember what Ezekiel said; Don’t you remember what the prophets Ezekiel and Jeremiah said?
I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean… I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. – Ezekiel 36:25-27
"The day will come," says the LORD, "when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah… I will put my laws in their minds, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. 34And they will not need to teach their neighbors, nor will they need to teach their family, saying, `You should know the LORD.’ For everyone, from the least to the greatest, will already know me," says the LORD. "And I will forgive their wickedness and will never again remember their sins." – Jeremiah 31:31-34
AGAIN - Nicodemus’ world keeps spinning faster and faster… HE – had built his entire life on rules, on measuring up, on earning his spot in heaven. BUT – Jesus does not let up he continues to call Nic, into the light of grace…
I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. 12I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? 13No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man (that would be me Nic) . 14Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.
AND – at those words our friend Nicodemus nearly passed out. I MEAN – his legs actually wobbled on that one… “NO – way. That can’t be right… Jesus you’re telling me that IT’S NOT;
• everyone who follows the law, keeps the rules
• everyone who keeps the traditions of the elders
• everyone who lives pure, spotless lives…
BUT – it’s everyone who believes…that is going to have eternal life!
UNDERSTAND – the question and shock must have been written all over the face of Nicodemus… WHY? WHY – would God do this? I don’t get it. It doesn’t make any sense. Why would God just give eternal life away… And give it away to everyone… Come on, Jesus what in the world would motivate God to offer such an extraordinary gift?
AND – [Tim, Laurie], Nic is so not going to believe the answer… I MEAN – he never would never have guessed it, in a million years…
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son (me again Nic), that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
QUESTION – did you see the motive for this GIFT? LOVE!
Nicodemus had never heard such words. Never. SURE - he has had countless discussions of salvation… BUT – this is the first time in which no rules were given… No system was offered. No code. No ritual. No performance required. JUST – believe IN and acceptance of the incredible love of God!
"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. 17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18Whoever 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
YES – the time that Jeremiah has spoken of has come! The new covenant is here! A NEW WAY – has been opened up for us that BOLDLY says that it is …
NOT – everyone who achieves… NOT – everyone who succeeds. AND – not everyone who agrees… BUT - everyone who believes… that will be saved! AND WHY – because God is madly in love with people he created and THIS love has casued Him to do some amazing things…
AND – now Jesus wraps up this talk with Nicodemus
This is the verdict: Light (and yes that’s me Nic) has come into the world, but men loved darkness (loved their way of doing things) instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God."
2,000 years ago a religious guy, a guy who thought he had it all figured out, a guy who thought he had the system down had an encounter with the King of Glory and he was told that he was headed in the wrong direction and needed hang a U-turn… and begin driving on a new road, a road that led to a life where the pressure was off.
QUESTION – in what direction are you headed this morning in your spiritual life in your walk with God?
• ARE YOU – still driving down the dark road of rules… OR – are you cruising down the highway of His amazing grace…
• ARE YOU – still living in the night of religion… TRYING – to measure up, to earn your way into the presence of God… BUT ALWAYS – falling short of yours or someone else’ expectations. ARE YOU – still caught in the ‘performance trap’ thinking it’s what you do that makes you right with God.
• ARE YOU – are you still living in fear? FEAR – that you will never measure up or be good enough to ‘really’’ be a part of God’s family… UNDERSTAND – God’s so loved the world love, His perfect love will drive out that fear…
• ARE YOU – becoming prideful about where you are with God, because you think you are so much further along then other people.
• ARE YOU – beginning to notice that old way of darkness is creeping back into your life. (Is your joy dimming, is your love growing cold, are you becoming more judgmental as you point more fingers and lend fewer hands of help and encouragement)?
• ARE YOU – stuck, paralyzed because of a recent failure. Because you don’t think you deserve a second chance… Do you think that God has enough grace to save you but not to keep you?
IS JESUS - standing on the highway of your life this morning holding up a sign that says… You are going the wrong way… Hang a U-turn!!! QUESTION - How far will you keep going down the wrong road, since you have now heard his voice?
YOU KNOW – I wish this encounter in John 3 ended differently. IMEAN – I wish that on this very the night after his conversation with Jesus; that Nic immediately; PUT DOWN - his phylacteries, his robes, his rules, his system and became a follower of Jesus… BUT – he didn’t. YOU SEE – the next day we find Nicodemus at the same place he was the day before.. in the dark…
NOW – the good news is that eventually Nic did hang that U-Turn… BUT – it took Him about 3 years. YOU SEE – it was not until he went to the cross and took down the dead body of Jesus that he came into the light…
YEAH – it’s great that he did eventually make that turn… BUT – Nic sure missed a lot of fun along the way…
YES – the verdict is in… The light has come! The pressure to perform and measure up is off! Because in Christ the rules for living have been replaced with an opportunity to really live…
