There is something about us men…we don’t like to ask for directions.
I heard about these 3 men – they were out hiking through the wilderness and they came upon this violent raging river and they needed to get to the other side. The first man prayed, “God please give me the strength I need to get to the other side.” And poof instantly he had big muscles and he swam to the other side in 2 hours. Seeing that, the second man said, “God give me the strength and the tools I need to make it across.” And poof, God gave him a boat and he was able to row across in 30 minutes. The next man said, “God give me the strength, the tools, and the intelligence to get across the river.” And poof God gave him a map and turned him into a woman...she looked at the map, hiked 5 minutes upstream and walked across the bridge.
In John 3, Jesus gives us directions on how to get to heaven.
John 3:1-15, Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.
The key verse is verse 3, the passage about “Born Again” – 5 times in 10 verses Jesus uses the phrase “born again” so this is a passage on being born again.
This morning I want to give you 6 Sign Posts that will help you get to Heaven from Springfield.
1st Jesus knows the condition of your heart
John 2:23-25, Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing. But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man.
Jesus knows the condition of our heart.
2nd You can know about Jesus and not personally know Jesus as your Savior
John 3:1, Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.
Background on the Pharisees:
• His name: Nicodemus and he is a ruler in the Sanhedrin.
• He is moral, disciplined, a civic leader, religious, has memorized the Old Testament
• He is open-minded (he calls Jesus Rabbi)...but none of those things will get him to heaven.
• He is as lost as a pimp, a prostitute, or a meth addict.
Why? Because you can’t earn salvation.
Ask most people, “how do you know you’re going heaven?” and they will give you their list.
John 3:2a, This man came to Jesus by night….
John 9:4, We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work.
John 11:10, But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.
John 13:30, So, after receiving the morsel of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night.
Metaphorically, “night” in John’s Gospel refers to moral/spiritual darkness, and self-righteousness is deep darkness. He also comes at night perhaps because he is embarrassed.
John 3:2, This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.”
We know...he knows but he doesn’t know...he claims to see signs but watch this contrast with verse 3 – HE CAN’T SEE THE KINGDOM OF GOD.
Nicodemus can’t even see the significance of miracles without being born again.
Unless you are born again, you cannot process life. You can’t understand many of the realities of God’s Word…you need to be Born Again!
3rd You can’t go to heaven unless you are Born Again
John 3:3, Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
What is born again? Again – from above…we are talking about a brand new you!
2 Corinthians 5:21, For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ. (NLT)
The whole concept of “born” is such a wonderful metaphor for salvation. What did you have to do to be born? Did you have to work hard, plan, be a good person? No! You didn’t do anything to contribute to being born – it was a free gift of life!
4th Being Born Again is a supernatural work of the Holy Spirit in your heart
John 3:4, Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”
“Too old start over – too late!” All of his life he thought what he was doing religiously was how you approached God! Some of you are there exactly.
John 3:5, Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.”
Verse 5 – water & Spirit? Is it baptism? Remember, Nicodemus is thinking it is impossible to start over (v.4):
Ezekiel 36:25-26a, 27, I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you…And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.
Titus 3:4-5, But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,
John 3:6, That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Verse 6 – can’t become spiritual through efforts of the flesh – it takes God! (verse 7)
John 3:7, Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’
5th To be Born Again requires a step of faith
Ephesians 2:8, For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
John 3:8, The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.
You can’t see wind – only its effects. You can feel its presence.
That’s how it is with Holy Spirit and being born again. You can’t see it, but you can feel it.
To be born again takes a step of faith (vv. 9-13). Some listening today might be thinking, “When I understand then I will believe.”
John 3:9-13, Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things?
1 Corinthians 2:14, But people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means. (NLT)
1 Corinthians 2:16a,16c, For, “Who can know the Lord’s thoughts?”...But we understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ. (NLT)
Take the step of faith – know!
6th You must look to Jesus to be Born Again
Acts 4:11-12, This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.
John 14:6, Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
John 3:14-15, And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.
Numbers 21:7-9, And the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against you. Pray to the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. And the Lord said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.” So Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on a pole. And if a serpent bit anyone, he would look at the bronze serpent and live.
To be healed, what was required? That kind of cure doesn’t make sense! A real snake bit me but if I look at a false snake I live. Faith isn’t understanding everything – all they had to do was to look at the snake on a pole. In order to be saved, all we have to do is look to Jesus and we will be saved. Have you been saved? Have you looked to Him?
John Goff, an evangelist from years back, used to tell the story of a boy who made a decision to give his life to Christ. There were 2 boys in a hospital in England. One had a cancer and the other had been hit on the street by a truck. Both were near death. And the boy with the cancer said to the other boy, “When I was at church they told me that I don’t need to be afraid to die. All I have to do is lift my hand and ask Jesus to save me. And I believe if you ask Him, He will save you.” And other boy said, “But what if I am asleep when He comes and I can’t ask Him?” To which the boy with cancer said, “Just hold up your hand, that’s what we did in church, and Jesus will see it.” But the boy who had been hit by the truck was too weak, so the other little boy managed to slip out of bed and he used his pillow to prop up the boy’s hand. And in the morning when the nurse came in, the boy who had been hit by the truck was dead. But he had his hand propped up.
Now you know and I know that the Lord saw his hand.
Have you been born again? This morning you can be…it’s a faith decision that will change your eternal destiny!
