Pastor Allan Kircher
Shell Point Baptist Church
John 3:1-15
June 29, 2014
You Must Be Born Again!
Intro: People who are far from God
• Nicodemus was different
• Purpose driven life book
• Buying the book..not homeless….but normal people…
• Nicodemus….was one of those…
In this passage, one/best known/NT, Jesus/personal encounter with a man named Nicodemus.
• Most powerful/influential men in all of Israel
• Eavesdrop/conversation/Lord Jesus/Nicodemus today
• Hear/ourselves the great truths Jesus shared with this man.
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I. v. 1-7 THE MUST OF THE NEW BIRTH
The New Birth!
• become/common language of America
• 70% of Americans claim to be born again.
• Literally means “to be born from above.”
• Born again…used and abused….media
Carries the idea of getting a fresh start, a new life from Heaven.
• We call “being saved” or being “born again”
• Titus 3:5, Titus uses/term “regeneration”
• Means the same exact thing!
• When you are regenerated, you get a new life!
• You get a new start!
So many people have this thing confused!
• They are seeking reformation
• They are trying to “turn over a new leaf”
• “get a new lease on life”.
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Reformation is just whitewashing
• Regeneration will wash you white!
Reformation will put new cloths on a man
• Regeneration will put a new man in his cloths!
What the world needs, what you need, and what I need is regeneration!
• If you have been born only once/you are going to die twice!
• if you have been born twice, you will never die
• death has been swallowed up in life
• confused the mess of Nicodemus
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Nature Of Humanity –Old Nicodemus has received a lot of criticism for approaching Jesus at night.
• Nicodemus came to Jesus…why….
• Jesus flipped tables, miracles…..why…
• Why didn’t he send his assistant….
• You must see Jesus yourself…..
• He came to see Jesus at night.
Scholars thought……fear others would see him….valid!
Some say Jesus was booked for the day.
• It is indicative of us today…
• Daytime….we got it together…
• Night….long for something more
• Most people have their act together in the day…
• But in the night….not physical…spiritual condition.
• When you’re alone by yourself
• You know something isn’t right.
We know what to say, how to act, impress, during the day.
Many thought to be Christians, but struggle/same pattern of sin.
• Over and over again.
Maybe you made a commitment young/but no change.
When night comes you think…..there should be more.
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He came humbly…complimenting Jesus……..Rabbi
You can’t impress Jesus…
• Jesus told him, “You must be born again!
• Nicodemus must have thought this was a mistake
• All he had going/him/never expect him/need/born again!
• Not Nicodemus!
Maybe:
• wino needs to be saved and born again
• Wayward woman needs the new birth.
• Drug attic with the needles in their arm needs born again
• wasted life down in the gutter needs to be born again
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Someone like Nicodemus, well surely/doesn’t apply to him
• Looked at this man/thought/everything going for him
• All the plusses and none of the minuses from a human perspective.
Nicodemus Was A Rich Man
• Tradition tells/one/three riches men in Jerusalem
• More money than he knew what to do with!
• What we have does not change what we are!
Your money can buy you many things here in this world, but it can buy you nothing in Heaven!
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Nicodemus Was A Respectable Man
• Walked down the streets, people knew him
• they pointed him out to their children
• Held in great esteem by all who knew him and saw him
• What we achieve does not change what we are!
• that will not provide you a place in Heaven
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Nicodemus Was A Religious Man – He was a Pharisee!
• Jewish Ruling Council/5 books/5,300 verses
• He kept the Law
• Morally pure to a degree you and I cannot imagine!
• Jesus recognized/religious efforts these men, Matt. 5:20.
• He paid his tithes, did everything the Law said to do
• Fasting/ceremonial washing
• never touched/woman/avoided looking them when possible
• Not come into contact with a sinner/holy man!
• What we do does not change who we are!
In spite of the outward attempts at righteousness, Nicodemus was a religious man in need of a Redeemer! ====================================
Here is where many well-meaning people are confused.
• They think/good enough or do enough, it will guarantee them access into Heaven.
• Nothing you have, do or are changed what you are: a sinner in need of a Savior!
• That is why the new birth is not an option
• Want to miss hell and go to Heaven
• you must be born again!
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The Nature Of Heaven Makes It A Must – In verse 3, Jesus says that without the new birth, you cannot “enter the kingdom of God.”
• we receive a new nature when we are saved, 2 Peter 1:4
• Only way you/get/Heaven/you/first get Heaven into you!
Besides, if you went to heaven with a lost, fallen nature, you would be miserable! Heaven would become Hell for you!
• Against your nature to enjoy anything in that land. T
You will never see a bird swimming laps in a pool.
• Why? It’s against its nature!
Never see a cow dancing in a Broadway show.
• Why? It’s against its nature!
Never see a pig flying from tree limb to tree limb.
• Why? It’s against its nature!
You will never a see a lost sinner in Heaven!
• Why? Because it’s against their nature!
•
That is why Jesus says, “You must be born again!”
• Not an option! Don’t settle for a maybe so
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II. v. 4-8THE MYSTERY OF THE NEW BIRTH
When Jesus told Nicodemus that he had to be born again, it messed with his mind!
• Nicodemus could not grasp how that could be.
• Imagined himself going back into his mother’s womb to be born a second time.
• It completely went over his head.
• So many of us it is the same.
• Nicodemus knows that he is in the presence of a mystery and he wants the answers.
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No doubt/new birth/mysterious thing.
• None of us truly understands everything about it.
• It is still/mystery, even to those of us who/experienced it!
You don’t let the mystery of electricity to cause you to sit in the dark do you?
• Mystery/brown cow/green grass/yellow butter/white milk
• Stop you/enjoying butter, milk and ice cream do you?
• Jesus addresses this mystery for Nicodemus.
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A. Compares to a birth.
• V. 5-6. Water and the Spirit
• Flesh gives birth to flesh—Spirit give birth to Spirit.
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Compares It to a Breeze V.8
• Original lang. greek—spirit to breath and wind.
• Nature of my movement is like the wind.
• You just got to accept it.
Tired trying to produce supernatural change in your life by human effort and you need the fresh wind of God to blow through your life.
• Ezekiel 37 dried bones. …..
• Let the breath of God breath on your finances…..
• Faith into your faithless/ hope into your hopelessness.
• Stop figuring it out
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You cannot see God do His work in a heart in this altar.
• Can see the effects of the wind of the Spirit in a life!
When you see/drunkard leave his bottle
• Know God has been working!
When you hear clean language come/mouth used/sewer
• Know God has been at work.
When you see a vile woman become a clean woman
• Know God has passed by.
When you see a wicked, hateful man turn into a sweet, loving, holy saint
• Know the wind of the Spirit has been blowing in his soul.
It is a mystery because we do not see it happen
• No denying the effects/power of God
Jesus is saying, “Nick, I can save you and when I do, you will never be the same!”
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III. v. 9-15 THE MEANS OF THE NEW BIRTH
Nicodemus hears/wants to know how this can be?
Jesus takes/next few verses/explain/how/new birth can become a reality!
John 3:16 believe……
Most popular….but most dangerous.
Believe…..? trust entirely in Jesus. 1 Pet. 5:7
If your still struggling you can be born again…..believe.
As we close today, I want to draw your attention back to John 2:24-25 for just a moment. Before Nicodemus ever came to Jesus, Jesus knew what was in the heart of Nicodemus!
