Series: Light And Life [#6]
WHAT YOU NEED MOST
John 3:1-15
Introduction:
What is it that you need most? Do you need a better job, a better family, a better house, etc…? I was talking to Kaitlyn yesterday and I was reminded of how good I have it now. Kaitlyn just moved into a new apartment and she had to get some furniture. As a 22 year old woman, she doesn’t have much money to spend so she went to the Habitat For Humanity store. She needed a couch, kitchen table, and 2 chairs. She was very proud to tell me that she was able to get everything she needed for $60. The kitchen table caught my attention- It is ½ of a ping pong table. Now while that doesn’t sound too fancy, it will serve her need.
It is amazing to me about how many things we think we need. My 2 nieces from India had no idea that they needed a bed to sleep in until they were adopted and moved to the USA. The truth is- They don’t need a bed. They didn’t need an indoor bathroom. They didn’t need shoes. They didn’t need a lot of clothes. What they needed was food and water. There are many things that we don’t need; but there is something we need even more than food and water- We need Jesus.
What do we need to do to find spiritual success that will result in a real relationship with Jesus?
John 3:1 (NIV)
1 Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council.
To find spiritual success…
1. Check your definition of success.
Nicodemus was a Pharisee. As soon as I read his title, you probably started thinking about how evil this religious man was. To be fair, Nicodemus was a member of this special group who never had more than 6,000 members. Each had taken a vow that they would devote their entire life, every moment, to obeying the Ten Commandments. Nicodemus was also a member of the Sanhedrin. This was a group of 70 men who ran the religious affairs of the nation and who had religious authority over every Jew in the world. As verse 10 tells us, Nicodemus was a teacher of Israel. Nicodemus was at the top- Religiously, morally, politically, and socially. By all of the world’s standards he was a success.
John 3:2 (NIV)
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.”
To find spiritual success…
2. Check your source of success.
It is interesting that Nicodemus showed up at night. Why did Nicodemus come at night? There are 2 possibilities- So that he wouldn’t be noticed or so that he could find time alone with Jesus. I have always assumed that Nicodemus simply did not want his reputation to be ruined by being seen with Jesus; but I do believe he wanted to talk to Jesus alone.
Nicodemus was not the only person who believed that Jesus was sent from God. Notice that he said, “We know”. Some of the Pharisees were noticing and discussing the fact that there was no way that Jesus could perform those miracles apart from God.
John 3:3-7 (NIV)
3 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” 4 “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.’
To find spiritual success…
3. Check your method of success.
Jesus tells Nicodemus that he must be born again; and it completely throws him off. This doesn’t sound like anything he had heard before. How could a person who had been born once go back into the womb to be born again? To be born of water speaks of a physical birth; and to be born of the Spirit is a spiritual birth.
Why was this such a challenge to Nicodemus? He was a Jew. This was not the method of pleasing God that he had been taught. You cannot be spiritually successful without a new birth. You can’t add spirituality onto your life. You must start again. To live a spiritually successful life you must understand the difference between religion and regeneration.
Religion says…
? I can achieve God’s favor on my own.
Regeneration says…
? God’s love is an undeserved gift.
Religion says…
? The good in my life can outweigh the sin.
Regeneration says…
? Jesus’ death on the cross forgives my sin.
Religion says…
? I must give up a part of my life.
Regeneration says…
? I commit my entire life to Jesus.
Religion says…
? I must try hard.
Regeneration says…
I must trust Him.
Jesus gives Nicodemus an illustration to help him understand being born of the Spirit.
John 3:8-12 (NIV)
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.” 9 “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked. 10 “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? 11 Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. 12 I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?
Jesus pointed out 3 issues that Nicodemus had:
? You don’t understand.
? You don’t receive.
? You don’t believe.
This is a reminder to us that people who are not saved do not understand the things of God. It is also a reminder that we may never fully understand the things of God. That’s ok; but you must believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God raised from the dead to be saved. You must also receive the gift of salvation that has been offered to you through Jesus.
John 3:13-15 (NIV)
13 No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven- the Son of Man. 14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”
Jesus gives Nicodemus a picture to challenge him to believe. A picture that he could relate to. Jesus reminded him of the story when the Israelites had sinned against God and they were being bitten by poisonous snakes and dying. God told Moses to put an image of a snake on a pole and hold it up. Anyone who looked at the snake on the pole was saved.
How can we be born again? Jesus must be lifted up. The word “lifted” means both to be crucified and to be glorified. We must believe.
Conclusion:
What each person needs more than anything else is salvation through Jesus Christ. As Christians, the most important thing to us should be to lift up Jesus, so that others will be drawn to Him and saved.
