It was developed as a separate 24-hour channel devoted to television of the last 40 years. He had such programs as:
• I love Lucy
• Bewitched
• I dreamed of Jeannie
• Beverly hillbillies
• Brady bunch
• Happy days
• Mary Tyler Moore
And etc.
One of the things I watched is the KEITH OBERMAN SHOW.
LET ME TELL YOU WHY I LIKED THAT PROGRAM?
Keith would talk about a person He considers to be THE WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD!
Let me illustrate:
• If you were asked who is the WORST PERSON YOU HAVE EVER CAME INTO CONTACT with whom would you name? (Wives do not look at your husband…that is a dead giveaway!
• If you were asked who is the rudest person you ever met was, WHO WOULD YOU SAY? (Do not look at your children. That is also a dead giveaway!
• If you were asked who is the most fascinating person you ever met was, WHO WOULD YOU SAY? (Fellows this is a good time to look at your wife and smile!
• If you were asked who the best preacher you ever heard preach God’s Word was, WHO WOULD YOU SAY? (Do not start scratching your head and looking like you do not know. That is also a dead giveaway!
Jesus met some fascinating people. If you were to ask the Lord who was the MOST FASCINATING PERSON HE EVER MET WAS, He might say that it was a man by the name of Nicodemus who came to him by night. Let me explain…
• Nicodemus was one of the most powerful and influential men in all of Israel during this time period in which Christ was here on earth.
• Nicodemus was a wealthy, powerful, religious man
• Jesus refers to Nicodemus as a “Master of Israel” which means he was a MASTER TEACHER
• Nicodemus was an educated man, but despite his learning, there were some things this man did not know
One night this rich, powerful, educated man found himself alone in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ asking some very important questions.
One of the reasons that educated people are intelligent is because they ask questions.
Asking questions…
• It shows you want to learn
• It also may give you the answer to something you do not know.
Let me illustrate.
Illus: The Chevy Nova was a relatively successful American car for many years. Encouraged by U.S. sales, Chevrolet began to market the Nova throughout the world. Unfortunately, the Nova did not sell well in Mexico and other Latin American countries. Additional ads were ordered and marketing efforts were stepped up. The sales remained stagnant. Sales directors were baffled. The car had sold well in the American market; why wasn’t it selling now Mexico and Latin American countries? Humm!
They discovered the answer, it was rather embarrassing. They did not ask what Nova meant in Spanish. In Spanish Nova means “Don’t go”!!! So the Latin people were not going to buy a car that would NOT GO! If the Chevrolet people just had stopped and asked what NOVA meant, it would have saved them a lot of money.
It pays to ask questions! You can learn a lot by asking questions!
Nicodemus had some problem with this phrase of being, “Born Again!”
Births have always fascinated us.
One of the difficult problems we parents have is explaining to our children how they are born.
Illus: A mother who dreaded the day she would have to explain about child birth decided she would let her children watch a special program on PBS showing the birth of a baby.
• The mom thought it would be a good starting point for answering questions about the facts of life.
• As her five-year-old boy studied the baby coming out of the birth canal, he asked, "Mom, does that hurt?"
• "Oh, yes, it does," she said, remembering her difficult deliveries.
• "Wow," he continued in awe, "Does it hurt the mother also?"
Nicodemus wanted to learn something about the SPIRITUAL BIRTH that we must all have to enter heaven.
The first thing the Lord teaches Nicodemus…
I. HE MUST BE BORN AGAIN
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE, “BORN AGAIN”?
Nicodemus was confused about being BORN AGAIN!!!
We men have a different perspective on child birth.
For example…
• You will never hear a man say to his wife, "Boy, you're lucky. I sure wish men could experience the miracle of childbirth."
• However you might hear him say to his wife, “You think the baby will come before Monday Night Football starts?”
• You might hear a man say, “If you think this hurts, I should tell you about the time I twisted my ankle playing basketball.”
• You might hear a man say to his wife as she is delivering, “That was the kids on the phone. Did you have anything planned for dinner?”
• You might hear a man saying to his expectant wife, “When you lay on your back, you look like a python that swallowed a wild boar.”
The little phrase, “Born Again” literally means, “To be born from above.”
There are two problems people have with being BORN AGAIN.
(1) MANY HAVE DIFFICULTY WITH THE WORD "ETERNAL"
Illus: Spiritually speaking, to hear some folks talk about the born again experience, they make you think of a cat with nine lives. They keep getting born again, born again, born again!
This gets to be confusing. Suppose you could be born again nine times like a cat.
If you got born again the tenth time, what happened to those nine eternal lives?
Some would say they would no longer exist!!!
Well, if that is the case, eternal does not mean eternal.
Listen, Christ died once for sin and if a person had to keep getting born again, Christ would have to die again for their sins each time they claimed they got saved.
But this is not the case.
Look at Romans 6:7-10, we read, “For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.”
Christ is saying in these verses of scriptures I have died for your since ONCE and I am not going to die again!!!
People often ask, “What about all those who claim to be saved and are living in sin?”
They never got saved!
Look at scripture Hebrews 10:26 with me. We read, For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
Someone might say you can find sin in the life of a Christian and a sinner.
This is true…but there is a difference in their sins!!! The Word of God make that distinction.
• The Christian does not willfully sin, because the NEW BIRTH means they are born again.
Illus: When it comes for a Christian it is like they fall into a lake accidently.
This is not the case with the sinner…
• The sinner willfully sins because they have that sinful nature and they have never been born again.
The sinner does not fall into sin accidently they purposely dive into sin.
Illus: Make me think of the man who was bitten by snake and applying for insurance policy.
They asked the man if he had ever had any accidents.
And the man said, “No, never had any accidents!
The insurance man said earlier you said you had got bitten by a snake once.
Yes, but that was no accident! That snake meant to bite me!”
The difference between a SINNER SINNING and a CHRISTIAN SINNING is this…
• The Christian might ACCIDENTLY FALL INTO SIN,
• BUT A SINNER WILLFUL FALLS INTO SIN.
DID YOU KNOW THIS…That is when it comes to sin the believer HE/SHE is through with sin somewhat.
Keep in mind I said SOMEWHAT!!!
Look at Romans 8:1 we read, Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
When it comes to SANCTIFICATION I am progressively being sanctified.
Let me show you something precious about Romans 8:1.
• In the original manuscript we read these words only in Romans 8:1 “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.”
• It is worth noting that the KJV and some other translations contain an added clause to Romans 8:1: “…Who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit”
• But in the original manuscript we read these words only “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.”(Period)
On the cross of Christ He took our sins and His righteousness is imputed to us!
As a BORN AGAIN child of God we are SOMEWHAT THROUGH WITH SIN.
HOW IS THAT?
God said we are no longer CONDEMN by sin!!!
We who are in Christ we do not have to live in condemnation like the lost world who is condemn daily. We who are IN Christ are no longer condemned!!!
You see, Christ is the sinless Son of God. He was born without sin; he was conceived by the Holy Spirit.
And the same Holy Spirit who helps us to walk not after the sinful flesh each day.
How do we live a life of no longer WILFULLY SINNING???
We are no longer controlled by the SINFUL FLESH but by the Holy Spirit.
Illus: It is like this every one of us is dominated by the law of gravity who live on this earth. There are NO EXCEPTIONS.
It is gravity that keeps us from flying out into space. Gravity is the magnet that holds us to the earth. We are dominated by gravity every one of us daily!
But did you know we can overcome the law of gravity!!!
How!
• We can get on an airplane that will take us from the earth.
The law of gravity says what goes up must come down but as we fly upward we are breaking the law of gravity.
• The same thing with us Christians we can overcome law of sin through the Holy Spirit who lifts us up above sin daily. (Aman!)
Many folks like Nicodemus had a difficult time understanding what BORN AGAIN mean.
(2) THEY GET REFORMATION MIXED UP WITH REGENERATION
Reformation is good but it want save you.
Illus: Each year folks make New Year’s Resolutions! They resolve that they are going to:
• Lose Weight
• Manage Debt
• Save Money
• Get a Better Job
• Start exercising
• Eat Right
• Get a Better Education
• Stop drinking
• Quit Smoking
• Reduce Stress at Home
• Reduce Stress at Work
• Volunteer to Help Others
But listen, you can resolve to do all these things and do them and still die and go to a Christ-less eternity!
What the world needs is NOT REFORMATION, BUT REGENERATION!
Illus: Someone said, "Trying to get a unsaved individual to live like a Christian without being born again is like trying to teach a pig how to sing."
Someone else said, "You should never try to teach a pig to sing. You only get frustrated, and it really annoys the pig."
• Reformation is just whitewashing, but regeneration will wash you white!
• Reformation will put new clothes on a man, but regeneration will put a new man in his clothes!
Every person under the sound of my voice needs regeneration and not reformation!
Let me illustrate…
Illus: Roger L. Fredrikson tells of a man named Mr. Nou, who lived in china. "In his old life he had frequently beaten his wife and children, often neglecting them while he was 'partying with other women' as he put it. His weekends were often drunken orgies. Coming to the United Sates as a refugee from Laos did not change his situation. In fact, it worsened it! He finally gave in to one of his persistent friends who almost angered him by constantly urging him to come with him to church. At first, it was all a joke for Mr. Nou. But then, in God's mysterious way, he met the One to whom Nicodemus came at night. It was a radical, life-changing encounter, and Mr. Nou was “born again."
"He emptied the whiskey bottles in his home and began to treat his wife and children with new love and respect. Then he discovered new friends among the believers and began to eagerly study the Scriptures at 5:00 each morning."
His wife said, "I don't have a different husband, I have a new one!"
AGAIN….What the world needs is not REFORMATION, but REGENERATION!
• You see, if you have been born only once, then friend you are going to die twice.
• But, if you have been born twice, you will never die
The Lord was teaching this MASTER TEACHER that everyone that is born into this life is NOT going to heaven.
• The Lord knew that Nicodemus was not born again.
• He knows everyone here today that is born again and who is not born again.
When the Lord Jesus returns to RAPTURE HIS CHURCH not one child of God is going to be left behind. NOT ONE!!!
It is a terrible thing to be left behind!!!
Illus: Dr. Odell Belger tells the true story when him, his sister and his brother were at Lake Murray water skiing on a beautiful Sunday as teen agers instead of going to church.
Dr. Belger was skiing while his brother was driving the boat pulling him.His brother Jack decided he wanted to ski later but he could not swim. (I think he later learned how) So he put one of these life belt preserves you put around your waist. Now these things work well when you are in water and as long as you keep your hands in the water and paddle with your hands your head will stay above the water. But if you put your hands up out of the water your head will go into the water. His brother was skiing abut seventy five or hundred yards off shore. But he fell and when Dr. Belger pulled the boat around to pick him up he noticed his hands were up out of the water and he was in a state of panic because his head was cover with water. Dr. Belger dove into the water to help him. When he reached his brother in the water his brother grabbed him and began to use him for a step ladder to push his head up out of the water.In the meantime his sister was in the boat screaming for help to people on the shore line.
Someone on shore heard his sister screaming for help and a man jumped in his boat and came out to rescue his brother. Once the man in the boat came to rescue him they got him in the boat and immediately headed for the shore with him. But in their haste to get him in the boat they forgot Dr. Belger and left him about 75 to a100 hundred yards to swim ashore. He was exhausted after trying to help his brother to stay above the water. As he was swimming to the shore line he promised the Lord if he would help him from drowning and make it to shore he would never skip church for swimming again on the Lord’s day.
It is a terrible thing to be left behind, but not one of God’s children will be left behind in the rapture of His church.
As a child of God I am not afraid of being left behind.
God knows every one of His children. HE KNOWS ALL ABOUT US!!! There is not anything He does not know about us.
Illus: A woman told a preacher one day God told her to give him a brand new pair of shoes.
She said, Preacher, What size shoes do you wear?
He said, “Lady, if God told you to give me those shoes they will fit because God know what size I wear!”
Isn’t it something that God can see every human on the face of the earth at the same time, and He knows which one are His and which ones are not!!!
Illus: You can go down here at William Brice Football Stadium and that stadium will be packed but as He looks down in that crowd of fans He knows those who are his and those who are not his.
He knows ALL about everyone of us…
• How tall or short you are (Pause for thought)
• He knows what size shoe you wear (Pause for thought)
• He knows how many degrees you have, or do not have (Pause for thought)
• He knows how many words you said last week, (and some of you keep Him pretty busy counting) (Pause for thought)
• He knows your every thought, and if it is good or bad (Pause for thought)
• Listen to this ladies, He even knows how old you are (Pause for thought)
• He knows how much you weigh (Pause for thought)
• He knows what you watch on television (Pause for thought)
• He knows the kind of books you read (Pause for thought)
• He knows if you really love Him or not (Pause for thought)
• And listen to this…He knows WHO IS BORN AGAIN AND WHO IS NOT!
THE MASTER taught the MASTER TEACHER that HE MUST BE BORN AGAIN!
But also he taught Him –
II. HOW HE MUST BE BORN AGAIN
Illus: If a building is on fire and you tell me it is on fire; that is good. But now tell me how to escape.
The Lord did not just tell Nicodemus he was lost, he told him what he must do to be saved.
Heaven is not going to be filled with some who are born again and some who are not.
Let me show you why we MUST BE BORN AGAIN.
A. HUMANITY MAKES IT A MUST
LET ME EXAMPLAIN WHY A PERSON MUST BE BORN AGAIN (Born above).
Listen, if you went to heaven in your SINFUL NATURE you would be miserable in heaven!
That is why we need a new birth; it prepares us to enter in and to enjoy that new land!
Illus: When it comes to nature, think about this:
• You will never see a bird swimming laps in a pool. Why? It’s against its nature!
• You will never see a cow dancing in a Broadway show. Why? It’s against its nature!
• You will never see a pig flying from tree limb to tree limb. Why? It’s against its nature!
• You will never see a lost sinner in Heaven! Why? Because it’s against their nature!
If you are going to heaven you will need a new nature.
That is why Jesus says, “You must be born again!” (Born above) It is not an option!
Nicodemus had all the plusses and none of the minuses from a human perspective.
Look at all this man had going for him!
• Nicodemus Was A Rich Man – Money can buy you many things here in this world, but it can't buy you anything in Heaven!
• Nicodemus Was A Respectable Man – But that will not provide you a place in Heaven
• Nicodemus Was A Religious Man – Still, what we do does not change who we are!
Here is where many well-meaning people are confused as to why they MUST BE BORN AGAIN!
• No matter what you have
• No matter what you do
• No matter who you are
God’s Word says we are all born into sin and MUST BE BORN AGAIN!
That is why the new birth is NOT AN OPTION; IT IS A MUST!
If you want to avoid Hell and go to Heaven, then you must be born again!
HUMANITY MAKES IT A MUST –
But also…
B. HEAVEN MAKES IT A MUST
In verse 3, Jesus says that without the new birth, you cannot “Enter the kingdom of God.”
NOTICE WHAT KIND OF PLACE HEAVEN IS. IT IS THE “KINGDOM OF GOD.”
Do you understand what He is saying?
Illus: It has been said that Heaven, “Is a prepared place for a prepared people.”
One of the most precious benefits of the new birth is the fact that we receive a new nature when we are saved.
The new birth prepares you for life in a new kingdom!
Illus: A young sculptor worked painstakingly on the statue of an angel. When the great Michelangelo came to view it, the artist hid nearby and waited to hear the master's comment.
Michelangelo looked intently at the sculpture with breathless suspense. At last he said, "It lacks only one thing."
Hearing this, the young artist was heartbroken. For days he could neither eat nor sleep.
A friend became so concerned for him that he went to Michelangelo to ask what the statue lacked.
The master replied, "It lacks only life; with life it would be perfect." (William E. Biederwolf.)
The NEW BIRTH puts life into us where we are a prepared person for a prepared people.
Let me explained it this way.
• I can remember where I was when I heard President John F. Kennedy was assassinated!
• I can remember where I was when I heard Elvis Presley died
• But I can go one better than that…I do not remember the date when I became born again!!! BUT I CAN TAKE YOU TO THE PLACE!!!
Illus: Dr. Odell Belger said I can remember three things in my life…
• When I first met my wife and I can take you to the place and almost stand in the place where I first saw her.
• I can remember on a Sunday evening when I was sitting in the back seat of my family’s car and take you almost to spot in the highway where I felt the calling of God on my life into the ministry.
• I cannot remember the date but I can take you to spot in a building at 1144 Olympia Ave in Columbia, S.C. on a Sunday evening when I was on my knees crying out to God and I became BORN AGAIN!!!
And listen if you cannot remember that place when you became born again I suggest when I give the invitation you come to this old fashion altar and make this place where you are BORN AGAIN!!!
God said YOU MUST BE BORN ABOVE IF YOU EXPECT TO GO ABOVE!!!
We have looked at:
I. WE MUST BE BORN AGAIN
II. WHY WE MUST BE BORN AGAIN
Let us look at something else about this NEW BIRTH. We need to consider…
III. THE MYSTERY OF THE NEW BIRTH
Look at verses 4-8, we read, "Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit."
Births are always a mystery!
Nicodemus certainly saw it this way.
Look especially at verse 4, Nicodemus asks, “How can a man be born when he is old?”
He was a smart man, but he had no idea what the Lord was talking about.
There are always people smarter than we are and they can teach us something if we let them.
Illus: It reminds me of the old days in the west when men wore pistols on their hips, but no matter how fast a man was on the draw, there was always someone faster.
Illus: A man said to his wife one day, “I don’t know how you can be so stupid and so beautiful all at the same time.”
The wife responded, “Allow me to explain. God made me beautiful so you would be attracted to me; God made me stupid so I would be attracted to you!"
Nicodemus was a smart man, but just because a person is smart does not mean they know everything. There is always someone smarter than we are that can teach us something.
He did not know the first thing about being born again!
Look at verse 5-7, “Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.”
Jesus was saying JUST BECAUSE YOU ARE HERE DOES NOT MEAN YOU WILL BE UP THERE!
The Lord is talking about spiritual birth. He said:
• Flesh gives birth to the flesh
• The Spirit gives birth to the spirit
Notice, Jesus explains that there are two elements to this new birth: Water and Spirit.
The Spirit works in the believer's life to regenerate them.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE BORN OF WATER?
He was referring to John the Baptist’s baptism of repentance.
Before a person should be baptized they first should repent of their sins and then follow the Lord in Believer’s baptism
Remember when that crowd came to John to be baptized?
Look at Matthew 3:7-8, "But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance.”
WHAT IS JOHN SAYING TO THIS CROWD?
If a sinner is baptized without repentance:
• They go in the water as a dry sinner
• Come out a wet sinner
John’s baptism represented the REPENTANCE that must occur before salvation occurs.
Luke 13:3, "I tell you, nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish."
Notice how Jesus addresses this mystery for Nicodemus to understand in two ways:
A. HE COMPARES IT TO A BIRTH
Look at verses 4-7, we read, "Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again."
The Lord was telling Nicodemus that for a man to get to heaven he must have two births.
1) There must be a day when he was born into the kingdom of men…
2) There must be a day when he is born into the kingdom of God!
There are many ways that physical birth can be used to illustrate spiritual birth.
He compares it to the physical birth…
For example:
1. PHYSICAL BIRTH PROVIDES LIFE
• Babies have life because they are born in the physical world!
• Likewise, spiritual birth provides a person with spiritual life.
2. PHYSICAL BIRTH ONLY HAPPENS ONCE
• Physically speaking, you can only be born one time!
• Spiritually, the same thing is true!
3. PHYSICAL BIRTH TAKES PLACE BECAUSE OF THE SUFFERING OF ANOTHER
• A mother enters the very jaws of death to bring life into this world.
• Jesus entered the cruel jaws of death so that you might be born again. The new birth rests squarely upon the pain and suffering of another!
4. PHYSICAL BIRTH GIVES THE INFANT A BRAND NEW START
• No baby is born with a past!
• They have no past, only a future!
The Lord makes a comparison to the
Physical birth.
But also…
B. HE COMPARES IT TO A BREEZE
Look at verse 8, we read, "The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit."
The wind is a great mystery.
It is like the Holy Spirit in that it can't be seen but it is a powerful force that cannot be denied.
The new birth is the much the same. You cannot see God do His work in a heart, but you can see the effects of the working of the Spirit in a life!
• When you see a drunkard leave his bottle, you know God has been working in his life!
• When you hear clean language come from a mouth that used to be a sewer mouth, you know God has been at working his life.
• When you see a vile woman become a clean woman, you know God has been working in her life.
• When you see a wicked, hateful man turn into a sweet, loving, holy saint, you know the wind of the Spirit has been blowing in his soul.
It is a mystery because we do not see it happen.
But, there is no denying the effects of the power of God when He works in the human heart.
I need to mention one more thing about the wind.
When Nicodemus stood before the Lord, the wind of the Spirit was blowing in the soul of Nicodemus.
The time to call upon the Lord for salvation is when the wind of the Holy Spirit is blowing.
It might be gone in an instant, never to return.
God is a patient God but He will not always strive with man. We read in Gen. 6:3a says, “And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man….”
The time for Nicodemus to heed God’s call was when the Spirit was moving in his heart.
Many folks have the idea that they will get saved when they are good and ready. NO YOU WILL NOT!
In John 6:44, we read, "No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day."
If the wind of the Holy Spirit is blowing in your heart today, you need to ask the Lord to save you today! He will not always deal with you.
If you sense the wind of the Holy Spirit blowing in your direction today, you need to respond by allowing Him to save you today!
The Word of God says that TODAY is the day of salvation.
Conclusion:
We do not need reformation we need regeneration.
I. HE MUST BE BORN AGAIN
II. HOW HE MUST BE BORN AGAIN
III. THE MYSTERY OF THE NEW BIRTH
