Today we will be reading from the Gospel of John 3:1-18
Intro
Who am I? (Speaking as a guest preacher)
Cautions
Don’t trust me
- Check everything I say with the Scriptures
- Careful who you watch or listen to
- Check what they say with the Scriptures
- If you know the Scriptures you will “not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed …”
- Some say:
o Jesus was rich not poor and you should be rich too
o You can pray to Mary or some other dead person
o Certain sexual sins listed in the Bible are no longer sinful
o The Bible is not literal (miracles, resurrection, Jonah)
o All you need is love
- Be careful, very careful
Leading up to today’s Scripture
- The wedding in Cana of Galilee
- The Passover
o Jesus clearing the Temple outer court
o Signs
o The Jews demand “What sign can You show us to prove Your authority to do all this?”
Read the Scripture - John 3:1-9
John 3:1-2 - “Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. 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.’”
- Nicodemus
o Pharisee
o Jewish ruling council - the Sanhedrin
o “We know …” - Sincere question - not a trap (public)
Tension between physical birth and spiritual birth …
John 3:3 - “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.”
(born again or from above? - which is Nicodemus thinking?)
John 3:4 - “How can someone be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!”
John 3:5-8 - “Jesus answered, ‘I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.
Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ 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.’”
“born of water” - baptism??? Physical birth??? How can we tell?
- Context
Underline the following words in your Bible in verses 5, 6 and 7 and connect them with arrows and you will see the pattern …
verse 5 verse 6 verse 8
Born of water | flesh gives birth to flesh | everyone
(Born of) the Spirit | Spirit gives birth to spirit | born of the Spirit
Should everyone who is born again be baptized? Yes.
When verse 5 references water is it speaking of baptism? No.
John 3:7 contains an imperative statement!
(YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN!!!!!!)
This is not a suggestion.
John 3:9 - “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.
What a GREAT QUESTION!!
Popular culture never asks that question.
The main question, “How to get to heaven after you die?”
Popular beliefs:
1) There are many paths that lead to God
- Oprah - Steve Harvey - Mother Theresa
o “Yes, I convert. I convert you to be a better Hindu, or a better Muslim, or a better Protestant, or a better Catholic, or a better Parsee, or a better Sikh, or a better Buddhist. And after you have found God, it is for you to do what God wants you to do.’ ”
o Which “god” is she talking about?
2) God loves everyone unconditionally
- Proof text - first five words of John 3:16 - “God so loved the world …”
- It doesn’t matter what you have done - God still loves you
- Also used as a proof for universal salvation
3) God will accept anyone who feeds the hungry, gives water to the thirsty, clothes the naked, cares for the needy, visits the sick and those in prison
4) Whatever you believe just believe it sincerely and you’ll be OK
5) “God is still speaking …”
With all of these notions, what is the real way?
Would Jesus declare, “You must be born again” and NOT tell us HOW TO be born again?
John 3:15-18
Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in Him.
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.
For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.
Whoever 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.”
And the same truth is repeated in John 3:36 where it says,
“Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him.”
So, here we have the first two truths …
1) You MUST be born again
2) You are born again by believing in Jesus the Son of God
Confusion about being born again by faith alone apart from doing good works.
Think about the life of a Christian as a fruit tree.
There is the root and there is the fruit.
The fruit NEVER precedes the root.
If there is no root there will NEVER be any real fruit.
There are literally millions if not billions of people who claim to be Christians and who are working very hard to gain heaven but they do not have their root in Christ, they are not born again or saved.
You notice in this entire 3rd chapter of John when Jesus is speaking He never mentions doing good works as a way to eternal life.
Where do we see the relationship between being born again and then living our lives for Christ?
Ephesians 2:8-10
John 15:5-8
Galatians 2:20
“I have been crucified with Christ
Titus 3:3-5
“At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.
“But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, He 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.”
Why did Jesus put the two great commandments in the order He used? Root first - fruit second.
The 10 Commandments
4 for our relationship with God (new birth - the fruit)
1 for children to listen to parents in learning about relationship with God
5 the fruit of the relationship with God (no murder, adultery, stealing, lying or coveting)
You must be born again
Spiritual birth starts by believing in, trusting in, faith in Jesus Christ.
(True spiritual birth ALWAYS results in good spiritual fruit)
Cost and benefit of this great salvation
1 John 1:5-7 - “the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin.”
Freedom from sin hangover (repercussion)
Fellowship with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit
John 14:23 - “If anyone loves Me, He will obey my teaching …”
Peace
Matthew 6:31-33 - “Do not worry …”
And in addition to all of that you have
Galatians 5:22-23 - “The fruit of the Spirit …”
Love instead of hate
Joy instead of sorrow
Peace instead of turmoil
Patience instead of frustration
Goodness instead of wickedness
Faithfulness instead of betrayal
Gentleness instead of cruelty
Self control instead of unrestraint
You also get forgiveness of your sins
You get healing from hurt that only the Lord can give
You get to have an actual one-on-one relationship with Jesus
What could be better!!!!
Final thoughts - possible invitation - closing prayer
