The Night Caller
John 3:1-16
Intro.
It was late at night a knock on the door. We do not know why Jesus was alone, this was during the time of his great popularity we would have thought that some of his friends might be with him, they may have gone for food or most likely he had sent them out because he knew a visitor was on the way to see him.
The door is opened and here stands a Pharisee. We might close our eyes and imagine a long robe with a colorful border at the bottom. The larger the border the more pious the person wearing it was to appear.
He is acquainted with Jesus in reputation only. He probably searches for words to break the ice. He blurts out “we know you are teacher sent from God because no man could do the miracles that you do evcept God be with him.”
We almost want to help ole Nic out by saying get to the point tell Jesus why you have come so late in the day. Some have speculated that being an important Pharisee and a ruler in the Sanhedrin he may have had a busy schedule. Some have felt because Jesus was always in the midst of a crowd during the day this may have been the only time he could get to him.
Others have ventured that he feared the criticizm of the other rulers caused him to travel under the cloak of darkness. After all the larger percentage of the Pharisees and especially the rulers thought Jesus was their enemy and they wanted rid of him. This would be my thought.
I. The Pharisee: “religion incarnate”
Several times we have looked at the Pharisees in Jesus day. They were extremely religious going theough the motions that impressed those around them and of course they probably thought that God surely would be glad that he had such good of servants.
One of the Pharisees that had gone to the temple at the time a publican had gone in. the scripture said, “The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.” Luke 18:11-12
I don’t think this man was lying about his life, he thought he was doing pretty darn good. They made a fair showing of actually living what they considered a good moral life. When we read his description of himself we are prone to ask, “Where can we find Baptists that put forth this kind of effort?”
From this side of the cross and with the holy Bible to lead we know that Jesus branded them as hypocrites, however I believe if we had lived during that time we would have thought they were great servants of the most high God. They looked like servants of God, or at least what men of that day thought they should look. Certainly they talked like the servants that men thought them to be.
Almost all of them wore a phylactery around their head or upon their upper arm. This was a small leather case that was bound either around their heads hanging down above their eyes or upon their upper arm near their heart. Inside of the leather case was enhoused one of the laws, saying to those that seen them that their heart and their mind was totally surrendered to God.
So with all of this said, what is the problem?
II. The Problem: “His Adamic nature”
As I said, the Pharisee thought he was the best of God’s servants and the people believed that also. The problem was that God did not believe they were near as good as they thought they were. When the “christened one of God” that is Jesus the Christ, unloaded on them in Matt 23:2-7, “Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat:
All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,
And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.”
Did you ever have a pet that you though was almost human? Some dogs seem to be so intelligent they obey the commands of the owner. They mind better than the children. When the owner calls they come immediately, they roll over and play dead on command. They are never demanding, they are completely satisfied with the chew toy you give them.
But generally they have some bad habits that come out. They turn the trash over and eat the scraps they find inside. If you’re not careful they may chew up your house slippers when you aren’t around. They may drink from the toilet bowl if the door is left open. If they’re so smart why do they do these things?
The obvious answer is because they are a dog. And even though you can teach them to sit up on command. And do numerous tricks they are still a dog with a dog’s nature. You can teach him to act like he is one of the family, you can brag about his intelligence but in the final analyses he is still a dog with the nature of a dog.
Many of the religious groups today teach that man needs to clean up his act and join the church and he is on his way to heaven. Now Nicodemus would have gone along with this but he also had a wrinkle that Methodists and Pentacostals don’t. He believed himself to be one of God’s elect. After all the Jews were the chosen people of God. Now with all that going for him wasn’t he on his way to glory?
Nicodemus’ problem was not what he did but who he was. His nature was wrong he had that inherit sinful nature that he got from Adam. This was our problem also we are born sinners. It is true we choose to sin also but that because we are born with a nature to sin. We like to sin, that’s why we continue to do so.
“Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
Some seem to think Nicodemus should have understood this line of thought but I don’t think so. I know of a lot of Baptists that are still wrestling with it. Until Nicodemus is born again he cannot understand the things of the Spirit of God. I believe this is one of the things Jesus was saying to him. Look at 1 Cor 2:14
“But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”
This says to me that he could not know them because they are spiritually discerned.
What was this new doctrine Jesus was expounding? A man must be born again, how foolish thought Nicodemus, “Can a man enter the second time into his mothers womb to be born again?” Then “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.”
What do you mean Lord?
III. The Power: “The Holy Spirit”
If we follow what Jesus was saying and not try to look at each verse separately I think it’s fairly easy to understand. Billy Graham used this passage to write a book on “How To Be Born Again” I don’t believe Jesus gave any such instructions here. He said you can see the effects of the Spirit but it’s like the wind you can’t see him.
To enter into the kingdom of God man must be born twice. The term again tells us that we have been born once and now we are to be born the second time. He said, “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”
He quickly added, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” I believe he is explaining the water and the spirit. The natural birth is preceded by a woman’s water breaking, and in that day I believe that it referred to natural birth.
The first birth is being born of our natural parents and the second is being born of God the Holy Spirit. They are somewhat alike I believe, did you exercise your free will and decide to be born the first time? No! And you didn’t the second time either, your births were out of your hands. God in his sovereign mercy chose for you to be born the first time and also the second time. Someone might want to say, my first birth was on purpose my parents wanted a baby. It’s amazing that couples that want to have children sometimes it takes months or even years. Only when God makes sure the egg is fertilized will a baby be produced.
Some will agree to that and then say, “But I chose to be born again.” the Bible says very plainly, Those who believe on the name of Jesus are they “Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”
John 1:13
IV. The Purpose: “That he might believe”
The Bible says “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
There is no doubt that God the Father chose us God the son redeemed us and God the Holy Spirit applied all of this beginning with our new birth, and the proof he gives to you and I is that we then will come to believe in it all.
Jesus said, “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
Using an example from the Old Testament Jesus says just like when Moses lifted high the brazen serpent and said look and live so it is with those of this generation. Jesus will be lifted up on the cross and those who have the faith that God has provided them with they shall look to him for the cure. Look and live for Jesus died that you might have life. But preacher what about “the whosoever?” “The whosoever” are those who have been born again, or else they could not believe.
No one enters the kingdom except those who have been invited by the king, and he has made them ready and acceptable. We were invited, prepared, and dressed so we could appear unto the world as the children of the glorious sovereign of this world.
