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John 3:1-15 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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Good morning, Foothills, that's my other church.
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Christ Family, my other church, you know what I mean.
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! Good morning, Christ Family Church, all you strangers.
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Actually, some of you are strangers. I don't recognize some of you.
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If you don't know me, my name is Zach Skilling,
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and I used to be the assistant to the pastor, as I was affectionately called by many.
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I think it was affectionate.
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At CFC about a year ago.
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And, yeah, Nathan asked me to come back and guest preach.
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And I'm excited to be here.
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It feels both strange and familiar all at the same time.
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I'm going to break the rule and move this.
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But, yeah, I'm glad to be here.
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Our text today is John chapter 3.
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John chapter 3, verses 1 through 15.
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And I'll just tell you now, because I know how I think.
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I'm somewhat, I don't know, I guess cynical maybe is the word.
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I'm not sure.
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But I'm always trying to figure out people's motives,
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why they're doing what they're doing.
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So, in case you're wondering why this text,
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well, there's no motive other than just,
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when you're a guest preacher,
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what's better to preach on than Christ and the gospel?
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And this seemed as good a text as any.
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So, no secret agenda here or anything like that.
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So, if you have your Bibles,
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please turn with me to John chapter 3, verses 1 through 15.
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And we will read together in full in just a moment.
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John chapter 3, verses 1 through 15.
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I will give you the outline ahead of time,
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just so you can think about this as we read through.
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And our text today, I'm going to divide in four parts.
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And I'll repeat these as we go,
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so if you don't get this now, it's okay.
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But four parts.
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Heading number one,
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we're going to see the problematic posture of Nicodemus.
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The problematic posture of Nicodemus.
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Number two, we're going to see the nature of rebirth,
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or you might call it regeneration or being born from above,
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all kind of talking about the same thing.
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But secondly, we'll see the nature of rebirth.
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Number three, we'll see Nicodemus' fundamental problem.
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And number four, we'll see the solution.
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So, with that in mind,
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please read with me John chapter 3, verses 1 through 15.
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The Apostle John writes,
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Now there was a man from the Pharisees,
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his name Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.
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This man came to Jesus by night and said to him,
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Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God,
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for no one is able to do these signs which you do
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unless God is with him.
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Jesus answered and said to him,
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Truly, truly, I say to you,
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unless one is born from above,
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he is not able to see the kingdom of God.
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Nicodemus said to him,
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How is a man, being old,
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able to be born?
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He is not able to enter into his mother's womb a second time and be born.
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And Jesus answered,
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Truly, truly, I say to you,
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unless one is born by water and spirit,
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he is not able to enter into the kingdom of God.
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What is born of the flesh is flesh,
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and what is born of the spirit is spirit.
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Do not marvel that I say to you,
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it is necessary for you to be born from above.
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The wind blows where it wishes,
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and you hear its sounds,
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but you do not know from where it came or where it goes.
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So it is with everyone born of the spirit.
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Nicodemus answered and he said to him,
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How can these things happen?
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And Jesus answered and said to him,
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You are the teacher of Israel,
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and these things you do not know.
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Truly, truly, I say to you,
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that which we know we have spoken of,
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that which we have seen we testify,
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and our testimony you did not receive.
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If I speak to you of earthly things,
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and you do not believe,
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how, if I speak to you of heavenly things,
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will you believe?
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And no one has ascended into heaven,
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but the one who has come down,
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the Son of Man.
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And just as Moses exalted the serpent in the wilderness,
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so also,
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or excuse me, lifted up,
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so also it is necessary
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that the Son of Man be lifted up,
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in order that all who believe in Him
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may have eternal life.
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This is the word of the Lord.
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Heading number one,
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the problematic posture of Nicodemus.
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So we're looking at verses one through two.
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We're going to see this unpacked.
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And just before we get straight to the problem,
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I want to try and read this
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as charitably as possible,
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as if we are defending Nicodemus.
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If you know the story,
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you know he's not really worth defending
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in this particular instance.
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But I want to do this nonetheless,
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just to get an idea of who we're talking about.
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Okay, so,
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Nicodemus, we learn,
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verse one,
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he is a man from
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the Pharisees.
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Now, as Christians,
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we've read the Gospels,
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so we know those are the bad guys.
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So we're right away alert.
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But again,
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think about this in a first century context.
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They didn't necessarily think of Pharisees
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as the bad guys.
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They were the super-duper holy people,
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so to speak, right?
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He's probably a good guy
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is kind of the impression.
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And because he's a Pharisee,
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he probably knew his Old Testament really well,
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probably paid zealous and critical attention
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to keeping the Torah,
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along with the traditions of the Pharisees
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and so forth.
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Now, we also see that he was a ruler of the Jews
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in verse one.
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So, this is a man of respect,
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a man of means,
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a man of influence.
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And of course,
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in our cynical age,
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you might hear all that
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and think he's got to be bad.
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But again,
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not necessarily the case.
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He's prominent.
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And so,
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in some ways,
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he's being set up as potentially
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a great figure,
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a significant figure.
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And then in verse two,
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we see him pay respect to Jesus.
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And again,
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this is kind of shocking
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because John,
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it's the last of our four Gospels written.
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And if you read the Gospel of Matthew,
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for instance,
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that's notoriously the most critical,
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maybe negative,
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Gospel about the Pharisees.
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I mean,
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Jesus does not hold up
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in saying what he thinks about them
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and their hypocrisy,
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their sinfulness,
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and so forth.
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And so,
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you get to John,
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and here Nicodemus says,
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Rabbi.
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Rabbi, right?
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He's referring to him as a teacher.
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Rabbi is a term of great respect
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in this culture.
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And so,
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again,
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this is kind of shocking
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when you think about a Pharisee doing this.
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And he seems sincere in it, right?
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He's not trying to trap Jesus.
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He's come to genuinely talk to him
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as a rabbi.
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And Nicodemus goes on.
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He says,
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We know you have come from God.
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So, you know,
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again,
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just think of other stories
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where the Pharisees accused Jesus
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of doing things by Satan's power.
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Well,
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Nicodemus is not one of those Pharisees.
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He's saying,
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I know you come from God.
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I know you to be a just,
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good person,
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a teacher,
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a rabbi.
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And then he adds,
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We know God is with you.
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So,
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he doubles down.
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So,
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he's honoring Christ
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to an extent that should be recognized.
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And he even acknowledges
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the uniqueness
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of Jesus' abilities.
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He says,
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We know these signs you do,
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you can only do if God is with you.
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So,
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he's not questioning those things.
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He's showing respect.
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So,
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on a first glance of reading,
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Nicodemus seems like
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one of the,
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quote-unquote,
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good guys,
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so to speak,
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in the Gospel of John.
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You may even think he is a Christian
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or a baby Christian.
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I've heard people say that about this text.
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But,
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when we look closer,
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I think
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this is so evidently
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not the case.
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Okay,
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so again,
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he is a Pharisee.
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And so,
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this tips us off,
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as I already alluded.
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Pharisees tend to be
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extreme enemies of Jesus
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in the Gospels.
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And,
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you know,
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there are exceptions.
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Some people think
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Joseph of Arimathea
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was a Pharisee.
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And if you recall,
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he did not want Jesus
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to be crucified.
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And he came and sought
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Jesus' body
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so that he could bury him
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in his own family tomb.
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Of course,
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the Apostle Paul
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was a Pharisee
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who eventually
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turned away from that
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and came to Christ.
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And so,
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there's exceptions,
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but by and large,
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in the New Testament,
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they're viewed
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pretty negatively.
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So,
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right away,
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our alert
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should be going off.
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Okay,
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this is a Pharisee.
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Further,
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Nicodemus is a ruler
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of the Jews
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in verse 1.
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Now,
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in John's Gospel,
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he often retells stories
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that the other three Gospels
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will tell.
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But what John does,
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one of the things he does
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that's a little different,
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is you might have a story
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where in Matthew,
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Mark,
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and Luke,
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it's specifically
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the Pharisees
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who come to Jesus
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because they sought
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to trap him
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or to kill him
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or something like that,
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oftentimes,
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in John's Gospel,
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instead of saying
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the Pharisees,
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he'll simply say
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the Jews.
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The Jews came.
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The Jews came.
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And lots of people
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speculate about
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why that is.
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And we don't have time
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to get into all of that.
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But I simply mention that
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to point out that
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when John says
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a ruler of the Jews,
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it's maybe not
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as positive
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as you might think
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if you're trying
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to be as charitable
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as possible.
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because it's the Jews
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after all,
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in John's Gospel
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and the other Gospels,
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along with the Romans,
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that reject Christ,
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that crucify Christ.
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So,
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John is really
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showing us
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that in a double sense
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this man is identifying
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with those
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who reject Christ.
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He's a Pharisee,
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he's a ruler
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of the Jews,
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right,
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and doesn't introduce
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him as a follower
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of Christ,
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but as a ruler
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of the Jews.
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So,
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this is more
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of a negative
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connotation
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in John's Gospel.
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And literarily,
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not literally,
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but literarily,
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as in literature,
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John is highly symbolic
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and creative
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in the way
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that he writes.
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And so,
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here he's saying
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by presenting Nicodemus
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as this ruler
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of the Jews
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that Nicodemus
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in a way
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is personifying
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all of Israel
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in this story.
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So,
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this is a true story,
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it's about an interaction
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that happened
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with Jesus
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and Nicodemus,
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but in another sense
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Nicodemus
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is representing
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all of Israel
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that rejected Christ.
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So,
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in a sense,
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this is a conversation
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between Yahweh
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and Israel
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much like you read
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in the prophets,
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right,
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why have you gone
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the way of the wicked?
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That kind of thing.
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And the other thing,
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too,
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to add to that
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is this language
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of we.
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So,
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if you know this story
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well,
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you know Nicodemus,
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he comes by night.
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We'll talk about that
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in a second.
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But he's clearly alone
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and it's just Nicodemus
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and Jesus
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speaking.
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But in verse 2,
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Nicodemus says,
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we know.
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So,
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who's the we?
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Right?
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Well,
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some have said
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it's the Pharisees
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because he's a Pharisee.
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Some have said
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it's the Jews
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in large,
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right,
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like all of Israel.
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Either way,
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though,
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I think it covers both
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because if you say Pharisees,
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they're the leaders of Israel
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in many ways.
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If you say all the Jews,
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well,
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that certainly includes
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the Pharisees.
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So,
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again,
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Nicodemus is kind of
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representing
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Israel that rejected
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the stone,
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Israel that rejected
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Christ.
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And that is all just
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background to who
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Nicodemus is.
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John,
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in one verse,
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masterfully,
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quickly catches us up
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to the political,
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religious tensions
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and dynamics going on
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between Nicodemus
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and Jesus
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before they start
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this conversation.
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And then verse 2,
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he adds,
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this man,
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Nicodemus,
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came to Jesus
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by night.
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So,
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again,
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if you've ever read John,
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you know he's highly symbolic,
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highly metaphorical
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in the way he writes.
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And one of his favorite
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go-to's
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is this light-darkness
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metaphor or symbolism.
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For instance,
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John 8, 12,
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John writes,
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again,
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Jesus spoke to them
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saying,
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I am the light
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of the world.
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Whoever follows me
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will not walk in darkness
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but will have the light
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of life.
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So,
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there's a clear contrast,
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two ways of living,
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one in darkness,
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one in light.
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John also wrote
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1 John,
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and in 1 John,
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chapter 1,
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verses 5 through 7,
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John himself
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says this,
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he says,
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this is the message
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we have heard from Jesus
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and proclaimed to you
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that God is light
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and in him
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is no darkness
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at all.
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If we say we have
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fellowship with him
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while we walk in darkness,
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we lie and do not
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practice the truth.
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But if we walk in the light
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as he is in the light,
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we have fellowship
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with one another
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and the blood of Jesus,
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his son,
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cleanses us
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from all sins.
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So,
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again,
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these are common metaphors
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for John.
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There's a hundred more
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verses like that
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in the literature
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written by John.
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So,
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the wise reader
13:43
of the Gospel of John
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is going to know
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that in this story,
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in chapter 3,
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when Nicodemus
13:48
shows up by night,
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John's not merely
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telling us
13:51
when this conversation
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happened.
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He's telling us
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where Nicodemus is.
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Nicodemus
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is in
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darkness,
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that he is not
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in the light,
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that he's not
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in Christ.
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And if that's
14:07
not clear enough,
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let's look at
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what Nicodemus
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says to Jesus
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more carefully
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in verse 2.
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So,
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getting more at
14:13
the problematic
14:14
posture of Nicodemus.
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So,
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he says,
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Rabbi,
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that sounds good
14:18
and well.
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We like that.
14:19
We call Jesus
14:20
teacher,
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and rightly so.
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And more than that,
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we would say
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Jesus is the teacher.
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There's no teacher
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greater,
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and that's a good thing.
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He certainly
14:30
is that.
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But it would be
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wrong to think of
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Jesus as merely
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a teacher,
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just another teacher
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like me,
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or like Nathan,
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or like MacArthur,
14:42
or whoever else
14:42
you might think of.
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That he's just
14:44
another guy,
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he's just another
14:46
dude teaching.
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And it's that
14:49
latter sense
14:50
that Nicodemus
14:51
seems to
14:52
think of Jesus
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as,
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just a
14:55
teacher.
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And notice,
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he refers to
14:59
Jesus as teacher,
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but never does
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he say,
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Lord,
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King,
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God,
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Savior,
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Messiah,
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Son of Man,
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Son of God,
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or any of these
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other titles
15:09
that would have
15:09
been good and
15:10
well and
15:10
appropriate
15:11
to describe
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Jesus as.
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He just
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thinks of him
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as a teacher.
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Now,
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for now,
15:19
we're going to
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keep coming back
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to Nicodemus,
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but simply
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understand
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that it is
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disrespectful
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disrespectful for
15:28
Nicodemus to
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approach Jesus
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and minimize
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who he actually
15:32
is,
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however well-mannered
15:34
and well-intended
15:35
he may have been.
15:36
Right?
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It is
15:37
disrespectful
15:38
to walk up to
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the King of Kings
15:41
and just say,
15:42
Rabbi,
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and that's all
15:44
you are.
15:45
You have
15:46
failed.
15:47
Right?
15:47
You have not
15:48
recognized
15:48
who's standing
15:50
before you.
15:50
King of
15:51
Kings.
15:52
And he goes
15:55
on and says,
15:55
we know you
15:56
come from
15:57
God.
15:58
Right?
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Again,
15:59
that sounds
16:00
nice.
16:00
It sounds
16:01
flattering.
16:02
Right?
16:02
I'd love to
16:03
hear that.
16:03
That would
16:04
be probably,
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you know,
16:05
it would be
16:06
complimentary
16:06
for somebody
16:07
like me.
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But for
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Jesus,
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again,
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this is
16:10
disrespectful
16:11
to say
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to Jesus.
16:13
You come
16:13
from God.
16:14
In other
16:14
words,
16:15
you're not
16:16
God.
16:17
You just
16:18
come from
16:19
him.
16:21
The other
16:21
thing,
16:22
too,
16:22
is notice
16:22
Nicodemus
16:23
is consciously
16:24
distancing
16:25
himself
16:26
from
16:27
Jesus.
16:28
He says,
16:29
we know
16:29
this,
16:30
implying
16:31
there's a
16:32
you and
16:32
your people,
16:33
there's a
16:33
me and
16:33
my people.
16:35
We know
16:35
this about
16:36
you and
16:36
your kind.
16:38
Right?
16:38
And again,
16:39
I don't think
16:39
he's trying
16:39
to be rude,
16:41
but he is
16:42
careful to
16:42
draw that
16:43
distinction,
16:44
which,
16:45
in another
16:45
way,
16:46
is disrespectful
16:46
to the
16:47
King of
16:48
Kings.
16:49
Right?
16:50
And so,
16:50
he
16:50
consciously
16:51
distances
16:52
himself.
16:53
He
16:53
doesn't
16:53
recognize
16:54
that
16:54
Jesus
16:54
is
16:55
God.
16:56
And again,
16:57
as readers
16:57
of John's
16:58
gospel,
16:58
we have
16:58
the benefit
16:59
of knowing
16:59
this.
17:00
John
17:01
chapter 1,
17:02
verses 1
17:02
through 3,
17:03
so the
17:04
beginning of
17:04
John's
17:04
prolong.
17:05
John writes,
17:06
in the
17:06
beginning
17:06
was the
17:07
Word,
17:08
and the
17:08
Word was
17:08
with God,
17:09
and the
17:10
Word was
17:10
God,
17:11
referring to
17:12
Jesus.
17:13
He says,
17:13
he was in
17:13
the beginning
17:14
with God.
17:14
All things
17:15
were made
17:15
through him,
17:16
and without
17:16
him was not
17:17
anything made
17:17
that was
17:18
made.
17:18
And when
17:19
you jump
17:19
down to
17:20
John
17:20
chapter 1,
17:21
verse 14,
17:22
John continues,
17:22
and he says,
17:24
And the
17:24
Word became
17:25
flesh,
17:25
and dwelt
17:26
among us,
17:27
and we
17:27
have seen
17:28
his glory,
17:29
glory as
17:30
of the
17:30
only Son
17:31
from the
17:31
Father,
17:33
full of
17:33
grace
17:33
and truth.
17:36
So,
17:37
we have the
17:37
benefit of
17:38
knowing this.
17:38
By the time
17:39
you get
17:39
God incarnate,
17:40
and clearly,
17:41
when we see
17:41
Nicodemus say,
17:43
God must be
17:43
with you,
17:43
you must have
17:44
come from
17:44
God,
17:45
we immediately
17:46
recognize that
17:48
Nicodemus does
17:49
not believe
17:49
Jesus is
17:50
God incarnate.
17:53
So,
17:53
again,
17:54
Jesus,
17:55
however great
17:56
in Nicodemus'
17:56
mind,
17:57
is just a
17:58
great other
17:59
guy.
17:59
He's just
18:00
another guy.
18:01
That's all he
18:01
is to
18:02
Nicodemus.
18:05
And the
18:06
thought seemingly
18:06
hasn't even
18:07
crossed his
18:07
mind that
18:09
this is
18:10
God.
18:13
So,
18:13
John has
18:13
introduced us
18:14
to Nicodemus,
18:16
more friendly
18:17
and open
18:18
Pharisee than
18:19
maybe what
18:19
we're accustomed
18:20
to in the
18:21
Gospels,
18:22
but still
18:23
very much
18:24
in darkness
18:25
and alienated
18:26
from the
18:26
light and
18:27
life of
18:27
the world,
18:28
Jesus.
18:30
And so,
18:31
Jesus,
18:32
in verse
18:32
three and
18:34
on,
18:34
he's going
18:34
to take
18:35
the opportunity
18:36
to lovingly
18:37
talk about
18:38
the nature
18:38
of rebirth,
18:40
or if you
18:41
like systematic
18:42
theology,
18:42
this is what
18:43
theologians
18:43
often call
18:44
regeneration.
18:46
So,
18:46
he's going
18:46
to talk
18:47
about
18:47
rebirth,
18:48
being born
18:48
from above.
18:51
And this
18:51
leads to
18:52
our second
18:52
heading,
18:53
the nature
18:54
of rebirth,
18:55
the nature
18:56
of rebirth.
19:00
John writes
19:01
in verses
19:02
three through
19:03
eight,
19:05
and Jesus
19:05
answers
19:06
Nicodemus
19:07
and says
19:08
to him,
19:09
truly,
19:10
truly,
19:10
I say
19:10
to you,
19:11
Nicodemus
19:18
said to
19:18
him,
19:18
how can
19:18
a man
19:20
being old
19:20
be born
19:20
again?
19:22
Is he
19:22
not able
19:22
to enter
19:23
into his
19:24
mother's
19:24
womb a
19:24
second time
19:25
and be
19:25
born?
19:27
Jesus
19:27
answered,
19:28
truly,
19:28
truly,
19:28
I say
19:29
to you,
19:29
unless
19:30
one is
19:30
born by
19:30
water and
19:31
spirit,
19:32
he is
19:32
not able
19:33
to enter
19:33
into the
19:34
kingdom
19:34
of God.
19:36
what's
19:38
born of
19:39
the flesh
19:39
is flesh
19:40
and what's
19:40
born of
19:41
the spirit
19:41
is spirit.
19:43
Do not
19:43
marvel that
19:44
I say
19:44
to you,
19:44
it is
19:45
necessary
19:45
for you
19:45
to be
19:46
born from
19:46
above.
19:47
The wind
19:48
blows where
19:48
it wishes
19:49
and you
19:49
hear it
19:49
sounds,
19:50
but you
19:50
do not
19:50
know from
19:51
where it
19:51
comes or
19:51
where it
19:52
goes.
19:53
So it
19:53
is with
19:54
everyone
19:54
born of
19:56
the spirit.
19:58
Now in
19:58
these five
19:59
verses,
19:59
we see
20:00
at least
20:01
three aspects
20:02
concerning the
20:03
nature of
20:03
rebirth or
20:04
regeneration.
20:05
Three aspects
20:07
you could tease
20:07
out more,
20:08
but there are
20:08
three for
20:09
our purposes
20:09
that I want
20:11
to highlight.
20:12
A physical
20:13
earthly
20:14
rebirth,
20:15
and we'll
20:15
unpack that
20:16
and these
20:16
other two
20:17
more in a
20:17
moment.
20:19
But secondly,
20:19
we see that
20:20
rebirth
20:20
includes a
20:22
miraculously
20:23
transformed
20:24
life.
20:25
It dramatically
20:27
changes the
20:28
person.
20:29
And third,
20:30
we see that
20:30
rebirth is a
20:31
work of
20:32
the spirit,
20:34
not man.
20:36
So firstly,
20:37
rebirth is a
20:38
spiritual,
20:39
heavenly work,
20:39
not a
20:40
physical
20:41
rebirth.
20:43
So when you
20:43
look at verse
20:44
three,
20:44
admittedly,
20:45
at first
20:46
glance,
20:47
Jesus'
20:48
response seems
20:48
somewhat out
20:49
of left field.
20:51
Okay,
20:51
Nicodemus has
20:52
technically not
20:53
asked Jesus
20:54
anything.
20:56
So what
20:56
prompts Jesus
20:57
to respond
20:58
as he does?
20:59
Why start
20:59
talking about
21:00
rebirth?
21:01
What does this
21:01
have to do
21:02
with Nicodemus
21:03
and everything
21:04
going on?
21:05
Well,
21:06
clearly,
21:06
as I've already
21:07
said,
21:07
Nicodemus still
21:08
does not
21:09
really know
21:09
what to do
21:11
with Jesus.
21:11
Who is this
21:12
guy?
21:13
Nicodemus is
21:14
still kind of
21:14
wondering.
21:16
He's confused.
21:17
He's inquiring,
21:17
maybe even.
21:19
And so in
21:20
verse two,
21:20
Nicodemus is
21:21
essentially saying,
21:22
hey, we know
21:22
this much about
21:23
you.
21:24
That's kind of
21:24
the effect.
21:25
He's saying,
21:25
we know you
21:26
must come from
21:26
God.
21:27
Like, here's what
21:27
we've figured out
21:28
so far on our
21:29
own, even though
21:30
they're wrong,
21:31
partially.
21:32
But he's saying,
21:33
here's what we've
21:33
kind of figured
21:34
out, but what
21:35
aren't you telling
21:36
us?
21:36
Like, that's kind
21:37
of the vibe,
21:38
so to speak,
21:39
with Nicodemus
21:39
in this moment.
21:40
He's trying to
21:41
figure out,
21:42
who is this
21:42
guy?
21:45
And when we
21:46
look closer,
21:47
we see Jesus,
21:48
per usual,
21:48
he hits the
21:49
nail on the
21:50
head in a
21:51
concise manner.
21:52
So in Jesus'
21:53
response about
21:54
rebirth, which
21:55
again, at first
21:56
seems maybe out
21:57
of left field or
21:57
unrelated, in
21:59
talking about
21:59
it, Jesus
22:01
is actually
22:01
what to do
22:01
with Jesus.
22:02
Or better,
22:03
why Nicodemus
22:04
does not know
22:05
or understand
22:06
who Jesus
22:07
is.
22:07
It's related
22:08
to regeneration,
22:10
to rebirth.
22:10
This is why
22:11
Nicodemus does
22:12
not know who
22:14
Jesus is.
22:16
You see,
22:17
Jesus, as the
22:18
king, and as
22:19
God incarnate,
22:20
which again,
22:20
John 1 has
22:21
made very clear
22:22
for the reader
22:23
of John,
22:25
as the king,
22:25
as God
22:26
incarnate,
22:27
Jesus represents
22:28
the kingdom
22:29
of God.
22:30
It is not
22:31
wrong, in a
22:32
sense, to
22:32
say that
22:32
Jesus is
22:34
the kingdom
22:35
of God
22:35
because he's
22:36
the king.
22:37
In ancient
22:38
thought, the
22:38
king was often
22:39
the representative
22:41
of the kingdom,
22:42
so anywhere the
22:42
king went, you
22:43
could say the
22:44
kingdom went as
22:45
well, even
22:46
though the
22:46
villager, like
22:47
me, might not
22:48
go with him,
22:48
and I'm part of
22:49
the kingdom.
22:50
So there's a
22:51
sense, there's a
22:52
degree to which
22:52
Jesus is the
22:54
kingdom of God.
22:56
Just a quick
22:57
example of that,
22:58
you think of
22:58
Luke 17,
23:00
verses 20
23:00
through 21,
23:02
it's another
23:03
encounter with
23:03
some Pharisees,
23:04
Luke writes,
23:05
being asked by
23:06
the Pharisees
23:07
when the
23:07
kingdom of
23:08
God would
23:08
come, Jesus
23:09
answered them,
23:10
the kingdom
23:11
of God is
23:11
not coming in
23:12
ways that can
23:12
be observed,
23:14
nor will they
23:14
say, look,
23:15
here it is,
23:15
or there,
23:16
for behold,
23:17
the kingdom
23:17
of God is
23:18
in the midst
23:18
of you,
23:19
and I
23:19
understand him
23:20
to be referring
23:21
to himself,
23:22
I, the
23:22
kingdom of
23:23
God, am
23:23
standing in
23:24
your midst,
23:25
I'm right
23:25
here, but
23:26
you are
23:26
blind and
23:27
cannot see
23:28
it.
23:30
And so
23:30
when you go
23:30
back to
23:31
John 3,
23:33
verse 3,
23:34
the reason
23:35
Nicodemus
23:36
cannot see
23:36
Christ as
23:38
he truly
23:39
is, is
23:41
because he's
23:41
not been
23:42
born from
23:42
above, he's
23:43
not regenerate,
23:45
he is not
23:45
a Christian.
23:49
And so
23:49
what does
23:49
born from
23:50
above mean?
23:50
What are we
23:51
talking about?
23:52
I keep
23:52
throwing this
23:52
word rebirth
23:53
around.
23:53
Well,
23:54
clearly,
23:55
it's not
23:56
referring to
23:57
a second
23:57
physical
23:57
birth, as
23:59
even Nicodemus
24:00
understands in
24:01
verse 4,
24:02
right?
24:02
Verse 4,
24:03
he says,
24:04
how can
24:05
a man being
24:06
old be
24:06
born again?
24:07
Is he
24:08
able to
24:08
enter into
24:09
his mother's
24:09
womb a
24:10
second time?
24:12
Really not.
24:13
The way it's
24:13
constructed in
24:14
Greek, and I
24:14
won't bore you
24:15
with the
24:15
details, is
24:15
the question
24:16
expects the
24:17
answer no.
24:18
Like, Nicodemus
24:19
knows that's
24:19
not possible.
24:20
What are you
24:21
talking about,
24:21
Jesus?
24:23
That's his
24:23
question, right?
24:24
So he
24:24
doesn't get
24:25
it.
24:25
And he's
24:26
thinking about
24:26
it in an
24:27
earthly sense.
24:28
So there's
24:29
somewhat of a
24:30
wordplay going
24:32
on here.
24:32
So in verse
24:33
3, when Jesus
24:33
says, you
24:34
must be born
24:35
from above,
24:37
the Greek
24:38
term is
24:38
anothen.
24:39
And this
24:40
word can
24:40
mean either
24:41
again or
24:42
above.
24:44
And so
24:44
Nicodemus
24:45
seems to
24:45
understand Jesus
24:46
to be talking
24:46
about being
24:47
born again,
24:48
which is
24:48
ironic.
24:49
But really
24:50
what Jesus
24:51
is talking
24:51
about is
24:52
being born
24:53
from above.
24:55
And so
24:55
Nicodemus,
24:56
and you'll
24:56
see this
24:56
throughout this
24:57
entire
24:57
pericope,
24:58
this entire
24:58
story,
25:00
Nicodemus
25:01
is interpreting
25:02
everything Jesus
25:03
says in a
25:03
very earthly,
25:05
literal,
25:06
human way,
25:07
when Jesus
25:08
is constantly
25:08
speaking of
25:09
heavenly,
25:11
spiritual
25:11
realities that
25:13
have invaded
25:13
earth.
25:14
It's not to
25:14
say they're
25:14
separate,
25:16
but we are
25:16
talking about
25:17
two different
25:18
things here
25:18
between
25:19
Nicodemus
25:19
and Jesus.
25:22
So thus to
25:22
be born
25:23
from above
25:24
is at least
25:26
saying that
25:26
we require
25:27
heaven to
25:28
act in
25:28
some way
25:29
on our
25:30
behalf,
25:30
for God
25:31
himself to
25:32
intervene and
25:33
make things
25:34
right,
25:35
that we are
25:36
waiting for
25:37
God to do
25:37
something to
25:38
save his
25:39
people.
25:40
We must be
25:41
born from
25:41
above.
25:43
That is a
25:43
work of
25:44
God.
25:44
God.
25:47
And secondly,
25:48
we see that
25:48
the nature
25:49
of rebirth
25:49
includes a
25:50
miraculously
25:51
transformed
25:52
life.
25:54
So in
25:55
verse 5,
25:56
you likely
25:56
notice Jesus
25:57
switched.
25:58
So in
25:59
verse 3,
26:00
he talked
26:01
about being
26:01
born from
26:02
above.
26:03
In verse 5,
26:03
he talks about
26:04
being born by
26:05
water and
26:06
spirit.
26:08
Now some
26:08
have said
26:09
Jesus is
26:09
talking about
26:10
baptism in
26:11
this passage,
26:11
right?
26:11
We think of
26:12
water and
26:12
this kind of
26:13
thing.
26:13
I think
26:15
that's wrong
26:16
because one,
26:17
baptism to
26:19
enter the
26:19
church did
26:21
not exist
26:21
yet.
26:23
And so as
26:24
D.A.
26:24
Carson points
26:24
out, that
26:25
would have
26:25
been a
26:26
meaningless
26:26
thing for
26:27
Jesus to
26:27
say to
26:28
Nicodemus
26:28
when there's
26:28
no church
26:29
to be
26:29
baptized
26:30
into.
26:30
Like of
26:31
course Nicodemus
26:31
doesn't know
26:32
what he's
26:32
talking about.
26:34
And so I
26:34
don't think
26:34
he's talking
26:35
about church
26:37
membership and
26:38
baptism and
26:38
all that.
26:39
Others have
26:40
said perhaps
26:40
it's the
26:41
baptism of
26:42
John the
26:42
Baptist.
26:43
Now if you
26:44
recall that
26:44
baptism, which
26:45
is different,
26:46
is merely a
26:47
baptism to
26:48
express repentance.
26:51
There was
26:51
nothing powerful
26:52
within John's
26:55
baptism, however,
26:56
to transform a
26:57
life.
26:58
And so I
26:58
don't think
26:59
this is talking
27:00
about John the
27:01
Baptist's
27:02
baptism.
27:03
I don't think
27:04
he's talking
27:04
about baptism
27:05
at all.
27:05
I think this
27:06
has nothing
27:06
to do with
27:07
baptism.
27:08
I say that
27:08
as a Baptist
27:09
who cares
27:10
about baptism.
27:10
it's best to
27:12
see in Jesus'
27:13
words rather
27:14
an allusion to
27:16
the Old
27:16
Testament,
27:18
especially since
27:19
Nicodemus and
27:20
Jesus themselves
27:22
share that
27:23
text.
27:24
They both view
27:25
it as the
27:25
Word of God.
27:26
So I think
27:26
that's probably
27:27
a good place
27:28
to go and
27:29
look to see
27:30
what might
27:31
these words
27:32
evoke for a
27:33
first century
27:33
Jew who knows
27:34
his Old
27:34
Testament well
27:35
as a Pharisee.
27:36
And again,
27:38
throughout the
27:39
Old Testament
27:39
you will find
27:40
language of the
27:41
Spirit being
27:41
poured out.
27:43
Probably most
27:44
famously,
27:45
Joel 2,
27:46
verse 28.
27:48
This is the
27:48
prophecy about
27:49
the day of
27:49
Pentecost that's
27:50
fulfilled in
27:51
Acts 2.
27:52
And there,
27:53
Joel writes,
27:54
the Spirit will
27:54
be poured out.
27:55
So that very
27:56
verb,
27:57
you think of
27:59
water,
27:59
water being
28:00
poured out,
28:00
but it's the
28:01
Spirit being
28:01
poured out.
28:02
And so
28:03
oftentimes water
28:04
and Spirit
28:04
are connected
28:06
in some
28:06
symbolic,
28:07
metaphorical
28:08
way in
28:09
the Old
28:10
Testament.
28:12
But specifically,
28:12
I think John
28:13
probably has
28:14
Ezekiel 36
28:15
in mind.
28:17
Many would
28:18
say this.
28:18
In Ezekiel 36,
28:20
God is
28:21
foretelling
28:21
Israel of
28:22
things to
28:23
come,
28:23
realities to
28:24
come.
28:25
And specifically,
28:26
he's giving
28:27
them a word of
28:28
hope to tell
28:28
them that one
28:29
day God will
28:30
change the
28:31
hearts of
28:32
his chosen,
28:33
his elect,
28:34
in a way that
28:35
he hadn't
28:35
previously,
28:36
in a way
28:36
that's special,
28:37
in a way
28:37
that's unique.
28:39
And of course,
28:39
we don't have
28:39
time to teach
28:40
that,
28:40
but essentially
28:40
he's talking
28:41
about the
28:41
new covenant
28:42
era,
28:42
the era that
28:43
we are in
28:43
right now.
28:45
He's saying,
28:46
when that day
28:46
comes,
28:46
I will
28:47
transform their
28:48
hearts.
28:48
And let's
28:49
read it real
28:49
quick.
28:50
Ezekiel 36,
28:52
verses 25
28:53
through 27,
28:53
God says,
28:54
so notice this
28:55
water and
28:56
spirit language,
28:56
he says,
28:58
I will sprinkle
28:59
clean water
29:00
on you,
29:02
and you
29:03
shall be
29:03
clean from
29:03
all your
29:04
uncleanness,
29:05
and from
29:05
all your
29:06
idols I
29:06
will cleanse
29:07
you,
29:07
and I
29:08
will give
29:08
you a
29:08
new heart
29:09
and a
29:09
new spirit
29:10
I will put
29:10
within you,
29:11
and I
29:12
will remove
29:12
the heart of
29:13
stone from
29:13
your flesh
29:14
and give
29:14
you a
29:15
heart of
29:15
flesh,
29:15
and I
29:16
will put
29:16
my spirit,
29:17
the Holy
29:18
Spirit,
29:19
within you
29:19
and cause
29:20
you,
29:21
I will
29:21
cause you,
29:22
God,
29:22
to walk
29:23
in my
29:23
statues
29:24
and be
29:24
careful to
29:25
obey my
29:27
rules.
29:28
And so I
29:30
think that is
29:31
what Jesus
29:32
is referencing.
29:33
He's talking
29:34
about this
29:34
transformed life
29:35
that comes
29:36
by this
29:36
cleansing water,
29:38
by this
29:38
act of the
29:39
spirit
29:39
indwelling
29:39
us.
29:40
Some have
29:40
said this
29:41
cannot be.
29:42
They'll argue,
29:44
well, if that's
29:45
the case,
29:45
Pentecost hasn't
29:46
happened yet
29:47
when Jesus
29:47
talked to
29:48
Nicodemus,
29:48
so why would
29:49
Jesus be
29:49
talking about
29:50
it?
29:51
But again,
29:51
D.A. Carson,
29:52
super helpful,
29:53
he said,
29:54
quote,
29:56
the charge
29:56
is ill
29:57
conceived.
29:59
Jesus is not
29:59
presented as
30:00
demanding that
30:01
Nicodemus experience
30:03
the new birth
30:03
in that moment
30:04
or in the
30:05
instant.
30:07
Rather,
30:07
he is forcefully
30:08
articulating
30:09
what must be
30:10
experienced
30:11
if one is to
30:12
enter the
30:13
kingdom of
30:14
God.
30:14
So Jesus is
30:15
simply telling
30:15
him,
30:15
this is the
30:17
condition in
30:17
the new
30:18
covenant era.
30:19
This is what's
30:19
about to unfold.
30:20
This is how
30:21
one enters
30:21
the kingdom
30:22
of God,
30:22
being born
30:23
again.
30:25
And so he's
30:25
letting Nicodemus
30:26
know that,
30:27
that that's
30:27
coming and
30:28
he needs
30:28
to be
30:29
born again.
30:32
And this
30:33
will lead
30:33
to this
30:33
transformed
30:34
life.
30:36
This is why
30:36
not everyone
30:37
who claims
30:38
Lord,
30:39
Lord,
30:39
and as you
30:40
think of the
30:40
Sermon on the
30:41
Mount,
30:42
will enter
30:42
the kingdom
30:43
of heaven.
30:44
Because
30:45
claiming the
30:45
work of
30:46
God in
30:47
their life,
30:48
and the
30:49
proof that
30:49
God has
30:49
worked in
30:50
their life,
30:51
is that
30:52
transformed
30:52
life,
30:53
a life that
30:53
is bearing
30:54
fruit,
30:54
a life that
30:55
is growing
30:56
in holiness.
30:57
And this
30:57
is why
30:57
Jesus says
30:58
in Matthew
30:59
7,
30:59
16,
31:00
you will
31:01
recognize
31:01
them,
31:02
true believers,
31:03
you will
31:03
recognize
31:03
them by
31:05
their fruits.
31:06
There will
31:07
be fruit.
31:09
And this
31:10
does not
31:10
mean we
31:10
live sinless
31:11
lives,
31:12
right?
31:12
We are
31:12
not morally
31:13
perfect by
31:14
no means.
31:16
After all,
31:16
John himself
31:17
writes in
31:17
1 John 1,
31:19
8-9,
31:19
he says,
31:20
if we
31:20
say we
31:21
have no
31:22
sin,
31:23
we deceive
31:24
ourselves.
31:25
In other
31:26
words,
31:26
of course
31:26
you have
31:27
sin,
31:27
of course
31:27
you sin.
31:29
We deceive
31:30
ourselves if
31:30
we say we
31:31
have no
31:31
sin and
31:31
the truth
31:31
is not
31:32
in us.
31:33
But then
31:33
he says,
31:33
if we
31:34
confess
31:34
our sins,
31:35
God is
31:36
faithful and
31:36
just to
31:37
forgive us
31:37
our sins
31:38
and to
31:38
cleanse us
31:39
from all
31:40
unrighteousness.
31:42
And so
31:42
he's not
31:43
talking about
31:43
moral perfection,
31:44
but he is
31:45
talking about
31:45
a radically
31:46
transformed
31:47
life.
31:48
And so
31:49
let me
31:49
just invite
31:51
you now,
31:51
you who
31:52
profess Christ,
31:53
to consider
31:54
your life.
31:56
Right?
31:56
Can you
31:57
point to
31:58
a transformed
31:59
life?
32:00
Not proudly,
32:01
but humbly.
32:02
Can you
32:02
point out
32:03
how God
32:03
has changed
32:05
you?
32:06
And do
32:07
you remember
32:07
when you
32:08
lived in
32:09
darkness and
32:09
understand how
32:10
different it
32:11
is to
32:12
live in the
32:12
light now?
32:14
Or does
32:15
life really
32:16
just seem
32:16
the same?
32:18
Right?
32:18
Are you
32:19
growing in
32:20
holiness?
32:20
What fruit
32:21
are you
32:22
bearing?
32:23
How have
32:23
you gotten
32:24
closer to
32:26
God?
32:28
And I
32:28
pray these
32:29
things are
32:29
true of
32:29
all of us.
32:31
And for
32:32
those of
32:32
you who
32:32
may be
32:33
visiting
32:33
today,
32:34
who do
32:34
not
32:34
profess
32:35
faith in
32:35
Christ,
32:37
I just
32:37
genuinely
32:38
want to
32:38
ask,
32:39
aren't you
32:39
tired of
32:40
the same
32:41
old,
32:42
same
32:42
old?
32:44
When I
32:45
was in
32:46
darkness,
32:46
that is to
32:47
say,
32:47
when I was
32:47
an unbeliever,
32:48
I remember
32:48
many hours
32:50
of just
32:52
kind of
32:52
this inbred
32:54
loop of
32:55
introspective
32:56
pain and
32:59
suffering,
33:00
just wondering
33:00
over and
33:01
over again,
33:02
why am I
33:03
the way that
33:04
I am?
33:06
Why do I
33:07
do the
33:08
things that I
33:09
know I
33:09
shouldn't be
33:10
doing?
33:10
Why do I
33:10
mess up so
33:11
many times?
33:12
Why do I
33:12
get angry?
33:14
Why do I
33:14
hate some
33:15
people?
33:15
Why am I
33:16
this and
33:17
that and
33:17
so on
33:18
and so
33:18
forth?
33:20
If you're
33:20
a visitor
33:21
and that
33:21
resonates,
33:22
aren't you
33:23
tired of
33:24
that?
33:25
Are you
33:25
not desiring
33:26
to be
33:26
made new,
33:27
to be
33:28
made whole,
33:28
to see all
33:29
your sins
33:30
and brokenness
33:31
turned into
33:32
something
33:32
meaningful
33:33
and something
33:34
beautiful?
33:37
And Christ
33:37
bids you,
33:38
come all you
33:39
who are weary,
33:40
for I am
33:40
gentle and
33:41
lowly in
33:42
heart.
33:43
Third, we
33:46
see that
33:46
rebirth is
33:47
a work of
33:48
the spirit,
33:49
not man.
33:52
Verse 6
33:52
tells us that
33:53
there are two
33:53
kinds of
33:54
people.
33:56
There are
33:57
those born
33:57
of the
33:58
flesh and
33:58
there are
33:59
those born
33:59
of the
34:01
spirit.
34:03
Now,
34:04
while flesh
34:04
in the
34:05
New Testament
34:05
often connotes
34:07
primarily the
34:08
idea of our
34:08
sin nature or
34:10
maybe even
34:10
original sin,
34:12
that is not
34:12
the main
34:13
emphasis in
34:14
Jesus'
34:15
usage of
34:15
that term
34:16
in this
34:17
particular
34:17
passage.
34:19
That's not
34:19
to say he's
34:19
denying those
34:20
things or
34:20
contradicting
34:21
those things,
34:21
it's just to
34:22
say he's
34:23
using the
34:23
word a
34:24
little
34:24
differently.
34:25
So I
34:25
know you
34:26
all are
34:26
going through
34:26
Romans right
34:27
now or
34:27
maybe finished
34:28
recently,
34:28
I don't
34:28
recall.
34:30
So all
34:30
that stuff
34:30
you learned
34:31
about the
34:31
flesh in
34:32
Romans from
34:32
Paul,
34:32
that's good
34:33
and true
34:33
and worthy
34:34
of thinking
34:34
about,
34:35
that's not
34:36
exactly what
34:36
Jesus is
34:36
talking about,
34:37
so don't
34:37
just transport
34:38
all that into
34:39
John 3.
34:40
It's there,
34:41
it's lurking
34:41
in the
34:41
background,
34:43
but rather
34:44
what Jesus
34:44
is doing
34:45
here is
34:45
he's
34:46
emphasizing
34:46
that there
34:48
are those
34:48
who have
34:49
only experienced
34:50
this natural
34:51
earthly birth,
34:52
the birth we've
34:53
all had with
34:54
our mothers,
34:55
that we've all
34:56
been born of
34:57
human flesh,
34:58
that we all
34:58
descend from
34:59
Adam,
34:59
this kind of
35:00
thing,
35:01
and that those
35:02
who remain in
35:03
that birth,
35:04
remain sons of
35:05
Adam,
35:06
will perish,
35:08
whereas there
35:09
are those who've
35:09
been born again
35:10
and born by
35:11
the Spirit
35:12
from above,
35:13
and have been
35:14
given the right
35:14
to become
35:15
children of
35:17
God.
35:18
So in other
35:18
words,
35:18
Jesus' emphasis
35:19
is not so much
35:21
on sin nature
35:23
and all those
35:25
things that Paul
35:25
talks about,
35:26
rather his
35:27
emphasis is on
35:29
our need for
35:29
a heavenly
35:30
birth,
35:31
this work of
35:32
the Spirit.
35:33
Only God
35:34
can do it.
35:36
And just think
35:37
about the
35:38
imagery of birth,
35:39
why that's a
35:39
good metaphor,
35:41
right?
35:41
Just ask,
35:42
did you tell
35:43
your parents
35:43
they ought to
35:44
conceive you
35:45
because you'd
35:45
be great?
35:47
Obviously not.
35:47
You didn't
35:48
exist,
35:48
right?
35:49
Were you a
35:49
human agent
35:50
with responsibility
35:51
that brought
35:51
about your
35:52
own birth?
35:53
Obviously
35:54
not.
35:55
And so it
35:56
is with those
35:56
born of the
35:57
Spirit.
35:58
We don't
35:58
seek God,
36:00
we don't
36:00
influence God
36:01
to save us,
36:02
unless you
36:03
want to count
36:04
our sin that
36:04
made salvation
36:06
necessary,
36:07
which would be
36:07
a backwards
36:08
way of saying
36:08
that.
36:09
But we
36:10
don't do
36:11
anything in
36:11
this.
36:12
This is
36:12
God's story.
36:13
He's the
36:14
Savior,
36:15
not me
36:15
or you.
36:18
And so
36:18
rather God,
36:19
who is lavish
36:20
in grace,
36:21
chooses to
36:22
send His
36:22
Spirit to
36:23
save His
36:24
elect.
36:27
And thus
36:28
we get to
36:28
verse 7.
36:31
Jesus says,
36:32
do not
36:32
marvel.
36:35
So when you
36:36
read the
36:36
Gospels,
36:36
Jesus is
36:37
known to
36:37
drop some
36:38
truth bombs,
36:39
some jaw-dropping
36:40
comments,
36:40
things that
36:41
are shocking
36:41
to people.
36:44
But here
36:44
it's as if
36:45
He's saying,
36:46
I know you're
36:46
shocked by
36:47
this,
36:47
but you
36:47
shouldn't
36:48
be.
36:49
This is no
36:49
strange thing.
36:51
This is
36:51
nothing new.
36:53
This should
36:53
not surprise
36:54
any of you.
36:54
This was
36:55
not some
36:56
mystery hidden
36:57
and waiting
36:58
for Ephesians
36:58
or something.
36:59
This was in
37:00
Ezekiel 36.
37:02
This was
37:02
everywhere in
37:03
the Old
37:03
Testament.
37:06
They
37:06
anticipated
37:07
this
37:07
transformed
37:08
life,
37:09
this life
37:10
that is
37:10
indwelled
37:11
by God's
37:12
very own
37:13
Spirit.
37:15
So He
37:16
goes on,
37:17
do not
37:17
marvel that I
37:17
say to
37:18
you it
37:18
is necessary
37:19
for you
37:20
all to
37:20
be born
37:21
from above.
37:23
I don't
37:23
know what
37:24
translation
37:24
you're using.
37:25
Sometimes it
37:25
just says
37:26
for you
37:27
to be
37:27
born,
37:28
and you
37:28
get the
37:28
idea that
37:29
he's just
37:29
talking to
37:29
Nicodemus,
37:30
but the
37:31
Greek
37:31
pronoun there
37:32
is plural,
37:32
so he's
37:33
actually saying
37:33
you all,
37:34
or you's
37:35
guys,
37:35
or however
37:36
you want
37:36
to say
37:36
it,
37:36
right?
37:37
He's saying
37:38
you all,
37:38
you all
37:39
need to be
37:40
born from
37:40
above.
37:41
Well,
37:41
who's He
37:42
talking about?
37:43
It's just
37:43
the two of
37:43
them.
37:43
Well,
37:43
again,
37:45
remember
37:45
Nicodemus
37:45
says we
37:46
know this,
37:46
we know
37:47
that,
37:47
look how
37:47
smart we
37:48
are.
37:49
And Jesus
37:50
says,
37:50
yeah,
37:50
you and
37:51
all of
37:51
them,
37:52
whether it's
37:52
the Jews
37:53
He's
37:53
representing
37:53
or the
37:54
Pharisees,
37:54
it's up
37:55
for debate,
37:55
I don't
37:55
think it
37:56
really
37:56
matters.
37:57
All of
37:58
you people,
37:58
people you
38:00
represent,
38:01
must be
38:02
born from
38:04
above.
38:06
And in
38:06
verse 8,
38:07
Jesus gives
38:07
a powerful
38:08
analogy to
38:09
the work of
38:09
the Spirit
38:10
in bringing
38:12
about this
38:12
new birth.
38:14
Jesus,
38:14
describing the
38:15
work of the
38:15
Spirit,
38:16
says,
38:17
the wind
38:17
blows where
38:18
it wishes.
38:20
You hear
38:20
its sounds,
38:21
but you do
38:21
not know
38:22
from where
38:22
it came
38:22
or where
38:23
it is
38:23
going.
38:24
So it
38:24
is with
38:25
everyone
38:25
born of
38:26
the Spirit.
38:26
So the
38:27
Spirit gives
38:28
life to
38:29
whom He
38:29
will.
38:30
We do
38:31
not control
38:31
the wind.
38:33
How much
38:33
more true
38:33
is that
38:34
of the
38:35
Spirit?
38:36
We do
38:37
not even
38:37
possess the
38:38
knowledge of
38:38
who the
38:39
Spirit will
38:40
give birth
38:40
to.
38:40
We just
38:41
know that
38:42
they are
38:42
people from
38:43
every tribe,
38:43
tongue,
38:44
and nation,
38:45
as Revelation
38:45
7-9 says.
38:47
But whether
38:47
it's Joe
38:48
or Jim
38:49
or Johnny
38:49
or whoever,
38:50
we do
38:50
not know.
38:53
Yet,
38:53
if it is
38:54
Joe and
38:54
or Jim
38:55
or Johnny
38:56
or whoever,
38:57
we'll hear
38:58
wind,
38:58
so to speak.
38:59
We'll see
39:00
trees bend,
39:01
grass bend.
39:02
There will
39:02
be evidence
39:03
that the
39:04
Spirit is
39:04
at work
39:05
in Jim,
39:05
Joe,
39:06
and Johnny.
39:07
Jim,
39:08
Joe,
39:08
and Johnny
39:08
will talk
39:10
differently.
39:10
All those
39:10
guys will
39:12
talk differently.
39:13
They'll be
39:14
different.
39:14
They'll use
39:14
their tongues
39:15
to talk about
39:16
the glory
39:17
of God,
39:17
love for
39:18
God,
39:18
love for
39:19
neighbor.
39:20
And not only
39:20
will they
39:21
talk about
39:21
it,
39:22
but more
39:22
importantly,
39:23
they'll
39:23
actually do
39:24
it.
39:24
They'll
39:24
actually love
39:25
God and
39:26
love neighbor.
39:28
And we'll
39:28
see that.
39:29
Though they'll
39:30
do it
39:30
imperfectly,
39:31
it will
39:31
be different.
39:32
We'll
39:33
see fruit.
39:36
They won't
39:37
be earthly
39:37
anymore.
39:41
The
39:42
rebirth
39:42
that every
39:43
human needs
39:43
to enter
39:44
the kingdom
39:45
of God
39:45
is entirely
39:47
a work
39:47
of God.
39:49
There's no
39:49
amount of
39:50
good you
39:50
and I
39:51
can do
39:51
to earn
39:52
salvation.
39:53
There is
39:53
no magical
39:54
prayer to
39:55
pray to
39:55
be saved.
39:56
You cannot
39:56
even desire
39:58
to be
39:59
saved left
40:00
to yourselves.
40:02
As John
40:03
writes in
40:04
John 3
40:04
verse 19,
40:05
so just
40:06
further along
40:06
after our
40:07
text,
40:08
he says,
40:09
people loved
40:10
the darkness
40:11
rather than
40:13
the light
40:13
because their
40:14
works were
40:14
evil.
40:15
In other
40:15
words,
40:16
they hated
40:16
Jesus because
40:17
they loved
40:18
their wickedness.
40:21
Right?
40:21
How would
40:21
somebody who
40:22
loves wickedness
40:23
ever seek
40:24
the Holy
40:25
One?
40:26
It doesn't
40:27
make sense.
40:28
If that's not
40:28
clear enough,
40:29
Paul says
40:30
Romans 3
40:30
11,
40:31
maybe you'll
40:31
recall this
40:32
from your
40:32
series,
40:32
he says,
40:34
no one
40:35
seeks
40:35
God.
40:37
Period.
40:38
No one
40:39
seeks
40:40
God.
40:44
But praise
40:44
the Lord
40:45
that he
40:45
came from
40:46
heaven to
40:46
save his
40:47
people.
40:47
This Jesus
40:48
who John
40:48
introduced as
40:49
full of
40:51
grace and
40:52
truth.
40:54
So why
40:55
wouldn't
40:55
Nicodemus
40:56
embrace
40:56
Christ?
40:58
Why would
40:59
he not
40:59
turn to
40:59
Jesus the
41:00
Savior when
41:02
this has
41:02
been made
41:02
so abundantly
41:03
clear over
41:04
and over
41:05
again in
41:05
the life
41:06
of Christ?
41:09
This takes
41:09
us to our
41:10
third heading,
41:11
Nicodemus'
41:12
fundamental
41:12
problem.
41:14
His
41:14
fundamental
41:15
problem.
41:16
Look at
41:17
verses 9
41:17
through 12
41:18
with me
41:18
again.
41:21
Nicodemus
41:21
answered and
41:22
said to
41:22
him,
41:23
How can
41:23
these
41:23
things
41:24
happen?
41:26
And
41:26
Jesus
41:27
answered and
41:27
said to
41:27
him,
41:28
You are
41:28
the teacher
41:29
of Israel
41:30
and these
41:30
things you
41:31
do not
41:31
know.
41:32
Truly,
41:33
truly,
41:33
I say
41:34
to you,
41:35
that which
41:35
we know
41:36
we have
41:37
spoken of.
41:38
That which
41:39
we have
41:39
seen,
41:40
we testify.
41:41
And our
41:42
testimony you
41:43
did not
41:44
receive.
41:45
You all
41:46
did not
41:47
receive.
41:48
If I
41:49
speak to
41:49
you of
41:49
earthly
41:50
things and
41:50
you do
41:51
not believe,
41:51
how,
41:53
if I
41:53
speak to
41:53
you of
41:54
heavenly
41:54
things,
41:55
will you
41:55
all
41:55
believe?
41:59
So you
41:59
get the
42:00
sense in
42:00
verse 9
42:01
that Nicodemus
42:02
is frustrated.
42:04
Nicodemus
42:04
specifically is
42:05
questioning,
42:06
how can one
42:08
be born again?
42:08
How can this
42:09
happen?
42:09
How can this
42:10
thing be
42:10
true that
42:11
you are
42:11
describing?
42:13
Now it's
42:13
not a
42:14
question of
42:14
theology.
42:15
He's not
42:15
nerding out
42:16
and going,
42:16
how does
42:17
that work?
42:17
What's the
42:17
process like?
42:18
No,
42:18
he's in
42:20
disbelief.
42:21
How can
42:22
that be?
42:23
Right?
42:24
How could
42:25
he be
42:25
president?
42:26
It's that
42:26
kind of
42:27
question.
42:28
How can
42:29
that be?
42:30
So recall
42:31
that Nicodemus
42:31
is a
42:32
Pharisee.
42:33
And scholars
42:34
have long
42:34
pointed out
42:35
that Nicodemus
42:37
surely spent
42:38
much of his
42:39
life as
42:39
the teacher
42:40
of Israel
42:40
telling people
42:42
how to be
42:42
saved,
42:43
how to be
42:43
made right
42:43
with God.
42:45
And so we
42:45
can infer
42:46
from things
42:47
we read in
42:47
the rest of
42:48
the Gospels
42:48
what he might
42:49
have said.
42:49
Keep Torah,
42:50
love God,
42:51
love neighbor,
42:52
things that
42:53
are good,
42:54
but not
42:55
things that
42:55
can save
42:56
you.
42:57
And then of
42:58
course there's
42:58
all the
42:58
traditions they
42:59
wrapped around
42:59
it and all
43:00
these other
43:00
things.
43:03
But in the
43:03
prior verses,
43:04
in verses
43:05
3 through
43:05
8,
43:07
Jesus
43:07
completely
43:08
demolished
43:09
those wrong
43:09
ideas.
43:10
They're buried
43:11
behind the
43:12
woodshed.
43:12
They're gone,
43:14
dead,
43:15
meaningless.
43:17
And so
43:17
Nicodemus,
43:18
as I said,
43:18
he's not
43:19
asking a
43:19
sincere question.
43:20
He knows
43:21
the answer.
43:21
He knows
43:22
the process,
43:23
so to speak,
43:24
because Jesus
43:24
had already
43:25
talked about
43:25
it in
43:26
verses 3
43:26
through 8.
43:27
So Nicodemus
43:28
is expressing
43:29
his unbelief.
43:31
He does
43:31
not want
43:32
to believe
43:33
that man
43:34
must be
43:34
born from
43:35
above by
43:35
the Spirit.
43:38
And you
43:38
can imagine
43:39
why.
43:39
I mean,
43:39
the suffering
43:41
he'd have to
43:41
go through
43:42
to give up
43:42
his title
43:43
as teacher,
43:44
to acknowledge
43:44
that everything
43:45
he's taught
43:45
is wrong,
43:46
the social
43:47
standing he
43:48
might lose
43:48
as a Pharisee,
43:49
as a ruler.
43:50
So there's
43:51
those aspects
43:52
that I'm
43:52
helpless
43:53
in and of
43:54
myself.
43:55
And there's
43:56
nothing a man
43:57
hates more
43:57
than feeling
43:59
like he needs
43:59
somebody's
44:00
help.
44:02
Right?
44:02
We love
44:03
self-sufficiency
44:05
even though
44:05
we are
44:06
painfully,
44:07
laughably
44:08
not
44:09
self-sufficient.
44:13
And in
44:13
verse 10,
44:14
Jesus essentially
44:15
rebukes
44:17
Nicodemus.
44:17
He says,
44:18
you,
44:19
there's a
44:20
cut here,
44:21
he's mocking
44:21
him,
44:22
you are the
44:23
teacher of
44:23
Israel,
44:24
and these
44:25
things you
44:26
do not
44:26
know?
44:27
In other
44:28
words,
44:28
how can
44:28
you teach
44:29
the Word
44:30
of God
44:30
if you
44:30
don't
44:31
understand
44:31
this most
44:31
basic
44:32
truth,
44:33
this most
44:34
fundamental
44:35
teaching of
44:35
Scripture
44:36
for how
44:37
one is
44:37
made right
44:38
with God?
44:40
Time and
44:40
time again,
44:41
from the
44:41
Garden to
44:42
the New
44:42
Jerusalem,
44:44
God,
44:44
one way or
44:45
another,
44:45
is telling
44:47
his people,
44:48
this is how
44:49
you are
44:49
saved,
44:50
and being
44:50
saved leads
44:51
to a
44:51
transformed
44:52
life,
44:53
and this
44:54
thing,
44:55
these things,
44:56
Nicodemus,
44:57
man,
44:58
despite man's
44:59
best efforts.
45:03
And there's
45:03
some Johannine
45:04
irony here,
45:05
right?
45:05
John's being a
45:06
little bit ironic
45:07
here,
45:07
he does that a
45:08
lot.
45:09
I actually got
45:09
into a group
45:10
text the other
45:11
day with Alex
45:12
and Ian
45:12
Kohler and
45:13
Thomas Fisher,
45:13
and I was
45:14
just saying,
45:15
you know,
45:15
has it ever
45:15
occurred to
45:15
you,
45:16
John's
45:16
probably
45:16
like the
45:17
funny guy
45:17
in the
45:18
group?
45:19
You know,
45:19
when you
45:19
read the
45:19
Gospel of
45:20
John,
45:20
there's a
45:20
lot of
45:21
funny irony
45:22
where he's
45:22
mocking people
45:23
or showing
45:23
something to
45:24
be dumb
45:25
or silly
45:26
or just
45:26
outrageous.
45:28
Well,
45:28
this is one
45:28
of them,
45:29
right?
45:29
You are
45:31
the teacher.
45:32
The irony
45:33
is,
45:33
remember,
45:34
Nicodemus
45:35
came to
45:35
Jesus saying,
45:36
Rabbi,
45:37
and Nicodemus,
45:38
well-known,
45:39
reputable,
45:39
the teacher
45:40
of Israel,
45:41
not just a
45:41
teacher,
45:42
but Nicodemus
45:42
is the
45:43
teacher of
45:44
Israel.
45:44
So you
45:45
can imagine
45:45
he probably
45:46
came to
45:46
Jesus maybe
45:47
as equals,
45:48
maybe even
45:49
thinking he
45:49
was above
45:50
Jesus because
45:51
after all,
45:51
he's the
45:52
teacher.
45:53
And here,
45:54
Jesus just
45:55
outclasses him,
45:56
checkmates him,
45:58
you're a
45:58
teacher?
45:59
Really?
45:59
And so there's
46:03
some irony here.
46:04
And Jesus is
46:05
pointing out to
46:05
Nicodemus,
46:07
we are not
46:07
equal.
46:08
You are not
46:09
even a teacher
46:10
and you lack
46:11
the basic
46:12
credentials to
46:13
claim such
46:14
a role.
46:16
And so,
46:16
beloved,
46:17
I can say to
46:17
you with
46:18
confidence,
46:19
because of
46:19
this passage
46:20
and others
46:20
like it,
46:22
that you
46:22
should never
46:23
sit under
46:24
a preacher
46:24
or a teacher
46:25
who tells
46:27
you what
46:27
you can
46:28
do in
46:29
and of
46:29
yourself
46:30
in order
46:31
to be
46:31
saved.
46:33
That idea,
46:34
whatever name
46:34
it goes by
46:35
of Roman
46:36
Catholicism
46:37
or some
46:37
kind of
46:38
liberal
46:38
theology
46:39
and so
46:39
forth,
46:39
I don't
46:40
care the
46:40
name,
46:41
but that
46:41
is a
46:41
man-centered
46:42
religion
46:43
and man-centered
46:44
salvation,
46:46
and that
46:46
idea bleeds
46:47
and permeates
46:48
and pops
46:48
its head
46:49
in so many
46:49
ugly ways
46:50
in so many
46:51
places.
46:53
But the
46:53
true church
46:54
teaches we
46:54
are saved
46:55
by faith
46:55
alone
46:56
in Christ
46:56
alone.
46:58
And as we
46:58
know,
46:58
even that
46:59
faith
46:59
is a
47:00
gift
47:00
from
47:01
God,
47:02
according
47:02
to Paul
47:03
in
47:03
Ephesians
47:03
2,
47:04
8.
47:06
So in
47:07
verse 11,
47:09
Jesus
47:10
affirms
47:11
the
47:11
distinctions
47:12
Nicodemus
47:13
made earlier.
47:13
So we
47:14
have some
47:14
further
47:14
kind of
47:15
irony
47:16
here,
47:17
a battle
47:18
of wits,
47:18
so to
47:19
speak.
47:20
And Jesus
47:20
says in
47:21
verse 11,
47:21
we have
47:22
this and
47:23
we have
47:23
that.
47:24
So remember
47:25
Nicodemus
47:25
came and
47:26
he made
47:26
the
47:26
distinction.
47:28
Jesus
47:28
is
47:28
acknowledging
47:29
that
47:29
distinction.
47:30
He's
47:30
saying,
47:31
yeah,
47:31
you're
47:31
not
47:31
one
47:31
of
47:31
us.
47:32
You're
47:32
not
47:32
born
47:33
again.
47:33
You're
47:33
not
47:34
a
47:34
Christian.
47:36
He says,
47:37
we have
47:38
seen this,
47:39
we have
47:39
spoken of
47:40
it,
47:41
we have
47:41
witnessed
47:41
this,
47:42
we have
47:42
testified,
47:43
and you
47:43
did not
47:44
accept
47:45
that.
47:46
And so
47:47
Jesus in
47:47
this verse,
47:48
verse 11,
47:49
he's speaking
47:49
of a
47:50
particular
47:51
knowledge,
47:52
and a
47:52
particular
47:52
thing that
47:53
he and
47:54
his disciples
47:54
have
47:55
witnessed.
47:56
What is
47:56
he describing?
47:59
And again,
48:00
you go back
48:01
to John's
48:02
prologue in
48:03
John 1,
48:04
so verses 1
48:05
through 3,
48:06
which I already
48:06
read a moment
48:07
ago,
48:08
makes it clear,
48:09
Jesus is God,
48:10
he was with
48:10
God,
48:11
all things
48:12
created through
48:12
him,
48:13
by him.
48:14
But he
48:15
picks up,
48:16
we'll pick up
48:16
in verse 4
48:17
and hear the
48:17
rest of what
48:18
John has to
48:19
say in his
48:19
prologue.
48:20
So John
48:21
writes of
48:22
Jesus,
48:22
he says,
48:23
in him
48:25
was life,
48:25
and the
48:26
life was
48:26
the light
48:26
of men.
48:27
The light
48:28
shines in
48:29
the darkness,
48:29
and the
48:30
darkness
48:30
has not
48:30
overcome
48:31
it.
48:32
There
48:32
was a
48:32
man sent
48:32
from God
48:33
whose name
48:33
was John,
48:35
talking about
48:36
John the
48:36
Baptist,
48:37
he came
48:37
as a
48:38
witness to
48:38
bear witness
48:39
about the
48:39
light that
48:40
all might
48:41
believe through
48:41
him.
48:43
John was
48:43
not the
48:44
light,
48:44
but came
48:44
to bear
48:45
witness
48:45
about the
48:46
light.
48:46
The true
48:47
light,
48:47
which gives
48:48
light to
48:48
everyone,
48:48
was coming
48:49
into the
48:50
world.
48:51
He,
48:51
Jesus,
48:52
was in
48:52
the world,
48:52
and the
48:53
world was
48:53
made through
48:53
him,
48:54
yet the
48:54
world did
48:55
not know
48:55
him.
48:56
He came
48:57
to his
48:57
own,
48:58
and his
48:58
own people
48:58
did not
48:59
receive him.
49:00
But to
49:00
all who
49:01
did receive
49:02
him,
49:02
who believed
49:02
in his
49:03
name,
49:03
he gave
49:04
the right
49:04
to become
49:05
children of
49:06
God,
49:07
who were
49:07
born,
49:08
not of
49:09
blood,
49:09
nor of
49:09
the will
49:10
of the
49:10
flesh,
49:11
nor of
49:11
the will
49:11
of man,
49:12
but of
49:13
God.
49:15
Now,
49:16
you could do
49:16
a whole study
49:17
just comparing
49:18
that passage
49:18
with this
49:19
Nicodemus
49:20
passage.
49:20
There are
49:20
countless
49:21
parallels,
49:22
but the
49:23
thing to
49:23
note with
49:24
our time
49:24
and for
49:25
our purposes
49:25
is that
49:26
the testimony
49:28
in John's
49:28
gospel,
49:30
the testimony
49:30
is this,
49:31
that Jesus
49:31
is God
49:32
incarnate who
49:33
has come
49:34
to save
49:34
the world.
49:36
And in
49:37
John 3,
49:38
this is the
49:38
testimony Jesus
49:39
refers to.
49:40
He's saying,
49:41
we've told
49:41
you,
49:42
I'm God,
49:43
I'm here to
49:43
save everyone,
49:45
and you have
49:45
not believed
49:46
me.
49:46
You have
49:48
not come
49:48
to me
49:49
as I
49:49
truly
49:49
am.
49:50
Though I've
49:51
given you
49:51
signs and
49:51
wonders which
49:52
you yourself
49:53
acknowledge,
49:55
but you
49:55
have not
49:56
believed.
49:57
And this
49:58
is Nicodemus'
49:59
fundamental
50:00
problem.
50:03
He cannot
50:04
see nor
50:05
enter the
50:06
kingdom,
50:07
nor has
50:08
he been
50:09
born again,
50:10
nor can he
50:10
understand
50:10
spiritual
50:11
things,
50:12
because he
50:13
has failed
50:14
to recognize
50:14
whom he
50:15
is speaking
50:15
with,
50:16
Yahweh,
50:17
in the
50:18
flesh.
50:21
And so
50:22
verse 12,
50:22
Jesus makes
50:23
a lesser
50:23
to greater
50:24
argument.
50:24
He essentially
50:25
says,
50:26
how do you
50:26
expect to
50:26
understand
50:27
heavenly
50:27
things,
50:28
the things
50:28
you want
50:30
to know
50:30
about?
50:31
If you
50:31
can't
50:31
understand
50:32
these
50:32
things,
50:32
these
50:32
earthly
50:33
things,
50:34
if you
50:35
can't
50:35
understand
50:36
God in
50:36
the flesh,
50:36
how will
50:37
you understand
50:37
God in
50:38
heaven in
50:38
the spirit?
50:40
Right?
50:41
You're not
50:41
ready for
50:42
that.
50:43
You're not
50:43
born again.
50:44
You don't
50:44
have eyes
50:45
to see.
50:46
You are
50:46
blind.
50:50
And so
50:50
he says,
50:51
I'm right
50:51
here,
50:52
Nicodemus,
50:53
look at
50:53
me.
50:55
Because all
50:56
of Scripture
50:56
testifies
50:57
about Jesus.
51:00
So,
51:01
Christian,
51:01
if you have
51:02
lost confidence
51:03
in the
51:03
faith,
51:04
or if you
51:04
find yourself
51:05
growing murky
51:06
or lacking
51:07
understanding,
51:08
perhaps cold
51:08
to God
51:09
and his
51:09
word,
51:11
I think
51:11
from this
51:12
passage you
51:12
can glean
51:13
that you
51:14
ought to
51:14
focus on
51:15
Christ again,
51:16
go back
51:17
to square
51:17
one,
51:17
so to
51:18
speak,
51:18
and work
51:18
from there.
51:19
All of
51:20
Scripture is
51:20
about him,
51:21
all of
51:21
Scripture is
51:22
meant to
51:22
point you
51:23
to him,
51:24
and so
51:24
look for
51:25
him in
51:26
the
51:27
Scriptures.
51:29
And
51:29
visitor,
51:29
if like
51:30
Nicodemus,
51:30
you are
51:31
inquiring,
51:32
you want
51:32
to understand
51:32
the faith,
51:33
maybe you
51:33
want to
51:33
have
51:34
faith,
51:36
then don't
51:36
continue in
51:37
unbelief about
51:38
Jesus Christ
51:39
as Nicodemus
51:40
does.
51:40
today is
51:42
the day to
51:43
profess faith
51:43
in Christ
51:44
and begin
51:45
to see
51:45
with eyes,
51:46
new eyes
51:47
and a
51:47
new heart.
51:51
We now
51:51
see that
51:52
Nicodemus'
51:52
fundamental
51:53
problem is
51:55
that he has
51:55
not embraced
51:56
the testimony
51:57
concerning
51:58
Jesus Christ,
51:59
that Jesus
52:00
is the light
52:01
of the world,
52:01
that Jesus
52:02
is life,
52:03
that Jesus
52:03
is God
52:04
incarnate.
52:04
And if
52:05
that is
52:06
Nicodemus'
52:06
problem,
52:07
and by
52:08
extension
52:08
everyone
52:09
in the
52:10
world,
52:10
as John
52:10
says in
52:11
John 1,
52:13
then what
52:13
is the
52:14
solution
52:14
to such
52:15
a problem?
52:18
Well,
52:19
let's look at
52:19
verses 13
52:20
through 15.
52:22
Jesus
52:22
continues,
52:23
he says,
52:23
no one
52:24
has ascended
52:24
into heaven
52:25
but the
52:25
one who's
52:25
come down,
52:27
the Son
52:27
of Man.
52:28
And just
52:29
as Moses
52:29
lifted up
52:30
the serpent
52:30
in the
52:31
wilderness,
52:32
so also
52:32
it is
52:33
necessary
52:33
that the
52:33
Son of
52:34
Man
52:34
can be
52:34
lifted up
52:34
so that
52:35
all who
52:36
believe in
52:36
his
52:36
clearly
52:37
speaking
52:37
of
52:38
himself
52:38
and
52:39
giving
52:39
his
52:39
credentials,
52:40
so to
52:41
speak.
52:42
In effect,
52:43
he says,
52:43
no one
52:43
else has
52:44
ascended
52:44
to heaven.
52:46
No one
52:46
can claim
52:47
to have
52:47
the heavenly
52:48
knowledge
52:49
but me,
52:50
the Son
52:50
of Man.
52:51
So again,
52:52
he's further
52:52
questioning
52:53
Nicodemus'
52:54
credentials.
52:56
Further,
52:57
Jesus is
52:57
pointing out
52:58
that Nicodemus
52:59
ought to
53:00
listen to
53:00
him because
53:02
of who he
53:02
is and
53:03
where he
53:03
has come
53:05
from.
53:06
By referring
53:07
to himself
53:08
as the
53:08
Son of
53:08
Man,
53:08
he's alluding
53:09
to Daniel
53:10
7,
53:11
which prophesies
53:12
of the
53:12
Son of
53:12
Man coming
53:13
who will
53:13
rule for
53:13
eternity
53:14
and have
53:15
dominion and
53:15
dynasty and
53:16
so forth.
53:16
So Jesus
53:17
is identifying
53:18
himself as
53:19
that king.
53:19
I'm the
53:20
eternal king.
53:20
I'm the
53:21
king of
53:21
kings.
53:21
That's what
53:22
Son of
53:23
Man is
53:24
referring to
53:24
in this
53:24
context.
53:27
And then
53:27
verse 14,
53:28
Jesus references
53:29
a story
53:30
from
53:30
Numbers
53:30
21,
53:31
6-9.
53:32
You may
53:32
recall it.
53:34
In this
53:34
story,
53:35
God punishes
53:36
Israel in
53:37
the wilderness.
53:37
He sends
53:38
serpents into
53:38
their camp and
53:39
they start
53:39
biting everybody
53:40
and they're
53:41
dying.
53:42
But then
53:42
Moses
53:43
intercedes.
53:45
And God
53:45
tells Moses
53:46
what to do
53:47
so that
53:47
Israel can
53:49
be spared.
53:49
And he
53:49
gives a
53:50
promise.
53:50
So Numbers
53:50
21,
53:51
verse 8,
53:53
God had
53:54
just told
53:55
Moses to
53:55
take a
53:56
serpent,
53:56
put it on
53:57
a pike,
53:57
lift it
53:58
up.
53:58
And then
53:59
he says
53:59
in Numbers
53:59
21,
54:00
verse 8,
54:01
And it
54:01
shall come
54:01
about that
54:02
everyone who
54:03
is bitten,
54:03
so those who
54:04
are dead,
54:05
right,
54:05
dying,
54:06
everyone who's
54:07
bitten and
54:08
looks at it,
54:09
referring to
54:10
the serpent,
54:10
everyone who
54:11
looks at it
54:12
will live.
54:15
So back in
54:15
John 3,
54:16
14,
54:17
Jesus is
54:17
evoking this
54:19
promise,
54:19
this story.
54:20
It's typologically
54:22
saying this applies
54:22
to me and then
54:23
some because I'm
54:24
talking about
54:24
eternal life.
54:27
And so,
54:29
Jesus is
54:30
foreshadowing
54:31
his crucifixion.
54:34
It's great to
54:34
hear babies
54:35
crying at my
54:36
other church.
54:36
It's mostly
54:37
old,
54:38
so you might
54:38
hear like a
54:38
knee crack,
54:40
but that's
54:42
about it.
54:45
But,
54:46
I forgot
54:48
this is
54:48
recorded.
54:51
Shoot.
54:52
But back
54:53
to John 3,
54:54
verse 14,
54:54
he's evoking
54:55
this context.
54:57
He's saying,
54:58
if you would
54:58
only look
54:59
to me,
55:01
the serpent
55:02
was just a
55:02
picture of
55:03
me to come.
55:05
I,
55:05
the son of
55:05
man,
55:06
who must
55:06
be lifted
55:06
up.
55:08
If you
55:08
would just
55:08
look to
55:08
me,
55:09
you will
55:10
live.
55:10
All those
55:11
who look
55:11
to Christ
55:12
will live.
55:13
That's
55:13
the solution.
55:15
And to
55:15
look at him
55:16
not merely
55:17
as a
55:17
teacher or
55:18
merely with
55:18
some level
55:19
of respect.
55:20
Just the
55:21
other day,
55:21
I've been
55:22
following all
55:22
this stuff
55:23
with Richard
55:23
Dawkins,
55:24
if you
55:24
know.
55:24
He's
55:24
about
55:25
atheists.
55:26
He hates
55:27
Christianity,
55:28
but all of
55:28
a sudden he
55:28
likes it
55:29
because the
55:29
world's
55:29
going crazy,
55:30
even though
55:30
it's the
55:30
world he
55:31
invented.
55:32
And now
55:33
he's saying,
55:33
oh,
55:34
I'm a
55:34
cultural
55:34
Christian.
55:35
I like
55:35
what Jesus
55:36
said.
55:36
I just
55:37
don't think
55:37
he existed.
55:39
Well,
55:39
that's not
55:40
enough.
55:40
That's not
55:41
looking to
55:41
Christ.
55:43
That's
55:43
actually worse
55:45
than
55:45
Nicodemus.
55:47
And there
55:47
are many
55:47
today who
55:48
do that.
55:48
So don't
55:49
look to
55:49
him in
55:49
that way,
55:50
but look
55:50
to him
55:51
as the
55:52
son of
55:52
man,
55:52
as king
55:53
of kings,
55:53
as lord
55:54
of lords,
55:54
believing
55:55
what he
55:55
says and
55:55
has shown
55:56
and demonstrated
55:57
about
55:58
himself,
55:59
and you
56:00
will live.
56:02
And he
56:03
says in
56:03
verse 14,
56:04
it's necessary
56:05
that I'm
56:05
lifted up.
56:06
It must
56:06
be so.
56:07
This has
56:08
to be.
56:10
Why is it
56:10
necessary?
56:10
Well,
56:11
for Jesus
56:11
to die
56:12
for us,
56:14
sin requires
56:15
a blood
56:16
payment,
56:17
death,
56:17
and all
56:17
that it
56:18
entails.
56:19
The wages
56:20
of sin
56:20
is death.
56:21
So Jesus
56:22
must die
56:23
on our
56:23
behalf if
56:25
he is to
56:25
be able
56:26
to be
56:26
merciful and
56:27
gracious while
56:29
upholding his
56:30
justice and
56:31
goodness.
56:33
So friends,
56:33
if you haven't
56:34
gotten it by
56:35
now,
56:36
Jesus Christ
56:37
is our
56:37
Savior.
56:38
Not yourselves,
56:40
not your
56:40
parents,
56:41
not your
56:41
pastor,
56:42
certainly not
56:43
your guest
56:43
preacher,
56:44
but Jesus
56:46
Christ alone.
56:50
And then
56:50
verse 15,
56:51
this is why
56:51
Jesus came.
56:53
He says,
56:54
in order that
56:54
everyone who
56:55
believes in
56:57
him may
56:57
have eternal
56:59
life.
57:01
Now,
57:02
don't hear in
57:02
that verse
57:03
a passive
57:04
threat of doom
57:05
and judgment
57:06
for those who
57:07
do not believe,
57:09
though that's
57:10
absolutely true
57:11
and important,
57:11
and if you're
57:12
not in Christ,
57:12
I encourage you
57:13
to think about
57:14
that.
57:15
But what Jesus
57:16
is doing here
57:17
is now,
57:18
I think,
57:18
a warm
57:20
invitation.
57:21
He is offering
57:22
to Nicodemus.
57:23
He's saying
57:23
to him
57:25
as if he was
57:26
Israel of old.
57:27
Again,
57:28
the leader of
57:28
the Jews.
57:29
Believe in me.
57:30
Look to me
57:31
as Israel of
57:32
old.
57:32
Look to
57:33
Moses'
57:33
serpent,
57:34
and you
57:34
will live.
57:39
Now,
57:40
in closing,
57:41
I know I'm
57:42
going a little
57:42
over,
57:42
so I'll cut
57:43
some of this,
57:44
but I just
57:45
want to offer
57:46
a few
57:46
reflections
57:47
in light of
57:48
this.
57:49
I hope no
57:50
one is
57:50
thinking,
57:51
I also
57:52
understand why
57:53
you may be,
57:55
I hope no
57:55
one is
57:56
thinking that
57:56
what's the
57:58
point of
57:59
this?
57:59
Aren't we
58:00
Christians?
58:00
Is this not
58:01
church?
58:02
You might be
58:02
thinking,
58:03
I already
58:03
believe in
58:04
Jesus.
58:04
What does
58:05
this have
58:06
to do
58:06
with me?
58:08
Well,
58:08
I hope you
58:09
already know,
58:09
right?
58:09
As Christians,
58:10
we never
58:11
outgrow
58:11
the gospel.
58:13
We are
58:13
daily in
58:15
need of
58:16
gospel hope.
58:17
As a
58:18
Christian,
58:18
I still
58:19
find myself
58:20
wanting to
58:20
turn to
58:21
self-sufficiency,
58:22
and I
58:23
look in
58:23
all the
58:23
dumbest
58:24
places.
58:25
I have
58:26
an MD,
58:26
we're a
58:27
tie to
58:27
church now,
58:28
right?
58:28
I don't
58:29
actually think
58:29
that way,
58:30
but that's
58:31
about how
58:32
dumb all
58:32
of that
58:33
thinking is.
58:34
And we're
58:35
so prone
58:36
to it,
58:36
we're so
58:37
ensnared by
58:38
this
58:38
self-sufficiency,
58:39
this ability
58:40
to drive
58:41
ourselves,
58:42
to be
58:42
better,
58:42
to be
58:43
greater,
58:43
and we
58:44
are poor,
58:45
blind beggars
58:47
apart from
58:48
Christ.
58:50
And so we
58:50
are in need
58:51
of this
58:51
reminder of
58:52
our daily
58:52
need.
58:53
Every hour,
58:54
Lord,
58:54
I need
58:54
thee.
58:56
That our
58:56
faith and
58:57
our justification
58:57
come from
58:58
Christ,
58:59
not our
59:00
works or
59:01
anything else
59:01
that are
59:01
standing before
59:02
God is
59:03
found in
59:04
looking to
59:05
Christ and
59:05
his life,
59:06
his death,
59:07
and
59:07
resurrections.
59:09
And friends,
59:09
if nothing
59:10
else from
59:11
this text,
59:11
consider how
59:13
everything is
59:14
meant to
59:14
point us
59:15
to Christ,
59:16
to make
59:17
us look
59:18
to Christ,
59:19
not just
59:19
for salvation,
59:21
that's where
59:21
it starts,
59:22
but even
59:22
for our
59:23
very purpose
59:24
and existence
59:24
as human
59:26
beings,
59:26
for our
59:27
sanctification,
59:27
for our
59:28
drive,
59:28
why we do
59:29
what we do,
59:30
why we are
59:30
what we are,
59:31
all these
59:32
things must
59:33
be in
59:34
submission to
59:35
the Lordship
59:35
and to the
59:36
glory of
59:37
Christ.
59:38
as Paul
59:38
says in
59:38
Colossians
59:39
1.16,
59:40
for by
59:40
Christ all
59:41
things were
59:41
created,
59:42
in heaven
59:43
and on
59:43
earth,
59:44
visible and
59:44
invisible,
59:45
whether
59:45
thrones or
59:46
dominions or
59:47
rulers or
59:47
authorities,
59:48
all things
59:49
were created
59:50
through him
59:51
and for
59:52
him.
59:54
And another
59:55
thought for us
59:56
to consider
59:56
in light of
59:58
John 3
59:58
is this,
1:00:01
who are
1:00:01
the Nicodemuses
1:00:02
in my life?
1:00:04
Now the way
1:00:05
I worded that
1:00:05
might evoke
1:00:06
cringy youth
1:00:07
group memories
1:00:07
for you,
1:00:08
it kind of
1:00:08
does for me,
1:00:09
and I
1:00:10
totally
1:00:10
understand the
1:00:11
whole you're
1:00:11
not David
1:00:12
thing,
1:00:12
I'm there,
1:00:12
I agree.
1:00:14
But what I
1:00:15
mean is this,
1:00:15
right,
1:00:16
we live in
1:00:17
the south,
1:00:17
we live in
1:00:17
Georgia,
1:00:18
this is the
1:00:18
hotbed of
1:00:19
false,
1:00:20
fake
1:00:21
Christianity,
1:00:22
there are
1:00:22
Nicodemuses
1:00:23
everywhere,
1:00:24
people who
1:00:24
respect Christ,
1:00:25
who look up
1:00:25
to Christ,
1:00:26
I'm trying
1:00:26
to do better,
1:00:28
but they
1:00:28
are not
1:00:29
actually in
1:00:30
Christ.
1:00:32
You work
1:00:33
with them,
1:00:34
you might be
1:00:34
related to
1:00:35
them,
1:00:35
I guarantee
1:00:36
you work
1:00:36
with them
1:00:36
and you're
1:00:37
related to
1:00:37
them,
1:00:37
I mean,
1:00:37
they're just
1:00:38
everywhere.
1:00:41
And sadly
1:00:42
and ironically,
1:00:43
while they
1:00:43
profess Christ,
1:00:45
which is maybe
1:00:45
a step above
1:00:46
Nicodemus,
1:00:47
I guess,
1:00:48
they still are
1:00:49
not actually
1:00:49
looking to
1:00:51
Christ.
1:00:52
They have not
1:00:53
believed in
1:00:54
him,
1:00:54
but are still
1:00:54
clinging to
1:00:55
some other
1:00:56
thing,
1:00:56
maybe it's
1:00:57
their morality,
1:00:58
maybe it's
1:00:59
their priest,
1:01:00
their culture,
1:01:00
their membership
1:01:01
with the
1:01:02
Republican Party
1:01:03
or some
1:01:04
other nonsense
1:01:04
thing.
1:01:07
And I
1:01:07
don't say
1:01:08
that as a
1:01:08
joke,
1:01:09
that's a
1:01:09
very real
1:01:10
thing.
1:01:13
And as
1:01:14
disciples of
1:01:14
Christ,
1:01:15
we ought to
1:01:15
confront those
1:01:16
people in
1:01:18
love with the
1:01:19
true gospel as
1:01:20
Jesus did with
1:01:21
Nicodemus.
1:01:22
He didn't care
1:01:23
that Nicodemus
1:01:24
was the teacher
1:01:25
of Israel.
1:01:26
He identified
1:01:27
the fundamental
1:01:28
problem and
1:01:29
addressed it
1:01:30
head-on,
1:01:32
full of grace
1:01:32
and truth,
1:01:34
inviting him
1:01:34
into a life
1:01:36
of peace
1:01:37
and joy
1:01:38
and love
1:01:39
with the
1:01:41
Father.
1:01:42
So let us
1:01:42
go and do
1:01:43
likewise to
1:01:44
the glory of
1:01:45
Christ.
1:01:46
And let's
1:01:46
pray.