I wanna introduce you to a man this morning. He wasn't the richest man really, but he could afford some of the finer things. He was a deeply spiritual man. His name was Nicodemus. Maybe you can relate to him. Perhaps your parents had a drug problem. They drug you to church on Sunday, they drug you to church on Wednesday, they drug you to church prayer meetings. You've been in church nearly right out of the womb it seems. You heard the Bible stories as a kid in Sunday School. You went on mission trips in Youth Group. But something happened. You began to wonder about this Jesus stuff. You believe in Jesus and think He had some good things to say. But after having tried all that growing up you found that it just didn't work. Your life wasn't any better because of it. You still had to work to put gas in your car. You still got dumped by the most amazing guy or girl in high school. Your grandma, who was the kindest woman anyone could ever meet still died of cancer. You hear Christians all the time talking about morals, but they're no better than you are. You can be just as moral as they can. "I can be a good person without being a Christian and going to church," you say. "There's no reason why I shouldn't go to heaven."
What's the difference between the one who is spiritual and the one who is born again? You see this is the question at the heart of the matter today and this is the question that Jesus Himself answers for us this morning in John 3:1-8. John is the fourth book in the New Testament, just after Luke and before Acts. John 3:1-8.
READ: John 3:1-8
Now Nicodemus was a spiritual man, but he was more than that. He was a leader of the Pharisees. The Pharisees were a Jewish sect of legalistic leaders that were antagonistic to Christ and His followers. To distinguish them from another major group in the New Testament it's been said that because they were legalistic they weren't "fair...u see" as compared to the Sadducees who denied the resurrection and therefore had no future hope and were "sad...u see." Him being a leader meant that he was likely part of the Sanhedrin, which was like the Jewish Supreme Court. And Nicodemus wanted to meet with Jesus. But there was a problem. He was a Pharisee. How would he do this? He knew that his comrades wouldn't think too highly of him going to see this trouble maker. So I imagine he began thinking, "I can't talk to Him during the day because the people are all over Him. Surely they would see me." So after the fanfare dispersed, the linen weavers went home, and the carpenters packed up their things, the sun took its' place beneath the earth and the crickets brought the night with them. Now it was time to go see Jesus. This "ruler of the Jews" Nicodemus traveled carefully and quietly to now go see the man who would later be called the "King of the Jews." So he traveled quietly and secretly. His first words to Christ in v.2 are, "Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher;" Do know what it took for someone to be recognized as a Rabbi in this culture? A Rabbi was made being the disciple of another Rabbi. Jesus had no mentor and in fact was wowing teachers in the temple even when He was a twelve year old boy! And this man recognized Him as Rabbi and teacher.
Some of you today may say the same... Jesus was a real man and a good teacher. He's the one who said, "Do to others as you would have them do to you." He said to "love your neighbor as you love yourself." But is that all He said? because if He is a good teacher than the things He taught were good, and right, and true... weren't they? Keep that in mind as we continue in this story together. Why did Nicodemus say He was a good teacher? V.2 continues as he tells us, "for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him." Look back with me at v.2:23-25. You may say, "I don't believe in miracles!" Well let me ask you this, "Is what you or I believe really the issue?" Or is it a matter of truth? You see truth by it's very nature stands beyond what we believe and how strongly we believe it. This man saw the miracles with his very eyes and believed them. They were so real to him he would some risk to go see this Jesus Christ. He still could've been seen at night, just not as well. Now I want you to notice what Christ did NOT do... He didn't tell Nicodemus He was right to call Jesus Rabbi. He didn't commend him for his bravery in coming to chat. He didn't confirm that He had in fact come from God.
What did Jesus say? v.3, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." This was the heart of the issue. You see Jesus knew what was in the heart of man. Nicodemus saw the miracles and acknowledged Jesus Christ, but Christ did not acknowledge him. He needed to be born again. You may have heard Christians say this today. You may have seen the street preacher on your way to the mall and heard him say this. "What exactly does it mean?! "born again?!" You ask in utter confusion" Well, you're not alone. Because Nicodemus asked the same question. He says in v.4-5, "How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born, can he?" Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of flesh is flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit."
"Born Again"
In the original language this idea of being born again can also be translated "born from above" and the idea is that you must be "born from heaven." Nicodemus heard this and thought it meant physical birth, but Jesus was referring to something VERY different. He says this heavenly birth is to be of the "water and the Spirit." Some of you today may have been raised in a church where you had to be baptized, maybe as a baby, and the impression you got is that it was in some way to help you get to heaven. Is this the water Jesus is talking about here? I don't think we can say it is. There's no mention of baptism in this entire chapter. It doesn't fit in what Christ is saying here at all. There is no physical outward act you can do to help you get to heaven. The Bible says...
"He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit," (Titus 3:5)
Do you see that? No righteous thing or physical earthly act we do can help us get any closer to heaven. I've been baptized three times. Does that get me any nearer to God than you? No. Here it says the "washing of regeneration/rebirth." This new birth is not like the old one. THIS new birth actually cleanses the soul! The water here gives us a metaphorical picture of what being born again looks like. In Matthew 3:11, the Bible also says, "As for me I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire." When someone is born again and God the Holy Spirit moves upon them they don't catch on fire. They don't become the Human Torch. Fire has a purifying effect to it, just as water can have. The fire here is metaphorical, just like the water is. Jesus goes on to explain that physical earthly birth is simply that. It remains physical and earthly. It's nature and worth is different... it's not divine. Spiritual birth however is heavenly. It's this birth that Jesus speaks of as the birth that will allow someone to experience the kingdom of God after they die.
Think with me for a moment about the birth of a child. Before a child is born it lives in one reality, the reality of its' mother's womb. This is the only world the child can experience. Life is good in this world... the baby is protected and nurtured and even its' food is even provided for. But the baby wasn't meant to stay in that world. It's temporary. When the baby leaves the womb, a whole new world is opened up to them. Once the baby settles down and begins to look around at the new world, it sees people in a new way (from the outside no longer from the inside). It experiences a whole new way of life. And as the baby's father witnesses this birth, he is filled with a joy that words cannot know. This is similar to spiritual birth yet wholly different if I can say that, because you see right now this reality... this life as you know it, the way you see the world, the way you approach the difficulties and challenges of life... it all becomes new. You won't ask, "God why did you take my grandma?!" You'll say, "Lord, thank you for giving me such a sweet woman for so many years." When God changes your heart, when you're born again, you're given new eyes for this life and a new hope for heaven.
Jesus continues in v.7, "Do not be amazed that I say to you, you must be born again. The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit." The Holy Spirit of God works like the wind. He works invisibly. You can't see Him, but He begins to pull at you and the time comes when you hear these truths and you begin to believe them. God says that His people know and hear His voice. Some of you may feel the breath of the Holy Spirit on your heart and mind today. You see yourself in Nicodemus. You've been very religious, but you know it's not enough. I need to tell you today...
Drop the fake devotion to religious things.
Stop following a spirituality that you made up.
Stop trusting in your good morals.
Why do we need cleansing? Because no matter how hard we try to reform ourselves and our morals... we've already blown it.
We've told lies, we've put God last in our lives, we've looked with lust committing adultery in our heart, we've taken God's name in vain. We're not good people. And your religious cloak can't hide our nakedness before God. God says you are are dead in your sins. You're the walking dead. And you're walking straight into Hell.
We need the cleansing that only God can give. And He gave it when He became a man in Jesus Christ, who died on a cross to take your sin and mine upon Himself. he didn't die so you could go to church on Easter or Christmas and feel a little better about yourself. He died as a sacrifice for sin. He then rose from the dead on the 3rd day, proving who He was. God says you must surrender all that you are. You must lay your excuses, your fears, and your religiosity at the foot of the cross of Christ. You must turn your back on sin and put your trust in Christ alone not in your parent's religion, your baptism, your prayers or any good things you did to your fellow man.
You see, through this story about the man Nicodemus God is showing you that...
To know about Jesus Christ only means you're the walking dead, but to know Jesus Christ means you are born again.
Now I'm not asking you to join the church. I'm not trying to sell you anything. I just wanna see you in heaven one day. So as our service ends, a few of us will be up front. If you have any questions or want to talk further about this. Please feel free to come and speak with us.
Let's pray...
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