← ArchiveSunday, October 20, 2013DateOctober 20, 2013Speaker—TextJohn 3Passages in this sermonJohn 30:38John 61:31Matthew 72:26John 12:55John 3:111:53Ephesians 2:830:52Romans 1:1634:391 John 2:337:111 John 238:531 John 3:1639:10TranscriptClick any line to jump there.0:00thank you for that welcome thank you Kim thank you Rick thank you choir thank you for preparing our hearts for worship amen if you have your Bibles with you this morning surely you do you may have your iPad you may have your telephone and if you have either one of those0:28it better be on the scripture I want you to turn to a very familiar passage this morning John chapter 3 John chapter 3 in John chapter 3 we have one of the most familiar chapters in all scripture and you could probably recite it by heart that's a passage of scripture that conveys a very important0:57important truth since it's about salvation and about God's love every now and then we just need to back up and and re-read God's word again to affirm what we believe or to know what we believe so you have John 3 chapter John chapter 3 and I want you to begin we're going to begin with verse 1 and we're going to read1:26almost up to the greatest verse in all the Bible according to some that's John chapter 6 or verse 16 but we're going to stop just short of verse 16 and go to verse 15 we'll get there to 16 in a moment but before we do that let me share with you why I see this taking place and what we have in chapter 3 verses 1 through 15 is the experience or is the occasion of Nicodemus1:55of Nicodemus a teacher of the Jews coming to Jesus so why does a teacher of the Jew come to Jesus we're going to talk about all that in just a minute but I want to read this to you this is why I believe a teacher of the Jews comes to Jesus Jesus in confronting the Pharisees and the Sadducees which is who Nicodemus was he was one of them Jesus in confronting religion confronting the religious hierarchy of his day2:24in Matthew chapter 7 gives a very somber confrontation that I have heard preached and even read for my own self and have a twinge not a twinge I should say a great confrontation of holy fear in my own life and you say why well let's look at it I'll read it you just listen because I want you2:54to stay with John chapter 1 I'm not going to preach from here but I want to give us a little preparation in Matthew chapter 7 about halfway through the chapter beginning in verse 21 Jesus in confronting the Pharisees Sadducees the religious leadership of his day as well as those that were followers of them said not everyone who says to me Lord Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven but the one who does the will of my father3:24father who is in heaven on that day many will say to me Lord Lord did we not prophesy in your name and cast out demons in your name and do many mighty works in your name in other words Jesus says there's going to be some people that come to the end and God is going to judge them and these are the ones who have preached Lord Lord they're the3:53they're the ones who have done religious deeds extremely religious they're teachers some of them have been pseudo spiritual leaders in their day they've prophesied in his name they've cast out demons they've done all the religious spiritual works that should identify them as4:23as followers of God but look he says and you're going to do many mighty works in your name that's what they're going to say to him and then I he says then will I declare to them I never knew you depart from me you workers of4:52of lawlessness that is to me that's one of the most sobering passages in the New Testament now there are a lot of passages that say a lot of things but that's a sober to come to the end of your life face Christ and give an account of all your religious activities and deeds and pour5:20and pour it out there have a resume that would that you know a resume that would all the the pope or whoever and Jesus says I never knew you depart from me you workers of lost do you hear those words echoing well it goes on he says and everyone then who hears5:50hears these words of mine talking about what he's just been teaching everyone who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock and when the rain fell and the floods came and the winds blew and beat on the house but it did not fall because it had been founded on the rock and everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man that means there are people that enter the church every Sunday6:20Sunday who are caught up in their own life and who hear messages over and over again concerning God's truth but they never catch on to the fact that God might be speaking to them everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand and the rain fell and the floods came and the winds blew ce and beat against that house and6:52the very next two verses and when Jesus had finished saying these finished these sayings the crowds were astonished at his teaching for he was teaching them as one who had authority and not as their scribes would you pray with me God help me today be in our midst today7:22today to give confirmation of truth in hearts and lives of those that are your children but then God also I pray today that you would give conviction of truth to those who falsely sit in the pew and verbally go7:50go for everything without any fruit and thus Lord fall into the category of those who Lord surround themselves with religious deeds and acts but God you don't know them yet I pray for I pray today they will come to know in Jesus name we pray amen now8:19now let's go back you're one of those Pharisees you're one of those scribes you're one of those people that has been hearing Jesus teach you've been hearing this profound man who has raised the dead who has caused the lame to walk again he's caused the blind to see you've seen his awesome miracles but you know as much as they have made an impact on your life what really impacted your life was you were there that day that he preached this8:49this message in Matthew when he said to them some shall cry unto me Lord Lord and they will begin to explain to me how they've done all these religious deeds but when it gets to the end of their time I speak and those people are the ones who I fear are who I assume are the ones with the greater fear they know who they are let me9:18let me tell you nobody has to tell you who you are no preacher has to tell you that you're lost no preacher can tell you that you're saved that is all the work of God and we're going to see that in just a minute but can you imagine again with me let's go back let's say we're sitting there we're on that hillside maybe he's out in the wilderness maybe he's somewhere near the temple maybe he's got this group of scribes and Pharisees and he's going to take the opportunity and9:48and he preaches Roman excuse me Matthew chapter 7 and the preceding verses as well as those that follow to him and they've heard with ears but the Bible tells us that often times when they heard all that it did was cause them to get angry do you know that there are more people probably leave the church angry with what God has said to them than there are that leave the church excited about what God has10:18has said to them there are some that just want to come pay their religious dues and get up and leave and say I've done it I'm good and let's move on and that's not what the Bible teaches the Bible talks about a life that is not religious but a life that is surrendered the Bible doesn't talk about a life with accolades10:47accolades of religious activity but a life of sacrificial service to the king of kings so now we've got this religious leader named Nicodemus who was potentially in one of these crowds he's been sitting there listening but something is stirring in Nicodemus his heart something has stirred in your heart if you're born again believer today at some11:16some point during some service or because some neighbor came to you or because some friend loved you enough to come sit down with you there was something that when you heard the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ that began to stir your heart let me tell you I believe with all my heart that when God begins working in a person's life their life becomes uneasy it becomes restless it becomes stirred11:46stirred and we see that played out in the life of Nicodemus let's look at John chapter 3 verse 1 now there was a man of the Pharisees religious heard the message potentially named Nicodemus a ruler of the Jews he was one who was in a place of authority this man came to Jesus by night isn't that interesting came by night and said to him Rabbi we know that you have come12:15have come from God as a teacher what a great proclamation from Nicodemus because he's one of few that felt that way as we see in this passage specifically he says for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him and Jesus answered and said to him truly truly I say to you that unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God and Nicodemus12:45Nicodemus said to him 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 the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the spirit is spirit do not be amazed that13:15that I said to you you must be born again the wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it but you don't know where it comes from and where it's going so is everyone who is born of the spirit Nicodemus said to him how can these things be Jesus answered and said to him are you a teacher of Israel and do not understand13:44understand these things truly truly I say to you we speak of what we know and testify of what we have seen and you do not accept our testimony if I told you earthly things and you do not believe how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things no one has ascended into heaven but he who descended from heaven the son of man as Moses lifted up the serp in the14:14the wilderness even so must the son of man be lifted up so that whoever believes will in him have eternal life well first of all I want us to think about when a religious man seeks answers you know have you ever noticed and I think this is really a wonderful thing because it's how they learn but have you ever noticed when a child starts talking they start asking questions14:43questions I mean you know it's inevitably and the questions that they ask that aggravate us are those that we really don't want to give an answer to because they're always why don't go outside why put your shoes on why don't fight with your brother why don't back talk your parents why you know15:13you know but those are those are the ones that really frustrate us because we know they know why you need to put your clothes on before you go outside because you don't go outside naked you put your shoes on when you go outside because you know shoes are needful when you go outside but what really is exciting is when your child begins to grow up and they begin to ask the how questions those15:43those are the ones that you pay particularly a close attention to because those require instruction I think it's exciting that when we read this passage that Nicodemus heart is stirred because he's impoverished by knowledge in other words he's full of it he's got all the knowledge that you could imagine he's got all the16:12all the knowledge that you could ever want he has been to the rabbinical classes he's been to the rabbinical schools he's got seminary degrees he's got his doctorate he's got everything because he's a leader over a lot of people he's got his pens for being in Sunday school class he's got his big King James version Schofield Bible that's white that sits on the end of the coffee table when all the guests come in y'all know what I'm talking about16:42talking about he's got it all why would he need any answers because he's heard a message that stirred his heart and that stirring in his heart has brought him to understand one thing is and that's the one thing that teenagers ultimately learn when they become old people like me I am a teenager in an old man's body and I say that because everyone around you is at one time everybody in17:12in here that's not under 13 years old was a teenager or is a teenager right and so one thing that we know the older we get is the less we know am I right and when we know less we want to know more sometimes but sometimes we don't want to know more because more brings greater consequences more brings greater responsibility so we come to the place where we either want to learn more or we don't want17:41want to learn anything but Nicodemus is that man who's come to the place where he realizes that all the knowledge that he has is not satisfying his heart I want to tell you I believe there are a lot of people in the church today that have a lot of knowledge some of them are able to quote scripture as well as anybody some of them may have just practically memorized the whole scripture and some of them may not have memorized any of the scriptures because they've only owned the Bible they never read anything in the Bible17:58if I were to ask you to ask you to ask you to ask you to ask you to ask what is the Bible about what would be your first answer don't answer it but I want you to think about it for a minute because it would require us to think about it to really give a correct answer what is the Bible about it's about God that's the simplest answer that you can read and discern about the Bible what we can say well it's about redemption and salvation yes but who's the father and author of redemption and salvation18:12if I were to ask you to ask you to ask you to ask you to ask you to ask what is the Bible about what would be your first answer don't answer it but I want you to think about it for a minute because it would require us to think about it to really give a correct answer what is the Bible about it's about God that's the simplest answer that you can read and discern about the Bible what we can say well it's about redemption and salvation yes but who's the father and author of redemption and salvation God God God well we can say that it's about man and the creation of man who created man18:41so the Bible is about who God it's about God you want to know about God you got to dig into the Bible you don't go out and buy 20 lesson plans on how to learn about the Bible you just read it because it's going to reveal to you God Nicodemus had learned as much as he could but he still needed more19:11he was a member of the ruling Sanhedrin there was the who was the intelligenta of his time there was an aristocracy in the nation he was a part of it he was rich he was respected he was religious he was a ruler and he was lost he was lost he was lost because he had not and did not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ19:40you know I believe there are a lot of people today that fill the church pews that are filled with all of the criteria of a Nicodemus but the problem is and I think the good part about Nicodemus is that while he was impoverished by knowledge he was also seeking answers but it doesn't give me the next point that I want to talk about20:07not only was he full of knowledge but he was imprisoned by fear Nicodemus was afraid and you say well preacher how do you know that Nicodemus was afraid when did he come to Jesus when do people do things that they don't want anybody else to see them doing by night who loves the darkness evil so Nicodemus filled with the fear of potentially being found out by those who are with him20:36comes to Jesus by night and he catches Jesus at a good time when Jesus can spend time with him I believe there are a lot of answers to that that we won't go into but he while he's imprisoned by the fear of ridicule from those that are potential religious leaders brethren of his those that are a part of the sect of the Pharisees that he's a part of those that he's teaching21:05he's willing to step out of the the potential of them finding out what he's trying to find out to go find out why his heart is stirring so to know more than what he already knows I want to ask you is there anybody in here that wants to know more than you already know I hope so I want to tell you something I believe you can study the Bible for till you die and you're not going to learn everything that you need to learn21:35and then one day you're going to wind up in heaven and you're going to have knowledge of everything that you've already learned but you're going to guess what you're going to still be learning we're going to be there about 10,000 years maybe 100,000 years maybe a half a million a million years and we're going to be there and we're going to go God tell me more tell me more because the knowledge of the most high is as endless as he is and he is totally and completely endless with no beginning or no end the rich man22:04sought answers even though he was full of knowledge I believe that if you're here today and you know Jesus Christ is your personal savior you're going to constantly want to know knowledge if you're lost today and the spirit of God is moving in your life life right now your heart right now is being pulled and tugged upon by the Holy Spirit of God reminding you that you are lost and that you do need Jesus but the fear22:32of embarrassment the fear of standing up because you've been a church member for so long so consumes your life you may stand before God one day and him say I'm sorry I never knew you you wouldn't stand up when I called your name what a sad day that would be he came to Jesus by night because he feared the ridicule of others23:02he could lose everything let me tell you the things he stood to potential to lose same things we stand to potential to lose if somebody finds out we're believers today he could lose respect of those that he hung out with I heard a great testimony this past Thursday night at a Gideon dinner at the Gideon dinner the man shared his testimony about going back to work after he had confessed Christ as his savior and telling all the guys about and they said sure sure sure but then his life was so changed that men began to come to him and said23:32and said wait a minute we see that there's a difference in your life you don't talk the same you don't work the same he said that's what I've been trying to tell you I know Jesus Christ is my Lord and savior and he's changed my life my friend if you're born again here today and you're not changed you're lost you're not saved if nothing in your life has changed I shouldn't say if you're born again because you can't be born again and be lost he possessed24:01he possessed he was possessed for answers I thought about that something overwhelmed him he came to Jesus with questions and as he's beginning to ask questions I want you to note that Jesus doesn't even answer his question he said he goes Rabbi we know that you have come from God a teacher for no one can do the signs that you do unless he is from God verse 2 verse 3 Jesus answered and said to him24:31thank you for all those accolades I really appreciate what you think about me no Jesus wasn't a Baptist preacher what he does was he says let me tell you something I want to tell you truly truly that means emphasis anytime you see something repeated greater emphasis on the word truly truly I want to say to you the truth the truth I want to tell you unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God that's not what Nicodemus was asking but God knew what Nicodemus needed you see I believe that the Holy Spirit25:01of God was working in Nicodemus' life that's why Nicodemus made his way to find Jesus that night that's why when God stood in the presence of Nicodemus in the person of Jesus Christ and Nicodemus began to tell him I know there's something unique and special about you God already knew all that and so when Nicodemus is confronted by the word of God Jesus says to him Nicodemus let me tell you something I know what you're asking and you're going to get to it eventually but unless a man be born again25:31he cannot enter the kingdom of God isn't it amazing to you that you read that and never did Nicodemus ask that question Nicodemus hadn't gotten that far yet but God knew the questions that was on his heart because God knows the questions that are on the hearts of those that truly seek him God knows already what is on your heart if you're truly seeking him God knows already what it is that you want to know if you're truly seeking him and so the question was asked or not asked but the answer26:00was given unless a man be born again he cannot enter the kingdom of God and then that really created a question in Nicodemus' heart and I want you to notice the question that Nicodemus comes back to Jesus with in verse 4 Nicodemus said to him how can a man be he didn't say why remember me talking to you earlier about the why in the house he didn't say why must the man be born again he said how you know when you get past the why you get to the how you get to the house I have people I want to ask26:30people why did God do it I asked a friend of mine I said why do you thank God he said Chris I can't tell you the why he said you're going to have to wait and get to heaven and ask God himself why but he said we can find the house it wasn't important to Nicodemus why he needed to be born again what Nicodemus wants to know is okay I've heard truth how do I do this let me tell you something that's the thing that would remind us today that people that are born again that are27:00that are truly know God are not the ones that are set back making excuses for their lack of righteousness that are setting back making their excuses for the sins that possess their life but they're the ones that are running to the altars and saying Lord how how how how can a man be born again how can a man enter the kingdom of God how does a man do this God how how that's what Nicodemus cried out how can a man be born when he is old and he asked27:29him the most relative question that he could ask him he said he can't enter this I love the way this is worded here he said he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born and then he says can he it's almost like well you know if I'm sending him before God I believe God can do about anything he needs to do so how does he do this Lord how does he get here and Jesus again speaks truly truly27:59truly truly I say to you Nicodemus you've got to understand something there's a difference between the spiritual and the flesh when spiritual truth is given to an unregenerate heart what the first thing is that we have to come to understand that the work of God is different than the work of our idemic personality our idemic selves and that's exactly what he does he says Nicodemus this thing that I'm talking to28:28talking to you about is a work of God truly I say to you unless one is born of water and the spirit he can not enter into the kingdom of heaven let me tell you I know that that little verse right there has about 40 chapters of explanation but I want to simplify it for this reason I know John Phillips says that he is relating to something that Nicodemus understood because Nicodemus knew that John the Baptist had been out in the wilderness preaching regenerate baptism in other words repentance and baptism28:57and baptism as coming closer to God and as the step that a person would before Jesus comes be saved if that's an explanation that can be used but there are others that say no it is the watering of the word of God and I can go on but I just want to take it and let's make it simple when a baby's born he's born with a gush or she's born with a gush of water from its mother's womb is it29:27is it not I mean my wife has worked around nurseries and hospitals and she's probably brought children she has brought children into the world when the doctor didn't get there she didn't get paid for it but hey she learned how to deliver children and you know what happens to you guys I mean I've got a very pregnant daughter-in-law and one day her water's going to break what her what's going to break her water so her water is birth29:56is birth and so a man must be born in the flesh if a man is never born does he need the spirit if you're never born you don't need to be saved do you well hello no if you don't exist but if you're born of the flesh and you're born of Adam then if you're going to be saved you've got to have a new birth and that's what Jesus is explaining to Nicodemus Nicodemus a man must be30:26must be born and then he must be born again this birth you understand comes from a mother's womb comes with a gush of water and that baby's born and then this man is going to be born when he's born of God that's a work of the spirit of God that's not a work of man that's not a work man can lay a hand on that's not work man can be proud of that's not work man can point at it is a work of God Ephesians 2 8 for by grace are you saved through faith not of30:56not of works least any man should boast it is the gift of so it is the work of God that brings about the new birth Nicodemus it's a good thing you came to Jesus that night because all your religious activities all your religious learning would have never brought you to the place where you could come to understand it is the work of God and the soul of man that pierces the heart of man that says to man you must be born again and it is God through the work of his Holy31:26his Holy Spirit that enters into that man that affirms salvation the salvation of that man's life it is not the work of man it is the work of God and that's what Jesus begins to explain to Nicodemus Nicodemus understand that the spirit he cannot enter without the spirit he cannot enter the kingdom of God that which is born to flesh is flesh that which is born to spirit is spirit don't be amazed at what I'm saying to you you must be born again we understand that we31:55that we don't know all things about the wind we don't know all things about the spirit but we do know this that if a man's going to be saved if a man's going to know God as his Lord and Savior he's going to be born again I want to go back and tell you something we could speak for weeks on this particular subject a baby is born how much does a baby know at birth he knows three things shortly32:25shortly after he's born he knows he needs to breathe he knows he wants to eat and he knows he's going to poop and he's uncomfortable when he does it he knows that about the same thing we know today you know that it's not unlike what we know today we know we gotta breathe we know we gotta eat32:54eat yep Nicodemus he asked the question and it's okay to ask it how can these things be how can these things be and Jesus said to him you're a teacher of Israel33:24of Israel and you don't know these things when spiritual truth is given to an unregenerate heart the first thing is how how can these things be how can a man be born again how can a man's sins be forgiven how can I who have done so many horribly ugly nasty bad things ever know God's forgiveness and I33:52and I can only tell you you need to stop and listen for God because God is the one who stirs the heart of the lost to come to Christ God stirs the heart of unregenerate man through the work of the Holy Spirit to convict him of his sins it's34:21it's God it's God through the work of his Holy Spirit and Jesus begins to explain salvation to this unregenerate man and Paul understood it because Paul said in Romans chapter 1 verse 16 for I'm not ashamed of the gospel for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes to the Jew first and also to the Greek for in the righteousness34:50righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith that is written but the righteous man shall live by faith Paul understood that the power of God that was entrusted in the gospel of Jesus Christ was God it's not sob us saved it's not checking the box that makes us saved it's not raising our hands that make us saved it's being35:20being born again by the Spirit of God through the work of God and the conviction of the Holy Spirit of God and the lost unregenerate man who feels the stirring of that Holy Spirit and stands up and says what must I do to be saved and God begins to work in his life A.W. Tozer heard a man preaching on the sidewalk and he was preaching a gospel message and he35:49and he said how must or what must I do to be saved and he said go and cry out to God for mercy and repent of your sins and it says tozer went to a private place and he cried out to God that he might forgive him of his sins that he might turn to Jesus Adam can only produce his kind all we will ever36:18ever be able to produce a little Adams and little leaves that which is born of man will always be man and man will always be born of condemnation that which is born of God is born of the spirit and that which is born of God that will live eternally in the presence of God is born of the spirit of God through the new birth Jesus answered truly I say to you unless one unless one is36:48is born of water and the spirit he cannot see the kingdom of God the new birth is the work of the Holy Spirit the new birth is God's plan for redemption that which is born of spirit belongs to God that which is born of spirit is saved that which is born of spirit is saved and you say preacher how do I know these things how can I hear these things John again writes in first John chapter two verse three by this we know he didn't say by this we guess by this we know that we've come37:18come to know him if we keep his commandments to love the Lord your God with all your heart with all your soul and with all your mind we're no longer saved by the Ten Commandments but my friend the Ten Commandments are important for us when it says to love God with all your heart with all your soul and with all your mind life is not about me life is not about what I want when I'm born again I'm born under the surrendered work of the Holy Spirit of God to do with me whatever he37:47he might do with me my friend you're sitting in this pew this morning and you've listened and you know38:03works or of religious heritage you know I want to tell them make sure my sons know as soon as they could that they're not going to heaven because their daddy's a preacher they're going to go to heaven because they're born again they're not going to heaven because their granddaddy's a deacon they're going to heaven because they must be born again they're not going to heaven because they joined the church they're going to heaven because they must be born again my friend you're not going to heaven because you tithe you're not going to heaven because you do good things38:32things you're not going to heaven because you shared your testimony before you're going to heaven because you've been born again and unless you've been born again by the spirit of God you're not going to heaven that's what Nicodemus found out also he says in 1 John chapter 2 if you know that he is righteous you know that everyone also who practices righteousness is born of him you can't do39:02do righteousness unless you've been born I love that unless he knows him and has been born of him in 1 John chapter 3 verse 16 he says we know love by this that he laid down his life for us and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren my friend we need to quit talking about one another and start lifting one another up we need to quit worrying about what somebody else is thinking about us and start loving them with the love of the39:32of the Lord Jesus Christ we need to break out of the mold of lawless deeds into the comfort of the precious spirit of God listen to what he says but whoever has the world's goods and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him how does the love of God abide in him little children let us not love with word or with tongue but in deed and truth40:01and truth can I ask you what marks your life this morning what marks your heart this morning is your heart marked by the fact that you're born again of God is your heart marked by the fact that you can't help but practice deeds of righteousness because the work of the Holy Spirit is pouring out through you is it because of what the Lord Jesus does through your heart daily that you're able to do good things or are you one of those guys who instead of going to the to the Savior at night40:31at night you slip off and go over to your computer and you're caught up in pornography and you wonder why you can't get out of it you wonder why it has such a hold on your life you wonder why you can't get out from under drugs you wonder why you can't get out from under alcoholism you wonder why you can't get out from under immorality you wonder why things have such a hold on you it may be that you need to be born again it may be that you need the Spirit of God to enter into your life and cause you to have a new birth41:01birth that will give you a new heart a new mind a new soul a new purpose a new drive a new hope a new strength and a new eternity my friend lest a man is born again he will not see the kingdom of God let us pray father oh lord today thank you for causing41:31for causing me to be born again and putting a new desire in my heart a fire in my bones oh god today I would pray that every religious person in this room do like Paul challenges examine yourself and know42:00and know that you're the faith examine look desperately at who and what you want to spend time with at who and what you're spending time with look desperately into the desire of your heart and the design of what God has purposed for you God today I can't look out here and say this person's saved and that person's lost but you42:29but you can and I would just ask you God through the work of your Holy Spirit and the conviction of the Holy Spirit that God you would convict any and every lost person in this room and that you would affirm every saved person in this room and God42:58and God let it be God and not us Jesus name I pray AmenMore sermons on John →
