Jesus & Nicodemus
John 3
1 There was a man from the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to him at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God, for no one could perform these signs you do unless God were with him.”
3 Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, unless someone is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
4 “How can anyone be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked him. “Can he enter his mother’s womb a second time and be born?”
5 Jesus answered, “Truly I tell you, unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 Whatever is born of the flesh is flesh, and whatever is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not be amazed that I told you that you must be born again. 8 The wind blows where it pleases, and you hear its sound, but you don’t know where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”
9 “How can these things be?” asked Nicodemus.
10 “Are you a teacher of Israel and don’t know these things?” Jesus replied. 11 “Truly I tell you, we speak what we know and we testify to what we have seen, but you do not accept our testimony. 12 If I have told you about earthly things and you don’t believe, how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven —the Son of Man.
Nicodemus:
- Seen the miracles of Jesus
- Knew there was something ABOUT Jesus
- Didn’t believe him to be “Messiah”, Yet
Eventually becomes a follower of Jesus
- Paid for his burial
Key points about Nicodemus:
- Righteous by the standards of the LAW – but not before God
- Teacher = Knew a lot about theology/God/etc…
- Had all the “right answers”
This is important for two sets of people:
1st Person: “THE GOOD PERSON”
- I do good things… So I’m a good person
- By whose standard?
Romans 3:9-13
9 For we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin, 10 as it is written: 11 There is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. 12 All have turned away; all alike have become worthless. There is no one who does what is good, not even one. 13 Their throat is an open grave; they deceive with their tongues. Vipers’ venom is under their lips.
2nd Person: “THE KNOW IT ALL”
Head knowledge
Being a Christian is not:
- “Behavior Modification”
- Knowing all the right answers
It’s KNOWING THE RIGHT PERSON
John 14:6
Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Jesus is trying to teach Nicodemus and US, where our story REALLY BEGINS
Our story begins with being BORN AGAIN
Key Question: BORN AGAIN – What is it?
3 things:
1: Born again = NEW LIFE
IMPLANTATION OF NEW LIFE
- The Power of the HOLY SPIRIT
- The Future reality NOW
Born again INTO What?
- Kingdom of GOD
2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come!
Being born again means to bring the future Glory of God into you life and circumstances
2: Born again = NEW IDENTITY
What happens at birth
- New identity
- New Awareness
Identity:
- 1 – Name
- 2 – Family
Identity shifts
- Relationships
- Work/career
- Community
Born again = Identity shift
Galatians 2:20
I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
New name:
- REDEEMED
- LOVED
- CARED FOR
- NOT ALONE
- FORGIVEN
- ADOPTED
New Family:
- The church/bride of Christ
3: Born again = NEW AWARENESS
- Becomes more real
- You can understand your past and present
1 Corinthians 12:8–11
8 to one is given a message of wisdom through the Spirit, to another, a message of knowledge by the same Spirit, 9 to another, faith by the same Spirit, to another, gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 to another, the performing of miracles, to another, prophecy, to another, distinguishing between spirits, to another, different kinds of tongues, to another, interpretation of tongues. 11 One and the same Spirit is active in all these, distributing to each person as he wills.
Key Question: BORN AGAIN – Who is it for?
Nicodemus’ story shows us a glimpse…
It’s no longer…
- Those in the right family
- Those with the right amount of money
- Those with the right talents
- Those with all the knowledge
- Those who have it all together
Jesus invites the whole world…
John 3
14 “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. 16 For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Anyone who believes in him is not condemned, but anyone who does not believe is already condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God. 19 This is the judgment: The light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone who does evil hates the light and avoids it, so that his deeds may not be exposed. 21 But anyone who lives by the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be shown to be accomplished by God.”
How do we “convert”
- How are we born again
GRACE + FAITH + REPENTANCE
Grace: The gift of rebirth from God
Receiving new birth involves trusting in what Jesus accomplished through his death and resurrection. Like a natural birth, which depends on the labor of the mother, spiritual birth is made possible through Jesus’ suffering and sacrifice. ~ Timothy Keller
Repentance: Turning Away
- Not just “SORRY”
- Turn in the opposite direction
Faith: Trusting Jesus over yourself
This is where your story REALLY BEGINS.