Born Again
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
The story of Nicodemus.
I would have to say that the two words stick out in the section of scripture more than anything else is BORN AGAIN
it’s the point of this whole message
that we’re not talking SIMPLY about a changed the life
tragedy can CHANGE US
relocation can CHANGE US
Health issues can CHANGE US
But Jesus today is talking about being BORN AGAIN
made NEW
Nor are we talking about living a religious life.
We have a Pharisee, who comes in the night a religious man man who
knew his Scripture
attend a temple
went to pass over,
made his required sacrifices
Jesus wasn’t looking for people who made a change, nor even committed to a religious life.
Jesus was talking about:
radical
complete
transformational
NEW DEAD TO THE OLD ALIVE IN THE NEW
BORN AGAIN.
Should take a little time this morning, and talk about Nicodemus
Pharisee
part of the ruling council
by worldly standards, very religious man.
But I asked you to remember that last week I told you that this verse was a bridge bridge between Jesus,
showing his first sign of being God
about getting angry at the condition of the world,
Knowing what is in everyone, and knowing what is in you
This is important to get our heads around the verses today.
Jesus did more signs of His Divinity then we are told
Jesus knew what was in each person
and that is important as we move forward in our study.
So we will talk about Nicodemus and Jesus today.
God knew what was in this man
and specifically knows whats in you?
SO.....
What’s in you?
Jeremiah 17:9 “9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?”
tells us that our hearts of deceitfully wicked
Romans 5:8 tells us that even though we were sinners, but Jesus came and died for us.
Paul struggles with his sin
You and I struggle with sin
you and I struggle with True Faith and Religiosity
We wrestle with man made CHURCH traditions
to the point where some denominations to believe in the
BIBLE plus Revelation
that God is still talking and changing to the needs of Society
to me that is BUNK -----
we believe in SOLA SCRIPTURA
in the Scripture alone
we struggle with new Truths as they come to us
we are learning to discern what is Truth and what is the World
Trying to wrestle with the fact that we have this thing called grace through faith ,
But in the scriptures today we get a huge clue of the answer to all this confusion to be born again
We are talking today about the amazing gift of GOD
a full and total do over
Dead to the Old and Alive in the New
Lets read together the story of Jesus and Nicodemus
John 3:1-9 “1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” 3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” 9 Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?””
John 3:10-15 “10 Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? 11 Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. 12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.”
Pharisee
Pharisee
So Nicodemus is a Pharisee
a member of the Seventy elder Sanhedrin which ruled the Jewish People
it is estimated that there were 6000 Pharisees during the time of Christ, but Nicodemus was of the elite part of that ruling council
in fact of the same religious sect that would in 3 years be the driving force for His death.
Yet we will see in a few week in John Chapter 7 that Nicodemus will defend Jesus
John7:50-52 “50 Nicodemus, who had gone to him before, and who was one of them, said to them, 51 “Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does?” 52 They replied, “Are you from Galilee too? Search and see that no prophet arises from Galilee.””
In fact Nicodemus assisted in Jesus burial
John 19:39 “39 Nicodemus also, who earlier had come to Jesus by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds in weight.”
I think that we can see through John that
the Pharisees were not evil as a whole
They were Religious
I must admit i buck at that LABEL on me.
Some one says oh you are religious ---- it makes me quiver
I am a follower of Jesus Christ.
I am a becomer
I am transformed
I am in a battle with the WORLD to overcome
July 4th we celebrate FREEDOM
Daily i celebrate my FREEDOM THROUGH CHRIST
i seek to Glorify God by Growing Others in Christ
Jesus is not a religion nor is HE a Philosophy
Night Time Visit
Nicodemus comes at night.
He was an important man
and likely did not possess a lot of fear of his surrounding
so it is likely that he came at night so that he could have some time with Jesus with out all the crowds.
I would suggest that Nicodemus also was a lot like us.
we often are more open to a private conversation without others around.
We meet privately after work, or Sunday afternoon.
We seek knowledge and not confrontation --- so we go privately
We see and/or hear something and we are moved to know more.
Nicodemus addresses Jesus as Rabbi
a name meaning Teacher and would have conveyed a sense of respect.
Nicodemus was rich,
educated in spiritual matters,
a theologian of the Old Testament ---
KNOWER of all the prophesy of the OT
But Nicodemus knew that something was missing in his life.
But He knew that Jesus more
and Jesus knew what was in HIM.
John (A. Conversation with Nicodemus (3:1–15))
A theologian approached a carpenter and graciously acknowledged him as a teacher from God because of the signs
When Nicodemus went to Jesus,
he went from teacher to LEARNER
jesus knew what was in Nicodemus
and jesus brings up a new concept in His Ministry
to be...
BORN AGAIN
BORN AGAIN
how did Nicodemus understand the pathway to God?
To obey the Rules
To do the Right Things
to be Religious
and Jesus the carpenter, the Rabbi, the doer of SIGNS
JESUS says NOPE
Remember Jesus already knows
He knows the kingdom is on Nicodemus heart
so Jesus hit it straight up
unless you are born again you will not see the kingdom of God.
You must be BORN AGAIN.
not work harder but you need a new life
not sacrifice more —
Jesus is the way, the truth and the LIFE
are you starting to see the connection?
in our world we have examples:
a struggling team with new players, new coach
The team is born again
a rusted worn out car or truck — taken to a rehab shop and comes out beautiful
the truck is born again
a Caterpillar born from an egg, and then in time is BORN AGAIN as a beautiful butterfly.
regenerated, renewed, revived
to a new life in Jesus.
born first of the earth, of a father and mother
but to SEE the KINGDOM
one must be REBORN of the SPIRIT of GOD
that all the ceremonial washing in the Jewish religion
and all the baptisms in the world will not SAVE you
it is the BELIEF and acceptance of Jesus as your Lord and Saviour that Saves you.
Conclusion/Wrap up
Conclusion/Wrap up
Look there are many many theological concepts in John Chapter 3
and next week we are going to visit likely the Number one verse in our mind JOHN 3:16
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
I want to invite you to invite other because we are going to look at 17 and 18 also.
Here again is what i learned and wanted to share:
Nicodemus came in the night --- an example of how so many of us come to Christ — in the darkness of our life
We come with our Beliefs and traditions
We must understand to see the Kingdom
it is not our works
it is not our goodness
it is not our birthright
It is coming to Jesus
the way the truth and the LIFE
and becoming NEW
a new creation
a new model
a new Spirit Lead, not world lead being
a child of GOD, not a Child of the world
The Spirit of God is the power,
not your works
the spirit like the wind will come according to God’s time
Jesus challenged Nicodemus and the Spirit of God will challenge us
We must belief, we must be born again
The Spirit of God, the Spirit of Christ, the amazing Trinity will start to open things to us.....
yet is not our traditions that will save us, not OUR knowledge or OUR ways
it is the last verse in our lesson today
15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.
Belief is the Key to becoming BORN AGAIN
lets pray.