Sermon Tone Analysis

John 3:1-18

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stephen Caswell © 2005

Introduction

 

Today there is so much confusion on how to get to heaven.

*/How can we be saved?/*/

Can you know for certain that you are going to heaven?

/People give various answers to this question.

Some say that baptism is essential and baptize infant children.

Others stress the importance of good works.

Many people follow the golden rule or the 10 Commandments.

/Does the Bible have anything to say on the matter?

Did anyone ask Jesus Christ how to get to heaven?

/Yes they did.

Jesus shared the way of salvation with a religious leader who came to see Him at night.

Searching For Heaven

 

*John 3:1-2: */There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.

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.

/

 

Nicodemus was an important man in the Jewish nation.

He lived as a Pharisee and taught the people God's law.

Nicodemus visited Jesus at night to find out how he could get to heaven.

He knew that Jesus was a remarkable teacher and called Him */Rabbi/*, a term of respect.

He recognized that God was with Jesus because of the miracles He performed.

Nicodemus didn't know how to bring up the question of salvation directly, so He praised Jesus first.

Jesus told Nicodemus two things about salvation.

It requires a */New Birth/* from a */New Belief./*

*/Firstly,/*/     /A New Birth*  *

 

/a.

Born Again  /

* *

*John 3:3:* /Jesus answered and said to him, Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

/

 

*John 2:25* says that Jesus knew what was inside a man.

As the film shared, He knows the hearts of all men.

Jesus told Nicodemus what he really wanted to know: /How do you get to heaven?

/Jesus emphasized the importance of His statement by starting it with/ *truly, truly*.

/Christ gave one requirement to him,*/ you must be born again/*.

/What did Jesus mean by *born again*?

/A number of things./

/To start with He emphasized a new beginning.

Birth is the beginning of human life.

Tragically we are born spiritually dead because of our sinful nature.

We need a new birth to enjoy God's fellowship again.

Only a new birth can bring new life.

The Greek word *ajnwqen* is translated */again/* in verse 3 and verse 7.

But this word has more than one meaning.

The New Testament translates *ajnwqen* in these ways,*/ again, anew, from above /*and*/ from the beginning./*

*John 3:31a:* /He who comes *from above* is above all;/ *James 1:17a: */Every good gift and every perfect gift is *from above*.

/I believe that both of these meanings are relevant here.

We need to be born again and this new birth is from above.

William Barclay gets the best of both worlds with, /unless a man *is reborn from above* he cannot see the kingdom of God.

/Our first birth on earth made us citizens of earth.

Adam was taken from the dust of the earth.

It takes a new birth from above to make us citizens of heaven.

Jesus emphasized a supernatural birth.

Not Moody but God Said So

 

A woman who was a very busy church worker waited for D. L. Moody after he had told a group of church workers some very plain truths from God’s Word.

Mr. Moody, said the angry woman; /Do you mean to tell me that I, an educated woman, taught from childhood in good ways, and all my life interested in the church and doing good, must enter Heaven the same way as the worst criminals of our day?/

*/No, madam, said Mr. Moody.

I don’t tell you at all: God does!/* */He says/* everyone who would enter Heaven, no matter how good they think they are, or how well-educated, or zealous in good works, */must be born again./*

/ /

/b.

Come Again/

 

*John 3:4:*/ 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?/

Nicodemus responded to Jesus' requirement with two questions.

/How can you be born when you are old?/

It doesn't make sense.

The second question starts with a negative *mh *particle.

Literally it reads, */He cannot enter a second time and be born can he?/*/ /Nicodemus took Jesus' words literally and asked Him to explain how this new birth was possible./

Jesus response in verses 5 to 7 highlights the difference between physical birth and spiritual birth./

We will look at these two kinds of birth and the life that follows each of them.

/c.

Physical Birth/

 

*John 3:5-6:* /Jesus answered, Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

/

 

Jesus repeats what He said before.

Even if people find it hard to understand, He won't change the conditions of entrance to heaven.

In fact the word */born/* is used */8 times/* in */8 verses/*.

Jesus again starts, */truly, truly/,* to emphasize the veracity of what He's saying.

/To enter the kingdom of God we must be born again./

This time however Jesus gives more details about the second birth.

He contrasts physical birth and spiritual birth to make his point.

Jesus compares physical birth with */water/* in verse 5 and */flesh/* in verse 6.

I believe that water here relates to physical birth.

A baby is protected in the womb by water.

The waters break at an infant’s birth.

Our bodies are made up of 98% water.

Water corresponds very well to physical life.

In verse 6 Jesus refers to this as a birth of*/ flesh/*.

Human life consists of flesh and blood.

/What does this physical birth accomplish?/

Our physical birth means we become part of the human race.

*/Nicodemus was proud of his physical lineage./*

His name *Νικόδημος* means */conqueror, victor/* */of the people./*

/He was a Jew, a descendant of Abraham./

Nicodemus was a religious leader and a teacher of the Law.

If Gentiles needed a new birth to enter heaven that was reasonable, but surely not one like himself.

However, Nicodemus had missed the fact that he was also a descendant of Adam.

We are all a part of Adam's family since we descended from him.

Children receive their nature from their parents.

Adam and Eve are our parents.

/What do we inherit from Adam?/ */Firstly,/* a /sinful nature/ because Adam sinned against God.

*/Secondly,/* /separation/ from our creator.