The Gospel: What We Need
The Gospel: Our Lifeblood • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 55:00
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· 101 viewsThis series tackles foundational issues about the gospel and the Christian life. What is the gospel? Why is the gospel important? How do I know if I’m saved? How does a person go from being dead in sins to being a citizen of God’s kingdom? What is our identity in Christ? How should we live now that we are children of God? Regardless of whether you’re a mature follower of Christ or an unbeliever, these are truths that, for the sake of eternity, you can’t live without.
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What Happens When We Are Born Again?
What Happens When We Are Born Again?
What Happens When We Are Born Again?
This morning we are going back to basics. It reminds me of the famous Vince Lombardi when trying to get his team to work together. He almost insults their intelligence by picking up a football and saying, “Gentlemen, this is a football.”
So this morning we are going to ask the most important question we could ever ask, “How does the gospel become appropriated, or become a reality in our lives?” Not only for ourselves, but for those we come into contact with. Let’s listen to . Listen to Jesus speaking, almost like you have never heard this story before.
1 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 and said to him, “Most assuredly, 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, “Most assuredly, 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 the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
9 Nicodemus answered and said to Him, “How can these things be?”
10 Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things? 11 Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness. 12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven. 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
18 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”
John 3:1-
You must be born again. What does that mean? It seems in America it means different things to different people. There are many people who believe in Jesus but don’t know what it means to be born again. What I want us to do is think about what it means to be born again.
As we looked at last week, salvation is not about what we do, but about what God does for us. I’m not saying we don’t have any part in this. We’re going to get to that, but I want us to see that God is the main actor in salvation, and God’s grace permeates the whole picture of what it means to be born again. So what happens when we are born again? I want us to think about it based on in four different ways. I’m not saying necessarily sequential. So let’s go, Number one...
God reveals our need.
God reveals our need.
You have got to realize that Nicodemus is a Pharisee, a “member of the Jewish ruling council”, it says at the very beginning. This is a very well respected man. He is a devout man to say the least. He has spent his entire life learning how to enter the kingdom of God. He has spent his entire life teaching others what commands to obey, what actions to take to enter the kingdom of God.
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.”
You have got to realize that Nicodemus is a Pharisee, a “member of the Jewish ruling council”, it says at the very beginning. This is a very well respected man. He is a devout man to say the least. He has spent his entire life learning how to enter the kingdom of God. He has spent his entire life teaching others what commands to obey, what actions to take to enter the kingdom of God.
The new birth is necessary to know God.
The new birth is necessary to know God.
It is what he has spent his life doing which really brings the gravity of what Jesus says in verse 3 to the forefront. For this guy, who is radically devoted to God, to His work, to hear Jesus say, “You have no spiritual life in you whatsoever.” He basically says, without me all your religion is worthless.
It is what he has spent his life doing which really brings the gravity of what Jesus says in verse 3 to the forefront. For this guy, who is radically devoted to God, to His work, to hear Jesus say, “You have no spiritual life in you whatsoever.” He basically says, without me all your religion is worthless.
What Jesus is doing here is addressing Nicodemus’ need. So what is He saying?
David Platt, “The Gospel: What We Need,” in David Platt Sermon Archive (Birmingham, AL: David Platt, 2008), 1288.
The new birth is necessary to know God.
The new birth is necessary to know God.
You cannot know God apart from the new birth. You get midway to verse 7 and He says, “You must be born again.” It’s not an option. It is the only way. The new birth is necessary to know God. Second...
The new birth is impossible without God.
The new birth is impossible without God.
As Jesus said that, Nicodemus is almost a little dumbfounded. Here’s how he responds...
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?”
And we find out that is not what Jesus is talking about. He’s not talking about a physical birth. It’s impossible to give birth to yourself in the physical. It’s equally impossible to give yourself life in the spiritual. I mean, who really decides to be born? Any of you sitting around one day thinking, “You know, I don’t have anything better to do. I guess I’d like to enter earth now and be born.” Nobody does that.
This whole idea of being born again is literally, “born from above.” And Jesus starts talking about the Spirit. And being born from above. This is impossible without God. But with God, all things are possible. The problem is with us. Before we receive new life in Christ, how does the Bible describe us? We’re going to go through these rather quickly. Number one...
We are morally evil.
We are morally evil.
Not just sinful. Listen to what the Bible says...
21 And the Lord smelled a soothing aroma. Then the Lord said in His heart, “I will never again curse the ground for man’s sake, although the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; nor will I again destroy every living thing as I have done.
Genesis 8:21
13 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”
So, we’re morally evil. Sounds pretty bad.
We are spiritually sick.
We are spiritually sick.
12 When Jesus heard that, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.
Matthew
We are spiritually sick and need a doctor. At the core of who we are, there is a terminal, malignant disease that is far worse than any physical problem. We are spiritually sick at the core of who we are.
We are slaves to sin.
We are slaves to sin.
34 Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.
26 and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.
2 Timothy
We are blinded to truth.
We are blinded to truth.
We are blinded to truth.
We are blinded to truth.
14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
4 whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.
2
says we have hearts of stone. We are not receptive to truth. We are blinded to it apart from Christ. Next...
We are lovers of darkness.
We are lovers of darkness.
8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light
20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.
On our own, we love the darkness. We run from the light. Ephesians tells us that...
We are children of wrath.
We are children of wrath.
4 Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
James 4:45
10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.
People say, “But I’ve loved God all my life.” No you have not. You may have loved a god you made up in your own mind, but no one seeks God as He really is the Bible says. “No one seeks after God, no not one.” This is not a good list. And it gets worse. All culminating in the last one...
We are spiritually dead.
We are spiritually dead.
We are under the sentence of physical death, ; Spiritual death, , and eternal death, . literally says...
1 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins,
So this is the portrait of us before we are born again, before we come to faith in Christ. So I want you to think with me. How can someone in this utterly hopeless condition even think of getting right with God? This is the whole point of what Jesus is saying in . Nicodemus is wanting to know what he can do. What boxes he can check off. What prayer to pray. But Jesus says, “It’s not like that.” That is frustrating to the core for so many. You mean there’s nothing I can do. Ok, now you’re getting to the heart of what it means to be born again...
The new birth is dependent on God.
The new birth is dependent on God.
Here’s the deal, you cannot be born again apart from a desperation for God in your sin, a realization of your need. Nicodemus asked, “How can this be?” The whole point of , what it’s focusing on is not what Nicodemus can do, but what is being done for him.
When it comes to the gospel, God is not up in heaven saying, “Ok, so let’s halfway.” No. He comes right to where we are in our darkness, and He shines in His light. He comes to us in our death and gives us life. All thanks to His mercy and His grace. Without Him meeting us where we are, we would have no hope. God reveals our need, and second...
God changes our heart.
God changes our heart.
Now Nicodemus is confused, wondering how this happens. Nicodemus is still confused. However, this what Jesus says to try to clarify in verse 5...
5 Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
5 But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unjust who inflicts wrath? (I speak as a man.)
What Jesus is telling Nicodemus effectively is, “Something needs to happen in you from the inside out. You need a change of heart.” We don’t need to improve the old nature. We need an entirely new nature.
Born of water and the Spirit. What does that mean? First of all...
He cleanses us.
He cleanses us.
This is a picture of water. He washes us. tells us...
5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,
When God changes our heart he cleanses us and second...
He indwells us.
He indwells us.
That’s what salvation is all about. This is what happens when God changes our heart. If you are born again, God reveals our need, and He changes our heart. Third...
God enables our belief.
God enables our belief.
Now these first ten or eleven verses that we have been talking about in have been talking about what God does in giving us life and bringing us to be born again … what you see in 10–11 is a shift throughout the rest of this passage that we just read to one key word. That word is “believe.” It is mentioned, I think, seven times. It is the same word, idea that we talked about last week: The gospel is what God did, so that all who have faith in Christ will be reconciled to God forever, faith alone. In fact, in … the end of , and then you get into … twenty different times, over twenty times, you see “faith” and “belief” mentioned. Scripture is very clear that this is the means by which the gospel is appropriated in us.
David Platt, “The Gospel: What We Need,” in David Platt Sermon Archive (Birmingham, AL: David Platt, 2008), 1295.
By His grace, we turn from sin.
By His grace, we turn from sin.
So this is where we see our act in salvation, our believing in the context of God’s act in salvation. They go together. Don’t miss this, faith is our act, but that act takes place within the context of God acting. God enables our belief, and our part is to believe. says...
44 No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.
Then you get to the book of Acts...
18 When they heard these things they became silent; and they glorified God, saying, “Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life.”
14 Now a certain woman named Lydia heard us. She was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God. The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul.
Acts 11
She hears the gospel message and God opens her heart to it, and she responds. You see how they go together.
18 When they heard these things they became silent; and they glorified God, saying, “Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life.”
Think about it. Their repentance was a gift from God. So what happens in faith? Very simply, faith is based in God’s grace. By His grace in faith, number one...
By His grace, we turn from sin.
By His grace, we turn from sin.
We don’t remain in darkness. We turn from darkness. We turn from our sin. The first message Peter preaches in the first Christian sermon is , “Repent and turn to God. Turn from sin.” Second...
By His grace, we trust in Christ.
By His grace, we trust in Christ.
This goes back to verses 14 and 15 in , just like the people who were dying of snake bites looked at the serpent on a pole. It was by looking at the serpent on a pole that God brought salvation. They are believing in His provision. Same thing for us. W look to Christ as the only one who an reconcile us to God, the only one who can cleanse us from our sin, and you trust in Christ. This is the heart of the Gospel...
31 So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.”
So, it begs the question, “Has this belief, has this faith in the context of God’s grace, been a reality in your life? Is this turning from sin and trusting in Christ alone to save you a reality in your life? It is part of what happens in the new birth. God reveals our need, He changes our heart and God enables our belief.
God transforms our lives.
God transforms our lives.
So, it begs the question, “Has this belief, has this faith in the context of God’s grace, been a reality in your life? Is this turning from sin and trusting in Christ alone to save you a reality in your life? It is part of what happens in the new birth. God reveals our need, He changes our heart and God enables our belief.
All that leads up to the last part of the new birth...
David Platt, “The Gospel: What We Need,” in David Platt Sermon Archive (Birmingham, AL: David Platt, 2008), 1296.
God transforms our lives.
God transforms our lives.
Listen to verse 21...
21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”
John 3:2
I want us to see two truths. Here’s what happens when God transforms our lives. Number one...
He transforms us for our eternal good.
He transforms us for our eternal good.
When the Holy Spirit indwells us you begin to love that which is good. And then...
He transforms us for His eternal glory.
He transforms us for His eternal glory.
Did you catch what says? It is a great phrase at the end. “But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that …” Here is why, “… so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through …” Who? “… God.” What is God doing in the new birth? He is showing His power. God is showing His glory in the new birth. He is making it clear that only He could have done this. This is why the new birth is the picture that we have in .
Am I born again?
Am I born again?
Did you catch what says? It is a great phrase at the end. “But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that …” Here is why, “… so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through …” Who? “… God.” What is God doing in the new birth? He is showing His power. God is showing His glory in the new birth. He is making it clear that only He could have done this. This is why the new birth is the picture that we have in .
So here is the ultimate question...
David Platt, “The Gospel: What We Need,” in David Platt Sermon Archive (Birmingham, AL: David Platt, 2008), 1297.
Am I born again?
Am I born again?
Give opportunity to trust Christ.