2.2.7 1.14.2018 John 3.1-21 Unnatural Birth for an Unnatural Kingdom
Empire of Eternity • Sermon • Submitted
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How can a man be born again?
How can a man be born again?
Entice: We understand waiting for a birth. We know the process. Several months ago: conception. Then a long process of anticipation, happiness, concern, cravings and morning sickness. We know this process. We know the results. It's all natural. So when Jesus shocks Nicodemus by saying another birth, a different birth is necessary, Nick is puzzled. More than 20 centuries late many still share Nicodemus questions and confusion.
More than 20 centuries late many still share Nicodemus questions and confusion.
happiness, concern, cravings and morning sickness. We know this process. We know the results It's all natural. So when Jesus shocks
happiness, concern, cravings and morning sickness. We know this process. We know the results It's all natural. So when Jesus shocks
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?”
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.
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.
17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.
20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.
21 But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”
John 3.1-21
Nicodemus by saying another birth, a different birth is necessary, Nick is puzzled. More than 20 centuries late many still share Nicodemus
Nicodemus by saying another birth, a different birth is necessary, Nick is puzzled. More than 20 centuries late many still share Nicodemus
questions and confusion.
questions and confusion.
Engage: We cannot approach this text without acknowledging the great decision it is seeking from us. It tells the truth about Jesus and tells the truth about our natural, fallen, sin-stained selves. The best we have to offer, the pinnacle of natural, human expressions of goodness and purity fall short. When natural man confronts un-natural revelation and un-natural expectations the best we can do is to be confused. The remedy to that confusion is in the text:
You must be born again.
You must be born again.
ou must be born again.
Expand: Some of the most favorite, quoted passages in the whole Bible are in our text today. , , . The lingering question, however is one of obedience and acceptance.
Excite: My goal is not teach you the lesson of the text or to help you learn to quote famous verses. My task today is to put the question:
Have you been born again?
Have you been born again?
We are born-again, from above: It is God’s work.
We are born-again, from above: It is God’s work.
Explain:
1 An Unnatural Birth 1-10
1 An Unnatural Birth 1-10
▾ 1 An Unnatural Birth 1-10
▾ 1 An Unnatural Birth 1-10
1.1 Purpose. 1-3
1.1 Purpose. 1-3
A New Kingdom requires a new birth.
1.2 Process. 4-5
1.2 Process. 4-5
1.2.1 Not like the old…based upon the human process of conception-gestation-birth-hence Nicodemus' confusion.
1.2.2 Again/from Above
1.2.3 Water & Spirit vs. Flesh & Blood.
1.3 Parameters. 6-7
1.3 Parameters. 6-7
• 1.3 Parameters. Flesh begets flesh…Spirit, Spirit. 6-7
• 1.3 Parameters. Flesh begets flesh…Spirit, Spirit. 6-7
Flesh begets flesh…Spirit, Spirit.
1.4 Principle. 8
1.4 Principle. 8
▾ 1.4 Principle. 8
▾ 1.4 Principle. 8
Gods movement through His Holy Spirit is not of this world
1.5 Paradox 9-10
1.5 Paradox 9-10
Have you undergone this new birth? Have you gone through the process of obedience where the water of submission meets the spirit of renewal?
2 Unnatural Belief. 11-18
2 Unnatural Belief. 11-18
2.1 Saving faith is Son-Focused. 11-15
2.1 Saving faith is Son-Focused. 11-15
2.1.1 We focus on Jesus because He is the "revealing witness" to God's purpose.11-12
2.1.2 We focus on Jesus because He has been sent to us and crucified for us. 13-15
2.2 Saving faith is God-Gifted . 16-18
2.2 Saving faith is God-Gifted . 16-18
3 Unnatural Behavior. 19-20
3 Unnatural Behavior. 19-20
3.1 You have to break the natural cycle of darkness. 19,20
3.1 You have to break the natural cycle of darkness. 19,20
Hating the light
Avoiding the light
Fearing the Light
3.2 You have to practice the un-natural, cycle of light. 21
3.2 You have to practice the un-natural, cycle of light. 21
3.2 You have to practice the un-natural, cycle of illuminated living. 21
Doing the truth
Approaching the Light
Operating in God
You Must be Born Again
You Must be Born Again
It. Is. Un-natural…There is nothing natural about saving faith in Christ. There is nothing natural about our commitment to Him. You and I must submit our fallen, human will to the regenerative power of God's Holy Spirit. We must walk in the Light. We must believe on the one sent to save us.
There are lots of Nicodemus’ in our world. People who wish to be good but think that they are capable of pleasing God without the regenerative power of the Spirit.
and I submitting our fallen, human will to the regenerative power of God's Holy Spirit. Nicodemus puzzlement is shared by all those who like
and I submitting our fallen, human will to the regenerative power of God's Holy Spirit. Nicodemus puzzlement is shared by all those who like
There are lots of Nicodemus’ in our world. People who wish to be good but think that they are capable of pleasing God without the regenerative power of the Spirit.
There are lots of Nicodemus’ in our world. People who wish to be good but think that they are capable of pleasing God without the regenerative power of the Spirit.
Nicodemus puzzlement is shared by all those who like their religion to be nothing more than an enhancement of human codes of morality and ethics…an extension of the first birth of our mutual human experience. If our first birth was sufficient then incarnation and ministry, sacrifice and cross and resurrection were all wasted resources.
their religion to be nothing more than an enhancement of human codes of morality and ethics.
their religion to be nothing more than an enhancement of human codes of morality and ethics.
Nicodemus puzzlement is shared by all those who like their religion to be nothing more than an enhancement of human codes of morality and ethics…an extension of our first birth our mutual human experience. If our first birth was sufficient that incarnation and ministry, sacrifice and cross and resurrection were all wasted resources.
Nicodemus puzzlement is shared by all those who like their religion to be nothing more than an enhancement of human codes of morality and ethics…an extension of our first birth our mutual human experience. If our first birth was sufficient that incarnation and ministry, sacrifice and cross and resurrection were all wasted resources.
Jesus came to tell us the truth and empower the birth and pose the question....
Have you been born again?
Have you been born again?
Have you been born again?