Sermon Tone Analysis

Ask Questions and Expect Answers

At the end of chapter 2 we see there were some who intellectually and emotionally believed Jesus to be someone important.

But this is not enough for conversion.

This is not the kind of faith that saves.

One such person comes to Jesus in the cover of night to inquire concerning the identity of Jesus…Nicodemus.

Nicodemus — Was a ruler of the Jews.

Eventually, we see from chapter 7 and 19 of this Gospel, he became a Christian.

But at this point he is just one of those who had a spurious and dead faith…an intellectual and emotional interest in Christ.

He had seen miracles and signs.

It was obvious that Jesus was someone special and many were now of the intellectual honesty to admit God was doing something in the life of Jesus.

Jesus does not crush those who are inquiring but as of yet not believing.

Scripture is clear that a bruised reed he will not break, a smoldering wick He will not quench.

There is nothing wrong with being skeptical and asking questions as long as you are honestly seeking the truth and one day come to receive it!

Arguing against God is arguing against the very power that makes you able to argue at all.

C S Lewis — “Arguing against God is arguing against the very power that makes you able to argue at all.” God in His grace gives us a mind to use and a mouth with which to ask our questions…and He gives us His Spirit to convict and convince us of the answers He gives

This was the testimony of Nicodemus…and one day we will worship with him in heaven where he can tell us in more detail of his journey from skeptic or agnostic to genuine believer and follower of Christ.

Jesus answers Nicodemus’ inquiry with a bold statement which seemed nonsense to the rabbi, “You think you can see something of who I am but you cannot begin to see who I am unless you are born again.”

In his book, An Anthropologist on Mars, neurologist Oliver Sacks tells about Virgil, a man who had been blind from early childhood.

When he was 50, Virgil underwent surgery and was given the gift of sight.

But as he and Dr. Sacks found out, having the physical capacity for sight is not the same as seeing.

Virgil's first experiences with sight were confusing.

He was able to make out colors and movements, but arranging them into a coherent picture was more difficult.

Over time he learned to identify various objects, but his habits--his behaviors--were still those of a blind man.

Dr. Sacks asserts, "One must die as a blind person to be born again as a seeing person.

It is the interim, the limbo . . .

that is so terrible."

To truly see Jesus and his truth means more than observing what he did or said, it means a change of identity.

In his book, An Anthropologist on Mars, neurologist Oliver Sacks tells about Virgil, a man who had been blind from early childhood.

When he was 50, Virgil underwent surgery and was given the gift of sight.

But as he and Dr. Sacks found out, having the physical capacity for sight is not the same as seeing.

Virgil's first experiences with sight were confusing.

He was able to make out colors and movements, but arranging them into a coherent picture was more difficult.

Over time he learned to identify various objects, but his habits--his behaviors--were still those of a blind man.

Dr. Sacks asserts, "One must die as a blind person to be born again as a seeing person.

It is the interim, the limbo . . .

that is so terrible."

To truly see Jesus and his truth means more than observing what he did or said, it means a change of identity.

Kingdom — For the Jew this meant participation with God in His coming Kingdom at the end of the age.

The popular teaching was that all Jews would be allowed to enter and participate in that Kingdom unless they had become apostate and walked away from their faith or become particularly wicked in their lifetime on earth.

Jesus says, “not so fast!”

The only ones who are going to enter the Kingdom of God are those who are born again.

There must be regeneration, an end to who you are, death to it, and a brand new life in its place.

Born Again — Transformation from above.

Jesus is here talking about what is needed not how that need is met.

The”how to” would come later in the passage.

Jesus was talking to a man who was very moral, religious, wise and committed.

Jesus wanted to be clear that these were not enough.

You cannot know who Jesus really is, nor enter the Kingdom of God, unless God intervenes and makes you something different than you are.

the focus here is not on the potential convert’s humility, brokenness or faith, but on the need for transformation, for new life from another realm, for the intervention of the Spirit of God

“The focus here is not on the potential convert’s humility, brokenness or faith, but on the need for transformation, for new life from another realm, for the intervention of the Spirit of God.” — If Nicodemus couldn’t make it on his credentials then we are all in need of help!

We needed God to intervene…Nicodemus needed to know that…and so do we.

You and I cannot earn our way to heaven.

We cannot be good enough, moral enough, do enough good deeds.

We cannot be religious enough, pious enough…there is nothing we could ever do in ourselves to bridge the gap between who we are and who God is…no way we could earn or warrant an entry into the Kingdom of heaven because none of this things really change who we are and a total transformation is the thing needed to enter a relationship with God and heaven.

This idea was so foreign to Nicodemus that he had no idea what Jesus was talking about at all.

The best he could do was try and come to terms with what Jesus was saying was talk about physical birth.

The man was completely clueless at this point.

A lot of us are clueless about spiritual things when we begin asking questions and investigating Christianity.

Many, who are now a part of the family of God once began the journey to faith completely clueless about anything.

And that is ok…even this great, well educated, religious man, approached God from a similar place.

Jesus begins to teach Nicodemus what He means by taking him to the Old Testament book of Ezekiel.

He says, “Unless you are born of water and the spirit you cannot enter the Kingdom of God.” Now this learned man had a reference point from which to begin…

Water — In the Old Testament water is used figuratively in reference to renewal or cleansing, especially so when used in conjunction with the spirit.

And these words, water and the spirit, Nicodemus would have absolutely understood to be a reference to Jesus was making a point perfectly clear to Nicodemus…God will regenerate us…He will cleanse us, we will not do so ourselves.

God will forgive us…He will give us a new heart and a new spirit.

He will put His Spirit within us and cause or make us to walk in obedience to Him.

This reminds me of and

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Nicodemus has been living in a system of sacrifices whereby a man or woman could receive forgiveness of sins but never be changed from the person who did the sinning.

Jesus is teaching him that God has something more in mind for those who will be a part of His Kingdom…they will be forgiven, cleansed and become a new creation in Him…a new creation in which His Holy Spirit would dwell and empower for a new life.

Human birth produces our flesh and makes a part of the family of humankind…but not children of God.

Only God’s Spirit can make us born again and a part of the family of Heaven…a child of the King and citizen of heaven.

God is looking for a people in whom to give a new nature…not the turning over of a new leaf but the beginning of a completely new person in Christ.

People on the outside cannot really understand this.

Those born of the Spirit aren’t really ever understood by those who have never been so.

They are of earth and we are of heaven.

There is a mystery to the transformation which God brings to those who are born again.

One can see the affects of the Spirit upon their life but explaining all the Spirit does within is something the unregenerate mind can never really comprehend.

Someone confronted Martin Luther, upon the Reformer's rediscovery of the biblical doctrine of justification, with the remark, "If this is true, a person could simply live as he pleased!"

"Indeed!" answered Luther.

"Now, what pleases you?" Augustine was the great preacher of grace during the fourth and fifth centuries.

Although his understanding of the doctrine of justification did not have the fine-tuned precision of the Reformers, Augustine's response on this point was similar to Luther's.

He said that the doctrine of justification led to the maxim, "Love God and do as you please."

Because we have misunderstood one of the gospel's most basic themes, Augustine's statement looks to many like a license to indulge one's sinful nature, but in reality it touches upon the motivation the Christian has for his actions.

The person who has been justified by God's grace has a new, higher, and nobler motivation for holiness than the shallow, hypocritical self-righteousness or fear that seems to motivate so may religious people today.

Someone confronted Martin Luther, upon the Reformer's rediscovery of the biblical doctrine of justification, with the remark, "If this is true, a person could simply live as he pleased!"

"Indeed!" answered Luther.

"Now, what pleases you?" Augustine was the great preacher of grace during the fourth and fifth centuries.

Although his understanding of the doctrine of justification did not have the fine-tuned precision of the Reformers, Augustine's response on this point was similar to Luther's.

He said that the doctrine of justification led to the maxim, "Love God and do as you please."

Because we have misunderstood one of the gospel's most basic themes, Augustine's statement looks to many like a license to indulge one's sinful nature, but in reality it touches upon the motivation the Christian has for his actions.

The person who has been justified by God's grace has a new, higher, and nobler motivation for holiness than the shallow, hypocritical self-righteousness or fear that seems to motivate so may religious people today.

Nicodemus’ incredulous question is not How can this be?

(NIV), but ‘How can this happen?’

Doubtless he himself had for years taught others the conditions of entrance to the kingdom of God, conditions cast in terms of obedience to God’s commands, devotion to God, happy submission to his will; but here he is facing a condition he has never heard expressed, the absolute requirement of birth from above

D A Carson — “Nicodemus’ incredulous question is not How can this be?

(niv), but ‘How can this happen?’