Born from Above (5 things)

• 1^st – A man named Nicodemus… vs. 1-2
  • Nicodemus was an old Pharisee – he was a ruler of Israel… vs. 1
    • The Pharisees were one of the main religious denominations of the Jews…
    • They sat in the ‘Seat of Moses’ – Matthew 23:2 – enforcing the Law of God…
    • Like saying a congressman represents the Constitution…
    • Jesus had stirred up the leadership by ‘Cleansing the Temple’…
    • So most of these religious leaders were already hostile towards Jesus
  • Nicodemus thought Jesus might be from God – but he was cautious… vs. 2
    • So he came to see Jesus at night – when no one else would notice…
      • Unwilling to be bold for Jesus – because he was afraid of what others would say…

• If we seek to please the world – follow the crowd – go with the flow…
• We are choosing this world rather than Jesus – It means we reject Jesus…
• James 4:4 – “Whoever wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.”
• He came to Jesus and saying – Rabbi – meaning teacher – showing respect…
  • Can someone perform the miracles You did – if He were not from God (3^rd class)…
  • Jesus had performed various miracles at the Passover – John 2:23
  • He wanted to believe – but Nicodemus had doubts / questions about Jesus…
    
    

• 2^nd – You must be – ‘born from above’… vs. 3-4 (4 things)
  • Answering an unspoken question…
    • Nicodemus has asked if Jesus had been sent from God…
    • Jesus answered Nicodemus by telling him how to get into the Kingdom of God…
    • He was not concerned with Nicodemus question – He wanted him to have salvation!
    • People will often ask silly questions – ‘What is the name of your church’…
    • But what they really need to hear about is – ‘How can they get to heaven’…
    • Do not get caught up in the silly questions – take the opportunity to share Jesus!
  • You must be Born Again to see the Kingdom of heaven…
    • The word Jesus uses for ‘again’ – is probably better translated from above…
      • But Nicodemus took it to mean ‘again’ – and was therefore VERY confused…
      • He asked – can a man enter a second time into his mother’s womb – and be born…
      • At this point – every woman quickly and emphatically answers – NO!
      • Nicodemus was looking for a physical answer to a spiritual problem…
      • As if somehow there was something he could do – in order to get to heaven…
    • That is why being ‘born’ – is such a great description of our salvation…
      • How much effort did it take for you to be born – was it a lot of work (for the baby)…
      • True it was a LOT of effort for the Mom – hour of intense labor and suffering…
      • In the same way – we do nothing to be saved – it was no effort on our part…
      • God was the one who went through hours labor (years for some of us)…
      • He suffered – on the cross – so that we might receive new life!
        
• 3^rd – How to be ‘born from above’… vs. 5-15 (4 things)
  • 1^st – Jesus tried to explain salvation by saying there are ‘two births’… vs. 5-6
    • 1^st – ‘Born of the water’ – referring to physical birth – the day you were born…
      • Those who are only born ‘of the flesh’ – are children of satan – Matthew 12:30
      • Since they were only born once – they will die twice – physical death / spiritual death
      • Revelation 21:8 – “The lake which burns with fire and brimstone… is the second death.”
    • 2^nd – ‘Born of the Spirit’ – speaking of our salvation…
      • When we received Jesus by faith – we were ‘born from above’ – born of the Spirit…
      • Where we had been children of satan – we were born again as children of God…
      • Because we were born twice – the water then the Spirit – we only die once (physical)
      • We get to go to heaven and live forever with the Lord!
  • 2^nd – Jesus tried to explain salvation by ‘example of the wind’… vs. 7-8
    • Nicodemus must have still looked confused by the idea of being ‘Born from Above’…
      • Jesus told Nicodemus not to be amazed at the command – but listen to the wind…
      • Many Bibles say ‘wind blows’ – but the word ‘wind’ and ‘Spirit’ are the same in Greek
      • You can hear the wind – but you do not know where it comes from…
    • It is the same with those who are ‘Born from Above’…
      • Jesus point is that we see the work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of others…
      • When a drunk stops drinking and starts sharing about the Love of Jesus…
      • We may not understand ‘how’ we are born – but we can see the results!
      • Matthew 12:33 – “A tree is known by its fruit.”
      • Like the picture of a mango tree – it can call itself a palm tree – proof is in the fruit
  • 3^rd – Jesus tried to explain by saying – ‘He came from heaven’… vs. 9-13
    • Nicodemus still did not understand – ‘How can this be’…
      • Jesus rebuked him – ‘you are a teacher of Israel – and you do not understand’…
      • If Nicodemus would not listen to Jesus talking about simple truths – salvation…
      • Then He certainly could not give him any deeper truths – heavenly things!
      • * Hebrews 5:12 – “You have been Christians a long time now, and you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things a beginner must learn about the Scriptures. You are like babies who drink only milk and cannot eat solid food.”
      • When we first come to know the Lord – we are not going to understand much…
      • But we should not stay that way – as we get into God’s Word – we should grow…
      • It is cute to bottle feed a young infant – no surprise when they mess their diapers 
      • But when a grown adult is still on the ‘bottle’ – still wearing diapers…
      • As believers in Jesus we should be spending time in God’s Word…
      • Growing in the Lord to a place where we can begin to teach others about Jesus!
    • Jesus had come down from heaven (answering Nicodemus’ first question)…
      • And since He is the only one to have ever come from heaven…
      • He was the only one qualified to be able to tell others how to get to heaven!
      • People have LOTS of ideas on how to get to heaven – but they have never been…
      • It seems wiser to listen to the only one who has been there – Jesus!
  • 4^th – Jesus explained using the Law – ‘a simple choice’… vs. 14-15
    • Just as Moses lifted up the serpent – Numbers 21:4-9
      • The Children of Israel were complaining against the Lord – again…
      • So God sent deadly snakes among the people – and many of them died…
      • But they repented and asked God to help – God had Moses make a bronze serpent…
      • The bronze serpent represents the judgment of sin (bronze – judgment / snake – sin)
      • If the people were bitten – and looked to the serpent – they would live…
    • If a snake bit you – would you look up – or would you choose to die…
      • The serpent (sin) has bitten us all – and we are going to die – Romans 6:23…
      • Jesus came to judge sin (lifted up on the cross) – if we look up to Him – we live!
      • Salvation is as simple as a choice – look to Jesus and spend eternity in heaven…
      • Or choose to look away – and spend eternity separated from God in hell…
    • This is likely where the conversation with Nicodemus ended…
      • But John goes on to elaborate – tell us why God was willing to come…
      • Why Jesus was willing to go to the cross so we could be ‘born from above’…
        
• 4^th – God so loved the world… vs. 16-18

• The reason why Jesus came – LOVE… vs. 16
  • God so loved the whole world He sent Jesus to die for our sins…
    • LOVE – ‘unconditional love’ – no matter what we have done God LOVES us…
    • So much that He was willing to sacrifice Jesus – so we could have eternal life!
  • Jesus did what no one else could– He lived a perfect sinless life…
    • Then Jesus – the only perfect man – paid the price for our sin – Death…
    • God so loved us – that He forgave all our sins – He gave us Jesus’ righteousness! 
    • Now when God looks down on us – He does not see our sinful mistakes/flaws!
    • He instead sees the perfect life of His Son Jesus – He sees us as perfect/flawless!
• God did not send Jesus to judge the world… vs. 17-18
  • If we believe in Jesus – we are not judged- our sins are forgiven…
    • Jesus will one day judge all men – the Great White Throne – Revelation 20:11
    • But for those of us who have been ‘born from above’ – there is nothing to judge…
    • Because our name is written in the book of life – we have been forgiven!
  • But those who do not believe in Jesus – they are already judged…
    • Because they choose not to believe in the only name that could save them…
    • Their name is not found written in the Book of Life – so they are judged…
    • The Books are opened – a record of every action / word / and thought…
    • Then they will be judged according to what is written in the Books…
    • Not to see if they will go to heaven or hell – but to show why they are going to hell…
  • So why would anyone not choose to look to Jesus…

• 4^th – Men LOVE darkness… vs. 19-21
  • Men reject Jesus – because they LOVE the darkness…
    • The same LOVE God has for us – is the same LOVE we have for sin!
    • Why it is that people do not see that Jesus is the answer to their lives…
    • It is not that they cannot find Jesus – it is that the Gospel is difficult to understand…
    • Men stay away from Jesus because they LOVE their sin…
  • Those who practice evil – hate the light…
    • The world hates Jesus because He convicts the world of sin and righteousness…
    • If it were not for Jesus men could do whatever they wanted without consequence…
    • Like a light shining in the darkness – Jesus reveals the sin of the world…
    • Because men LOVE sin they hate the light that reveals their sinfulness…

Diving us to hold all that much tighter to the one who LOVES us – Jesus!

They do not want their sin to be revealed – they do not want to come into the light!

They think that they will have to give up the wonderful sin in their life…

They would rather have their sin – than eternal life with God in Heaven!

Those who do good – come into the light – so everyone can see…

Those who are not hiding sin – have no problem coming into the light…

* I John 1:7 – “If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.”

If you are wondering where your walk with the Lord is – examine yourself…

Stand in the light of Christ and be honest about the sin in your life…

When you first get up in the morning – you might think you look pretty good…

But when you turn on the light – get closer to a mirror – you see lots of imperfections!

The closer we get to Jesus – the more we realize just how much of a sinner we are…