Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Let's go to John chapter three.
[00:00:02] John chapter three. John chapter three dot we're going to continue our study with our case study in Nicodemus. And in last week we talked about the commonly used, shall I say excuse, really maybe not excuse, explanation given for the new birth. And so you have this, as we'll see today, you have this kind of thing that happens where a religious person or a religious system, people in a religious system are confronted with what Jesus said. I mean, after all, you know, of course Christianity is not made up, as we'll see this morning, is not made up of all true believers.
[00:00:54] And people in those various systems have a veneration for Jesus. And so when you come to them and you say, well, I mean, look at John 3, verse 3, like Priscilla said, you know, I mean, read it for yourself, Jesus, you know, it says this and no matter what Bible version you use, this is what it says, right? I mean, it says it. I mean even if you use the new world translation of the Jehovah's Witnesses, it says essentially the same thing. So when you go to this religious person that's involved in this religious system and you say here, Jesus, you say you believe in Jesus. Here's what Jesus said, except a man be born again and cannot see the kingdom of God. You know, it's like, because this is this concept, this truth is a marvelous and miraculous working of God that is to totally outside the comprehension and totally outside of the, certainly outside of the power of man to perform or to explain. And so when they're confronted with this, it's like, ah, well, so I have to provide an explanation. And so the go to explanation as we saw last week is, well, that just means baptize. Well the problem with that is in verse five because of course the word water there, so there's, you know, it was a ready made thing. You know, to be honest with you, I think sometimes the Lord puts in his word things. How can I say this?
[00:02:25] For sure the Lord in verse five could have left out the word water had he so chosen. And by doing so, you know what he would have done? He would have eliminated the cause that people like this, this word water, they seize upon it and say, see its baptism. See water. He could have just left that out and taken away that excuse or that pretext, but he didn't, you know, and there's a number of times in scripture where the Lord kind of, he leaves something in there which becomes a stumbling block to those who are intent on rejecting him.
[00:03:04] And it's just this like Paradox where the Lord, you know, just like Jesus himself, Jesus says he is a stone, a stone of stumbling to those who would reject him. But you know, the rock of Ages, those you know, to those that fall upon him, you know, he is the. He is our stone, he is our rock. So he, even though he is both, he serves, even though he's described as a rock, how we receive him determines how it affects us. And so it is with the scripture. It's just an interesting facet. So we saw that baptism does, certainly verse five does not teach, has nothing to do with water baptism. And that's demonstrated by the verse that follows, verse number six. And baptism is a poor explanation for a lack of a true spiritual working in one's heart and a true, true life and the creative miracle of God in our lives. It is a poor substitute for the new birth. And besides that, verse number five says this, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
[00:04:15] Furthermore, if baptism is essentially the new birth, then why is the Spirit mentioned distinct from water? If this water is baptism, it says, okay, say baptize. That's not what it means. But say, just say for argument, baptize. Then why does it say this other thing? Also, why not just say the one? It's not one and the same. These are distinct and they're distinct because we're talking about the flesh and the Spirit, which is what verse six says. So that's just a brief review and I hope it's a blessing to you and a help to you.
[00:04:49] And so this morning we're going to start in verse number five and really verse number six and go through a few more things about the new birth and cover some of the response that Nicodemus had. So let's pray and ask the Lord to bless our Sunday school time. Our Father, thank you so much that you're good to us and that you love us. Thank you, Father. That, Lord, no matter what you are faithful and what you have promised, you will perform under all circumstances. And nothing can thwart your will and your intention when you intend on doing what you've promised.
[00:05:30] Lord, we pray that you would bless our Sunday school this time. Please remove all distractions. Please remove all hindrances, Lord, and even the work of Satan who tries to hinder your work. I pray, Lord, that you would rebuke him and that your people that are listening to your word will be able to receive it, be helped by it, Lord, especially that you would help us and equip us, that we might be able to use these truths as we try to share the gospel with other people.
[00:06:09] And so we just commit this time to you. We ask your blessing on Jesus in Jesus name. Amen.
[00:06:16] All right. Verse number five. Verily, verily, Jesus answered. Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
[00:06:31] Verse 6 says, that which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the spirit is spirit. Now, notice in verse 5 and 6, the Lord is speaking of entering the kingdom of God. Entering the kingdom of God. Verse 3, though, does not say, enter the kingdom of God. Verse 3 says what?
[00:06:51] See the kingdom of God. Now, Nicodemus has two problems. Nicodemus is both blind to the kingdom of God. Remember, we talked about that already, how Nicodemus, his paradigm, his model of religion is the outward form, right? And so he doesn't see things in a spiritual light. He sees things in a physical light. And if there's one thing in our study in Matthew, especially in chapters five and six, five in particular we've seen, is that when Jesus came into the world, he kind of upturned that idea that, for instance, committing adultery was just something outward. No, it's inward. Or that theft was just something outward. No, it's something inward like that. So.
[00:07:37] So that's what. That's the way Nicodemus thinks. So he's got two problems. Number one, he views religion in the. In the outward sense. So he doesn't see the kingdom of God. This kingdom of God is essentially spiritual. It is fundamentally spiritual. It's not physical. If it was physical, there would be palaces and there would be, you know, there would be a holy city. And all of that is spiritual. Now we know there will come a day when the kingdom of God in a spiritual sense and Christ's physical kingdom will blend into one.
[00:08:09] In the millennial kingdom, it will be both existing simultaneously. The Lord will rule with a rod of iron physically over the nations as well as spiritually. There's a spiritual element, and that's where you see. And we'll see it this morning. That's where you see a lot of the Old Testament prophecies regarding the spiritual part had their ultimate fulfillment in the kingdom when there's a physical and a spiritual element that are blended together. And so. But Nicodemus didn't see that. Not only did he not see it, he also stood outside of the kingdom of God. Now, one great danger that I reckon that most everyone that is somewhat, maybe unfamiliar with the Bible, they Come at words or terms like kingdom of God and kingdom of heaven. And they assume that means heaven, but that's not what it means. We've studied that in great detail. The kingdom of God is now. You are in it. If you're born again, you entered it. That's what Jesus says here. The kingdom of heaven, the kingdom of God is not future when we die, it's right now. So, okay, knowing that now that's something we've studied. I won't spend time there. But knowing that verse five, except a man be born of water and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. Where is Nicodemus at this moment? Where is he standing inside the kingdom of God or outside the kingdom of God? That's the second problem. He stands outside of the kingdom of God. That means he is. That means that he is living outside of the reign of God in his life. Now, we know God reigns over everything, but I'm speaking willfully and purposefully. He is outside of the reign of God's kingdom. Okay, he's not going to heaven. We could say it like that. Future. He's not going to heaven, but he's not in God's kingdom. Now, Nicodemus, as religious and as strict and as well learned as he is, is on his way to hell. Right? That's where Nicodemus is.
[00:10:26] And verse, verse number six says this. That which is born. Now let me read 5 and 6 again, and I want you to pay attention to verse six in context to verse five. Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the spirit is spirit.
[00:10:51] So verse six is the explanation. And here's the truth being conveyed here, that without a spiritual nature, it is impossible to enter the kingdom of God. Because the kingdom of God is spiritual, right? You think of a physical kingdom like we were missionaries, of course, and the Kingdom of Cambodia had a king. Well, it's easy. If I wanted to be part of the Kingdom of Cambodia, I was a guest there. But if I wanted to be a subject, as you might call it, of the Kingdom of Cambodia, I would go to Cambodia, I would get my permissions, and I would seek citizenship as to be a citizen of Cambodia, a subject of the king of Cambodia. Does that make sense? We don't have that. That's not what it is. That's all physical. Jesus is saying, well, if you're born, that which Is flesh. Is flesh. You're flesh, but that's it.
[00:11:41] Without a spiritual nature, no natural man in his natural state can enter God's kingdom. Because it's not a matter of physical rites or rituals that one has to perform. And then bada bing, bada boom, they're part of the kingdom of God. Therefore, listen, therefore, you know, like recently Brother Jim came down and joined our church, right? He joined this body.
[00:12:07] In other words, he. What does that mean? He declared himself to be one with us, right? A part of us.
[00:12:15] All right? But that didn't make Jim part of God's kingdom because there is no physical, ritual or rite that you can perform to be part of God's kingdom.
[00:12:26] Brother Jim has to be part of God's kingdom before he ever seeks to join the church, the physical, local church.
[00:12:35] And the verse in verse, verse 6 says, that which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the spirit is spirit. That means no. If you're born flesh, there's no ritual, there's no baptism, there's no good work. There's no performance of any ritual that could be performed that is going to change your essential nature, your flesh. That's what the Lord is saying.
[00:12:56] So Nicodemus is as he ever was. He was just flesh. And he was therefore unable to enter God's kingdom. And this is man. Every man at his birth, in his natural condition. Look at 1 Corinthians 2. I want to show this same truth here in 1st Corinthians as well.
[00:13:16] 1st Corinthians 2, 1st Corinthians chapter 2, verse number.
[00:13:32] Verse number 14 says this. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God.
[00:13:42] Notice the natural man, that's just as he is born. He's flesh. Flesh is flesh, right?
[00:13:47] Receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him. Neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. That's what Jesus says. He cannot see the kingdom of God. He cannot know them. You see that because they are spiritually discerned. So this verse actually is a description of Nicodemus. As religious as he is, he is a natural man. That's why he didn't understand. That's the primary reason he didn't understand what Jesus was talking about.
[00:14:13] It is for this reason that we understand that apart from a miraculous, radical and life transforming event in a person's life, we called here the new birth. A person is yet outside of God's kingdom.
[00:14:32] That's the only way to get in.
[00:14:34] So here's the thing. If that hasn't happened to you, or as we evangelize, if that is not true of a person, then they are outside of God's kingdom. It's just that simple. This is not something that is done without. Without any effect. It's not. It's not a ritual. It's something. It's a miraculous, transformative act of God upon a person. The effects cannot be hidden. It is not minor.
[00:15:01] It changes your life and it changes your eternity.
[00:15:05] That's why you just can't say, oh, yeah, I've been born again, whatever.
[00:15:08] If you talk to someone and they say, yeah, yeah, yeah, born again, whatever, how do you have done that? I say the prayer, whatever. You know, you're not talking to somebody that knows what they're talking about.
[00:15:18] They can say the words all day long, and that does not change because you cannot lightly look over this creative and transformative act of God in a person's life. It is life altering. Okay? And what I'm not saying. Don't get me wrong, what I'm not saying is that this is emotional because it doesn't necessarily have to be emotional. And a lot of people get that confused. They think when you're born again, there's some sort of huge emotional outburst. That is not what this says. In fact, let's keep going. I'm getting behind.
[00:15:53] So the Lord Jesus chose to describe this spiritual miracle, I call it, and I'm sure you've heard it, called a. The miracle of a moment. He chose to describe this miracle as a birth.
[00:16:04] And it happens like a birth in a moment of time.
[00:16:10] It is not a gradual process.
[00:16:13] Now we know that there is a process by which someone, having first heard the gospel, learns more about Christ and the gospel and themselves and their condition and all of that. That is a process. It's like sowing seed, you know, that's a process.
[00:16:29] But the moment of salvation is not a process. It is a moment. It is a miracle of a moment. It is a birth. That's why it's described in this way.
[00:16:39] You could take a peek here at Acts, chapter 10. Verse number Acts 10:44 says this. This is, of course, when Peter is speaking to Cornelius and his group.
[00:17:05] Verse 43 says, Peter speaking to him. Give all the prophets witness that through his name, whosoever believeth in him, Jesus shall receive remission of sins. So Peter's preaching, and in the middle of his preaching, verse 44, while Peter yet spake these words, the. The Holy Ghost fell on all Them which heard the word and the circumcision, which believed, were astonished as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. You see that? So Peter, in the midst of Peter, preaching, something happens. Something happens. Look at chapter 11.
[00:17:46] Chapter 11 gives a recounting of this same event with a little bit of maybe interpretation. Chapter 11, verse number 15.
[00:17:55] Peter speaking now recounting what had happened prior. He says this. And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning. Then remembered I the word of the Lord. How? He said, John indeed baptized with water, but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost. Forasmuch then, as God gave them the like gift, as he did unto us who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, what was I that I could with God?
[00:18:20] So what happened to these men? According to verse 17, they received the Spirit of God. But why?
[00:18:29] You see, verse 17 says they believe. Peter interprets, lest there's any doubt what had happened. Now we know Peter's preaching. They believe the gospel that Peter's preaching. At that instant they receive the Spirit of God. And just in case there's doubt, Peter says they received the Spirit of God because they believed that instant. You see, that we could go into other verses. John 5:24 says that when a man believes on Christ, he passes from death unto life. There is no middle ground. You're not like, you know, you think about a bridge. Well, I'm in the middle of the bridge right now. I'm kind of half in life and half in death. No, you're dead or you're alive. There's no middle pass from death unto life.
[00:19:11] You either have eternal life or you don't. It's an instant. You see what I'm saying?
[00:19:16] It's not a gradual thing where you develop eternal life. No, because think about it. If that were true, what happens if you perish in that moment? What do you go like? Half go to heaven and half go to hell.
[00:19:30] It's a moment. This is the way salvation is described.
[00:19:34] Romans, chapter 4, verse 3. We can compare it. I won't go into that for time, but Genesis 15, verses 5 and 6. Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness. But what is the context? Abraham is looking at the stars.
[00:19:49] God gives him a promise regarding his seed. Right? And in that moment, the Bible says in Genesis 15, he believed in the Lord and he, God, counted it to him for righteousness like that, that was it.
[00:20:04] Salvation and justification in God's sight is in God's mind and heart. You understand?
[00:20:10] When God justifies us, we might not feel any different at all.
[00:20:15] Because it's in God's mind and heart.
[00:20:18] Now follow me. When God declares you to be righteous, he doesn't necessarily tell you at that moment, but in his mind it's done.
[00:20:29] See it? It's done at that second, at that instant, you were once dead. Now you're alive.
[00:20:36] Dead as in you didn't know God, you were dead to God. Now you're alive to God. But what the Lord does is at that moment, he also creates us anew inwardly, right? That's the new birth. And he also gives us the spirit of God. And with that come effects in our lives. But the deed's done.
[00:20:56] The deed's done.
[00:20:59] This is the miracle of a moment.
[00:21:03] Those who describe salvation as a process usually do so in the context of some sort of external works like initiations or rites. I'm thinking like communion, you know, infant baptism, things like that that are performed over a period of time. Maybe they describe it as an increase in learning. Think confirmation or other outward works that they might perform. In other words, they're getting saved.
[00:21:33] Right, that process.
[00:21:35] But salvation is not about rituals and rites and works and things like that.
[00:21:40] It's an instant of faith in Christ.
[00:21:46] See, the problem is this is a fundamental misunderstanding of the nature of salvation. Describing it like a process kind of betrays that they have this misunderstanding.
[00:21:59] And I mentioned emotion. And I know in churches of our ilk, as they say, some of you come from churches that are less like this. And some of you come from churches, have been in churches rather, that are more like this, where they have a very strong emotional element.
[00:22:18] And I dare say there. There are some of you probably in this room that have been troubled by the emotional element of salvation.
[00:22:30] Am I saved? Did I feel right? Did I think right? Did I have the right emotion? Did I have the right response?
[00:22:38] Listen, what Jesus is not. Is talking about is not emotion.
[00:22:43] It's not emotion. It is a miracle. It is an inward, spiritual miracle that, like with me, I remember when I knelt down at Palmetto Bible Camp.
[00:23:00] Sam knows because Sam's been to the camp. When I knelt down in the kitchen there, and I just. I mean, I.
[00:23:06] All I knew, in fact, when I knelt down, I was not sure whether I was saved or not. And when the Lord finally. It was just like he just turned it on. It just made me see it. I can't explain that. But he did.
[00:23:17] And when he did, I knew what I needed. I knew that I needed Christ. And so it was just a matter of faith, was there. It was just a matter of whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Romans 10:13, right? I called upon the Lord my own words, no special words, no magic words.
[00:23:38] And when I remember when I did that, I was like, okay, Jesus name, amen. And I got up, I didn't feel any different.
[00:23:48] I didn't feel any different.
[00:23:50] The deed was done.
[00:23:52] The deed was done. What's interesting though, talking about the emotion, like at that moment, I didn't feel emotional, but when I walked out, when I walked out of the kitchen into the, the cafeteria, all of these kids that had been in my cabin had been on their knees praying for me. I didn't know it. And when I walked out, I'm just testifying, okay. When I walked out, the spirit of God put words in my mouth that I just cannot explain.
[00:24:25] And I was saying things that I did not pre plan that. Just, just talking about kind of where I come from and how God had. How, you know that. And at that moment that, that was the, you know, again, I stood up, the deed's done. I didn't feel any different, but I had just received the spirit of God, right? And there was an effect in that. That came later. And you know, here's the thing. The emotional part of that, although there was emotional emotion involved, the emotional part of that was not the sign of it.
[00:25:00] Some people are emotional, some people are. That's not the point. You're focusing on the wrong thing. A lot of people get troubled over that. A lot of people get troubled over that. I didn't cry, I didn't feel. Listen, if you put your faith in Christ, the deed is done, it is sealed.
[00:25:24] So just put this in your mind.
[00:25:27] Something that is spiritual and something that is emotional are not the same.
[00:25:34] Are not the same.
[00:25:37] Now look at verse number eight, or look at verse seven.
[00:25:42] So Jesus says, that which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the spirit is spirit. And then he said to Nicodemus, I know we quote this all the time, we forget what he's saying. Marvel not that I said unto thee, ye must be born again. In other words, he's saying to Nicodemus, nicodemus, don't marvel that I'm saying this to you. Don't be amazed. Don't be flabbergasted. You should know this.
[00:26:04] You should know this.
[00:26:06] There's A little tidbit, you know, I know everybody loves to hate on the these and thous of the Bible, but this verse 7 is 1:1 verse where the these and thous matter. The difference between singular and plural. Notice verse 7. Marvel not that I said unto thee. Singular, Nicodemus.
[00:26:25] Ye.
[00:26:27] That's plural, so it doesn't say, you must be born again. Ye. The distinction in our Bible from singular and plural in the pronouns matters at this point. Now, in every verse, it doesn't make a distinction, but in this verse it does because he's making a statement about all of the elders.
[00:26:49] He's basically saying, nicodemus, don't be surprised that I said, oh, and you and all your rulers and all your religious folk need to be born again. Don't be surprised.
[00:26:59] I'm not just talking to you.
[00:27:02] That's what he's doing. You can't see that that distinction is hidden without the these and the thousand, those kinds of things. Just as a Note, verse number 8. The wind bloweth where it listeth. This is our Lord's explanation of this new birth. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh and whither it goeth. So is everyone that is born of the spirit.
[00:27:26] Now, the word listeth just means. It means wish or desire. So the idea is the wind blows wherever it wants and what the wind blowing where it wishes.
[00:27:39] And just that concept that the principle of the wind is compared to a person who is born of the Spirit.
[00:27:53] And here's. I'll give you three points on this that help us understand what's being described.
[00:27:59] When a person is born again, there is an invisible force acting upon them.
[00:28:08] The invisibility of it is what the Lord is saying. When does something you cannot see?
[00:28:14] When does something you cannot see?
[00:28:18] So you think, well, somebody gets. Somebody trusts in Christ and they're missing church. They should be coming to church, right? That's a biblical principle. They should be here, right? But they're not. You say, well, they must not have gotten saved. Hold your horses.
[00:28:37] The Spirit of God can be working in that person whether the outward manifestation is present at this moment or not, right? There's an invisible force.
[00:28:50] Now, the Spirit of God is not forced, but his. He exerts force. All right, Number two, the principle of the wind shows us that the effects of this force are visible, right? And number three, the source of this force from the outside is mysterious.
[00:29:12] That's the three things you see from this. This is A description of a person who is born of the spirit and the effect of the new birth, which is an act of the Spirit of God upon a person, is mysterious and it is difficult to describe. That's why we often just lump it in with emotion. But that's not what it is. It is difficult to describe. It can't be just boiled down to just emotion. I cried. That's not what it is.
[00:29:44] In verse number eight, it is clearly described as invisible and mysterious, like the wind. And that's the reason it's hard for us to explain, especially to an unconverted person. But a person who has experienced the power of the spirit of God in this way cannot deny its transformative influence upon him.
[00:30:04] That's the thing. Cannot deny it.
[00:30:07] Let me give you an illustration.
[00:30:10] Say there's a big storm, like a storm of wind. You know, rain and wind.
[00:30:15] Do you ever see the wind? You know, we're coming into. Into the springtime where there's a lot. Generally a lot of storms around here. Do you ever see the wind? No, you never see it. It's invisible. You know, you don't see it.
[00:30:29] But the effects of it are everywhere. Whenever there's a storm that passes through, you know that. That ugly red and purple on the radar as you watch it. You know, I'm just a nerd. I'm a junkie when it comes to the weather.
[00:30:41] I like to follow it.
[00:30:43] But when you see it come, you see the effects. Even though you cannot see the wind. The effects are perfectly obvious. You see trees down and power lines and all those things. The damage that comes from the wind.
[00:30:54] But what would happen if the same storm of wind occurred on a piece of property that showed no signs of any damage or effect of wind? There were no roof shingles missing. There was no damage, no trees down. Not even any leaves had fallen off the tree.
[00:31:16] Would it be believable that this property had experienced that wind?
[00:31:21] No.
[00:31:22] So the effect, even though the force is invisible, the effect is undeniable.
[00:31:29] The effects are evident.
[00:31:32] And this is our Lord's illustration to describe a person who has been transformed. And the subject of the power, the creative power of the Spirit of God in his life or her life.
[00:31:47] No, you can't see that. You can't see outwardly what is happening. But the effects are undeniable. They will come out. And that's what. Listen, that's why I know sometimes when we're sharing the gospel with people, we want them to respond in a certain way. We want them to be emotional, you know, you're witnessing to your kids. You know, there's a certain, you know, so I want to be saved, I know I need to be saved. And so you explain the gospel to them and they call upon the Lord themselves, right? All right. And then you're like, you're expecting, right, Brother David, you're like, you know, you're expecting an eight year old kid to like fall down, oh God, I'm a sinner. You know, it's kind of silly thinking about it, but here's the thing. There are absolutely eight year old kids that realize they need Christ and come to him and in simple faith and trust in him and call upon him and listen. There might not be the emotion that we on our part want to see as an affirmation to make us feel better about what has taken place. That's really what it's about.
[00:33:03] But if that kid trusted in Christ, there will be an influence and a power effective in their life that will never let up as long as they die and will absolutely transform them.
[00:33:18] Just like the wind. It'll be mysterious, but the effects of it will be undeniable. Undeniable.
[00:33:29] And so Nicodemus says, we'll have to close here verse number nine. In response to all of this explanation, Nicodemus says, how can these things be?
[00:33:40] And so what Jesus said in verse five, he cannot, or verse three, rather, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus proves what Jesus said is true. You don't get it, just don't get it.
[00:33:52] You don't get it.
[00:33:54] You religious person, you member of some church or religion, you do not understand.
[00:34:01] There's something totally outside of the model of what you think is the real thing.
[00:34:08] There's a power at work, you know, not of.
[00:34:13] Right.
[00:34:16] I struggle this morning to describe it, to be honest with you, because it is mysterious. The work of the Spirit of God as he invisibly moves upon people's inward man, their heart, their soul, their spirit. That's a mysterious work.
[00:34:33] It's hard to describe, but you know, if you've been acted upon, just like if you're a tree in the middle of that windstorm, you knew, you know, if it blew on you, you know that, you know the effects of it. Even if it's hard kind of to describe. Where'd that come from?
[00:34:49] So let's, we'll pause here for this week. Let's pray.
