John Chapter 3 (The Three Must Statements of John 3)

John Chapter 3 “The Three Must of John 3”

Intro: We live in a day of such enlightenment, where absolutes are considered foolish and closed minded, I was watching a news interview and the interviewer was asking the interviewee about certain things being absolute to which the interviewee interrupted and said, “I don’t speak in absolutes! Never have and never will!

I on the other hand, am just foolish enough to believe and speak in absolutes, and I am convinced God speaks in absolutes, and here in John chapter three we find three must statement that are an absolute must for Christian life.

Must (vs. 7, 14, & 30)…. δεῖ (dei) = It is Necessary. It HAS to be.

CPS: In order to have a relationship with God there are some absolutes that we must come to grips with.

The Sinner Must be born again! (Vs.7)

It is the work of God that gives new life to the one who believes. God regenerates according to His will through the Holy Spirit when a person believes the Gospel as revealed in the Word of God, he is born again.

The Nature of Man – Dead in their trespasses and sin (Israel and Gentiles)

Our relation to Adam (Rm. 5:12)

Our inherent Sin Nature (Eph. 2:3)

Our committing of sin (Rm. 3:9-23)

WE SIN BECAUSE WE ARE SINNERS!

The Need of Man

The Grace of God (Christ being lifted)

The Faith of the sinner (To believe)

Faith is reliance on the truth of the Gospel as revealed in the Word of God.

The New Man

John 1:13

ILL: Spurgeon told of a missionary who visited a primitive hut and became nauseated by the filthy floor on which he had to sit. He suggested to his host that they scrub the dirty surface with soap and water, but the man replied, “the floor is just clay—packed down and dry. Add water and it turns to mud. The more you try to wash it, the worse the mess becomes!” Yes, the hut needed something besides an earthen floor. So it is with the human heart: it is hard and dirty, and nothing will help it. Man needs a new heart. He must be born again from above!

The Christ Must be lifted up! (Vs. 14)

Because of man’s sinfulness and helplessness, someone had to step in and bring reconciliation between man and God restoring the fellowship with the loving creator and His rebellious creation. Sin brings estrangement from God and there is nothing man can do to repair the broken relationship because God’s holy wrath must be satisfied. But God in His love for man allowed a substitution which was the voluntary sacrifice of Jesus the Son of God. Here Jesus tells Nicodemus this truth by using an Old Testament Illustration, the Bronze Serpent (Num. 21:4-9).

The Lord’s Retribution

Sin brings death

The Lord’s Reconciliation

Lifted up - hupsŏō, hoop-sŏ´-o = to elevate. The serpent was elevated for all to see

The Lord’s Requirement

Look and be ye saved (Is. 45:22)

Looking at the serpent (that which bit him) in faith brought healing. In like manner, Christ was made sin for us (that which bit him), for it was sin that was killing us.

The Lord’s Result

As we look to Christ by faith we are saved!

ILL: It is said that Cyrus, the founder of the Persian Empire, once had captured a prince and his family. When they came before him, the monarch asked the prisoner, “What will you give me if I release you?” “The half of my wealth,” was his reply. “And if I release your children?” “Everything I possess.” “And if I release your wife?” “Your Majesty, I will give myself.” Cyrus was so moved by his devotion that he freed them all. As they returned home, the prince said to his wife, “Wasn’t Cyrus a handsome man!” With a look of deep love for her husband, she said to him, “I didn’t notice. I could only keep my eyes on you—the one who was willing to give himself for me.”

The Christ Must Increase! (Vs.30)

He is to go on growing while I go on decreasing! These are the last words of John until his imprisonment when he sent word by a disciple asking Jesus to clarify in his heart that He was the Messiah. John went on to prison and martyrdom Jesus grew in popular favor until His time was complete. John the greatest prophet ever to live, the man whom Jesus declared the greatest born of women, slipped into the background so Christ Jesus could have front and center. Likewise, we must decrease in self in order for Christ to have center stage in our life. We can never grow close to Him until we decease and allow Him to increase!

Increase - auxanō, ŏwx-an´-o = verb meaning to grow

The Baptism (their ministry)

John’s disciples was turning their ministries into a competition, John knew his role was to point Israel to the Messiah

The Bridegroom

John uses a beautiful illustration. He compared Jesus to the Bridegroom and himself to the best man. Once the bridegroom and bride come together the work of the best man is complete.

ILL: When a friend was comforting the Rev. Richard Baxter (1615–1691) on his deathbed with the remembrance of the good which many had received by his preaching and writings, Mr. Baxter replied, “I was but a pen in God’s hand, and what praise is due to a pen?”

Conclusion: To have a relationship with God you must be born again and for that to happen the Christ must be lifted up on the cross to satisfy God’s holy wrath and by faith you enter into the relationship but only death to self will draw the relationship to great personal intimacy.