Birth and Death

John 3:16

1. The Danger----born into sin, because of adam.

Romans 5:12  Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

Law abiding, Tax paying not going to Jail sinner, 9-5 working sinner!!

Romans 5:19 King James Bible For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

2. The Design- Love God so loved the world that he gave His only begotton son, to become sin for us.

3. The Duty — That we must fulfill, that we will have Faith in Jesus Christ in order to be saved. Put God First In everything

4. Destiny - They shall have eternal life

IV .‘Dies Once’ Refers to Physical Death

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

a. For God so loved the world: John 3:16 has long been celebrated as a powerful, succinct, declaration of the gospel. Of the 31,102 verses in the Bible, it may be the most popular single verse used in evangelism.

i. We learn the object of God’s love: For God so loved the world. God did not wait for the world to turn to Him before He loved the world. He loved and gave His only begotten Son to the world when it was still the world!

ii. What Jesus told Nicodemus in John 3:7 (You must be born again) refuted the popular Jewish idea regarding the way to salvation. Now Jesus refuted the popular Jewish idea regarding the scope of salvation: for God so loved the world.

iii. The Jews of that day rarely thought that God loved the world. Many of them thought that God only loved Israel. The universal offer of salvation and life in Jesus was revolutionary.

iv. “The Jew was ready enough to think of God as loving Israel, but no passage appears to be cited in which any Jewish writer maintains that God loved the world. It is a distinctively Christian idea that God’s love is wide enough to embrace all mankind.” (Morris)

v. Morrison suggested that there are three centers of love:

· God so loved the world (John 3:16).

· Christ also loved the church (Ephesians 5:25).

· The Son of God, who loved me (Galatians 2:20).

b. He gave His only begotten Son: This describes both the expression and the gift of God’s love. God’s love didn’t just feel for the plight of a fallen world. God did something about it, and He gave the most precious thing to give: His only begotten Son.

i. He gave his only begotten Son: “These words seem to carry a reference to the offering of Isaac; and Nicodemus in that case would at once be reminded by them of the love there required, the substitution there made, and the prophecy there uttered to Abraham.” (Alford)

c. Whoever believes in Him: This describes the recipient of God’s love. God loves the world, but the world does not receive or benefit from that love until it believes in Jesus, the gift that the Father gave. Believes in means much more than intellectual awareness or agreement. It means to trust in, to rely on, and to cling to.

d. Should not perish: This describes the intention of God’s love. God’s love actually saves man from eternal destruction. God looks at fallen humanity, does not want it to perish, and so in His love He extends the gift of salvation in Jesus Christ.

e. Everlasting life: This describes the duration of God’s love. The love we receive among people may fade or turn, but God’s love will never change. He will never stop loving His people, even unto the furthest distance of eternity.

i. We may say there are Seven Wonders in John 3:16.

1 God---The Almighty Authority

2 So loved the world --The Mightiest Motive

3 That He gave His only begotten Son--The Greatest Gift

4 That whoever--The Widest Welcome

5 Believes in Him--The Easiest Escape

6 Should not perish---The Divine Deliverance

7 But have everlasting life----The Priceless Possession

ii. “If there is one sentence more than another which sums up the message of the Fourth Gospel, it is this. The love of God is limitless; it embraces all mankind. No sacrifice was too great to bring its unmeasured intensity home to men and women: the best that God had to give, he gave – his only Son, his well-beloved.” (Bruce)

A. The names of the saved are written in the book of life

B. The saved are excused from the second death

1. Because of what Jesus did on the cross

2. Because of their faith in Jesus

Proposition: He who is born once dies twice. He who is born twice dies once.

I. ‘Born Once’ Refers to Physical Birth

A. Everyone dies once and is born once

B. Man and God do not see eye to eye—Isa. 55 1.

Sin has distorted man’s vision

II. ‘Dies Twice’ Refers to Death of Body and Soul

A. All men die physically—Heb. 9:27 1. This is the death that none can escape .

B. There is another death for those who are ‘born once’

1. It is called “second death”—Rev. 20:11–15

2. It is forever and irreversible

C. The victims of this second death

1. Those whose names are not in the book of life

a. Physical births are recorded in court records

b. Spiritual births are recorded in heaven

III ‘Born Twice’ Refers to Spiritual Birth

A. The second birth is a necessity—John 3:3

B. The second birth distinguishes the “Christian”

C. The twice-born person has had a life-changing experience

1. Realized his lost condition

2. Repented and believed on Jesus

IV .‘Dies Once’ Refers to Physical Death

A. The names of the saved are written in the book of life

B. The saved are excused from the second death

1. Because of what Jesus did on the cross

2. Because of their faith in Jesus