Look and Live!
Journey Through the Gospel of John • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Introduction
Introduction
Last week, our text was John 3:1-8. As you may recall, one of the ruling religious leaders, a man named Nicodemus, came to Jesus under the cover of darkness. This chapter, John 3, is an account of their entire dialogue. Nicodemus came because he was curious about Jesus and the many wondrous miracles He performed. Note Nicodemus’ opening line in his conversation with Jesus.
John 3:2 (KJV 1900)
2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.
His statement is essential. During Jesus’ ministry, the ruling religious leaders of two different sects, the Pharisees and the Sadducees, constantly opposed Christ. For the Pharisees, they saw Jesus as stealing the spotlight and, in doing so, swaying many to follow him. They were jealous. Their righteousness blinded them. Yet, even among this wicked and pious group, some could not deny Christ’s ministry. Nicodemus represented the group.
Last week, we explored how Christ ignored Nicodemus’ inquiry. Christ started His side of the conversation with...
3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
You see, the only way anyone can know or understand the things of God is when they have been spiritually born again. It is for this reason that Christ ignored Nicodemus' initial statement. He knew that Nicodemus could not fully understand how important Christ’s coming to earth was without being spiritually born again. As we noted last week, this fundamental understanding of man’s condition remains today. We are all born of flesh, possessing physical life. Unfortunately, due to Adam’s sin in the Garden of Eden, we are also born spiritually dead and separated from God. We explored this fact of Scripture extensively in the last message. Thus, every person must be born again spiritually.
In today’s text, the conversation with Nicodemus continues. Let’s read our text to understand what God wants us to know this morning.
9 Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?
10 Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?
11 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.
12 If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?
13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.
14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
Here is what I believe God wants us to know and understand this morning from these words Christ spoke to Nicodemus.
Faith in His only Son, lifted like Moses’ serpent, is the only way to have spiritual life and eternal salvation. Through His death, burial, and resurrection, Jesus fully demonstrated God’s sacrificial love and deliverance from sin and judgment.
Interestingly, Nicodemus’ first reaction to Christ’s statement about spiritual birth was, “How can these things be?” Equally interesting was Christ’s response.
10 Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?
In front of Christ sat the one person who should have known these things already. Nicodemus was a master teacher in Israel. By the way, this meant that he was a master teacher of the Law and Prophets, the entire Old Testament. Yet, Nicodemus was entirely ignorant of the most basic teachings of Scripture. Equally disturbing was that Nicodemus was highly trained in the Sanhedrin. For all intended purposes, being taught by the Sanhedrin was equal to graduating from the highest theological seminary of our day. My point is that even those trained to know the Bible do not always fully grasp the basic principles of Scripture. We see these coming to fruition all across America today. We have so-called seminary-trained pastors who feel it is okay for people of open sin to become laymen, officers, and even pastors in local churches. They have ignored or are also blinded to the same truths that Nicodemus missed. No person can know the things of God unless they have been born again.
Chris then turns the conversation to the heart of today’s message. Note again His words to Nicodemus.
11 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.
12 If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?
Note that the word “believe” is used two times in verse 12. If you look ahead to the rest of this chapter, the word “believe” appears repeatedly. In these two verses, Christ clearly points out that belief is the key.
If you recall, Nicodemus openly admitted that “we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.” This statement prompted Christ to say, “We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen.” In other words, everything Christ said and did was from God. It was Divine reality. It was not mere speculation or theological hypothesis. No, He, as God, is Logos, the Word, the Truth. Yet, Nicodemus stood as a living example of all mankind. Nicodemus recognized Christ's works and words, but he had not accepted the Deity of Christ. He had not fully believed.
The one thing that keeps men and women blinded and ignorant of God's things is unbelief. They do not receive God's witness and His love for them.
Here is something worthy to note.
3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.
Note how faith is related to knowledge. This verse states, “Through faith we understand...” What comes first? Knowledge or faith? The answer is faith. Faith must first occur before any person can understand God's things. The person who truly accepts and believes God’s word at face value is rewarded with Divine knowledge.
Let’s take this one step further.
6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
This verse is critical to understanding the significance of faith. No person can please God without it. Faith is one component that brings God great pleasure. However, faith means we accept and believe two things about God. We must first believe He is God. In other words, we must believe that Jehovah God is God. There are no other gods besides Him. Second, a person must also believe that Jehovah God will reward all those who “diligently” seek Him. The word “diligently” in Greek means they are seeking him in the exact manner described. It means that God rewards those who believe Him and go after Him in the way that He has ascribed. As we know, that means you must be born again. Go back and listen to last week’s message on our YouTube channel. Faith, then, is the key.
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Grace is what God has done. Christ did it all.
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Faith is an instrument by which God’s grace is experienced. When a person believes that Christ is God and that He is the only way into God’s kingdom, spiritual understanding follows. That was the point that Christ was making to Nicodemus. The message remains the same for us today, and it gives us our two points of today’s message.
Remember that God wants us to know and understand that faith is how a person experiences spiritual life and eternal salvation. Thus, Christ points to an event in Israel’s past that fully illustrates this point. However, before we go there, let me give you this morning's first central point.
Look to Jesus for Living Hope
Look to Jesus for Living Hope
Let me explain by first going back to our text.
14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
In the Old Testament and the Book of Numbers, we find a fascinating story that occurred when Israel was a fledgling nation. As the story goes, Israel once again complained against God and Moses. God sent snakes (serpents) that bit them, resulting in many Israelis dying. As you might imagine, Israel quickly repented of their complaining and rebellion against God. They pleaded with Moses to go to God and ask Him to remove the snakes from their camp. Moses prayed, and God answered, instructing him to make a bronze serpent. He was then to place the bronze serpent on a pole and lift it in the middle of the camp. Those who looked to the bronze serpent for salvation were immediately healed. It is this story that Jesus now uses to explain the importance of faith and its relation to Him as the world's Savior.
There is a lot of typology here that we could discuss this morning. Unfortunately, we do not have the time to explore everything related to the serpent lifted up and its foreshadowing of Christ’s death on the cross. However, for our purposes this morning, I want to focus on Christ's statement that He must also be lifted in the same manner as the serpent. Why is this important?
For the answer, let’s return to God instructing Moses to live up to a brass serpent in the camp. I want to note three basic things about that story that pertain to Christ.
First, God commanded Moses to make a serpent of brass as the means of salvation provided by God. In the same way, God provided Christ, His only begotten Son, as our means of salvation.
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Second, God commanded Moses to fix this brazen serpent to a pole. It was God’s means of physical healing. Each person was to look on it and be healed. God’s means for spiritual healing is Christ. Christ hung on a wooden cross on Mt. Calvary. In doing so, all who look to Him and believe His actions are for them will experience spiritual healing.
Third, note God’s promise to Israel.
8 And the Lord said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.
In the same way, all who look to Jesus will live. Those who believe will have everlasting life. One of the amazing things about the brazen serpent story is this: No matter how weak a person may have been from the serpent’s bite, all they had to do was look up to the brazen serpent and experience healing. Even if they had no voice to cry out for help, all they had to do was look to the brazen serpent.
Folks, it is the same for Christ.
No matter how sinful a life you may have lived or how hopeless your situation may seem, there is always the hope of looking up to Christ hanging on the cross. Your belief (faith) is necessary for spiritual life and salvation.
It only takes faith. Faith is the beginning of all godliness. It is the very essence of John 3:16
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Whoever looked to the brazen serpent was healed. The moment Moses forged that brass serpent and placed it on a pole, hope came to Israel. Until then, there was nothing but the serpent’s bite, which brought pain, misery, and certain death. May I tell you this morning that the serpent’s bite (the bite of sin) brings pain, misery, and certain death. We see it around us. We know it deep within our souls. Yet, I contend this morning that there is hope. You see, God sent His Son. The moment Christ entered this world was when hope came to all people. The sting of death and sin was defeated through His death, burial, and resurrection.
55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Here is an astounding fact that I discovered in my study this week.
Men became sinners by a look. What do I mean by that?
6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
Eve looked at the forbidden fruit, which was “pleasant” to her eyes. She then lusted for its pleasure, took the fruit, and ate it. That one look led to both of them sinning.
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:
Christ is saying to you this morning that all it takes to overcome death and sin is a look. Just one look can give you a whole new spiritual life.
22 Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: For I am God, and there is none else.
2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
20 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:
Someone might be sitting here this morning and say, “Pastor, I am here, but I have no idea what I am looking for or even if I am looking correctly.”
I say to you, “God is not asking you to examine how you are looking. He says ‘LOOK to Christ and live.’”
Our hope, your hope, is not in anything or anyone except Christ.
Let me tie this to my second point.
Look to Jesus for Life Eternal
Look to Jesus for Life Eternal
Return with me to our text and note verses 16 and 17.
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
This last point is easy to make. Christ makes it clear in this conversation with Nicodemus. Note the wording in these verses. Seven things speak to God’s love and His gift of eternal life.
“God so LOVED” - Note the tense. He loved us even when we were unlovable.
8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
3 The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: Therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.
“God SO loved” - Note the magnitude of His love. No person here this morning can comprehend the depths of His love.
“God so loved the WORLD”—note the scope of His love. It was not limited to just the Jews. God extended His love to all the world, including you and me.
“God so loved the world THAT HE GAVE.” - Here, we find the nature of God’s love. His love is unselfish. His passion is about giving to meet our needs. It is real love. Love that always seeks the highest interest of others.
“God so loved the world that he gave HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON.” - We find in these precious words the sacrificial love of God. He spared not His best. He gave the most precious thing in His possession. He freely delivered Christ, His only begotten, into the hands of wicked men who crucified Him on the cross.
“God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH IN HIM SHOULD NOT PERISH.” - What was God’s design or purpose? He did it all so people would not PERISH. Remember the brazen serpent! There were many Jews who died from the serpent’s bites. Similarly, many suffer eternal death in a lake of fire and great torment. Yet, God purposed to spare all who would BELIEVE so they SHOULD NOT PERISH.
“God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, BUT HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE.” - Here is our great reward from God. He imparts to every person who LOOKS to the cross and sees the Savior, believing that Christ did it all for them, EVERLASTING LIFE.
1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
Verse 17 sums it all up for us.
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
What does God want us to know and understand this morning? He loves you—so much that He personally sent His only Son to die for you. All He asks in return is that you look to Jesus, and you will live. Jesus was lifted between Heaven and Earth as our Living Hope and Eternal Life. All of this is offered to you this morning, if you will simply look to Him.
Conclusion
Conclusion
There is nothing more that I can say! The offer of salvation is clear. It only comes through Jesus. Christ is the portal to God’s kingdom, the source of spiritual healing, the hope of all mankind, and the source of eternal life with all its happiness, peace, and contentment.
11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.
13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
Faith and belief are the keys! This morning, ask yourself: Have you fully believed? Are you looking to the cross?
Discussion Questions
Discussion Questions
What is the significance of Nicodemus coming to Jesus under the cover of darkness? What does this say about his character?
Why did Jesus ignore Nicodemus' initial statement? How does this relate to the idea of being born again?
Why was Nicodemus, a master teacher in Israel, ignorant of the most basic teachings of Scripture? How might this be relevant in today's society?
What is the central message of today's text from John 3:9-17? How does it relate to the idea of having spiritual life and eternal salvation?
What is the significance of Jesus being lifted up like Moses' serpent? How does it demonstrate God's sacrificial love and deliverance from sin and judgment?
What can we learn from Nicodemus' response to Jesus' statement about spiritual birth? How might this apply to our own understanding of Scripture?
How can we ensure that we truly understand the things of God? What role does being born again play in this understanding?