John 3

The New Birth “Regeneration”

How can a person be “born Again”?

Romans 10:13

What is the Water and spirit

Am i born again?

Jonh 3, discussing being born again. Gods work of regeneration

and the style of jonhs writtig is very intersting, peter in 2 peter 3:16 says john writtings contains things that are hard to understand

everyone word had such deep meaing and importance. we are going to look at what jesus says pertainig topics of

Rebirt

water

spirit

flesh

all collminating to the point of regeneration. being born again, new life in Christ. The spiritual condition from death to life through the work of the holy spirit

Read 3:1-5

If you remmeber nicodemus was a

Pharasee and a ruler of the jews. Nicodemus meaning “ conqueror of the people” was not only a ruler but a teacher of isreal. He was a member of the sanhedrin that acted as the high council or supreme court of the land ruling over evything reagarding the law and religion. from the outside nicodemus had everything put together. inside he was dead in his religion

Being a pharasee they vowed to obey Gods law but took it far beyond what it was intened and made it their rilegion. They were consumed with themselves, their apprerance, religious duties, good deeds, but they were blinded by the truths of God. Jesus in matthew 23 prononces 7 woes to the religious leaders for their hipocrisy and unbelief.

Matthew 23:1-4 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: 2 “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. 3 So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. 4 They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.

They required much of the people wich lead to bondage, this contrast with the light easy burden of Jesus

For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” matthew 11:30

Matthew sheds more light on the condition of the people as he contiunes in vs 15 15 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel around on sea and land to make one convert; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of [g]hell as yourselves.

what this reveals to us is Lack of biblical teaching has a huge impact, selfism is devistating

Laying heaven burdens on the people but unwilling to practice what they preached

But for nicodemus God was drawing this man to himself, nicodemus had seen the signs which jesus preformed and was hungry to find of how these things were possible.

vs2 of John nicodemus comes jesus and say to him “Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.” 3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 Nicodemus *said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?” 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

He’s saying nicodemus you are outside the kingdom, the only way inside the kingdom is new birth. Born of water and spirit

how is one born of water and spirit

Ezekial 36:25-27

- “Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. 26 “Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 “I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.

notice the “I WILL” -

God will clean them

God will give them a new heart

God will place his spirit in them

God will cause them to walk in his statues

this is a gift of God

John 6:44 “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day.

This process of Regeneration -

. 6 That which has been born of the flesh is flesh, and that which has been born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born [d]again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it is coming from and where it is going; so is everyone who has been born of the Spirit.”

9 Nicodemus responded and said to Him, “How can these things be?” 10 Jesus answered and said to him, “You are the teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things? 11 Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know and testify of what we have seen, and you people do not accept our testimony. 12 If I told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended into heaven, except He who descended from heaven: the Son of Man. 14 And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 so that everyone who [e]believes will have eternal life in Him.

Notice that Jesus doesnt say

Do these 5 steps nicodemus and you will be saved

repeat this prayer

go feed the hungry

Go to worship in the synogog

No, first he reveals to nicodemus the condition of his own heart and then reveals that he must be born again, new life possilbe through christ the messiah

reafriming v13- that he is the son of man - the messiah

that he is the only one who assended and descended into heaven to bring this devine revelation, repentance and forgivness of sins

and as moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness so must he be lifted up, he is greater than moses, his crucifixicon, his death and resurection would make life in his name possible

That rebirth would be possilbe through him, the only way

So what does it mean to be born again

It is the transforamtion from death to Life

Paul explains this life apart from christ and then being born in christ Ephesians 2:2-5 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh[a] and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.

Apart from christ dead in sins and tresspases, hostile toward God.

In christ- adopted and a son or daughter, in fellowship with christ

AMEN!

So what happend to nicodemus, not much is said about him. He is called the silent beliver.

some think it took him awhile to fully commit his life to christ. in John 7:50-52 nicodemus somewhat defends jesus before the pharasees who seek to arest Jesus. and in john 19:39-42 nicodemus brings 75 pounds of myrrh and aloes to prepare Jesus body for burial. although none of these gestures indicate faith it does indicate nicodemus recognizes Jesus as king.

I dont know what happened to nicodemus. sources outside of th bible are questionable but there is a story that nicodemus gave his life to christ and lost his position as a pharisee and was kicked off the sanhedrin and eventually baished from jerusalem from the hostile jews.

Is there any truth to this? i dont know.... but what i do know is there is a cost to following christ.

Jesus says If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me.( matthew 16:24-25)

If the stories are true, nicodemus denied himself and followed christ, and it cost him.

Are we willing to do the same?

Are you willing to commit your life to christ and lay it all down, i hope so.

Turn to matthew 25 and we will end 1-13

This is imagry of judgment on those who possilbly like nicodemus would not fully commit their lives to christ.

They missed the return of christ becuase they were busy doing something else.

life got in the way

career

hobbies

hard times drove them away instead of brinig them closer to christ

The good news is Christ has never turned anyone away who came to him

Jeremiah 29:13 NASB95

‘You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.

amen, lets share this Good news