Let's #BECOME Citizens of the Kingdom of God

Intro:

So we are moving steadily through the Gospel of John!

We had a divine announcement of Christ...

John 1:1 “1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”.... “And the Word Became Flesh”

And then we had John the Baptist give an Earthly announcement of God....

John 1:29 “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”

Then we see several of the Disciples Introduced to THIS CHRIST and CALLED TO FOLLOW HIM!

He performs this Miraculous Sign....

Where He turns the water into Wine....showing that there are GREATER THINGS TO COME!

But before He continues his work.....He first Cleanses the Temple.

AND TODAY, WE START A SERIES OF CONVERSATIONS WITH THIS CHRIST.....

The one from THE BEGINNING....and was GOD....

The one that was LIFE,and was the LIGHT OF MEN....

The one who was the LAMB OF GOD…coming to take away the sins of the World....

AND WE GET TO BE A FLY ON THE WALL.....LISTENING IN ON SEVERAL CONVERSATIONS that THIS CHRIST IS HAVING!

He will have a conversation with a RELIGIOUS MAN, a PROMISCUOUS WOMAN, a NOBLEMAN, and a PARALYZED MAN who hadn't walked in 38 years.

And not only do we listen in.....

But these are LIVING WORDS that have been passed through the lives of one generation to the next!

We get to receive these words from Jesus knowing that these words are true for us a well!

- PRAY!!!…corporate time

The first Lengthened Conversation we have with Jesus…is him talking about what it takes to be able to enter the Kingdom of God!

Now this is a Kingdom that you want to be a part of!

This is a kingdom that God has promised from the very beginning!

It’s really the only true hope of Salvation!

This Kingdom has a perfect King.....righteous and just....yet gracious and merciful

However, there is only one way to #BECOME A CITIZEN OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD!

And this was the only way for the Jews…

And It was the only way for the Gentiles when the Church took the Gospel to the ends of the earth....

AND TODAY....

IT’s the only way for the RICH MAN ON WALL STREET…and the only way for the FARMER TRYING TO GET BY IN BLACKFOOT TEXAS!

IT’s the only way for the PRISONERS LOCKED IN THEIR CELLS HERE IN TENN COLONY....and the only way for the WARDENS AND GUARDS that watch the cell blocks!

IT’s the only way for the SWEET LADY IN HER 80’s SITTING ON THE PORCH.....and the only way for the 8 YEAR OLD GIRL SETTING IN DEBBIE ALLEN’S 2nd GRADE CLASS

THERE IS ONLY ONE WAY.....AND JESUS IS ABOUT TO SHARE IT WITH US!

I. We can only #BECOME citizens of this Kingdom by being BORN AGAIN! (John 3:1-8)

John 3:1–8 NKJV

1 There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.” 3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, 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? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

Jesus makes it clear that there is only one way into the Kingdom of God....

Nicodemus gives a warm greeting to Jesus....

And Jesus answers by saying… “Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

With this, WE SEE THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER WAYS THAT LEAVE YOU SHORT OF THE KINGDOM

The way of Religion will not get you into the Kingdom.

Nicodemus was a Pharisee!

He was of the right “Religion”

He would have given his life to serve God!

He would have genuinely desired to follow God!

He would have devoted his life to see that others would follow God as well!

However, the way of Religion is not enough!

Matthew 7:22–23 NKJV

22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

The way of Status will not get you into the Kingdom.

Nicodemus was not only a pharisee....but is called a Ruler of the Jews.

This means he was probably on the Sanhedrin....

Which was a sort of supreme counsel.

Perhaps it would have been something like a mixture of our US Senate and The Supreme Court.

Nicodemus was prominent, and had status!

However, the way of Status is not enough!

Matthew 16:24–26 NKJV

24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 25 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. 26 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

The way of Inconspicuousness will not get you into the Kingdom.

Nicodemus comes to Jesus in an inconspicuous way.....

He comes to him in the night....perhaps to be unseen or unnoticed but the other rulers.

There will be no one who sneaks their way into heaven.

Matthew 10:33 NKJV

33 But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.

The way of Respect and Recognition will not get you into the Kingdom.

Nicodemus’ greeting was filled with respect and recognition!

“Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher from God, for no one can do what you do unless God is with him.”

Nicodemus elevated Jesus with the title of Rabbi...

He even recognized that God was doing something miraculous with Jesus...

But Respect and Recognition is not enough.....

James 2:19 NKJV

19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!

But, THERE IS ONE WAY THAT WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU SHORT OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD: BEING BORN AGAIN.

What does Jesus mean by being Born Again?

Jesus was telling Nicodemus that no matter how religious, what his status was, how inconspicuous, or how much respect and recognition he gave…HE WAS DEAD IN HIS SIN!

The Gospel is GOOD NEWS but must we understand the BAD NEWS first.

That we are in constant rebellion against a Holy God!

We choose ourselves and our desires.

We reject a Holy God and are cast away from him.

And that leaves us condemned and under a curse called death!

Death…something that we can feel and can see and experience all around us!

And Death that we cant even fathom or imagine....a place of eternal torture and torment....called HELL

And under that condemnation, we are blinded

Lovers of Darkness…lead astray by wicked hearts....

In our flesh.....We don't desire God.

There is not one good.....not one who would seek God on their own!!

THIS IS WHY WE MUST BE BORN AGAIN!

John 3:5 NKJV

5 Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

When Jesus says you must be born again and with WATER and the SPIRIT....I believe He is referring to Ezekiel 36:25-27

Ezekiel 36:25–27 NKJV

25 Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. 26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of 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 keep My judgments and do them.

We must be washed, made new, born again, and given a new heart!

Salvation is IS A MIRACLE OF GOD.....we are given NEW LIFE!

If that is what it means to be born again, then how do get this new birth!?

II. Our NEW BIRTH only comes from LOOKING UNTO JESUS! (John 3:9-17)

John 3:9–21 NKJV

9 Nicodemus answered and said to Him, “How can these things be?” 10 Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things? 11 Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness. 12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who 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 whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 16 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. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. 18 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”

Jesus uses an illustration from the Old Testament to answer Nicodemus’ question.

Numbers 21.4-8....Tells of a story where Moses was told to lift up a bronze Serpent.

The people of Israel were complaining against God

So God sent fiery serpents....vipers of death....killing many of them.

This was a picture of the curse of sin!

So God, in mercy, tells Moses to make a bronze image of one of the serpents, and put it high up on a pole on the top of a hill.

And he tells people that if they can get their eyes on that, and look at it in faith, they will be healed.

So imagine what it would have looked like....people in pain, jumping, running, and crawling in desperation to get a view of this serpent…so they can have life!

And JESUS SAYS, SO MUST THE SON OF MAN BE LIFTED UP, THAT WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM MAY HAVE ETERNAL LIFE!

While Jesus never sinned, he took on the curse of SIN.....HE WHO KNEW NO SIN, BECAME SIN FOR US

THAT’S WHY HE WAS PUT ON A POLE, so that all who would look to Him, BELIEVE IN HIM...WOULD BE SAVED!

Jesus was not sent to CONDEMN us, we already stood condemned because of our SIN.

He was sent that the world through Him might be Saved!

GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, THAT WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM SHOULD NOT PERISH BUT HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE!

JESUS WAS SENT AND LIFTED UP.....THAT WE MAY LOOK UNTO HIM AND BECOME CHILDREN OF GOD as we recieve him and believe in his name!

Look unto Me; I am sweatin’ great drops of blood. Look unto Me; I am hangin’ on the cross. Look unto Me; I am dead and buried. Look unto Me; I rise again. Look unto Me; I ascend to Heaven. Look unto Me; I am sittin’ at the Father’s right hand. O poor sinner, look unto Me! Look unto Me!”

....

“Young man, you look very miserable.”....

“And you always will be miserable—miserable in life, and miserable in death,—if you don’t obey my text; but if you obey now, this moment, you will be saved.” ....... “Young man, look to Jesus Christ. Look! Look! Look! You have nothin’ to do but to look and live.”

He saw at once the way of salvation. ...Like as when the brazen serpent was lifted up, the people only looked and were healed, so it was with him.

Invitation:

Are you a Citizen of the KINGDOM OF GOD!?

I’m not asking if you have walked an isle, said a prayer, or even been baptized.....

I’M ASKING....ARE YOU A CITIZEN OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD?

Remember, there is ONLY ONE WAY into this Kingdom…and it is the same way for everyone of us!

Our entrance is based on whether we have TRULY LOOKED UNTO JESUS AND BEEN BORN AGAIN!

Nicodemus had religion, status, and even respect for Jesus.....

But that wasn't enough!

PERHAPS…he was looking AT Jesus and not UNTO JESUS!

Many people look at Jesus....it is hard to go a few days without some glance of Jesus!

BUT WILL YOU LOOK UNTO JESUS KNOWING YOUR LIFE DEPENDS ON IT AND BE BORN AGAIN!

Will you respond to the SPIRIT that has so GRACIOUSLY BLOWN ACROSS THE CEMETERY OF YOUR SOUL!

Will you see that your soul has recognized it’s death and would you deeply inhale the RESURRECTION BREATH OF LIFE INTO YOUR NEW LUNGS!

This is the WORK OF THE SPIRIT OF GOD!....LOOK UNTO JESUS TODAY!

#BECOME A CITIZEN OF THE KINGDOM.....and WALK IN THAT KINGDOM!

And brothers and sister who have been BORN AGAIN....never take your eyes off of JESUS!

Look unto Jesus…corporately….what would he do if we all looked unto Jesus

O soul are you weary and troubled No light in the darkness you see There's light for a look at the Savior And life more abundant and free

Turn your eyes upon Jesus Look full in his wonderful face And the things of earth will grow strangely dim In the light of his glory and grace