How Can this Be?- John 3:9-21

Introduction

Prayer

Alright, 2nd—5th graders you guys are free to dismiss. And as a reminder, parents you can pick those children up at the Wetlands Building, and if you need any help finding where that is, don’t hesitate to ask someone with a lanyard.

If you’re new with us, my name is Andrew McClure and I’m one of the Pastor’s here, and if you would please turn in your Bible’s to the third chapter of John.

And as you turn there, let me set up today’s passage briefly.

Many of you know, but I have had the privelege of preaching the Gospel, and sharing my faith, and making disciples of all different backgrounds. I’ve discipled atheists at the University of Georgia, my first missionary convert, a man named Soufian in North Africa, and a staunch Hindu who holds a dear place in my heart named Sanjay.

Each of these experiences, atheist, muslim, and hindu were all filled with unfathomable joy and an overwhelming sense of gratitude to join God in His work of redeeming all peoples to himself.

I’m telling you it is a special joy to watch someone come out of darkness, and into light.

To read the Scriptures themselves, and discover the Truth of Jesus Christ, and watch everything in their lives change accordingly.

And in every one of those situations, there have been questions… deep questions. Wrestling questions, that I’ve struggled to answer, or appropriately shepherd, but I always possessed a sense of confidence that God was with me.

So I had no fear… only faith.

But… there is one demographic of young disciple that absolutely terrifies me. Scares me to death. Creates in me feelings of fear and trembling.

And that’s kids. My kids, and your kids.

Like what so many faithful volunteers are doing right now, as we speak, upstaris and across the parking lot at the Wetlands.

They’re opening up the Scriptures, and sharing a story of Jesus.

And I admire them so much, because kids scare me.

Becuase, YOU NEVER KNOW what question a child may ask.

AND YOU NEVER KNOW how many questions a child may ask.

They are a bottomless pit of questions. They’r little curious minds arent satisfied with our cliches or simple answers.

They’re so curious, and they ask great questions.

Like this weekend, did you see the full moon?

Well Emmy my 1st grader was blown away and it led to so many questions.

Dad! Why is the moon so big? A: Well, every 27 days the moon orbits the earth, so we see different sizes of the moon as it moves?

Well… Why does it orbit? Well, because of gravity, if we were far from the moon we’d just float.

Well, what’s gravity? It’s the force that holds us to the ground.

Why? ahhhhh I don’t know, go ask your mother!

I joke, but I love the curious nature of our children. It’s so pure and innocent.

And although I may not have answers to all the questions they pose… they still ask good questions.

Well, today our text is going to open with a question.

One single question, and church it’s the most important question Nicodemus, and by association, every one of us could be asking.

And the answer Jesus provides, I believe changed Nicodemus’s life then and there, and for all of eternity.

And it can do yours to.

So let’s read our text in its entireity, and then I’ll try and unpack it for us.

John 3:9–21 ESV

Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”

Go back to verse 9… How can it Be?

That’s the question Nicodemus wanted answered, and its this question you must all get answered as well.

And remember the context.

Nicodemus , a famous Rabbi. A Pharisee. A great teacher and ruler of the Jews, had sought Jesus out by night.

We don’t know exactly, but I wonder what was driving Nicodemus to Jesus that night? I wonder what was on his heart?

Could he not sleep? Just restless?

Was he coming in search of peace? Affirmation that he was okay? Was he aware of the disconnect between what he preached and what he practiced?

We don’t know. But he was tore up about it.

Just as many of you are?

You may not have revealed it to your spouse, or family, or friends, but I know many of you are similaly restless? Concerned that you’re actually still in your sin, seperated from God, and unsure if you’re a Christian. And many of you probably just want me or Coleman, to affirm you. To say.... no no no, you’re fine.

So you come to Jesus- in the secret recesses of your heart.

But instead of affirming Nicodemus, and telling him everything was fine Jesus actually told him, “no no no, the only way into the Kingdom. The only chance of attaining salvation is to be born again.

That just as you did nothing to earn your physical birth. You contributed nothing. So it is true for the Spiritual birth. It’s not based by your works, but its a work of the Spirit. Therefore, Nicodemus, and all of you… must be born again?

And I can jsut see Nicodemus’ world starting to spin. He gets so dizzy that he has to sit down. And from a place of desperation he asks a single question.

How can this be?

That’s the question Jesus answered in our text, and its the question I want to answer for you all this morning.

And there are 3 points I intend to make.

First, I want you to see The Reprimand that jesus gives Nic.

Second, I want you to see the Reminder Jesus gives him.

Finally, I want us all to see the Revelation of Love.

So let’s begin with the Reprimand.

The Reprimand

John 3:9 “Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?”” We have the question… How can this BE?

And look at Jesus’ immediate answer:

John 3:10–12 “Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things?”

Jesus says… and you call yourself a teacher and yet you’re confused.

It’s a reprimand. But instead of us thinking this is some harsh rebuke, instead its a gentle chiding.

Jesus had so much compassion on this man. A man who was wrestling, restless, and seraching. A man who sought him out in the dark of night becuase his questions were burning a hole in his heart.

So Jesus isn’t scolding this man. He’s chiding him. Giving him a gentle reprimand.

And that reprimand is in essence, “You have all this learning… You’re a scholar of the OT. An expert. A Pharisee. A Teacher yourself… and yet do you not understand?

So Jesus is in summary telling this lofty, well-respected teacher of Israel to take a seat and listen.

Becuase Jesus is about to remind him of earthly things, which if seen with spiritual eyes, will actually reveal heavenly things.

So let’s move to the Reminder.

The Reminder

I once heard, that a congregation rarely needs instructing but always needs reminding.

This is true for everyone of us. We are a forgetful people. A dense people.

And so were the Israelites, and their leaders--- including Nicodemus.

He was an expert of the OT, but what Jesus is about to show him is that he has missed the spiritual reality of what many of his OT stories were intended to communicate.

So He gives him a reminder.

2. And here there are 2 Clear OT references he makes in the series of 3verses.

First, Jesus reminds Nicodemus of Genesis

look at John 3:13 “No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man.”

For the second time in 3 chapters, Jesus references ascending and descending.

The first was when he called Nathanel to follow him in John 1:51.

But the point for us today, is that Jesus is reminding this OT Expert Nicodemus of Genesis 28.

In Genesis 28, Jacob was on the run, and out in the wilderness, and one night he goes to sleep and has a vivid dream.

Genesis 28:12–13 “And he dreamed, and behold, there was a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven. And behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it! And behold, the Lord stood above it and said, “I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac.”

You see in this dream, God was showing Jacob that there was a divide between heaven and earth.

A Clear seperation.

And the only way for earth to touch heaven, or for heaven to touch earth was to utilize this spiritual ladder soverignly set up by God.

A weird dream to say the least, but a significant promise that Nicodemus would have grasped as a teacher of Israel. That God would provide a ladder for heaven and earth to be reconciled.

Well look at verse 13… no one has ascended into heaven, excpet he who has descended from heaven… THE SON OF MAN.

Jesus is saying, I am the ladder.

I have come to connect Heaven and Earth.

Jesus is reminidng Nicodemus of the Spiritual Reality and Promise behind the Ladder of Genesis 28.

Secondly, Jesus reminds Nicomedus of Numbers. The OT book of Numbers

Look back at verse 14. John 3:14 “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,”

You may remember the story, but let me refresh your memory.

In Numbers 21, the people of ISrael are in the wilderness, and God had just delivered them from battle, but just like all of us. Instead of accepting His salvation and grace with gratitude and surrendered hearts the People of Israel began to turn against God, and started complaining.

They wanted to return to Egypt. They didn’t trust God.

So let me read from that passage. Numbers 21:6 “Then the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died.”

Ya’ll, this is my absolute worst nightmare!

I hate snakes, and here the people of Israel are being bit by “fiery serpents.”

Now most believe that they were called “Fiery” because when they bit that the bite would inflict such pain and suffering that it would feel like the victim is burning alive.

THey would become inflamed with fever, and many would eventually die.

It was a painful bite. A burning bite. An all-consuming bite. Like fire.

Well eventually the people repented, and God provided deliverance. He worked salvation.

Numbers 21:8–9 “And the Lord said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.” So Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on a pole. And if a serpent bit anyone, he would look at the bronze serpent and live.”

The pathway of deliverance was to gaze upon this exalted, lifted up bronze serpent.

Well, again this wouldn’t have been new information for Nicodemus. He was well aware of this story. He had probably preached that passage a dozen times over his illustrious career as a teacher of Israel.

But he had missed the heavenly reality. He had missed what it was foreshadowing. So Jesus in his reminder, pulls back the veil and says,

John 3:14–15 “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.”

Just as that bronze seprent was exalted, and all who with faith gazed upon it were healed and delivered and saved. So too, when the Son of Man is lifted up… all who with faith gaze upon Him will be healed, delivered, and saved.

It was a promise of eternal life.

And that’s what Nicodemus so desperately needed.

Eternal life was the solution for Nicodemus’s distress. It was the antedote, to his anxiety. The peace for his restlessness. It was what he came to seek, in the darkness of night.

And Jesus takes a minute to remind him that it had all been foretold.

Over and over. the OT has pointed to the heavenly realities of salvation in Christ.

So, we have the reprimand. And we have the reminder.

But Nicodemus’ question is still unanswered.

Remember, he had to sit down. Light-headed. Exasperated and asked, “How can this be?”

How can once actually be born again?

How could I have missed it?

How can I be saved?

Well, after the reprimand and the reminder. Jesus gives the Revealation.

He answers the question, and it’s a revelation of Love.

The Revelation

John 3:16 ““For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

How can this be? How can one be saved? How can heaven touch earth? How can the fire of judgement be healed?

Becuase God so loved the world.

God is love, but instead of leaving us to fight to believe that… he demonstrated it.

God is love, and so loves that he gave his only son.

He descended, in the incarnation. Becoming man, so that he could be the perfect substitute for sin that whoever believes in Him can ascend with Him into relationship with God.

God so loved, that he gaves us Jesus--- the Ladder.

God is love, and so loves that he gave his only son.

One who was born to die. But not just death of old age, or illness

But he was born to die a death on the cross.

To be crucified.

To be laid flat on two pieces of wood, and have his hands stretched out from east to west and nailed.

To have his feet stretched north to south, and be nailed.

And once secured to that Cross, a dozen Roman Soldiers would hoist him up. They would lift him up.

Just like that bronze serpent in the wilderness.

That all who look upon him by faith would be saved from the FIERY bite, not of a serpent, but of what a serpent consistently represents in the Scriptures--- Sin.

Since the Garden of Eden--- snakes have been symbolic of sin. It was the temptation of a snake that brought sin and brokenness and seperation into our world.

That’s what sin does. It’s like a posison, or a venom. Once bitten, it spreads into every thought, or desire. Into every relationship and responsibility.

And it was God’s Love that provided a way for the sting of sin, the poision of Sin to be removed.

The giving of his son, that whoever looks to Him, who believes in Him will not die, but have eternal life.

But how can this be?

Because God so loves the World.

I can picture it in my holy imagination.

Nicodemus is still hung up.

You see, Nicodemus could understand why the “world” needed this.

But How could it be for Him?

Right, this man was “righteous”. He had done everything right. He was a “good person” in comparison to the Gentile World.

The sinful world needed a remedy for their snakes, but not him… he had not disobeyed. He had not rejected God.

He had memorized Scripture, obeyed the law, even risen to the point of esteemed leader. How could this be for him?

And I know many of you ask the same question?

And let me just tell you… the prideful, self-righteous are usually the hardest to convert, becuase they don’t believe they need a Savior.

THe healthy… they don’t need a doctor. Or so they think.

They say… I’m good. I’m doing fine. Others, yes they need help. But not me. And it is only this lack of humility that leads people to perish.

But the sick… those who know they have sinned, and fallen short of the glory of God--- they quickly and freely received the Love of God in the provision of Christ.

So how many of you reject the Love of God, because you don’t belive you need it…

But church, I’ll say it again--- self-righteousness has kept more people from heaven than blatant wickedness.

So nicodemus is looking at Jesus is disblief--- all that he’s belived Jesus is saying is wront.

All that he’s taught.

All that he’s thought of himself.

How can this be? No No maybe for others, but not me.

And Jesus says, “No… this is true for the whole world.”

God so loves the world, and you’re part of this world aren’t you Nicodemus?

You’re included. With everyone.

And this is what the Bible teaches church.

Romans 3:10 “as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one;”

Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”

The whole world, everyone on it, is seperated from God.

You, me, Nicodemus, all.

The whole world.

And here lies another objection. In this biblical truth about sin, here lies another reason many refuse salvation.

Becuase when they look at the brokenness our world. When they look at the pain, and the suffering.

The wars. Diseases. Divorces. Backbiting. Anger. Malice. Murder. Loneliness. Suicidal thoughts. Lies. Deceit. Manipulation. And so on.

They conclude--- there’s no way God Loves this World.

How can this be?

But church, look at John 3:17 “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”

Here’s where we mess up… we look at the state of the world or the state of our lives and conclude God doesn’t love.

But this state, the state of our world, its brokenness and suffering isn’t evidence of a lack of love by the Savior, but instead evidence of our great love for SIN.

Let me say it again--- the brokenness of our world isn’t evidence of a lack of love by God, but instead evidence of the world’s great love for sin.

You see, due to our own going affair with sin, the world is condemned already.

You were born condemned. And apart from Christ you live condemned.

The poison of sin is in your genes. Deep in your DNA. Influenceing, and impacting every decision you make and every breathe you take.

This is what verse 18 says, “John 3:18 “Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.”

You’re already condemend.

You’re predisposed state is one of condemnation.

The world is broken, not because God doesn’t love, but because we love SIN too much.

John 3:19 “And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.”

Without Jesus coming as a Ladder, without Jesus being lifted up… there is no hope.

The world stands condemned.

Destined to burn, with the fiery venom of sin.

Destined to perish, spiritually dead, and eternally cut off from God.

And rightfully so! It’s what we deserve.

Your wages, for being born into sin, and continuing to live and love your sin is death. To perish.

God has no reason to save you.

He doesn’t have to.

He is totally Just in allowing us to burn with the venom of sin.

He is totally righteous in allowing us to be seperated from heaven.

It’s what we deserve.

And yet… the scandal of the Gospel is that he’s made a way ANYWAY

How can this be?

Becuase God so loves the world.

Enter your name there.

God so loves you. He loves you so much, that he sent his only Son.

To die the death you deserved.

So that you can have the life we don’t deserve.

He loves you so much, that he took the poison of sin upon himself

So that you can take his righteousness upon yourself.

He loves you so mch that he became condemned for you.

So that you might be saved through Him.

What a Revelation.

A revelation of Love.

Conclusion

But listen… God did all of this Himself. It was His Sovereign Plan.

But he extends to you today a responsibility.

Gods’ sovereignty is inviting you to take responsibility.

And what’s our responsibility?

To believe.

It’s pretty simple. We just sang about it.

How can you be saved…

“Behold the man upon a cross; my sin upon his shoulders.

“It was my sin that held him there, until it was accomplished; his dying breath has brought my life; I know that it is finished.”

In light of that truth, what must you do?

Today, as long as you have breathe in your lungs choose right now, to not boast in anything, no gifts, no power, no wisdom; but only boast in Jesus Christ, his death and resurrection!”

Oh how deep the Father’s Love for us. How vast beyond all measure.

That He should give his only Son, to make a wretch…me, you, the whole world.. his treasure.

Well I’m going to ask the team to come back up, and lead us through a time of response and heres what I’d like to do.

Its pretty simple.

If you have never looked to Christ as your savior. Never believed in Him, and accepted His sacrifice for your sins. Let today be your day.

Let today be the day you experience being born again.

Romans 10:9 says “that, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

So as the team plays, and as you sing. If you’d like to be saved today I want you to come down front and see me.

I’m going to be standing right here, and when you get to me just say… Andrew, I want to be saved.

I’ll pray with hear you out, pray with you, and today you can begin your eternal life.

So as the team begins to play, may you resond by faith to his great grace in the giving of Christ.