The Truth and the Remedy
The Endless Journey - John • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Reading:
13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son,
14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Introduction:
Have you ever noticed that it seems like bad things happen to “good” people?
If you were asked this question would you be able to give an biblical point of view?
In this scenario we are confronted by a reality that we would like to ignore.
That reality is 2 fold.
Each person is affected.
And Creation is affected.
Each person is a walking subject of Human Depravity!
The effects of Sin to creation is also evident.
If you don’t know Human Depravity is:
Corruption; a vitiated (to destroy or impair the legal validity of) state; as the depravity of manners and morals.
A vitiated state of the heart; wickedness; corruption of moral principles; destitution of holiness or good principles. -Noah Webster
Plainly it’s a “corrupted nature”.
The biblical teaching is that Sin has affected and infected man entirely.
There isn’t a part of the natural man that sin doesn’t affect or infect.
Our thoughts, our feelings, our choices, and perverted motivations.
Sin changed us.
Sin also changed creation.
Our world reveals that sin affects it as well.
Animals die, trees die, everything has a life span!
The natural processes reveal a violence and harshness which makes it difficult to survive in.
We miss the basic fact that, neither our nature or the world we live in were created this way.
They were both created perfect and everlasting!
(?) In what ways should this challenge what we think, how we do things, and how we view everything?
In a sense it is an awareness of the need we have as humans and it should explain the things that are unexplainable.
The question of: Why do “innocent” people get harmed by other humans, and why a “natural” disaster takes lives?
When Adam and Eve disobeyed God and recieved punishment that changed everything forever.
This truth is what Jesus highlights at then end of John Chapter 2 and He began with the:
Darkness of Man (2:23-25)
Darkness of Man (2:23-25)
John records that many believed in Jesus, because He demonstrated righteous anger and took action to cleanse the temple.
The text says that many believed while He was in Jerusalem because of the signs He was doing.
23 Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs that He was doing.
What exactly is this passage teaching us about the people in Jerusalem at Passover and what they thought about Jesus?
Is it saying that at passover people were believing in Jesus as God?
[Make the connection to our modern culture’s belief in Jesus by name; but not as God]
This shouldn’t surprise us as people right now in our time don’t have faith in Jesus they believe He is a miracle worker who is all love and all of the other good things about Jesus!
Jesus exposes valid point about a person’s journey into faith.
24 But Jesus on His part did not entrust Himself to them, because He knew all people
Jesus isn’t going to dwell in those who know of who He is, He will only dwell in those who believe in who He is - God!
Isn’t this something that we see even in our culture and in our time?
People know of Jesus and have heard of things He has done; but does that reveal that they are believers - No!
Which brings up a question: What is an indicator of someone’s salvation?
When someone receives the Gospel they are moving their trust from themselves and placing their trust in what Jesus did for them.
Think of it like this: Faith is an hanger that needs to be hung on something for it to be affective!
It is considered the object of our faith!
When your talking with people about God, and religion it shouldn’t take long for you to hear what their faith hangs on.
Almost always, if it isn’t hanging on Jesus, their faith is hanging on what they are doing - Their works.
The religious structural routines
Baptism
Church Attendance and membership
Phrases like: “Because they have always gone to church”
“Because they had a spiritual experience...”
Point:
If you believe in Jesus and your faith hangs on what He did; your faith where it should be?
If not; what are you trusting; what is is the object of your faith?
Do you want to be saved? Believe in Jesus as God, then spend the rest of your life obedient to His word and will!
That is trusting Him, because you believe!
Back to the text:
Those present at passover who believed in Jesus’ signs, not in Him trusted in what He could do, not in who He is!
Here at this moment He is the lamb that would take away the sins of the world, who’s hour was not yet.
Jesus knew man and because of the signs people wanted to make Him a King, and were going to politic for Him and make Him a king.
This wasn’t His purpose in coming this time.
He was committed to God’s will, not man’s will.
They misunderstood His purpose for coming.
They wanted a King, instead of the Lamb.
14 When the people saw the sign that He had done, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!”
15 Perceiving then that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by Himself.
The passover cleansing seems to be the beginning of a desire to make Him a King; and Jesus tells them no!
He knew what they wanted to do and avoided being entrusted to them.
25 and needed no one to bear witness about man, for He Himself knew what was in man.
Jesus knows what each and every one of us feel, think, and desire - He is God!
Transition:
He even knew of one that would approach Him to find out the truth.
What His plans are and in chapter 3 we find:
What Christ Offers (3:1-21)
What Christ Offers (3:1-21)
Jesus answers the internal question that the Pharisee was really after even though he didn’t ask it.
He offers the truth you sometimes didn’t realize you were searching for.
3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
Nicodemus acknowledged Jesus as a teacher from God because of the signs that he witnessed.
Jesus’ response seems like an odd response.
It’s kind of like:
Illustration:
A little kid coming to Grandma as she’s making some cookies in the kitchen.
He watches for a little bit.
Asks questions about the ingredients.
(?) What is the child really seeking?
A Cookie! The time with grandma is just a bonus.
This is what Jesus understood about the Pharisee coming.
Jesus knew Nicodemus’ motivation for coming to Him.
Nicodemus’ words were respectful, but they were still only an intellectual recognition:
“We know you are from God.”
“No one can do these signs unless God is with him.”
Jesus moves the conversation from recognizing who He is to what a person must experience to truly understand Him.
Point:
Miracles and religious knowledge are not enough to enter God’s kingdom.
So Jesus plainly says:
Even if you see the miracles and recognize I’m from God, you still cannot truly know God’s kingdom unless you are born again.
How awesome it would be to be able to direct conversations like this!
It is possible; but takes practice:
When someone is talking with you, pray asking God to help you guide the conversation to Him.
When it starts heading that direction ask God to reveal what they are really seeking and what answer they need.
Pray asking for the boldness to speak the truth!
Jesus directed the conversation towards the truth and what Nicodemus was missing about His belief.
Nicodemus was a ruler of the Jews who was just confronted by Jesus because he doesn’t understand the kingdom of God.
In his lack of understanding he kind of “argued” with Jesus.
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?”
Really? explain it to me!
Nicodemus focused on the wrong thing.
How was it possible that he focus on the wrong thing?
Because of his training as a Pharisee.
Pharisees typically believed:
Being Jewish
Knowing the Law
Living Morally
Placed them in God’s kingdom.
Jesus’ statement directly overturns that belief.
He tells a highly respected religious leader:
Your status, knowledge, and heritage are not enough, you must experience spiritual re-birth!
His worldview was being challenged.
Connection:
The closer you get to Jesus the more He is going to challenge your worldview and why you see it that way.
This is a good thing; it shows that He is still working on us.
Thankfully there is hope for us because verses like Romans 12:2 are true.
2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Always be available for the Lord to show you the truth, accept it, and allow it to change your worldview.
Nicodemus’ view of how to be part of God’s kingdom was shattered.
How can someone be included into God’s kingdom.
Jesus confronts the wrong belief; but doesn’t just leave Nicodemus there, He offers the answer to the new found issue.
5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
Someone has to be born naturally into this world; but also born into a spiritual life to enter God’s Kingdom.
Jesus states the truth for entrance into the Kingdom and Nicodemus is confused by the statement.
I don’t know if it was because He believed in the Pharisaical worldview or because he was processing what Jesus was saying.
The text reveals that Jesus calls out his lack of understanding.
10 Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things?
Jesus highlights a glaring fact about humans:
People only speak on behalf of what they know because of what they have experienced, heard, or seen play out in their lives.
Jesus gives insight for this:
12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can 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.
Jesus is God and can speak behalf of heavenly things because of the testimony He has of Himself.
Nicodemus has to evaluate the Claim Jesus is making about Himself.
He was probably a little surprised to hear Jesus claim deity!
And to hear how one could gain eternal life:
14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
15 that whoever believes in Him may have eternal life.
Nicodemus would’ve been familiar with the salvation of the Israelites in the wilderness when they were bitten by snakes and the pole that Moses lifted up for all to look at for salvation.
Jesus connects the dots from Israel to Himself for salvation.
When someone was bitten by a snake the knowledge for salvation was to look at the staff by faith and it would heal them.
When they looked at the brazen serpent were acknowledging that their sin was the cause of judgment and death.
For them to “look and live” was an act of repentance and belief.
Connection:
No one during that time should’ve died because of the serpents.
Yet the suggestion is that some did!
Why? Why would they die if it was so easy to look and live?
Just in case you haven’t noticed this; but we are a stubborn people.
They would’ve had to humble themselves and acknowledge their sin and accept the judgment they deserved because of rebelling against God.
Point:
Not much has changed to believe and live has it?
The serpent was a sign of Israels sin and Christ became sin for us 2 Corinthians 5:21
21 For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.
When sinners acknowledge that Christ became sin for them, that is an act of repentance and belief.
Whoever believes in Jesus as the one who became sin for them may have eternal life!
Thus allowing the spiritual birth/Salvation!
God did this for us as His enemies because:
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.
Christ didn’t come to condemn; but to save.
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.
Not one human needs to remain in darkness, Christ came to shine out darkness and invite us into His glorious light!
[Present the gospel]
Transition:
It is actually suggested by some historians that Nicodemus did receive the grace Jesus offered and was part of the early church.
Christ came to extend grace to the world because He loves each one of us.
The new birth we have been given adds us into the church body and makes us a child of the King and part of His kingdom.
A child of the King, and to serve Him all the days of our lives.
That servant heart is something that John left us an example to follow, he was:
The Servant of Truth (22-36)
The Servant of Truth (22-36)
John leaves for us a model as a disciple.
He continues baptizing people and continues pointing people to Jesus!
John’s disciples were concerned that Jesus’ was gaining more fame than John.
26 And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you bore witness—look, He is baptizing, and all are going to Him.”
John does God’s will even in this moment here for His disciples:
30 He must increase, but I must decrease.”
John wasn’t jealous or envious, I bet He is ecstatic that Jesus’ was gaining in public interest.
Connection:
John knew that his role was temporary and his mission was to point people to Christ, not build his own following.
Believers should learn that the purpose of life and ministry is to direct attention to Christ, not ourselves.
Pointing people to Christ strengthens our faith because it reorients our identity:
Our value is not in recognition or influence.
Our purpose is fulfilled when Christ is honored.
Point:
Our faith grows when success is measured by how much Christ is magnified, not how much we are.
John also points out something important to his disciples:
27 John answered, “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven.
All opportunities, gifts, influence, and positions come from God’s sovereign hand.
John recognized that his ministry came from God.
As believers John shows us that we need to avoid jealousy toward others
Trust God’s assignment for our lives.
Recognize that God distributes roles according to His plan.
Our faith is stronger when we trust that God is in control.
Thankfully He is in control because John leaves a strong statement for us:
36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.
John emphasizes that salvation and the new birth is of Christ!
Jesus is not merely:
a teacher
a prophet
a moral example
He is the one through whom eternal life is given.
Salvation rests on trusting Christ alone and nothing else!
We can also read the seriousness of what you believe about Jesus.
belief → eternal life
rejection → remaining under God’s judgment
A believers faith is in the truth that their eternal life comes from Christ, not their own merit.
Conclusion:
So the question is:
What is the object of our faith?
Is it hanging on my works?
My church attendance?
My religious experiences?
Or is my faith hanging completely on Jesus Christ and what He has done for me?
The truth John 3 is very clear:
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life.
Whoever rejects the Son remains under God’s wrath.
Every person must respond.
For some, the response today may be to truly believe for the first time—to stop trusting in yourself and place your faith completely in Christ.
For believers: let Christ increase in your life while you decrease, pointing others to the Savior.
Though sin brought darkness into the world and into our hearts,
God loved the world so much that He gave His only Son so that whoever believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life.
And that eternal life begins the moment we look to Christ and believe.
-Pray!
