I Is Born... Twice

I. INTRO

A. Greeting

a. membership cirts

Romans 12:4–5 ESV

4 For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, 5 so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.

1. Cynthia w/Bob & Sharry w/Darren

B. Where We’ve been

a. P. John

C. Elder Transition: John - Grace

D. Where We’ve been

a. over last several mnths

1. God (Triune) is

2. God the Father is

3. God the Son is

4. God the H.S. is

b. Last week

1. Talking ID

C. Last week

i. identity: the qualities, beliefs, personality, looks &/or expressions that make a person

- the fact o being who a person is.

- So, the question is… “who I is?”

ii. Paul as a test case

- Paul clearly understood who he was & why he was here

* Why we’re here informs who we r (all o which is frm God)

* You can’t know u, until u know the 1 who created u

D. Where we’re going

a. continue to discuss who I is

b. Illust

1. Talking ID

c. Main text

John 3:3 ESV

3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

E. Pray

II. BODY

John 3:3 ESV

3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

John 3:3

John 3:3 ESV

3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

A. Context:

Jn 3:

a. enter Nicodemus

1. Pharisee on the Jewish Ruling Council

i. Pharisee:

- Strict observance o law

- Believed in heaven, angels, etc.

ii. Ruling Council

- Functioned like a government

2. Came by night

i. Why might Nic seek Jesus @ night?

- Doesn’t want his peers 2 know; why?

* afraid o how they react

~ might shun him

~ lose his pwr

~ lose soc. status

~ lose lively hood

- What about us?

ii. How might Jesus respond 2 Nic?

iii. Instead Jesus responds “come, sit by the fire”

John 3:2 ESV

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. said, “ teacher ur frm God on account o the miracles we c u do”

b. abrupt response to the greeting

1. Read 3:3

2. why respond like that?

Nicodemus made a declarative: we know ur from God

i. What if Jesus’ response is 2 clarify:

- Common Jewish thought o the day is, because I’m a Jew, I’m God’s people

- Jesus wants 2 get Nic on the same page

* Just cause ur born a Jew doesn’t mean ur 1 of God’s people

* Just cause u c miracles doesn’t mean I’m frm God

~ Lord, Lord, we’ve driven out demons…get away i don’t know u

3. bring it hm

3. bring it hm

i. There’s a similar misconception 2day

- lots o folks seem to think: oh, I go to church so I’m 1 of God’s

* like 1 day we’re going 2 go b4 Jesus & he’s going 2 have an attendance sheet

- upbringing

* My folks know God

- My folks know God

* I was raised in the church

- Good people go 2 heaven

* Jesus responds… & here were going 2 dig in!

B. Digging In

John 3:3 ESV

3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

a. I Is Born…twice (I am born twice)

1. Jesus says: there’s only 1 way 2 get 2 b God’s people & get 2 heaven: born again

i. Greek for again: 1 more time & frm above!

- Being intentionally ambiguous

- Jesus is saying we must b born a 2nd time which is frm above.

2. Nic missed the point.

i. He understood the word “again” to mean “2x”; missed the “frm above.”

ii. responds: “I’m old, can I enter momma a 2nd time?”

3. Jesus clarifies:

I’m not frm God cause I’m circumcised or do lots o miracles

- Nic says “we c u do miracles which means ur from God

- Jesus says “don’t focus on the miracles, u know I’m frm God cause I am born frm above

I’m frm God cause I’m born frm above

Nic’s response: um, uh-oh…this is confusing stuff!

“how can 1 go back in2 their momma a 2nd time?

John 3:

John 3:5–8 ESV

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. 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 its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

John 3:5–7 ESV

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. 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.’

Jesus says “don’t focus on the miracles, u know I’m frm God cause I am born frm above

- Nic, c’s his lack & says, what do u mean b born a 2nd time; that’s impossible

- Jesus could have said, “Nic, we’re not talking about u”

* Instead, he goes w/it; c’s an opportunity

John 3:5–7 ESV

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. 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.’

Jn 3:

i. Natural only begets natural

ii. Normal only begets normal

- its not our family

- its not our upbringing

- its not our church attendance

- its not our socio-economic status

iii. Spirit begets spirit

- u’ll only come by spiritual things (KOG) through KOG stuff (i.e. the spirit)

- last week we talked about our purpose being frm God

- that means ur purpose is spiritual; so ur not going to know ur purpose in life if ur looking through natural means

* only by seeking God.

b. clarify the 2 births

1. maybe, like Nic, u could use a little clarification

i. 1st a natural birth

- This is the fam, social status, economic status, etc. u r born in2

- Non of these things ensure u r blessed by God (even if ur born in2 uper-mid class christian family.

2. God’s involvement:

Psalm 139:13–14 ESV

13 For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. 14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.

i. I is Created (I am created)

- God made us in our momma’s womb

I was very encouraged by our Board Meeting a few weeks ago as we all committed to this great work.

- Knit 2gether: denotes great care & involvement

ii. I is wonderfully made (I am wonderfully made)

- Ur not Junk!

iii. I is God’s image barer (I am God’s image barer)

- Here is where we rec. God’s image

- All man kind bares the image o God

Genesis 1:26–27 ESV

26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

Genesis 9:5–6 ESV

5 And for your lifeblood I will require a reckoning: from every beast I will require it and from man. From his fellow man I will require a reckoning for the life of man. 6 “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image.

* So, we r made in our momma’s womb w/the image o God

~ what happened?

c. The Problem

1. illust.

i. ever seen folks who get around babies?

So, we r made in our momma’s womb w/the image o God

ever seen folks who get around babies?

- ahhhh, he has his momma’s eyes

- ahhhh, she has her daddy’s nose

ii. we receive our traits frm our parents

- There’s another trait we get frm our parents too though: Sin nature

3. Sin Nature: the image breaker

- Sin is passed frm gen-gen starting w/Adam & has infected humanity through thousands o yrs.

- Sin entered the world breaking the image o God & leaving us spiritually dead.

* ~we c this described in

Ephesians 2:1–3 ESV

1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.

* So, in this state, it is impossible 2 realize the fullness of our ID & we’ll never reach our full potential

~we c this described in

Ephesians 2:1–3 ESV

1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.

d. but God (but God)

Ephesians 2:4–5 ESV

4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—

1. Big stop: I Is LOVED (I am loved)

i. So often we want to judge God’s love 4 us based on our circumstances:

- I gotta nice car: God must love me

- I gotta nice house: God must love me

- I got my health: God must love me

- I have no car: God can’t love me

- I’m hungry: God can’t love me

- I’m sick: God can’t love me

* NO!

ii. We know God’s rich in love, mercy & Grace because He sent Jesus

2. (Read vs 5) Sin killed us spiritually

(dead in trespasses)

i. So, God made a process restoring the image o God & changing the the nature of man. - Grace o Salvation -

3. I Is alive

So often we want to judge God’s love 4 us based on our circumstances:

I gotta nice car: God must love me

I gotta nice house: God must love me

I got my health: God must love me

I have no car: God can’t love me

I’m hungry: God can’t love me

I’m sick: God can’t love me

NO!

We know God’s rich in love, mercy & Grace because He sent Jesus

reminded o movie 6th sense: “I see dead people”

reminded o movie 6th sense: “I see dead people”

look around! everywhere we look r dead folks walking; zombies.

we have the cure!

therefore what is natural bears the image of sin

i. God loved us so much He sent Jesus 2 die & b raised again so we to can live

ii. the salvation process is a 2nd birth frm above

that process is a 2nd birth frm above

- How?

Ephesians 2:8–10 ESV

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

this creation is a 2nd creation (born again) this time in Christ!

I Is in Christ

I is God’s