Untitled Sermon (2)

Introduction via review

For those of you who were absent last week, I’m sorry. We covered some vital verses necessary for the understanding of the Gospel of God. We are looking at a section of today, that concludes an interaction between Nicodemus and Jesus. Nicodemus comes to Jesus to ask him a question, and very sure of himself I might add. Well, he never gets his question out. Jesus turns his life upside down because he knew what Nicodemus was thinking, He knew exactly what was on his heart because Jesus knows what is on the hearts of all men. Nicodemus is proud. He is a top pharisee. He is has power. But he comes to Jesus at night because he is not sure of something, he is concerned about something, his heart is troubled. His heart is troubled by exactly what every one of us was at one time troubled by. Shame, guilt. Nicodemus had sinner’s worry. He wants to know what he has to do to cement his salvation. And Jesus tells him he can’t do anything. He tells him he has to be reborn, and that he is powerless to effect that. We do not have anything to do with our physical birth, and thus it a fitting analogy Jesus uses, spiritual birth. Nicodemus needed something he couldnt get and this stops him dead in his tracks. All his cleansing and sacrifice, all his law following works are worthless to the God of the universe. He is powerless and he is a hypocrite to boot.

And by the way Nicodemus, heaven comes down and causes this, you will not enter the kingdom of God because of anything you do. It is a work of the Spirit of God, and that spirit is like wind, it goes where it goes and it does what it wants. This is the effectual calling, a divine calling. The divine sovereignty of God to call his people, to redeem those whom he has known from the beginning to be his elect, the church, his people.

But Nicodemus just doesn’t get it. Jesus says you do not receive our testimony. He is a legalist. And he doesn’t understand how this can be. Jesus even says, you don’t even get my earthly illustration, how are you going to understand my heavenly one. But Jesus is going to tell him anyway. And Nicodemus doesn’t have anything to say anymore, but he is still there all night, listening. And the first thing Jesus tells him is that he came from heaven to give these truths.

So we pick up here. In v. 14, Christ makes a direct comparison for Nicodemus. He says that just as the serpent was lifted, so must the “son of man be lifted up”. He is asking Nicodemus to recall the story of the OT in which the israelites we in rebellion to what God had commanded of them. He sent a plague of poisonous serpents. And whoever was bitten by one died. Dead. So God gave them a remedy to preserve them. They could look upon this bronzed serpent that moses lifted up to a pole and the would be healed, cured. Jesus’ cure was deeper, because his cure was the problem to spiritual deadness that was caused by sin. And his cure lasts for eternity.

The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary: John’s Gospel, Hebrews–Revelation Jesus and Nicodemus (1–21)

The Greek hypsoô (lift up) is an important Johannine verb to describe Jesus’ “ascent” or “lifting up” to the cross (3:14; 8:28; 12:32, 34) but curiously, it is never used like this in the synoptics. Luke uses it in Acts for Jesus’ ascension/exaltation (2:33; 5:31). Therefore John has in mind that the cross will not simply be a place of sacrifice and suffering, but a place of departure, of return, when Jesus resumes his life with the Father (17:1–19). Jesus ascends to the cross. It will actually be a place of glorification

v. 15, whoever believes may have eternal life. Now can you imagine with me for just a moment. Nicodemus wasn’t getting it. Jesus already tells us so. And now, Jesus claims that whoever believes in what will eventually be Christ’s sacrifice upon a cross, lifted up onto a cross, whoever believes that will have eternal life. Jews knew what eternal life was; it was the transcendent nature of God, everlasting and unending. But whoever, it was not supposed to be that way. Christ was supposed to return to destroy the blasphemous, idolatrous and rebellious nations around Israel. Israel hated other nations. They were promised the redemption. They were God’s chosen people. Nicodemus is what we might call a racist. The Jews were the loyal people who had followed God’s law. He didn’t think any other people was worthy of God’s salvation.

So Nicodemus, who has upheld the traditions of the tabernacle, of God’s ceremonial law, who has studied the word of God, has his entire perception of religion reversed in that there is NOTHING he can do for his own salvation but ask, all he can do is petition God to give to him the spirit of regeneration, of rebirth.

Now we come to the verse v. 16 and it is an explanation of v.14&15. Whoever believes is going to have eternal life. But why? Why is there even this possibility? Why has God made an opportunity for mankind to escape the wrath of his judgement? We are guilty. We don’t do good. We reject God. We rebel against his righteousness, against his law. ANSWER: its his love for the world.

World here is a very provocative word as we already have learned. Jews were banking on God restoring Israel and making her enemies a footstool. They hated the people around them, and here Jesus says God loves the world, so much so that gentiles may have eternal life with God in heaven. God’s love is so deep, so profound, that he sent is one and only son.

Also, dont miss the importance of the word so here, it adds emphasis: thus, to the degree that, in this way. God loves humanity to the degree, that while in sin, He gives his only son.

And not only did He give His son in incarnation, God gives His Son in death upon the cross.

English Standard Version Chapter 10

28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.

English Standard Version Chapter 10

I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.

It must be restated that this text does not mean God is saving the whole world. 2 verses later we’re told that those who don’t believe in the Son are already condemned. God’s love of the world is expressed as the way to escape punishment, eternally. God doesn’t have to do anything for mankind. Mankind is in rebellion against a Holy and perfect God.

negative/positive: perish = Hell, eternal life = heaven.

v.17. This is further evidence of the love just mentioned: God did not send his Son to condemn, but to save, or give the opportunity for salvation. God did not even have to do this. This is God’s Grace. God doesn’t give us one of several options, He gives us the only option. Believe in the Son or die. This is a dual stance of God. It is commonplace in theology. God hates sin. :

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Wicked actions are detestable to Him. His holiness will not tolerate sin. And we are unholy. We are unrighteous. We are in sin and rebellion against God, but he gives us saving faith.

English Standard Version Chapter 15

19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you

God pulled us, stained and dirty out of a foul world, one that hates and rejects His authority. And when we are told that He provided His Son to be our only chance to escape his wrath, our brains need to in turn picture the cross. The cross is where Jesus suffered and died that we might, might be forgiven of our sins.

English Standard Version Chapter 18

. 23 Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, declares the Lord GOD, and not rather that he should turn from his way and live?

And what must we do? Believe. That’s all, Just believe. As those Israelites on the desert floor about to die from snakebite poison could look upon the bronze serpent, those who look to Christ will not perish in their sins and suffer eternal condemnation. Richard Phillips says of John 3:16

John 3:16 LEB

For in this way God loved the world, so that he gave his one and only Son, in order that everyone who believes in him will not perish, but will have eternal life.

John, Volumes 1 & 2 Our Greatest Possession

shows that it is not enough to know what faith is, but it is necessary that we actually have it. There is a great divide in this world between those who perish and those who live forever. The sole distinction between the two is faith in Jesus Christ. The line between those lost and those saved is not who gave to charity or who observed certain religious rites or even who was a little better than others in terms of moral conduct. The one thing that distinguishes those who perish forever and those who live forever is trusting faith in Jesus. God gave him to be our Savior, and salvation comes to all who believe—and only those who believe. There is one way of salvation—believing in Jesus Christ—and faith is therefore necessary for you to be saved.

I know what you are probably asking right now: Tim, you just said that rebirth is a gift from above, that we can’t make it happen. You can’t. But you can ask. You can beg God to give you salvation, to open the door to believing faith. It is a parallel road. Divine calling and human responsibility.

I know what you are probably asking right now: Tim, you just said that rebirth is a gift from above, that we can’t make it happen. You can’t. But you can ask. You can beg God to give you salvation, to open the door to believing faith. It is a parallel road. Divine calling and human responsibility.

Consider a woman who loves her cat and showers it with affection. But when the cat arrives at the front door with a mouse in its teeth, that same woman stands there with a broom barring the way. Why would she forbid entry to the cat that she loves? Because she absolutely loathes rodents and will not let them into the house. So it is with the holy God who loathes all sin. Unless our sin is removed, then our entry into heaven is barred and our sin must be punished.

We have a responsibility to have believe and have faith in the Son. This knowledge will lead to trust and desire to walk in the ways of God, to abide in him and carry out his commands. Man won’t have to hide his sin, because his shame and guilt will be lifted.

Phillips, R. D. (2014). John. (R. D. Phillips, P. G. Ryken, & D. M. Doriani, Eds.) (1st ed., Vol. 1, p. 182). Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing.

v. 18: The word “but” in this verse illuminates a comparison about to happen. Believing in the son is not condemned, disbelief is condemnation. And the word believe, Greek pistevo, means belief in someone. But notice the word already. How many of you have heard someone say “well I do good things, good deeds, I will be okay…the big guy in the sky will do me right”… Look pal: already. they are already condemned. Its too late. No one is going to tally up good or bad deeds. The judge has already passed a verdict. And what caused this: DISBELIEF

English Standard Version Chapter 1

21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him,

Those who don’t believe, those who deny God’s Son, they will hide in darkness. They will flee from the light. This is the perfect analogy. When children do wrong, they run off, they hide. The condemned who deny the Son are no different. They want to hide. Why? Why would they deny this? They love their sin. And the opposite. Those that walk in the light. Why do they do this? Because they love Christ. Those that walk in the light understand that when they do, when they act out the spirit given righteoiusness of God, it gives glory to God. (end of verse 21: Works done in the light of Christ are carried out in God, for the glory of God. ) John Piper says “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him” Amen.

It is a work of the Spirit of God, and that spirit is like wind, it goes where and does what it wants.