Back to fundamentals

One inch at a time

1961 Vince Lombardi addressed the Green Bay Packers at training camp. “Gentlemen, this is a football.”

1961 Vince Lombardi addressed the members of the Green Bay Packers football team by saying “Gentleman, this is a football.”

They had just months prior lost the Superbowl.

They had just months prior just lost the Superbowl.

Get back to the basic of football.

Whey they were down, tired and hurt, if they performed the would just perform the fundamentals correctly, they could succeed.

I teach firearms

I’m a good shooter. Not great

Fundamentals: Stance, Grip, Presentation, Sight alignment, sight picture, Breath control, trigger squeeze, follow through.

I’m not a good shooter because I any super abilities. I’m a good shooter because I have good fundamentals.

This summer, Martye is taking the Motorcycle Safety Course.

There are two kinds of people that come to church here, those that ride those that will ride.

They will teach her the fundamentals of riding a motorcycle. What is surprising is that over half of the motorcycle crashes are the operators fault, most all are because the rider isn’t practicing the fundamentals.

Fundamentals of the Christian faith

We are continuing in the Gospel of John this morning and we have reached chapter 3.

The first verse most of learn in the Bible is .

We are taught this from early on. The first verse most of learn in the Bible is John

We will get there next week. But for the next two weeks were are going to look at the basics.

Why, we already know this stuff?

Because when things are good, we don’t think about the fundamentals, and so when things get hard, and they will, we react from our flesh instead of our spirit.

I loves the Lord, but t sometimes I reacts first and think second and like the resurrection of Christ, three says later, the Spirit of God convicts me and I have to go back and say I’m sorry.

But if we can keep focused on the foundation of our faith, which is Jesus, then maybe we can avoid the mistakes we have made before and glorify God instead of feed our own flesh.

Stop, pause, pray.

Speed rarely solves problems, it just makes them come quicker.

We will pick up in

John 3:1–15 NASB95

1 Now 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 have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.” 3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, 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? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?” 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into 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 be amazed 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 do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” 9 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can these things be?” 10 Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and do not understand these things? 11 “Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know and testify of what we have seen, and you do not accept our testimony. 12 “If I told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 “No one has ascended into heaven, but He who descended from heaven: the Son of Man. 14 “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; 15 so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life.

Nicodemus -

Pharisee, part of the Sanhedrin

Nicodemus is mentioned during the trial of Jesus asking that judgement against him be delayed until they heard from Jesus.

He is also mentioned bringing the spices that would prepare Jesus for burial after his death on the cross.

Comes at night:

Phrases often studied and spoke to another at night. Could refer that he came in secret, could refer his condition of spiritual darkness. He didn’t know the truth yet.

Rabbi-

Teacher - come from God He was on the right track. He was seeking the truth.

There are more people than you think that are looking for the truth. Thats why they are watching you. They want to see that what comes out of your mouth and how you act are in agreement.

You say that you are a Christian, but if you don’t live it, no one is going to ask you about it.

Born again- anothen

- anothen: Where we get another. but is also carries the idea of being “from above”

: Where we get another. but is also carries the idea of being “from above”

John the Baptist says “He who comes from above is above all.” from above - anothen.

Nicodemus doesn’t get it- How can he be born when he is old?

Born of water and Spirit

- Three possible meanings

Both meaning the same thing. Two words to describe the same thing (Having the Sprit of God)

Quick, fast and in a hurry.

Referring to being born both physically and spiritually. (Very possibly)

Some argue that it is meaning baptized and receive the Holy Spirit (Not likely) because the rest of scripture doesn’t back up the need for baptism to be saved, It is important and an act of obedience.

The wind blows where it wishes

- You know if you have been born of the Spirit. You can’t see it, but you both feel it and you and others see it’s affect.

Jesus dresses down Nicodemus- Teacher of Isreal and don’t know you must be born of the Sprit!!!

I will pour out my Spirit on you offspring

Ezekiel 11:19–20 NASB95

19 “And I will give them one heart, and put a new spirit within them. And I will take the heart of stone out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, 20 that they may walk in My statutes and keep My ordinances and do them. Then they will be My people, and I shall be their God.

Ezekiel 11:19 NASB95

19 “And I will give them one heart, and put a new spirit within them. And I will take the heart of stone out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh,

Ezekiel

Ezekiel 11:19

Psalm 51:10 NASB95

10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Ezekiel

You should know this!

Son of Man

No one has ascended into heaven, but He who descended from heaven.

Moses and the serpent

John 3:14–15 NASB95

14 “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; 15 so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life.

John

Numbers 21:9 NASB95

9 And Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on the standard; and it came about, that if a serpent bit any man, when he looked to the bronze serpent, he lived.

Fiery snakes.

Frog gigging.

Application

Focus on what God has done for you?