John 3 Eternal Obstetrics

John Chapter 3

Eternal Obstetrics

Secular:

The Bigger the Issue
The bigger the name committed to resolve it
When world strife starts…

we send Diplomats
then Ambassadors
then Ministers of Foreign Affairs
then the P.M.

Youth forum… Mayor… Detachment Commander
Crystal Meth… Mayor… Detachment Commander… Principals / Vice-Principals

Biblical:

NAU John 3:1 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. 16 "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. 17 "For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. 18 "He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 "This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. 20 "For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21 "But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God."

Personal:

Bridge:

Body:

The credentials of Nicodemus

NAU John 3:1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews;

Nicodemus… member of Sanhedrin and a Pharisee
Who was Nicodemus…

Member of religious establishment
And member of Sanhedrin

Someone who knows…
Would know the messianic prophecies…
Teacher, religious leader, political leader…
Important to establish the nature of the conversation
Credibility… credentials…

The confession of Nicodemus

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."

Nicodemus acknowledges Jesus is from God because of his miracles
Would know the messianic prophecies…
Pharisee… open to the supernatural… but still nervous… “by night” has secretive connotations…
We… does Nicodemus represent the Pharisees…
OR JUST AN interest in the signs (John has mentioned one so far)

John 20:30 Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book;

Teacher from God… hasn’t yet figured out Jesus is God.
Confesses Short comings…. Remember the this si a judge, teacher, political leader

The command to Nicodemus

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."

Jesus doesn’t respond to implied… you must be a teacher question… (Teacher… Prophet… Messiah)
Jesus rejects the Jews agenda…
He is often questioned about who he is… He responds according to His Mission
Nicodemus thought He could see a glimpse of Christ in the Signs…
Jesus… shows the futility of the eyes of Nicodemus
Truly, truly …(I tell you the truth) Jesus uses this emphasis phrase to speak of new birth required to experience the ‘kingdom of God’… to a distinguished Pharisee that would represent… the end of the age… to experience eternal resurrection life…
“unless one is born again”… double meaning… it also means above…
Spiritual begetting… regenerated from above….
Nicodemus didn’t get it…
He didn’t understand… born again…
He definitely didn’t understand born above…

The confusion of Nicodemus

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?"

He confuses spiritual birth and physical birth
Nicodemus… for His honouring Christ…. (we know you are from God…)
Responds with sarcasm… or at least crassly literal interpretation
Confusion…
Jesus rebukes…. This great teacher…. This leader… this judge….

The chastening of Nicodemus

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.

Jesus chides him for not knowing these things even though he is a respected Jewish teacher
Truly… truly… again…
We… sarcasm re: Nicodemus

We know that You have come from God

“we speak of what we know and testify of what we have seen, and you do not accept our testimony”
(Nicodemus… respect for Man of God?)
Jesus is rebuking this great leader… entrance to the kingdom…. Is an elementary lesson… Nicodemus stumbles at the “earthly things” the rebirth from above… If you can’t get our earthly testimony of the Spirit… God amongst us…
How is he ever going to understand the splendours things form above!... the consummated kingdom…
… chastening of Nicodemus

The clarification for Nicodemus

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."… 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.

Jesus employs three illustrations to explain new birth

The Old Testament illustration… 3:5-7

Unless one is born of water and Spirit, he can not enter into the Kingdom of God
NAU Ezekiel 36:24 "For I will take you from the nations, gather you from all the lands and bring you into your own land. 25 "Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. 26 "Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 "I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances….
Born of Water and Spirit
“Jesus made reference to the spiritual washing or purification of the soul, accomplished by the Holy Spirit through the Word of God at the moment of salvation, required for belonging to his Kingdom.” J Mac.
Jesus talks of being “born from above”… reborn… born again in the Spirit.

A Natural Illustration… 3:8

Just as you do not know where the wind comes from or where it is going, so it is impossible to explain being born of the Spirit
The wind can not be controlled by human beings… but its effects are felt…impact human existence… the same with the Spirit of God

Where the Spirit works there is undeniable proof…

A illustration of healing… 3:14-15

As Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up
The bronze snake was given by God to heal those afflicted by the plague of poisonous snakes…
Just as God provided physical healing… so He provides spiritual healing through the death of Christ on the cross.
Those who look to Christ… who surrender their sins to his sacrifice will live spiritually and eternally.

The conclusion for Nicodemus

16 "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. 17 "For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. 18 "He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 "This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. 20 "For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21 "But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God."

Jesus now summarizes the subjects of salvation and condemnation… you may have thought the first part was hard to understand… listen…

The Persons (3:16)

The Father gave the Son v. 16a

God loves the evil and sinful world… NAU Matthew 5:44 "But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
Huge act of love to give your beloved to them…
Missionaries who commit there families to the mission…
Talk about sacrifice…!

The Son will give his life v. 16b

Selfless sacrifice…
Remember… there is a self-righteous Pharisee present…
This idea of the good sacrificing for evil… the righteous for the unrighteous…
Know that the Son will lay down his life for those whom the Father loves!!

The Purpose 3:17

It is not to condemn sinners v. 17a

To save…
The message is of hope…
Redeem out of the world…

It is to convert sinners v. 17b

To see sinners turn away from the fruitless and hopeless ventures of the world…
And seek Christ in order to be saved…
Recognize the Lord and Saviour

The people (3:18-21)

Condemnation for those who reject Christ (18b-20)

The focused switched… and the idea of world is pared down…
It is not simply holistic…

“that the world might be saved through Him…”

It shows… that a condemned world needed Christ before the incarnation….
Christ is the light… the Light of Hope… the light of the Word… the Light of eternal life…
But the world is wrapped in darkness…
The propensity to sin…
The propensity for evil…
The propensity for darkness
We need salvation through Christ because condemnation is our due…

Salvation for those who accept him (18a, 21)

Believing…

Knowledge that changes the way we live… for whom we live…

John 3:21 "But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God."
Remember his words to Nicodemus…

12 "If I told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?”
The reality of the light in your life is the earthly things of what Christ speaks…

Life in Christ
Life in the Spirit

Looking forward to the “heavenly things” promised by Christ for those who are his… children of God…

Conclusion:

Message of Jesus confounds those without faith!
It condemns those of the world apart from Christ!
But Jesus…
1 Corinthians 1:22 For indeed Jews ask for signs (like Nicodemus) and Greeks search for wisdom; 23 but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness, 24 but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
Truth beyond human capacity…
For a promise beyond human comprehension…
From a God who loves… even us…