The Born Ultimatum
Notes
Transcript
Merry Christmas! It seems that December has moved so quickly toward Christmas. You know when you’re a kid it can’t go fast enough, and the older time won’t slow down enough. I invite you to attend our Christmas Eve Service which will begin at 6:30pm. We will have a special time of worship together, spend a little time in the Word, and close our time in candle light.
We’ve been talking this advent season regarding the coming of the Messiah.
The Born Prophecy - We examined several, by no means all, prophecies regarding the Messiah. Ultimately what we have in the prophets is Hope Promised.
The Born Identity - We walked through Romans 1 where Paul identifies Jesus as the Messiah. Jesus, the God-Man, Word made flesh. Through identifying with Jesus we receive grace, calling, and purpose. This is where we discover Hope Identified.
The Born Supremacy - In Colossians 1:15-20, Paul teaches the church that Jesus is Supreme over all, and he gave us several truths to support that claim of the supremacy of Christ Jesus. Jesus is either Lord of all, or He isn’t Lord at all. This is where we find Hope Empowered.
The definition of an ultimatum is a demand which, if not met, will end a relationship or otherwise result in some serious consequence. (Oxford Dictionary)
There is a familiar Q&A session between Jesus and Nicodemus that I’d like to quickly turn your attention this morning as we finish the Born Series of Advent.
There was a man from the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.
This man came to him at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God, for no one could perform these signs you do unless God were with him.”
Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, unless someone is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
“How can anyone be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked him. “Can he enter his mother’s womb a second time and be born?”
Jesus answered, “Truly I tell you, unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
Whatever is born of the flesh is flesh, and whatever is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Do not be amazed that I told you that you must be born again.
The wind blows where it pleases, and you hear its sound, but you don’t know where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”
Eden, We Have a Problem
Eden, We Have a Problem
From the time of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, man was created to have a relationship with God. They lived in the state for some amount of time.
“Before there was time, before there was anything, there was God. God made the world, He made it for His glory, and He made it to help us to know Him, to love Him, and to trust Him.” - Alistair Begg
God gave Adam and Eve everything to fully enjoy. But there was one test, or command if you will. It examined their level of trust and obedience.
The only question on the test was, “Would they take God at His word and believe Him? Would they trust His plan?”
But Adam and Eve sinned in that garden for the very first time. God’s will and direction was that they could eat from all of His provision in the garden, but there was one tree they could not eat from, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
Well, Eve gave into temptation from the crafty Satan and Adam follows along Eve’s lead failing to lead in the situation himself. What’s the big deal? Satan convinced them to question God’s design, doubt the Word He spoke, and question God’s goodness. He’s telling them, “God is holding something back from you, and you deserve it. It would make your life full of happiness. That won’t be found inside His parameters.”
The sin could not go unpunished and so God removed them from the Garden and all of His provision. Eden, we have a problem and that problem is sin.
Now there is a sin problem because the wages, the consequences, of sin is death. Genesis 3:19
You will eat bread by the sweat of your brow until you return to the ground, since you were taken from it. For you are dust, and you will return to dust.”
You’ll remember from the Born Prophecy though, that God did not leave His creation hanging out to dry and forget about our sin problem.
I will put hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.
Do We Have a Solution?
Do We Have a Solution?
Flash forward centuries and generations to the time when Jesus arrived. He is identified in John, as well as Matthew, Mark, and Luke as the Messiah, the Word made flesh, dwelling amongst His creation for a very specific purpose.
But there is this other guy, Nicodemus. You see, Nicodemus thought he was following the way that offered the real solution to the problem from centuries before, that pesky sin problem and that was to be a Pharisee.
You’ll find people like Nicodemus today. Superficial believer on some level, mainly on the surface.
We don’t call them Pharisees, but we might call them legalist.
But this is the person who believes there is some kind of higher being, or maybe they don’t, but they’re hope is a belief in some kind of mix match concoction of goodness and hope by some chance their good outweighs their bad thus they’ll get into heaven. Karma is a familiar term that people kind of hope is real…let’s hope my good outweighs my bad.
The root of what Nicodemus believes is that the system of law the Pharisees established in addition to the Mosiac law would lead them to a righteous life, a life full of good works, and thus they’d earn their place in eternity.
Kind of like buying tickets to a sporting event…the more $ you pay, the better the seat and closer to the action you are.
The more good they do, the more they following the law, a personal price to pay, the closer they appear to be to God.
So what Jesus offers Him is quite telling of where Nicodemus is on the spiritual spectrum, and has much to say to us today.
Nicodemus comes to Jesus at night, and says that he at least believes he is from God because of the signs Jesus is working.
The Pharisees were zealous for the Mosaic law and their own oral traditions that they added to the law. They were from the middle class of society and had great pull with the people. But it was their zeal for the law that made them to be ritualized, stiff, and external.
The key problem with the Pharisees, and is still the problem today with many today, was the heart. Their hearts were never changed as they would replace trusting God and trusting His Word & Plan with rules for behavior modification and their various rituals. Jesus had much to say to them in Matthew 23. The works of the law were works of the flesh and offered no saving power.
Please don’t make the same mistake in your thinking - Good behavior merits God’s grace. It is actually the opposite. God’s grace is offered and changes your heart regardless of your merit.
So as Nicodemus approaches Jesus at night to try and figure out just who this guys is, he at least admits that Jesus is from God based on the signs/works Jesus is performing. But what Nicodemus is following up to this point in his life (works)....it is not the solution.
For no one will be justified in his sight by the works of the law, because the knowledge of sin comes through the law.
and yet because we know that a person is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we ourselves have believed in Christ Jesus. This was so that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no human being will be justified.
So, Nicodemus, though he thought he had this figured out…He does not…But remember, Jesus came to save His people from their sins...
Jesus Offers the Born Again Ultimatum
Jesus Offers the Born Again Ultimatum
Jesus offers Nicodemus the Born Again Ultimatum.
Nicodemus was likely a member of the Sandhedrin, a ruling body of Jewish religious leadership. He comes at night, a double play here in that he comes as to not be seen talking with this Rabbi, but also it shows his spiritual status. He is in darkness even though he is religious.
He points out the undeniable divine nature of the signs Jesus worked. But Jesus wasn’t interested in debating or talking about the signs.
The REAL ISSUE HERE IS NICODEMUS’ HEART.
The heart is more deceitful than anything else, and incurable—who can understand it?
I, the Lord, examine the mind, I test the heart to give to each according to his way, according to what his actions deserve.
JESUS IS OFFERING THE TRANSFORMATION OF NICODEMUS’ HEART WITH THE BORN AGAIN ULTIMATUM.
Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, unless someone is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
This is the vital truth…this is the point of Christmas…the cradle is nice, but the Cross is a necessity.
Jesus issues the born again ultimatum with a “truly I tell you...” The intro to this verse appears only in John’s Gospel, but it affirms the devotion to truth and its significance.
Here Jesus uses it to point to this simple yet profound truth - there is no entry into the Kingdom of God - Eternal life - UNLESS YOU ARE BORN AGAIN. (gennao anothen - gehn NAH oh; AHN oh thehn).
That NEW BIRTH, or regeneration, “is the act of God by which He imparts eternal life to those who are dead in trespasses and sins…making them His children.” (MacArthur - John - p. 102)
Have you ever wished that you could start life all over again? Maybe many of us have, or at least like to have a “do over”? In golf, we call that a mulligan. Regrets can haunt our thoughts for sure. The reality is, which is where Nicodemus is confused over Jesus’ statement, if we could, the physical re-start of life would not solve our problems.
We need a new heart. God’s planned for and promised that new heart, this new birth, back in Ezekiel 36:26-27
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.
I will place my Spirit within you and cause you to follow my statutes and carefully observe my ordinances.
Important to note that it is God’s work that brings about this new birth. We bring nothing to the table. Notice God says in Ezekiel, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone...” It is God’s work.
This new birth is not dependent upon how religiously active Nicodemus had been, which is pretty active. I’d guess maybe twice as active if not more so than a normal Jew. You cannot enter the kingdom of God, the kingdom of Salvation without experiencing this personal new birth. It matters not how many times you attend church, or how much you put in the plate…how many times you give money to support your favorite non-profit, or even how much aloha you have in your heart for others. What matters first and foremost is this…ARE YOU BORN AGAIN?
The implications for Nicodemus are staggering…the implications for us are the same.
All his life he’d observed the law, diligently following the rules, the rituals, and the rites of Judaism. Never missed a feast, an offering, a sacrifice, a passover, or any other tradition established.
Yet Jesus is not telling him, “you’re going to have to give it up, and follow me…everything you’ve placed your hope in Nicodemus, you’re going to have to give it up and realize that your effort to save yourself or recreate yourself is flawed and you’ll not achieve what you set out to achieve.”
“Jesus’ word regarding the new birth shatters once for all every supposed excellence of man’s attainment, all merit of human deeds, all prerogatives of natural birth or station. Spiritual birth is something one undergoes, not something he produces.” R.C.H. Lenski
(The Interpretation of St. John’s Gospel, 234-4).
We love Christmas at our house. There is something, especially this year, that is comfortable about Christmas. It is familiar to us, we have our traditions, like Amber’s homemade cinnamon rolls for breakfast on Christmas morning, etc. But there is this aspect of Christmas that might be a bit uncomfortable. This ultimatum from Jesus to Nicodemus. But where most ultimatums come from bad-guys, or terrorists, or some threatening entity, Jesus’ is different.
Jesus offers Nicodemus a new birth, and what Nicodemus doesn’t know yet, is that Jesus is going to purchase this new life at the cross. Jesus came down and took on flesh, subjected himself to all the weaknesses of being a man, yet was perfect in every way. NICODEMUS, YOU CAN’T PAY THE PRICE YOURSELF, I’M GOING TO PAY IT FOR YOU. I OFFER THE ULTIMATUM, AND I PAY THE ULTIMATUM, SO THAT YOU CAN HAVE NEW LIFE.
The biggest difference here is that God came down to pay the price for this ultimatum. The demand was met by Jesus at the cross, and through being “born again” leading to saving faith in Christ Jesus brings about that new life.
Trusting Jesus Changes Everything
Trusting Jesus Changes Everything
When we are born again, we leave behind a life of sin and corruption that brought nothing but devastation to our hearts.
What we must remember is that this devastation and decay is not just for those we see in this world who are living on the streets, or drunk in the bars, soliciting prostitutes, or the prostitute, or the one strung out on drugs, or addicted to porn, or facilitating human trafficking…no, its for people who are genuinely trying to live a “good moral life” according to some religious way or their own way. This applies to everyone.
Practical Illustrations: 1 Peter, 2 Peter, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, Jude 12-111: Transformed to New Life (Born Again)
In England there is a paper factory that makes the finest stationery in the world. One day a man touring the factory asked what [the stationery] was made from. He was shown a huge pile of old rags and told that the rag content was what determined the quality of the paper. The visitor wouldn’t believe it. In weeks he received from the company a package of paper with his initials embossed on it. On the top piece were written the words “Dirty rags transformed.”
The same is true of the Christian life. It is a process of transformation from what we were into something new and wonderful.
“But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses ARE as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away” (Is. 64:6).
Being born again is the only remedy for the terrible filth of sin’s corruption.
All of us have become like something unclean, and all our righteous acts are like a polluted garment; all of us wither like a leaf, and our iniquities carry us away like the wind.
The believer possesses this new life from God and thus we are born of God. John 1:12-13
But to all who did receive him, he gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in his name,
who were born, not of natural descent, or of the will of the flesh, or of the will of man, but of God.
We are then able to reflect the righteous character of our Lord and we are freed from the captivity to sin. We are set free to pursue the ongoing transformation by the daily renewal of our minds in Christ Jesus.
The Born Again Ultimatum is Living Hope
The Born Again Ultimatum is Living Hope
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead
and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you.
Perhaps what we need to remember most this year is that through the Born Again Ultimatum, Jesus offers Living Hope.
Peter offers us these beautiful words of encouragement reminding us that salvation, brought on by the new birth in Christ, did not come because of who we are or because of what we’ve accomplished. Just like Jesus told Nicodemus.
This salvation and new life comes as a grace gift from God. This is the changing of who we are. Rather than dead in our sin, we become dead to sin and alive with Christ and His righteousness.
This hope that Peter speaks is an eager expectation of life to come in eternity. We grasp that don’t we? Are we all hoping life gets back to pre-covid normal? Eagerly waiting that pattern of life again? For some, not all. But Peter isn’t talking about here and now, but rather what is to come which is far greater than anything this world has to offer.
Amid the present difficulty, we view the future with holy optimism because of Christ Jesus and the Born again ultimatum.
Notice this living hope is guarded by God’s power through faith for salvation.
I pray, you’ve not opened the gift of salvation that you’ll untie that great big bow of blessing and receive Jesus as Savior and Lord today.
That you can join with Peter, and countless others and offer rejoicing and praise to our God through Jesus Christ. 1Peter 1:8
Though you have not seen him, you love him; though not seeing him now, you believe in him, and you rejoice with inexpressible and glorious joy,
The Born Prophecy - Hope is Promised.
The Born Identity - Hope is Identified.
The Born Supremacy - Jesus is either Lord of all, or He isn’t Lord at all. This is where we find Hope is Empowered.
The Born Ultimatum - Hope Comes Alive
If you sense Jesus calling you this morning unto salvation, would you respond by talking to Him as we pray?
Dear Lord Jesus, I admit I am a sinner and I ask You to forgive me. I believe you died on the cross to pay for my sins and that God raised you from the dead. I confess my trust in you as Lord and Savior of my life. Please guide me and help me to do your will.” Amen