sf809 - THE START OF THE NEW LIFE 4 OF 9 NEW LIFE FOR YOU (John 3 1-16)
John 3:1-16; 7:50; 19:39 (Key 3:3, 5)
Introduction
Nicodemus
Who he was…
Ø He was a deeply religious man.
Ø He was a Pharisee; he kept the letter of the law.
Ø He was a member of the Sanhedrin; he was an important man.
Ø What is so significant is that this ruler of the Jews, with all his religion, was a very dissatisfied man.
Ø He is the perfect example of the natural man.
What brought him to Jesus?
Ø He had recognized a quality of life in Jesus, which transcended the religious formalism of his day.
Ø Nicodemus longed for this new life in Christ, for he came to find out how he might possess it
In the dialogue that followed, Jesus indicated three conditions for the start of this new life:
1A. There must be the sense of Need (2)
Nicodemus was admitting a threefold, basic need that could only be met in Jesus Christ:
1B. We are blind in sin and need New Life (3)
People without Christ are spiritually blind.
(1 Corinthians 2:14 NKJV) "But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned."
Ø Without new life no one can see or understand the things that pertain to the spiritual realm.
(2 Corinthians 4:3-4 NKJV) "But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, {4} whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them."
Ø Until the eyes of the heart are open, by the revealing power of the Holy Spirit, the natural man can only say, “I don’t believe it,” or, “I cannot see it,” or, “It is nonsense.”
2B. We are bound in sin and need New Life (5)
Ø Sin has bound our minds, hearts, and wills to our good works, self-righteousness, religious opinions, and fear of others, that without life from God we cannot break free to enter the kingdom of God.
3B. We are born in sin and need New Life (6)
(1 Corinthians 15:50 NKJV) "… flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God….”
“That which is begotten carries within it the nature of that which begat it” is an irrevocable law of life.
THE COURTIERS AND THE CAT
There is an old story about two courtiers of a certain king who wearied their monarch with the incessant arguments as to whether or not a person had to be born a gentleman, or whether he could become a gentleman by training, discipline, and ingrained habit. The king finally dismissed them from court and ordered them to go out into the world and seek conclusive proof for their claims. A year to the date they would each present their proofs and he would settle the argument once and for all.
The year passed. The courtier who said that one could become a gentleman had traveled far. He was in a distant land and still had not found his proof. But one day, sitting gloomily in a wayside inn, he sat up with astonishment. He had ordered a cup of chocolate, and to his amazement, he saw that it was being brought to him by the innkeeper's cat. This cat had been trained to stand up on its hind legs. It had been dressed in a tiny uniform and it had learned to balance a tray in its forepaws. The courtier watched spellbound as the creature, contrary to nature, walked slowly toward him balancing the tray with his cup of chocolate.
He saw the implications at once. If a cat could be trained to do a thing like that, why couldn't a man be drilled into becoming a gentleman? It proved his point. He paid a vast sum, secured the astonishing feline, and headed for home.
News of the cat leaked out and courtier’s rival was plunged in despair. He, too, had traveled far but was returning home empty‑handed. He was sure he had lost. Then, just a day, or two before the scheduled appearance in court, he saw something in a shop window that brought a smile to his lips. He made a purchase but kept it well hidden from view.
On the day of the trial the first courtier presented the cat to the king as proof that a person could be so trained that he could over come all natural handicaps and become that most accomplished of civilized persons a gentleman. As the king sat on his throne, the remarkable cat, attired in miniature court dress, walked carefully on its hind legs, made its way slowly done a red carpet, carrying a tray of chocolate to the king. The court broke into applause, everyone looked with admiration on the cat and with pity at the other courtier, the one who said one must be born a gentleman.
But the man was ready. With a bow to the king, he opened the box in which he had his proof. The courtier released half a dozen white mice and instantly the cat forgot its training and education, its discipline and ingrained habit. Its natural instinct surfaced and, in a flash, off it went after the scampering mice. The discussion was settled once and for all.
Nicodemus, was born in sin—in spite of all his education and religious refinements. (7)
2A. There must be the Step of Faith (16)
New life is not merited or inherited by human means: rather, it is the gift of God to be received by faith.
For this to happen:
1B. The Spirit must produce this New Life (8)
Same word in Greek and Hebrew is used for spirit and wind
Both are invisible; both can be sensed
Both are known by their effects; both can vary in intensity and effect
Both are independent of man's control
Ø Man can no more control life from above than he can govern the light breezes in the treetops.
Ø It is the sovereign power and prerogative of the Holy Spirit alone to produce this new life in those who are sensitive to His prompting.
It is a serious error to resist the Holy Spirit
(Genesis 6:3 NKJV) “… "My Spirit shall not strive with man forever….”
(Acts 7:51 NKJV) (Stephen) “You stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit….”
2B. The Savior must provide this New Life (14)
The symbol (14; Numbers 21:4-9)
Ø The cause ‑ rebellion (4-5)
Ø The curse ‑ death (6)
Ø The cure ‑ the symbol (7-9)
Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness to show God’s answer of life to the sting of death for the snake-bitten Israelites, so, by the lifting up of the Son of Man (on the cross and in resurrection), God declared, once and forever, His answer of life to the sentence of death.
3B. The Sinner must possess this New Life (15)
The one who believes in Christ possesses God’s life
(1 John 5:12 NKJV) "He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life."
The moment Christ is received by faith, the miracle of the new birth takes place.
Ø At once, the sinner enjoys a new sight, a new liberty, and a new nature in Christ.
Ø This is the result of a step of faith.
A sense of need
A step of faith…
3A. There must be the Sign of Life (11)
Jesus was undoubtedly referring to His disciples who had already received this new life in Christ.
He was underscoring the necessity of expressing this new life in Christ.
Two characteristics of this sign of new life in Christ:
1B. Our confession of Christ must be fearless (7:50-51)
Nicodemus confessed Christ in a hostile situation.
Illustrate
IMB story
2B. Our confession of Christ must be faithful (19:39-40)
Nicodemus was faithful to Christ when others fled.
Ø After Christ had been crucified, two people were concerned that the body should have an honorable burial. One was Joseph of Arimathea, and the other was Nicodemus.
Nicodemus identified himself with the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.
Ø We cannot think of the Calvary without thinking of Nicodemus.
We are called to be identified with the death, burial, and resurrection.
(Romans 6:4 NKJV) "Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life."
Application
This is God’s threefold condition for new life in Christ:
There must be the sense of need
There must be the step of faith
There must be the sign of life in Christ
Do you want to start a new life in Christ?
Then emulate Nicodemus.
Come as he did, and you will leave as he did.
THE START OF THE NEW LIFE
New Life For You – Part 4 of 9
Sunday, January 24, 1999 - John 3:1-16; 7:50; 19:39
1A. There must be the sense of ________________ (2)
1B. We are ___________ in sin and need New Life (3)
(1 Corinthians 2:14 NKJV) "But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned."
(2 Corinthians 4:3-4 NKJV) "But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, {4} whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them."
2B. We are ___________ in sin and need New Life (5)
3B. We are ___________ in sin and need New Life (6)
(1 Corinthians 15:50 NKJV) "… flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God….”
2A. There must be the Step of ________________ (16)
1B. The Spirit must ______________ this New Life (8)
It is a serious error to resist the Holy Spirit
(Genesis 6:3 NKJV) “… "My Spirit shall not strive with man forever….”
(Acts 7:51 NKJV) ""You stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit….”
2B. The Savior must ____________ this New Life (14)
The symbol (14; Numbers 21:4-9)
3B. The Sinner must possess this New Life (15)
(1 John 5:12 NKJV) "He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life."
3A. There must be the Sign of ________________ (11)
1B. Our confession of Christ must be _______________ (7:50-51)
2B. Our confession of Christ must be _______________ (19:39,40)
Nicodemus was faithful to Christ when others fled.
Nicodemus identified himself with the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.
We are called to be identified with the death, burial, and resurrection.
(Romans 6:4 NKJV) "Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life."
By Tobin Perry
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (BP) -- Whenever Berhanu Kebede picks up his daughter, he has reminded that his faith in Christ has come with a price. But it is a price he would gladly pay again.
"Even if I had to give my life," Kebede says, "God gave me his Son. What I gave was so little compared to that."
Kebede works with Southern Baptist representatives in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, as they help nationals preach the gospel in the Red Zone, an area in the heart of the city with a million people and only six churches.
In his youth, Kebede had been a world-class soccer player. Like several of his friends, he was headed for a spot on the national team.
But Kebede, who was 15 at the time, began taking some of the players from the soccer team to his church. Since these were nationally known players, this angered the Communist regime and the opposing party so much that both began trying to kill him.
His parents feared they would be in danger if he stayed with them, so they asked him to leave the house. He began going from home to home, staying with relatives.
When Kebede was 16, police officers arrested him as he was walking out of church. For the next two years, he was in and out of custody.
The cells in Ethiopian prisons were packed so tight that prisoners had to take turns sleeping. Prisoners were allowed to use the toilet only once every 24 hours. If they needed to go more often, they had to use plastic containers hanging on the wall.
"The smell was almost suffocating," Kebede recalls. "You were packed in so tightly with everyone else. Sometimes they could not wash themselves and they would use the bathroom in the cell. It was really bad."
But in the midst of the horrible conditions, Kebede found ways to share the hope he discovered in Christ.
"Sometimes they would put us in with thieves and murderers," he said. "We had a chance to witness to them. Some of them never would have gone to hear an evangelist. God really changed many of their lives."
Kebede counts himself blessed after what God has brought him through.
"For me to have just survived this long means a lot," he says. "Praise the Lord, things are good. If you are a human, you need lots of things. But at least I have enough to eat and place to sleep.
"God has been good to me."