SF920 - THE NEW BIRTH (John 3 1-16)
John 3:1-16
Introduction
Nicodemus and his belief (3:1-2)
He was a Pharisee
Ø Religious exclusive
Ø Separatist by belief and practice
Ø Maintained the oral law ‑ traditions of men
He was a ruler, a teacher of the Jews
Literally "great man"
Ø Member of the Sanhedrin
Ø One of the three richest men in Jerusalem
He believed that Jesus was a good teacher
didaskalos = doctor
He believe that Jesus as only a teacher
We are to learn three truths concerning the new birth.
The new birth is demanded.
The new birth is described.
The new birth is applied.
1A. The New Birth Demanded. (3:3)
1B. Because of the nature of man
We are by nature children of wrath. (Ephesians 2:3)
Psalm 51:5, "Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me."
Ø We come into the world bent on being independent from God and loving the things of the world.
2B. Because of the nature of the new birth
The Bible speaks of this change in many different ways.
We must change slave masters. (Romans 6:17-23).
We must die with Christ and rise to newness of life. (Romans 6:3, 4; Galatians 2:20; Colossians 2:12).
We must put off the old man and put on the new man. (Ephesians 4:22-24; Colossians 3:9, 10).
We must repent, that is, we must turn from trusting man to trusting God's mercy. (Acts 2:38; Luke 3:3, 8).
We must get a new heart according to Ezekiel's prophecy. (Ezekiel 11:19)
We must become a new creation. (2 Corinthians 5:17)
We must become like children. (Matthew 18:3)
2A. The New Birth Described. (3:4-13)
1B. The new birth is spiritual not physical (3:4-5)
Human birth merely makes you human.
Ø Flesh in John refers to our humanity.
John 1:14 “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us…”
Ø Paul's terms for the person before and after new birth are “natural man” and “spiritual man.” (1 Corinthians 2:14-15)
We have to be born of the Spirit, because until we are, we are unfit for the Kingdom of heaven.
2B. The new birth is supernatural not natural (3:8-13)
The new birth is controlled by God alone. (3:8)
Romans 9:15-16 “For He says to Moses, ‘I WILL HAVE MERCY ON WHOM I HAVE MERCY, AND I WILL HAVE COMPASSION ON WHOM I HAVE COMPASSION.’ So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy.”
John 1:13 “who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.”
The new birth is hidden from the natural man (3:9-13)
1 Corinthians 2:14 “But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.”
3A. The New Birth Applied (3:14-16)
1B. The danger: perishing
What is perishing?
Ø Perishing means being under the wrath of God. (3:18, 36)
Ø Perishing means fiery torment. (Revelation 14:10),
Ø Perishing means separation from the glory of God. (2 Thessalonians 1:9)
Ø Perishing is everlasting and irreversible (Matthew 25:46)
Why are we all perishing if we don't believe in Christ? (Romans 3:23, 6:23)
2B. The design: love
How God loves
Ø The "so" here does not mean an amount of love but a way of loving.
Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
Who God loves
Ø He loves a rebellious world, people just like those in Moses’ day (3:14-15)
God means for his Son to be lifted up before the world of sinners -- all sinners, all kinds of sinners, all degrees of sinners -- the way the serpent was lifted up on the pole, because he loves the world.
3B. The duty: believing (faith)
Faith is the vital link between your soul and God's love. (3:36)
Faith is an ongoing condition of the heart and mind not a one-time act.
John 20:31 “but these have been written so that you may believe (aorist) that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing (present) you may have life in His name.”
The object or focus of our faith is Jesus Christ.
Faith includes agreeing in the mind with the objective truth about Christ. (John 17:8)
Faith includes a satisfaction in your heart concerning Christ’s work for you.
2 Timothy 1:12 “For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day.”
Faith is a work of God, not mere human initiative.
Ephesians 2:8-9 “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
John 6:44 "No one can come to me unless the father who sent me draws him."
4B. The destiny: eternal life
Eternal life is in Christ.
John 1:4, “In him was life, and that life was the light of men.”
Eternal life comes to us through the word of Christ.
John 6:68 "To whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life"
We receive eternal life by trusting in Christ. (John 14:6)
Eternal life is a personal relationship with God the Father and God the Son.
John 17:3 “This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.”
We have eternal life now, not just in the future.
John 5:24 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.
John 11:25-26 “Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die…’”
Eternal life will be made complete in the resurrection
John 6:40 “For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.”
Application
Ø I want to encourage you who are not yet born again seek the Lord.
Ø You do not need any other witness of the Spirit's work within you than the desire you feel to come to God.
Ø If there is one spark of longing in you to trust Christ, it is of God and you may take heart that He is at work in you to draw you to the Son.
Ø He has not left you to yourself. Go forward with Him.
Ø Confirm His work by your faith.
Ø Make your calling and election sure: cleave to Jesus and He will never let you go.
Ø I urge that none of you take any credit for your new birth, nor for your faith. It is all of God.
Ø May God root us deeply in the glory of His sovereign grace.