John 3:1-21
Notes
Transcript
You must be born again
You must be born again
1 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 are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.” 3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, 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? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter 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 marvel 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 cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
The word “born” is used eight ties in this section (John 3:1-8)
v1. is connected to John 2:24
24 But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men,
Man of the Pharisees contrasted to all men - those men where only looking for miracles
The person who came to Jesus
The person who came to Jesus
Who is he?
Who is he?
Nicodemus
He is a Jew, his name is Greek. I tis a compound name made up of Nico or Nike meaning victory and Demo meaning a large group of people where we get our word demonstration from. Thus, Nicodemus means a victory over a large group of people.
He is a Pharisee - Very religious and pious - set apart from the Gentiles. He was a member of the Sanhedrin.
In John 3:10, he is THE teacher of Israel
When he came?
When he came?
John 3:2 he came by night.... Why?
Nicodemus made the connection between God and Jesus
Nicodemus has a heart of man which is dark. Christ is a heart of light.
Nicodemus may have feared what his peers (the Pharisees and the Sanhedrin) would say, so he went be cover of night. We do not know as the Bible does not tell us.
What is important is that he came to Jesus.
What he said
What he said
In John 3:3, he calls Jesus Rabbi.
Rab is a teacher.
Rabbi is a master teacher.
Rabboni is THE master teacher.
This shows honor and shows God is with Jesus.
Nicodemus had head knowledge but did not let it make it to his heart.
The point made by Jesus
The point made by Jesus
In John 3:3, jesus answers a question that was not asked. Why? Because in John 2:25, Jesus knows what is in man.
Eccl 3:11 God outs eternity in our hearts
11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end.
23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.
25 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence.
29 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous, 30 and say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.’
The problem presented to Jesus
The problem presented to Jesus
John 3:4 Lack of understanding
Nicodemus was looking physically rather than spiritually
Good works (Physical) versus Faith (Spiritually)
The principles given by Jesus
The principles given by Jesus
5 Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter 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 marvel 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 cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
Water versus Spirit
Baptism
Birth - Water in the womb then the spiritual
Water and spirit linked together
26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word,
9 How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word.
23 having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever,
Flesh and Spirit (John 3:6)
Born means to bring forth
We reproduce the flesh, then when we are born again, we reproduce the spirit
Wind (John 3:7-8)
v8 Wind is Pneuma, v6 Spirit is Pneuma
John 3:9–21
John 3:9–21
The Question of Jesus
The Question of Jesus
9 Nicodemus answered and said to Him, “How can these things be?”
Notice that Nicodemus asked Him how, not why. Nicodemus was a Pharisee and everything was based on good works, following the law, etc.
The Answer from Jesus
The Answer from Jesus
The witness of Jesus
The witness of Jesus
v10-12 - Nicodemus is the teacher of Israel (Master teacher)
26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
28 “And it shall come to pass afterward That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions.
v13-15 Faith in Jesus
Jesus is the God in heaven and has the authority to speak on heavenly things
30 I and My Father are one.”
Nicodemus must have faith of Christ on the cross
We were born a sinner and we need to look to the cross
14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.
No longer under the bondage of sin but are still sinners
v.14 Jesus answered Nicodemus’ question from John 3:9 Typology in Numbers 21:4-9
4 Then they journeyed from Mount Hor by the Way of the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; and the soul of the people became very discouraged on the way. 5 And the people spoke against God and against Moses: “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and our soul loathes this worthless bread.” 6 So the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and many of the people of Israel died. 7 Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against you; pray to the Lord that He take away the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. 8 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and it shall be that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live.” 9 So Moses made a bronze serpent, and put it on a pole; and so it was, if a serpent had bitten anyone, when he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived.
Look to Jesus and be saved.
The Salvation from Jesus
The Salvation from Jesus
v 16 Why? Because of love
For God - Starts with God
So loved the world - While we were still sinners- also notice the whole world and not the elect
That He gave - God gave freely
His only begotten Son - Used 4 times in John and 1John
That whoever - the invitation
Believes in Him - put our faith in Him
Should not perish - gnashing of teeth, Hell
But have everlasting life - Life in Christ
8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.
v17. Jesus died for the whole world
v16. God gave v17 God did not send
Jesus is the Light
Jesus is the Light
v.18-21 Spiritual problem - not an intellectual problem
v19 Satan blinded the eyes of man so as to not see the Light.
2 Cor 4:4
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.
Light exposes everything
John 3:21 Once born again, regenerated into the light
21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”
v.18 He who believes is not condemned - Not judged
Non-believers are condemned
John 3:22-36
John 3:22-36
The Baptism of John
The Baptism of John
v.22-28 Not required for salvation
10 Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. 11 For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe’s household, that there are contentions among you. 12 Now I say this, that each of you says, “I am of Paul,” or “I am of Apollos,” or “I am of Cephas,” or “I am of Christ.” 13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? 14 I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15 lest anyone should say that I had baptized in my own name. 16 Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas. Besides, I do not know whether I baptized any other. 17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect.
The problem of Baptism
The problem of Baptism
25 Then there arose a dispute between some of John’s disciples and the Jews about purification. 26 And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified—behold, He is baptizing, and all are coming to Him!”
V.25 John baptized for repentance… the Jew baptized for purification
The proclamation of Baptism
The proclamation of Baptism
27 John answered and said, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven. 28 You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent before Him.’
The illustration
The illustration
29 He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease.
Bridegroom is Jesus
Bride is the church
The Friend is John the Baptist (The best man in the wedding)
42 Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.
The Teaching from John
The Teaching from John
The Preeminence of Jesus v. 31
The Testimony of Jesus v32-33
The Belief in Jesus
v.34 We receive the fullness of spirit
v.35 We believe or do not believe - choice is between everlasting life or everlasting death