Born Again...

Introduction

Introduction

Tonight we are going to continue in our journey through stories talking about God’s provision. We have seen God provide protection by sending someone special to protect Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. We have seen God provide for physical needs through the prophet Elisha for the widow and her two sons. Last night we saw God provide for the future of Rahab and her entire family as she acted in faith hiding the two Israelite spies.

Throughout the week we have seen God’s special provision to those who obey and follow him in faithfulness. But we have also talked about the fact that we have been stained by sin. Remember that sin is mark that we cannot remove by ourselves. However, God sent His Son to protect us, provide for us, to ensure our future, and most importantly of all to procure or redeem us.

Under the cover of darkness a man by the name of Nicodemus secretly comes to meet with Jesus to find the answers he seeks. Nicodemus is a Pharisee or religious leader in Israel. The people he works with do not really like Jesus that much and to come to Jesus would have cost Nicodemus his job, family, and possibly much more. So he comes in the middle of the night.

John 3:1–18 CSB

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.” “How can these things be?” asked Nicodemus. “Are you a teacher of Israel and don’t know these things?” Jesus replied. “Truly I tell you, we speak what we know and we testify to what we have seen, but you do not accept our testimony. If I have told you about earthly things and you don’t believe, how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven—the Son of Man. “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Anyone who believes in him is not condemned, but anyone who does not believe is already condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God.

Utlizie special notes from study Bible to fill time.

Nicodemus approached Jesus with a lot of questions. The miracles that Jesus had worked revealed that he was more than just another great teacher. Jesus had demonstrated himself to be someone sent by God. As Jesus begins to answer Nicodemus it soon is evident that Nicodemus does not understand the reason why Jesus has come.

Jesus begins by telling Nicodemus that he must be born again. For Nicodemus; however, it seems like impossibility. After all he was already an old man how could he be born again? But Jesus is not talking about physical rebirth but a spiritual rebirth.

For us to be able to receive the spiritual provision of God we must be born again. We do this by accepting Christ into hearts. Nicodemus still did not understand that God had sent Jesus to provide for the people’s spiritual needs. Many people today struggle with why Jesus came themselves.

Some people see Jesus as only bringing judgment and punishment for our wrong doings. Some claim he did not come at all. Still other says that Jesus only came to help some people who were already chosen. Jesus however reveals that his ministry and purpose are much bigger than anyone could have imagined.

Jesus uses an Old Testament story to illustrate that he must be lifted up as a symbol on the cross for all people to look to. To those who look to Christ and believe in him there is a gift of eternal life, a cleansing from our sin.

Listen again carefully…

“For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. For God did into send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Anyone who believes in him is not condemned, but anyone who does not believe is already condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God.” – John 3:16-18, CSB