John 3:1-21: You Must Be Born Again.

You Must Be Born Again, John 3:1-21.

I.

A. The Man Who Learned About Being Born Again

II.

A. Nicodemus and His Need (1-2)

1. Nicodemus came to Jesus at night.

a. He was a ruler of the Jews.

2. Why Nicodemus came to Jesus

a. Most likely came by night so that he could have an uninterrupted conversation with Jesus.

b. His approach to Jesus indicates that he was sincere in his search for the truth.

3. What Nicodemus did not need

a. He did not need religion; he was a Pharisee.

b. He did not need acclaim; he was a ruler of the Jews.

4. He didn’t recognize his real need until he was with Jesus.

5. He needed to be born again.

B. The Savior and His Strange Statement (3-7)

Jesus went past the words of Nicodemus to his real problem.

a. “Except a man be born again,” v. 3.

b. Jesus tells Nicodemus that his religion isn't sufficient to save his soul.

1. He tells Nicodemus that he must experience the "New Birth."

2. “How can a man be born when he is old?”

a. Nicodemus is confused by the strange statement like so many others.

b. He confused the things of God with those of the flesh.

c. Nicodemus illustrates 1 Corinthians 2:14.

C. Christ Makes It Clear (3-16)

1. Jesus proceeds to explain the manner of this "new birth" in an effort to clear things up for Nicodemus.

a. “That which is born of flesh is flesh.” a physical birth

b. “That which is born of Spirit is spirit.” a spiritual birth

1. Spiritual birth provides a person with spiritual life.

a. 1 John 5:12

2. Jesus tells Nicodemus that the Spirit is like the wind (8). It cannot be predicted or anticipated.

3. “How can this be?”

4. Clearing up the confusion

a. Moses and the serpent in the wilderness (14)

b. Numbers 21:4-9

c. By believing on Jesus Christ: by looking to Him in faith.

5. The clearest verse of all (v. 16).

III.

A. Summarizing the New Birth

1. It is the work of the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5).

2. It is the result of faith in Christ (14-16).