Lifestyle

“Fresh Encounters with Jesus” Part Four, John 3:1-18

February 18, 2007, Pastor Tom Marcum

Let’s begin with a quiz. What do the following people have in common? Jane Fonda —serial killer, David Berkowitz—Jimmy Carter—former boxing champ and current grill meister, George Forman—Bono, from the rock band U2—Billy Graham—Johnny Cash—and infamous pornographer, Larry Flynt. What do all of these people have in common? Each of these people has identified themselves, at one time or another, as “born again Christians.”

Given the unlikely association of this wildly eclectic group of people it is little wonder, then, that the words, “born again,” are so often misunderstood. This morning, as we continue our journey through the Gospel of John, we come to that passage in which Jesus introduces the idea of being “born again.” A passage that also contains what is almost certainly the single most well known verse in the entire New Testament. Our text is John 3:1-18.

1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him.”

Let’s stop for a moment and look at this man, Nicodemus. As a member of the Pharisees, Nicodemus was devoutly religious, highly educated and thoroughly conversant in all matters relating to Old Testament law. As a teacher of that law he was accorded great respect and as he approaches Jesus he acknowledges that he recognizes that Jesus is also a teacher worthy of respect.

But Jesus, clearly not interested in participating in a mutual admiration society, immediately confronts Nicodemus with the greatest outstanding need in his highly educated and deeply religious life.

3 In reply Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.”

Jesus looked right past all of Nicodemus’ religious credentials and pedigree and said, “Nick, anybody can talk about God. But if you want to know God…if you want to experience God…if you want to be changed by God… you have to be born again.”

And the same thing is true for each of us. You can go to church every Sunday, have a fish on the back of your car, even be able to name all the books of the Bible in order…but until you’ve been born again you’re a spectator rather than a participant in the Kingdom of God.

Nicodemus had never heard anything like that before. He’d spent his whole life trying to earn God’s approval by doing and not doing the things that religious people are supposed to do or not do. His response in verse 4 makes it clear that this “born again” idea made no sense to him at all.

4 “How can a man be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!”

When the only birth you’ve ever heard about is physical birth, then, obviously the idea of being “born again” seems absurd. But Jesus wasn’t talking about physical birth. He was talking about a spiritual birth.

5 Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.”

In other words, physical birth begets physical life and spiritual birth begets spiritual life. Through physical birth we are born into our earthly family and we inherit the nature of our earthly parents. But if our desire is to be in God’s family then we have to be born spiritually so we can inherit the nature of God. 2 Peter 1:3-4 describes it like this, “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness…so that through them you may participate in the divine nature…”

Well, ever the patient teacher, Jesus now uses another metaphor to help Nicodemus grasp this important spiritual lesson. Beginning in verse 7 he says,

7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear it sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”
9 “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.

Jesus says, “Nick, you don’t understand everything there is to know about the wind, but you’d never deny that it’s real. Well, the same is true of God’s spirit. You can’t understand everything about the moving of God’s Spirit, but it’s essential that you understand this—if you want to participate in the Kingdom of God you must be born again. Physical birth will not get you into the Kingdom of God. You must be born of the spirit.”

Jesus continues in verse 10:

10 “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. 12 I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? 13 No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. 14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.”

Again, Jesus the patient teacher offers yet another image to help Nicodemus grasp this tremendously important spiritual lesson. This time, Jesus calls upon an image from the Old Testament that Nicodemus would have immediately recognized—Moses lifting up the snake in the desert.

The story is found in Numbers 21. The nation of Israel had grown frustrated and had begun to grumble against God and Moses. In response, God sent serpents among them and the people bitten began to die. The people realized the wrong that they’d done and went to Moses and confessed their sins and asked him to pray for God’s deliverance. God told Moses to craft a serpent and lift it up on a pole and everyone who looked at that serpent lifted up would live.

And Jesus used this familiar Old Testament image to prepare Nicodemus to understand that in the same way he, Jesus, would soon be lifted up on a cross and everyone who believed in him would not only live…they would live forever.

And at this point, Jesus the Master Teacher explains the heart of the gospel simply, beautifully and succinctly. Beginning in verse 16 we read:

16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.”

I said earlier that this passage included what was likely the best-known verse in the entire New Testament. That verse is John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” As we take a closer look at it, now, notice the Four Key Realities that are addressed in this one verse.

First, notice what it says about the danger that we are facing if we do not believe in Jesus. God, “gave his one and only Son”…for this reason—“that whoever believes in him shall not perish.” Folks, that also means that whoever does not believe in him shall perish.

--If I do not place my faith and trust in Jesus, I will perish.
--If you do not place your faith and trust in Jesus, you will perish.

God gave His Son so “that whoever believes in him shall not perish,” but everyone who does not believe in Jesus will perish.
So, what exactly does that mean? Do those who “perish” simply cease to exist? No. According to the Bible, those who “perish” will face the wrath and judgment of God. That’s what Jesus is speaking about in verse 18 when He says, “…whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.”

And the penalty for their unbelief will send them to Hell where they will be separated from God and aware of their tremendous loss for all of eternity. Paul describes it in 2 Thessalonians 1:9 like this, “They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power…”

That’s the danger facing everyone who does not believe.

But that brings us to the Second Key Reality addressed in this verse, namely, God’s plan. God has a plan to save us from perishing and the heart of that plan is seen in these words, “For God so loved the world…”

Folks, you will never understand the heart of God until you realize that God loves us. And He doesn’t merely love some of us, He loves all of us. Everything He does, every word He speaks and every plan He conceives is always rooted in and an expression of His love for us.

Now, look at that little word, “so.” That word, “so,” does not refer to an amount of love. He’s not saying that God loves us soooo much. That word, “so,” describes not an amount of love, but a way of loving. It describes the way in which God expresses His love for us. So the point that Jesus is making here is this—God loves us…SO…he gave his one and only son…

God knew that if He gave His Son to us, His Son would be brutally crucified on a cross. But God loves us…SO…He gave His Son to us.
Folks, settle that issue once and for all. God loves you and His love for you moved Him to give His Son for you.

And that brings us to the Third Key Reality addressed in this verse. We’ve looked at God’s Plan to save us from the Danger of Perishing and now we focus on our part in this process. We’ve seen what God was willing to do for us. Now we see what God requires of us. This is our part of the process and our part is seen in these words, “…whoever believes in him shall not perish…”

Because God loves us He allowed Jesus to die on a cross to pay the penalty for our sins so that we could be saved from perishing, saved from judgment, saved from the wrath of God and saved from an eternity in Hell. And to access this amazing gift of salvation all He asks of us is that we believe. And the belief that He requires is this—that we accept as truth the message of the Gospel as presented in the Bible.

Yes, I believe that without Jesus I am in danger of perishing.
Yes, I believe that God’s love for me moved Him to send His Son to die for my sin so that I could be saved.
Yes, I believe that everyone who puts their faith and trust in Jesus will be saved.
Yes, I’m trusting Jesus today and forever to be my Savior.
I believe.

And, folks, the moment we believe, the Fourth Key Reality in this verse becomes real for us. I’m talking about our prize. And our prize is seen in these words—“…whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” And that phrase, “eternal life,” speaks to both duration and quality.
The eternal life that God gives those He saves, endures forever. It never ends. In John 11:25-26 Jesus said it like this: “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.” Through our faith and trust in Jesus, we will live with God forever in Heaven.

But “eternal life” is more than just life that never ends, it’s also a quality of life that begins right here, right now, the moment we are saved. In John 17:3 Jesus describes it like this: “Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” In other words, eternal life is nothing less than a personal relationship…with the living, eternal God…through faith…in His crucified and resurrected Son, Jesus. And eternal life begins right here and right now, the moment we believe.

God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Do you know today that you have eternal life?

Do you know that you have been saved?
Do you believe in Jesus?