1 John 3:1-21 Gospel of John JN1109

January 23, 2011 a.m. Come and See

“THE IGNORANT CHURCHMAN” INTRODUCTION: Every person who truly encounters the living Christ will have their world turned upside down… 1. This is simply a fact of spiritual life: Once Jesus Christ enters your life nothing will ever again be the same… a. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. (2 Corinthians 5:17) b. And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” (Revelation 21:5) c. Jesus is making all things new; this is His grand mission in life: i. Redemption: new relationship with the Eternal God ii. Regeneration: new life for dead souls iii. Renewal: new vitality for tired faith iv. Revival: new joy and power for dying churches v. Reformation: new structure for worldly religion vi. Restoration: new hope for lost societies vii. Resurrection: new world for redeemed mankind d. “…new things have come.” 2. This must always be the case: Sin has destroyed much of God’s good creation and Jesus Christ has come to reclaim and restore this last creation. He calls this new work of His “The Kingdom of God.” “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” (Mark 1:15) And when they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city authorities, shouting, These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also. (Acts 17:6) 3. In fact: If there is not a newness to one’s life after encountering Jesus Christ, then there is serious doubt that the same old person has been redeemed and regenerated at all. a. “Conversion” means “change” or “transformation” b. Conversion = repentance plus faith in Christ c. …serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials that happened to me through the plots of the Jews; how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you in public and from house to house, testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. And now, behold, I am going to Jerusalem, constrained by the Spirit, not knowing what will happen to me there, except that the

2 Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me. But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. And now, behold, I know that none of you among whom I have gone about proclaiming the kingdom will see my face again. (Acts 20:19-25) d. About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil. Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God. (Hebrews 5:11-6:1) e. No change…no conversion…no new life…no salvation! 4. This process of conversion, in reality, takes a lifetime to unfold into the “new creature” transformed by grace. 5. Yet, this transformation has a definite beginning. Jesus calls this beginning a “new birth”… a. Being “born again” b. Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ (John 3:3, 5-7) c. Notice the imperative voice: “You must be born again.” i. Essential ii. Not optional iii. Urgently important d. The Greek may read: born again, born anew, born from above e. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:12-13) f. Born again = born from above = born of the Spirit = born of God 6. The Apostle John has been telling us stories about how people encounter Jesus Christ and their lives are changed in the process. a. Some will respond to this change and will willingly embrace it. b. Others will feel the pressure of this transformation and will actively resist it. c. Still others will experience Christ's call to new life and will both question and fear it.

3 7. In John 1:34-5:18, seven types of people will have a direct encounter with Christ. a. John the Baptist’s disciples: Peter, Andrew, James, John, Philip and Nathanael b. Nominal “believers” in Cana and in Jerusalem c. Nicodemus, a Pharisee d. A Samaritan woman at a well e. The Samaritan town of Sychar f. A royal officer of Herod’s court g. A lame man in Jerusalem (Bethesda) 8. Note well: Of these seven encounters, 4 will result in immediate conversion, 2 will end in resistance, and one will lead to salvation years later. 9. Not all people want God to completely change their lives, in fact, the vast majority of mankind would love to follow Jesus, enter the Kingdom of God and go to heaven when they die. One problem: they refuse to let Jesus Christ change them. 10. Our story this morning is about a man named Nicodemus, a Pharisee, and his encounter with Christ… a. “Now…” is a little word John uses to connect his stories in this section (1:34-5:18) i. Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing. (John 2:23) ii. Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. (John 3:1) iii. Now when Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John (although Jesus himself did not baptize, but only his disciples). (John 4:1-2) iv. Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Aramaic called Bethesda, which has five roofed colonnades. In these lay a multitude of invalids—blind, lame, and paralyzed. One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. (John 5:2-5) b. Please note: John 3:1-21 is connected to what went before it (“Now…”) c. In other words: Nicodemus is one among those whom John describes in John 2:23-25… Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing. But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man. (John 2:23-25) d. Fascinated with, troubled by, and curious about Jesus’ signs and message, Nicodemus seeks Jesus out. e. Like all the others in these Gospel stories, Nicodemus, must come and see for himself who this Jesus really is.

4 11. In His encounter with Nicodemus, Jesus will teach Nicodemus three crucial truths necessary for salvation and God’s new life: a. The Reality of Regeneration (3:1-8) b. The Nature of Saving Faith (3:9-17) c. The Root Problem in the Human Soul (3:18-21)

I. THE REALITY OF REGENERATION (John 3:1-8) Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 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.” Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 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?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” (John 3:1-8) 1. The doctrine of the New Birth (“born again” = regeneration) a. Louis Berkhof (Systematic Theology; p. 469) defines “regeneration” for us: Regeneration is that act of God by which the principle of the new life is implanted in man, and the governing disposition of the soul is made holy. b. This regeneration is the direct result of the Holy Spirit’s effectual calling: c. All those whom God hath predestinated unto life, and those only, He is pleased, in His appointed and accepted time, effectually to call, by His word and Spirit, out of that state of sin and death, in which they are by nature to grace and salvation, by Jesus Christ; enlightening their minds spiritually and savingly to understand the things of God, taking away their heart of stone, and giving unto them an heart of flesh; renewing their wills, and, by His almighty power, determining them to that which is good, and effectually drawing them to Jesus Christ: yet so, as they come most freely, being made willing by His grace. (Westminster Confession of Faith 10:1) d. Effectual calling is the work of God’s Spirit, whereby, convincing us of our sin and misery, enlightening our minds in the knowledge of Christ, and renewing our wills, he doth persuade and enable us to embrace Jesus Christ, freely offered to us in the gospel. (Westminster Shorter Catechism #31) 2. In other words: God the Holy Spirit must bring our dead souls to life again in order for us to respond to the Gospel Word, repent of sins, put faith in Christ and begin the new life.

5 To escape the wrath and curse of God, due to us for sin, God requireth of us faith in Jesus Christ, repentance unto life, with the diligent use of all the outward means whereby Christ communicateth to us the benefits of redemption. (Westminster Shorter Catechism #85) 3. This is what Jesus explains to Nicodemus… 4. Nicodemus was a Pharisee who was also a member of the 70-man ruling board of Israel, known as the Sanhedrin. a. The High Priest and former High Priest: Caiaphas and his son-in-law Annas b. The rest were mostly Priests (Levites) c. The minority party: Pharisees and Scribes d. Nicodemus was one of these 70 “rulers of the Jews” e. A conservative rabbi with a troubled heart 5. Nicodemus believes that Jesus is a special “teacher” (rabbi) whom God has sent, certified by His miracles (signs) a. 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.” (John 3:2) b. Like Moses, Elijah or Elisha c. Miracle-working prophets d. The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen— (Deuteronomy 18:15) 6. Here is a “professional discussion”: One rabbi to another rabbi; an earnest discussion of mutual respect between two theologians. 7. Keep in mind: John is abridging much, much longer discussions/encounters into summary form in order to give us the gist of each encounter. Jesus is not as abrupt as this pericope presents. 8. But Jesus is direct: Peers are like that when the people are not around and the luncheon is “pastor to pastor.” 9. Jesus sees into Nicodemus’ soul long before Nicodemus does. He knows why this Pharisee has come to Him under the cover of night… a. Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 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.” (John 3:1-2) b. A bit ashamed? Perhaps afraid? Maybe the only time he can catch Jesus alone, one-on-one. c. Jesus sees into this rabbi’s soul and knows his question before he asks it. d. Nicodemus is a nominal believer who needs to be born again but who does not know that yet. 10. So…Jesus cuts to the chase: “You must be born again”

6 a. Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3) b. “Nicodemus, you believe that I have come from God but you are not yet regenerated in soul. Until you are born again of the Holy Spirit of God from above, you will forever be troubled over Me.” 11. This makes no sense to Nicodemus whatsoever. He is not able to discern and understand spiritual truth, even though he is a Jewish Rabbi, because he has not yet been regenerated. a. 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?” (John 3:4) b. The Apostle Paul tells us why: Nicodemus is a natural man, not yet a spiritual man (born again). c. Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”— these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For who knows a person's thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ. (1 Cor. 2:6-16) d. This is why the Bible makes no sense whatsoever to the unconverted man: His dead soul cannot grasp the living Word until he is born anew. The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. (1 Cor. 2:14) e. He must become a new creature for this to happen Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. (2 Corinthians 5:17-20)

7 12. Jesus gently rebukes this sincere but unconverted clergyman: a. Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? (John 3:9-10) b. Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? (John 3:5-10) c. Nicodemus should have known about the new birth (regeneration) because the prophets had foretold its reality. d. I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. (Ezekiel 36:25-27) e. The hand of the LORD was upon me, and he brought me out in the Spirit of the LORD and set me down in the middle of the valley; it was full of bones. And he led me around among them, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley, and behold, they were very dry. And he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord GOD, you know.” Then he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD. Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. And I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the LORD.” So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I prophesied, there was a sound, and behold, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. And I looked, and behold, there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them. But there was no breath in them. Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, Thus says the Lord GOD: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.” So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army. Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are indeed cut off.’ Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will bring you into the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I am the LORD; I have spoken, and I will do it, declares the LORD.”(Ezekiel 37:1-14)

8 f. “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the Lord. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” (Jeremiah 31:31-34) 13. Nicodemus, a “doctor of the law of Moses,” should have understood these things, but until Jesus gives him the gift of the Spirit and the Spirit’s regenerating grace, the rabbi remains “dead in sin” and unable to respond to the Gospel. 14. So it is with people who spend all their lives in church, have heard hundreds of sermons, especially on John 3:16, but yet have not been born again, have not repented of sin, have not put faith in Christ. They should know better, but they do not: Sitting in church does not make one a Christian. 15. What Nicodemus lacks, you see, is saving faith…

II. THE NATURE OF SAVING FAITH (John 3:9-17) Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. (John 3:9-17) 1. Nicodemus has faith, you see. The problem is it is not saving faith: Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing. But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man. Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 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.” (John 2:23-3:2) 2. Jesus, again, rebukes Nicodemus: “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things?” (v. 10)

9 3. So Jesus explains the nature of saving faith to this worried rabbi: a. Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. (John 3:11-15) b. Jesus points to another Old Testament passage which Nicodemus should have understood… c. From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom. And the people became impatient on the way. 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 we loathe this worthless food.” Then the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died. And 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. And the Lord said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.” So Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on a pole. And if a serpent bit anyone, he would look at the bronze serpent and live. (Numbers 21:4-9) 4. The gist: In the Old Testament, when fiery serpents bit Israel all they had to do was to “look unto” the bronze serpent on the staff, trusting God’s promise that in doing so they would survive this serpent’s venom and live. Those who looked to the staff lived (faith); those who did not look, died (unbelief). So now, those who look upon Christ on the Cross, in faith, will live, but those who doubt that Jesus’ death can save them will die in their sins. a. Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” (John 12:31-32) b. Jesus will become like the serpent himself—full of sin and punished with death. c. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21) d. “Looking unto” Jesus on the Cross, in faith, will save you from your own sins. e. The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! (John 1:29) 5. This is the Gospel promise that Nicodemus, and many of you, could not yet embrace: a. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. (John 3:16-17) b. Trusting in Jesus Christ and His death on the Cross for your sins is all you need to do to be saved. c. For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit. (1 Peter 3:18)

10 d. But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” (Romans 10:811) 6. This is the nature of saving faith: Trusting in Jesus alone! a. By this faith, a Christian believeth to be true whatsoever is revealed in the Word, for the authority of God Himself speaking therein; and acteth differently upon that which each particular passage thereof containeth; yielding obedience to the commands, trembling at the threatenings, and embracing the promises of God for this life, and that which is to come. But the principal acts of saving faith are accepting, receiving, and resting upon Christ alone for justification, sanctification, and eternal life, by virtue of the covenant of grace. (Westminster Confession of Faith 14:2) b. Faith in Jesus Christ is a saving grace, whereby we receive and rest upon him alone for salvation, as he is offered to us in the Gospel. (Westminster Shorter Catechism #86) 7. Why did not Nicodemus do so? Why are there some here today who refuse to do so? Why do the majority of mankind find this truth hard to embrace? Answer: The darkness within.

III. THE ROOT PROBLEM OF THE HUMAN SOUL (John 3:18-21) Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.” (John 3:18-21) 1. Here in John’s Gospel there emerges, yet again, the twin theme of chapter one: Light vs. Darkness a. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:4-13) b. The Light of the World: Jesus and His Kingdom

11 c. The Darkness in Men: Sin and its evil deeds 2. We must make a choice in which domain will we live; in light or in darkness? a. And we always choose that which is true to our own nature! b. Unregenerate choose darkness for they are dark inside. c. The born again choose light because the Holy Spirit has enlightened their souls. 3. This is the essence of salvation: Turning from darkness to the light… a. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God. (John 3:20-21) b. Repentance: turning from the darkness of sin c. Faith: embracing the light of Christ in the Gospel d. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. (Colossians 1:13-14) 4. But, of course, you see the dilemma now…the “Catch 22”: a. We cannot be saved until we have faith in the Christ of the Gospels… b. But to have such faith, we must be awakened by spiritual rebirth (born again/come alive)… c. But we cannot choose either rebirth or faith in Christ because we are locked in darkness… d. Darkness…unbelief…death… e. How can we ever escape the cycle of death? 5. Answer: Jesus Christ has come to deliver us from death, darkness and doubt… Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. “Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment. (John 5:2429) Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12) So Jesus said to them, “The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.” (John 12:35-36a) 6. Question: How do I know, then, that I have been born again?

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CONCLUSION: Jesus tells us how to know we have been “born again”… 1. He uses our physical life as a paradigm for the spiritual life… Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” (John 3:5-8) If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? (John 3:12) 2. A person never remembers the day of his birth – never. a. In fact: The embryo, zygote, fetus is alive before it is “born.” b. For 9 months, its little life slowly but rarely grows…in darkness of the womb. c. But who knows the moment of conception? d. A child grows, feels, hears, sucks its thumb, smiles, reacts to noise and pain, sleeps and moves – and never knows what’s happening. e. Then! Out of darkness and into light! The day of birth. f. Only later…weeks…months…years…does the reality of birth and life take place. 3. Here is what happens to the unregenerate soul: It sleeps in the warmth, comfort and darkness of a life of pet sins. 4. But, unperceived by anyone but God, one day the seed (sperma) of God’s Word penetrates the dark shroud, and the Spirit impregnates the human soul with the light of life. The person has been “born again” – months, years, decades before the new birth of repentance and faith. 5. Slowly, but surely, the battle of light vs. darkness begins in the mind and soul (even before we notice it!) a. We begin to understand spiritual things as we never had before. Our minds are now alive to God. b. These insights trouble us, even anger us, as they did to Nicodemus. c. We begin to seek out the Word, go to church, read the Bible, discuss (argue) with others about the Gospel. d. Soon…step by step…we take sides with God’s Word and God’s church; even to our own surprise. e. Then we become dissatisfied, then embarrassed, and finally horrified by our life of unbelief and sin (darkness). f. We fall in love, day by day and more and more, with Jesus Christ. We are inexplicably drawn to Him.

13 g. Finally, one day, we surrender to Christ in faith… h. …and, then the light floods in and the life takes its first deep breath: We confess Christ as our own. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16) 6. Those whom God effectually calleth, He also freely justifieth: not by infusing righteousness into them, but by pardoning their sins, and by accounting and accepting their persons as righteous; not for any thing wrought in them, or done by them, but for Christ's sake alone; nor by imputing faith itself, the act of believing, or any other evangelical obedience to them, as their righteousness; but by imputing the obedience and satisfaction of Christ unto them, they receiving and resting on Him and His righteousness by faith; which faith they have not of themselves, it is the gift of God. (Westminster Confession of Faith 11:1) 7. If you understand what I am saying; if what I am saying troubles you, angers you or drives you to email me (for a fight!); if you are unsure of where you are in this process and that concerns you; if you are struggling under conviction to repent and turn to Christ, but you are afraid to trust completely in Him…chances are good that you have been “born again.” 8. The only way to be 100% certain is to repent of your sins and surrender in faith to Jesus Christ, who will give you the Holy Spirit to live in you. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. (Romans 8:15-16) 9. If, on the other hand, none of this makes any sense to you and is of no interest whatsoever to you; if this bores you to death; if you are certain that I am a foolish rabbi and that John 3:1-21 does not teach such a new birth, then I am confident to inform you that you are not yet born again. You remain asleep in the darkness of the womb of death. 10. But…you heard this word this morning, and it just may be the seed of God’s Word that impregnates your mind and effectually calls you out of death and into life; out of darkness and into light…calls you to Jesus and the new birth. 11. What about Nicodemus? This tender-hearted rabbi was born again as he spoke to Jesus… a. He continues to pay attention to Jesus’ teachings b. Later on, he stands up for Jesus…in a slight manner. When they heard these words, some of the people said, “This really is the Prophet.” Others said, “This is the Christ.” But some said, “Is the Christ to come from Galilee? Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the offspring of David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was?” So there was a division among the people over him. Some of them wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him. The officers then came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, “Why did you not bring him?” The officers answered, “No one ever spoke like this man!” The Pharisees answered them, “Have you also been deceived? Have any of the authorities or the Pharisees believed in him? But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed.”

14 Nicodemus, who had gone to him before, and who was one of them, said to them, “Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does?” They replied, “Are you from Galilee too? Search and see that no prophet arises from Galilee.” (John 7:40-52) c. He is there, at the trial by the Sanhedrin which condemns Jesus to the Cross. Now the chief priests and the whole Council were seeking testimony against Jesus to put him to death, but they found none. For many bore false witness against him, but their testimony did not agree. And some stood up and bore false witness against him, saying, “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and in three days I will build another, not made with hands.’” Yet even about this their testimony did not agree. (Mark 14:55-59) d. After Jesus is dead, Nicodemus risks his life and his place on the Sanhedrin, by claiming the body of Jesus. After these things Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus, and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took away his body. Nicodemus also, who earlier had come to Jesus by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds in weight. So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews. Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. So because of the Jewish day of Preparation, since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there. (John 19:38-42) e. And, as far as we know, he continued to be a believer in Christ among Israel’s religious leaders! And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith. (Acts 6:7) 12. Once God implants the Gospel seed of new life in the soul of a person that new life will not cease to grow until the person is converted, justified, sanctified, matured and made perfect for glory in heaven. New birth always leads to new life. 13. “But, pastor,” you say, “How do I know? What do I do next? What if God has not chosen me for eternal life? What am I to do? 14. Answer: You do what Nicodemus did. You “come and see “for yourself! You get alone with Jesus (and His Word/Gospel) and you ask Him all your hard questions and tell Him all your great fears and doubts. Then you say this: “Rabbi, we know now that you are the Son of God, the Messiah and Savior sent from God, for no one could do the things that you do unless He was the Christ. So…please…give me the gift of eternal life, for I do believe this: For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16) 15. And here is the Savior’s promise to you: All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. (John 6:37)

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