New Birth
John 3:1-21
Pastor Jordan Hines

Is John 3:16-17. And this is a verse that many of you know, even if you don't go to church, because this verse is one of the most clear presentations of what we call the gospel, or the good news. It says, for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

For God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved. The idea in that verse that we just read, that we sang, is to be redeemed, to be bought back. The idea is that we were in a slave market of sin, and God, seeing us in our need, sent us to buy us to pay for our sins with his blood.

You have your bibles. You can join me in John chapter three. If you need help finding John chapter three, ask your neighbor.

John chapter three is a passage that talks about the new birth, which is the title of today's message. A new birth is something that's crucial to a person's life. And we're going to talk about a guy named Nicodemus who had some questions, and I'm sure you've had questions in your life, and you probably asked someone and maybe their explanation, even though it sounds like it makes sense to them, you think, well, that explanation needs more explanation.

That's kind of what happens here. Nicodemus and Jesus go through this series of answer and question to that answer and maybe clarify and talk to me like I'm five or six or seven years old, because I don't understand what you're saying. Today we're looking at a passage, and the idea here is that this man, who is well educated, who see is named Nicodemus, has a simple question with a simple answer that he needs to accept.

And today we're going to see that Jesus offers him salvation as a free gift. And this free gift is to all who will believe in him. And we're going to see that very simply, first with just a verse of context and then a whole conversation play out.

And the conversation plays. Is this working? Do I need to adjust something? Okay, we'll try that right there. That is about to be had.

Here is something that will change your life if you let it. It will change your eternity. Not just today or this week, but your eternity.

But I want to start just by introducing people. Just like any good story, you have to know who the characters are. And in this case, characters here, they're actually real people who really existed.

And Jesus still exists eternally. And Nicodemus is heaven. Nicodemus is the first man I want to introduce you to.

It's a Greek name. The name actually means conqueror of the people. It's a powerful, strong name.

And this man is a member of the Jewish high court. It's called the Sanhedrin. It's really a seat of political power.

The Sanhedrin was a ruling board, a council, if you will, of priests and scribes and elders of influential families in the Jewish culture. These people ruled Israel, served on a court of justice, they settled civil matters, and they executed justice over the people of Israel. He was a ruler and such.

He understood the law. He understood the Jewish tradition. At the time, they had the Old Testament Torah at the time, they had tradition at the time, they had prophecy at the time.

They had the words of God up until that point. More now. But this man was an expert in the Jewish law, an expert in everything that was prophesied about the coming Messiah, about Jesus, about salvation, about all.

And this man comes to a man named. Now, if you know anything about the church, you'll know that the church believes that Jesus is the son of God, just as he claims to be, just as he says he will, as you will come. This Jesus is the omniscient, the all knowing, the everlasting God, all powerful God.

This is the son of God the father. And God the Father is not mentioned specifically in this passage, but God the Father actually is mentioned in verse 16 and 17. But Jesus is the one who Nicodemus is talking to.

God the Father sends God the son to Nicodemus. And as the people here are sort of gathered up, you have two very different kinds of people. One very educated, very highly esteemed man of the people.

And then one, Jesus, who, some people hate him, some people love him. This man is a man who speaks against things the roman empire believes in and even goes against something Jewish traditions sort of line up against. But this Jesus is one who is a teacher.

Let's begin here. The situation that comes about is Nicodemus comes to Jesus by night in verse two. Verse two says, 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. First, I want to address why he would come by night. Why did he think that Nicodemus felt he had to come to Jesus at night, not during the day? Well, one possible solution to this problem is that there would be political backlash or political problems for Nicodemus, if he was someone associated with Jesus, because people hated Jesus, people didn't like his teachings.

Jesus teachings took power away from the religious leaders. Also very possible that it's simply his schedule was so rigorous that he didn't have a lot of time, and he was so eager to come to Jesus that he had to do it at night. Either way, Nicodemus comes to the right source.

He comes to the son of God. And the words that he says to him, rabbi, we know come things, these signs you do, unless God is with him. He calls him a rabbi, sort of a word in our day, but we understand that this word really is just a teacher, a teacher of the people.

Jesus is the one who teaches the one. Remember the, when Jesus was in the temple as a young boy and he was teaching the older people, the older men, he was a teacher from the very beginning. So it's a sign of respect.

We have a great deal of respect for people that we learn from and look up to and glean from. We get information from. Notice here under, there's a connection between Jesus and God the Father.

He sees it. He sees that Jesus is doing cannot be unless God is with him. So he's on the right track.

Understanding Jesus credibility as God informs much of the following conversation, because he asks very good questions that only God can answer. Verse three, Jesus question, by saying, most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he can the kingdom of God. Now, as we read that, we might think he didn't ask a question.

You get that he didn't really ask a question. So how does Jesus know the question to answer? Well, Jesus is all knowing. Jesus is all loving and caring, and he knows what's on Nicodemus heart.

And he answers the question that is asked of him from the heart of Nicodemus. And this question is asked and answered with very confident wording. That words, those words most assuredly.

Other translations say, verily, verily, it is amen. Literally. It is true.

This is absolutely, confidently true. You have no doubt about this. He is not guessing about the answer.

Jesus knows the, the answer. He addresses the heart issue that Nicodemus was not even asking about. Jesus, here is God, and he's able to address it.

It's almost as if he's answering a different question that was asked in Mark, chapter ten, verse 17, by a rich young ruler. It says this in that text. Now, as he was going on the road, knelt before him and asked him, good teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? It seems like that's the question he's really answering.

That's the question of, and it's really a deep question that we all sort of have, is, what does life look like after death? Is there anything after death? Is there heaven? Is there hell? Is there purgatory? What exists after this life is over? He's answering a life question. And the question here for us today is, as Jesus teaches it, what does it mean to be born again? What Jesus says, you must be born again. He'll go in further detail.

We'll follow along just as if we are in Nicodemus's position. We are in a place here along with Nicodemus asking questions. So he mentions another term here I want to clear up before we go forward.

He says, the kingdom of God. So what is this kingdom of God? This idea is prominent in the early teachings of John and of Jesus. It's a literal thousand year reign on this earth, as Jesus will make all things right.

We are looking forward to this exact same kingdom where we will be with Jesus, ruling with him. Jesus answer here is clear and succinct. You must be born again.

And that brings about more questions in the next few verses. Nicodemus responds to this answer by saying, how can a man born when he is old? So it's a logical question to ask. Following up, he also says, can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born? So Jesus is asking, saying the question.

He's saying, the answer, you be again. And the answer is a spiritual rebirth, not necessarily a physical birth. But Nicodemus is confused because he's thinking.

He's thinking, why would I need to go into my mother's womb and be born again? That doesn't make any sense. That's impossible. It's almost laughable.

Ask me to do this. It's impossible. Nicodemus, understanding the spiritual metaphor Jesus is using, Nicodemus is confused, and very understandably, as someone who clearly does not know Jesus, yet he does not understand Jesus teachings, yet he's thinking, what can I do personally? What do I have to do? That's his, how can I make this happen? The problem here is that it's not really what he can do, it's what God does.

Jesus, knowing he's concerned about these things, answers further in verses five to eight. Most assuredly, again, that verily, verily, you're aiming, amen. 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 spirit, do not marvel that I say to you, you must again blow where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from or where it goes. Born of the spirit. Jesus draws a interesting parallel here between two different concepts.

One being born of the water and born of the spirit. This born of water can be understood born. I think that he is talking about spiritual things compared to physical things.

If one is born of the water physically, what we can feel, touch, see and born of spirit, that which we cannot see, that is our inner being, our soul, if you will. This is our physical birth, born of the water, our physical birthday. We all have a physical birthday, and some of you have a spiritual birthday.

That's when you're born of the spirit. That's when you trust in Jesus Christ's sacrifice alone to take the penalty you deserve to be. And we trust in that alone for our salvation.

To be born of the spirit is to a new life. And this is something that radically changes who you are. Your birthday, when you were born, radically changed who you were.

It was a start of something new. It was the start of something that would continue. Your spiritual birthday is an awakening.

You were dead and now you are alive. So the question here is, why do I need a spiritual birthday? I'm physically born. I can do a lot of things.

I can do good things for other people, even out of a heart that desires that people have a better life. But why do I need a spiritual birthday? The answer is, because we are born sinners with a broken heart. Seek.

Ephesians, chapter two, verse one. And he made, and he made you alive, who were dead. Trespasses and sins.

Romans three talks about, we are sinners, and it goes through a list of health and everything that hands and our thoughts, everything that we are. Everyone seeks after themselves and not after God. It's not in our nature to even seek after God.

Ephesians two, eight and nine says, we were saved by grace. We're saved by the grace of God, not anything else, not by works, lest anyone should boast salvation not be by us, because we are ourselves cursed. We're sinners.

We are Adam's sons and daughters. Jesus. This clarification to help Nicodemus see that he's not talking about a physical birth, he's talking about a spiritual change inside of him.

Now, Nicodemus in verse nine is still very confused. So we asked a very simple question, which we probably asked before. How can these things be like, what's going on? Why would this even need to happen? I'm so confused.

His confusion continues as he asks Jesus an even further explanation of what it means to be rebirthed, reborn. And what does it look like? Because I'm sure to someone who has never been spiritually reborn and had that rejuvenation in their life, it seems odd, like, why do I need that? I don't feel like I'm missing anything. Well, Jesus continues in verse ten to 15, and he explains that he is not only the Nicodemus, not only needs salvation, but also that Jesus, the one whom he is talking to, is the means for salvation.

Meaning he is the one who can provide salvation. He says, are you the teacher of Israel, and do you not know these things? Most assuredly. I say to you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen, and you do not receive our witness.

If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? No one has ascended to heaven but he who came down from heaven, that is the son of man who is in heaven. And Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, and even so must the son of man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life here should have already understood the prophecies that were given about this son of man, this Jesus. And Jesus is throwing this right back in his face and saying, you should know these things.

I have come. I fulfilled the prophecies that have been prophesied about the coming Messiah. I performed miracles in the message of the kingdom that is coming.

You should know this. And he also asked the question, how can I expect you to understand spiritual things if you don't even understand the physical things? And I don't think he's doing this to shame Nicodemus. I think what he's doing is he's challenging him to not think physically, but think spiritually.

And we can have this sort of impulse as well in our life where. Where if any problem comes up in our life, we can think, well, what can I do to solve the problem? What can I do to make sure my life is better when sometimes the problem is that we just aren't praying. Sometimes the problem is we're not content.

Sometimes the problem is that we're not walking with God. And even though the circumstances may not change, we may have a whole different perspective on the situation if we just ask the Lord for help. Walk in the spirit.

And it's understandable that Nicodemus does not understand this. It makes sense because he is not converted. He's not changed.

God, when he comes down into our lives. He offers salvation. He offers us, the son of man to be lifted up.

That is Jesus being lifted up on the cross for our sins. That whoever believes in him should not but have everlasting life or eternal life. Jesus is the means for salvation.

See, when Jesus was crucified as a sinful martyr, but he died as a perfect sacrifice, one who did not deserve to die, one who was sent by his father to come here to live a sinless life, to die for our sins, to be raised again on the third day and to ascend into heaven, where now, even now, he is interceding on the behalf of those who trust in Jesus Christ. Trust in him. If you are his child, he is looking at your sin and he is saying, I have got that covered.

I'll take care of that. I already did. On the cross, all that is required for salvation is belief.

Belief that Jesus is the sinless son of God in human form. Believe that Jesus died on the cross to take away your sins. He paid the price that was too high for you and me to pay.

Belief that Jesus rose from the grave after three days, that he was victorious over the powers of both sin that was nailed to the cross and death in his burial. He is our salvation. This kind of belief radically changes your life.

This kind of belief comes at a seemingly low price tag. It's zero. It costs you nothing.

It is the gift of God. And that brings us to the most famous verses. In this passage, verses 16 and 17, he continues to explain that it's a free gift, for God so loved the world, his only begotten son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life.

For God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved. I'm sure you received a gift at Christmas, at a birthday, moments in life. But the gifts that you receive, you're not expected to give another gift of the same size or greater.

You're not expected to pay for that gift. In fact, it would be an insult if someone were to give you a gift. And you look at the receipt because you happen to find the receipt underneath and you see, oh, dollar 37, that's an insult to the person.

He died for our sins. He loved us. He loved the world, the cosmos, the earth.

He loved us so much that he was willing to give up his only son to be killed on a tree. That's how much. That's how much God loves me.

And this church stands on this truth confidently because we have this hope we have, the hope that we don't have to rest in our own strength, rest in our own works, in anything that we do. We rest in who God is, in the work that he's done for us. We rest in the love that God has for us.

We are truly blessed. This passage says that those who do not accept this free gift, however, will perish and be condemned. There is some bad news in this text that this free gift is not just something you can take or leave and have little to no consequence.

This gift is a lifeline. You see, all of us are sinners. All of us have offended a holy and perfect God, a just and righteous creator God.

And he has every right to snuff us out, to be rid of us because of the sin, sin that's in our hearts. But he chose to love us. That is the primary motivation, the reason why he sent his son.

He loved us. So he sent his son to die for us. And if you accept the free gift of that salvation, if you in Jesus to pay for your sins, then you will not perish, you will not be condemned.

He lays before the consequences just to build a bigger picture of what we ought to be avoiding. In verse 18, he who believes in him is not condemned, but he who does not believe is condemned already because he has not believed. In the name of the only begotten son.

I am confident that when I die, I will go to heaven. And I want you to have that same confidence. I don't want you to go to a place called hell.

The Bible says a lot of things about hell. And I don't say these things to scare you, but I say these things to tell you the truth. Matthew 1342 says, there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth in hell.

Matthew 1350 calls it a blazing furnace. There'll be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Matthew 25 41 says that hell was prepared not for people.

It wasn't designed for us. It was designed for the devil and his angels. Matthew 25 46 says it's eternal punishment.

The next gospel, Mark 943, says, the fires of hell will never be extinguished, they will run out. Two Peter, two four, says, it's the place of chains of darkness be held for judgment. Revelation 21 eight describes hell as a lake that burns with fire and sulfur.

It is a second death. So, in summary, is a dark place of eternal punishment that was designed for the devil and his angels. Is filled with a lake of burning, a burning lake of fire, chains of darkness, in which people will experience weeping and gnashing of teeth completely separated from God.

That is what hell is. This terrible news is what makes the gospel good news, because we needed salvation to be caught in a snare, and we have been saved. I would submit to you that the worst part of hell is being completely separated from God with no chance, no hope of relationship with God.

Jesus explains the difference in the behavior of those who accept the free gift of salvation in verse 19 through 21. And he talks about how there are very different patterns of life from those of people, God, who are in Christ and those who are practicing evil. It says in verse 19 through 21, and this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men love darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil.

For everyone practices evil, hates the light, and does not come to the light lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, and that his deeds may be clearly seen that they have been done in God. This is a further look into the result of someone who accepts Christ as their savior.

And the different people in the light pursue light so that God can be shown in their life, so that the sin that's in their life out. It's as if there's a dark room with no light, and you want the light to be exposed so you can clean the walls and God can restore that room to its former glory. It's back to the idea from the song that we sang earlier, to be redeemed, to be bought back.

You see, we were not designed to be sinful creatures. God made Mandarin to be glorifying him for all of eternity and perfection. And yet sin, which is man's choice and man's desire, marred all of creation and marred humankind until Christ comes back.

And that sin needs to be washed away by the blood of Jesus Christ. It needs to be clean. And the only one that can do that, the only one that has the ability to cleanse us from that sin, is Jesus Christ.

We can scrub and scrub and scrub, but we can't replace anything. It's still there. The sad reality of this passage is that some people who hear this message will not accept it.

Some people who hear this message will say, it's not for me, but I still have time. No one knows when they're going to die. No one knows the day that they will see their creator, and they will either see him as a judge or as their savior.

Nicodemus is not recorded here. Jesus free gift of salvation. It's not recorded in this passage.

But there is some evidence, the book of John, that establishes him as someone who may have accepted Christ. In John seven, it says that he opposed the Sanhedrin's attempts to condemn Jesus without a fair trial. In John 19, he joined Joseph of Arimathea in providing a decent burial for Jesus.

So there's some evidence here. So we may see Nicodemus in heaven, we may see this brother in Christ who had this conversation with the son of God. And I would ask those who have never heard this message or have heard, but it's never quite clicked.

Can you see that you're a sinner? And if you can't see that you're a sinner, look in this book. See all the things that God has done, see everything about his character and see how you don't compare to it. See how you compare to the character of God.

Can you see that instead of living in hopelessness without Christ, you can have the truth in your life that he is your savior, that he is the one whom you are trusting in confidently? You can rest assured that you will be saved. Can you see that the grace of God is great because the sin of man is great? God loves you. It's a very broad statement that people make all the time.

It's true. God also is a judge, and he wants you to accept his free gift of salvation so you don't have to be facing him as a. As a judge.

It is important that we look at the gospel in both the dark side and the light side, that we are sinners. We first are coming from a place of darkness, and we need the good news. So I would ask if you've never heard this message, that you would consider the grace of God.

Consider the hope, the message that Jesus Christ died for your sins. If you haven't trusted in that, trust in that today. Talk to any one of us from Northridge Baptist Church, talk to myself after the service, and we can show you from the Bible what it looks like to place your trust in Jesus Christ and why it's so important.

And for those of you who are already in, I'd ask that you not grow tired of hearing this message, that you not grow weary in recounting your testimony, because, yes, you've heard this before. This is how you were saved. You heard the gospel.

But the gospel never ceases to be true in your life. You need the gospel today just as you needed it the day you were converted, the day that you were saved. And it is my prayer for us as a church and for anyone listening today, that if you are not in the family of God, if you don't know this Jesus Christ as your personal savior, that you'd make that decision today.

Let's pray. God, you have truly shown us that we need you, that we need to be born again. We need that new birth, because we are dead and we are bound for a christless eternity and hell without the blood of Jesus Christ, without the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross for our sins.

I pray that we would take this message to heart. Even those who know this message and hold this message true in their lives and hearts. Help us to be impacted by this message today.

In your son's name, we pray this amen.