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Turn to want to talk about the death and resurrection of Jesus through His words and not the actual events (the trial, cross, empty tomb etc). By doing so, I hope to capture or recapture what the events mean.
Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.”
Turn to want to talk about the death and resurrection of Jesus through His words and not the actual events (the trial, cross, empty tomb etc). By doing so, I hope to capture or recapture what the events mean.
What is Nicodemus getting at? Not all the Pharisees believe Jesus is from God. Nicodemus is the exception. Several years later, Nicodemus is one of the men who took Jesus off the cross, wrapped His body and placed Him in the tomb. I believe Nicodemus became a believer of Christ, and what we see here is the initial investigation. I think Nicodemus is asking the question all of us need to ask – “Are you really the One I am to believe in? Are you really the Savior?”
Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. Remember, the Pharisees where not friendly to Jesus. They were the keepers of the Mosaic Law and they did not like what Jesus was doing and they didn’t like that He had a large following. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.”
What is Nicodemus getting at? Not all the Pharisees believe Jesus is from God. Nicodemus is the exception. Several years later, Nicodemus is one of the men who took Jesus off the cross, wrapped His body and placed Him in the tomb. I believe Nicodemus became a believer of Christ, and what we see here is the initial investigation. I think Nicodemus is asking the question all of us need to ask – “Are you really the One I am to believe in? Are you really the Savior?”
Jesus explains a few things to Nicodemus and we’ll come back to that, but for now, skip down to verse 14.
So Jesus says this
Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”
– “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”
Jesus is making a comparison between his crucifixion (that’s what ‘lifted up’ refers to) and Moses and the bronze snake. Nicodemus would have been very familiar with the story. In , while Israel was still in the desert heading to the Promised Land, Israel sinned by complaining against God and Moses. As a consequence, God sent venomous snakes into the camp. These snakes did what snakes do – they bit people and people and people began to die.
Jesus is making a comparison between his crucifixion (that’s what ‘lifted up’ refers to) and Moses and the bronze snake. Nicodemus would have been very familiar with the story. In , while Israel was still in the desert heading to the Promised Land, Israel sinned by complaining against God and Moses. As a consequence, God sent venomous snakes into the camp. These snakes did what snakes do – they bit people and people and people began to die.
(The next time you want to complain about the pastor, read )
They cried out to God and Moses – forgive us! God could have fried the snakes (have nice snake skin boots and belts); God could have healed everyone – but He didn’t (that’s another topic). However, God is merciful and in
The Lord said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.”
God told Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” That’s a creative way to heal people. That’s what Moses did and people were able to look at the snake and live.
That’s a creative way to heal people. That’s what Moses did and people were able to look at the snake and live.
But I want you to notice something. The healing was optional. God did not force anyone to look at the snake. See, looking at the snake on a pole sounds silly, but the bottom line is this – it was their only option. Just believing there was a snake on a pole wasn’t enough - you had to look - which requires faith and obedience - and an action.
Even though it was optional to look or not look, the method of receiving life was not optional. It was not optional in the fact that God provided no other options. Looking at the snake was the only means God provided for a dying person to have life.
Back to Jesus – Just as - in the same way as Moses lifted up the snake to provide life for dying people, the Son of Man (that’s Jesus) must be lifted up as well - to give life to dying people.
Believing in the death and resurrection of Jesus is optional – it is your choice. However, your acceptance or rejection does not change the historical evidence that a man named Jesus was crucified. Nor does it change the historical evidence of His resurrection. The tomb is empty – but it’s your option to believe or not believe. But know this – there are no other options to receive eternal life. God has not provided any other means for eternal life other than putting your faith in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. (it’s the not optional option)
We need to define two terms before we move on: 1) what does it mean to “believe” and 2) what is “eternal life.”
Believe and faith and trust are from the same Greek word - so they are synonyms. To believe is to have faith, which is to trust. To believe goes way beyond just head knowledge. In the original language, to believe or to have faith is a verb, meaning it is an active belief – not passive. What does that mean?
Susan, whenever we’re driving through a wooded area, what do I want to see? Bigfoot. I think the idea of Sasquatch is intriguing. Now, my belief in Bigfoot is either active or passive. Passive means this – I think it would be super cool if Bigfeets exist. (Bigfeets - many Bigfoots?)
I might read a few things about Bigfoot. I might watch some TV programs about Bigfoot, but that’s where it ends. See, my belief is not enough for me to go spend the night in the woods looking for a Bigfoot. I’m not interested in pursuing Bigfoot. I’m content with believing in Bigfoot, but it’s not enough to change my life.
The same is true with Jesus. Too many people are content with a passive faith – they’re not interested in pursuing Christ; their faith is not enough to change their lives. They will engage in a couple of programs here and there - but that’s where it ends.
When Jesus talked about believing in order to have eternal life, He was talking about an active faith – a faith that pursues Him; He’s talking about a life-changing belief.
So let me ask you - where’s your faith? Is it an active faith or passive?
Let’s define eternal life. Jesus says this -
Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.
“Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” The emphasis of Eternal life is on knowing God, not that we get to live forever and ever. Yes, those in Christ will live for ever – but living forever is worthless without God. God’s bigger concern is not how long you live, but that you know Him intimately and personally. God’s bigger concern is not that you know about Him (passive), but that you know Him – that you have a real relationship with Him – and that relationship was broken with Adam and Eve, and salvation is the process of restoring that relationship.
The emphasis of Eternal life is on knowing God, not that we get to live forever and ever. Yes, those in Christ will live for ever – but living forever is worthless without God. God’s bigger concern is not how long you live, but that you know Him intimately and personally. God’s bigger concern is not that you know about Him (passive), but that you know Him – that you have a real relationship with Him – and that relationship was broken with Adam and Eve, and salvation is the process of restoring that relationship.
So let me ask you – do you know Him? Do you know what God likes, what He doesn’t like? Are you mindful of His will for your life? Are you concerned about loving Him or more concerned about Him fixing your problems? Are you attempting to use God for your purposes or do you have a real relationship with Him, worshipping Him, loving Him, following Him?
So what does knowing God (eternal life) look like?
To have eternal life is to know Him and to know Him is to make time for Him. So, do you make time for Christ? We make time for anything we like, but do you make time for Jesus – to pray, to listen, to read His Word, to meditate on the Word, to fellowship with Jesus?
Your prayer life specifically reveals how much you know God. Are your prayers more of a 2-minute ‘God-do-this’ list or do you strive to know God through prayer, asking how to serve Him, interceding for others, seeking His will for your life.
To have eternal life is to love God and to love God is to obey God. Is your life marked by obedience or are you just living your life day to day, not giving any thought to God’s plan for your life?
To have eternal life is to love God and to love God is to serve God. Is your life more about consuming, about God doing things for you or is it more about serving God and others?
We could go on with this - This is not intended to heap guilt, but only to reveal some differences between knowing God and knowing about Him; some differences between passive and active faith; some possible differences between having eternal life and missing it.
None of these things I mentioned save you, but they are indicative of a saved life.
Now, if God’s love is not about us, and we are the lawbreakers, the sinners and we deserve death - not eternal life, then how do we know that God wants to give us eternal life?
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.
For God so loved the world that … – let me explain something here. This is not about quantity of love – that God loved us with a gazillion gallons of love – like we did something to deserve His love. People can take God’s love and make it more about us and when we make it about us, we cheapen His love for the sinner.
For God so loved the world that … – let me explain something here. This is not about quantity of love – that God loved us with a gazillion gallons of love – like we did something to deserve His love. People can take God’s love and make it more about us and when we make it about us, we cheapen His love for the sinner.
God’s love is not about us. That unconditional agape love is never about the loved; it’s always about the Lover, the One who loves. It’s not about quantity, it’s about the quality of His love and His love is without condition. It is constant and perfect and does not increase or decrease according to our behavior – whether good or bad. God loves the sinner no less or no more than He loves the saint. So don’t make it about us.
The word “so” literally means “in this way.” This is what the verse literally means - For God loved the world in this way. In what way? That God’s Son was lifted up, crucified, that God gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. God proved His love by giving His Son so we could have eternal life.
I want to further discuss this idea of eternal life, so let’s go back to verse 3.
Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”
- Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” - Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.
- Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.
- Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.
Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.
Nicodemus was like, “What are you talking about? I don’t understand.”
Nicodemus was like, “What are you talking about? I don’t understand.”
Let’s break this down.
No one can see or enter the Kingdom of God - that’s another way of saying you cannot have eternal life, you cannot know God or experience salvation, cannot enter Heaven etc. UNLESS - there’s that option again. You have earthly life already, but that life leads to death (). What you need is eternal life and eternal life is possible, BUT, here’s the condition, you must be born again.
What does Born Again mean? Born Again literally means Born from Above - it is a spiritual rebirth - it is new life implanted in the one who believes. To enter God’s Kingdom, we must be born again, born with the Spirit of God. This is
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
- “Behold, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.” This is - I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you …. A new spirit - you didn’t have this Spirit before. And listen, your human spirit is not sufficient to enter God’s Kingdom. You need a new spirit – His Spirit. God says, I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh – a heart that is pliable and sensitive to God. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. Do you see the connection between salvation (eternal life) and obedience? Saved people are obedient people. Saved people live by God’s decrees, not our own selfish desires. Being born again means that God implants His Spirit into the heart of the believer and there’s a transformation that takes place.
This is
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.
Ezekiel 36:26
Do you see the connection between salvation (eternal life) and obedience? Saved people are obedient people. Saved people live by God’s decrees, not our own selfish desires. Being born again means that God implants His Spirit into the heart of the believer and there’s a transformation that takes place.
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you …. A new spirit - you didn’t have this Spirit before. And listen, your human spirit is not sufficient to enter God’s Kingdom. You need a new spirit – His Spirit. God says, I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh – a heart that is pliable and sensitive to God. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.
Ezekial 36:26-27
Do you see the connection between salvation (eternal life) and obedience? Saved people are obedient people. Saved people live by God’s decrees, not our own selfish desires. Being born again means that God implants His Spirit into the heart of the believer and there’s a transformation that takes place.
Do you see the connection between salvation (eternal life) and obedience? Saved people are obedient people. Saved people live by God’s decrees, not our own selfish desires. Being born again means that God implants His Spirit into the heart of the believer and there’s a transformation that takes place.
But how is that possible? Follow me on this. Being born again is a gift of grace received by faith - active faith. But how?
In
And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.
, says that Jesus is “… the firstborn from among the dead …” – meaning that He is the first to be resurrected and to remain resurrected. Jesus is not the first to resuscitate after dying. For example, Jesus raised Lazarus and a few others from the dead, but they didn’t stay alive. They all died again. Jesus didn’t die again – He remained alive and is alive and He ascended into Heaven. His body is not in the grave.
– meaning that He is the first to be resurrected and to remain resurrected. Jesus is not the first to resuscitate after dying. For example, Jesus raised Lazarus and a few others from the dead, but they didn’t stay alive. They all died again. Jesus didn’t die again – He remained alive and is alive and He ascended into Heaven. His body is not in the grave.
Now, in order for Jesus to resurrect - to have life again, what had to happen? He had to die. He had to surrender Himself to the cross; He had to surrender Himself to death. Without dying, there’s no resurrection. And that is the essence of being born-again - what was once dead must come back to life.
And that is exactly what Jesus is saying, if you want new life, if you want to be born again - you must surrender, you must die if you want to live. God surrendered His all to us on the cross and to be born again we must surrender our all to Him.
The only option is to look to Jesus, to believe in the cross and to surrender your life to Him ...
Invitation