A Message by Pastor Michael Palmer

Given to Green Ridge Baptist Church

April 25, 2010

WHY IS IT SO HARD FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND:

YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN

John 3:1-13

In this passage we have the most memorable conversation in all the Bible—Nicodemus and Jesus. And we have the foundational truth about how a person enters the kingdom of God—through the new birth. Nicodemus is an excellent representation of a religious man-centered, works-centered view of salvation.

I. NICODEMUS – ASKING THE QUESTION EVERY “RELIGIOUS” PERSON MUST HAVE OF JESUS

1. Nicodemus was a Pharisee

In our minds the word “Pharisee” is almost a synonym for hypocrite. It suggests ritualistic religion. In Jesus’ time the religion of Judaism was largely an ethical cult, and the Pharisees were the chief exponents of the ethical way of life. All this is true. Yet in other ways the Pharisees were probably the best people in the whole country. To begin with, there were never really very many of them. William Barclay notes that there were never more than six thousand Pharisees, and that because of their limited umber they actually formed a kind of select brotherhood. Moreover, they were serious about the law. The Pharisees were the theological conservatives of their day. They believed that the Old Testament was the revealed Word of God and that the first five books of the Old Testament, the Pentateuch, contained an inspired code of ethics to be believed and practiced literally. In some ways the greatest glory of the Pharisaic religion lay in the fact that it applied the law literally. It was the goal of the scribes to work out the exact meaning of the law; it was the determined purpose of the Pharisees to keep it.

As a Pharisee, Nicodemus represented those of his day and ours who seek the meaning of life in religion but do not find it. He belonged to the church, but he knew nothing of that personal, life-transforming relationship to Jesus Christ upon whom the true church is founded.

2. Nicodemus was a Scholar

This is perfectly evident form the fact that he was a Pharisee, for the Pharisees were great students of the law. Yet it is evident in another way also.

Have you ever noticed the fact that although Nicodemus was a Jew he nevertheless had a Greek name? Nicodemus is Greek for “one who conquers the people.” This might not mean much in America where we have a great mixture of races and cultures, where a man might as well be called Karl, James, Joseph, or Pierre and have it mean little concerning him. But in Palestine, in the first Christian century, it was significant. For the most part those who lived in Judea had Hebrew or Aramaic names. However, those in the upper classes, who were exposed to Greek as well as Jewish culture, often gave their children two names, a Greek name as well as a Hebrew one. Evidently this had been true of Nicodemus, which indicates that he had a Greek education. Moreover, since he apparently preferred to be known by this Greek rather than his Hebrew name, Nicodemus probably had a preference for Greek over Hebrew culture and may actually have been a Hellenist, that is, one who read the Old Testament in Greek and who looked at it in the light of the categories of Greek philosophy. It was therefore a highly educated man as well as a highly moral and ethical man who came to Jesus in the warmth of that Judean night.

If this example of Nicodemus is to teach anything, it is to teach that education is not the answer to man’s spiritual unrest and longing.

3. Nicodemus was a Politician

John says in writing about him that he was “a member of the Jewish ruling council.” That means that he was a member of the Sanhedrin. The Sanhedrin was the highest legislative body in Judaism, combining in itself all the powers that we generally divide up among the legislative, administrative, and judicial branches of our governments.

(Three points and explanation taken from J. Montgomery Boice, The Gospel of John, vol. 1, pp. 187-188)

The implication of Jesus’ words for Nicodemus were staggering. All of his life he had diligently observed the law (cf. Mark 10:20) and the rituals of Judaism (cf. Gal. 1:14). He had joined the ultra-religious Pharisees, and even become a member of the Sanhedrin. Now Jesus called him to forsake all of that and start over; to abandon the entire system of works righteousness in which he had placed his hope; to realize that human effort was powerless to save. Describing the consternation Nicodemus must have felt, R. C. H. Lenski writes:

Jesus’ word regarding the new birth shatters once for all every supposed excellence of man’s attainment, all merit of human deeds, all prerogatives of natural birth or station. Spiritual birth is something one undergoes, not something he produces. As our efforts had nothing to do with our natural conception and birth, so in an analogous way but on a far higher plane, regeneration is not a work of ours. What a blow for Nicodemus! His being a Jew gave him no part in the kingdom; his being a Pharisee, esteemed holier than other people, availed him nothing; his membership in the Sanhedrin and his fame as one of its scribes went for naught. This Rabbi from Galilee calmly tells him that he is not yet in the kingdom! All on which he had built his hopes throughout a long arduous life here sank into ruin and became a little worthless heap of ashes.

(John MacArthur, John, vol. 1, p. 103)

The reason we (all of mankind) are so much like Nicodemus is because the fall of man has so affected our understanding. We are inclined to be religious and feel good about our religion. But our fatal flaw is the deception that we think that our religious desire is a good thing. And in reality, it is a pride issue. We think that we can produce something that God will condescend to—“He will appreciate my effort, my trying”--since God is love, He won’t be that hard on me! In the end because I tried to do good things, He will most certainly let me off or let me into His kingdom. Surely He would not send someone to hell who tried to do right, attended church, tithed, gave to the poor, helped people in the church, served on key church committees, raised a family right, provided for the family, and made a positive difference in the community . . surely God would cut that person some slack!

Even people in other cultures who have “religion” and they try hard, etc., do it out of self effort and hope for acceptance from God.

Nicodemus is like every person in the world who needs to understand that apart from a RADICAL TRANSFORMATION in the very heart of a person, he/she is doomed.

Religious works, philosophy, science, or education will not change a man nor will it ever satisfy the soul. Jesus and His signs and His message of repentance (cleansing) and faith in a Living God who changes a man by His action (not man’s actions) was new and unsettling to this “religious guy.” Jesus spoke with authority—“for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” And yet the people in our world today do not accept His authority nor do they understand a God-centered salvation. Theirs is a false man-centered “salvation.” The bottom line is that most people do not understand the depth of their need—the blackness of their own heart! When we see our need, we can move from Pharisaism and man-centered religion (law) to a God-wrought change of our heart, which is a gift of God based on the cross of Christ (grace).

II. JESUS’ RESPONSE—“YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN”—THE TRUTH THAT SETS BIBLICAL CHRISTIANITY APART FROM ALL OTHER MAN-CENTERED RELIGIONS

“Truly, truly” – “Amen, Amen” = I most solemnly assure you.

Jesus is saying something extra important here. Now we ought to listen to everything Jesus says, but when He says this it means that this truth is something very significant.

“Unless a man is born again” – “anothen” = born anew, or born from above

The new birth or regeneration is the act of God by which He imparts eternal life to those who are dead in trespasses and sin. The Holy Spirit enters the life of the believer baptizing him into Christ’s death and raising him up to new life and makes that person a child of God. (see Eph. 2:1; 2 Cor. 5:17; Titus 3:5; James 1:18; 1 Peter 1:3,23; 1 John 2:29; 3:9; 4:7; 5:1,4,18; John 1:12-13)

This foundational truth is the key to everything that follows. Salvation is something Almighty God does to me, on me, and in me. Religion (in the worst sense of the word) is something I do for God to try and please (or appease) God, hoping I will be accepted by God.

“he cannot see the kingdom of God”

Synonymous with eternal life, a new quality of life, life in union with Christ and His kingdom now and forever

“born of water and the spirit”

Water symbolizes cleansing and the Spirit is that which brings new life. This cleansing and imparting of new life goes to the very core of one’s life. This is not a surface thing. This new birth is deep, life transforming, and radical! It is not simply joining a church or being baptized or even having an emotional “healing feeling.” This is an act of God changing the very core of a person’s being! (see Titus 3:5; Eph. 5:26). And last week we talked about the requirement of having biblical repentance and faith that God responds to in the act of regeneration. Of course, even our faith is in response to God’s conviction and “drawing.”

III. NEW BIRTH: A SOVEREIGN ACT OF A GRACIOUS GOD (vs. 8)

“the wind blows where it wishes” . . . “so it is with everyone born of the Spirit”

Nobody on earth can direct the wind. No one is in control of his or her salvation. The act of saving a human being is the Sovereign act of a Gracious and Merciful God. The wind does as it pleases. So does the Spirit.

Just as the effects of the wind can be clearly seen, so the effects of the Spirit on and in one’s life can be clearly seen. “His sovereign work of regeneration in the human heart can neither be controlled nor predicted” (MacArthur, p. 106). But praise the Lord, we can see the results in our own lives and the lives of others!

IV. THE NATURAL MAN IS STILL DULL TO THIS PROFOUND TRUTH—YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN

Nicodemus had to ask about this TWICE. He was supposedly an expert in the Old Testament scriptures, and he still did not get it. The new birth or new heart was spoken of in the Old Testament (Ezekiel 36:24-27; Deut. 30:6; Jeremiah 31:31-34). Sadly, Nicodemus serves as a clear example of the numbing effect that external, legalistic religion has on a person’s spiritual perception—even to the point of obscuring the revelation of God (MacArthur, p. 106).

Nicodemus

q An intellectual

q Had authority over others

q Had a prestigious position

q Was very committed to the law

q Was very committed to religious duty

q Was in control of his religious experience

q Did not see the depth of his need

q Thought he was doing well

q Sought to establish is own righteousness (Rom. 10:3)

“The natural man does not receive the things of God.”

Our valley, our nation, our world still needs to understand this basic truth. The only thing we can and must do is give people God’s Word—give them the Gospel again and again. Then let our Sovereign God work. He has promised to draw men to Himself if we lift up Jesus!

V. THE TRUTH OF BEING BORN AGAIN RESTS ON JESUS’ AUTHORITY

ð HE IS FROM HEAVEN

ð HE WILL ASCEND BACK TO HEAVEN AFTER HIS RESURRECTION

CONCLUSION

Are you born again? If you say yes . . . how do you know? Are you sure? I am SURE that MANY people who are in this worship center right now need to be born again—you need forgiveness of sin and a radical life transformation wrought by the Holy Spirit of God. You can come to Jesus in full surrender right now—just pray and give your heart to Jesus. Let Him know you are tired of your sin, your self life, and that you need Him. As we pray in just a moment, you pray to the Lord Jesus—He will save you.

Then as we sing, come and let one of our pastors know that you were just “born again” and as a result you want to tell the church—Christ’s body. Come, we will help you know what to do next!

Nicodemus, later in the New Testament, is portrayed in a different light. He apparently “got it”—he saw himself and he saw Jesus and yielded to Christ. Jesus is ready to receive YOU today!