Good Friday Saviour on a stick
St. Paul's Anglican Church Chatswood - SermonsApril 05, 201223:3321.57 MB

Good Friday Saviour on a stick

Good Friday Saviour on a stick

Series: Easter 2012

Speaker: Steve Jeffrey

Date: 6th April 2012

Passage: John 3:1-21


00:00:00 --> 00:00:00 Good morning, everyone.
00:00:01 --> 00:00:04 If you'd like to grab your Bibles and just keep them open there,
00:00:04 --> 00:00:06 if you already got them open at John 3.
00:00:07 --> 00:00:09 But if you haven't, it'd be great if you could grab one.
00:00:09 --> 00:00:12 I'm going to pray and then we'll take a look at that passage.
00:00:16 --> 00:00:18 Gracious God, we thank you for the wonderful privilege
00:00:18 --> 00:00:21 of being able to gather right now in this place
00:00:21 --> 00:00:31 and to again look at the central message of what it means to be Christian.
00:00:32 --> 00:00:36 We pray that you would help us in our understanding this morning
00:00:36 --> 00:00:41 as we look at the person of Jesus,
00:00:41 --> 00:00:45 that we would not be clouded by darkness as Nicodemus was,
00:00:46 --> 00:00:50 but by your Spirit help us to see Jesus
00:00:50 --> 00:00:52 and to see what he's done for us
00:00:52 --> 00:00:56 so that we may long for and may receive new birth,
00:00:56 --> 00:00:58 that we might be born again.
00:00:58 --> 00:01:01 And we thank you for the wonderful testimony we just saw
00:01:01 --> 00:01:05 of someone who, of Laura, who responded to you,
00:01:05 --> 00:01:08 was born again last year at this time.
00:01:09 --> 00:01:11 We pray that there might be many more.
00:01:11 --> 00:01:14 Come to that point this morning, we pray in Jesus' name.
00:01:14 --> 00:01:15 Amen.
00:01:15 --> 00:01:22 Some of you have heard the less than true story
00:01:22 --> 00:01:25 of four people on a plane that lost all its power.
00:01:26 --> 00:01:28 The pilot announced an imminent crash
00:01:28 --> 00:01:30 and added that there were four of us,
00:01:30 --> 00:01:32 but there was only three parachutes.
00:01:33 --> 00:01:35 And he added, it's my plane and my parachute,
00:01:36 --> 00:01:37 so I'm taking one of them.
00:01:37 --> 00:01:40 He strapped on a chute, jumped to safety.
00:01:40 --> 00:01:41 No one sort of disagreed with that.
00:01:41 --> 00:01:45 The three left on the plane were a brilliant professor,
00:01:45 --> 00:01:47 minister of religion, and a backpacker.
00:01:48 --> 00:01:51 And the professor jumped to his feet
00:01:51 --> 00:01:55 and insisted, I'm one of the greatest minds in this country.
00:01:56 --> 00:01:57 I need to survive.
00:01:58 --> 00:01:59 This country needs me to survive.
00:02:00 --> 00:02:02 I must have one of the remaining parachutes.
00:02:03 --> 00:02:04 He grabbed one of the chutes,
00:02:04 --> 00:02:07 strapped it on and jumped out the plane.
00:02:08 --> 00:02:10 The minister pipes into the young backpacker
00:02:10 --> 00:02:12 and says, look, I've lived a long life.
00:02:13 --> 00:02:14 I don't fear death.
00:02:14 --> 00:02:17 I know where I'm going after death.
00:02:17 --> 00:02:20 And so you take the last parachute.
00:02:21 --> 00:02:23 And the backpacker stopped him
00:02:23 --> 00:02:25 before he could finish and said,
00:02:25 --> 00:02:26 no, no, no, it's fine.
00:02:26 --> 00:02:29 The brilliant professor just jumped out
00:02:29 --> 00:02:31 with my backpack strapped on.
00:02:31 --> 00:02:38 Obviously, it's a really good joke,
00:02:39 --> 00:02:41 or maybe you haven't heard it as much
00:02:41 --> 00:02:42 as I thought you might have.
00:02:42 --> 00:02:44 I didn't think it was that great.
00:02:45 --> 00:02:45 But anyway,
00:02:46 --> 00:02:50 there's something great about that story.
00:02:50 --> 00:02:53 There's something inadequate about a PhD
00:02:53 --> 00:02:54 in that moment.
00:02:54 --> 00:02:56 None of us,
00:02:56 --> 00:03:00 none of us is an expert in everything.
00:03:01 --> 00:03:02 It's an obvious statement.
00:03:03 --> 00:03:05 I know it's an obvious statement,
00:03:05 --> 00:03:08 but it is worth letting it sink in.
00:03:10 --> 00:03:13 Despite the collective brilliance
00:03:13 --> 00:03:16 represented here this morning,
00:03:17 --> 00:03:19 what we don't know
00:03:19 --> 00:03:21 and can't do
00:03:21 --> 00:03:22 far exceeds
00:03:22 --> 00:03:23 what we do know
00:03:23 --> 00:03:24 and can do.
00:03:27 --> 00:03:27 And so,
00:03:28 --> 00:03:30 expertise in one area
00:03:30 --> 00:03:31 counts for little
00:03:31 --> 00:03:32 in another area.
00:03:33 --> 00:03:34 And so, therefore,
00:03:34 --> 00:03:35 humility
00:03:35 --> 00:03:38 is just plain common sense.
00:03:40 --> 00:03:41 It's common sense.
00:03:42 --> 00:03:43 None of us
00:03:43 --> 00:03:44 knows everything.
00:03:45 --> 00:03:46 And it's true
00:03:46 --> 00:03:47 when we come to the subject
00:03:47 --> 00:03:48 of God, Jesus,
00:03:49 --> 00:03:49 and the truth
00:03:49 --> 00:03:51 surrounding the first
00:03:51 --> 00:03:52 Easter weekend.
00:03:53 --> 00:03:54 We all have our opinions.
00:03:56 --> 00:03:57 And on the most part,
00:03:57 --> 00:03:58 we'd say that we would believe
00:03:58 --> 00:03:59 in Jesus.
00:04:00 --> 00:04:01 That's why we've come here
00:04:01 --> 00:04:02 this morning, I assume.
00:04:03 --> 00:04:05 And are positive
00:04:05 --> 00:04:06 towards Jesus.
00:04:09 --> 00:04:11 And we get this great encounter
00:04:11 --> 00:04:13 here in John 3
00:04:13 --> 00:04:15 about a man
00:04:15 --> 00:04:17 or with a man
00:04:17 --> 00:04:19 who kind of figured
00:04:19 --> 00:04:20 he had all God
00:04:20 --> 00:04:21 worked out.
00:04:21 --> 00:04:22 He was positive
00:04:22 --> 00:04:23 towards Jesus.
00:04:23 --> 00:04:24 He was positive
00:04:24 --> 00:04:25 towards God.
00:04:25 --> 00:04:26 He believed in Jesus
00:04:26 --> 00:04:28 as we see
00:04:28 --> 00:04:28 at the end
00:04:28 --> 00:04:29 of chapter 2.
00:04:31 --> 00:04:32 Interestingly,
00:04:33 --> 00:04:35 it was, in fact,
00:04:35 --> 00:04:35 his area
00:04:35 --> 00:04:36 of expertise.
00:04:39 --> 00:04:40 He was a teacher
00:04:40 --> 00:04:41 of the law,
00:04:41 --> 00:04:42 of God's law.
00:04:42 --> 00:04:44 But his PhD
00:04:44 --> 00:04:44 on God
00:04:44 --> 00:04:45 was about to be
00:04:45 --> 00:04:46 revealed
00:04:46 --> 00:04:47 as lacking.
00:04:48 --> 00:04:50 Nicodemus is a Pharisee.
00:04:50 --> 00:04:50 He's a member
00:04:50 --> 00:04:51 of the Jewish
00:04:51 --> 00:04:52 ruling council.
00:04:53 --> 00:04:54 He was a very religious
00:04:54 --> 00:04:54 man.
00:04:54 --> 00:04:55 He was zealous
00:04:55 --> 00:04:56 to obey God's law.
00:04:57 --> 00:04:58 He was even a teacher
00:04:58 --> 00:04:58 of God's law
00:04:58 --> 00:04:59 to others.
00:04:59 --> 00:04:59 His morality
00:04:59 --> 00:05:01 and his piety
00:05:01 --> 00:05:03 was well respected
00:05:03 --> 00:05:04 in the community.
00:05:04 --> 00:05:05 From one perspective,
00:05:06 --> 00:05:07 you'd look at a Nicodemus
00:05:07 --> 00:05:08 and you'd just say,
00:05:09 --> 00:05:09 this guy has got
00:05:09 --> 00:05:10 it all together
00:05:10 --> 00:05:12 when it comes
00:05:12 --> 00:05:13 to God
00:05:13 --> 00:05:14 and religious matters.
00:05:15 --> 00:05:16 And that is why
00:05:16 --> 00:05:17 this encounter
00:05:17 --> 00:05:18 between Jesus
00:05:18 --> 00:05:19 and Nicodemus
00:05:19 --> 00:05:20 is so crucial
00:05:20 --> 00:05:21 for us to see.
00:05:22 --> 00:05:22 You see,
00:05:22 --> 00:05:23 Nic hasn't got it
00:05:23 --> 00:05:24 all worked out
00:05:24 --> 00:05:25 just yet.
00:05:26 --> 00:05:27 It says he came
00:05:27 --> 00:05:28 to Jesus
00:05:28 --> 00:05:29 at night.
00:05:29 --> 00:05:31 He came secretly,
00:05:31 --> 00:05:32 but more specifically,
00:05:32 --> 00:05:33 it wasn't just
00:05:33 --> 00:05:34 that he came secretly
00:05:34 --> 00:05:35 under the cover
00:05:35 --> 00:05:36 of darkness,
00:05:36 --> 00:05:37 but that he came
00:05:37 --> 00:05:38 blindly.
00:05:38 --> 00:05:39 He came
00:05:39 --> 00:05:42 in the dark.
00:05:42 --> 00:05:44 This clever man
00:05:44 --> 00:05:46 was in the dark
00:05:46 --> 00:05:46 when it came
00:05:46 --> 00:05:47 to Jesus'
00:05:47 --> 00:05:47 true identity
00:05:47 --> 00:05:48 and what it meant
00:05:48 --> 00:05:49 to have belief
00:05:49 --> 00:05:49 in him.
00:05:50 --> 00:05:51 He was one of those
00:05:51 --> 00:05:51 people who,
00:05:52 --> 00:05:52 at the end of chapter 2,
00:05:52 --> 00:05:53 saw the miracles
00:05:53 --> 00:05:54 of Jesus,
00:05:55 --> 00:05:55 saw all the great
00:05:55 --> 00:05:56 things Jesus did
00:05:56 --> 00:05:58 and believed,
00:05:58 --> 00:05:58 it says.
00:06:00 --> 00:06:01 He didn't doubt
00:06:01 --> 00:06:02 that Jesus
00:06:02 --> 00:06:03 performed miracles,
00:06:04 --> 00:06:05 but merely seeing
00:06:05 --> 00:06:05 the miracles
00:06:05 --> 00:06:07 wasn't in itself
00:06:07 --> 00:06:07 faith.
00:06:08 --> 00:06:09 He hadn't understood
00:06:09 --> 00:06:10 who Jesus really
00:06:10 --> 00:06:11 was because right
00:06:11 --> 00:06:11 at the very beginning
00:06:11 --> 00:06:12 here it says
00:06:12 --> 00:06:13 he comes and calls
00:06:13 --> 00:06:15 Jesus rabbi,
00:06:16 --> 00:06:16 teacher.
00:06:17 --> 00:06:18 And so,
00:06:18 --> 00:06:19 Nic puts Jesus
00:06:19 --> 00:06:20 in amongst the
00:06:20 --> 00:06:21 category of a bunch
00:06:21 --> 00:06:22 of other teachers,
00:06:22 --> 00:06:24 possibly even comes
00:06:24 --> 00:06:25 asserting himself
00:06:25 --> 00:06:26 over Jesus
00:06:26 --> 00:06:27 as he himself
00:06:27 --> 00:06:28 is a teacher
00:06:28 --> 00:06:28 of the law.
00:06:30 --> 00:06:31 Nicodemus,
00:06:31 --> 00:06:31 though clever
00:06:31 --> 00:06:32 and highly accomplished,
00:06:33 --> 00:06:34 stumbles around
00:06:34 --> 00:06:34 in the dark
00:06:34 --> 00:06:35 blindly to the
00:06:35 --> 00:06:36 true identity
00:06:36 --> 00:06:37 of Jesus.
00:06:38 --> 00:06:39 His confusion
00:06:39 --> 00:06:40 is pretty obvious
00:06:40 --> 00:06:41 in the next number
00:06:41 --> 00:06:41 of verses
00:06:41 --> 00:06:42 as we go through.
00:06:42 --> 00:06:43 He thinks Jesus
00:06:43 --> 00:06:44 is a teacher
00:06:44 --> 00:06:45 come from God
00:06:45 --> 00:06:46 and yet Jesus
00:06:46 --> 00:06:48 says something
00:06:48 --> 00:06:49 apparently
00:06:49 --> 00:06:50 completely
00:06:50 --> 00:06:51 bluntly
00:06:51 --> 00:06:52 and had nothing
00:06:52 --> 00:06:53 to do with the
00:06:53 --> 00:06:54 topic at all.
00:06:54 --> 00:06:54 Jesus comes
00:06:54 --> 00:06:55 back to him
00:06:55 --> 00:06:55 in verse 3
00:06:55 --> 00:06:56 and says,
00:06:56 --> 00:06:56 I tell you the
00:06:56 --> 00:06:57 truth,
00:06:57 --> 00:06:58 no one can see
00:06:58 --> 00:06:59 the kingdom of
00:06:59 --> 00:07:00 God unless he
00:07:00 --> 00:07:01 is born again.
00:07:05 --> 00:07:05 Now,
00:07:06 --> 00:07:07 Nicodemus is
00:07:07 --> 00:07:08 really confused.
00:07:09 --> 00:07:10 How on earth
00:07:10 --> 00:07:11 can a person
00:07:11 --> 00:07:12 re-enter their
00:07:12 --> 00:07:12 mother's womb?
00:07:12 --> 00:07:14 Jesus then
00:07:14 --> 00:07:15 responds in
00:07:15 --> 00:07:15 verses 5
00:07:15 --> 00:07:16 to 8
00:07:16 --> 00:07:16 that he's
00:07:16 --> 00:07:17 talking about
00:07:17 --> 00:07:18 spiritual birth
00:07:18 --> 00:07:19 and unless
00:07:19 --> 00:07:19 you experience
00:07:19 --> 00:07:20 it,
00:07:20 --> 00:07:21 you will never
00:07:21 --> 00:07:21 enter the
00:07:21 --> 00:07:21 kingdom of
00:07:21 --> 00:07:22 God,
00:07:22 --> 00:07:22 you'll never
00:07:22 --> 00:07:22 be part of
00:07:22 --> 00:07:23 God's family,
00:07:23 --> 00:07:24 you'll never
00:07:24 --> 00:07:25 be reconciled
00:07:25 --> 00:07:25 to God,
00:07:25 --> 00:07:25 forgiven,
00:07:26 --> 00:07:26 you'll never
00:07:26 --> 00:07:27 be able to
00:07:27 --> 00:07:28 receive eternal
00:07:28 --> 00:07:29 life unless
00:07:29 --> 00:07:30 you are born
00:07:30 --> 00:07:30 again.
00:07:31 --> 00:07:32 Then he adds
00:07:32 --> 00:07:32 that it is
00:07:32 --> 00:07:33 God who
00:07:33 --> 00:07:34 causes this
00:07:34 --> 00:07:35 new birth
00:07:35 --> 00:07:36 and not man,
00:07:36 --> 00:07:37 it is a work
00:07:37 --> 00:07:37 of God,
00:07:38 --> 00:07:39 it is not a work
00:07:39 --> 00:07:40 of a clever
00:07:40 --> 00:07:41 man with a
00:07:41 --> 00:07:42 PhD in religion,
00:07:42 --> 00:07:43 not even the
00:07:43 --> 00:07:44 work of good
00:07:44 --> 00:07:45 people like
00:07:45 --> 00:07:45 Nicodemus.
00:07:47 --> 00:07:48 And in
00:07:48 --> 00:07:48 verse 9 we
00:07:48 --> 00:07:49 see that Nic
00:07:49 --> 00:07:50 is still at a
00:07:50 --> 00:07:50 loss,
00:07:51 --> 00:07:52 Jesus marvels
00:07:52 --> 00:07:53 in verse 10
00:07:53 --> 00:07:54 that a teacher
00:07:54 --> 00:07:55 of God's
00:07:55 --> 00:07:56 people doesn't
00:07:56 --> 00:07:57 even understand
00:07:57 --> 00:07:57 how it is
00:07:57 --> 00:07:58 that you enter
00:07:58 --> 00:07:59 to be part of
00:07:59 --> 00:08:00 the family of
00:08:00 --> 00:08:00 God.
00:08:01 --> 00:08:02 And then in
00:08:02 --> 00:08:03 verse 11
00:08:03 --> 00:08:04 Jesus reveals
00:08:04 --> 00:08:05 the problem.
00:08:06 --> 00:08:07 Even though
00:08:07 --> 00:08:08 Nic is hearing
00:08:08 --> 00:08:10 reliable truth
00:08:10 --> 00:08:11 about Jesus,
00:08:12 --> 00:08:13 he isn't
00:08:13 --> 00:08:14 receiving it.
00:08:16 --> 00:08:17 That is,
00:08:17 --> 00:08:18 it's an issue
00:08:18 --> 00:08:19 of belief
00:08:19 --> 00:08:20 in the heart.
00:08:21 --> 00:08:22 That's the
00:08:22 --> 00:08:22 problem.
00:08:23 --> 00:08:23 And so in
00:08:23 --> 00:08:24 verse 12,
00:08:25 --> 00:08:25 Jesus sort of
00:08:25 --> 00:08:26 says to
00:08:26 --> 00:08:27 Nicodemus,
00:08:28 --> 00:08:28 you keep
00:08:28 --> 00:08:29 pushing me
00:08:29 --> 00:08:30 here for
00:08:30 --> 00:08:31 clearer and
00:08:31 --> 00:08:32 clearer explanations
00:08:32 --> 00:08:32 of being born
00:08:32 --> 00:08:33 again so that
00:08:33 --> 00:08:34 you can get
00:08:34 --> 00:08:34 your mind
00:08:34 --> 00:08:35 around it
00:08:35 --> 00:08:36 and you can
00:08:36 --> 00:08:37 fit it into
00:08:37 --> 00:08:37 your theological
00:08:37 --> 00:08:38 systems,
00:08:38 --> 00:08:40 but a
00:08:40 --> 00:08:41 heart of
00:08:41 --> 00:08:42 unbelief
00:08:42 --> 00:08:42 can't
00:08:42 --> 00:08:43 understand
00:08:43 --> 00:08:43 the sort
00:08:43 --> 00:08:44 of
00:08:44 --> 00:08:44 explanations
00:08:44 --> 00:08:45 that are
00:08:45 --> 00:08:45 needed
00:08:45 --> 00:08:45 here.
00:08:47 --> 00:08:47 And it's
00:08:47 --> 00:08:48 at this
00:08:48 --> 00:08:48 point we
00:08:48 --> 00:08:49 see this
00:08:49 --> 00:08:49 remarkable
00:08:49 --> 00:08:50 transition
00:08:50 --> 00:08:51 in this
00:08:51 --> 00:08:52 encounter
00:08:52 --> 00:08:52 with
00:08:52 --> 00:08:53 Nicodemus.
00:08:54 --> 00:08:54 Jesus
00:08:54 --> 00:08:55 now makes
00:08:55 --> 00:08:56 a shift
00:08:56 --> 00:08:57 and he
00:08:57 --> 00:08:57 starts
00:08:57 --> 00:09:01 talking about
00:09:01 --> 00:09:02 himself not
00:09:02 --> 00:09:02 so much as a
00:09:02 --> 00:09:03 teacher of
00:09:03 --> 00:09:04 God's people,
00:09:04 --> 00:09:08 telling people
00:09:08 --> 00:09:08 that you need
00:09:08 --> 00:09:09 to be born
00:09:09 --> 00:09:09 again,
00:09:11 --> 00:09:12 he now
00:09:12 --> 00:09:12 starts saying
00:09:12 --> 00:09:13 I am the
00:09:13 --> 00:09:14 son of man
00:09:14 --> 00:09:15 from heaven
00:09:15 --> 00:09:16 who came to
00:09:16 --> 00:09:17 do the thing
00:09:17 --> 00:09:17 that makes it
00:09:17 --> 00:09:18 possible for you
00:09:18 --> 00:09:19 to be born
00:09:19 --> 00:09:19 again.
00:09:22 --> 00:09:22 Jesus makes
00:09:22 --> 00:09:23 the claim to
00:09:23 --> 00:09:24 be more than
00:09:24 --> 00:09:25 just a teacher
00:09:25 --> 00:09:25 about God
00:09:25 --> 00:09:26 but as the
00:09:26 --> 00:09:28 one who came
00:09:28 --> 00:09:28 from God
00:09:28 --> 00:09:29 to reveal
00:09:29 --> 00:09:30 God.
00:09:30 --> 00:09:31 And so as
00:09:31 --> 00:09:33 Nicodemus,
00:09:33 --> 00:09:34 PhD in one
00:09:34 --> 00:09:34 hand,
00:09:34 --> 00:09:36 comes with
00:09:36 --> 00:09:37 these clever
00:09:37 --> 00:09:38 arguments to
00:09:38 --> 00:09:39 try and
00:09:39 --> 00:09:39 understand
00:09:39 --> 00:09:40 Jesus,
00:09:41 --> 00:09:42 the expert
00:09:42 --> 00:09:43 in the law
00:09:43 --> 00:09:43 comes,
00:09:43 --> 00:09:44 Jesus says
00:09:44 --> 00:09:44 in actual
00:09:44 --> 00:09:45 fact,
00:09:45 --> 00:09:45 Nic,
00:09:46 --> 00:09:47 I am the
00:09:47 --> 00:09:47 expert on
00:09:47 --> 00:09:48 God.
00:09:48 --> 00:09:49 I have
00:09:49 --> 00:09:50 just come
00:09:50 --> 00:09:51 from God.
00:09:52 --> 00:09:53 I am
00:09:53 --> 00:09:54 God.
00:09:55 --> 00:09:56 And so
00:09:56 --> 00:09:57 listen to
00:09:57 --> 00:09:57 me.
00:09:59 --> 00:10:00 And as
00:10:00 --> 00:10:01 the expert
00:10:01 --> 00:10:01 on God,
00:10:02 --> 00:10:03 Jesus says
00:10:03 --> 00:10:03 there is an
00:10:03 --> 00:10:04 obstacle to
00:10:04 --> 00:10:05 being born
00:10:05 --> 00:10:06 again and
00:10:06 --> 00:10:07 entering the
00:10:07 --> 00:10:07 kingdom of
00:10:07 --> 00:10:08 God,
00:10:08 --> 00:10:08 being part
00:10:08 --> 00:10:08 of his
00:10:08 --> 00:10:09 family.
00:10:10 --> 00:10:10 Something
00:10:10 --> 00:10:12 has to
00:10:12 --> 00:10:13 happen to
00:10:13 --> 00:10:15 remove the
00:10:15 --> 00:10:15 anger of
00:10:15 --> 00:10:16 God for
00:10:16 --> 00:10:17 our sin
00:10:17 --> 00:10:18 and unbelief
00:10:18 --> 00:10:20 and rebellion.
00:10:21 --> 00:10:22 And to help
00:10:22 --> 00:10:23 Nic understand
00:10:23 --> 00:10:24 what Jesus is
00:10:24 --> 00:10:25 talking about
00:10:25 --> 00:10:26 here, he
00:10:26 --> 00:10:27 picks up an
00:10:27 --> 00:10:28 analogy from
00:10:28 --> 00:10:29 the Old
00:10:29 --> 00:10:29 Testament.
00:10:29 --> 00:10:31 and it
00:10:31 --> 00:10:32 gives us a
00:10:32 --> 00:10:33 picture of
00:10:33 --> 00:10:33 what Jesus
00:10:33 --> 00:10:34 is about
00:10:34 --> 00:10:35 to do,
00:10:35 --> 00:10:37 what he's
00:10:37 --> 00:10:37 about to
00:10:37 --> 00:10:38 do to
00:10:38 --> 00:10:38 remove the
00:10:38 --> 00:10:39 obstacle so
00:10:39 --> 00:10:40 that we can
00:10:40 --> 00:10:40 be born
00:10:40 --> 00:10:41 again and
00:10:41 --> 00:10:41 be part of
00:10:41 --> 00:10:41 the family
00:10:41 --> 00:10:42 of God.
00:10:43 --> 00:10:44 Verse 14,
00:10:44 --> 00:10:45 just as
00:10:45 --> 00:10:46 Moses lifted
00:10:46 --> 00:10:47 up the
00:10:47 --> 00:10:47 snake in
00:10:47 --> 00:10:48 the desert,
00:10:49 --> 00:10:49 so the
00:10:49 --> 00:10:50 son of
00:10:50 --> 00:10:50 man must
00:10:50 --> 00:10:51 be lifted
00:10:51 --> 00:10:51 up,
00:10:51 --> 00:10:52 that everyone
00:10:52 --> 00:10:53 who believes
00:10:53 --> 00:10:54 in him may
00:10:54 --> 00:10:55 have eternal
00:10:55 --> 00:10:55 life.
00:10:55 --> 00:10:57 And so
00:10:57 --> 00:10:57 Jesus is
00:10:57 --> 00:10:58 referring to
00:10:58 --> 00:10:58 Numbers 21,
00:10:59 --> 00:10:59 that first
00:10:59 --> 00:11:00 passage that
00:11:00 --> 00:11:01 Lindy read out
00:11:01 --> 00:11:01 for us,
00:11:01 --> 00:11:02 where Israel,
00:11:02 --> 00:11:02 they have
00:11:02 --> 00:11:03 arrived at
00:11:03 --> 00:11:04 Mount Hor,
00:11:04 --> 00:11:05 they have
00:11:05 --> 00:11:05 been there
00:11:05 --> 00:11:06 before,
00:11:06 --> 00:11:06 about 40
00:11:06 --> 00:11:07 years before
00:11:07 --> 00:11:08 in fact,
00:11:08 --> 00:11:08 their trip
00:11:08 --> 00:11:09 from Egypt
00:11:09 --> 00:11:10 to the
00:11:10 --> 00:11:11 promised land
00:11:11 --> 00:11:11 should have
00:11:11 --> 00:11:12 taken a
00:11:12 --> 00:11:12 couple of
00:11:12 --> 00:11:13 weeks,
00:11:13 --> 00:11:14 but the
00:11:14 --> 00:11:14 trip from
00:11:14 --> 00:11:15 slavery to
00:11:15 --> 00:11:16 freedom under
00:11:16 --> 00:11:17 God's rule
00:11:17 --> 00:11:18 had taken
00:11:18 --> 00:11:18 much longer.
00:11:19 --> 00:11:21 Israel had
00:11:21 --> 00:11:22 proven unworthy
00:11:22 --> 00:11:23 to enter the
00:11:23 --> 00:11:23 promised land
00:11:23 --> 00:11:24 because they
00:11:24 --> 00:11:24 did not believe
00:11:24 --> 00:11:25 in God's
00:11:25 --> 00:11:25 power,
00:11:25 --> 00:11:26 all God's
00:11:26 --> 00:11:26 promises,
00:11:27 --> 00:11:28 repeatedly they
00:11:28 --> 00:11:29 had been
00:11:29 --> 00:11:30 tried and
00:11:30 --> 00:11:31 found wanting,
00:11:31 --> 00:11:32 but now they
00:11:32 --> 00:11:33 are back.
00:11:33 --> 00:11:34 They are back
00:11:34 --> 00:11:35 at the borders
00:11:35 --> 00:11:36 of the promised
00:11:36 --> 00:11:37 land,
00:11:38 --> 00:11:38 40 years
00:11:38 --> 00:11:39 later.
00:11:41 --> 00:11:42 But it
00:11:42 --> 00:11:43 would appear
00:11:43 --> 00:11:43 from that
00:11:43 --> 00:11:44 passage that
00:11:44 --> 00:11:44 Lindy read out
00:11:44 --> 00:11:45 that little
00:11:45 --> 00:11:46 has changed.
00:11:47 --> 00:11:48 They grumble,
00:11:49 --> 00:11:50 they whinge,
00:11:50 --> 00:11:51 they moan,
00:11:52 --> 00:11:53 they grumble
00:11:53 --> 00:11:54 about their
00:11:54 --> 00:11:54 lack of water,
00:11:54 --> 00:11:55 they grumble
00:11:55 --> 00:11:56 that there's
00:11:56 --> 00:11:56 too much
00:11:56 --> 00:11:57 food.
00:11:57 --> 00:11:58 They grumble
00:11:58 --> 00:11:59 against their
00:11:59 --> 00:11:59 leadership,
00:11:59 --> 00:12:00 they grumble
00:12:00 --> 00:12:01 against God
00:12:01 --> 00:12:01 because they
00:12:01 --> 00:12:02 reckon that he
00:12:02 --> 00:12:03 only rescued
00:12:03 --> 00:12:04 them so that he
00:12:04 --> 00:12:04 could lead them
00:12:04 --> 00:12:05 out in the
00:12:05 --> 00:12:05 desert so they
00:12:05 --> 00:12:06 would die.
00:12:07 --> 00:12:09 40 years of
00:12:09 --> 00:12:10 God's provision
00:12:10 --> 00:12:11 hasn't changed
00:12:11 --> 00:12:11 the hearts of
00:12:11 --> 00:12:12 these people.
00:12:12 --> 00:12:13 They grumble,
00:12:13 --> 00:12:14 grumble,
00:12:14 --> 00:12:15 grumble,
00:12:15 --> 00:12:16 even about
00:12:16 --> 00:12:17 good things,
00:12:17 --> 00:12:18 they grumble.
00:12:18 --> 00:12:18 people.
00:12:21 --> 00:12:21 And God
00:12:21 --> 00:12:22 responds by
00:12:22 --> 00:12:23 punishing the
00:12:23 --> 00:12:23 Israelites,
00:12:24 --> 00:12:25 by sending
00:12:25 --> 00:12:26 poisonous snakes
00:12:26 --> 00:12:27 to bite a
00:12:27 --> 00:12:28 number of
00:12:28 --> 00:12:29 them and
00:12:29 --> 00:12:29 many die as
00:12:29 --> 00:12:30 a consequence.
00:12:32 --> 00:12:33 The good
00:12:33 --> 00:12:34 thing is that
00:12:34 --> 00:12:34 the people
00:12:34 --> 00:12:35 work out for
00:12:35 --> 00:12:36 themselves that
00:12:36 --> 00:12:36 they've been
00:12:36 --> 00:12:37 pretty dumb
00:12:37 --> 00:12:38 and that
00:12:38 --> 00:12:39 they've been
00:12:39 --> 00:12:39 pretty much
00:12:39 --> 00:12:40 bad-mouthing
00:12:40 --> 00:12:41 God and
00:12:41 --> 00:12:42 Moses and
00:12:42 --> 00:12:43 so they
00:12:43 --> 00:12:44 ask Moses
00:12:44 --> 00:12:44 to pray so
00:12:44 --> 00:12:45 that they
00:12:45 --> 00:12:45 won't be
00:12:45 --> 00:12:46 punished by
00:12:46 --> 00:12:46 God anymore.
00:12:46 --> 00:12:47 And Moses
00:12:47 --> 00:12:49 does pray and
00:12:49 --> 00:12:50 God responds
00:12:50 --> 00:12:52 in a very
00:12:52 --> 00:12:53 strange way.
00:12:54 --> 00:12:55 God says,
00:12:55 --> 00:12:55 make a
00:12:55 --> 00:12:57 snake and
00:12:57 --> 00:12:58 put it on
00:12:58 --> 00:12:59 a pole.
00:12:59 --> 00:13:00 Anyone who
00:13:00 --> 00:13:01 is bitten can
00:13:01 --> 00:13:02 look to the
00:13:02 --> 00:13:03 snake on the
00:13:03 --> 00:13:04 pole and
00:13:04 --> 00:13:04 live.
00:13:06 --> 00:13:06 And so
00:13:06 --> 00:13:07 Moses made a
00:13:07 --> 00:13:08 bronze snake
00:13:08 --> 00:13:09 and put it
00:13:09 --> 00:13:09 up on a
00:13:09 --> 00:13:09 pole.
00:13:10 --> 00:13:10 Then when
00:13:10 --> 00:13:11 anyone was
00:13:11 --> 00:13:12 bitten by a
00:13:12 --> 00:13:12 snake and
00:13:12 --> 00:13:13 looked at the
00:13:13 --> 00:13:14 bronze snake,
00:13:15 --> 00:13:15 he lived.
00:13:16 --> 00:13:18 That's a
00:13:18 --> 00:13:18 weird answer
00:13:18 --> 00:13:19 to prayer.
00:13:20 --> 00:13:21 So notice a
00:13:21 --> 00:13:22 few things
00:13:22 --> 00:13:22 here from
00:13:22 --> 00:13:24 Numbers 21.
00:13:25 --> 00:13:25 Notice that
00:13:25 --> 00:13:26 the snake on
00:13:26 --> 00:13:27 the pole did
00:13:27 --> 00:13:27 not prevent
00:13:27 --> 00:13:28 the people
00:13:28 --> 00:13:28 from being
00:13:28 --> 00:13:28 bitten.
00:13:30 --> 00:13:30 It was for
00:13:30 --> 00:13:31 those who
00:13:31 --> 00:13:31 were bitten.
00:13:33 --> 00:13:34 Notice it
00:13:34 --> 00:13:35 was God who
00:13:35 --> 00:13:35 sent the
00:13:35 --> 00:13:35 snakes.
00:13:36 --> 00:13:37 God was
00:13:37 --> 00:13:38 angry with
00:13:38 --> 00:13:38 his people
00:13:38 --> 00:13:39 because of
00:13:39 --> 00:13:40 their ingratitude
00:13:40 --> 00:13:40 and their
00:13:40 --> 00:13:40 grumbling and
00:13:40 --> 00:13:41 their complaining
00:13:41 --> 00:13:41 and their
00:13:41 --> 00:13:42 whinging and
00:13:42 --> 00:13:42 their rebellion.
00:13:44 --> 00:13:45 Notice that
00:13:45 --> 00:13:46 the way God
00:13:46 --> 00:13:47 chooses to
00:13:47 --> 00:13:47 rescue the
00:13:47 --> 00:13:48 people from
00:13:48 --> 00:13:49 his own
00:13:49 --> 00:13:51 curse, God's
00:13:51 --> 00:13:52 own curse that
00:13:52 --> 00:13:52 he put on the
00:13:52 --> 00:13:55 people, is a
00:13:55 --> 00:13:56 picture of the
00:13:56 --> 00:13:57 curse itself.
00:14:00 --> 00:14:01 And notice
00:14:01 --> 00:14:02 that all they
00:14:02 --> 00:14:03 had to do to
00:14:03 --> 00:14:04 be saved from
00:14:04 --> 00:14:05 God's anger
00:14:05 --> 00:14:07 was to look
00:14:07 --> 00:14:08 to God's
00:14:08 --> 00:14:09 provision.
00:14:11 --> 00:14:12 Hang it on a
00:14:12 --> 00:14:12 pole.
00:14:12 --> 00:14:15 If someone
00:14:15 --> 00:14:16 was bitten by
00:14:16 --> 00:14:17 a snake, they
00:14:17 --> 00:14:18 looked to the
00:14:18 --> 00:14:18 bronze snake
00:14:18 --> 00:14:20 that Moses had
00:14:20 --> 00:14:21 put on the
00:14:21 --> 00:14:22 stick and they
00:14:22 --> 00:14:23 wouldn't die.
00:14:26 --> 00:14:27 The solution
00:14:27 --> 00:14:27 to their
00:14:27 --> 00:14:28 punishment is
00:14:28 --> 00:14:29 to believe
00:14:29 --> 00:14:31 God's answer
00:14:31 --> 00:14:33 and to look
00:14:33 --> 00:14:34 at a bronze
00:14:34 --> 00:14:35 snake on a
00:14:35 --> 00:14:36 pole, a
00:14:36 --> 00:14:36 bronze snake
00:14:36 --> 00:14:37 being a symbol
00:14:37 --> 00:14:37 of their
00:14:37 --> 00:14:38 punishment and
00:14:38 --> 00:14:39 their judgment
00:14:39 --> 00:14:40 and then they
00:14:40 --> 00:14:41 would be saved
00:14:41 --> 00:14:41 from certain
00:14:41 --> 00:14:42 death.
00:14:42 --> 00:14:44 So if an
00:14:44 --> 00:14:45 Israelite
00:14:45 --> 00:14:47 looked at a
00:14:47 --> 00:14:49 bronze snake
00:14:49 --> 00:14:50 which was
00:14:50 --> 00:14:50 their own
00:14:50 --> 00:14:51 judgment
00:14:51 --> 00:14:52 portrayed on
00:14:52 --> 00:14:54 a pole and
00:14:54 --> 00:14:55 they believed
00:14:55 --> 00:14:56 they would be
00:14:56 --> 00:14:57 rescued from
00:14:57 --> 00:14:58 certain death
00:14:58 --> 00:15:00 and in the
00:15:00 --> 00:15:01 very act of
00:15:01 --> 00:15:03 looking is a
00:15:03 --> 00:15:04 trust in God's
00:15:04 --> 00:15:05 provision.
00:15:05 --> 00:15:09 God provided a
00:15:09 --> 00:15:09 way for these
00:15:09 --> 00:15:10 sinful people to
00:15:10 --> 00:15:11 be saved
00:15:11 --> 00:15:14 and every
00:15:14 --> 00:15:14 time they
00:15:14 --> 00:15:15 looked
00:15:15 --> 00:15:17 then they
00:15:17 --> 00:15:17 would be
00:15:17 --> 00:15:18 reminded that
00:15:18 --> 00:15:19 their rebellion
00:15:19 --> 00:15:20 against God
00:15:20 --> 00:15:21 means death.
00:15:23 --> 00:15:24 Especially
00:15:24 --> 00:15:25 notice then
00:15:25 --> 00:15:26 that having
00:15:26 --> 00:15:27 taken Nick
00:15:27 --> 00:15:28 to this
00:15:28 --> 00:15:29 shocking picture
00:15:29 --> 00:15:31 in Numbers
00:15:31 --> 00:15:32 21
00:15:32 --> 00:15:33 Jesus
00:15:33 --> 00:15:34 then follows
00:15:34 --> 00:15:35 that picture
00:15:35 --> 00:15:36 with the
00:15:36 --> 00:15:37 most famous
00:15:37 --> 00:15:38 Bible verse
00:15:38 --> 00:15:39 in the
00:15:39 --> 00:15:40 world.
00:15:41 --> 00:15:41 For God
00:15:41 --> 00:15:42 so loved
00:15:42 --> 00:15:42 the world
00:15:42 --> 00:15:43 that he
00:15:43 --> 00:15:44 gave his
00:15:44 --> 00:15:45 only son
00:15:45 --> 00:15:47 referring to
00:15:47 --> 00:15:47 himself
00:15:47 --> 00:15:48 Jesus is
00:15:48 --> 00:15:48 here
00:15:48 --> 00:15:50 so that
00:15:50 --> 00:15:50 whoever
00:15:50 --> 00:15:51 believes in
00:15:51 --> 00:15:52 him would
00:15:52 --> 00:15:53 not perish
00:15:53 --> 00:15:54 but have
00:15:54 --> 00:15:55 eternal life.
00:15:55 --> 00:15:58 Jesus is
00:15:58 --> 00:15:59 the one
00:15:59 --> 00:15:59 who was
00:15:59 --> 00:16:00 raised up
00:16:00 --> 00:16:01 like the
00:16:01 --> 00:16:01 snake.
00:16:03 --> 00:16:03 He will
00:16:03 --> 00:16:04 be the
00:16:04 --> 00:16:04 powerful
00:16:04 --> 00:16:05 portrayal
00:16:05 --> 00:16:06 of God's
00:16:06 --> 00:16:06 anger and
00:16:06 --> 00:16:07 judgment.
00:16:07 --> 00:16:08 When we
00:16:08 --> 00:16:09 look to the
00:16:09 --> 00:16:10 crucifixion of
00:16:10 --> 00:16:11 Jesus which
00:16:11 --> 00:16:11 is what we
00:16:11 --> 00:16:12 are doing
00:16:12 --> 00:16:12 here this
00:16:12 --> 00:16:14 morning we
00:16:14 --> 00:16:14 are supposed
00:16:14 --> 00:16:16 to see the
00:16:16 --> 00:16:17 consequences of
00:16:17 --> 00:16:18 our sin.
00:16:19 --> 00:16:20 We are
00:16:20 --> 00:16:21 supposed to
00:16:21 --> 00:16:21 say to
00:16:21 --> 00:16:22 ourselves that
00:16:22 --> 00:16:22 should be
00:16:22 --> 00:16:23 me that is
00:16:23 --> 00:16:24 what I
00:16:24 --> 00:16:24 deserve.
00:16:24 --> 00:16:25 The
00:16:25 --> 00:16:26 crucifixion
00:16:26 --> 00:16:26 of Jesus
00:16:26 --> 00:16:27 doesn't
00:16:27 --> 00:16:28 hide our
00:16:28 --> 00:16:29 failures.
00:16:29 --> 00:16:30 They are
00:16:30 --> 00:16:31 uncovered in
00:16:31 --> 00:16:31 all their
00:16:31 --> 00:16:32 ugliness.
00:16:34 --> 00:16:35 We are to
00:16:35 --> 00:16:35 be confronted
00:16:35 --> 00:16:36 with our
00:16:36 --> 00:16:36 sinfulness and
00:16:36 --> 00:16:37 our shame and
00:16:37 --> 00:16:38 our death and
00:16:38 --> 00:16:39 our complaining
00:16:39 --> 00:16:39 and our grumbling
00:16:39 --> 00:16:40 and our whinging.
00:16:43 --> 00:16:44 When we
00:16:44 --> 00:16:46 look we are
00:16:46 --> 00:16:46 to see our
00:16:46 --> 00:16:48 sin, our
00:16:48 --> 00:16:49 rebellion, our
00:16:49 --> 00:16:50 judgment.
00:16:51 --> 00:16:52 Jesus in the
00:16:52 --> 00:16:53 place of the
00:16:53 --> 00:16:54 snake is
00:16:54 --> 00:16:56 portrayed as
00:16:56 --> 00:16:57 sin, evil,
00:16:57 --> 00:16:58 rebellion, guilt
00:16:58 --> 00:17:00 as a curse.
00:17:02 --> 00:17:03 Another part of
00:17:03 --> 00:17:03 the Bible says
00:17:03 --> 00:17:04 this about
00:17:04 --> 00:17:04 Jesus'
00:17:04 --> 00:17:05 crucifixion.
00:17:06 --> 00:17:06 God made
00:17:06 --> 00:17:07 him who had
00:17:07 --> 00:17:09 no sin to
00:17:09 --> 00:17:10 be sin for
00:17:10 --> 00:17:12 us so that
00:17:12 --> 00:17:13 in him we
00:17:13 --> 00:17:14 might become
00:17:14 --> 00:17:14 the righteousness
00:17:14 --> 00:17:15 of God.
00:17:15 --> 00:17:17 In becoming
00:17:17 --> 00:17:18 like the
00:17:18 --> 00:17:19 snake, Jesus
00:17:19 --> 00:17:20 was the
00:17:20 --> 00:17:21 embodiment of
00:17:21 --> 00:17:22 our sin and
00:17:22 --> 00:17:23 becoming for
00:17:23 --> 00:17:24 and in
00:17:24 --> 00:17:25 becoming sin
00:17:25 --> 00:17:26 for us, he
00:17:26 --> 00:17:26 took our
00:17:26 --> 00:17:28 sins away as
00:17:28 --> 00:17:29 our substitute.
00:17:31 --> 00:17:32 And so in
00:17:32 --> 00:17:33 what is
00:17:33 --> 00:17:33 apparently a
00:17:33 --> 00:17:35 fleeting reference
00:17:35 --> 00:17:36 to a strange
00:17:36 --> 00:17:37 event in the
00:17:37 --> 00:17:37 Old Testament,
00:17:38 --> 00:17:38 Jesus was
00:17:38 --> 00:17:39 telling Nicodemus
00:17:39 --> 00:17:40 that he,
00:17:40 --> 00:17:41 Jesus, would
00:17:41 --> 00:17:42 be the bearer of
00:17:42 --> 00:17:43 the judgment of
00:17:43 --> 00:17:44 God and that
00:17:44 --> 00:17:45 through his
00:17:45 --> 00:17:46 judgment we
00:17:46 --> 00:17:47 can find hope
00:17:47 --> 00:17:48 and rescue and
00:17:48 --> 00:17:49 salvation.
00:17:49 --> 00:17:49 salvation.
00:17:52 --> 00:17:53 That is why
00:17:53 --> 00:17:53 it's called
00:17:53 --> 00:17:53 Good Friday.
00:17:55 --> 00:17:56 Because the
00:17:56 --> 00:17:57 crucified one is
00:17:57 --> 00:17:58 a gift from
00:17:58 --> 00:17:59 God.
00:18:00 --> 00:18:01 It is because
00:18:01 --> 00:18:03 God so loved
00:18:03 --> 00:18:05 the world that
00:18:05 --> 00:18:07 he gave his
00:18:07 --> 00:18:08 only son.
00:18:09 --> 00:18:10 Without this
00:18:10 --> 00:18:12 gift we would
00:18:12 --> 00:18:14 perish like the
00:18:14 --> 00:18:15 Israelites did in
00:18:15 --> 00:18:15 the wilderness.
00:18:16 --> 00:18:18 Our only hope is
00:18:18 --> 00:18:18 to look at the
00:18:18 --> 00:18:19 cross and
00:18:19 --> 00:18:20 believe that
00:18:20 --> 00:18:21 God has made
00:18:21 --> 00:18:22 a way back to
00:18:22 --> 00:18:24 himself through
00:18:24 --> 00:18:25 the death of
00:18:25 --> 00:18:25 his son.
00:18:25 --> 00:18:26 As strange as
00:18:26 --> 00:18:28 it may be, to
00:18:28 --> 00:18:28 look to the
00:18:28 --> 00:18:29 cross is all
00:18:29 --> 00:18:30 that's required to
00:18:30 --> 00:18:31 believe in what
00:18:31 --> 00:18:32 Jesus has said
00:18:32 --> 00:18:33 and says,
00:18:33 --> 00:18:34 look to me.
00:18:36 --> 00:18:37 The wonderful
00:18:37 --> 00:18:38 news is that
00:18:38 --> 00:18:38 Jesus in the
00:18:38 --> 00:18:39 place of the
00:18:39 --> 00:18:40 snake is the
00:18:40 --> 00:18:40 source of
00:18:40 --> 00:18:41 healing, the
00:18:41 --> 00:18:42 source of
00:18:42 --> 00:18:42 rescue, the
00:18:42 --> 00:18:44 source, the
00:18:44 --> 00:18:44 rescue from the
00:18:44 --> 00:18:45 poison of sin and
00:18:45 --> 00:18:46 the anger of
00:18:46 --> 00:18:47 God.
00:18:47 --> 00:18:48 what he gives
00:18:48 --> 00:18:48 us for the
00:18:48 --> 00:18:49 cross is eternal
00:18:49 --> 00:18:50 life.
00:18:50 --> 00:18:51 When our sin
00:18:51 --> 00:18:53 and God's
00:18:53 --> 00:18:54 anger are taken
00:18:54 --> 00:18:56 away, it means
00:18:56 --> 00:18:57 that God is
00:18:57 --> 00:18:58 totally for us.
00:18:59 --> 00:19:00 And if God is
00:19:00 --> 00:19:01 for us, we will
00:19:01 --> 00:19:02 never die but
00:19:02 --> 00:19:03 live forever with
00:19:03 --> 00:19:04 him.
00:19:05 --> 00:19:07 And so Jesus'
00:19:07 --> 00:19:08 call to Nick
00:19:08 --> 00:19:09 here and to us
00:19:09 --> 00:19:10 is to believe in
00:19:10 --> 00:19:11 what God has
00:19:11 --> 00:19:12 provided for our
00:19:12 --> 00:19:13 rescue.
00:19:13 --> 00:19:17 you see, the
00:19:17 --> 00:19:18 Israelites had an
00:19:18 --> 00:19:19 option in the
00:19:19 --> 00:19:19 wilderness.
00:19:20 --> 00:19:22 Believe in God's
00:19:22 --> 00:19:22 provision and
00:19:22 --> 00:19:25 look or say
00:19:25 --> 00:19:26 that's ridiculous
00:19:26 --> 00:19:30 and look for some
00:19:30 --> 00:19:31 other alternative
00:19:31 --> 00:19:31 for medicine.
00:19:35 --> 00:19:36 Verse 14 says,
00:19:37 --> 00:19:37 just as Moses
00:19:37 --> 00:19:38 lifted up the
00:19:38 --> 00:19:39 snake in the
00:19:39 --> 00:19:40 desert, so the
00:19:40 --> 00:19:41 son of man must
00:19:41 --> 00:19:42 be lifted up,
00:19:42 --> 00:19:51 look to Jesus.
00:19:52 --> 00:19:54 Nicodemus, if you
00:19:54 --> 00:19:56 want new birth and
00:19:56 --> 00:19:57 you must have new
00:19:57 --> 00:19:58 birth in order to
00:19:58 --> 00:19:59 get into the
00:19:59 --> 00:20:01 family of God, you
00:20:01 --> 00:20:02 must look to Jesus
00:20:02 --> 00:20:03 on the cross.
00:20:03 --> 00:20:06 I think this
00:20:06 --> 00:20:07 conversation between
00:20:07 --> 00:20:08 Jesus and Nicodemus
00:20:08 --> 00:20:09 under the cover of
00:20:09 --> 00:20:10 darkness is so
00:20:10 --> 00:20:11 crucial for us to
00:20:11 --> 00:20:12 be listening in on.
00:20:13 --> 00:20:14 The expert still
00:20:14 --> 00:20:15 had some things to
00:20:15 --> 00:20:17 learn and Jesus
00:20:17 --> 00:20:19 encourages him here
00:20:19 --> 00:20:20 to move on from
00:20:20 --> 00:20:21 a shallow,
00:20:22 --> 00:20:23 superficial belief in
00:20:23 --> 00:20:24 Jesus.
00:20:25 --> 00:20:26 Before this
00:20:26 --> 00:20:27 encounter,
00:20:27 --> 00:20:30 Nicodemus believed
00:20:30 --> 00:20:31 in Jesus, it says,
00:20:31 --> 00:20:32 at the end of
00:20:32 --> 00:20:33 chapter 2.
00:20:34 --> 00:20:35 And Jesus says
00:20:35 --> 00:20:36 here, your belief
00:20:36 --> 00:20:36 is not enough,
00:20:36 --> 00:20:37 it's a superficial
00:20:37 --> 00:20:38 belief.
00:20:39 --> 00:20:40 Move from it.
00:20:41 --> 00:20:41 After all, Satan
00:20:41 --> 00:20:42 believes in Jesus,
00:20:43 --> 00:20:44 but he doesn't look
00:20:44 --> 00:20:44 to him for
00:20:44 --> 00:20:45 salvation.
00:20:46 --> 00:20:47 The encouraging
00:20:47 --> 00:20:48 thing is that
00:20:48 --> 00:20:50 Nicodemus didn't
00:20:50 --> 00:20:52 give up when it
00:20:52 --> 00:20:53 got confusing.
00:20:55 --> 00:20:57 He didn't give up.
00:20:57 --> 00:20:59 He was there at the
00:20:59 --> 00:21:01 end, at the
00:21:01 --> 00:21:02 crucifixion.
00:21:04 --> 00:21:05 He was there
00:21:05 --> 00:21:06 taking the body
00:21:06 --> 00:21:07 down off the
00:21:07 --> 00:21:07 cross.
00:21:09 --> 00:21:10 And he prepared
00:21:10 --> 00:21:11 it for burial in
00:21:11 --> 00:21:13 a significant
00:21:13 --> 00:21:14 act of devotion
00:21:14 --> 00:21:14 to Jesus.
00:21:15 --> 00:21:16 He did look to
00:21:16 --> 00:21:18 Jesus in the
00:21:18 --> 00:21:18 end.
00:21:19 --> 00:21:21 No doubt we
00:21:21 --> 00:21:22 are gathered here
00:21:22 --> 00:21:23 this morning because
00:21:23 --> 00:21:24 we acknowledge some
00:21:24 --> 00:21:25 sort of belief in
00:21:25 --> 00:21:25 Jesus.
00:21:29 --> 00:21:30 But is it a
00:21:30 --> 00:21:31 belief that
00:21:31 --> 00:21:32 recognizes who
00:21:32 --> 00:21:34 Jesus is as
00:21:34 --> 00:21:35 the heaven sent
00:21:35 --> 00:21:36 son of man, the
00:21:36 --> 00:21:37 expert on God?
00:21:39 --> 00:21:40 As with
00:21:40 --> 00:21:41 Nicodemus,
00:21:42 --> 00:21:43 religion is a
00:21:43 --> 00:21:45 common cover for
00:21:45 --> 00:21:46 not being born
00:21:46 --> 00:21:47 again.
00:21:47 --> 00:21:51 Each of us
00:21:51 --> 00:21:53 churchgoers should
00:21:53 --> 00:21:54 examine ourselves
00:21:54 --> 00:21:55 to see if we are
00:21:55 --> 00:21:56 truly born again
00:21:56 --> 00:22:00 or is it just
00:22:00 --> 00:22:00 religion?
00:22:01 --> 00:22:03 Shallow belief
00:22:03 --> 00:22:05 that doesn't in
00:22:05 --> 00:22:06 the end look to
00:22:06 --> 00:22:06 Jesus.
00:22:08 --> 00:22:09 Does our belief in
00:22:09 --> 00:22:10 Jesus recognize
00:22:10 --> 00:22:12 he was crucified
00:22:12 --> 00:22:13 as our substitute
00:22:13 --> 00:22:15 to turn away
00:22:15 --> 00:22:16 God's anger from
00:22:16 --> 00:22:17 us and to
00:22:17 --> 00:22:18 deal with our
00:22:18 --> 00:22:18 sin?
00:22:21 --> 00:22:22 Does our belief
00:22:22 --> 00:22:23 in Jesus
00:22:23 --> 00:22:24 recognize that
00:22:24 --> 00:22:25 he is the
00:22:25 --> 00:22:25 heaven sent
00:22:25 --> 00:22:26 son of man,
00:22:26 --> 00:22:27 the expert on
00:22:27 --> 00:22:28 God who calls
00:22:28 --> 00:22:29 us to follow
00:22:29 --> 00:22:30 him, to love
00:22:30 --> 00:22:31 him, to
00:22:31 --> 00:22:32 obey him?
00:22:36 --> 00:22:37 Is it a
00:22:37 --> 00:22:38 belief in the
00:22:38 --> 00:22:39 promise that
00:22:39 --> 00:22:40 whoever believes
00:22:40 --> 00:22:42 in him should
00:22:42 --> 00:22:43 not perish but
00:22:43 --> 00:22:44 have eternal
00:22:44 --> 00:22:45 life?
00:22:46 --> 00:22:47 look to
00:22:47 --> 00:22:48 Jesus.
00:22:49 --> 00:22:50 If that's
00:22:50 --> 00:22:50 something that
00:22:50 --> 00:22:50 you want to
00:22:50 --> 00:22:51 do this
00:22:51 --> 00:22:52 morning as we
00:22:52 --> 00:22:52 found out a
00:22:52 --> 00:22:53 bit earlier,
00:22:53 --> 00:22:53 Laura did
00:22:53 --> 00:22:55 this time last
00:22:55 --> 00:22:57 year, I would
00:22:57 --> 00:22:57 invite you to
00:22:57 --> 00:22:58 come down and
00:22:58 --> 00:22:59 pray with me or
00:22:59 --> 00:23:00 some others at
00:23:00 --> 00:23:00 the front at the
00:23:00 --> 00:23:01 end of the
00:23:01 --> 00:23:01 service.
00:23:01 --> 00:23:02 Let's pray.
00:23:03 --> 00:23:04 Father God,
00:23:05 --> 00:23:07 we thank you for
00:23:07 --> 00:23:08 the provision that
00:23:08 --> 00:23:09 you have made for
00:23:09 --> 00:23:09 us in the Lord
00:23:09 --> 00:23:10 Jesus.
00:23:10 --> 00:23:11 Jesus, thank
00:23:11 --> 00:23:12 you that we, as
00:23:12 --> 00:23:13 strange as it
00:23:13 --> 00:23:16 seems, all we
00:23:16 --> 00:23:17 need to do is to
00:23:17 --> 00:23:18 look to Christ,
00:23:18 --> 00:23:21 look to Jesus, to
00:23:21 --> 00:23:23 find our rescue and
00:23:23 --> 00:23:24 our hope.
00:23:24 --> 00:23:25 And we thank you
00:23:25 --> 00:23:26 for the gift of the
00:23:26 --> 00:23:27 Lord Jesus and the
00:23:27 --> 00:23:28 opportunity to be
00:23:28 --> 00:23:30 reminded of it again
00:23:30 --> 00:23:31 this morning and we
00:23:31 --> 00:23:32 ask it for your
00:23:32 --> 00:23:32 sake.
00:23:32 --> 00:23:33 Amen.