WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:09.779 Yeah, if you have a Bible, if you would like to turn to John chapter 3, or maybe your Bible is on your phone. 00:00:11.519 --> 00:00:13.519 You can look at it if it's on your phone. 00:00:14.439 --> 00:00:20.080 By whatever means, you look at the Bible, if you'd like to follow along in John chapter 3. 00:00:21.839 --> 00:00:25.940 Yeah, this afternoon I want us to consider a question, and the question is this. 00:00:25.940 --> 00:00:32.520 If you are a Christian, why are you a Christian? 00:00:33.240 --> 00:00:35.660 You say, well, that's an easy question to answer. 00:00:35.859 --> 00:00:37.980 I heard the message about Jesus. 00:00:38.719 --> 00:00:40.299 I turned from my sins. 00:00:40.439 --> 00:00:41.480 I believed in Jesus. 00:00:41.859 --> 00:00:45.120 I trusted in what he did on the cross, and now I'm a Christian. 00:00:47.000 --> 00:00:47.880 You know, that's true. 00:00:48.600 --> 00:00:51.500 That is the way that we become Christians. 00:00:51.500 --> 00:00:57.399 But when a person becomes a Christian, there's something else going on. 00:00:57.960 --> 00:01:00.620 There's something else going on inside. 00:01:01.560 --> 00:01:10.319 Not something that we do, but something that God does in us and to us. 00:01:10.840 --> 00:01:12.120 Something that's unseen. 00:01:12.879 --> 00:01:14.240 Something that is mysterious. 00:01:14.239 --> 00:01:16.199 Something wonderful. 00:01:17.079 --> 00:01:19.679 Something that God does first. 00:01:20.659 --> 00:01:23.199 And then we repent and believe. 00:01:24.280 --> 00:01:33.419 In this chapter, in John chapter 3, Jesus has a name for this mysterious, unseen thing that he does in a person's heart when they become a Christian. 00:01:33.799 --> 00:01:36.119 It's called being born again. 00:01:36.120 --> 00:01:42.219 Now, that phrase, to be born again, sometimes that can have a negative connotation. 00:01:42.719 --> 00:01:53.260 When we think about born-again people, sometimes we think of people who are Bible beaters, people who are intolerant people, who are trying to force their religion down someone else's throat. 00:01:53.260 --> 00:02:03.780 But this afternoon, we're going to let the Bible define what it means to be born again. 00:02:04.960 --> 00:02:11.540 So, if you want to follow along, I'm going to be reading from John chapter 3, beginning in verse 1 through verse 12. 00:02:11.659 --> 00:02:14.740 You'll recognize this as a very familiar passage of Scripture. 00:02:15.180 --> 00:02:19.800 Jesus' encounter with the Pharisee named Nicodemus. 00:02:20.540 --> 00:02:21.879 So, let's hear God's Word. 00:02:21.879 --> 00:02:24.620 This is John chapter 3, beginning in verse 1. 00:02:26.319 --> 00:02:30.859 Now, there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 00:02:31.460 --> 00:02:34.000 This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, 00:02:34.599 --> 00:02:42.319 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. 00:02:43.219 --> 00:02:44.240 Jesus answered him, 00:02:44.560 --> 00:02:51.400 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 00:02:51.879 --> 00:02:53.180 Nicodemus said to him, 00:02:53.539 --> 00:02:56.039 How can a man be born when he is old? 00:02:56.319 --> 00:02:59.740 Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born? 00:03:00.539 --> 00:03:01.460 Jesus answered, 00:03:01.859 --> 00:03:09.800 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 00:03:09.800 --> 00:03:15.040 That which is born of flesh is flesh, and that which is born of spirit is spirit. 00:03:15.700 --> 00:03:19.560 Do not marvel that I said to you, you must be born again. 00:03:20.520 --> 00:03:28.660 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. 00:03:28.659 --> 00:03:32.680 So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit. 00:03:33.560 --> 00:03:34.620 Nicodemus said to him, 00:03:34.859 --> 00:03:36.579 How can these things be? 00:03:37.280 --> 00:03:38.419 Jesus answered him, 00:03:38.560 --> 00:03:44.039 Are you the teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things? 00:03:44.039 --> 00:03:53.459 Truly, truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. 00:03:53.939 --> 00:04:01.819 If I have told you of earthly things, and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you of heavenly things? 00:04:01.819 --> 00:04:09.599 Now, who is this man that Jesus is having an encounter with here? 00:04:10.400 --> 00:04:17.459 Here is someone who came to Jesus and wanted a private audience with Jesus, so he's meeting with Jesus one-on-one. 00:04:18.759 --> 00:04:20.000 His name is Nicodemus. 00:04:20.959 --> 00:04:23.560 It's a Greek name, but he's not a Greek. 00:04:24.079 --> 00:04:24.819 He's a Jew. 00:04:24.959 --> 00:04:26.579 In fact, he is very Jewish. 00:04:27.039 --> 00:04:28.800 So what do we know about him from the text here? 00:04:28.800 --> 00:04:32.900 First of all, in verse 1, he is a ruler of the Jews. 00:04:33.480 --> 00:04:36.360 In other words, he's a member of the Jewish ruling body. 00:04:36.759 --> 00:04:38.079 He's a member of the Sanhedrin. 00:04:38.379 --> 00:04:41.220 So this man is an important man. 00:04:41.800 --> 00:04:43.740 And this man is a powerful man. 00:04:45.080 --> 00:04:49.879 In verse 10, Jesus calls him the teacher of Israel. 00:04:51.019 --> 00:04:54.379 He was a professional student of the Old Testament. 00:04:55.160 --> 00:04:57.720 He was a professional teacher of the Old Testament. 00:04:57.720 --> 00:05:00.880 He was an expert in the Old Testament. 00:05:01.540 --> 00:05:07.780 He would be the equivalent today of what we call a professor at a theological college or seminary. 00:05:08.780 --> 00:05:16.060 We know also from John chapter 19 that he was probably a wealthy man after Jesus' death on the cross. 00:05:16.520 --> 00:05:21.840 It was Nicodemus who bought the very expensive spices with which to anoint the body of Jesus. 00:05:23.080 --> 00:05:25.320 We know that he was a respectful man. 00:05:25.319 --> 00:05:27.500 And he was very respectful of Jesus. 00:05:27.939 --> 00:05:31.800 Jesus, after all, had not been to the correct theological schools. 00:05:32.819 --> 00:05:36.920 And yet, Nicodemus still called him rabbi. 00:05:37.000 --> 00:05:39.100 He gave him a title of respect. 00:05:39.839 --> 00:05:40.240 Teacher. 00:05:41.079 --> 00:05:41.519 Professor. 00:05:41.519 --> 00:05:49.139 But the last thing I want to point out to you about Nicodemus is that Nicodemus was a Pharisee. 00:05:50.579 --> 00:05:55.259 The Pharisees were, of course, a religious party in Jerusalem of that day. 00:05:55.479 --> 00:05:58.219 And they gave themselves over to one thing. 00:05:58.339 --> 00:06:01.319 And that was to keeping God's law. 00:06:01.319 --> 00:06:03.800 Is that a good thing? 00:06:04.099 --> 00:06:05.279 To want to keep God's law? 00:06:05.500 --> 00:06:06.620 It's a very good thing. 00:06:07.339 --> 00:06:12.920 But they took a good thing and they did it in the wrong way. 00:06:13.819 --> 00:06:14.699 And here's the problem. 00:06:14.879 --> 00:06:16.519 Here's the problem with their law keeping. 00:06:17.339 --> 00:06:23.259 The Pharisees reduced law keeping to keeping the rules externally. 00:06:23.259 --> 00:06:26.060 They made law keeping just ticking the boxes. 00:06:26.500 --> 00:06:31.459 Just externally doing the right things disconnected from a person's heart. 00:06:32.060 --> 00:06:38.060 In other words, they reduced a relationship to God down to just external law keeping. 00:06:38.699 --> 00:06:43.219 Second problem that the Pharisees had with keeping the law was they did it out of a wrong motive. 00:06:44.480 --> 00:06:46.939 They didn't do it out of a heart of love for God. 00:06:47.180 --> 00:06:51.079 They did it out of a heart that wanted to earn and merit. 00:06:51.079 --> 00:06:54.680 If I do the right things, then God will surely bless me. 00:06:54.719 --> 00:06:55.879 He will surely forgive me. 00:06:56.159 --> 00:06:57.579 He will surely take me to heaven. 00:06:58.519 --> 00:07:00.359 So this was his orientation. 00:07:00.519 --> 00:07:03.159 He was a Pharisee given to keeping the law. 00:07:04.139 --> 00:07:05.779 Now, why did Nicodemus come to Jesus? 00:07:06.919 --> 00:07:08.560 We're not really told right here. 00:07:09.339 --> 00:07:09.899 You know something? 00:07:10.060 --> 00:07:12.860 It's not hard to figure out why he came. 00:07:13.299 --> 00:07:16.839 And I think there are two things here that point to why Nicodemus came. 00:07:17.539 --> 00:07:18.919 And the first is this. 00:07:18.920 --> 00:07:23.879 Nicodemus realized that Jesus was not a man who could be ignored. 00:07:24.600 --> 00:07:25.800 Listen to verse 2 again. 00:07:26.360 --> 00:07:30.860 Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who comes from God. 00:07:31.220 --> 00:07:35.700 For no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him. 00:07:36.860 --> 00:07:40.660 Why could Nicodemus not ignore Jesus? 00:07:41.600 --> 00:07:42.620 One word. 00:07:43.620 --> 00:07:44.220 Signs. 00:07:44.500 --> 00:07:47.860 That's the word for miracles in the Gospel of John. 00:07:47.860 --> 00:07:55.600 You see, Nicodemus had come to something for him, which was an inescapable conclusion. 00:07:56.660 --> 00:08:03.900 That was, if this man performed miracles, therefore this man must be from God. 00:08:04.280 --> 00:08:08.120 And if this man is from God, therefore what he says must be true. 00:08:08.540 --> 00:08:11.020 And therefore, I must listen to what he has to say. 00:08:13.900 --> 00:08:16.840 Nicodemus realized, here is not a man that I can ignore. 00:08:16.839 --> 00:08:19.039 You know something? 00:08:20.379 --> 00:08:23.359 Jesus is not a man that you and I can ignore either. 00:08:24.739 --> 00:08:25.939 You know, here's the point. 00:08:26.639 --> 00:08:28.759 If Jesus healed the sick. 00:08:29.319 --> 00:08:31.279 If Jesus gave sight to the blind. 00:08:31.659 --> 00:08:33.480 If Jesus caused the deaf to hear. 00:08:33.839 --> 00:08:35.019 If he cleansed the leper. 00:08:35.379 --> 00:08:36.620 If he calmed the storm. 00:08:37.079 --> 00:08:39.179 If Jesus raised the dead. 00:08:39.259 --> 00:08:40.339 If he did these things. 00:08:40.539 --> 00:08:41.159 And he did. 00:08:41.159 --> 00:08:45.360 But, you and I cannot ignore Jesus either. 00:08:45.360 --> 00:08:46.539 If Jesus had to say. 00:08:46.539 --> 00:08:49.360 We must listen to what Jesus has to say. 00:08:49.620 --> 00:08:53.500 And we must listen to what Jesus had to say to this man. 00:08:53.500 --> 00:08:58.179 So why did he come to Jesus? 00:08:58.360 --> 00:09:01.100 Because Jesus, number one, was a man that could not be ignored. 00:09:01.539 --> 00:09:04.879 But I believe he came to Jesus because he had a question. 00:09:05.639 --> 00:09:08.059 What was the question that Nicodemus had for Jesus? 00:09:08.440 --> 00:09:09.639 Do you read it here in the chapter? 00:09:10.620 --> 00:09:12.340 No, it's not here. 00:09:12.740 --> 00:09:14.700 Jesus does a very interesting thing here. 00:09:15.259 --> 00:09:20.360 He begins to answer what I believe was a question on Nicodemus' heart 00:09:20.360 --> 00:09:22.659 before Nicodemus asked it. 00:09:23.500 --> 00:09:24.919 Jesus knew why he'd come. 00:09:25.219 --> 00:09:26.419 He knew what was on his heart. 00:09:26.679 --> 00:09:28.639 He knew what he wanted to inquire about. 00:09:29.139 --> 00:09:32.600 So if we look at Jesus' answer to Nicodemus, 00:09:33.379 --> 00:09:36.919 we can figure out what was his question, why he came to Jesus. 00:09:37.819 --> 00:09:41.579 What did Jesus start talking about when Nicodemus came to him? 00:09:41.579 --> 00:09:48.919 He started talking about, in verse 3, how a person sees God's kingdom. 00:09:48.919 --> 00:09:54.019 In verse 5, he started talking about how a person enters God's kingdom. 00:09:54.379 --> 00:09:56.639 So what was Nicodemus' question about? 00:09:56.759 --> 00:09:57.559 What was on his heart? 00:09:57.779 --> 00:09:58.860 The kingdom of God. 00:09:59.439 --> 00:10:01.699 And how you get into the kingdom of God. 00:10:02.259 --> 00:10:03.639 We're saying it in a different way. 00:10:03.639 --> 00:10:06.919 How does a person become a Christian? 00:10:08.199 --> 00:10:10.259 And how did Jesus answer that question? 00:10:11.080 --> 00:10:12.360 Look in verse 3 again. 00:10:12.480 --> 00:10:13.279 Jesus answered it. 00:10:13.519 --> 00:10:17.319 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, 00:10:18.199 --> 00:10:19.740 he cannot see the kingdom of God. 00:10:20.100 --> 00:10:20.600 Verse 7. 00:10:21.399 --> 00:10:25.460 Do not marvel that I said to you, you must be born again. 00:10:25.460 --> 00:10:30.800 Jesus said, you need to be born again. 00:10:32.420 --> 00:10:38.220 You know, this is something I think that was very surprising to Nicodemus. 00:10:38.740 --> 00:10:41.440 This is something that was puzzling to him. 00:10:41.820 --> 00:10:44.600 This was not what Nicodemus was expecting. 00:10:45.320 --> 00:10:47.960 What would Nicodemus expect Jesus to say? 00:10:48.300 --> 00:10:49.639 How do you get into God's kingdom? 00:10:49.980 --> 00:10:51.000 Well, you keep the rules. 00:10:51.879 --> 00:10:53.379 How do you get into God's kingdom? 00:10:53.879 --> 00:10:55.440 You just be a good person. 00:10:56.259 --> 00:10:57.620 You do the right things. 00:10:57.720 --> 00:10:58.540 You keep the law. 00:10:58.820 --> 00:11:00.340 And this will get you into God's kingdom. 00:11:00.600 --> 00:11:01.920 But that's not what Jesus said. 00:11:02.180 --> 00:11:07.400 What Jesus said here destroyed Nicodemus' false concept. 00:11:09.780 --> 00:11:15.139 What Jesus said here, you can get into God's kingdom by something. 00:11:15.139 --> 00:11:19.920 You get into God's kingdom by something that is done to you. 00:11:20.460 --> 00:11:21.400 A birth. 00:11:21.399 --> 00:11:25.199 You get into God's kingdom by something that is done to you. 00:11:25.620 --> 00:11:29.379 A radical new beginning called the new birth. 00:11:30.899 --> 00:11:37.659 Now, why did Jesus talk about salvation in these terms to this man? 00:11:37.659 --> 00:11:43.139 It was to destroy Nicodemus' false thinking about how you get into God's kingdom. 00:11:43.139 --> 00:11:45.879 It's not about what you do. 00:11:47.219 --> 00:11:52.719 Nicodemus being Jewish is not enough. 00:11:52.720 --> 00:11:57.980 Nicodemus being religious is not enough. 00:11:58.980 --> 00:12:02.440 Nicodemus being good is not enough. 00:12:03.399 --> 00:12:06.340 Nicodemus keeping the rules is not enough. 00:12:07.100 --> 00:12:12.160 Nicodemus knowing things about the Bible is not enough. 00:12:12.159 --> 00:12:20.100 Nicodemus, all that you are and all that you've done is not enough to get you into God's kingdom. 00:12:21.179 --> 00:12:24.000 And I believe that's why Jesus called it this way. 00:12:24.519 --> 00:12:26.759 He said, Nicodemus, you need something else. 00:12:27.600 --> 00:12:28.919 You need another birth. 00:12:29.519 --> 00:12:30.919 You need a second birth. 00:12:31.319 --> 00:12:33.899 You need to be born again. 00:12:35.439 --> 00:12:37.120 So it's important for us. 00:12:38.059 --> 00:12:41.120 What does it mean to be born again? 00:12:41.120 --> 00:12:43.299 This is an important question. 00:12:46.500 --> 00:12:52.159 If this is the only way to get into God's kingdom, you and I need to know what it means. 00:12:53.220 --> 00:12:59.379 What Jesus is saying here, if you're born again, you are in God's kingdom. 00:13:00.799 --> 00:13:05.299 But if you're not born again, you're not in God's kingdom. 00:13:05.919 --> 00:13:07.460 And you are not on the way to heaven. 00:13:07.580 --> 00:13:08.840 So what does it mean to be born again? 00:13:08.840 --> 00:13:12.040 Let me point out three things about what it means to be born again. 00:13:12.519 --> 00:13:17.720 First of all, this birth is, and it's obvious here, this birth is again. 00:13:18.660 --> 00:13:20.500 It is a second birth. 00:13:21.160 --> 00:13:23.920 It could be translated a new birth. 00:13:24.580 --> 00:13:30.980 If you're going to enter into God's kingdom, you need a beginning that is as radical as your first birth. 00:13:30.980 --> 00:13:35.220 Secondly, this birth is a heavenly birth. 00:13:35.820 --> 00:13:41.039 To be born again could be translated, the Greek could be translated, to be born from above. 00:13:41.700 --> 00:13:45.240 In other words, Jesus could be saying here, you need to be born from above. 00:13:45.500 --> 00:13:46.899 You need a heavenly birth. 00:13:48.279 --> 00:13:54.519 Your first birth gave you earthly life, but you need a birth that is going to give you heavenly life, 00:13:54.639 --> 00:13:58.100 that is going to put the life of heaven in you. 00:13:58.100 --> 00:14:05.420 You know, it's interesting in the Bible, the only way that you get into a kingdom is to be born into it. 00:14:06.600 --> 00:14:09.080 How do you become part of the kingdom of this world? 00:14:10.080 --> 00:14:12.639 You have to be born the first time. 00:14:13.800 --> 00:14:18.800 But if you're going to get into another kingdom, the kingdom of heaven, the kingdom of God, 00:14:19.060 --> 00:14:24.560 that kingdom also must be entered by a birth, the new birth. 00:14:24.559 --> 00:14:30.539 The third thing I want to tell you about the new birth is it is a spiritual birth. 00:14:31.259 --> 00:14:34.319 What is the agent of this birth? 00:14:34.839 --> 00:14:37.500 What causes this birth? 00:14:38.079 --> 00:14:42.839 Notice three times in this passage, there's a reference to the agent, 00:14:43.199 --> 00:14:46.299 the one who causes this birth in the heart of a person. 00:14:46.679 --> 00:14:47.199 Verse five. 00:14:47.200 --> 00:14:53.320 Truly, truly, I say unto you, unless one is born of water and the spirit, 00:14:53.879 --> 00:14:55.400 he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 00:14:55.720 --> 00:14:56.240 Verse six. 00:14:56.500 --> 00:15:02.259 That which is born of flesh is flesh, and that which is born of spirit is spirit. 00:15:02.420 --> 00:15:02.920 Verse eight. 00:15:03.259 --> 00:15:06.480 So is everyone who is born of the spirit. 00:15:06.960 --> 00:15:12.340 This birth is caused by the Holy Spirit. 00:15:12.340 --> 00:15:16.920 The third person of the Trinity. 00:15:17.800 --> 00:15:22.420 The one who is God and the one yet who is distinct from the father and the son. 00:15:24.300 --> 00:15:27.100 Let me show you something else interesting here in verse five. 00:15:28.580 --> 00:15:34.620 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the spirit, 00:15:34.780 --> 00:15:36.879 he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 00:15:36.879 --> 00:15:41.919 What does he mean by being born of water? 00:15:42.679 --> 00:15:48.240 What does water have to do with the experience of being born again? 00:15:49.559 --> 00:15:51.320 Is this a reference to baptism? 00:15:52.840 --> 00:15:54.200 I think that's unlikely. 00:15:54.419 --> 00:15:57.320 At this time, there was no such thing as Christian baptism. 00:15:58.120 --> 00:16:01.019 Some people have said, well, this is a reference to natural birth, 00:16:01.100 --> 00:16:03.899 because part of natural birth is water. 00:16:03.899 --> 00:16:06.919 And so Jesus would then be saying to get into God's kingdom, 00:16:07.059 --> 00:16:10.279 you need to be born first physically, then spiritually. 00:16:10.860 --> 00:16:13.959 But I don't think that's really what this is aiming at here. 00:16:14.039 --> 00:16:17.120 What does he mean to be born by water and the spirit? 00:16:17.799 --> 00:16:18.819 You know, it's very interesting. 00:16:18.980 --> 00:16:23.740 In the Old Testament, there's a symbol for the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament. 00:16:24.819 --> 00:16:25.980 And it is water. 00:16:27.100 --> 00:16:31.120 And I think what Jesus is doing here, he's saying born of water, 00:16:31.120 --> 00:16:36.440 because Nicodemus is a student of the Old Testament. 00:16:37.120 --> 00:16:38.759 And he knows the Old Testament. 00:16:39.320 --> 00:16:46.360 And I think he knows that this would take his mind back to a very, very famous passage in the Old Testament. 00:16:47.899 --> 00:16:52.360 This is Ezekiel chapter 36, verses 25 and 27. 00:16:52.860 --> 00:16:58.960 And it's interesting what we find in the Old Testament is a description of being born again. 00:16:58.960 --> 00:17:04.039 What Jesus is saying to Nicodemus is this is not something new. 00:17:04.700 --> 00:17:07.559 This is something that was prophesied in the Old Testament. 00:17:08.039 --> 00:17:11.620 And notice how being born again is described in the Old Testament. 00:17:12.019 --> 00:17:15.940 Let me read to you Ezekiel 36, 25 and 27. 00:17:16.940 --> 00:17:18.799 I will sprinkle clean water on you, 00:17:19.019 --> 00:17:22.500 and you will be clean from all your uncleanness and from all your idols. 00:17:22.799 --> 00:17:23.779 I will cleanse you. 00:17:24.140 --> 00:17:26.660 I will give you a new heart and a new spirit. 00:17:26.860 --> 00:17:28.160 I will put within you. 00:17:28.160 --> 00:17:32.519 I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 00:17:32.900 --> 00:17:36.440 I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes. 00:17:37.140 --> 00:17:37.779 You see, it's interesting. 00:17:38.060 --> 00:17:40.940 We have the same three things in both passages, 00:17:41.160 --> 00:17:44.920 both in John chapter 3 and Ezekiel chapter 36. 00:17:45.120 --> 00:17:46.060 We have water. 00:17:46.900 --> 00:17:48.500 I will sprinkle clean water. 00:17:48.680 --> 00:17:49.700 We have the spirit. 00:17:49.840 --> 00:17:51.200 I will put my spirit within you. 00:17:51.460 --> 00:17:54.100 We have a new birth and I will give you a new heart. 00:17:54.840 --> 00:17:55.800 Two passages. 00:17:55.799 --> 00:17:58.319 Same thing. 00:17:58.779 --> 00:18:00.500 This experience of being born again. 00:18:00.720 --> 00:18:03.200 It's by the Holy Spirit. 00:18:05.200 --> 00:18:10.079 You know, water is the Old Testament image of the Holy Spirit. 00:18:10.619 --> 00:18:13.639 Did you know there's another image of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament? 00:18:13.640 --> 00:18:15.960 And it's wind. 00:18:16.960 --> 00:18:23.700 And what is so interesting is it right here in John chapter 3, Jesus talks about wind too. 00:18:23.800 --> 00:18:24.440 Look at verse 8. 00:18:24.720 --> 00:18:30.660 The wind blows where it wishes and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. 00:18:31.200 --> 00:18:33.920 So it is with everyone who is born of the spirit. 00:18:33.920 --> 00:18:43.279 When Jesus says that this spiritual birth is by the wind, the Holy Spirit is like the wind, what is he saying about being born again? 00:18:43.800 --> 00:18:45.279 He's saying it's something mysterious. 00:18:45.779 --> 00:18:47.000 It's something unpredictable. 00:18:47.340 --> 00:18:48.680 It's something uncontrollable. 00:18:49.779 --> 00:18:50.900 Let me ask you a question. 00:18:51.759 --> 00:18:55.660 Can you make someone a Christian? 00:18:55.660 --> 00:19:00.160 Can you control the Holy Spirit? 00:19:01.120 --> 00:19:02.220 No, you cannot. 00:19:03.180 --> 00:19:04.400 Can you control the wind? 00:19:04.500 --> 00:19:05.240 Of course not. 00:19:07.240 --> 00:19:10.580 Can you make yourself a Christian? 00:19:10.720 --> 00:19:11.779 Can a person do that? 00:19:12.720 --> 00:19:15.000 Well, you say all I have to do is repent and believe. 00:19:15.000 --> 00:19:22.319 But can you really do that on your own, by yourself? 00:19:23.339 --> 00:19:24.720 And the answer is no. 00:19:25.799 --> 00:19:26.759 These are familiar words. 00:19:26.859 --> 00:19:28.220 This is Ephesians chapter 2. 00:19:28.400 --> 00:19:31.440 How does Paul talk to the Ephesian Christians? 00:19:31.559 --> 00:19:34.559 He talks to them about what they were like pre-conversion. 00:19:34.799 --> 00:19:37.019 This is Ephesians chapter 2, verse 5. 00:19:37.559 --> 00:19:41.940 You were dead, but now you've been made alive. 00:19:41.940 --> 00:19:45.220 Verse 6, you have been raised up. 00:19:45.539 --> 00:19:53.680 What Paul is saying is that becoming a Christian is like a resurrection from the dead. 00:19:55.240 --> 00:19:59.019 The point is this, that new birth is not something that you do. 00:19:59.140 --> 00:20:01.100 It is something that God does. 00:20:01.160 --> 00:20:03.680 It is something that God does to you. 00:20:03.880 --> 00:20:07.759 In the new birth, we are passive. 00:20:08.980 --> 00:20:10.440 You say, no, I did do something. 00:20:10.440 --> 00:20:12.559 I repented, I believed, I trusted in Jesus. 00:20:13.200 --> 00:20:14.100 You know, that's all true. 00:20:14.440 --> 00:20:18.259 But the question is this, why did you do it? 00:20:19.140 --> 00:20:26.640 You did those things because God did something first. 00:20:27.440 --> 00:20:33.519 He caused the wind of the Holy Spirit to blow upon your heart. 00:20:33.519 --> 00:20:40.099 And He caused the water of the Holy Spirit to be poured out upon your heart. 00:20:40.859 --> 00:20:43.220 And now you have a new heart. 00:20:43.700 --> 00:20:45.440 And now you can repent and believe. 00:20:47.720 --> 00:20:52.619 Notice in verse 3, the order of these events is very important. 00:20:54.339 --> 00:20:55.420 Listen to verse 3 again. 00:20:55.420 --> 00:21:01.700 Truly, truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 00:21:01.920 --> 00:21:02.820 You see the order here? 00:21:03.039 --> 00:21:03.860 What comes first? 00:21:03.980 --> 00:21:05.480 Being born again. 00:21:05.640 --> 00:21:10.180 And then seeing and understanding God's kingdom. 00:21:10.840 --> 00:21:15.080 Until you're born again, until the Holy Spirit does this to you, you don't see God's kingdom. 00:21:15.420 --> 00:21:17.420 You don't understand that you're a sinner. 00:21:17.900 --> 00:21:20.060 And you don't understand that you need Christ. 00:21:20.279 --> 00:21:21.740 You don't understand His work. 00:21:21.740 --> 00:21:28.359 It's only after He gives you a new heart and gives you understanding, you see your need for Christ. 00:21:28.620 --> 00:21:30.599 And you repent and you believe. 00:21:30.880 --> 00:21:38.539 To sum it all up, in salvation, God does it all. 00:21:39.960 --> 00:21:41.120 So why is this important? 00:21:41.900 --> 00:21:44.519 I mean, is this important for the way we live as Christians? 00:21:45.259 --> 00:21:48.079 I believe this is very important for how we live. 00:21:48.079 --> 00:21:50.940 Some people would say, well, this is just theology. 00:21:50.940 --> 00:21:53.680 It doesn't really have any application in our lives. 00:21:54.340 --> 00:21:55.180 Wrong, wrong. 00:21:55.460 --> 00:22:01.920 Let me give you a few reasons why this is so important that we see in salvation that God does it all. 00:22:02.220 --> 00:22:09.740 Number one, to believe that God does it all gives God all the glory in salvation. 00:22:10.860 --> 00:22:11.779 You know what we want to say? 00:22:11.840 --> 00:22:14.320 We want to say, well, God, you did most of it. 00:22:14.880 --> 00:22:15.620 You sent Jesus. 00:22:15.799 --> 00:22:16.759 He died for my sin. 00:22:17.400 --> 00:22:18.460 God, you did most of it. 00:22:18.460 --> 00:22:20.819 But, you know, I did some of it. 00:22:21.460 --> 00:22:22.180 I repented. 00:22:22.840 --> 00:22:23.380 I believe. 00:22:23.500 --> 00:22:24.480 You know, it was a joint effort. 00:22:24.600 --> 00:22:25.319 You did most of it. 00:22:25.360 --> 00:22:26.120 I did a little of it. 00:22:26.299 --> 00:22:29.360 You get most of the glory, but I get a little of the glory. 00:22:30.680 --> 00:22:31.000 Wrong. 00:22:31.240 --> 00:22:36.579 If God has done it all, God gets all the glory. 00:22:36.579 --> 00:22:47.819 You know, if you're a Christian, the only thing you can do is look up into the face of God and say, God, you have done it all. 00:22:49.099 --> 00:22:50.419 You get all the glory. 00:22:50.420 --> 00:22:52.039 Second thing. 00:22:52.400 --> 00:22:54.380 Second reason I believe this is important. 00:22:54.840 --> 00:22:56.600 This makes us humble before God. 00:22:57.519 --> 00:22:59.759 I want to tell you what my sinful heart is like. 00:23:00.960 --> 00:23:02.100 It is proud. 00:23:02.920 --> 00:23:08.120 I love to think to find things that I think that I've done that I can boast in. 00:23:09.180 --> 00:23:10.380 But you see what this does? 00:23:11.040 --> 00:23:16.380 If God has done it all, this destroys my pride. 00:23:17.540 --> 00:23:19.240 My pride and achievement. 00:23:19.940 --> 00:23:22.100 Oh, I want to boast in what I've done. 00:23:22.540 --> 00:23:28.860 You know, I want to feel like I have made myself worthy for God to love me and forgive me and take me to heaven. 00:23:29.500 --> 00:23:30.020 But no. 00:23:31.120 --> 00:23:32.340 God has done it all. 00:23:32.680 --> 00:23:33.820 It destroys my pride. 00:23:33.819 --> 00:23:35.279 Third thing I want us to see. 00:23:35.720 --> 00:23:37.759 This makes us humble toward other people. 00:23:40.139 --> 00:23:44.039 You know, we like to look at other people, particularly non-Christians. 00:23:44.639 --> 00:23:47.659 And we like to feel superior to them. 00:23:49.039 --> 00:23:53.319 You know, I want to feel I'm better than people who are not Christians. 00:23:54.200 --> 00:23:59.079 You know, I want to feel, well, if they were as smart as me, they'd be a Christian. 00:23:59.480 --> 00:24:01.599 If they were as good as me, they would be a Christian. 00:24:01.599 --> 00:24:05.159 As if it was something in me that made me a Christian. 00:24:07.279 --> 00:24:11.459 You know, once we realize we are Christians only because of what Jesus has done. 00:24:11.459 --> 00:24:14.419 Once we realize it's because God has done it all. 00:24:15.399 --> 00:24:20.819 We cannot feel superior to anyone on the face of the earth. 00:24:21.039 --> 00:24:26.939 If there's any difference in us morally and anybody else out there, even non-Christians. 00:24:26.940 --> 00:24:32.180 The only reason for that is the grace of God. 00:24:33.440 --> 00:24:35.420 Because if you're a Christian, God has done it all. 00:24:37.519 --> 00:24:42.100 Here's another reason why it's important that we believe God has done it all in salvation. 00:24:42.460 --> 00:24:45.080 This gives us hope for everyone. 00:24:46.380 --> 00:24:48.880 You know, I used to play this little mental game. 00:24:48.880 --> 00:24:54.660 I used to look at my friends who were not Christians and I would divide them into two categories. 00:24:55.460 --> 00:24:59.940 One category is people that I thought were likely to become Christians. 00:25:00.740 --> 00:25:02.140 And there was another category. 00:25:02.680 --> 00:25:05.680 People that I thought would never, ever become Christians. 00:25:07.100 --> 00:25:08.200 Their heart's too hard. 00:25:08.860 --> 00:25:09.820 They're not interested. 00:25:10.760 --> 00:25:12.200 Their heart is so hard. 00:25:12.200 --> 00:25:17.480 But in the new birth, what happens? 00:25:18.000 --> 00:25:21.860 Ezekiel 36, and this is God's speciality. 00:25:22.559 --> 00:25:26.580 It is to take a hard heart and to make it a heart of stone. 00:25:26.880 --> 00:25:30.580 If you're a Christian and your heart is not hard to God, why is that? 00:25:31.039 --> 00:25:38.480 It's because God, by His Holy Spirit, made a hard heart, a heart of stone, into a heart of flesh. 00:25:38.480 --> 00:25:43.079 So the point is, if God does it all in salvation, this gives us hope for everyone. 00:25:44.019 --> 00:25:45.160 And what else does this do? 00:25:45.400 --> 00:25:48.640 This gives us encouragement to pray for everyone. 00:25:49.680 --> 00:25:56.279 No matter how unlikely it might seem to us from our human perspective that they would become Christians. 00:25:56.819 --> 00:25:59.640 This gives us hope in evangelism. 00:26:00.120 --> 00:26:01.599 Confidence in evangelism. 00:26:02.079 --> 00:26:06.779 When we present the gospel to someone, it's not up to us to make them a Christian. 00:26:06.779 --> 00:26:10.259 And it's not up to us to ultimately convince them to be a Christian. 00:26:11.319 --> 00:26:16.500 Our hope and prayer is that we, as we share the gospel with people, God will work this miracle. 00:26:17.220 --> 00:26:21.839 He'll pour in His Holy Spirit and work this miracle of the new birth. 00:26:23.079 --> 00:26:24.859 Now let me say just one last thing here. 00:26:26.599 --> 00:26:30.180 If you're not a Christian, you may be saying, 00:26:30.180 --> 00:26:35.580 If God does it all in salvation, then there's nothing I can do. 00:26:36.440 --> 00:26:37.600 I just have to sit back. 00:26:37.680 --> 00:26:39.180 There's nothing I can possibly do. 00:26:39.539 --> 00:26:41.440 Because I cannot make myself a Christian. 00:26:42.860 --> 00:26:44.340 Is that the way to view things? 00:26:45.560 --> 00:26:46.600 Not at all. 00:26:47.259 --> 00:26:48.720 What does the Bible say? 00:26:48.720 --> 00:26:55.200 The appeal of the Bible, the invitation of the Bible, the command of the Bible to all people, 00:26:55.900 --> 00:26:58.640 to people who do not know the Lord, is come. 00:26:58.740 --> 00:26:59.620 What did Jesus say? 00:26:59.920 --> 00:27:01.039 Matthew 11, 28. 00:27:01.360 --> 00:27:03.380 Come unto me, all you that are heavy laden. 00:27:03.640 --> 00:27:04.759 I will give you rest. 00:27:05.460 --> 00:27:08.860 The command of the Bible, the invitation of the Bible, the appeal of the Bible, 00:27:08.980 --> 00:27:11.500 to all people is to seek the Lord. 00:27:11.500 --> 00:27:13.420 This is Isaiah 55, 6. 00:27:13.859 --> 00:27:15.779 Seek the Lord while he may be found. 00:27:16.319 --> 00:27:18.619 Call upon him while he is here, near. 00:27:19.839 --> 00:27:23.799 Also, the appeal of the Bible, the invitation of the Bible, the command of the Bible, 00:27:24.019 --> 00:27:26.140 is to call on the Lord. 00:27:26.920 --> 00:27:29.720 Both Joel and Paul said, 00:27:30.099 --> 00:27:34.480 Everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved. 00:27:35.200 --> 00:27:37.559 It's true, we cannot make ourselves a Christian. 00:27:37.559 --> 00:27:41.299 But if you're not a Christian, the Bible commands you, 00:27:42.359 --> 00:27:43.319 seek the Lord. 00:27:44.079 --> 00:27:45.379 Call upon the Lord. 00:27:46.079 --> 00:27:46.919 Come to the Lord. 00:27:47.299 --> 00:27:47.839 And you know what? 00:27:48.139 --> 00:27:49.480 Come to him with this attitude. 00:27:49.940 --> 00:27:51.720 Come to him and acknowledge the fact, 00:27:53.019 --> 00:27:54.659 I cannot make myself a Christian. 00:27:56.399 --> 00:27:57.519 You must do it. 00:27:58.460 --> 00:27:59.700 Come to him with this attitude. 00:28:00.159 --> 00:28:05.419 I need you to do for me what I cannot do for myself. 00:28:05.779 --> 00:28:07.419 You give me a new heart. 00:28:07.940 --> 00:28:09.839 You pour out your Holy Spirit upon me. 00:28:10.119 --> 00:28:11.599 You soften my hard heart. 00:28:11.919 --> 00:28:13.159 You give me the gift of faith. 00:28:13.480 --> 00:28:14.859 You give me the gift of repentance. 00:28:16.700 --> 00:28:18.399 And if someone who is not a Christian 00:28:18.399 --> 00:28:20.940 comes to God this way, 00:28:22.559 --> 00:28:23.639 God will do that. 00:28:24.859 --> 00:28:25.599 Let's bow in prayer. 00:28:25.599 --> 00:28:25.659 Let's bow in prayer.