WEBVTT

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 Please stand for the reading of the gospel.

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 This morning's gospel reading comes from John chapter 3, verses 1 through 21.

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 This is the holy gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, according to Saint John.

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 Glory to you, Lord Christ.

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 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.

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 And this man came to Jesus by night and said to him,

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 Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher from God,

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 for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.

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 Jesus answered him, Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again,

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 he cannot see the kingdom of God.

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 Nicodemus said to him, How can a man be born when he is old?

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 Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?

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 Jesus answered, Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit,

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 he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

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 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

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 Do not marvel that I said to you, You must be born again.

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 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound,

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 but you don't know where it comes from or where it goes.

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 So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.

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 Nicodemus said to him, How can these things be?

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 Jesus answered him, Are you the teacher of Israel,

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 and yet you do not understand these things?

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 Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know

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 and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony.

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 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe,

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 how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things?

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 No one has ascended into heaven except he who ascended from heaven, the Son of Man.

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 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness,

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 so must the Son of Man be lifted up,

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 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

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 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son

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 that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

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 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,

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 but in order that the world might be saved through him.

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 Whoever believes in him is not condemned,

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 but whoever does not believe is condemned already

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 because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

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 And this is the judgment.

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 The light has come into the world,

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 and people loved darkness rather than the light

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 because their works were evil.

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 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light

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 and does not come to the light,

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 lest his work should be exposed.

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 But whoever does what is true comes to the light,

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 so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.

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 This is the gospel of the Lord.

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 Praise to you, Lord Christ.

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 You can be seated.

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 C.S. Lewis was a professor of ancient medieval literature

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 at Oxford and Cambridge between the 1920s and 1960s,

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 and he grew up in a home that attended church.

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 But as he grew older and as he entered into his teenage years,

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 he gradually fell away from his faith.

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 And by the time he was finally an adult,

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 he was a decided atheist.

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 And in his biography, Surprised by Joy,

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 Lewis describes his journey of conversion

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 from being an atheist to becoming a Christian.

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 And for him, it was a highly intellectual experience.

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 It involved a very slow transition over a gradual many years.

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 It was a transition from a belief in atheism

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 to then a belief in moral absolutes,

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 to believing in God,

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 to finally being a follower of Christ.

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 But this was a transition that took many years.

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 It involved reading many thinkers and philosophers

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 like G.K. Chesterton and novelists like George MacDonald.

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 It also involved years of friendship and conversations

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 with people like Hugo Dyson and Owen Barfield

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 and J.R. Tolkien, who wrote The Lord of the Rings.

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 But it also involved lots of reluctance and opposition on Lewis' part.

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 Towards the end of the book,

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 he describes himself as the most reluctant convert

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 in all of England.

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 And for Lewis, the time when he actually realized

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 that he was a Christian wasn't all that extraordinary or dramatic.

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 It was actually on a drive one day

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 with some friends from the town of Oxford

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 to a zoo in a small village just north of London

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 called Whipsnade.

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 And here's how he describes this moment.

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 He says,

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 I know very well when,

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 but hardly how the final step was taken.

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 I was driven to Whipsnade one sunny morning,

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 and when we set out,

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 I did not believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

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 But when we reached the zoo, I did.

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 Yet I had not exactly spent the journey in thought,

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 nor in great emotion.

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 Emotional is perhaps the last word we can apply

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 to some of the most important events.

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 It was more like when a man,

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 after a long sleep,

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 still lying motionless in bed,

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 becomes aware that he is now awake.

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 Our passage this morning in John chapter 3

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 is a conversation that Jesus has

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 with a man named Nicodemus about conversion,

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 about the new birth,

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 and how somebody becomes a follower of Jesus.

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 And right off the bat,

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 I think I have to acknowledge

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 that in a place like Washington, D.C.,

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 it's hard to even mention words like conversion

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 or the new birth

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 without making some people cringe,

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 without making some of us cringe.

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 These are cringe-worthy words in our modern culture.

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 In our modern culture,

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 talking about the new birth,

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 talking about conversion,

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 can make us cringe for a lot of reasons.

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 For some of us,

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 even the idea of trying to convert someone

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 to another faith or religion

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 seems intolerant and morally regressive.

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 For others of us,

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 the term born-again Christian

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 is conflated with politics

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 or particular political persuasion.

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 And for others of us,

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 it recalls bad experiences

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 that we've had in our past,

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 maybe in the church.

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 There's a lot of negative associations

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 that arise from

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 talking about conversion and the new birth

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 and about what Scripture teaches.

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 And so that's why

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 what I'd like to do this morning

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 as we look at John chapter 3

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 is to actually address

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 some of those misconceptions.

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 We're not going to address all of them,

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 but we'll address three.

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 We're going to look at three misconceptions

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 about conversion and the new birth

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 and look at how our passage

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 informs and speaks to those misconceptions.

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 So three misconceptions about the new birth

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 and what our passage has to say about it.

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 So here's the first one.

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 The first one,

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 one I think misconception

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 that a lot of people have

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 about conversion and the new birth

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 is that it basically involves

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 somebody getting more religion.

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 Oftentimes people use that

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 when referring to someone else

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 who has maybe said

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 that they have had a conversion experience,

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 that they've gotten religion.

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 And often what people mean

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 when they say that

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 is that that person has

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 maybe gotten more serious about morality.

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 They've added more rules to their life.

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 They've gotten more serious

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 about going to church.

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 Another way of thinking about it

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 is that they've added the app of religion

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 onto the home screen of their life.

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 That in all of the different things

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 and parts of their life,

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 it's another app that they've added

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 to their well-curated individualistic life.

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 But is that what the new birth

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 and conversion are?

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 Is it just adding,

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 is it just getting more serious about the rules?

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 Is it just adding another app to your life?

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 Well, let's look at our text.

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 In verse one,

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 we are told that Nicodemus was a Pharisee.

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 Pharisees were a group of religious Jewish teachers

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 who emphasized careful interpretation

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 and observance of the Torah, the law.

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 And they believed that

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 through their particular careful way

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 of observing the law and applying it,

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 that this would be part of the way

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 that the Messiah would come

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 and restore his kingdom.

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 So Nicodemus was a man with great biblical knowledge

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 and a desire to keep God's commands

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 and to apply it strictly in his life

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 and the lives of other people.

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 And verse two tells us

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 that he came to Jesus by night.

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 Now, we're not told specifically why in the text,

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 why it is that he comes at night,

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 but we can do some godly speculation.

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 It's likely that he came at night

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 because he wanted to come and talk to Jesus in secret

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 so that he wouldn't be seen in public

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 in fear that others or other Pharisees

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 or members of the Sanhedrin would find out

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 and that he would lose his reputation.

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 To be seen with Jesus publicly during the day

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 might ruin his standing

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 in the community among the Pharisees.

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 So he comes to Jesus at night and he says to him,

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 Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher

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 who has come from God,

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 for no one can do these signs that you do

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 unless God is with him.

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 Now, on first glance,

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 this actually sounds like a compliment.

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 It sounds like he's acknowledging something

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 that's true about Jesus.

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 And I probably would have expected Jesus

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 to affirm what Nicodemus says here.

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 You're right, Nicodemus.

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 Finally, one of you actually believes me.

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 But he doesn't do that.

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 He actually turns the conversation

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 and he does it by, I think,

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 looking into the heart of Nicodemus

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 and seeing what it is that he's really saying.

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 He looks into Nicodemus' heart

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 and he looks past all of his desire

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 to keep the law and the Torah.

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 He looks past all of his religious credentials

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 and motivations.

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 And he sees, on one hand,

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 a genuine desire to follow the law

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 and keep God's commands.

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 But I think he also sees a desire

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 to just add Jesus as another app

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 into his already preexisting religious system.

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 He says to a man with great knowledge of the Bible,

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 with a great desire to follow the law,

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 who even acknowledges that Jesus is from God,

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 all of that is not enough to see the kingdom

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 and enter the kingdom.

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 You need something else.

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 You need something else

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 that being a good, moral, religious person

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 can't give you.

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 You need new life.

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 You need to be born again.

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 And in verse 4, Nicodemus asks what I think

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 is a totally fair question.

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 He says, well, how can this be?

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 How can somebody enter a second time

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 into their mother's womb?

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 I mean, how in the world is that possible

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 for somebody to be born again?

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 And Jesus responds, I'm not talking about

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 another physical birth,

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 but I'm talking about another spiritual birth.

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 He says, unless one is born of water and the spirit,

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 he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

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 Water and the spirit.

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 Water here is a reference to baptism.

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 Baptism is a sign.

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 It's a sacrament.

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 It's a picture of what the Holy Spirit does

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 in the new birth.

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 In the new birth,

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 the Holy Spirit gives us a new nature

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 that imparts to us new spiritual life.

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 In the new birth,

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 the Holy Spirit gives us a new nature

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 that imparts to us new spiritual life.

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 The theological word for this

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 is called regeneration.

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 Regeneration.

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 Through regeneration,

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 the Holy Spirit indwells us,

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 takes up residence inside of us,

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 and transforms our hearts

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 in a way that transforms the rest of us,

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 that every aspect of our mind

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 and our emotions and our will and our bodies,

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 that it gives us new desires.

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 It gives us a new love for God,

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 a new love for his word,

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 a new love for other people,

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 and it gives us new power.

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 The ability, new power to follow God

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 and obey him,

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 it's the transformation of our desires,

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 it's the transformation of our hearts

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 and our nature.

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 And so this is where we see

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 that the new birth and conversion

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 aren't about getting more religion.

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 It's not about getting more religion,

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 but it's actually about receiving a new nature.

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 It's about receiving a new nature.

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 And twice in this passage,

00:12:41.240 --> 00:12:42.879
 Jesus tells Nicodemus

00:12:42.879 --> 00:12:45.180
 that he actually should not have been

00:12:45.180 --> 00:12:46.799
 surprised by this.

00:12:47.779 --> 00:12:48.200
 He says,

00:12:48.399 --> 00:12:51.019
 don't marvel that I am saying this to you.

00:12:51.440 --> 00:12:53.019
 Nicodemus, being the biblical scholar

00:12:53.019 --> 00:12:54.279
 and teacher that he was,

00:12:54.820 --> 00:12:55.840
 should have remembered,

00:12:56.639 --> 00:12:57.560
 should have called to mind

00:12:57.560 --> 00:12:59.480
 the words of the prophet Ezekiel

00:12:59.480 --> 00:13:00.919
 in Ezekiel chapter 36.

00:13:01.740 --> 00:13:03.080
 This was an Old Testament passage

00:13:03.080 --> 00:13:06.159
 about how God would literally put his spirit

00:13:06.159 --> 00:13:07.519
 in the hearts of his people.

00:13:08.299 --> 00:13:09.620
 Ezekiel chapter 36 says,

00:13:09.620 --> 00:13:11.679
 I will sprinkle clean water on you,

00:13:11.799 --> 00:13:14.200
 which is again this reference to baptism.

00:13:15.440 --> 00:13:16.360
 And you shall be clean

00:13:16.360 --> 00:13:17.779
 from all your uncleanness

00:13:17.779 --> 00:13:19.940
 and from all your idols I will cleanse you.

00:13:20.759 --> 00:13:22.060
 And I will give you a new heart

00:13:22.060 --> 00:13:24.120
 and a new spirit I will put within you.

00:13:24.580 --> 00:13:26.399
 And I will remove the heart of stone

00:13:26.399 --> 00:13:27.379
 from the heart of flesh

00:13:27.379 --> 00:13:29.740
 and give you a heart of flesh.

00:13:29.759 --> 00:13:32.159
 And I will put my spirit within you.

00:13:32.879 --> 00:13:34.680
 This is a promise in the Old Testament

00:13:34.680 --> 00:13:36.000
 about God's plan

00:13:36.000 --> 00:13:38.360
 to indwell people with his spirit.

00:13:38.360 --> 00:13:41.019
 And this is the new birth.

00:13:41.120 --> 00:13:42.039
 It involves cleansing

00:13:42.039 --> 00:13:43.600
 from the old sinful nature,

00:13:44.259 --> 00:13:46.440
 this removal of the heart of stone

00:13:46.440 --> 00:13:48.779
 and the creation of a new nature,

00:13:49.480 --> 00:13:50.840
 the creation of a new heart,

00:13:50.919 --> 00:13:52.340
 a heart of flesh.

00:13:53.419 --> 00:13:54.960
 And so that's what the new birth is.

00:13:55.039 --> 00:13:56.120
 That's what the Holy Spirit does

00:13:56.120 --> 00:13:56.700
 in the new birth.

00:13:56.940 --> 00:13:59.560
 But I think that begs a question for us,

00:13:59.620 --> 00:14:00.080
 which is,

00:14:01.200 --> 00:14:03.159
 why do we need this in the first place?

00:14:03.519 --> 00:14:05.659
 Like, why do we need the new birth?

00:14:05.659 --> 00:14:07.000
 Why do we need conversion to happen

00:14:07.000 --> 00:14:07.600
 in the first place?

00:14:07.659 --> 00:14:09.500
 Why do we need to receive a new nature?

00:14:10.839 --> 00:14:12.219
 And part of the answer comes

00:14:12.219 --> 00:14:14.860
 in what Jesus says later in verse 19.

00:14:15.399 --> 00:14:17.139
 Later in verse 19, Jesus says,

00:14:17.899 --> 00:14:18.639
 this is the judgment.

00:14:19.699 --> 00:14:21.120
 The light has come into the world

00:14:21.120 --> 00:14:23.419
 and people loved the darkness

00:14:23.419 --> 00:14:24.659
 rather than the light

00:14:24.659 --> 00:14:26.459
 because their works were evil.

00:14:28.360 --> 00:14:29.839
 He's saying that at our core,

00:14:29.840 --> 00:14:32.220
 our fundamental problem

00:14:32.220 --> 00:14:35.639
 isn't that we sometimes do bad things,

00:14:36.420 --> 00:14:37.660
 but that at our core,

00:14:37.740 --> 00:14:38.720
 our fundamental problem

00:14:38.720 --> 00:14:42.120
 is that we actually love the darkness.

00:14:43.620 --> 00:14:44.360
 Scripture teaches that

00:14:44.360 --> 00:14:45.740
 the fundamental problem of humanity

00:14:45.740 --> 00:14:48.060
 isn't that we're imperfect people

00:14:48.060 --> 00:14:49.340
 who just need to learn

00:14:49.340 --> 00:14:50.259
 how to be better people.

00:14:51.100 --> 00:14:52.720
 It's not that we're ignorant

00:14:52.720 --> 00:14:53.780
 or uneducated people

00:14:53.780 --> 00:14:55.980
 that just need to be taught

00:14:55.980 --> 00:14:56.759
 or enlightened.

00:14:56.759 --> 00:14:59.080
 It's that we are dead people

00:14:59.080 --> 00:15:02.519
 who need to be made alive.

00:15:03.100 --> 00:15:05.240
 We are slaves who need to be liberated

00:15:05.240 --> 00:15:07.980
 from the power of sin and death.

00:15:08.559 --> 00:15:10.700
 This is what Ephesians chapter 2 says.

00:15:11.840 --> 00:15:13.019
 Ephesians chapter 2 says,

00:15:13.200 --> 00:15:15.319
 and you were dead in the trespasses,

00:15:15.600 --> 00:15:17.399
 in the trespasses and sins

00:15:17.399 --> 00:15:18.740
 in which you once walked,

00:15:19.080 --> 00:15:20.500
 following the course of this world.

00:15:21.220 --> 00:15:22.360
 We all once lived

00:15:22.360 --> 00:15:24.100
 in the passions of our flesh,

00:15:24.220 --> 00:15:25.759
 carrying out the desires of the body

00:15:25.759 --> 00:15:26.779
 and the mind,

00:15:27.419 --> 00:15:28.360
 and we're by nature

00:15:28.360 --> 00:15:30.059
 children of wrath.

00:15:31.080 --> 00:15:32.720
 Apart from God's intervention,

00:15:32.899 --> 00:15:34.460
 apart from the regenerating work

00:15:34.460 --> 00:15:35.120
 of the Holy Spirit,

00:15:35.980 --> 00:15:37.500
 we are dead in our sins.

00:15:37.600 --> 00:15:38.559
 We're spiritually dead.

00:15:39.480 --> 00:15:41.080
 We're held captive to its power,

00:15:41.360 --> 00:15:43.319
 and we cannot create new life

00:15:43.319 --> 00:15:45.580
 in our hearts on our own.

00:15:46.159 --> 00:15:47.519
 And so that is why we need

00:15:47.519 --> 00:15:48.259
 the new birth.

00:15:48.399 --> 00:15:49.600
 That is why we need a new nature.

00:15:49.720 --> 00:15:50.399
 That's why we need

00:15:50.399 --> 00:15:51.360
 the regenerating power

00:15:51.360 --> 00:15:53.019
 of the Holy Spirit.

00:15:53.019 --> 00:15:55.759
 We don't just need another app

00:15:55.759 --> 00:15:58.699
 on the home screen of our life.

00:15:58.879 --> 00:16:02.199
 We need an entirely new operating system.

00:16:02.980 --> 00:16:06.659
 We need an entirely new operating system.

00:16:07.480 --> 00:16:09.720
 And that's why getting more religion

00:16:09.720 --> 00:16:11.259
 or getting more serious

00:16:11.259 --> 00:16:12.439
 about the rules

00:16:12.439 --> 00:16:14.799
 isn't going to deal fundamentally

00:16:14.799 --> 00:16:16.179
 with our main problem.

00:16:16.799 --> 00:16:19.059
 We need to be made alive.

00:16:19.059 --> 00:16:21.299
 We need new hearts.

00:16:21.419 --> 00:16:23.019
 We need a new spirit.

00:16:24.379 --> 00:16:25.479
 And this is also why

00:16:25.479 --> 00:16:26.159
 the new birth

00:16:26.159 --> 00:16:27.679
 isn't just for

00:16:27.679 --> 00:16:30.259
 people who aren't religious.

00:16:31.000 --> 00:16:31.859
 It's for people

00:16:31.859 --> 00:16:33.000
 who grew up in the church.

00:16:33.139 --> 00:16:35.079
 It's for people like Nicodemus

00:16:35.079 --> 00:16:35.939
 who knew the Bible

00:16:35.939 --> 00:16:36.819
 and taught the Bible,

00:16:37.059 --> 00:16:38.239
 who even believed

00:16:38.239 --> 00:16:39.519
 that Jesus came from God,

00:16:40.379 --> 00:16:42.939
 but didn't have the life

00:16:42.939 --> 00:16:44.879
 that Jesus came to bring.

00:16:45.799 --> 00:16:46.899
 And so everyone needs

00:16:46.899 --> 00:16:47.479
 the new birth,

00:16:47.839 --> 00:16:48.739
 even the church people.

00:16:49.059 --> 00:16:50.259
 Even the church people.

00:16:51.000 --> 00:16:51.779
 So that's the first thing

00:16:51.779 --> 00:16:52.219
 that we see

00:16:52.219 --> 00:16:53.099
 is that the new birth

00:16:53.099 --> 00:16:54.500
 isn't getting more religion,

00:16:55.039 --> 00:16:56.859
 but it's receiving a new nature.

00:16:58.619 --> 00:17:00.159
 Misconception number two,

00:17:00.539 --> 00:17:01.339
 another misconception

00:17:01.339 --> 00:17:02.979
 about conversion

00:17:02.979 --> 00:17:03.719
 and the new birth

00:17:03.719 --> 00:17:06.299
 is that it always involves

00:17:06.299 --> 00:17:10.539
 a dramatic emotional experience

00:17:10.539 --> 00:17:11.879
 of decision.

00:17:11.880 --> 00:17:14.140
 or that it involves

00:17:14.140 --> 00:17:14.160
 or that it involves

00:17:14.160 --> 00:17:14.640
 an experience

00:17:14.640 --> 00:17:15.420
 that can feel

00:17:15.420 --> 00:17:16.820
 forced

00:17:16.820 --> 00:17:18.240
 or manufactured

00:17:18.240 --> 00:17:19.160
 or maybe even

00:17:19.160 --> 00:17:21.020
 emotionally manipulative.

00:17:21.580 --> 00:17:22.460
 But is that the case?

00:17:22.780 --> 00:17:24.560
 Does conversion

00:17:24.560 --> 00:17:24.980
 and new birth

00:17:24.980 --> 00:17:25.920
 always involve

00:17:25.920 --> 00:17:28.280
 a dramatic emotional experience?

00:17:29.120 --> 00:17:30.040
 Well, let's look at our text.

00:17:31.260 --> 00:17:31.900
 Jesus continues

00:17:31.900 --> 00:17:32.500
 the conversation

00:17:32.500 --> 00:17:33.160
 in verse eight

00:17:33.160 --> 00:17:33.800
 and he says,

00:17:33.799 --> 00:17:35.680
 the wind blows

00:17:35.680 --> 00:17:36.279
 where it wishes

00:17:36.279 --> 00:17:38.039
 and you hear its sound,

00:17:38.359 --> 00:17:40.000
 but you do not know

00:17:40.000 --> 00:17:40.919
 where it comes from

00:17:40.919 --> 00:17:41.819
 or where it goes.

00:17:42.720 --> 00:17:43.619
 So it is

00:17:43.619 --> 00:17:44.139
 with everyone

00:17:44.139 --> 00:17:45.700
 born of the Spirit.

00:17:46.899 --> 00:17:48.419
 Both the Hebrew word

00:17:48.419 --> 00:17:49.099
 ruach

00:17:49.099 --> 00:17:51.200
 and the Greek word

00:17:51.200 --> 00:17:51.680
 pneuma

00:17:51.680 --> 00:17:54.119
 can both be translated

00:17:54.119 --> 00:17:55.019
 as wind

00:17:55.019 --> 00:17:55.799
 or spirit

00:17:55.799 --> 00:17:56.700
 or breath.

00:17:57.159 --> 00:17:57.980
 And here,

00:17:58.139 --> 00:18:00.039
 Jesus brings those together

00:18:00.039 --> 00:18:00.519
 and says,

00:18:00.519 --> 00:18:01.799
 the work of the Holy Spirit

00:18:01.799 --> 00:18:02.839
 is like the wind.

00:18:03.539 --> 00:18:05.619
 Even though you can't see it,

00:18:06.339 --> 00:18:08.379
 you can feel its effects.

00:18:08.500 --> 00:18:09.660
 It is real and powerful.

00:18:10.000 --> 00:18:11.019
 You can feel the wind

00:18:11.019 --> 00:18:12.559
 blowing in your face.

00:18:12.660 --> 00:18:13.519
 You can feel it shaking

00:18:13.519 --> 00:18:14.160
 the trees,

00:18:14.799 --> 00:18:16.379
 which many of us did yesterday.

00:18:16.559 --> 00:18:17.920
 Yesterday was a pretty windy day,

00:18:18.039 --> 00:18:18.259
 right?

00:18:19.720 --> 00:18:20.259
 You can,

00:18:20.379 --> 00:18:20.980
 even though you might not

00:18:20.980 --> 00:18:21.720
 be able to see it,

00:18:21.779 --> 00:18:23.279
 you can feel its effects.

00:18:23.379 --> 00:18:23.900
 It's real.

00:18:24.039 --> 00:18:24.579
 It's powerful

00:18:24.579 --> 00:18:26.000
 and it's mysterious.

00:18:26.759 --> 00:18:27.339
 It's not something

00:18:27.339 --> 00:18:28.259
 that we can control

00:18:28.259 --> 00:18:29.200
 or even predict.

00:18:29.200 --> 00:18:30.799
 So it is

00:18:30.799 --> 00:18:31.460
 with the Holy Spirit.

00:18:31.539 --> 00:18:32.759
 Even though we cannot see

00:18:32.759 --> 00:18:33.920
 physically what God

00:18:33.920 --> 00:18:34.920
 is doing in the heart

00:18:34.920 --> 00:18:35.460
 of someone,

00:18:36.380 --> 00:18:37.660
 it is nonetheless

00:18:37.660 --> 00:18:38.960
 real and powerful

00:18:38.960 --> 00:18:40.120
 and it's also not something

00:18:40.120 --> 00:18:42.039
 that we can control.

00:18:42.420 --> 00:18:43.019
 It's not something

00:18:43.019 --> 00:18:43.880
 that we can manufacture.

00:18:44.019 --> 00:18:44.460
 It's not something

00:18:44.460 --> 00:18:45.259
 that we can predict.

00:18:46.080 --> 00:18:46.819
 And that is because

00:18:46.819 --> 00:18:47.480
 the new birth

00:18:47.480 --> 00:18:48.059
 isn't something

00:18:48.059 --> 00:18:48.860
 that we do.

00:18:50.039 --> 00:18:50.740
 It is something

00:18:50.740 --> 00:18:51.580
 that God does.

00:18:52.039 --> 00:18:52.400
 It's something

00:18:52.400 --> 00:18:53.299
 that God does.

00:18:54.039 --> 00:18:54.900
 1 Peter 1,

00:18:55.039 --> 00:18:56.259
 verse 3 says,

00:18:56.900 --> 00:18:57.819
 Blessed be the God

00:18:57.819 --> 00:18:58.319
 and Father

00:18:58.319 --> 00:18:59.559
 of our Lord Jesus Christ.

00:19:00.279 --> 00:19:01.819
 According to His great mercy,

00:19:02.579 --> 00:19:04.079
 He has caused us

00:19:04.079 --> 00:19:05.579
 to be born again

00:19:05.579 --> 00:19:06.859
 into a living hope.

00:19:07.819 --> 00:19:09.119
 He has caused us

00:19:09.119 --> 00:19:10.799
 to be born again.

00:19:10.980 --> 00:19:12.379
 This is the work of God.

00:19:12.500 --> 00:19:13.159
 It's not us.

00:19:14.279 --> 00:19:15.319
 Just like the wind,

00:19:15.859 --> 00:19:16.619
 the Holy Spirit

00:19:16.619 --> 00:19:18.939
 brings about the new birth

00:19:18.939 --> 00:19:21.500
 in ways that are

00:19:21.500 --> 00:19:23.480
 often mysterious,

00:19:24.839 --> 00:19:26.159
 often unpredictable,

00:19:26.160 --> 00:19:28.500
 and often out of our control.

00:19:28.600 --> 00:19:29.720
 Sometimes it can happen

00:19:29.720 --> 00:19:30.840
 in a dramatic way,

00:19:31.000 --> 00:19:32.340
 like if you think about

00:19:32.340 --> 00:19:34.300
 St. Paul's conversion

00:19:34.300 --> 00:19:35.759
 on the road to Damascus,

00:19:35.900 --> 00:19:36.100
 right?

00:19:36.600 --> 00:19:37.440
 Blinding light,

00:19:37.640 --> 00:19:38.519
 a voice from heaven,

00:19:39.420 --> 00:19:41.040
 dramatic experience,

00:19:41.160 --> 00:19:42.700
 power, right?

00:19:44.300 --> 00:19:45.400
 But other times,

00:19:46.019 --> 00:19:46.560
 it can happen

00:19:46.560 --> 00:19:48.340
 in more ordinary,

00:19:48.800 --> 00:19:50.600
 subtle, mundane ways.

00:19:50.940 --> 00:19:51.360
 For others,

00:19:51.420 --> 00:19:52.500
 it's more like the story

00:19:52.500 --> 00:19:53.980
 of C.S. Lewis.

00:19:54.140 --> 00:19:55.059
 It's like somebody

00:19:55.059 --> 00:19:56.799
 waking up slowly

00:19:56.799 --> 00:20:00.299
 and eventually realizing

00:20:00.299 --> 00:20:00.859
 that they're awake.

00:20:02.299 --> 00:20:03.079
 This is the work

00:20:03.079 --> 00:20:03.559
 of the Spirit.

00:20:03.859 --> 00:20:04.599
 It's unpredictable.

00:20:05.000 --> 00:20:05.579
 It's mysterious.

00:20:05.740 --> 00:20:06.779
 We can't quite control it,

00:20:06.819 --> 00:20:07.559
 but this is because

00:20:07.559 --> 00:20:09.579
 it's the sovereign work

00:20:09.579 --> 00:20:10.039
 of the Spirit.

00:20:10.839 --> 00:20:11.680
 This is where we see

00:20:11.680 --> 00:20:12.220
 that the new birth

00:20:12.220 --> 00:20:13.339
 is not an experience

00:20:13.339 --> 00:20:14.299
 we can control.

00:20:14.480 --> 00:20:15.299
 It's not an experience

00:20:15.299 --> 00:20:16.180
 that we can manufacture,

00:20:16.700 --> 00:20:19.160
 but it is a sovereign work

00:20:19.160 --> 00:20:20.519
 of the Holy Spirit.

00:20:20.519 --> 00:20:22.339
 It's a sovereign work

00:20:22.339 --> 00:20:23.839
 of the Holy Spirit.

00:20:24.139 --> 00:20:27.000
 And rather than this being

00:20:27.000 --> 00:20:28.420
 something that makes us cringe,

00:20:29.240 --> 00:20:30.160
 this is actually something

00:20:30.160 --> 00:20:31.359
 that should greatly

00:20:31.359 --> 00:20:32.940
 and deeply encourage us.

00:20:33.500 --> 00:20:34.119
 This should be something

00:20:34.119 --> 00:20:34.599
 that should be

00:20:34.599 --> 00:20:36.660
 incredibly encouraging.

00:20:37.059 --> 00:20:37.660
 Over the years,

00:20:37.879 --> 00:20:40.740
 I've actually had heard

00:20:40.740 --> 00:20:42.059
 more than a few people

00:20:42.059 --> 00:20:45.379
 express a mild,

00:20:46.079 --> 00:20:47.480
 vague sense of shame

00:20:47.480 --> 00:20:49.279
 that they do not have

00:20:49.279 --> 00:20:50.980
 a more powerful testimony.

00:20:51.799 --> 00:20:52.299
 They don't have

00:20:52.299 --> 00:20:53.559
 a more powerful experience

00:20:53.559 --> 00:20:54.559
 of coming to faith.

00:20:54.960 --> 00:20:56.079
 It's as if having

00:20:56.079 --> 00:20:57.500
 a more powerful story

00:20:57.500 --> 00:20:58.420
 of the new birth

00:20:58.420 --> 00:21:00.279
 would make

00:21:00.279 --> 00:21:02.319
 their current experience

00:21:02.319 --> 00:21:03.059
 of the Holy Spirit

00:21:03.059 --> 00:21:04.279
 more real and powerful

00:21:04.279 --> 00:21:04.900
 in their life.

00:21:05.279 --> 00:21:06.440
 But for many people,

00:21:06.539 --> 00:21:07.039
 many of us,

00:21:07.120 --> 00:21:09.180
 God uses ordinary means

00:21:09.180 --> 00:21:10.120
 like friendships

00:21:10.120 --> 00:21:11.039
 and growing up

00:21:11.039 --> 00:21:11.799
 in a Christian family

00:21:11.799 --> 00:21:13.319
 to bring about

00:21:13.319 --> 00:21:13.839
 the new birth

00:21:13.839 --> 00:21:14.720
 into our lives.

00:21:14.960 --> 00:21:15.819
 And this isn't something

00:21:15.819 --> 00:21:16.819
 to be ashamed of.

00:21:17.259 --> 00:21:18.039
 This isn't something

00:21:18.039 --> 00:21:19.399
 to feel guilty about.

00:21:20.099 --> 00:21:20.859
 This is something

00:21:20.859 --> 00:21:21.799
 to be celebrated

00:21:21.799 --> 00:21:23.759
 and rejoiced in.

00:21:23.859 --> 00:21:25.139
 This is just as much

00:21:25.139 --> 00:21:26.000
 of a testimony

00:21:26.000 --> 00:21:28.159
 to the sovereign power

00:21:28.159 --> 00:21:28.960
 of the Spirit

00:21:28.960 --> 00:21:30.339
 to bring about

00:21:30.339 --> 00:21:30.939
 the new birth

00:21:30.939 --> 00:21:33.539
 just as a dramatic moment

00:21:33.539 --> 00:21:35.139
 like Paul's conversion

00:21:35.139 --> 00:21:36.240
 on the road to Damascus.

00:21:36.799 --> 00:21:38.079
 We should rejoice

00:21:38.079 --> 00:21:39.079
 in both dramatic

00:21:39.079 --> 00:21:39.759
 and ordinary

00:21:39.759 --> 00:21:41.980
 and mundane experiences

00:21:41.980 --> 00:21:42.879
 of the new birth

00:21:42.879 --> 00:21:44.299
 because the same

00:21:44.299 --> 00:21:45.440
 sovereign Spirit

00:21:45.440 --> 00:21:46.099
 is at work

00:21:46.099 --> 00:21:47.079
 in both.

00:21:47.180 --> 00:21:48.200
 It is His work,

00:21:48.279 --> 00:21:48.720
 not ours.

00:21:49.680 --> 00:21:50.419
 This should also bring

00:21:50.419 --> 00:21:51.180
 us great encouragement

00:21:51.180 --> 00:21:51.940
 as we think about

00:21:51.940 --> 00:21:54.419
 friends and family

00:21:54.419 --> 00:21:54.879
 and coworkers

00:21:54.879 --> 00:21:56.019
 that we want to know Christ.

00:21:57.019 --> 00:21:58.799
 Do we have the responsibility

00:21:58.799 --> 00:22:01.399
 of sharing Christ with them?

00:22:02.200 --> 00:22:03.659
 Yes, we have the responsibility

00:22:03.659 --> 00:22:04.599
 to share our faith,

00:22:04.700 --> 00:22:05.659
 to share the gospel with them,

00:22:05.700 --> 00:22:06.379
 to pray for them,

00:22:06.779 --> 00:22:07.839
 to ask them questions.

00:22:09.159 --> 00:22:09.919
 But we don't have

00:22:09.919 --> 00:22:10.879
 any of the pressure,

00:22:11.000 --> 00:22:11.799
 we don't have any

00:22:11.799 --> 00:22:12.619
 of the responsibility

00:22:12.619 --> 00:22:14.879
 to see any results,

00:22:15.000 --> 00:22:16.019
 to see them come to faith,

00:22:16.139 --> 00:22:16.740
 to see them actually

00:22:16.740 --> 00:22:17.740
 experience the new birth.

00:22:18.220 --> 00:22:19.299
 That's not on us.

00:22:20.379 --> 00:22:21.059
 That's the work

00:22:21.059 --> 00:22:21.519
 of the Spirit.

00:22:22.779 --> 00:22:23.579
 He is the one

00:22:23.579 --> 00:22:24.639
 who brings about

00:22:24.639 --> 00:22:25.059
 regeneration

00:22:25.059 --> 00:22:26.000
 and new birth

00:22:26.000 --> 00:22:26.539
 in the hearts

00:22:26.539 --> 00:22:27.579
 of people.

00:22:27.700 --> 00:22:29.460
 And so we can relax

00:22:29.460 --> 00:22:30.500
 because it is

00:22:30.500 --> 00:22:31.159
 His work

00:22:31.159 --> 00:22:31.960
 that He does.

00:22:33.539 --> 00:22:33.940
 Parents,

00:22:34.139 --> 00:22:35.000
 this is also true

00:22:35.000 --> 00:22:35.399
 for you

00:22:35.399 --> 00:22:36.000
 as you think

00:22:36.000 --> 00:22:36.680
 about your kids

00:22:36.680 --> 00:22:37.119
 and as you

00:22:37.119 --> 00:22:38.779
 hope and pray,

00:22:38.899 --> 00:22:39.220
 as you think

00:22:39.220 --> 00:22:39.659
 about wanting

00:22:39.660 --> 00:22:40.320
 your kids

00:22:40.320 --> 00:22:40.980
 to express

00:22:40.980 --> 00:22:41.820
 faith in Christ

00:22:41.820 --> 00:22:42.860
 someday.

00:22:43.080 --> 00:22:43.880
 There may be

00:22:43.880 --> 00:22:45.820
 an exact moment

00:22:45.820 --> 00:22:46.720
 when this happens

00:22:46.720 --> 00:22:49.000
 or there may not be.

00:22:49.560 --> 00:22:50.680
 It may be more subtle

00:22:50.680 --> 00:22:51.300
 and mundane

00:22:51.300 --> 00:22:51.759
 and ordinary.

00:22:52.680 --> 00:22:53.540
 It might be

00:22:53.540 --> 00:22:55.500
 just what we pray

00:22:55.500 --> 00:22:56.320
 every Sunday

00:22:56.320 --> 00:22:57.279
 and what we prayed earlier

00:22:57.279 --> 00:22:58.800
 that there would never

00:22:58.800 --> 00:22:59.460
 be a day

00:22:59.460 --> 00:23:01.340
 that they know

00:23:01.340 --> 00:23:02.580
 apart from knowing Christ.

00:23:03.820 --> 00:23:04.440
 But regardless,

00:23:04.660 --> 00:23:05.019
 this is

00:23:05.019 --> 00:23:06.220
 the new birth

00:23:06.220 --> 00:23:07.140
 in your children

00:23:07.140 --> 00:23:07.759
 is not something

00:23:07.759 --> 00:23:08.500
 that you have to

00:23:08.500 --> 00:23:09.759
 force to happen

00:23:09.759 --> 00:23:10.539
 or control

00:23:10.539 --> 00:23:12.119
 or create

00:23:12.119 --> 00:23:13.200
 the perfect conditions

00:23:13.200 --> 00:23:13.599
 for.

00:23:14.220 --> 00:23:14.980
 And it's ultimately

00:23:14.980 --> 00:23:15.599
 not something

00:23:15.599 --> 00:23:16.379
 that you are

00:23:16.379 --> 00:23:17.779
 responsible for

00:23:17.779 --> 00:23:18.339
 as a parent

00:23:18.339 --> 00:23:20.599
 because it is

00:23:20.599 --> 00:23:21.859
 the sovereign work

00:23:21.859 --> 00:23:23.279
 of the Holy Spirit

00:23:23.279 --> 00:23:24.559
 who brings about

00:23:24.559 --> 00:23:24.960
 the new birth,

00:23:25.019 --> 00:23:26.559
 who regenerates hearts.

00:23:28.539 --> 00:23:29.460
 So what we see

00:23:29.460 --> 00:23:30.500
 is that the new birth

00:23:30.500 --> 00:23:30.900
 and conversion

00:23:30.900 --> 00:23:31.519
 aren't about getting

00:23:31.519 --> 00:23:32.039
 more religion.

00:23:32.640 --> 00:23:33.480
 It's about receiving

00:23:33.480 --> 00:23:34.059
 a new nature.

00:23:34.700 --> 00:23:35.519
 We also see

00:23:35.519 --> 00:23:36.099
 that it's not

00:23:36.099 --> 00:23:37.339
 an experience

00:23:37.339 --> 00:23:38.379
 that we can control,

00:23:39.359 --> 00:23:40.179
 but it's a sovereign

00:23:40.179 --> 00:23:41.119
 work of the Holy Spirit.

00:23:42.219 --> 00:23:42.719
 And so here's

00:23:42.719 --> 00:23:43.139
 a third

00:23:43.139 --> 00:23:44.019
 and final

00:23:44.019 --> 00:23:44.959
 misconception

00:23:44.959 --> 00:23:46.579
 that we often have

00:23:46.579 --> 00:23:47.279
 about the new birth.

00:23:47.799 --> 00:23:48.139
 A third

00:23:48.139 --> 00:23:48.819
 and final misconception

00:23:48.819 --> 00:23:49.559
 is that

00:23:49.559 --> 00:23:50.839
 it's really just

00:23:50.839 --> 00:23:51.419
 describing

00:23:51.419 --> 00:23:53.579
 spiritual experience

00:23:53.579 --> 00:23:54.019
 in general.

00:23:54.879 --> 00:23:55.599
 It's describing

00:23:55.599 --> 00:23:57.059
 a spiritual experience

00:23:57.059 --> 00:23:58.679
 that happened

00:23:58.679 --> 00:23:59.639
 in lots of other

00:23:59.639 --> 00:24:00.819
 religions and faiths

00:24:00.819 --> 00:24:01.579
 and other forms

00:24:01.579 --> 00:24:02.359
 of spirituality.

00:24:02.619 --> 00:24:03.019
 There's nothing

00:24:03.019 --> 00:24:03.919
 unique about it.

00:24:03.920 --> 00:24:05.700
 But as Jesus

00:24:05.700 --> 00:24:06.600
 continues his

00:24:06.600 --> 00:24:07.180
 conversation

00:24:07.180 --> 00:24:07.980
 with Nicodemus,

00:24:08.380 --> 00:24:09.420
 he recalls

00:24:09.420 --> 00:24:10.440
 a story

00:24:10.440 --> 00:24:11.000
 from Numbers

00:24:11.000 --> 00:24:11.759
 chapter 21

00:24:11.759 --> 00:24:12.519
 that Laurel

00:24:12.519 --> 00:24:13.820
 read earlier.

00:24:14.000 --> 00:24:14.680
 And this is a bit

00:24:14.680 --> 00:24:15.700
 of a bizarre story

00:24:15.700 --> 00:24:16.720
 when you first read it.

00:24:18.180 --> 00:24:18.920
 The Israelites

00:24:18.920 --> 00:24:19.620
 were complaining

00:24:19.620 --> 00:24:20.180
 to God

00:24:20.180 --> 00:24:20.860
 as they do

00:24:20.860 --> 00:24:21.560
 multiple times.

00:24:21.800 --> 00:24:22.180
 They were complaining

00:24:22.180 --> 00:24:23.240
 to Moses about God

00:24:23.240 --> 00:24:24.080
 that he had brought

00:24:24.080 --> 00:24:25.019
 them out into the wilderness

00:24:25.019 --> 00:24:25.860
 only to die.

00:24:27.140 --> 00:24:28.180
 That they were

00:24:28.180 --> 00:24:28.900
 longing to go

00:24:28.900 --> 00:24:29.600
 back to Egypt.

00:24:30.140 --> 00:24:31.259
 And God

00:24:31.259 --> 00:24:32.120
 judges them.

00:24:32.119 --> 00:24:32.959
 He judges them

00:24:32.959 --> 00:24:33.479
 for their sin

00:24:33.479 --> 00:24:34.039
 of unbelief

00:24:34.039 --> 00:24:35.359
 by sending

00:24:35.359 --> 00:24:37.079
 venomous snakes.

00:24:37.819 --> 00:24:38.179
 And these

00:24:38.179 --> 00:24:38.859
 venomous snakes

00:24:38.859 --> 00:24:39.559
 bite the people

00:24:39.559 --> 00:24:40.219
 causing many

00:24:40.219 --> 00:24:40.959
 of them to die.

00:24:42.159 --> 00:24:42.439
 The people

00:24:42.439 --> 00:24:43.399
 realize their sin.

00:24:43.479 --> 00:24:44.019
 They cry out

00:24:44.019 --> 00:24:44.419
 to God.

00:24:44.500 --> 00:24:44.979
 They repent.

00:24:45.099 --> 00:24:45.539
 They acknowledge

00:24:45.539 --> 00:24:46.239
 they've sinned.

00:24:47.239 --> 00:24:48.279
 God in his mercy

00:24:48.279 --> 00:24:50.039
 provides a way out.

00:24:50.539 --> 00:24:51.419
 And he tells

00:24:51.419 --> 00:24:51.899
 Moses

00:24:51.899 --> 00:24:53.599
 to create

00:24:53.599 --> 00:24:54.500
 a bronze snake

00:24:54.500 --> 00:24:56.119
 and put the

00:24:56.119 --> 00:24:56.679
 bronze snake

00:24:56.679 --> 00:24:57.500
 on a pole.

00:24:57.799 --> 00:24:58.559
 And anyone

00:24:58.559 --> 00:24:59.379
 who looks

00:24:59.379 --> 00:25:00.359
 at the bronze snake,

00:25:00.359 --> 00:25:02.000
 anyone who's

00:25:02.000 --> 00:25:02.579
 been bitten

00:25:02.579 --> 00:25:03.799
 can look

00:25:03.799 --> 00:25:04.419
 at the bronze snake

00:25:04.419 --> 00:25:04.899
 and live

00:25:04.899 --> 00:25:05.899
 and be healed.

00:25:09.059 --> 00:25:10.179
 That's a bizarre

00:25:10.179 --> 00:25:11.179
 story, right?

00:25:11.979 --> 00:25:12.819
 But the point

00:25:12.819 --> 00:25:13.319
 of the story

00:25:13.319 --> 00:25:13.679
 is this,

00:25:13.740 --> 00:25:14.119
 that people

00:25:14.119 --> 00:25:14.979
 who were dying

00:25:14.979 --> 00:25:16.000
 because of their sin,

00:25:16.919 --> 00:25:17.979
 people who were dying

00:25:17.979 --> 00:25:18.759
 because of their sin

00:25:18.759 --> 00:25:19.619
 were able

00:25:19.619 --> 00:25:20.619
 to look

00:25:20.619 --> 00:25:21.019
 to

00:25:21.019 --> 00:25:23.299
 a symbol

00:25:23.299 --> 00:25:24.000
 of judgment

00:25:24.000 --> 00:25:24.500
 and death

00:25:24.500 --> 00:25:25.399
 that was lifted up,

00:25:26.099 --> 00:25:26.799
 the bronze serpent.

00:25:27.699 --> 00:25:28.379
 They were able

00:25:28.379 --> 00:25:29.339
 to look at a symbol

00:25:29.339 --> 00:25:29.779
 of judgment

00:25:29.779 --> 00:25:30.279
 and death

00:25:30.279 --> 00:25:31.399
 and live

00:25:31.399 --> 00:25:33.200
 and be healed

00:25:33.200 --> 00:25:34.460
 and experience

00:25:34.460 --> 00:25:35.579
 new life.

00:25:37.019 --> 00:25:37.460
 And Jesus

00:25:37.460 --> 00:25:38.599
 says to Nicodemus,

00:25:39.700 --> 00:25:41.119
 this bizarre

00:25:41.119 --> 00:25:41.740
 story

00:25:41.740 --> 00:25:42.899
 in the Old Testament

00:25:42.899 --> 00:25:44.940
 is about me.

00:25:45.879 --> 00:25:46.879
 It's about me.

00:25:47.339 --> 00:25:47.920
 Verse 14,

00:25:48.099 --> 00:25:48.759
 as Moses

00:25:48.759 --> 00:25:49.339
 lifted up

00:25:49.339 --> 00:25:49.740
 the serpent

00:25:49.740 --> 00:25:50.259
 in the wilderness,

00:25:50.779 --> 00:25:51.779
 so must the Son

00:25:51.779 --> 00:25:52.160
 of Man

00:25:52.160 --> 00:25:53.339
 be lifted up

00:25:53.339 --> 00:25:54.299
 that whoever

00:25:54.299 --> 00:25:55.160
 believes in him

00:25:55.160 --> 00:25:55.920
 may have

00:25:55.920 --> 00:25:56.579
 eternal life.

00:25:57.740 --> 00:25:58.259
 Nicodemus,

00:25:58.420 --> 00:25:59.399
 just like the serpent,

00:25:59.779 --> 00:26:01.420
 I too

00:26:01.420 --> 00:26:01.859
 am going

00:26:01.859 --> 00:26:02.559
 to be lifted up.

00:26:04.119 --> 00:26:05.079
 Not on a pole,

00:26:06.079 --> 00:26:07.079
 but on a cross.

00:26:08.279 --> 00:26:09.660
 Not just as a symbol

00:26:09.660 --> 00:26:10.279
 of judgment

00:26:10.279 --> 00:26:10.759
 and death,

00:26:10.819 --> 00:26:11.480
 but I'm going

00:26:11.480 --> 00:26:12.539
 to be experiencing

00:26:12.539 --> 00:26:13.940
 real judgment

00:26:13.940 --> 00:26:14.960
 and real death

00:26:14.960 --> 00:26:16.220
 so that whoever

00:26:16.220 --> 00:26:16.940
 looks to me

00:26:16.940 --> 00:26:17.859
 will experience

00:26:17.859 --> 00:26:18.839
 new life.

00:26:20.139 --> 00:26:20.599
 Now,

00:26:20.660 --> 00:26:21.500
 why on earth

00:26:21.500 --> 00:26:22.680
 would Jesus

00:26:22.680 --> 00:26:23.859
 do this?

00:26:23.960 --> 00:26:24.539
 Why would he

00:26:24.539 --> 00:26:26.000
 be lifted up

00:26:26.000 --> 00:26:26.619
 as a symbol

00:26:26.619 --> 00:26:27.859
 of judgment

00:26:27.859 --> 00:26:28.319
 and death?

00:26:28.399 --> 00:26:28.559
 Well,

00:26:28.639 --> 00:26:30.019
 he tells us,

00:26:30.119 --> 00:26:31.119
 he tells Nicodemus

00:26:31.119 --> 00:26:32.519
 in the next verse,

00:26:32.639 --> 00:26:33.639
 and this is a familiar

00:26:33.639 --> 00:26:34.779
 verse to many.

00:26:34.879 --> 00:26:35.179
 In fact,

00:26:35.239 --> 00:26:36.179
 it's maybe

00:26:36.179 --> 00:26:36.959
 the most well-known

00:26:36.959 --> 00:26:38.379
 verse in the Bible.

00:26:39.479 --> 00:26:40.719
 John 3, 16.

00:26:41.259 --> 00:26:42.179
 For God

00:26:42.179 --> 00:26:43.899
 so loved

00:26:43.899 --> 00:26:44.899
 the world

00:26:44.899 --> 00:26:46.679
 that he gave

00:26:46.679 --> 00:26:47.239
 his one and only

00:26:47.239 --> 00:26:48.219
 son that whoever

00:26:48.219 --> 00:26:49.319
 believes in him

00:26:49.319 --> 00:26:50.699
 should not perish

00:26:50.699 --> 00:26:51.679
 but have

00:26:51.679 --> 00:26:52.859
 eternal life.

00:26:52.859 --> 00:26:54.259
 he did it

00:26:54.259 --> 00:26:54.859
 out of love.

00:26:56.259 --> 00:26:56.799
 Perhaps you're

00:26:56.799 --> 00:26:57.359
 here this morning

00:26:57.359 --> 00:26:59.059
 and you,

00:26:59.319 --> 00:26:59.919
 like Nicodemus,

00:26:59.959 --> 00:27:00.459
 have been

00:27:00.459 --> 00:27:01.839
 curious about

00:27:01.839 --> 00:27:02.199
 Jesus,

00:27:02.339 --> 00:27:02.859
 but maybe you

00:27:02.859 --> 00:27:04.079
 have never

00:27:04.079 --> 00:27:05.459
 actually received

00:27:05.459 --> 00:27:06.659
 the new life

00:27:06.659 --> 00:27:07.079
 that Jesus

00:27:07.079 --> 00:27:08.299
 has come

00:27:08.299 --> 00:27:09.299
 to bring.

00:27:09.379 --> 00:27:10.000
 Maybe you've

00:27:10.000 --> 00:27:11.699
 thought Jesus'

00:27:12.099 --> 00:27:13.039
 teachings were

00:27:13.039 --> 00:27:13.919
 interesting or true.

00:27:14.019 --> 00:27:14.559
 Maybe you even

00:27:14.559 --> 00:27:15.159
 believe that he's

00:27:15.159 --> 00:27:15.719
 from God,

00:27:16.019 --> 00:27:16.740
 but you have

00:27:16.740 --> 00:27:17.439
 never actually

00:27:17.439 --> 00:27:18.359
 received the

00:27:18.359 --> 00:27:18.799
 light that he

00:27:18.799 --> 00:27:19.199
 has come to

00:27:19.199 --> 00:27:19.519
 bring you.

00:27:21.039 --> 00:27:21.240
 Well,

00:27:21.240 --> 00:27:22.940
 this shows

00:27:22.940 --> 00:27:23.920
 you how you

00:27:23.920 --> 00:27:24.079
 can,

00:27:24.099 --> 00:27:24.519
 this shows us

00:27:24.519 --> 00:27:24.940
 how you can

00:27:24.940 --> 00:27:26.019
 receive the

00:27:26.019 --> 00:27:26.359
 new birth.

00:27:26.440 --> 00:27:26.759
 This shows us

00:27:26.759 --> 00:27:27.099
 how you can

00:27:27.099 --> 00:27:27.700
 receive the

00:27:27.700 --> 00:27:28.240
 new life.

00:27:28.339 --> 00:27:29.079
 On one hand,

00:27:30.120 --> 00:27:30.559
 the message

00:27:30.559 --> 00:27:31.059
 of Christianity

00:27:31.059 --> 00:27:32.120
 is so simple

00:27:32.120 --> 00:27:33.640
 that even

00:27:33.640 --> 00:27:34.900
 a small child

00:27:34.900 --> 00:27:35.420
 can understand

00:27:35.420 --> 00:27:35.660
 it.

00:27:37.259 --> 00:27:38.039
 On the other

00:27:38.039 --> 00:27:38.279
 hand,

00:27:38.319 --> 00:27:38.599
 the message

00:27:38.599 --> 00:27:39.039
 of Christianity

00:27:39.039 --> 00:27:39.880
 is so deep

00:27:39.880 --> 00:27:41.220
 that it will

00:27:41.220 --> 00:27:41.759
 take you

00:27:41.759 --> 00:27:42.339
 a lifetime,

00:27:42.480 --> 00:27:42.880
 even an

00:27:42.880 --> 00:27:43.200
 eternity,

00:27:43.380 --> 00:27:43.880
 to plumb

00:27:43.880 --> 00:27:44.880
 the depths

00:27:44.880 --> 00:27:45.299
 of its

00:27:45.299 --> 00:27:45.640
 wisdom.

00:27:47.539 --> 00:27:47.960
 And so,

00:27:48.299 --> 00:27:49.680
 my friends

00:27:49.680 --> 00:27:50.299
 in this room

00:27:50.299 --> 00:27:50.799
 who are

00:27:50.799 --> 00:27:51.919
 have lots

00:27:51.919 --> 00:27:52.619
 of degrees

00:27:52.619 --> 00:27:53.359
 and who

00:27:53.359 --> 00:27:54.000
 have lots

00:27:54.000 --> 00:27:54.899
 of education,

00:27:55.279 --> 00:27:55.539
 who are

00:27:55.539 --> 00:27:56.359
 highly educated,

00:27:56.740 --> 00:27:57.299
 do not

00:27:57.299 --> 00:27:58.319
 miss the

00:27:58.319 --> 00:28:00.059
 crystal clear

00:28:00.059 --> 00:28:01.039
 simplicity of

00:28:01.039 --> 00:28:01.419
 the gospel

00:28:01.419 --> 00:28:02.299
 that is here

00:28:02.299 --> 00:28:02.839
 in this

00:28:02.839 --> 00:28:03.460
 passage.

00:28:03.759 --> 00:28:04.460
 Don't miss

00:28:04.460 --> 00:28:05.139
 the crystal clear

00:28:05.139 --> 00:28:06.299
 simplicity of

00:28:06.299 --> 00:28:06.779
 what Jesus

00:28:06.779 --> 00:28:07.319
 came to do

00:28:07.319 --> 00:28:07.859
 and how we

00:28:07.859 --> 00:28:08.500
 receive what

00:28:08.500 --> 00:28:09.319
 he came to

00:28:09.319 --> 00:28:10.039
 do for us.

00:28:10.200 --> 00:28:12.000
 We are

00:28:12.000 --> 00:28:13.500
 spiritually dead

00:28:13.500 --> 00:28:14.319
 in our sins.

00:28:16.339 --> 00:28:17.139
 We are

00:28:17.139 --> 00:28:17.940
 headed towards

00:28:17.940 --> 00:28:18.579
 an eternity

00:28:18.579 --> 00:28:19.539
 of perishing

00:28:19.539 --> 00:28:20.700
 without God.

00:28:20.799 --> 00:28:23.399
 but out

00:28:23.399 --> 00:28:23.839
 of his

00:28:23.839 --> 00:28:25.139
 great love

00:28:25.139 --> 00:28:25.759
 for us,

00:28:25.799 --> 00:28:26.359
 because God

00:28:26.359 --> 00:28:27.059
 so loved

00:28:27.059 --> 00:28:27.480
 the world,

00:28:27.559 --> 00:28:28.019
 because he

00:28:28.019 --> 00:28:28.700
 so loved

00:28:28.700 --> 00:28:29.000
 you,

00:28:29.919 --> 00:28:30.579
 he came

00:28:30.579 --> 00:28:31.379
 and exchanged

00:28:31.379 --> 00:28:32.039
 places

00:28:32.039 --> 00:28:33.279
 for us,

00:28:33.819 --> 00:28:34.500
 with us,

00:28:34.700 --> 00:28:35.480
 by being

00:28:35.480 --> 00:28:36.039
 lifted up

00:28:36.039 --> 00:28:36.720
 on the

00:28:36.720 --> 00:28:37.159
 cross.

00:28:37.500 --> 00:28:37.899
 At the

00:28:37.899 --> 00:28:38.180
 cross,

00:28:38.279 --> 00:28:38.440
 Jesus

00:28:38.440 --> 00:28:39.259
 experienced

00:28:39.259 --> 00:28:40.359
 everything

00:28:40.359 --> 00:28:40.779
 that you

00:28:40.779 --> 00:28:41.039
 and I

00:28:41.039 --> 00:28:41.500
 deserved,

00:28:43.480 --> 00:28:43.919
 judgment

00:28:43.919 --> 00:28:44.500
 and death,

00:28:44.639 --> 00:28:45.099
 that we

00:28:45.099 --> 00:28:45.819
 could experience

00:28:45.819 --> 00:28:46.539
 everything

00:28:46.539 --> 00:28:47.079
 that he

00:28:47.079 --> 00:28:47.599
 deserves,

00:28:48.379 --> 00:28:49.019
 new life.

00:28:49.019 --> 00:28:50.660
 God's

00:28:50.660 --> 00:28:51.220
 judgment

00:28:51.220 --> 00:28:51.619
 so we

00:28:51.619 --> 00:28:52.099
 can receive

00:28:52.099 --> 00:28:52.500
 God's

00:28:52.500 --> 00:28:52.859
 acceptance.

00:28:53.359 --> 00:28:53.700
 He

00:28:53.700 --> 00:28:54.400
 received God's

00:28:54.400 --> 00:28:55.059
 wrath so we

00:28:55.059 --> 00:28:55.799
 can experience

00:28:55.799 --> 00:28:56.400
 God's

00:28:56.400 --> 00:28:57.420
 peace.

00:28:57.559 --> 00:28:58.139
 He received

00:28:58.139 --> 00:28:59.059
 God's absence

00:28:59.059 --> 00:29:00.339
 so that we

00:29:00.339 --> 00:29:00.779
 can receive

00:29:00.779 --> 00:29:01.359
 God's

00:29:01.359 --> 00:29:02.119
 presence,

00:29:02.119 --> 00:29:02.539
 and he

00:29:02.539 --> 00:29:03.039
 received

00:29:03.039 --> 00:29:03.420
 eternal

00:29:03.420 --> 00:29:04.819
 death so

00:29:04.819 --> 00:29:05.119
 that you

00:29:05.119 --> 00:29:05.420
 and I

00:29:05.420 --> 00:29:06.119
 can experience

00:29:06.119 --> 00:29:06.500
 eternal

00:29:06.500 --> 00:29:07.420
 life.

00:29:07.539 --> 00:29:07.819
 And all

00:29:07.819 --> 00:29:08.279
 you have

00:29:08.279 --> 00:29:08.639
 to do,

00:29:08.779 --> 00:29:09.200
 just like

00:29:09.200 --> 00:29:09.500
 the people

00:29:09.500 --> 00:29:09.879
 in Numbers

00:29:09.879 --> 00:29:10.480
 chapter 21,

00:29:10.740 --> 00:29:11.279
 all you have

00:29:11.279 --> 00:29:11.759
 to do is

00:29:11.759 --> 00:29:12.500
 look to

00:29:12.500 --> 00:29:12.700
 him,

00:29:13.319 --> 00:29:14.119
 to believe

00:29:14.119 --> 00:29:14.940
 in him

00:29:14.940 --> 00:29:15.400
 and to trust

00:29:15.400 --> 00:29:15.519
 him.

00:29:15.519 --> 00:29:15.759
 And what

00:29:15.759 --> 00:29:16.139
 that means

00:29:16.139 --> 00:29:16.519
 is that when

00:29:16.519 --> 00:29:16.819
 you look

00:29:16.819 --> 00:29:17.099
 to the

00:29:17.099 --> 00:29:17.420
 cross,

00:29:17.619 --> 00:29:18.920
 you believe

00:29:18.920 --> 00:29:19.700
 and trust

00:29:19.700 --> 00:29:20.940
 that what

00:29:20.940 --> 00:29:21.579
 he did

00:29:21.579 --> 00:29:22.059
 there,

00:29:23.139 --> 00:29:23.660
 he did

00:29:23.660 --> 00:29:24.599
 for you.

00:29:25.379 --> 00:29:25.879
 He did

00:29:25.879 --> 00:29:26.720
 for you

00:29:26.720 --> 00:29:27.220
 out of his

00:29:27.220 --> 00:29:28.240
 great love

00:29:28.240 --> 00:29:29.299
 for you.

00:29:30.059 --> 00:29:30.900
 God so

00:29:30.900 --> 00:29:31.720
 loved the

00:29:31.720 --> 00:29:31.879
 world,

00:29:31.940 --> 00:29:32.559
 he so loved

00:29:32.559 --> 00:29:32.859
 you,

00:29:33.740 --> 00:29:34.379
 that he gave

00:29:34.379 --> 00:29:34.859
 his only

00:29:34.859 --> 00:29:36.220
 son for

00:29:36.220 --> 00:29:36.579
 you.

00:29:37.500 --> 00:29:37.859
 And when

00:29:37.859 --> 00:29:38.400
 we see

00:29:38.400 --> 00:29:38.799
 that,

00:29:39.220 --> 00:29:39.559
 when we

00:29:39.559 --> 00:29:40.039
 look to

00:29:40.039 --> 00:29:40.160
 that,

00:29:40.220 --> 00:29:40.420
 when we

00:29:40.420 --> 00:29:40.920
 trust in

00:29:40.920 --> 00:29:41.180
 that,

00:29:41.420 --> 00:29:41.819
 we are

00:29:41.819 --> 00:29:42.259
 not only

00:29:42.259 --> 00:29:42.839
 given new

00:29:42.839 --> 00:29:43.359
 life by

00:29:43.359 --> 00:29:43.660
 the Holy

00:29:43.660 --> 00:29:44.059
 Spirit,

00:29:44.200 --> 00:29:44.599
 but we are

00:29:44.599 --> 00:29:45.559
 brought into

00:29:45.559 --> 00:29:47.199
 loving union

00:29:47.199 --> 00:29:48.599
 with Christ.

00:29:49.079 --> 00:29:49.539
 In fact,

00:29:49.659 --> 00:29:50.659
 it is our

00:29:50.659 --> 00:29:51.339
 union with

00:29:51.339 --> 00:29:51.719
 Christ,

00:29:52.519 --> 00:29:53.039
 it is our

00:29:53.039 --> 00:29:53.539
 union with

00:29:53.539 --> 00:29:55.240
 Jesus that

00:29:55.240 --> 00:29:56.059
 brings about

00:29:56.059 --> 00:29:56.639
 the new

00:29:56.639 --> 00:29:57.779
 life given

00:29:57.779 --> 00:29:58.439
 to us by

00:29:58.439 --> 00:29:58.919
 the Spirit.

00:30:00.279 --> 00:30:00.759
 Ephesians

00:30:00.759 --> 00:30:01.439
 chapter 2,

00:30:01.519 --> 00:30:01.959
 this passage

00:30:01.959 --> 00:30:02.480
 that we read

00:30:02.480 --> 00:30:03.019
 earlier that

00:30:03.019 --> 00:30:03.639
 talks about

00:30:03.639 --> 00:30:04.779
 us being

00:30:04.779 --> 00:30:05.500
 dead and

00:30:05.500 --> 00:30:06.740
 our trespasses

00:30:06.740 --> 00:30:07.240
 and sins,

00:30:07.299 --> 00:30:07.939
 after it talks

00:30:07.939 --> 00:30:08.539
 about us being

00:30:08.539 --> 00:30:09.339
 spiritually dead,

00:30:10.199 --> 00:30:11.059
 says this in

00:30:11.059 --> 00:30:11.319
 the next

00:30:11.319 --> 00:30:11.719
 verse,

00:30:12.859 --> 00:30:13.699
 because of

00:30:13.699 --> 00:30:14.259
 his great

00:30:14.259 --> 00:30:14.700
 love for

00:30:14.700 --> 00:30:14.960
 us,

00:30:15.200 --> 00:30:15.579
 God,

00:30:15.900 --> 00:30:16.640
 who is

00:30:16.640 --> 00:30:17.440
 rich in

00:30:17.440 --> 00:30:17.740
 mercy,

00:30:18.700 --> 00:30:19.799
 made us

00:30:19.799 --> 00:30:20.839
 alive even

00:30:20.839 --> 00:30:21.359
 when we were

00:30:21.359 --> 00:30:21.980
 dead in our

00:30:21.980 --> 00:30:22.720
 transgressions,

00:30:23.099 --> 00:30:23.720
 and God

00:30:23.720 --> 00:30:24.480
 raised us up

00:30:24.480 --> 00:30:25.039
 with Christ

00:30:25.039 --> 00:30:25.619
 and seated

00:30:25.619 --> 00:30:26.180
 us with

00:30:26.180 --> 00:30:27.059
 him in

00:30:27.059 --> 00:30:27.420
 the heavenly

00:30:27.420 --> 00:30:27.879
 realms.

00:30:29.119 --> 00:30:30.299
 Made alive

00:30:30.299 --> 00:30:31.319
 together with

00:30:31.319 --> 00:30:31.799
 Christ,

00:30:33.019 --> 00:30:33.720
 seated with

00:30:33.720 --> 00:30:33.920
 him,

00:30:34.119 --> 00:30:34.680
 raised with

00:30:34.680 --> 00:30:34.900
 him.

00:30:35.940 --> 00:30:36.480
 It is

00:30:36.480 --> 00:30:36.980
 through our

00:30:36.980 --> 00:30:37.559
 union with

00:30:37.559 --> 00:30:38.220
 Christ that

00:30:38.220 --> 00:30:39.000
 we experience

00:30:39.000 --> 00:30:39.779
 the new

00:30:39.779 --> 00:30:40.000
 birth,

00:30:40.059 --> 00:30:40.259
 that we

00:30:40.259 --> 00:30:41.240
 experience new

00:30:41.240 --> 00:30:41.960
 life,

00:30:41.960 --> 00:30:42.079
 love.

00:30:42.079 --> 00:30:42.299
 And it

00:30:42.299 --> 00:30:43.220
 is through

00:30:43.220 --> 00:30:43.819
 our union

00:30:43.819 --> 00:30:44.400
 with Christ,

00:30:44.980 --> 00:30:45.700
 given to us

00:30:45.700 --> 00:30:46.279
 by the Holy

00:30:46.279 --> 00:30:46.600
 Spirit,

00:30:47.400 --> 00:30:47.799
 that we

00:30:47.799 --> 00:30:49.299
 experience God's

00:30:49.299 --> 00:30:50.140
 love.

00:30:51.120 --> 00:30:51.700
 And so this is

00:30:51.700 --> 00:30:52.360
 where we see

00:30:52.360 --> 00:30:54.720
 that the new

00:30:54.720 --> 00:30:55.620
 birth isn't just

00:30:55.620 --> 00:30:56.740
 about spiritual

00:30:56.740 --> 00:30:58.160
 experience in

00:30:58.160 --> 00:30:58.460
 general,

00:30:58.840 --> 00:31:00.240
 but it is about

00:31:00.240 --> 00:31:01.380
 eternal life

00:31:01.380 --> 00:31:02.579
 that brings us

00:31:02.579 --> 00:31:03.579
 into loving

00:31:03.579 --> 00:31:04.900
 union with

00:31:04.900 --> 00:31:05.160
 Jesus.

00:31:05.920 --> 00:31:06.600
 It's about

00:31:06.600 --> 00:31:07.340
 eternal life

00:31:07.340 --> 00:31:07.799
 through loving

00:31:07.799 --> 00:31:08.860
 union with

00:31:08.859 --> 00:31:09.199
 Christ,

00:31:09.299 --> 00:31:09.899
 and it is

00:31:09.899 --> 00:31:11.799
 wonderfully

00:31:11.799 --> 00:31:12.740
 and beautifully

00:31:12.740 --> 00:31:13.539
 Trinitarian.

00:31:14.799 --> 00:31:15.779
 It's the love

00:31:15.779 --> 00:31:16.539
 of God the

00:31:16.539 --> 00:31:19.019
 Father revealed

00:31:19.019 --> 00:31:20.019
 to us in

00:31:20.019 --> 00:31:20.679
 Christ the

00:31:20.679 --> 00:31:20.879
 Son,

00:31:22.179 --> 00:31:22.919
 given to

00:31:22.919 --> 00:31:23.159
 us,

00:31:23.299 --> 00:31:23.939
 applied to

00:31:23.939 --> 00:31:25.639
 us by the

00:31:25.639 --> 00:31:26.219
 Holy Spirit

00:31:26.219 --> 00:31:27.279
 and received

00:31:27.279 --> 00:31:27.879
 in faith.

00:31:29.319 --> 00:31:30.099
 And this

00:31:30.099 --> 00:31:30.679
 makes the

00:31:30.679 --> 00:31:31.139
 new birth

00:31:31.139 --> 00:31:32.000
 immensely

00:31:32.000 --> 00:31:32.639
 practical.

00:31:32.979 --> 00:31:33.479
 It shows us

00:31:33.479 --> 00:31:34.319
 how to receive

00:31:34.319 --> 00:31:34.859
 the new birth

00:31:34.859 --> 00:31:35.419
 if we're not

00:31:35.419 --> 00:31:35.699
 a Christian,

00:31:35.859 --> 00:31:36.599
 and it also

00:31:36.599 --> 00:31:38.059
 shows us how

00:31:38.059 --> 00:31:38.599
 the new birth

00:31:38.599 --> 00:31:39.399
 affects us

00:31:39.399 --> 00:31:40.460
 even if we've

00:31:40.460 --> 00:31:40.859
 been following

00:31:40.859 --> 00:31:41.759
 Jesus for a

00:31:41.759 --> 00:31:42.220
 long time,

00:31:42.299 --> 00:31:42.720
 even if we

00:31:42.720 --> 00:31:43.259
 came to faith

00:31:43.259 --> 00:31:43.839
 a long time

00:31:43.839 --> 00:31:44.099
 ago.

00:31:44.759 --> 00:31:45.359
 Because the

00:31:45.359 --> 00:31:45.679
 new birth

00:31:45.679 --> 00:31:46.299
 isn't just

00:31:46.299 --> 00:31:47.779
 a one-time

00:31:47.779 --> 00:31:48.639
 moment that

00:31:48.639 --> 00:31:50.039
 you use to

00:31:50.039 --> 00:31:51.240
 check your

00:31:51.240 --> 00:31:51.799
 get-to-heaven

00:31:51.799 --> 00:31:52.139
 card.

00:31:52.960 --> 00:31:53.779
 It isn't

00:31:53.779 --> 00:31:54.679
 isolated from

00:31:54.679 --> 00:31:55.139
 the rest of

00:31:55.139 --> 00:31:55.559
 your life.

00:31:55.700 --> 00:31:56.440
 It actually

00:31:56.440 --> 00:31:57.319
 is the very

00:31:57.319 --> 00:31:58.419
 operating system

00:31:58.419 --> 00:32:00.039
 that makes

00:32:00.039 --> 00:32:00.720
 your entire

00:32:00.720 --> 00:32:01.319
 Christian life

00:32:01.319 --> 00:32:01.700
 possible.

00:32:02.500 --> 00:32:03.220
 It is the

00:32:03.220 --> 00:32:04.579
 seed that

00:32:04.579 --> 00:32:05.419
 allows us to

00:32:05.419 --> 00:32:06.220
 grow up into

00:32:06.220 --> 00:32:06.919
 Christ-likeness.

00:32:07.039 --> 00:32:07.659
 It is the

00:32:07.660 --> 00:32:08.120
 seed that

00:32:08.120 --> 00:32:08.540
 allows us

00:32:08.540 --> 00:32:09.080
 to grow

00:32:09.080 --> 00:32:10.360
 as Christians.

00:32:11.360 --> 00:32:12.240
 Just as we

00:32:12.240 --> 00:32:13.060
 experience in

00:32:13.060 --> 00:32:13.540
 conversion,

00:32:14.519 --> 00:32:15.400
 we grow as

00:32:15.400 --> 00:32:17.220
 Christians by

00:32:17.220 --> 00:32:18.080
 receiving the

00:32:18.080 --> 00:32:19.200
 love of God

00:32:19.200 --> 00:32:19.640
 the Father

00:32:19.640 --> 00:32:21.440
 through union

00:32:21.440 --> 00:32:22.100
 with Jesus

00:32:22.100 --> 00:32:23.259
 and the power

00:32:23.259 --> 00:32:23.720
 of the Spirit.

00:32:24.660 --> 00:32:25.279
 The power of

00:32:25.279 --> 00:32:25.580
 the Spirit.

00:32:26.100 --> 00:32:26.820
 So to tie all

00:32:26.820 --> 00:32:27.360
 this together,

00:32:28.100 --> 00:32:28.860
 to tie all this

00:32:28.860 --> 00:32:29.120
 together,

00:32:29.240 --> 00:32:30.000
 conversion and

00:32:30.000 --> 00:32:30.540
 the new birth,

00:32:32.140 --> 00:32:32.860
 it's not about

00:32:32.860 --> 00:32:33.300
 getting more

00:32:33.300 --> 00:32:33.620
 religion.

00:32:34.360 --> 00:32:34.800
 It's about

00:32:34.800 --> 00:32:35.480
 receiving a new

00:32:35.480 --> 00:32:35.720
 nature.

00:32:35.720 --> 00:32:37.539
 it's not

00:32:37.539 --> 00:32:38.039
 something,

00:32:38.319 --> 00:32:38.680
 it's not an

00:32:38.680 --> 00:32:39.360
 experience that

00:32:39.360 --> 00:32:40.660
 we control or

00:32:40.660 --> 00:32:41.140
 manufacture,

00:32:41.680 --> 00:32:42.440
 but it's a

00:32:42.440 --> 00:32:43.120
 sovereign work of

00:32:43.120 --> 00:32:43.640
 the Holy Spirit.

00:32:44.740 --> 00:32:45.460
 And it's not

00:32:45.460 --> 00:32:46.079
 about spiritual

00:32:46.079 --> 00:32:46.640
 life or

00:32:46.640 --> 00:32:47.460
 spirituality in

00:32:47.460 --> 00:32:47.779
 general,

00:32:48.460 --> 00:32:49.519
 but eternal

00:32:49.519 --> 00:32:50.360
 life through

00:32:50.360 --> 00:32:51.140
 a loving union

00:32:51.140 --> 00:32:52.279
 with Christ

00:32:52.279 --> 00:32:53.579
 received by

00:32:53.579 --> 00:32:53.980
 faith.

00:32:56.039 --> 00:32:56.319
 Now,

00:32:56.980 --> 00:32:57.680
 whatever

00:32:57.680 --> 00:32:58.360
 happened to

00:32:58.360 --> 00:32:58.880
 Nicodemus?

00:32:59.960 --> 00:33:00.339
 John,

00:33:00.420 --> 00:33:00.660
 here in

00:33:00.660 --> 00:33:01.100
 John chapter

00:33:01.100 --> 00:33:01.400
 three,

00:33:01.500 --> 00:33:01.960
 actually just

00:33:01.960 --> 00:33:02.500
 moves on.

00:33:02.500 --> 00:33:02.920
 Like,

00:33:03.140 --> 00:33:03.779
 the conversation

00:33:03.779 --> 00:33:04.420
 just ends.

00:33:04.900 --> 00:33:05.220
 And then he

00:33:05.220 --> 00:33:05.640
 moves on to

00:33:05.640 --> 00:33:06.059
 the next thing.

00:33:06.119 --> 00:33:06.539
 So we actually

00:33:06.539 --> 00:33:07.259
 don't see

00:33:07.259 --> 00:33:08.720
 Nicodemus'

00:33:08.859 --> 00:33:09.220
 response.

00:33:09.319 --> 00:33:09.940
 We don't see

00:33:09.940 --> 00:33:11.559
 Nicodemus until

00:33:11.559 --> 00:33:12.880
 John chapter

00:33:12.880 --> 00:33:13.960
 19.

00:33:14.880 --> 00:33:15.359
 And John

00:33:15.359 --> 00:33:15.920
 chapter 19

00:33:15.920 --> 00:33:16.579
 tells us that

00:33:16.579 --> 00:33:17.339
 after Jesus

00:33:17.339 --> 00:33:17.799
 died,

00:33:18.819 --> 00:33:19.380
 that Joseph

00:33:19.380 --> 00:33:20.619
 of Arimathea

00:33:20.619 --> 00:33:21.400
 got permission

00:33:21.400 --> 00:33:22.160
 from Pilate

00:33:22.160 --> 00:33:24.140
 to receive

00:33:24.140 --> 00:33:24.599
 the body

00:33:24.599 --> 00:33:25.079
 of Jesus

00:33:25.079 --> 00:33:25.859
 after he

00:33:25.859 --> 00:33:27.319
 was crucified

00:33:27.319 --> 00:33:27.839
 and after

00:33:27.839 --> 00:33:28.339
 he died.

00:33:29.380 --> 00:33:29.900
 Joseph of

00:33:29.900 --> 00:33:30.319
 Arimathea

00:33:30.319 --> 00:33:31.259
 received the

00:33:31.259 --> 00:33:31.640
 body of

00:33:31.640 --> 00:33:32.200
 Jesus and

00:33:32.200 --> 00:33:32.799
 placed the

00:33:32.799 --> 00:33:33.119
 body of

00:33:33.119 --> 00:33:34.420
 Jesus buried

00:33:34.420 --> 00:33:35.379
 in his

00:33:35.379 --> 00:33:36.059
 personal tomb.

00:33:37.759 --> 00:33:38.259
 And who

00:33:38.259 --> 00:33:39.000
 would come

00:33:39.000 --> 00:33:39.319
 to the

00:33:39.319 --> 00:33:41.119
 burial but

00:33:41.119 --> 00:33:41.700
 Nicodemus?

00:33:42.759 --> 00:33:43.559
 John chapter

00:33:43.559 --> 00:33:44.359
 19 says that

00:33:44.359 --> 00:33:45.500
 Nicodemus arrives

00:33:45.500 --> 00:33:46.160
 on the scene

00:33:46.160 --> 00:33:47.180
 at Jesus'

00:33:47.400 --> 00:33:48.460
 burial and

00:33:48.460 --> 00:33:49.039
 he brings

00:33:49.039 --> 00:33:49.599
 with him

00:33:49.599 --> 00:33:51.940
 75 pounds

00:33:51.940 --> 00:33:53.859
 of burial

00:33:53.859 --> 00:33:54.359
 spices,

00:33:54.559 --> 00:33:55.079
 myrrh and

00:33:55.079 --> 00:33:56.000
 other spices.

00:33:56.680 --> 00:33:59.059
 75 pounds.

00:33:59.440 --> 00:33:59.900
 This would

00:33:59.900 --> 00:34:00.359
 have been

00:34:00.359 --> 00:34:01.160
 incredibly

00:34:01.160 --> 00:34:01.680
 expensive.

00:34:02.519 --> 00:34:02.900
 This would

00:34:02.900 --> 00:34:03.160
 have been

00:34:03.160 --> 00:34:03.940
 incredibly

00:34:03.940 --> 00:34:04.779
 extravagant

00:34:04.779 --> 00:34:05.480
 for a

00:34:05.480 --> 00:34:05.720
 burial.

00:34:06.060 --> 00:34:06.800
 This would

00:34:06.800 --> 00:34:07.220
 have been

00:34:07.220 --> 00:34:07.680
 the only

00:34:07.680 --> 00:34:09.200
 thing that

00:34:09.200 --> 00:34:09.500
 would have

00:34:09.500 --> 00:34:09.840
 been done

00:34:09.840 --> 00:34:10.159
 for the

00:34:10.159 --> 00:34:11.480
 burial of

00:34:11.480 --> 00:34:11.820
 a king.

00:34:13.039 --> 00:34:13.720
 This would

00:34:13.720 --> 00:34:14.240
 be the sort

00:34:14.240 --> 00:34:14.619
 of thing

00:34:14.619 --> 00:34:14.940
 that would

00:34:14.940 --> 00:34:15.240
 have been

00:34:15.240 --> 00:34:16.619
 done not

00:34:16.619 --> 00:34:17.260
 just for

00:34:17.260 --> 00:34:17.700
 the burial

00:34:17.700 --> 00:34:19.039
 of any

00:34:19.039 --> 00:34:19.720
 one person,

00:34:19.840 --> 00:34:20.159
 it would

00:34:20.159 --> 00:34:20.559
 have been

00:34:20.559 --> 00:34:21.119
 an act

00:34:21.119 --> 00:34:22.260
 of worship.

00:34:23.420 --> 00:34:23.880
 Somewhere

00:34:23.880 --> 00:34:24.500
 between

00:34:24.500 --> 00:34:25.480
 John chapter

00:34:25.480 --> 00:34:25.960
 3 and

00:34:25.960 --> 00:34:26.480
 John chapter

00:34:26.480 --> 00:34:26.800
 19,

00:34:26.960 --> 00:34:27.700
 something changed

00:34:27.700 --> 00:34:28.220
 in how

00:34:28.220 --> 00:34:29.340
 Nicodemus

00:34:29.340 --> 00:34:30.280
 saw Jesus.

00:34:31.220 --> 00:34:31.600
 Somewhere

00:34:31.600 --> 00:34:32.019
 along the

00:34:32.019 --> 00:34:32.160
 way,

00:34:32.280 --> 00:34:33.079
 Nicodemus

00:34:33.079 --> 00:34:34.620
 realized that

00:34:34.620 --> 00:34:35.120
 Jesus wasn't

00:34:35.120 --> 00:34:35.400
 just a

00:34:35.400 --> 00:34:35.680
 teacher,

00:34:36.640 --> 00:34:37.180
 but that

00:34:37.180 --> 00:34:37.559
 he was a

00:34:37.559 --> 00:34:37.720
 king.

00:34:38.380 --> 00:34:39.019
 Not just

00:34:39.019 --> 00:34:39.260
 that he

00:34:39.260 --> 00:34:39.860
 was sent

00:34:39.860 --> 00:34:40.500
 from God,

00:34:40.559 --> 00:34:40.820
 but that

00:34:40.820 --> 00:34:41.640
 he was

00:34:41.640 --> 00:34:42.559
 God.

00:34:42.559 --> 00:34:44.840
 So when

00:34:44.840 --> 00:34:45.179
 did this

00:34:45.179 --> 00:34:45.480
 happen?

00:34:46.799 --> 00:34:47.239
 Well, we

00:34:47.239 --> 00:34:48.039
 can't know

00:34:48.039 --> 00:34:48.519
 for sure,

00:34:48.679 --> 00:34:49.259
 we can only

00:34:49.259 --> 00:34:49.719
 speculate,

00:34:50.380 --> 00:34:51.059
 but I

00:34:51.059 --> 00:34:51.759
 wonder if

00:34:51.759 --> 00:34:52.539
 it was

00:34:52.539 --> 00:34:53.840
 on that

00:34:53.840 --> 00:34:54.239
 Saturday

00:34:54.239 --> 00:34:55.299
 when Nicodemus

00:34:55.299 --> 00:34:55.940
 went out

00:34:55.940 --> 00:34:56.659
 to Golgotha

00:34:56.659 --> 00:34:57.139
 where Jesus

00:34:57.139 --> 00:34:57.579
 was being

00:34:57.579 --> 00:34:58.000
 crucified,

00:34:59.199 --> 00:34:59.599
 and I

00:34:59.599 --> 00:34:59.960
 wonder

00:34:59.960 --> 00:35:01.719
 if as

00:35:01.719 --> 00:35:02.219
 he saw

00:35:02.219 --> 00:35:02.799
 Jesus

00:35:02.799 --> 00:35:03.320
 being

00:35:03.320 --> 00:35:03.880
 crucified,

00:35:05.099 --> 00:35:05.400
 suffering

00:35:05.400 --> 00:35:05.820
 and dying,

00:35:05.900 --> 00:35:06.320
 I wonder

00:35:06.320 --> 00:35:07.400
 when he

00:35:07.400 --> 00:35:08.239
 saw Jesus

00:35:08.239 --> 00:35:09.380
 lifted up

00:35:09.380 --> 00:35:11.019
 and suspended

00:35:11.019 --> 00:35:11.320
 on the

00:35:11.320 --> 00:35:11.519
 cross,

00:35:11.519 --> 00:35:12.079
 I wonder

00:35:12.079 --> 00:35:13.519
 if Nicodemus

00:35:13.519 --> 00:35:14.440
 remembered

00:35:14.440 --> 00:35:15.579
 back to

00:35:15.579 --> 00:35:15.820
 his

00:35:15.820 --> 00:35:16.320
 conversation

00:35:16.320 --> 00:35:16.800
 at night

00:35:16.800 --> 00:35:18.000
 when he

00:35:18.000 --> 00:35:19.699
 told Nicodemus,

00:35:19.820 --> 00:35:20.500
 just like

00:35:20.500 --> 00:35:21.599
 Moses lifted

00:35:21.599 --> 00:35:21.840
 up the

00:35:21.840 --> 00:35:22.320
 bronze snake,

00:35:22.719 --> 00:35:23.159
 the Son of

00:35:23.159 --> 00:35:23.519
 Man must

00:35:23.519 --> 00:35:23.820
 be lifted

00:35:23.820 --> 00:35:24.059
 up.

00:35:24.659 --> 00:35:25.059
 And I

00:35:25.059 --> 00:35:25.900
 wonder if

00:35:25.900 --> 00:35:26.500
 he recalled

00:35:26.500 --> 00:35:27.099
 those words

00:35:27.099 --> 00:35:29.480
 and not

00:35:29.480 --> 00:35:31.159
 only looked

00:35:31.159 --> 00:35:31.920
 at Jesus,

00:35:32.539 --> 00:35:33.759
 but believed

00:35:33.759 --> 00:35:34.780
 in him for

00:35:34.780 --> 00:35:35.400
 eternal life.

00:35:36.639 --> 00:35:37.119
 Now,

00:35:37.179 --> 00:35:37.679
 that's just

00:35:37.679 --> 00:35:38.880
 me speculating,

00:35:39.019 --> 00:35:39.420
 we can't

00:35:39.420 --> 00:35:39.800
 know for

00:35:39.800 --> 00:35:40.000
 sure,

00:35:40.099 --> 00:35:40.559
 maybe this

00:35:40.559 --> 00:35:41.199
 change had

00:35:41.199 --> 00:35:41.699
 already

00:35:41.699 --> 00:35:42.119
 occurred

00:35:42.119 --> 00:35:43.000
 weeks or

00:35:43.000 --> 00:35:43.259
 months

00:35:43.259 --> 00:35:43.659
 earlier,

00:35:44.179 --> 00:35:44.859
 maybe like

00:35:44.859 --> 00:35:45.199
 C.S.

00:35:45.259 --> 00:35:45.480
 Lewis,

00:35:45.599 --> 00:35:46.019
 it happened

00:35:46.019 --> 00:35:47.339
 when Nicodemus

00:35:47.339 --> 00:35:47.939
 wasn't even

00:35:47.939 --> 00:35:48.539
 conscious that

00:35:48.539 --> 00:35:48.759
 it was

00:35:48.759 --> 00:35:49.099
 happening.

00:35:50.199 --> 00:35:51.059
 We can't

00:35:51.059 --> 00:35:51.359
 know for

00:35:51.359 --> 00:35:51.539
 sure,

00:35:51.619 --> 00:35:51.919
 in some

00:35:51.919 --> 00:35:52.199
 ways it

00:35:52.199 --> 00:35:52.679
 really doesn't

00:35:52.679 --> 00:35:52.899
 matter,

00:35:53.039 --> 00:35:53.199
 and in

00:35:53.199 --> 00:35:53.419
 many ways

00:35:53.419 --> 00:35:53.739
 that's not

00:35:53.739 --> 00:35:54.159
 the point.

00:35:55.319 --> 00:35:55.859
 The point

00:35:55.859 --> 00:35:56.399
 is that

00:35:56.399 --> 00:35:59.559
 at some

00:35:59.559 --> 00:35:59.879
 time,

00:35:59.980 --> 00:36:01.579
 Nicodemus

00:36:01.579 --> 00:36:02.739
 understood that

00:36:02.739 --> 00:36:03.219
 when Jesus

00:36:03.219 --> 00:36:03.779
 was lifted

00:36:03.779 --> 00:36:04.199
 up on the

00:36:04.199 --> 00:36:04.539
 cross,

00:36:05.579 --> 00:36:05.859
 that it

00:36:05.859 --> 00:36:06.139
 was for

00:36:06.139 --> 00:36:06.339
 him.

00:36:07.219 --> 00:36:07.839
 It was out

00:36:07.839 --> 00:36:08.159
 of his

00:36:08.159 --> 00:36:08.859
 great love

00:36:08.860 --> 00:36:09.980
 for him.

00:36:10.079 --> 00:36:10.260
 Jesus

00:36:10.260 --> 00:36:10.900
 was there

00:36:10.900 --> 00:36:12.559
 out of

00:36:12.559 --> 00:36:13.200
 his great

00:36:13.200 --> 00:36:14.160
 love for

00:36:14.160 --> 00:36:14.780
 Nicodemus.

00:36:15.519 --> 00:36:15.800
 And it

00:36:15.800 --> 00:36:16.200
 was that

00:36:16.200 --> 00:36:17.019
 love that

00:36:17.019 --> 00:36:17.579
 changed him.

00:36:17.640 --> 00:36:18.140
 It was that

00:36:18.140 --> 00:36:19.160
 love that

00:36:19.160 --> 00:36:19.920
 created a new

00:36:19.920 --> 00:36:20.480
 heart and a

00:36:20.480 --> 00:36:20.960
 new spirit.

00:36:21.960 --> 00:36:22.480
 And it was

00:36:22.480 --> 00:36:23.000
 that same

00:36:23.000 --> 00:36:24.019
 love that

00:36:24.019 --> 00:36:25.400
 changed C.S.

00:36:25.460 --> 00:36:25.660
 Lewis.

00:36:25.880 --> 00:36:26.260
 It was the

00:36:26.260 --> 00:36:27.039
 same love that

00:36:27.039 --> 00:36:28.599
 gave him a

00:36:28.599 --> 00:36:29.700
 new heart and

00:36:29.700 --> 00:36:30.240
 a new spirit

00:36:30.240 --> 00:36:30.660
 and a new

00:36:30.660 --> 00:36:30.960
 life.

00:36:31.840 --> 00:36:32.400
 And it is

00:36:32.400 --> 00:36:32.900
 the same

00:36:32.900 --> 00:36:34.480
 love for

00:36:34.480 --> 00:36:35.519
 us that

00:36:35.519 --> 00:36:36.320
 changes us,

00:36:36.320 --> 00:36:37.820
 that regenerates

00:36:37.820 --> 00:36:38.480
 our hearts and

00:36:38.480 --> 00:36:39.820
 gives us a

00:36:39.820 --> 00:36:40.460
 new spirit and

00:36:40.460 --> 00:36:41.920
 gives us new

00:36:41.920 --> 00:36:42.240
 life.

00:36:43.320 --> 00:36:43.900
 Let's pray

00:36:43.900 --> 00:36:44.160
 together.

00:36:48.780 --> 00:36:49.380
 Father in

00:36:49.380 --> 00:36:49.800
 heaven, thank

00:36:49.800 --> 00:36:50.380
 you that you

00:36:50.380 --> 00:36:52.220
 have revealed

00:36:52.220 --> 00:36:53.300
 your love in

00:36:53.300 --> 00:36:53.960
 Jesus Christ

00:36:53.960 --> 00:36:56.420
 on the cross

00:36:56.420 --> 00:36:58.340
 and you

00:36:58.340 --> 00:36:59.100
 allow us to

00:36:59.100 --> 00:36:59.840
 experience the

00:36:59.840 --> 00:37:01.360
 new birth by

00:37:01.360 --> 00:37:02.140
 giving us new

00:37:02.140 --> 00:37:02.480
 hearts.

00:37:03.940 --> 00:37:04.740
 Help us to

00:37:04.740 --> 00:37:05.820
 not miss the

00:37:05.820 --> 00:37:06.840
 simplicity of

00:37:06.840 --> 00:37:07.260
 the gospel

00:37:07.260 --> 00:37:08.600
 that you

00:37:08.600 --> 00:37:09.360
 so love the

00:37:09.360 --> 00:37:10.760
 world, that

00:37:10.760 --> 00:37:11.640
 you exchanged

00:37:11.640 --> 00:37:13.260
 places with us

00:37:13.260 --> 00:37:13.780
 on the cross,

00:37:14.539 --> 00:37:15.180
 that whoever

00:37:15.180 --> 00:37:15.940
 looks to you,

00:37:16.000 --> 00:37:16.660
 whoever believes

00:37:16.660 --> 00:37:18.440
 in you, shall

00:37:18.440 --> 00:37:19.120
 not perish but

00:37:19.120 --> 00:37:20.420
 have eternal

00:37:20.420 --> 00:37:20.800
 life.

00:37:20.800 --> 00:37:22.100
 Amen.