WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.940 Our scripture reading this morning is from John chapter 3. 00:00:04.520 --> 00:00:06.580 ! We're going to read verses 1 through 16. 00:00:08.359 --> 00:00:13.280 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 00:00:14.019 --> 00:00:16.539 This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, 00:00:16.620 --> 00:00:19.940 Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, 00:00:20.080 --> 00:00:23.280 for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him. 00:00:24.160 --> 00:00:25.039 Jesus answered him, 00:00:25.039 --> 00:00:28.199 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, 00:00:28.199 --> 00:00:30.320 he cannot see the kingdom of God. 00:00:31.559 --> 00:00:32.600 Nicodemus said to him, 00:00:32.700 --> 00:00:34.659 How can a man be born when he is old? 00:00:34.960 --> 00:00:38.179 Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born? 00:00:39.340 --> 00:00:40.159 Jesus answered, 00:00:40.379 --> 00:00:44.500 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, 00:00:44.640 --> 00:00:46.820 he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 00:00:47.500 --> 00:00:49.840 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, 00:00:50.200 --> 00:00:53.079 and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit. 00:00:53.960 --> 00:00:55.480 Do not marvel that I said to you, 00:00:55.539 --> 00:00:57.000 You must be born again. 00:00:57.000 --> 00:01:00.700 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, 00:01:00.859 --> 00:01:04.540 but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. 00:01:05.140 --> 00:01:08.719 So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit. 00:01:10.280 --> 00:01:11.379 Nicodemus said to him, 00:01:11.540 --> 00:01:13.120 How can these things be? 00:01:14.240 --> 00:01:15.400 And Jesus answered him, 00:01:15.480 --> 00:01:19.719 Are you the teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things? 00:01:20.560 --> 00:01:22.299 Truly, truly, I say to you, 00:01:22.299 --> 00:01:26.340 We speak of what we know and bear witness to what we have seen, 00:01:26.560 --> 00:01:28.519 but you do not receive our testimony. 00:01:29.200 --> 00:01:32.120 If I told you earthly things and you do not believe, 00:01:32.280 --> 00:01:34.819 how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 00:01:35.479 --> 00:01:39.439 No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, 00:01:39.840 --> 00:01:40.719 the Son of Man. 00:01:40.719 --> 00:01:45.760 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, 00:01:46.200 --> 00:01:48.620 so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 00:01:48.760 --> 00:01:52.840 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. 00:01:53.340 --> 00:01:55.200 For God so loved the world, 00:01:55.599 --> 00:01:57.500 that he gave his only Son, 00:01:57.599 --> 00:02:00.859 that whoever believes in him should not perish, 00:02:01.280 --> 00:02:03.640 but have eternal life. 00:02:04.280 --> 00:02:06.019 This is God's Word. 00:02:06.019 --> 00:02:14.799 Thank you very, very much indeed for the opportunity to be with you again today. 00:02:14.939 --> 00:02:19.659 It's always a massive joy and privilege to come and be with you here at St. Sees 00:02:19.659 --> 00:02:20.300 for two reasons. 00:02:20.400 --> 00:02:25.259 One, because we get to see many, many old friends who we love so very, very much. 00:02:25.659 --> 00:02:28.019 But it's also brilliant to come here because every time I come, 00:02:28.419 --> 00:02:30.120 we see so many new faces, 00:02:30.680 --> 00:02:32.560 and we see the church family here growing, 00:02:32.680 --> 00:02:34.859 which is an absolute joy to see. 00:02:34.860 --> 00:02:37.580 So thank you very much for this opportunity, 00:02:38.560 --> 00:02:42.320 and I bring you the warmest greetings of the congregation in Carloway 00:02:42.320 --> 00:02:44.400 and the church in Lewis. 00:02:44.540 --> 00:02:46.900 So thank you very much for the chance to be here with you today. 00:02:46.940 --> 00:02:50.660 And I'm also delighted to be able to participate in the series 00:02:50.660 --> 00:02:53.440 that you're doing over the summer, Encounters with Jesus. 00:02:54.060 --> 00:02:56.680 And today we're going to look at one of the most famous encounters 00:02:56.680 --> 00:02:58.580 that somebody had with Jesus, 00:02:58.980 --> 00:03:01.620 the passage we read in John chapter 3. 00:03:02.360 --> 00:03:04.040 And I'll just read the first three verses again. 00:03:04.039 --> 00:03:07.120 There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 00:03:07.599 --> 00:03:10.079 This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, 00:03:10.159 --> 00:03:12.859 Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, 00:03:13.060 --> 00:03:17.599 for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him. 00:03:17.879 --> 00:03:19.039 Jesus answered him, 00:03:19.560 --> 00:03:21.139 Truly, truly, I say to you, 00:03:21.219 --> 00:03:22.759 unless one is born again, 00:03:22.899 --> 00:03:25.439 he cannot see the kingdom of God. 00:03:25.500 --> 00:03:28.060 Now, this is a very famous and a very fascinating passage, 00:03:28.060 --> 00:03:30.620 and there's loads that it teaches us, 00:03:30.740 --> 00:03:31.840 loads that we could look at, 00:03:32.039 --> 00:03:34.060 and I'm conscious that in so many ways 00:03:34.060 --> 00:03:36.659 we're only going to be just barely scratching the surface 00:03:36.659 --> 00:03:39.460 in what is really one of the most remarkable conversations 00:03:39.460 --> 00:03:42.259 that Jesus ever had. 00:03:42.920 --> 00:03:44.039 Why is it so remarkable? 00:03:44.460 --> 00:03:45.680 Well, there's lots of reasons, 00:03:45.800 --> 00:03:47.560 but one of the main reasons, 00:03:47.680 --> 00:03:49.199 and what I want us to focus on, 00:03:49.759 --> 00:03:51.140 is the fact that this was the night 00:03:51.139 --> 00:03:54.199 when Jesus met a genius. 00:03:55.879 --> 00:03:57.399 Jesus met a genius. 00:03:58.559 --> 00:03:59.059 Now, you might say, 00:03:59.119 --> 00:04:02.519 well, how do we know that Nicodemus was a genius? 00:04:02.739 --> 00:04:04.859 Well, at one level, we don't know for certain. 00:04:05.819 --> 00:04:10.439 All we know is what it says in verse 1 and verse 10. 00:04:10.539 --> 00:04:11.679 It says that he was a Pharisee, 00:04:11.779 --> 00:04:12.899 a ruler of the Jews, 00:04:13.199 --> 00:04:14.839 a teacher of Israel. 00:04:15.319 --> 00:04:17.919 And I'm sure many of you would maybe be tempted to say today, 00:04:18.019 --> 00:04:19.259 well, if you look at current politics, 00:04:19.360 --> 00:04:20.959 you think, well, you don't need to be a genius 00:04:20.959 --> 00:04:21.599 to be a ruler. 00:04:22.399 --> 00:04:23.779 And maybe some of you are in school, 00:04:23.839 --> 00:04:24.419 and you might even think, 00:04:24.479 --> 00:04:26.039 well, you don't need to be a genius to be a teacher. 00:04:26.779 --> 00:04:28.099 And maybe that's true. 00:04:28.439 --> 00:04:30.079 And I concede, you know, 00:04:30.099 --> 00:04:34.019 we don't know exactly what Nicodemus' IQ was. 00:04:34.419 --> 00:04:35.759 But it's definitely the case 00:04:35.759 --> 00:04:37.899 that if you were just a normal, ordinary Jew 00:04:37.899 --> 00:04:42.899 living at the time when this conversation happened, 00:04:43.639 --> 00:04:46.560 if you had seen Nicodemus walk past, 00:04:46.759 --> 00:04:47.959 you would have thought to yourself, 00:04:48.819 --> 00:04:50.620 that's a guy who knows his stuff. 00:04:50.959 --> 00:04:53.519 He's the expert. 00:04:54.879 --> 00:04:56.439 He's the teacher of Israel. 00:04:56.919 --> 00:04:58.319 And that phrase could actually mean 00:04:58.319 --> 00:05:01.519 that he held a very, very high-profile position 00:05:01.519 --> 00:05:02.819 in the nation. 00:05:02.899 --> 00:05:04.539 And one commentator I read described him 00:05:04.539 --> 00:05:07.539 as Reverend Professor Dr. Nicodemus. 00:05:07.540 --> 00:05:12.480 And it's definitely the case that in terms of religious knowledge 00:05:12.480 --> 00:05:13.400 and expertise, 00:05:14.240 --> 00:05:15.800 Nicodemus was at the top. 00:05:16.280 --> 00:05:18.920 This chapter's telling us about the night 00:05:18.920 --> 00:05:21.620 when Jesus met a genius. 00:05:22.900 --> 00:05:26.920 And their conversation raises three crucial things 00:05:26.920 --> 00:05:29.920 that every one of us needs to think about. 00:05:29.980 --> 00:05:32.160 We need to think about necessity, 00:05:32.160 --> 00:05:33.720 mystery, 00:05:33.720 --> 00:05:35.080 and certainty. 00:05:35.220 --> 00:05:36.500 Now, I don't know if I've got them up on the screen. 00:05:36.560 --> 00:05:37.060 Oh, there we are. 00:05:37.160 --> 00:05:40.160 Now, we need to think about necessity, 00:05:41.439 --> 00:05:41.800 mystery, 00:05:42.120 --> 00:05:43.220 and genius. 00:05:43.340 --> 00:05:45.220 Now, I'm going to just start by asking you the question, 00:05:45.600 --> 00:05:46.580 do you want these things? 00:05:46.579 --> 00:05:49.519 Do you want necessity? 00:05:50.979 --> 00:05:52.259 Do you want mystery? 00:05:53.719 --> 00:05:55.180 Do you want certainty? 00:05:56.620 --> 00:05:57.899 And I want to ask those questions 00:05:57.899 --> 00:06:00.219 because I think many people in our culture today 00:06:00.219 --> 00:06:01.199 would actually say, 00:06:01.319 --> 00:06:01.680 well, no. 00:06:02.779 --> 00:06:04.039 We don't want necessity 00:06:04.039 --> 00:06:05.860 because we don't want to be told 00:06:05.860 --> 00:06:08.759 what absolutely does and does not have to happen. 00:06:09.159 --> 00:06:10.579 And we don't want mystery. 00:06:10.919 --> 00:06:11.699 We want clarity. 00:06:12.039 --> 00:06:13.319 And we want explanations. 00:06:13.539 --> 00:06:14.199 But at the same time, 00:06:14.219 --> 00:06:15.680 we don't really want certainty 00:06:15.680 --> 00:06:16.939 because we want to be flexible. 00:06:17.420 --> 00:06:19.199 We want to keep our options open. 00:06:19.560 --> 00:06:21.300 We do not want to be dogmatic. 00:06:22.220 --> 00:06:25.079 We want each person maybe to have their own certainty, 00:06:25.540 --> 00:06:28.079 but nothing overarching at all. 00:06:29.139 --> 00:06:30.340 Do you want these things? 00:06:31.800 --> 00:06:34.560 Well, we're going to look together at John 3, 00:06:34.819 --> 00:06:37.100 and we'll come back to these questions at the end. 00:06:38.079 --> 00:06:39.840 So I want to start by thinking about necessity. 00:06:40.699 --> 00:06:42.819 Nicodemus had a lot of strong credentials. 00:06:42.819 --> 00:06:48.300 As we saw, he was Pharisee, ruler of the Jews, teacher. 00:06:48.639 --> 00:06:53.300 He also recognized that Jesus was someone special, 00:06:53.560 --> 00:06:55.339 recognized that Jesus was a teacher from God, 00:06:55.680 --> 00:06:57.060 and he had even seen, 00:06:57.139 --> 00:07:01.100 or at least spoken to those who had seen Jesus perform miracles. 00:07:01.439 --> 00:07:03.439 He said, no one can do these signs that you do 00:07:03.439 --> 00:07:05.199 unless God is with him. 00:07:05.259 --> 00:07:05.920 So at one level, 00:07:06.019 --> 00:07:08.019 all of that sounds like the ideal qualifications 00:07:08.019 --> 00:07:10.459 for someone to come to God. 00:07:10.459 --> 00:07:12.259 And Nicodemus is interesting because, 00:07:12.839 --> 00:07:15.060 unlike many of the other religious leaders at the time, 00:07:15.339 --> 00:07:16.579 it doesn't seem to be the case 00:07:16.579 --> 00:07:20.599 that he was as opposed and hostile towards Jesus 00:07:20.599 --> 00:07:22.799 as many others were. 00:07:22.859 --> 00:07:25.419 He seems to be, at this stage at least, 00:07:25.699 --> 00:07:28.339 to have a more open disposition towards Jesus. 00:07:28.459 --> 00:07:30.779 Maybe he thought that he'd come to Jesus, 00:07:31.079 --> 00:07:32.779 and maybe Jesus would give Nicodemus 00:07:32.779 --> 00:07:34.879 some kind of affirmation and recognition 00:07:34.879 --> 00:07:36.959 like everybody else probably gave him. 00:07:36.959 --> 00:07:38.599 But that's not what happens. 00:07:39.879 --> 00:07:42.419 Because when Nicodemus met Jesus, 00:07:43.039 --> 00:07:46.899 the genius is told that there's something 00:07:46.899 --> 00:07:48.639 he desperately needs. 00:07:49.399 --> 00:07:50.939 Look at what it says from verse 3 to 7. 00:07:51.339 --> 00:07:52.259 Jesus answered him, 00:07:52.379 --> 00:07:53.379 Truly, truly, I say to you, 00:07:53.439 --> 00:07:54.399 unless one is born again, 00:07:54.459 --> 00:07:55.819 he cannot see the kingdom of God. 00:07:56.120 --> 00:07:56.879 Nicodemus said to him, 00:07:57.019 --> 00:07:58.579 How can a man be born when he's old? 00:07:58.899 --> 00:08:00.060 Can he enter the second time 00:08:00.060 --> 00:08:01.659 into his mother's womb and be born? 00:08:01.839 --> 00:08:02.539 Jesus answered, 00:08:02.839 --> 00:08:04.079 Truly, truly, I say to you, 00:08:04.079 --> 00:08:06.259 unless one's born of water and the Spirit, 00:08:06.899 --> 00:08:09.219 he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 00:08:09.620 --> 00:08:11.500 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, 00:08:11.879 --> 00:08:13.479 that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit. 00:08:13.919 --> 00:08:15.439 Do not marvel that I say to you, 00:08:15.680 --> 00:08:17.500 you must be born again. 00:08:18.279 --> 00:08:20.599 Now, that other section there is a ticky one. 00:08:20.639 --> 00:08:22.639 This whole passage is a bit of a ticky one 00:08:22.639 --> 00:08:23.839 for two reasons. 00:08:24.219 --> 00:08:26.879 One is because it's hard to understand 00:08:26.879 --> 00:08:29.979 all the details that are being spoken about. 00:08:30.240 --> 00:08:31.519 Especially in verse 5, 00:08:31.519 --> 00:08:33.539 there's lots of different opinions 00:08:33.539 --> 00:08:35.039 about what Jesus means. 00:08:35.079 --> 00:08:38.379 When he talks about water and Spirit, 00:08:39.000 --> 00:08:41.039 is he talking about two different things? 00:08:41.439 --> 00:08:44.340 Or is it two ways of describing the same thing? 00:08:44.360 --> 00:08:47.419 Or is it two aspects of the one thing? 00:08:47.500 --> 00:08:49.220 So is it physical birth, 00:08:49.299 --> 00:08:50.120 being born of water, 00:08:50.199 --> 00:08:51.419 and then spiritual birth, 00:08:51.500 --> 00:08:52.340 being born of the Spirit? 00:08:53.100 --> 00:08:55.980 Is it referring to baptism in water, 00:08:55.980 --> 00:08:58.360 and then spiritual new birth 00:08:58.360 --> 00:08:59.759 that comes through faith in Christ? 00:08:59.759 --> 00:09:02.500 Or are both referring to the same thing, 00:09:02.559 --> 00:09:03.960 as being born of water, 00:09:04.019 --> 00:09:06.159 being born of water and the Spirit, 00:09:06.279 --> 00:09:08.600 the one thing that happens when we believe. 00:09:08.659 --> 00:09:09.740 If you think about the phrase, 00:09:10.179 --> 00:09:14.759 you need to eat a sandwich of cheese and of ham. 00:09:15.799 --> 00:09:17.759 Is that a cheese sandwich and a ham sandwich, 00:09:17.860 --> 00:09:19.080 or is it a cheese and ham sandwich? 00:09:20.319 --> 00:09:21.559 Is it two separate things? 00:09:21.600 --> 00:09:22.500 Is it the same thing together? 00:09:22.679 --> 00:09:23.939 There's lots of different views on that. 00:09:23.940 --> 00:09:26.280 Later in verses 13 to 15, 00:09:26.840 --> 00:09:30.160 Jesus talks about ascending and descending from heaven, 00:09:30.760 --> 00:09:33.260 and there's all this stuff about Moses and a serpent. 00:09:33.600 --> 00:09:34.940 There's lots, that's really, 00:09:35.120 --> 00:09:37.720 lots of details that can be hard to understand. 00:09:38.360 --> 00:09:40.880 But the second reason why the passage is tricky 00:09:40.880 --> 00:09:44.620 is because it's also very easy to misunderstand 00:09:44.620 --> 00:09:47.640 the main point that's been made. 00:09:48.060 --> 00:09:49.280 Because the main message, 00:09:49.279 --> 00:09:52.839 the phrase that this passage is famous for 00:09:52.839 --> 00:09:54.980 is the words of verse 7, 00:09:55.360 --> 00:09:56.319 where Jesus says, 00:09:56.579 --> 00:09:59.139 you must be born again. 00:09:59.939 --> 00:10:02.039 That's a phrase that you hear again and again and again 00:10:02.039 --> 00:10:03.039 in the Christian church. 00:10:03.879 --> 00:10:07.879 And maybe it's the case that that phrase is so emphasized 00:10:07.879 --> 00:10:10.319 that we get the impression 00:10:10.319 --> 00:10:13.120 that being born again is something that we do. 00:10:13.120 --> 00:10:17.419 So, it basically means to believe in Christ. 00:10:17.899 --> 00:10:18.980 That's how it's used. 00:10:19.379 --> 00:10:21.320 And sometimes preachers can give the impression 00:10:21.320 --> 00:10:24.039 that, you know, it's something that you've got to do. 00:10:24.139 --> 00:10:25.039 So, you've got to be born again. 00:10:25.139 --> 00:10:26.039 You've got to believe in Christ. 00:10:26.240 --> 00:10:27.740 So, you must do this. 00:10:28.820 --> 00:10:31.060 It's something you've got to do. 00:10:32.320 --> 00:10:34.299 It's very easy to give that impression. 00:10:34.460 --> 00:10:36.100 But that's not actually correct. 00:10:36.919 --> 00:10:40.180 Because the whole point that this passage is making 00:10:40.179 --> 00:10:45.159 is that being born again is not something that we do. 00:10:46.419 --> 00:10:50.120 It's something that gets done to us. 00:10:51.559 --> 00:10:53.879 It's something that happens to us. 00:10:53.879 --> 00:10:59.879 In fact, it's something that has got to happen to us. 00:11:01.179 --> 00:11:05.879 Jesus confronts Nicodemus with a fundamental necessity. 00:11:06.959 --> 00:11:08.579 He's got to be born again. 00:11:08.580 --> 00:11:11.400 And so do we. 00:11:12.580 --> 00:11:13.780 Now, what does all that mean? 00:11:14.040 --> 00:11:14.980 What's Jesus talking about? 00:11:16.040 --> 00:11:18.060 Well, this language of being born again 00:11:18.060 --> 00:11:20.500 is referring to what the New Testament 00:11:20.500 --> 00:11:23.740 will later describe in the language of regeneration. 00:11:24.280 --> 00:11:25.820 And that's the big theological term 00:11:25.820 --> 00:11:28.379 that often gets used to describe this. 00:11:28.440 --> 00:11:30.460 And that word regeneration is describing 00:11:30.460 --> 00:11:33.800 a change that takes place in our hearts 00:11:33.799 --> 00:11:36.620 where we go from being spiritually dead 00:11:36.620 --> 00:11:39.859 to being spiritually alive. 00:11:41.019 --> 00:11:44.139 Sin has left us spiritually dead. 00:11:44.299 --> 00:11:45.779 Now, one of the ways to think about that 00:11:45.779 --> 00:11:49.659 is to recognize that everything that we think of 00:11:49.659 --> 00:11:51.579 in terms of being dead physically 00:11:51.579 --> 00:11:53.959 applies to us spiritually. 00:11:53.960 --> 00:11:55.740 So, imagine a dead body. 00:11:55.800 --> 00:11:57.620 A dead body is unresponsive. 00:11:58.480 --> 00:12:00.280 That's how sin has left us spiritually. 00:12:00.660 --> 00:12:02.440 We don't see our need for God. 00:12:03.120 --> 00:12:04.080 We don't listen to Him. 00:12:04.620 --> 00:12:06.060 We don't respond to His call. 00:12:06.560 --> 00:12:08.500 A dead body can't perceive anything. 00:12:09.019 --> 00:12:10.160 And spiritually, we're the same. 00:12:10.280 --> 00:12:11.700 All around us, people are the same. 00:12:11.960 --> 00:12:13.180 People going about their daily lives 00:12:13.180 --> 00:12:14.960 with no sense, no perception 00:12:14.960 --> 00:12:17.820 of the spiritual danger that they're in. 00:12:18.460 --> 00:12:20.240 A dead body is incapacitated. 00:12:20.620 --> 00:12:22.500 Can't do anything to revive itself. 00:12:22.960 --> 00:12:24.420 Sin's left us in the same condition. 00:12:24.580 --> 00:12:26.800 We're incapable of doing anything ourselves 00:12:26.800 --> 00:12:29.920 that's going to restore our relationship with God. 00:12:30.379 --> 00:12:33.560 A dead body is a human separated. 00:12:34.120 --> 00:12:35.900 Body and soul separated. 00:12:36.420 --> 00:12:37.800 Sin has had the same effect on us. 00:12:37.800 --> 00:12:40.000 We are separated from God. 00:12:40.600 --> 00:12:42.280 And the big point is this. 00:12:43.740 --> 00:12:47.220 On its own, a dead body can do nothing 00:12:47.220 --> 00:12:49.540 except stay dead. 00:12:51.960 --> 00:12:54.360 And we've got to recognize that spiritually 00:12:54.360 --> 00:12:56.960 that's the condition that sin has left us in. 00:12:59.759 --> 00:13:04.399 And regeneration is describing 00:13:04.399 --> 00:13:10.340 the fact that the gospel means 00:13:10.340 --> 00:13:13.960 that that state of spiritual deadness 00:13:13.960 --> 00:13:17.720 gets changed into spiritual life. 00:13:18.660 --> 00:13:21.280 The state of spiritual deadness in our hearts 00:13:21.280 --> 00:13:27.000 gets changed so that we become spiritually alive again. 00:13:27.379 --> 00:13:30.040 And that life enables us to see our sin. 00:13:30.600 --> 00:13:32.360 It enables us to hear God's call. 00:13:32.440 --> 00:13:34.600 It enables us to turn from our sin and repentance 00:13:34.600 --> 00:13:37.540 and to turn to Jesus in faith. 00:13:37.539 --> 00:13:41.559 It enables us to be reunited to Him 00:13:41.559 --> 00:13:44.279 in a life-giving relationship. 00:13:44.740 --> 00:13:47.360 And the key point, the absolutely crucial point, 00:13:47.559 --> 00:13:49.959 is that that transforming work of regeneration 00:13:49.959 --> 00:13:52.559 is not something that we do. 00:13:54.439 --> 00:13:56.779 The person who does it is God. 00:13:56.779 --> 00:14:00.759 And that's why the language of being born again 00:14:00.759 --> 00:14:03.819 is so clear and so helpful and so powerful. 00:14:04.459 --> 00:14:06.799 Because birth implies two things. 00:14:07.100 --> 00:14:08.500 One, it's passive. 00:14:09.419 --> 00:14:11.100 Nobody births themselves. 00:14:12.100 --> 00:14:13.759 It's something that happens to you. 00:14:13.939 --> 00:14:17.000 You're born, and that is completely and entirely 00:14:17.000 --> 00:14:18.919 because of what someone else has done. 00:14:20.360 --> 00:14:21.839 And so birth is passive. 00:14:21.980 --> 00:14:23.699 But secondly, birth brings life. 00:14:23.700 --> 00:14:27.660 Birth, the new birth that Jesus is talking about 00:14:27.660 --> 00:14:29.980 brings spiritual life. 00:14:31.360 --> 00:14:36.300 Now, Nicodemus comes to Jesus on this night, 00:14:36.580 --> 00:14:39.379 and he's a genius in a religion 00:14:39.379 --> 00:14:42.100 that says that you need to do this, that, 00:14:42.180 --> 00:14:46.040 and the next thing yourself in order to know God. 00:14:46.460 --> 00:14:47.480 You need to do this. 00:14:47.680 --> 00:14:48.540 You need to do that. 00:14:48.740 --> 00:14:49.820 You need to keep this law. 00:14:49.940 --> 00:14:51.060 You need to remember this. 00:14:51.059 --> 00:14:52.859 And Jesus says to him, 00:14:53.019 --> 00:14:56.199 you need to forget about what gets done by you. 00:14:57.739 --> 00:15:02.079 The thing that matters is what gets done to you. 00:15:03.779 --> 00:15:04.919 That's the necessity. 00:15:06.379 --> 00:15:08.099 Nicodemus needs to be born again. 00:15:09.059 --> 00:15:10.459 And this becomes even clearer 00:15:10.459 --> 00:15:13.219 in the original language of the Old Testament. 00:15:13.639 --> 00:15:14.799 Now, they say to never do this, 00:15:14.879 --> 00:15:17.319 but I'm on holiday, so I'm breaking all my rules. 00:15:17.320 --> 00:15:19.580 This is the Greek for the phrase, 00:15:19.680 --> 00:15:20.640 you must be born again. 00:15:20.920 --> 00:15:24.660 Dei humas genethenai anothen. 00:15:24.860 --> 00:15:27.860 Now, that word dei at the start 00:15:27.860 --> 00:15:30.900 literally translates, it is necessary. 00:15:31.140 --> 00:15:33.580 And then the second word, humas, 00:15:34.160 --> 00:15:37.580 means for you or to you, for you. 00:15:37.660 --> 00:15:39.020 So at the very start of that sentence, 00:15:39.120 --> 00:15:39.620 you've got the phrase, 00:15:40.220 --> 00:15:43.720 it is necessary for you to be born 00:15:43.720 --> 00:15:44.600 is the third word. 00:15:44.600 --> 00:15:46.980 Again is the last word. 00:15:47.519 --> 00:15:50.000 It is necessary for you to be born again. 00:15:50.240 --> 00:15:51.879 And it becomes so much clearer when you see that. 00:15:51.899 --> 00:15:53.720 Because when I say, you must be born again, 00:15:53.779 --> 00:15:55.320 you think, oh, well, I must do that. 00:15:55.540 --> 00:15:58.080 No, it is necessary for you to be born again. 00:15:58.659 --> 00:16:00.879 Something has to happen to you. 00:16:02.320 --> 00:16:06.220 It's an absolute necessity for Nicodemus and for us. 00:16:06.220 --> 00:16:09.660 All of this comes as a huge surprise to Nicodemus. 00:16:10.440 --> 00:16:11.779 But it shouldn't have. 00:16:12.460 --> 00:16:15.720 Because the Old Testament that he's supposed to be the expert in 00:16:15.720 --> 00:16:18.440 has already said that this is how it works. 00:16:19.040 --> 00:16:20.460 And a key passage in that regard 00:16:20.460 --> 00:16:22.360 comes in Ezekiel in the prophecy, 00:16:22.879 --> 00:16:24.960 that great prophecy, chapter 36, 00:16:25.519 --> 00:16:28.320 where through the prophet, God says, 00:16:28.320 --> 00:16:30.180 I will take you from the nations 00:16:30.180 --> 00:16:31.560 and gather you from all the countries 00:16:31.560 --> 00:16:32.700 and bring you to your own land. 00:16:33.080 --> 00:16:34.820 I'll sprinkle clean water on you 00:16:34.820 --> 00:16:36.900 and you shall be clean from all your uncleanness 00:16:36.900 --> 00:16:38.680 and from all your idols I will cleanse you. 00:16:38.760 --> 00:16:40.160 I'll give you a new heart 00:16:40.160 --> 00:16:42.560 and a new spirit I'll put within you. 00:16:42.900 --> 00:16:44.960 I will remove the heart of stone in your flesh 00:16:44.960 --> 00:16:46.120 and give you a heart of flesh. 00:16:46.320 --> 00:16:47.800 And I'll put my spirit within you 00:16:47.800 --> 00:16:49.900 and cause you to walk in my statutes 00:16:49.900 --> 00:16:52.120 and to be careful to obey my rules. 00:16:52.180 --> 00:16:53.160 Now look at those verses. 00:16:53.300 --> 00:16:54.100 What's the key point? 00:16:54.980 --> 00:16:55.960 God's doing it all. 00:16:55.960 --> 00:16:57.080 Look at how many times it says, 00:16:57.379 --> 00:16:59.759 I will, I will, I will, I will. 00:17:02.420 --> 00:17:04.160 It's all God's actions. 00:17:05.000 --> 00:17:07.279 And I think that when we see these verses 00:17:07.279 --> 00:17:11.660 alongside the verses in John 3 00:17:11.660 --> 00:17:13.819 about being born of water 00:17:13.819 --> 00:17:14.799 and being born of the spirit, 00:17:15.019 --> 00:17:16.819 you can see the connections, can't you? 00:17:16.900 --> 00:17:18.500 The connections are actually so strong 00:17:18.500 --> 00:17:20.059 and you realize this is actually 00:17:20.059 --> 00:17:21.579 what Jesus is talking about. 00:17:22.559 --> 00:17:23.880 And that's where I think that maybe 00:17:23.880 --> 00:17:24.980 if you're trying to understand 00:17:24.980 --> 00:17:26.319 what does it mean to be born of water 00:17:26.319 --> 00:17:26.980 and the spirit, 00:17:27.299 --> 00:17:29.900 I think the explanation is coming from Ezekiel 00:17:29.900 --> 00:17:32.079 that it's talking about the same thing, 00:17:32.160 --> 00:17:35.960 the cleansing, life-giving renewal 00:17:35.960 --> 00:17:38.620 that comes through Jesus, 00:17:39.000 --> 00:17:39.880 through faith in him, 00:17:40.180 --> 00:17:41.860 through the one who was to come 00:17:41.860 --> 00:17:44.539 to restore God's people. 00:17:45.559 --> 00:17:47.079 So in other words, in John 3, 00:17:47.900 --> 00:17:49.819 Jesus is speaking about what Ezekiel 00:17:49.819 --> 00:17:51.519 had prophesied all those years ago. 00:17:51.519 --> 00:17:53.980 It's about the fact that if we're going to be saved, 00:17:54.980 --> 00:17:56.639 we need God to change our hearts, 00:17:57.019 --> 00:17:57.879 to cleanse us, 00:17:58.139 --> 00:18:00.400 to take us from darkness into light, 00:18:00.559 --> 00:18:04.220 to bring life where sin has left us dead. 00:18:05.099 --> 00:18:06.579 And the rest of the New Testament 00:18:06.579 --> 00:18:08.420 echoes this teaching. 00:18:08.720 --> 00:18:09.420 Ephesians 2, 00:18:09.859 --> 00:18:11.480 we were dead in our trespasses and sins, 00:18:11.700 --> 00:18:14.960 we've been made alive together in Christ by God. 00:18:15.579 --> 00:18:16.420 1 Peter 1, 00:18:16.420 --> 00:18:19.840 God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 00:18:20.120 --> 00:18:21.640 He's caused us to be born again 00:18:21.640 --> 00:18:22.779 to a living hope 00:18:22.779 --> 00:18:25.000 through the resurrection of Jesus Christ 00:18:25.000 --> 00:18:25.759 from the dead. 00:18:26.060 --> 00:18:26.480 And in fact, 00:18:27.360 --> 00:18:28.900 John's Gospel has already told us 00:18:28.900 --> 00:18:29.800 that this is how it works. 00:18:30.340 --> 00:18:31.200 At the very start, 00:18:31.300 --> 00:18:31.680 he said, 00:18:31.880 --> 00:18:33.180 to all who did receive Jesus, 00:18:33.300 --> 00:18:34.279 to those who believed in His name, 00:18:34.340 --> 00:18:35.440 He gave the right to become 00:18:35.440 --> 00:18:36.140 the children of God 00:18:36.140 --> 00:18:36.900 who were born, 00:18:37.180 --> 00:18:37.700 not of blood, 00:18:37.820 --> 00:18:38.620 not of the will of the flesh, 00:18:38.700 --> 00:18:39.340 not of the will of the man, 00:18:39.539 --> 00:18:40.840 but of God. 00:18:40.839 --> 00:18:45.240 For anyone to come to faith in Jesus, 00:18:45.559 --> 00:18:48.339 it's only ever possible if God acts. 00:18:49.779 --> 00:18:51.939 And so when Jesus says to you, 00:18:52.099 --> 00:18:53.279 you must be born again, 00:18:53.359 --> 00:18:54.699 He's not telling you to do something. 00:18:56.119 --> 00:18:59.439 He's telling you that you desperately need something. 00:19:01.819 --> 00:19:03.319 Now, the minute we recognize that, 00:19:03.399 --> 00:19:05.619 there's two big traps that we can fall into. 00:19:06.659 --> 00:19:09.439 One is to think that it's not a necessity. 00:19:09.440 --> 00:19:12.980 And it's so easy to think like that. 00:19:13.059 --> 00:19:13.539 It's so easy to think, 00:19:13.620 --> 00:19:15.160 well, yeah, I get this is important, 00:19:15.240 --> 00:19:17.480 but it's not that important. 00:19:18.779 --> 00:19:21.779 It's not unnecessary for it to be all God. 00:19:22.200 --> 00:19:23.740 Surely I can do a bit myself. 00:19:24.320 --> 00:19:25.380 But when we think like that, 00:19:25.420 --> 00:19:26.380 whenever we think like that, 00:19:26.440 --> 00:19:28.420 we are massively underestimating 00:19:28.420 --> 00:19:31.600 the effect that sin has had on our lives. 00:19:32.360 --> 00:19:35.420 Spiritually, sin has completely jiggered us. 00:19:36.420 --> 00:19:38.299 That's why the language of deadness 00:19:38.299 --> 00:19:40.859 is used again and again and again in Scripture. 00:19:41.899 --> 00:19:43.440 Because that's how serious it is. 00:19:43.599 --> 00:19:45.579 That's how much damage has done. 00:19:45.680 --> 00:19:46.940 We are utterly helpless. 00:19:47.480 --> 00:19:50.419 Can you save yourself by doing stuff? 00:19:50.500 --> 00:19:53.059 Can you save yourself by your own efforts? 00:19:53.419 --> 00:19:56.180 Well, that's the equivalent of asking yourself, 00:19:56.639 --> 00:19:58.159 can you born yourself? 00:19:58.160 --> 00:20:04.580 The other danger is to think that, 00:20:04.960 --> 00:20:07.080 yes, it is a necessity, 00:20:08.040 --> 00:20:09.900 and yes, God does have to do it. 00:20:11.400 --> 00:20:13.420 And that means it's probably not going to happen for me. 00:20:15.700 --> 00:20:17.100 And lots of people think like that. 00:20:17.160 --> 00:20:18.000 It's so easy to think like that, 00:20:18.040 --> 00:20:20.320 to think, well, if I can't do anything, 00:20:20.400 --> 00:20:21.800 and if it's all God, then I'm snookered. 00:20:21.799 --> 00:20:25.379 If God has to do it, 00:20:26.460 --> 00:20:27.720 what if he doesn't? 00:20:29.559 --> 00:20:30.940 What if it doesn't happen? 00:20:33.220 --> 00:20:33.659 Well, 00:20:34.200 --> 00:20:37.599 if you're worrying that right now, 00:20:39.359 --> 00:20:40.419 if you're thinking, 00:20:40.559 --> 00:20:42.659 well, what if this hasn't happened to me? 00:20:42.720 --> 00:20:44.079 What if this doesn't happen to me? 00:20:44.579 --> 00:20:45.519 And what if God just 00:20:45.519 --> 00:20:48.779 goes past me? 00:20:48.779 --> 00:20:52.139 What should you do? 00:20:52.240 --> 00:20:52.399 Well, 00:20:53.960 --> 00:20:54.899 well, you need to ask, 00:20:55.420 --> 00:20:57.779 what's the first sign 00:20:57.779 --> 00:21:00.539 that God is doing this work 00:21:00.539 --> 00:21:02.220 in somebody? 00:21:04.019 --> 00:21:06.460 Is it that you recognize success? 00:21:07.279 --> 00:21:08.639 So you can start looking at yourself 00:21:08.639 --> 00:21:09.319 and think, yeah, I know, 00:21:09.420 --> 00:21:10.200 I know I'm born again. 00:21:10.299 --> 00:21:11.319 I know this has happened. 00:21:11.420 --> 00:21:11.740 I know. 00:21:12.180 --> 00:21:12.440 Is that, 00:21:12.619 --> 00:21:13.160 is it, 00:21:13.220 --> 00:21:15.000 is the first step that you recognize success? 00:21:15.279 --> 00:21:16.559 No, I don't think that's the first step. 00:21:16.559 --> 00:21:17.919 I think the first sign 00:21:17.919 --> 00:21:21.240 is that you recognize necessity. 00:21:23.940 --> 00:21:25.619 That you start off by saying, 00:21:26.119 --> 00:21:28.720 I need to be born again. 00:21:31.899 --> 00:21:33.859 One of the very first signs 00:21:33.859 --> 00:21:35.859 of spiritual life in your heart 00:21:35.859 --> 00:21:38.279 is being able to see 00:21:38.279 --> 00:21:41.480 that being born again 00:21:41.480 --> 00:21:43.480 is an absolute necessity. 00:21:43.480 --> 00:21:45.660 So take heart 00:21:45.660 --> 00:21:47.559 if that's what you're wondering. 00:21:49.799 --> 00:21:50.839 There's more to learn 00:21:50.839 --> 00:21:51.819 from this passage 00:21:51.819 --> 00:21:52.920 when you think about mystery. 00:21:53.920 --> 00:21:54.700 Nicodemus struggles 00:21:54.700 --> 00:21:57.220 with all that Jesus is saying. 00:21:57.599 --> 00:21:58.940 And there's a really interesting contrast 00:21:58.940 --> 00:22:00.460 between Nicodemus and verse 2 00:22:00.460 --> 00:22:01.220 when he says, 00:22:01.400 --> 00:22:04.539 we know that you are a teacher 00:22:04.539 --> 00:22:05.380 come from God. 00:22:05.660 --> 00:22:06.360 And then in verse 9, 00:22:06.400 --> 00:22:06.740 he's like, 00:22:07.539 --> 00:22:08.839 how can these things be? 00:22:08.839 --> 00:22:12.859 Nicodemus is struggling 00:22:12.859 --> 00:22:14.199 to understand Jesus. 00:22:15.159 --> 00:22:16.480 And that's because 00:22:16.480 --> 00:22:19.299 there's an element of mystery 00:22:19.299 --> 00:22:21.959 surrounding what Jesus is teaching. 00:22:22.399 --> 00:22:23.419 And that sense of mystery 00:22:23.419 --> 00:22:24.859 is reinforced by verse 8 00:22:24.859 --> 00:22:26.099 where Jesus says, 00:22:26.199 --> 00:22:27.099 the wind blows what it wishes. 00:22:27.220 --> 00:22:27.879 You hear its sound, 00:22:27.980 --> 00:22:28.339 but you don't know 00:22:28.339 --> 00:22:29.059 where it's coming from 00:22:29.059 --> 00:22:29.799 or where it goes. 00:22:30.079 --> 00:22:31.319 So it is with everyone 00:22:31.319 --> 00:22:33.319 who is born of the Spirit. 00:22:34.059 --> 00:22:34.399 Now here, 00:22:34.539 --> 00:22:35.519 Jesus presents us 00:22:35.519 --> 00:22:36.159 with a reality 00:22:36.159 --> 00:22:38.220 that's often very hard to accept. 00:22:38.220 --> 00:22:39.720 but one which actually 00:22:39.720 --> 00:22:40.839 makes perfect sense. 00:22:41.700 --> 00:22:42.440 He's facing us 00:22:42.440 --> 00:22:42.920 with the reality 00:22:42.920 --> 00:22:44.779 that when it comes to God, 00:22:45.000 --> 00:22:48.860 we will always have to embrace mystery. 00:22:50.440 --> 00:22:54.079 We will always have to embrace mystery. 00:22:54.759 --> 00:22:56.299 And that makes perfect sense 00:22:56.299 --> 00:22:58.680 because the only way 00:22:58.680 --> 00:23:00.799 of avoiding mystery with God 00:23:00.799 --> 00:23:02.480 is to be God. 00:23:04.120 --> 00:23:05.519 And Jesus uses the wind 00:23:05.519 --> 00:23:07.819 as his illustration for this. 00:23:07.819 --> 00:23:09.019 And his point is that, 00:23:09.059 --> 00:23:09.220 you know, 00:23:09.279 --> 00:23:10.019 when it comes to the wind, 00:23:10.059 --> 00:23:11.179 you can't explain its source. 00:23:11.319 --> 00:23:13.460 You can only observe its effect. 00:23:14.119 --> 00:23:14.659 Now today, 00:23:14.740 --> 00:23:15.119 we might say, 00:23:15.179 --> 00:23:16.240 well, we understand wind. 00:23:16.319 --> 00:23:17.359 We know how high pressure 00:23:17.359 --> 00:23:18.379 and low pressure works. 00:23:18.599 --> 00:23:20.159 And we can actually map 00:23:20.159 --> 00:23:21.019 the direction of the wind. 00:23:21.079 --> 00:23:21.220 In fact, 00:23:21.240 --> 00:23:22.299 we can even predict 00:23:22.299 --> 00:23:24.519 the direction of the wind. 00:23:24.939 --> 00:23:26.179 But that's not the point 00:23:26.179 --> 00:23:27.460 because the key thing 00:23:27.460 --> 00:23:27.980 we have to recognize 00:23:27.980 --> 00:23:28.799 is that Jesus is speaking 00:23:28.799 --> 00:23:29.859 to the people of his time 00:23:29.859 --> 00:23:31.679 who didn't recognize that 00:23:31.679 --> 00:23:33.200 and didn't understand that 00:23:33.200 --> 00:23:34.399 in the way that we do now. 00:23:34.500 --> 00:23:35.079 It's an illustration 00:23:35.079 --> 00:23:36.980 that's relative to his audience. 00:23:36.980 --> 00:23:38.000 If Jesus was coming 00:23:38.000 --> 00:23:39.099 and speaking today, 00:23:39.180 --> 00:23:40.099 I think he would maybe use 00:23:40.099 --> 00:23:41.380 the illustration of gravity 00:23:41.380 --> 00:23:44.000 because there's still a lot 00:23:44.000 --> 00:23:44.940 that we don't understand 00:23:44.940 --> 00:23:45.620 about gravity. 00:23:45.819 --> 00:23:46.980 We don't really know 00:23:46.980 --> 00:23:47.900 how it works, 00:23:47.900 --> 00:23:49.579 but we can definitely 00:23:49.579 --> 00:23:50.539 see its effect. 00:23:53.059 --> 00:23:54.740 When it comes to being born again, 00:23:55.400 --> 00:23:56.200 when it comes to that 00:23:56.200 --> 00:23:58.000 great work of God 00:23:58.000 --> 00:23:58.740 where he changes us 00:23:58.740 --> 00:24:00.019 from being spiritually dead 00:24:00.019 --> 00:24:01.339 to being spiritually alive, 00:24:01.620 --> 00:24:02.839 there is a lot 00:24:02.839 --> 00:24:04.559 that's a mystery. 00:24:04.559 --> 00:24:07.460 So precisely how it happens, 00:24:07.619 --> 00:24:08.960 precisely when it happens, 00:24:09.220 --> 00:24:10.379 I can't explain 00:24:10.379 --> 00:24:11.839 every detail of that, 00:24:12.419 --> 00:24:16.079 but we absolutely can 00:24:16.079 --> 00:24:17.359 see its effect. 00:24:18.259 --> 00:24:18.679 You can see it 00:24:18.679 --> 00:24:19.480 in your own lives. 00:24:20.200 --> 00:24:20.839 You can see it 00:24:20.839 --> 00:24:22.119 in the lives of others. 00:24:22.259 --> 00:24:22.879 You can see it 00:24:22.879 --> 00:24:24.059 in the history of the church. 00:24:24.740 --> 00:24:26.179 There's absolutely no doubt 00:24:26.179 --> 00:24:28.019 that for millions 00:24:28.019 --> 00:24:28.960 and millions of people, 00:24:29.079 --> 00:24:30.359 an amazing change 00:24:30.359 --> 00:24:31.799 has taken place. 00:24:31.799 --> 00:24:32.960 And that's why 00:24:32.960 --> 00:24:34.220 when it comes to being born again, 00:24:34.960 --> 00:24:35.940 I don't think it's wise 00:24:35.940 --> 00:24:37.919 to try and waste our time 00:24:37.919 --> 00:24:39.940 explaining every aspect 00:24:39.940 --> 00:24:40.740 of the source. 00:24:42.000 --> 00:24:42.399 Instead, 00:24:43.359 --> 00:24:44.159 you need to look 00:24:44.159 --> 00:24:45.000 for the effect. 00:24:46.399 --> 00:24:47.740 And that's so important 00:24:47.740 --> 00:24:48.659 for anybody here 00:24:48.659 --> 00:24:50.339 who struggles with doubts. 00:24:50.639 --> 00:24:51.359 So some of you may be here 00:24:51.359 --> 00:24:51.919 or maybe not sure 00:24:51.919 --> 00:24:53.240 if you're a Christian yet or not, 00:24:53.460 --> 00:24:53.859 and you're thinking, 00:24:53.960 --> 00:24:54.839 well, I really don't know 00:24:54.839 --> 00:24:55.980 where I stand before God. 00:24:56.159 --> 00:24:57.859 Some of you may have said 00:24:57.859 --> 00:24:58.399 for a long time, 00:24:58.460 --> 00:24:59.220 I am a Christian, 00:24:59.319 --> 00:25:00.079 but actually deep down, 00:25:00.079 --> 00:25:01.439 and you're constantly plagued 00:25:01.439 --> 00:25:01.819 with doubts, 00:25:01.899 --> 00:25:03.259 thinking, well, am I really? 00:25:04.079 --> 00:25:05.039 And you see things 00:25:05.039 --> 00:25:05.460 in your life 00:25:05.460 --> 00:25:06.460 that make you question it 00:25:06.460 --> 00:25:07.879 and doubt it. 00:25:08.500 --> 00:25:10.819 And many of us 00:25:10.819 --> 00:25:12.960 struggle with that question 00:25:12.960 --> 00:25:13.939 of assurance. 00:25:14.199 --> 00:25:15.439 Am I really a Christian yet? 00:25:15.439 --> 00:25:16.019 I don't know. 00:25:16.539 --> 00:25:17.279 I'm not sure. 00:25:17.500 --> 00:25:18.279 For some people, 00:25:18.679 --> 00:25:19.379 becoming a Christian 00:25:19.379 --> 00:25:20.720 is sudden and clear 00:25:20.720 --> 00:25:21.579 and obvious. 00:25:21.740 --> 00:25:22.319 Their conversion 00:25:22.319 --> 00:25:24.960 from darkness to light 00:25:24.960 --> 00:25:25.899 is like a switch. 00:25:26.759 --> 00:25:27.939 But for most people, 00:25:28.019 --> 00:25:28.460 for me, 00:25:28.460 --> 00:25:28.980 and I'm sure 00:25:28.980 --> 00:25:30.100 for the majority 00:25:30.100 --> 00:25:31.000 of people here, 00:25:31.600 --> 00:25:33.740 that movement 00:25:33.740 --> 00:25:35.059 from darkness to light 00:25:35.059 --> 00:25:36.160 is not a switch. 00:25:36.480 --> 00:25:37.460 It's a dawn 00:25:37.460 --> 00:25:39.880 that happens slowly 00:25:39.880 --> 00:25:41.319 and gradually. 00:25:42.539 --> 00:25:44.380 And for the gradual ones, 00:25:45.039 --> 00:25:46.460 there's always the question, 00:25:46.600 --> 00:25:47.299 how do I know 00:25:47.299 --> 00:25:48.360 it's actually happened? 00:25:49.319 --> 00:25:50.240 How do I know 00:25:50.240 --> 00:25:50.920 I'm saved? 00:25:51.000 --> 00:25:51.759 Well, one of the questions 00:25:51.759 --> 00:25:52.740 you can ask yourself 00:25:52.740 --> 00:25:53.759 is this. 00:25:54.519 --> 00:25:55.500 If you think back 00:25:55.500 --> 00:25:56.740 to a time in your life 00:25:56.740 --> 00:25:57.700 when you know 00:25:57.700 --> 00:25:58.420 that you weren't really 00:25:58.420 --> 00:25:59.339 that interested in Jesus 00:25:59.339 --> 00:26:00.160 at all 00:26:00.160 --> 00:26:01.059 and none of this 00:26:01.059 --> 00:26:02.099 was really on your radar 00:26:02.099 --> 00:26:03.700 and then look at yourself 00:26:03.700 --> 00:26:04.220 now, 00:26:04.519 --> 00:26:05.400 ask the question, 00:26:06.559 --> 00:26:07.440 are you different? 00:26:09.519 --> 00:26:10.140 And I'm not asking, 00:26:10.259 --> 00:26:10.880 are you perfect? 00:26:11.039 --> 00:26:11.420 I'm not asking, 00:26:11.500 --> 00:26:12.120 are you sorted? 00:26:12.259 --> 00:26:12.920 And I'm not asking, 00:26:12.980 --> 00:26:13.140 you know, 00:26:13.200 --> 00:26:14.920 are you where you want to be? 00:26:15.000 --> 00:26:15.960 I'm not asking that question 00:26:15.960 --> 00:26:16.180 at all. 00:26:16.220 --> 00:26:16.880 I'm just asking, 00:26:17.140 --> 00:26:18.380 are you different? 00:26:18.380 --> 00:26:21.540 So are you drawn 00:26:21.540 --> 00:26:22.680 towards Jesus 00:26:22.680 --> 00:26:23.140 in a way 00:26:23.140 --> 00:26:24.220 that you never were before? 00:26:24.620 --> 00:26:26.440 Do you realize now 00:26:26.440 --> 00:26:28.140 that you never knew before 00:26:28.140 --> 00:26:29.020 that you need Him? 00:26:29.980 --> 00:26:31.180 Do you wish you could say, 00:26:31.580 --> 00:26:32.200 I'm a Christian? 00:26:32.480 --> 00:26:33.360 Do you look at other Christians 00:26:33.360 --> 00:26:34.060 whom you know and love 00:26:34.060 --> 00:26:34.400 and think, 00:26:34.860 --> 00:26:35.360 what they have 00:26:35.360 --> 00:26:36.020 is absolutely 00:26:36.020 --> 00:26:37.940 what I want in my life? 00:26:38.400 --> 00:26:40.620 And do you feel, 00:26:41.020 --> 00:26:42.180 do you pray more now 00:26:42.180 --> 00:26:42.860 than you used to? 00:26:42.900 --> 00:26:43.840 Do you read God's Word 00:26:43.840 --> 00:26:44.260 in a way now 00:26:44.260 --> 00:26:44.760 where it's actually 00:26:44.760 --> 00:26:45.620 starting to quench 00:26:45.620 --> 00:26:46.180 your thirst 00:26:46.180 --> 00:26:47.960 in a way that it never did before? 00:26:47.960 --> 00:26:49.059 Do you understand 00:26:49.059 --> 00:26:50.799 that you need Jesus 00:26:50.799 --> 00:26:52.279 more than anything? 00:26:52.740 --> 00:26:53.740 And if the answer 00:26:53.740 --> 00:26:55.680 to any of those questions 00:26:55.680 --> 00:26:56.559 is yes, 00:26:58.000 --> 00:26:59.059 and even if it's a yes 00:26:59.059 --> 00:26:59.519 that still has 00:26:59.519 --> 00:27:00.740 a very long way to go, 00:27:01.160 --> 00:27:02.759 if the answer is yes, 00:27:03.180 --> 00:27:04.140 then it tells you 00:27:04.140 --> 00:27:05.299 that God's wind 00:27:05.299 --> 00:27:06.900 is blowing in your heart. 00:27:09.000 --> 00:27:10.600 And if you're still doubting that, 00:27:10.660 --> 00:27:11.440 then here's the proof. 00:27:14.120 --> 00:27:15.940 Dead people don't even 00:27:15.940 --> 00:27:17.319 think about those questions. 00:27:17.960 --> 00:27:22.480 Now, all of this 00:27:22.480 --> 00:27:23.420 is reminding us 00:27:23.420 --> 00:27:25.740 that when it comes to God, 00:27:25.840 --> 00:27:26.480 to creation, 00:27:26.720 --> 00:27:27.240 to salvation, 00:27:27.380 --> 00:27:27.920 to new birth, 00:27:28.000 --> 00:27:28.600 to the interactions 00:27:28.600 --> 00:27:30.200 of time and eternity, 00:27:30.360 --> 00:27:30.980 to the disclosure 00:27:30.980 --> 00:27:31.920 of God's revelation 00:27:31.920 --> 00:27:32.480 in Scripture, 00:27:32.819 --> 00:27:33.600 to the outworking 00:27:33.600 --> 00:27:34.660 of God's purposes 00:27:34.660 --> 00:27:35.579 across history 00:27:35.579 --> 00:27:37.039 and in your own life, 00:27:37.279 --> 00:27:38.340 in all of that stuff, 00:27:38.600 --> 00:27:40.120 there is a lot 00:27:40.120 --> 00:27:41.559 of mystery. 00:27:42.620 --> 00:27:44.079 And I can't explain it all. 00:27:44.279 --> 00:27:45.059 None of us 00:27:45.059 --> 00:27:46.240 can explain it all. 00:27:46.240 --> 00:27:47.700 There's unavoidable mystery 00:27:47.700 --> 00:27:49.259 in all of these things. 00:27:49.599 --> 00:27:50.620 And rightly so, 00:27:50.759 --> 00:27:51.440 rightly so, 00:27:51.480 --> 00:27:52.059 because God 00:27:52.059 --> 00:27:54.039 is so much bigger than us. 00:27:54.740 --> 00:27:56.039 He always will be. 00:27:56.420 --> 00:27:58.039 He's always meant to be. 00:27:58.759 --> 00:28:00.420 And if you don't like mystery, 00:28:00.519 --> 00:28:00.700 you think, 00:28:00.759 --> 00:28:00.819 well, 00:28:00.940 --> 00:28:02.500 I don't want a God 00:28:02.500 --> 00:28:03.140 that's mysterious. 00:28:03.279 --> 00:28:04.099 I don't want a faith 00:28:04.099 --> 00:28:06.359 that I can't explain everything. 00:28:07.400 --> 00:28:07.599 Well, 00:28:07.599 --> 00:28:08.319 you've got to think 00:28:08.319 --> 00:28:09.059 of the alternatives, 00:28:09.059 --> 00:28:11.059 because when it comes to God, 00:28:11.639 --> 00:28:12.419 the alternatives 00:28:12.419 --> 00:28:13.339 to mystery 00:28:13.339 --> 00:28:14.159 are worse. 00:28:15.159 --> 00:28:15.940 And I can only actually 00:28:15.940 --> 00:28:16.599 think of three. 00:28:17.539 --> 00:28:18.700 One is blasphemy, 00:28:19.399 --> 00:28:20.259 where we basically, 00:28:20.460 --> 00:28:21.779 we dictate to God 00:28:21.779 --> 00:28:22.399 and say to God, 00:28:22.559 --> 00:28:23.619 this is what you should be like, 00:28:24.200 --> 00:28:25.019 and this is the box 00:28:25.019 --> 00:28:26.000 that you need to fit in, 00:28:27.119 --> 00:28:29.299 and you need to conform 00:28:29.299 --> 00:28:30.639 to all the explanations 00:28:30.639 --> 00:28:31.460 that I can handle. 00:28:31.539 --> 00:28:32.539 That's actually blasphemy, 00:28:32.779 --> 00:28:34.200 because that's to bring God down 00:28:34.200 --> 00:28:36.779 from who He really is. 00:28:36.779 --> 00:28:38.079 The other is idolatry, 00:28:38.160 --> 00:28:38.480 where we think, 00:28:38.559 --> 00:28:38.599 well, 00:28:38.619 --> 00:28:39.839 I don't want that mysterious God. 00:28:40.200 --> 00:28:41.399 I'll start worshipping this 00:28:41.399 --> 00:28:42.579 that I can fully understand. 00:28:43.680 --> 00:28:45.440 And we exchange the real God 00:28:45.440 --> 00:28:46.519 for a false God. 00:28:47.259 --> 00:28:49.059 Or the third alternative 00:28:49.059 --> 00:28:49.639 to mystery 00:28:49.639 --> 00:28:50.539 is just blindness, 00:28:51.259 --> 00:28:52.500 where we just wander around 00:28:52.500 --> 00:28:53.440 aimlessly thinking, 00:28:54.019 --> 00:28:56.879 I don't know. 00:28:57.420 --> 00:28:58.399 I'm not going to think about it. 00:28:59.920 --> 00:29:01.579 But here's a crucial question. 00:29:02.460 --> 00:29:03.200 We're recognizing 00:29:03.200 --> 00:29:04.500 that we've got to embrace mystery, 00:29:04.500 --> 00:29:07.319 but does embracing mystery 00:29:07.319 --> 00:29:08.500 mean that everything 00:29:08.500 --> 00:29:09.960 is ultimately a guess? 00:29:11.400 --> 00:29:13.220 Well, that takes us 00:29:13.220 --> 00:29:14.079 to our last point, 00:29:14.960 --> 00:29:15.559 certainty. 00:29:16.920 --> 00:29:17.859 And this brings us 00:29:17.859 --> 00:29:19.559 to actually one of the biggest mistakes 00:29:19.559 --> 00:29:20.859 that people can fall into, 00:29:21.000 --> 00:29:22.440 and one that frequently 00:29:22.440 --> 00:29:23.039 has led people 00:29:23.039 --> 00:29:24.119 to dismiss Christianity 00:29:24.119 --> 00:29:24.579 and say, 00:29:24.700 --> 00:29:25.660 this is not for me. 00:29:26.480 --> 00:29:27.900 And the mistake is this. 00:29:27.900 --> 00:29:31.380 we think that mystery 00:29:31.380 --> 00:29:32.920 and certainty 00:29:32.920 --> 00:29:34.800 are incompatible. 00:29:36.280 --> 00:29:37.840 And when people think like that, 00:29:37.900 --> 00:29:38.820 they tend to say things like, 00:29:38.920 --> 00:29:40.019 if you can prove to me 00:29:40.019 --> 00:29:40.960 that God exists, 00:29:41.160 --> 00:29:41.720 then I'll believe. 00:29:42.660 --> 00:29:44.300 If you can prove the Bible 00:29:44.300 --> 00:29:46.060 with evidence, 00:29:46.900 --> 00:29:47.680 then I'll believe. 00:29:48.560 --> 00:29:50.000 If you can eliminate 00:29:50.000 --> 00:29:51.019 all mystery, 00:29:52.060 --> 00:29:52.780 then I'll believe. 00:29:53.580 --> 00:29:54.740 If you can explain 00:29:54.740 --> 00:29:55.580 why this, that, 00:29:55.640 --> 00:29:56.180 and the next thing 00:29:56.180 --> 00:29:57.080 has happened to me 00:29:57.080 --> 00:29:57.820 in my life, 00:29:58.019 --> 00:29:59.960 then I will believe. 00:30:00.320 --> 00:30:01.500 And all of that kind of thinking, 00:30:01.680 --> 00:30:02.400 it's easy, 00:30:02.480 --> 00:30:03.279 it's understandable, 00:30:03.440 --> 00:30:04.200 but it all lies 00:30:04.200 --> 00:30:04.940 on the assumption 00:30:04.940 --> 00:30:06.720 that mystery 00:30:06.720 --> 00:30:07.640 and certainty 00:30:07.640 --> 00:30:08.840 are incompatible. 00:30:10.000 --> 00:30:11.840 But that's not true. 00:30:13.500 --> 00:30:13.960 Mystery 00:30:13.960 --> 00:30:16.360 does not have to result 00:30:16.360 --> 00:30:17.120 in doubt 00:30:17.120 --> 00:30:19.100 and skepticism. 00:30:20.180 --> 00:30:20.820 And that actually 00:30:20.820 --> 00:30:21.640 makes perfect sense 00:30:21.640 --> 00:30:22.380 because it's true 00:30:22.380 --> 00:30:24.180 in every area of knowledge, 00:30:24.180 --> 00:30:26.019 not just in terms of faith. 00:30:26.240 --> 00:30:27.220 And one of the best examples 00:30:27.220 --> 00:30:28.220 of that is science. 00:30:29.900 --> 00:30:30.779 Because science 00:30:30.779 --> 00:30:32.200 is constantly 00:30:32.200 --> 00:30:33.340 trying to find certainty, 00:30:33.840 --> 00:30:34.420 but it is 00:30:34.420 --> 00:30:36.019 full of mystery. 00:30:37.240 --> 00:30:37.840 And just, 00:30:38.240 --> 00:30:39.519 if you want to confirm that, 00:30:39.560 --> 00:30:40.160 if you want to confirm 00:30:40.160 --> 00:30:40.759 that science 00:30:40.759 --> 00:30:41.600 is full of mystery, 00:30:41.700 --> 00:30:42.600 just go and ask a genius. 00:30:44.539 --> 00:30:45.460 Go and ask someone 00:30:45.460 --> 00:30:46.360 at the very top 00:30:46.360 --> 00:30:47.019 of their game 00:30:47.019 --> 00:30:49.240 in high energy physics 00:30:49.240 --> 00:30:51.100 or whatever other area 00:30:51.100 --> 00:30:51.759 of science 00:30:51.759 --> 00:30:52.539 it might be. 00:30:52.539 --> 00:30:53.599 I had a conversation 00:30:53.599 --> 00:30:54.159 with somebody 00:30:54.159 --> 00:30:54.920 from that world, 00:30:55.059 --> 00:30:58.200 somebody who has a PhD 00:30:58.200 --> 00:30:59.539 and lasting, 00:30:59.740 --> 00:30:59.940 you know, 00:31:00.379 --> 00:31:01.079 excellent career 00:31:01.079 --> 00:31:02.240 in all of that world. 00:31:02.559 --> 00:31:03.119 And we were chatting 00:31:03.119 --> 00:31:03.779 all about this 00:31:03.779 --> 00:31:04.759 and they said to me, 00:31:05.259 --> 00:31:05.740 mathematically, 00:31:06.019 --> 00:31:06.559 a positron 00:31:06.559 --> 00:31:07.159 is an electron 00:31:07.159 --> 00:31:08.879 traveling backwards 00:31:08.879 --> 00:31:09.379 in time. 00:31:10.359 --> 00:31:11.440 And just smiled at me. 00:31:13.519 --> 00:31:15.980 And James Clark Maxwell, 00:31:16.519 --> 00:31:17.680 amazing business 00:31:17.680 --> 00:31:18.960 from the 19th century, 00:31:19.240 --> 00:31:19.599 Scottish, 00:31:19.599 --> 00:31:19.759 Scottish, 00:31:20.459 --> 00:31:21.639 all the best guys 00:31:21.639 --> 00:31:22.079 are Scottish. 00:31:23.879 --> 00:31:24.619 He didn't know 00:31:24.619 --> 00:31:25.099 everything that 00:31:25.099 --> 00:31:25.980 Einstein discovered 00:31:25.980 --> 00:31:26.779 and yet he was the guy 00:31:26.779 --> 00:31:27.779 that Einstein had a picture 00:31:27.779 --> 00:31:28.399 of on his wall 00:31:28.399 --> 00:31:30.019 because Einstein said, 00:31:30.099 --> 00:31:30.599 well, I would never 00:31:30.599 --> 00:31:31.039 have discovered 00:31:31.039 --> 00:31:32.039 what I would have 00:31:32.039 --> 00:31:32.659 if it wasn't for 00:31:32.659 --> 00:31:33.719 James Clark Maxwell. 00:31:34.459 --> 00:31:37.240 And I am 100% sure 00:31:37.240 --> 00:31:38.659 that neither of them 00:31:38.659 --> 00:31:39.980 would stand up here today 00:31:39.980 --> 00:31:40.379 and say, 00:31:40.559 --> 00:31:41.279 there's no mystery 00:31:41.279 --> 00:31:41.740 in physics. 00:31:43.480 --> 00:31:44.419 There's still so much 00:31:44.419 --> 00:31:44.959 to discover. 00:31:45.559 --> 00:31:46.299 Does that mean, 00:31:46.439 --> 00:31:46.559 though, 00:31:46.639 --> 00:31:47.339 that we doubt 00:31:47.339 --> 00:31:47.959 everything that 00:31:47.960 --> 00:31:48.759 James Clark Maxwell 00:31:48.759 --> 00:31:49.600 and Einstein discovered? 00:31:49.740 --> 00:31:49.980 No. 00:31:51.259 --> 00:31:52.259 We can have certainty 00:31:52.259 --> 00:31:53.140 about so much 00:31:53.140 --> 00:31:53.880 of what they discovered. 00:31:54.000 --> 00:31:54.880 They've taught us 00:31:54.880 --> 00:31:56.620 more and more and more 00:31:56.620 --> 00:31:58.259 about the amazing world 00:31:58.259 --> 00:31:59.100 that God has made. 00:31:59.900 --> 00:32:01.340 Mystery is unavoidable 00:32:01.340 --> 00:32:02.740 in every area of knowledge, 00:32:03.160 --> 00:32:04.680 even in relationships. 00:32:07.019 --> 00:32:08.420 Why does Una love me? 00:32:09.460 --> 00:32:10.100 You might be saying, 00:32:10.180 --> 00:32:11.220 well, that is a mystery. 00:32:13.720 --> 00:32:14.660 But it is 00:32:14.660 --> 00:32:17.360 because love is a mystery. 00:32:17.960 --> 00:32:21.440 Physics is a mystery. 00:32:21.799 --> 00:32:22.840 DNA is a mystery. 00:32:23.880 --> 00:32:25.480 But in all those mysteries, 00:32:25.600 --> 00:32:27.460 we can still have certainty. 00:32:28.600 --> 00:32:30.620 And that is absolutely true 00:32:30.620 --> 00:32:31.960 when it comes to faith. 00:32:32.039 --> 00:32:33.220 There's always going to be 00:32:33.220 --> 00:32:33.980 mysteries about God. 00:32:34.039 --> 00:32:35.059 There has to be. 00:32:35.600 --> 00:32:36.840 But that doesn't mean 00:32:36.840 --> 00:32:38.759 that we cannot have certainty. 00:32:38.920 --> 00:32:39.720 So how do we get it? 00:32:39.799 --> 00:32:40.860 How do we get certainty? 00:32:41.059 --> 00:32:41.240 Well, 00:32:42.299 --> 00:32:44.059 the answer is that 00:32:44.059 --> 00:32:46.299 we listen to what God reveals. 00:32:46.299 --> 00:32:47.159 And that's exactly 00:32:47.159 --> 00:32:48.399 what Jesus speaks about 00:32:48.399 --> 00:32:50.279 in verses 11 to 13. 00:32:50.460 --> 00:32:50.960 Truly, truly, 00:32:51.039 --> 00:32:51.539 I say to you, 00:32:51.579 --> 00:32:52.659 we speak of what we know, 00:32:52.779 --> 00:32:53.299 we bear witness 00:32:53.299 --> 00:32:54.079 to what we've seen, 00:32:54.539 --> 00:32:55.759 but you do not receive 00:32:55.759 --> 00:32:56.419 our testimony. 00:32:56.740 --> 00:32:58.039 If I told you earthly things 00:32:58.039 --> 00:32:58.740 and you do not believe, 00:32:58.839 --> 00:32:59.419 how will you believe 00:32:59.419 --> 00:33:00.680 if I tell you heavenly things? 00:33:01.039 --> 00:33:01.839 No one has ascended 00:33:01.839 --> 00:33:02.319 into heaven 00:33:02.319 --> 00:33:04.019 except he who descended 00:33:04.019 --> 00:33:04.539 from heaven, 00:33:04.859 --> 00:33:05.539 the Son of Man. 00:33:05.599 --> 00:33:06.700 Now, just as a wee note, 00:33:06.819 --> 00:33:07.319 it's really interesting 00:33:07.319 --> 00:33:07.639 when it says, 00:33:07.740 --> 00:33:08.839 truly, I say to you, 00:33:09.059 --> 00:33:10.039 that you is plural. 00:33:10.319 --> 00:33:10.859 So he's speaking 00:33:10.859 --> 00:33:12.180 to more than just Nicodemus. 00:33:12.460 --> 00:33:12.960 Jesus is wanting 00:33:12.960 --> 00:33:13.980 all of us to hear 00:33:13.980 --> 00:33:15.160 and listen to this. 00:33:15.940 --> 00:33:16.819 And what Jesus is saying 00:33:16.819 --> 00:33:17.140 is this, 00:33:17.200 --> 00:33:18.019 he's saying nobody 00:33:18.019 --> 00:33:19.039 is qualified 00:33:19.039 --> 00:33:21.200 to give answers about, 00:33:21.299 --> 00:33:22.180 nobody can give answers 00:33:22.180 --> 00:33:22.680 about God 00:33:22.680 --> 00:33:23.839 unless he's qualified 00:33:23.839 --> 00:33:25.120 to give those answers. 00:33:25.519 --> 00:33:25.819 And again, 00:33:25.880 --> 00:33:26.720 that's true in physics, 00:33:27.039 --> 00:33:27.319 maths, 00:33:27.539 --> 00:33:27.920 geology, 00:33:28.259 --> 00:33:28.559 history, 00:33:28.799 --> 00:33:29.380 everything else. 00:33:29.680 --> 00:33:30.700 You can only give answers 00:33:30.700 --> 00:33:31.680 if you're qualified 00:33:31.680 --> 00:33:32.360 to do so. 00:33:33.039 --> 00:33:34.860 But the person qualified 00:33:34.860 --> 00:33:37.259 to give answers about God 00:33:37.259 --> 00:33:38.860 is not a religious genius 00:33:38.860 --> 00:33:40.279 like Nicodemus. 00:33:40.900 --> 00:33:42.019 The person qualified 00:33:42.019 --> 00:33:43.500 to reveal God 00:33:43.500 --> 00:33:45.480 is God 00:33:45.480 --> 00:33:47.920 and no one else. 00:33:49.279 --> 00:33:51.619 So nobody can ascend 00:33:51.619 --> 00:33:52.259 to heaven 00:33:52.259 --> 00:33:53.859 and tell God, 00:33:54.339 --> 00:33:55.160 this is what you're like 00:33:55.160 --> 00:33:57.279 and then come back 00:33:57.279 --> 00:33:58.379 and explain it to us. 00:33:59.920 --> 00:34:01.019 No, it has to be 00:34:01.019 --> 00:34:01.639 the other way around. 00:34:03.160 --> 00:34:04.759 God has to descend 00:34:04.759 --> 00:34:07.019 and reveal himself. 00:34:08.119 --> 00:34:09.019 And that's exactly 00:34:09.539 --> 00:34:10.900 what he's doing 00:34:10.900 --> 00:34:11.619 in Jesus. 00:34:12.800 --> 00:34:14.160 He is God the Son 00:34:14.160 --> 00:34:16.180 descended 00:34:16.180 --> 00:34:18.420 to reveal 00:34:18.420 --> 00:34:19.980 who God is. 00:34:21.160 --> 00:34:22.320 And the message 00:34:22.320 --> 00:34:23.139 that he reveals 00:34:23.139 --> 00:34:25.599 is a message 00:34:25.599 --> 00:34:26.760 of salvation. 00:34:28.400 --> 00:34:28.880 And that's why 00:34:28.880 --> 00:34:29.400 he goes on 00:34:29.400 --> 00:34:30.099 to talk about, 00:34:30.480 --> 00:34:31.500 oh, I've gone too far there, 00:34:31.539 --> 00:34:31.700 sorry. 00:34:32.500 --> 00:34:33.059 Oh, I didn't put it 00:34:33.059 --> 00:34:33.360 on the screen. 00:34:33.440 --> 00:34:34.180 Anyway, you can look it up 00:34:34.180 --> 00:34:35.019 if it's before you. 00:34:35.079 --> 00:34:36.079 It's on the bulletin. 00:34:36.119 --> 00:34:37.039 That's why he talks about 00:34:37.039 --> 00:34:38.980 the snake 00:34:38.980 --> 00:34:39.480 in the wilderness. 00:34:40.480 --> 00:34:41.980 Because back in the Old Testament, 00:34:42.360 --> 00:34:43.880 there was a shadow 00:34:43.880 --> 00:34:45.159 of that salvation. 00:34:45.300 --> 00:34:46.139 It's in Numbers 21. 00:34:46.619 --> 00:34:47.960 There was a plague of snakes 00:34:47.960 --> 00:34:49.900 among the Israelites 00:34:49.900 --> 00:34:52.139 and God told Moses 00:34:52.139 --> 00:34:53.159 to make a bronze snake, 00:34:53.719 --> 00:34:54.760 put the snake 00:34:54.760 --> 00:34:55.240 on a pole. 00:34:55.460 --> 00:34:56.679 Everybody who had been bitten 00:34:56.679 --> 00:34:58.559 could look at the snake 00:34:58.559 --> 00:34:59.980 and they would be healed. 00:35:00.420 --> 00:35:01.480 They would be saved. 00:35:01.480 --> 00:35:03.760 And that, 00:35:03.960 --> 00:35:04.980 like everything else 00:35:04.980 --> 00:35:05.719 in the Old Testament, 00:35:06.039 --> 00:35:06.980 was a shadow 00:35:06.980 --> 00:35:09.099 pointing towards 00:35:09.099 --> 00:35:10.280 God's great 00:35:10.280 --> 00:35:11.340 and ultimate plan 00:35:11.340 --> 00:35:12.019 of salvation 00:35:12.019 --> 00:35:13.139 where Jesus, 00:35:13.559 --> 00:35:14.699 God the Son, 00:35:15.420 --> 00:35:16.539 would be lifted up 00:35:16.539 --> 00:35:17.199 on the cross 00:35:17.199 --> 00:35:20.340 so that all who look on him 00:35:20.340 --> 00:35:21.860 might be saved. 00:35:22.860 --> 00:35:24.400 Now, that work of salvation 00:35:24.400 --> 00:35:26.679 contains mystery. 00:35:26.679 --> 00:35:29.279 But that mystery 00:35:29.279 --> 00:35:30.099 does not mean 00:35:30.099 --> 00:35:31.279 that you cannot 00:35:31.279 --> 00:35:32.480 have certainty. 00:35:32.699 --> 00:35:33.399 Jesus' message 00:35:33.399 --> 00:35:35.319 is actually crystal clear. 00:35:35.819 --> 00:35:37.219 Whoever believes in me 00:35:37.219 --> 00:35:38.539 will be saved. 00:35:39.919 --> 00:35:40.919 But there's one thing 00:35:40.919 --> 00:35:41.779 I want you to notice 00:35:41.779 --> 00:35:45.319 and this is part 00:35:45.319 --> 00:35:46.339 of what makes the gospel 00:35:46.339 --> 00:35:48.079 so, so good. 00:35:49.440 --> 00:35:50.419 We've been saying 00:35:50.419 --> 00:35:50.960 that in regard 00:35:50.960 --> 00:35:51.779 to regeneration, 00:35:52.000 --> 00:35:53.319 going from life to death, 00:35:53.639 --> 00:35:54.339 death to life, 00:35:54.340 --> 00:35:54.660 death, 00:35:55.320 --> 00:35:56.900 there's mystery 00:35:56.900 --> 00:35:59.340 about how that happens. 00:36:00.700 --> 00:36:01.940 And there's also mystery 00:36:01.940 --> 00:36:03.100 about precisely 00:36:03.100 --> 00:36:05.160 when it happens. 00:36:05.559 --> 00:36:06.260 Not many people 00:36:06.260 --> 00:36:06.820 can pinpoint 00:36:06.820 --> 00:36:07.800 the exact moment 00:36:07.800 --> 00:36:09.100 when they were regenerated 00:36:09.100 --> 00:36:10.900 and they were born again. 00:36:11.519 --> 00:36:12.600 There's mystery 00:36:12.600 --> 00:36:14.059 about how 00:36:14.059 --> 00:36:16.280 and there is mystery 00:36:16.280 --> 00:36:17.420 about when. 00:36:18.940 --> 00:36:20.280 But there is 00:36:20.280 --> 00:36:21.539 no mystery 00:36:21.539 --> 00:36:24.320 about why. 00:36:24.340 --> 00:36:28.519 There is no mystery 00:36:28.519 --> 00:36:29.920 about why it happens. 00:36:30.079 --> 00:36:30.579 We know 00:36:30.579 --> 00:36:31.780 exactly 00:36:31.780 --> 00:36:32.579 why 00:36:32.579 --> 00:36:33.600 this happens. 00:36:36.740 --> 00:36:37.660 It happens 00:36:37.660 --> 00:36:38.420 because of how much 00:36:38.420 --> 00:36:39.140 God loves you. 00:36:43.220 --> 00:36:44.440 And ultimately, 00:36:44.880 --> 00:36:45.539 that 00:36:45.539 --> 00:36:46.800 is the certainty 00:36:46.800 --> 00:36:47.960 that the gospel 00:36:47.960 --> 00:36:48.579 offers you. 00:36:48.640 --> 00:36:49.200 Not certainty 00:36:49.200 --> 00:36:50.200 about every detail 00:36:50.200 --> 00:36:51.740 of all the massive questions 00:36:51.740 --> 00:36:52.100 that we have 00:36:52.100 --> 00:36:52.660 about God 00:36:52.659 --> 00:36:53.259 and humanity 00:36:53.259 --> 00:36:53.839 and time 00:36:53.839 --> 00:36:54.379 and eternity 00:36:54.379 --> 00:36:54.940 and life 00:36:54.940 --> 00:36:55.639 and reality. 00:36:55.639 --> 00:36:56.480 We're not big enough 00:36:56.480 --> 00:36:57.699 to know everything 00:36:57.699 --> 00:36:58.899 about everything 00:36:58.899 --> 00:37:00.059 and we do not need 00:37:00.059 --> 00:37:00.940 to know everything 00:37:00.940 --> 00:37:01.940 about everything. 00:37:02.019 --> 00:37:02.539 In other words, 00:37:03.099 --> 00:37:04.099 we don't need 00:37:04.099 --> 00:37:05.259 to be geniuses 00:37:05.259 --> 00:37:06.219 because before God, 00:37:06.379 --> 00:37:07.699 no one is a genius. 00:37:09.779 --> 00:37:11.279 But what we do 00:37:11.279 --> 00:37:12.099 need to know 00:37:12.099 --> 00:37:13.019 is what God 00:37:13.019 --> 00:37:14.219 wants us to know. 00:37:14.219 --> 00:37:16.919 And the certainty 00:37:16.919 --> 00:37:17.599 that the gospel 00:37:17.599 --> 00:37:18.179 gives you 00:37:18.179 --> 00:37:19.139 is the certainty 00:37:19.139 --> 00:37:20.239 that God 00:37:20.239 --> 00:37:21.239 loves you. 00:37:22.839 --> 00:37:24.000 That he sent 00:37:24.000 --> 00:37:24.419 his son 00:37:24.419 --> 00:37:25.359 to save you 00:37:25.359 --> 00:37:27.859 and whoever 00:37:27.859 --> 00:37:29.139 believes in him 00:37:29.139 --> 00:37:31.119 will not perish 00:37:31.119 --> 00:37:31.139 ! 00:37:32.000 --> 00:37:33.599 But have eternal life. 00:37:33.599 --> 00:37:37.719 So let's finish 00:37:37.719 --> 00:37:38.400 with our questions. 00:37:38.539 --> 00:37:39.339 Do you want necessity? 00:37:39.659 --> 00:37:40.539 Do you want mystery? 00:37:41.000 --> 00:37:42.199 Do you want certainty? 00:37:42.699 --> 00:37:43.440 Maybe it's clearer 00:37:43.440 --> 00:37:44.319 if we put those questions 00:37:44.319 --> 00:37:45.099 the other way around. 00:37:46.339 --> 00:37:47.139 Do you want 00:37:47.139 --> 00:37:47.900 to build your life 00:37:47.900 --> 00:37:48.360 on stuff 00:37:48.360 --> 00:37:49.360 that isn't 00:37:49.360 --> 00:37:50.380 really necessary? 00:37:52.900 --> 00:37:53.759 Do you want 00:37:53.759 --> 00:37:54.360 a worldview 00:37:54.360 --> 00:37:56.179 or a universe 00:37:56.179 --> 00:37:57.119 or a God 00:37:57.119 --> 00:37:59.480 with no mystery? 00:37:59.480 --> 00:38:02.719 And do you want 00:38:02.719 --> 00:38:03.099 a life 00:38:03.099 --> 00:38:04.119 with no certainty? 00:38:07.119 --> 00:38:08.139 Or do you want 00:38:08.139 --> 00:38:08.699 the gospel? 00:38:10.679 --> 00:38:11.659 Because the gospel 00:38:11.659 --> 00:38:12.240 will tell you 00:38:12.240 --> 00:38:13.300 what the most 00:38:13.300 --> 00:38:14.500 urgent necessity 00:38:14.500 --> 00:38:15.659 in your life is. 00:38:15.840 --> 00:38:16.380 The gospel 00:38:16.380 --> 00:38:17.280 will point you 00:38:17.280 --> 00:38:17.820 to the God 00:38:17.820 --> 00:38:19.300 who is magnificent 00:38:19.300 --> 00:38:19.920 but in whom 00:38:19.920 --> 00:38:20.760 there is an eternity 00:38:20.760 --> 00:38:21.460 of mystery 00:38:21.460 --> 00:38:22.619 to discover 00:38:22.619 --> 00:38:23.760 and the gospel 00:38:23.760 --> 00:38:24.500 will give you 00:38:24.500 --> 00:38:25.300 certainty. 00:38:25.539 --> 00:38:26.219 Certainty about 00:38:26.219 --> 00:38:27.159 the magnitude 00:38:27.159 --> 00:38:28.000 of God's love 00:38:28.000 --> 00:38:28.480 for you. 00:38:28.480 --> 00:38:29.840 certainty about 00:38:29.840 --> 00:38:30.300 the fact that 00:38:30.300 --> 00:38:31.500 he sent his son 00:38:31.500 --> 00:38:32.579 to die for you. 00:38:33.619 --> 00:38:34.119 Certainty about 00:38:34.119 --> 00:38:34.559 the fact that 00:38:34.559 --> 00:38:35.519 all you have to do 00:38:35.519 --> 00:38:36.320 is trust him. 00:38:37.760 --> 00:38:38.599 And certainty 00:38:38.599 --> 00:38:39.639 that if you do 00:38:39.639 --> 00:38:40.300 you will have 00:38:40.300 --> 00:38:41.400 eternal life 00:38:41.400 --> 00:38:42.699 with him forever. 00:38:43.260 --> 00:38:44.380 You do not 00:38:44.380 --> 00:38:45.280 need to be a genius 00:38:45.280 --> 00:38:45.940 to understand 00:38:45.940 --> 00:38:46.500 all of that. 00:38:47.059 --> 00:38:48.019 And you do not 00:38:48.019 --> 00:38:48.820 need to be a genius 00:38:48.820 --> 00:38:49.880 to have 00:38:49.880 --> 00:38:51.260 all of that. 00:38:54.340 --> 00:38:55.000 But if you 00:38:55.000 --> 00:38:56.000 don't want that 00:38:56.000 --> 00:38:58.420 and if you 00:38:58.420 --> 00:38:58.699 think 00:38:58.699 --> 00:38:59.940 this isn't 00:38:59.940 --> 00:39:00.340 for me 00:39:00.340 --> 00:39:03.860 I don't 00:39:03.860 --> 00:39:04.179 think you're 00:39:04.179 --> 00:39:04.500 clever 00:39:04.500 --> 00:39:07.239 I think 00:39:07.239 --> 00:39:07.820 you're crazy. 00:39:10.820 --> 00:39:11.340 Amen. 00:39:12.079 --> 00:39:12.639 Let's pray. 00:39:12.639 --> 00:39:12.719 Amen. 00:39:12.719 --> 00:39:21.319 Lord Jesus 00:39:21.319 --> 00:39:22.500 thank you so 00:39:22.500 --> 00:39:23.279 so much 00:39:23.279 --> 00:39:26.619 for coming 00:39:26.619 --> 00:39:27.079 to reveal 00:39:27.079 --> 00:39:27.699 the truth 00:39:27.699 --> 00:39:28.599 of how much 00:39:28.599 --> 00:39:29.379 we need you 00:39:29.379 --> 00:39:31.980 the truth 00:39:31.980 --> 00:39:32.559 of how small 00:39:32.559 --> 00:39:32.919 we are 00:39:32.919 --> 00:39:33.699 before you 00:39:33.699 --> 00:39:36.559 and the truth 00:39:36.559 --> 00:39:37.039 of how 00:39:37.039 --> 00:39:38.199 amazing 00:39:38.199 --> 00:39:38.719 your love 00:39:38.719 --> 00:39:39.199 for us 00:39:39.199 --> 00:39:40.459 has always 00:39:40.459 --> 00:39:40.799 been 00:39:40.800 --> 00:39:42.000 and always 00:39:42.000 --> 00:39:42.480 will be. 00:39:43.940 --> 00:39:44.600 Help us 00:39:44.600 --> 00:39:45.060 to see 00:39:45.060 --> 00:39:45.760 and understand 00:39:45.760 --> 00:39:46.420 all of these 00:39:46.420 --> 00:39:47.060 things more 00:39:47.060 --> 00:39:49.519 and help us 00:39:49.519 --> 00:39:50.600 to look to you 00:39:50.600 --> 00:39:51.519 to trust you 00:39:51.519 --> 00:39:52.320 and to follow you 00:39:52.320 --> 00:39:52.860 today 00:39:52.860 --> 00:39:53.620 this week 00:39:53.620 --> 00:39:54.820 and for the rest 00:39:54.820 --> 00:39:55.420 of our lives. 00:39:55.420 --> 00:39:56.900 Amen.