Monday, July 16, 2007
Nic At Night John 3
Gaolled Convicts were brought before the State Governor for himto determone who would get a rarely offered pardon. Many approached him telling him how they were innocent and unfairly imprisoned. One came before him and said, “Governor Neth I did what I was convicted of. I have served out a large proportion of my tme.” He was the one the Governor awarded the pardon. To benefit from a doctor one must admit one is sick.
Much of Bible given over to showing a man his need, so he will turn to the Saviour provided.
When You Meet Jesus You Will Be Challenged
John 3:1There was a man from the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Him at night and said, “• Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher, for no one could perform these signs You do unless God were with him.” 3 Jesus replied, “• I assure you: Unless someone is born again,he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
John 2: 24 Jesus, however, would not entrust Himself to them, since He knew them all 25 and because He did not need anyone to testify about man; for He Himself knew what was in man.
Nic a representative man who had everything but was a failure spiritually because he had never found God.
You Will be challenged about your need. He was a “pharisee”.. (now a synonym for hypocrite, but then a chief exponent for ethical living, probably the best of all people in the country.. William Barclay.. about 6,000, a brotherhood of theological conservatives. The determined purpose of pharisees to keep the law. Those who seek the meaning of life in religion but do not find it. I.e. catholic presbyt lady at court.
You Will be challenged about your knowledge A scholar! Nic a greek name “one who conquers the people” a significant name back then. Most had hebrew or aramaic names, except those in the upper classes, a greek name as well as a hebrew one, he had a Greek education, and preferred to be known by his Greek name, read LXX and a highly educated man. Today most say that education is the solution to our problems. A High school education just to wash dishes. The problems are not solved, just smarter criminals. Education is not the answer to man’s spiritual unrest and longing. Nic was a politician a member of the Sanhedrin. The chief authority in Israel, conducting trials hearings and investigations. Exclusive governing body.
You Will be challenged about your Name Nic one of Elite families, Josephus mentions2x a family of Nic that is prominent that 70 BC a man named Nic was chosen by Aristobulus for an Ambassador to the court of Pompeii he chose a man named Nic, In Ad 66, 67 Jewish war In surrender of garrison at Jerusalem a man named Gorion was chosen the son of a man named Nic.
He came from one of the most distinguished families of the nation.
Isn’t this the kind of man that you would choose to represent you, or isn’t this a great image of a man? But inspite of it all Nic had a great need. He needed to know God, and therefore was lost and ill at ease, spiritually blind.
Phil 3:4 although I once had confidence in the flesh too. If anyone else thinks he has grounds for confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised the eighth day; of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; as to the law, a • Pharisee; 6 as to zeal, persecuting the church; as to the righteousness that is in the law, blameless. 7 But everything that was a gain to me, I have considered to be a loss because of Christ. 8 More than that, I also consider everything to be a loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Because of Him I have suffered the loss of all things and consider them filth, so that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own from the law, but one that is through faith in Christ—the righteousness from God based on faith.
Rock of Ages cleft for me Nothing in my hand I bring, Simply to Thy cross I cling,..
When You Meet Jesus You Will Be Changed. (John 3:3-7)
TWO important happenings in my life: I was born on January 13th, 1959 I was born-again on May 28thth, 1975 Without the first birth, I would never be on this earth; without the second birth, I would never enter into the kingdom of heaven. The only thing the first birth warrants is death (eternal separation from God in hell), due to our sin nature; in essence, every person born is physically alive yet spiritually dead. All who are spiritually dead have no concern for the kingdom of heaven, and, in all reality, would be very miserable in the kingdom of God. What does Jesus mean by "born again"?
A. You Will be Changed Spiritually
The idea is that of a spiritual birth. The new birth is the communication of spiritual life to that which is spiritually dead. The new birth is the commencement of something entirely new. It is a new life giving principle and therefore a second birth. It is a spiritual birth, or a new creation. It is something that
God alone can do. A. W. Pink said it well, The unregenerate sinner is in darkness, the darkness of spiritual death. The Holy Spirit moves upon, broods over, the conscience and heart of the one He is about to quicken. The Word of God goes forth in power. The result is "light"--the sinner is brought out of darkness into God's marvelous light. The Holy Spirit, then, is the One who produces the new birth.
The new birth is not a renovation of an old sinful life. It is not a reformation of social behavior. It is entirely the supernatural act of God giving spiritual life to a person in response to faith in Christ.
When we are born naturally, we receive natural or physical life; when we are born from above, we receive spiritual or eternal life.
The apostle Paul wrote about this spiritual birth. He said, "Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come" (2 Corinthians 5:17). It is indeed a radical change. However, it is not something man can do. God alone can do it. Jesus said, "For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom He wishes" (John 5:21).
The new birth is also called spiritual "regeneration." It means the Holy Spirit originates eternal life, which comes into the believer in Christ at the very moment he believes on Christ. It is the instantaneous change from a state of spiritual death to a state of spiritual life. It is the creative work of God, specifically the Holy Spirit. The basic idea is that a believer who was formerly spiritually dead now has received eternal life. The believer is declared to be "alive from the dead" (Romans 6:13). "Even when we were dead in trespasses, [God] made us alive together with Christ (by grace you are saved), and raised up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus" (Ephesians 2:5-6). "Born again" believers in Christ have received by faith a new life in Christ. This new life is entirely a supernatural act of God in response to our faith.
J. I. Packer defines "Regeneration, or new birth, is an inner re-creating of fallen human nature by the gracious sovereign action of the Holy Spirit (John 3:5-8)
B. B. Warfield said our salvation is "a radical and complete transformation wrought in the soul (Rom.
12:2; Eph. 4:24) by God the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5; Eph. 4:24), by virtue of which we become 'new men' (Eph. 4:24; Col. 3:10), no longer conformed to this world (Rom. 12:2; Eph. 4:22; Col. 3:9), but in knowledge and holiness of the truth created after the image of God (Eph. 4:24; Col. 3:10; Rom. 12:2)."
When a person receives Christ by faith, he is born again and in the act of the new birth receives a new nature. This new nature is patterned after the nature of God. That is why it is described as being born from above, born again or regenerated. It is God's kind of life; therefore, the believer can experience true intimate fellowship with God.
B. You Will be Changed Significantly
John 3:17 "For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him."
To reinforce his point Jesus restates verse 16 from the opposite perspective. Can you remember as a child in your class at school the feeling of panic as you heard the warning, "teacher is coming". You knew what that meant as the paper aeroplane you had just thrown was in full flight and was never going to land in time before she turned the corner. Condemnation. That's what the ancients thought must be the reason for God to have to come to earth. To punish his unruly children. But Jesus says, "God did not send his son to condemn the world." Just the reverse.
John Calvin put it this way, "The Son of God became the Son of man that the sinful sons of men might be made the sons of God." Have you ever wondered why we sing so much in Church? Because at the heart of the Gospel message there is joy. Praise either flows from joy in our hearts, or exposes its absence.
I took a wedding recently. We sung "Amazing Grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me..." and "O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder..." Out of the congregation of may be 150 people I might not have been able to say which were Christians, but I could certainly tell you who were not. How? They had their mouths shut when we sung, "And when I think that God his son not sparing, sent him to die, I scarce can take it in, that on the cross my burden gladly bearing he bled and died to take away my sin...then sings my soul, my saviour God to thee, how great thou art, how great thou art..." That is when you can tell the difference. If its true for you how can you not feel like singing. There is deep seated eternal joy in our hearts once we come to realize that Jesus came to die in our place, to give us a new life, forgiveness for the past, certainty about the future. Jesus said once "there is more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 who don't think they need to."
Arthur Pink wrote:
An unregenerate man who has no relish at all for spiritual things, who is bored by the conversation of believers, who finds the Bible dull and dry, who is a stranger to the throne of grace, an unregenerated man would be wretched in heaven. Such a man could not spend eternity in the presence of God. Suppose a fish were taken out of the water, and laid upon a salver of gold; suppose further that the sweetest of flowers surrounded it, and that the air was filled with their fragrance; suppose, too, that the strains of most melodious music fell upon its ears, would that fish be happy and contented? Of course not. And why not? Because it would be out of harmony with its environment; because it would be lacking in capacity to appreciate its surroundings. Thus would it be with an unregenerate soul in heaven.
C. You Will be Changed Socially You change kingdoms. Col 1:13 He has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son He loves,
The kingdom of God in John 3 refers to the things of God, spiritual things, which are discerned and enjoyed by the regenerate here upon earth:
Much of Bible given over to showing a man his need, so he will turn to the Saviour provided.
When You Meet Jesus You Will Be Challenged
John 3:1There was a man from the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Him at night and said, “• Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher, for no one could perform these signs You do unless God were with him.” 3 Jesus replied, “• I assure you: Unless someone is born again,he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
John 2: 24 Jesus, however, would not entrust Himself to them, since He knew them all 25 and because He did not need anyone to testify about man; for He Himself knew what was in man.
Nic a representative man who had everything but was a failure spiritually because he had never found God.
You Will be challenged about your need. He was a “pharisee”.. (now a synonym for hypocrite, but then a chief exponent for ethical living, probably the best of all people in the country.. William Barclay.. about 6,000, a brotherhood of theological conservatives. The determined purpose of pharisees to keep the law. Those who seek the meaning of life in religion but do not find it. I.e. catholic presbyt lady at court.
You Will be challenged about your knowledge A scholar! Nic a greek name “one who conquers the people” a significant name back then. Most had hebrew or aramaic names, except those in the upper classes, a greek name as well as a hebrew one, he had a Greek education, and preferred to be known by his Greek name, read LXX and a highly educated man. Today most say that education is the solution to our problems. A High school education just to wash dishes. The problems are not solved, just smarter criminals. Education is not the answer to man’s spiritual unrest and longing. Nic was a politician a member of the Sanhedrin. The chief authority in Israel, conducting trials hearings and investigations. Exclusive governing body.
You Will be challenged about your Name Nic one of Elite families, Josephus mentions2x a family of Nic that is prominent that 70 BC a man named Nic was chosen by Aristobulus for an Ambassador to the court of Pompeii he chose a man named Nic, In Ad 66, 67 Jewish war In surrender of garrison at Jerusalem a man named Gorion was chosen the son of a man named Nic.
He came from one of the most distinguished families of the nation.
Isn’t this the kind of man that you would choose to represent you, or isn’t this a great image of a man? But inspite of it all Nic had a great need. He needed to know God, and therefore was lost and ill at ease, spiritually blind.
Phil 3:4 although I once had confidence in the flesh too. If anyone else thinks he has grounds for confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised the eighth day; of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; as to the law, a • Pharisee; 6 as to zeal, persecuting the church; as to the righteousness that is in the law, blameless. 7 But everything that was a gain to me, I have considered to be a loss because of Christ. 8 More than that, I also consider everything to be a loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Because of Him I have suffered the loss of all things and consider them filth, so that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own from the law, but one that is through faith in Christ—the righteousness from God based on faith.
Rock of Ages cleft for me Nothing in my hand I bring, Simply to Thy cross I cling,..
When You Meet Jesus You Will Be Changed. (John 3:3-7)
TWO important happenings in my life: I was born on January 13th, 1959 I was born-again on May 28thth, 1975 Without the first birth, I would never be on this earth; without the second birth, I would never enter into the kingdom of heaven. The only thing the first birth warrants is death (eternal separation from God in hell), due to our sin nature; in essence, every person born is physically alive yet spiritually dead. All who are spiritually dead have no concern for the kingdom of heaven, and, in all reality, would be very miserable in the kingdom of God. What does Jesus mean by "born again"?
A. You Will be Changed Spiritually
The idea is that of a spiritual birth. The new birth is the communication of spiritual life to that which is spiritually dead. The new birth is the commencement of something entirely new. It is a new life giving principle and therefore a second birth. It is a spiritual birth, or a new creation. It is something that
God alone can do. A. W. Pink said it well, The unregenerate sinner is in darkness, the darkness of spiritual death. The Holy Spirit moves upon, broods over, the conscience and heart of the one He is about to quicken. The Word of God goes forth in power. The result is "light"--the sinner is brought out of darkness into God's marvelous light. The Holy Spirit, then, is the One who produces the new birth.
The new birth is not a renovation of an old sinful life. It is not a reformation of social behavior. It is entirely the supernatural act of God giving spiritual life to a person in response to faith in Christ.
When we are born naturally, we receive natural or physical life; when we are born from above, we receive spiritual or eternal life.
The apostle Paul wrote about this spiritual birth. He said, "Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come" (2 Corinthians 5:17). It is indeed a radical change. However, it is not something man can do. God alone can do it. Jesus said, "For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom He wishes" (John 5:21).
The new birth is also called spiritual "regeneration." It means the Holy Spirit originates eternal life, which comes into the believer in Christ at the very moment he believes on Christ. It is the instantaneous change from a state of spiritual death to a state of spiritual life. It is the creative work of God, specifically the Holy Spirit. The basic idea is that a believer who was formerly spiritually dead now has received eternal life. The believer is declared to be "alive from the dead" (Romans 6:13). "Even when we were dead in trespasses, [God] made us alive together with Christ (by grace you are saved), and raised up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus" (Ephesians 2:5-6). "Born again" believers in Christ have received by faith a new life in Christ. This new life is entirely a supernatural act of God in response to our faith.
J. I. Packer defines "Regeneration, or new birth, is an inner re-creating of fallen human nature by the gracious sovereign action of the Holy Spirit (John 3:5-8)
B. B. Warfield said our salvation is "a radical and complete transformation wrought in the soul (Rom.
12:2; Eph. 4:24) by God the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5; Eph. 4:24), by virtue of which we become 'new men' (Eph. 4:24; Col. 3:10), no longer conformed to this world (Rom. 12:2; Eph. 4:22; Col. 3:9), but in knowledge and holiness of the truth created after the image of God (Eph. 4:24; Col. 3:10; Rom. 12:2)."
When a person receives Christ by faith, he is born again and in the act of the new birth receives a new nature. This new nature is patterned after the nature of God. That is why it is described as being born from above, born again or regenerated. It is God's kind of life; therefore, the believer can experience true intimate fellowship with God.
B. You Will be Changed Significantly
John 3:17 "For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him."
To reinforce his point Jesus restates verse 16 from the opposite perspective. Can you remember as a child in your class at school the feeling of panic as you heard the warning, "teacher is coming". You knew what that meant as the paper aeroplane you had just thrown was in full flight and was never going to land in time before she turned the corner. Condemnation. That's what the ancients thought must be the reason for God to have to come to earth. To punish his unruly children. But Jesus says, "God did not send his son to condemn the world." Just the reverse.
John Calvin put it this way, "The Son of God became the Son of man that the sinful sons of men might be made the sons of God." Have you ever wondered why we sing so much in Church? Because at the heart of the Gospel message there is joy. Praise either flows from joy in our hearts, or exposes its absence.
I took a wedding recently. We sung "Amazing Grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me..." and "O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder..." Out of the congregation of may be 150 people I might not have been able to say which were Christians, but I could certainly tell you who were not. How? They had their mouths shut when we sung, "And when I think that God his son not sparing, sent him to die, I scarce can take it in, that on the cross my burden gladly bearing he bled and died to take away my sin...then sings my soul, my saviour God to thee, how great thou art, how great thou art..." That is when you can tell the difference. If its true for you how can you not feel like singing. There is deep seated eternal joy in our hearts once we come to realize that Jesus came to die in our place, to give us a new life, forgiveness for the past, certainty about the future. Jesus said once "there is more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 who don't think they need to."
Arthur Pink wrote:
An unregenerate man who has no relish at all for spiritual things, who is bored by the conversation of believers, who finds the Bible dull and dry, who is a stranger to the throne of grace, an unregenerated man would be wretched in heaven. Such a man could not spend eternity in the presence of God. Suppose a fish were taken out of the water, and laid upon a salver of gold; suppose further that the sweetest of flowers surrounded it, and that the air was filled with their fragrance; suppose, too, that the strains of most melodious music fell upon its ears, would that fish be happy and contented? Of course not. And why not? Because it would be out of harmony with its environment; because it would be lacking in capacity to appreciate its surroundings. Thus would it be with an unregenerate soul in heaven.
C. You Will be Changed Socially You change kingdoms. Col 1:13 He has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son He loves,
The kingdom of God in John 3 refers to the things of God, spiritual things, which are discerned and enjoyed by the regenerate here upon earth:
# posted by Groseys messages @ 9:27 AM 
