Oddbean

Hey everyone and welcome to Refinery Life Australia. “The Christ of John’s Gospel” is the theme for the coming Sunday mornings that focus on John’s unique portrayal of the Christ. We will continue this series through to the end of the year. Today we are discussing, Passport to the Kingdom. John 3:5 NKJV 5 Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. Scripture Reading John 3:1-21 NKJV The New Birth 1 There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.” 3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” 9 Nicodemus answered and said to Him, “How can these things be?” 10 Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things? 11 Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness. 12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven. 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. 18 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.” To travel from one country to another, every person, no matter how notable they might be, must have a passport. Likewise, the new birth can be considered a sort of passport into the kingdom of God. Jesus was visited by Nicodemus, a leading Pharisee of his day, who wanted to know more about Jesus’ is concept of the kingdom of God. The Lord clearly taught Nicodemus that the new birth was the pre-requisite for entering the kingdom of God. People who desire God's kind of life need to be born again just as Jesus taught Nicodemus. Let us examine facets of the new birth. 1. The new birth is a mandate. Look at the person who came to Jesus. There was a man of the Pharisees, they Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. That's what it tells us in John 3:1. Nicodemus had many commendable qualities. He was a Pharisee. Pharisees were religious people of Jesus' day who worked meticulously at interpreting and keeping God’s laws. Their religion was mainly one of external rules, but they were moral, upright people. Nicodemus was a ruler of the Jews. This probably meant that he was a member of the Sanhedrin. This was a group of seventy outstanding religious leaders. Nicodemus acknowledge that Jesus had unusual powers from God. In verse to he says Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no man can do these miracles that You do, except God be with him. Fuss this is a person who came to see Jesus that had a lot of commendable virtues, he's a Pharisee, he's a religious ruler, and one who acknowledge the Jesus possessed a gift from God. Look at Jesus’ words to Nicodemus. Jesus went abruptly to the need of Nicodemus. Without being impressed with his credentials or his compliments, Jesus said in John 3:5 'Verily, verily I say to you except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Jesus gave a mandate to Nicodemus, it's in verse seven, he said marvel not that I've said toy you, that you must be born again. There is no other way to enter the kingdom. 2. The new birth is a miracle. Think about what Nicodemus thought. When Jesus mentioned the expression born again, Nicodemus thought of a physical birth. He questioned, in verse four, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can you enter the second time in to his mother's womb and be born?” Nicodemus acknowledge the mandate, but you confuse the new birth with a physical birth. To go through physical birth again would be an impossibility. But now I think about what Jesus meant. The Lord was not talking about a physical birth. He was talking about the miracle of new beginning. To be born again means to allow God to come into your life and change. That is a miracle indeed! 3. The new birth has a means. Listen to Nicodemus's questions. Twice the Pharisee asked, “How?” Without a doubt, Nicodemus wanted to know how we might have the new birth. And listen to Jesus’ answers. Jesus answered Nicodemus’s questions. He told him that the means of experiencing the new birth was faith. John 3:14-15 says, And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should \[a\]not perish but have eternal life. To believe means to open our life to God. When we open our lives to God, the new birth occurs. 4. The new birth has manifestations. Nicodemus was asked to observe the wind. Jesus used an illustration about the wind he said in John 3:8, “The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” The results of the wind blowing can be seen. Likewise, when the Lord comes into a life, changes are evident. Jesus wants people to observe the result of the new birth. Human beings change when they open their lives to God. Attitudes and actions change. People become children of God. My question today is, "Do you want to enter the kingdom of God?" The only means, the only way of entrance is to be born again, the new birth. Open your life to Christ, and He will change you. Until next time Stay in the Blessings I really want to encourage you to be diligent with your Bible study time, because God has so much more for us than we can get from just going to church once or twice a week and hearing someone else talk about the Word. When you spend time with God, your life will change in amazing ways, because God is a Redeemer. Theres nothing thats too hard for Him, and He can make you whole, spirit, soul and body! You’re important to God, and you’re important to us at The Refinery. When it comes to prayer, we believe that God wants to meet your needs and reveal His promises to you. So whatever you’re concerned about and need prayer for we want to be here for you! Or even if you just want to say Hi, you can contact us at www.refinerylife.org 2024 IS A YEAR OF DECISIONS AND OPEN DOORS © www.refinerylife.org 2013-2024 All rights reserved. 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