WEBVTT 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:00.800 Well, good morning. 00:00:00.880 --> 00:00:04.240 We're in our fourth Sunday in the season of Lent. 00:00:04.320 --> 00:00:08.400 So we're three weeks from Good Friday and from Easter. 00:00:08.560 --> 00:00:10.560 Our text this morning is John chapter 3. 00:00:10.640 --> 00:00:12.720 We're going to look at the entire chapters. 00:00:12.800 --> 00:00:17.039 This is a conversation between Jesus and this man named Nicodemus. 00:00:17.120 --> 00:00:19.359 Nicodemus was a religious man. 00:00:19.600 --> 00:00:23.120 He was probably well educated, probably well off. 00:00:23.199 --> 00:00:27.120 And Nicodemus, he would have been praying his prayers. 00:00:27.359 --> 00:00:28.559 He would have showed up at church. 00:00:28.640 --> 00:00:31.440 He would have been at the 9:15 service and the 11 a.m. 00:00:31.679 --> 00:00:32.000 service. 00:00:32.079 --> 00:00:33.840 He would have ran five church committees. 00:00:34.000 --> 00:00:37.039 This guy, this guy could get it done. 00:00:37.280 --> 00:00:43.200 And yet, yet, his way of life was no longer working. 00:00:43.439 --> 00:00:53.119 He was learning what so many of us have learned that a performance-oriented life will eventually bring you to the end of yourself. 00:00:53.439 --> 00:00:55.359 We just need something more. 00:00:56.240 --> 00:01:00.479 When I was 12 years old, I attended my first overnight church retreat. 00:01:00.799 --> 00:01:08.719 There was about a hundred middle school and high school students from Burtmar United Methodist Church, and we went to the Cottages Christian Retreat Center in Panama City Beach. 00:01:08.799 --> 00:01:10.079 Here's some pictures of the cottages. 00:01:10.400 --> 00:01:14.560 This was everything I could have ever wanted as a 12-year-old. 00:01:14.799 --> 00:01:21.359 There was a volleyball court, there's a full court basketball court, there's a concession stand, there was a pool. 00:01:21.519 --> 00:01:23.680 It was a I think they talked about Jesus. 00:01:23.760 --> 00:01:25.200 I honestly don't remember. 00:01:25.439 --> 00:01:27.840 Have no idea about that part of things. 00:01:28.400 --> 00:01:29.840 I loved it. 00:01:30.000 --> 00:01:34.799 And I was so jacked up the entire week, I barely slept at all. 00:01:35.040 --> 00:01:39.519 And at the end of the week, my parents came and picked me up, and we spent a couple nights in a condo just down the beach. 00:01:39.680 --> 00:01:44.640 When we got to the condo, it was late afternoon, and I was so tired that I said, I'm gonna go take a nap. 00:01:44.719 --> 00:01:47.920 And so I went into the bedroom and laid down to take my nap. 00:01:48.000 --> 00:01:50.879 And I woke up the next morning. 00:01:51.359 --> 00:01:58.959 I walked down to the beach where my family was, and about after 30 minutes, I was like, I'm tired, I'm gonna go back up. 00:01:59.120 --> 00:02:11.520 And just so I went back up and I slept from that morning till dinner time, and I woke up and had dinner, and then after dinner, I went back to sleep and slept all night till the next morning. 00:02:12.800 --> 00:02:14.240 And I was not sick. 00:02:14.400 --> 00:02:16.240 Okay, like there was nothing wrong with me. 00:02:16.400 --> 00:02:19.439 I wasn't sick, I was just exhausted. 00:02:19.520 --> 00:02:23.680 I could I couldn't catch up with my exhaustion. 00:02:24.080 --> 00:02:27.120 And life can feel like that pretty easily. 00:02:27.439 --> 00:02:30.000 We can get exhausted in all sorts of ways. 00:02:30.159 --> 00:02:47.439 Maybe you're here and you can't catch up with your exhaustion, a physical exhaustion, maybe emotional, maybe spiritual, maybe because of work or friends or family or romance or school, and a deep weariness can just exist inside of us like you just can't catch up. 00:02:48.080 --> 00:02:51.120 Nicodemus had a spiritual exhaustion. 00:02:51.840 --> 00:03:02.960 He was very plenty religious, and yet, and yet it's the middle of the night, and he's going and seeking out this Jesus because it's not working for him. 00:03:04.159 --> 00:03:06.400 John 3, verse 2. 00:03:06.719 --> 00:03:19.520 This man came to Jesus, so this Nicodemus came to Jesus by night and said to him, Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher that comes from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him. 00:03:19.759 --> 00:03:26.400 And Jesus answered him, Truly, truly I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 00:03:27.840 --> 00:03:35.039 So Nicodemus has his act altogether on the outside, yet it's the middle of the night, and he's coming and he's confessing just in this showing up. 00:03:35.199 --> 00:03:37.039 Like, hey, I need some help. 00:03:37.280 --> 00:03:39.439 My way of life's not working. 00:03:39.680 --> 00:03:46.719 And Jesus says, Well, you need to be born again, which if you've been around Christian faith for a while, you're going like, yeah, I know that phrase. 00:03:46.960 --> 00:03:48.800 This would have been new to Nicodemus. 00:03:48.960 --> 00:03:53.199 This idea that you're physically born, but then you need a rebirth. 00:03:53.520 --> 00:03:58.080 The inside of you, your soul needs to be born, a new self. 00:03:58.159 --> 00:04:01.360 And so Nicodemus has lots of questions to this new thought. 00:04:01.599 --> 00:04:02.560 How can this be? 00:04:02.719 --> 00:04:03.599 How can it happen? 00:04:03.759 --> 00:04:06.240 What is this life that you're talking about? 00:04:06.560 --> 00:04:11.120 Point number one is this we are born, and then by God's grace we are born again. 00:04:11.280 --> 00:04:14.719 We are born physically, and then we are born spiritually. 00:04:15.199 --> 00:04:17.920 Verse 6, Jesus explains this very poetically. 00:04:18.079 --> 00:04:22.879 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the spirit is spirit. 00:04:23.040 --> 00:04:28.560 So Jesus is saying God's spirit grants us life in our spirit. 00:04:29.120 --> 00:04:30.319 That it's a gift. 00:04:30.480 --> 00:04:36.879 Now, for years I had no idea of the implications of this sort of grace into my daily life. 00:04:37.199 --> 00:04:47.920 I was too busy living, trying to be accepted by God rather than living out of the acceptance I already had in Jesus. 00:04:48.399 --> 00:04:54.000 Which meant that I felt condemnation regularly, much more than love, right? 00:04:54.160 --> 00:05:04.160 I knew I was in the dance by God's grace, but I better dance really hard and really well and run really fast as a Christian in order to stay in the dance. 00:05:04.639 --> 00:05:08.639 So I was functionally Nicodemus. 00:05:09.600 --> 00:05:11.360 And I was exhausted. 00:05:11.680 --> 00:05:27.759 I had not learned that there was a world of difference, a world of difference between religion and being committed and walking in the grace of Jesus for my salvation and for my Christian walk. 00:05:28.079 --> 00:05:30.800 Let's jump to John 3, verse 14. 00:05:31.120 --> 00:05:40.480 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. 00:05:40.720 --> 00:05:54.000 For God so loved the world that he gave his only son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life, for God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 00:05:54.560 --> 00:06:00.639 Point number two is this Christian faith is not working toward, but looking upon. 00:06:02.639 --> 00:06:07.279 Jesus tells Nicodemus this weird story from Numbers chapter 21. 00:06:07.519 --> 00:06:09.839 This is what's referenced in verse 14. 00:06:10.000 --> 00:06:28.079 The Israelites are attacked by poisonous serpents, and this strange story plays out, and Moses makes a bronze image of this serpent, puts it up on a pole, and Moses says, Hey, if you want to be healed, just look upon that bronze serpent. 00:06:28.240 --> 00:06:30.800 All you had to do was look. 00:06:32.480 --> 00:06:38.240 A couple of weeks ago, I went to Kroger to get three cans of pumpkin. 00:06:38.399 --> 00:06:40.000 My dog likes pumpkin. 00:06:40.240 --> 00:06:41.279 So I needed three cans. 00:06:41.519 --> 00:06:44.800 The only thing I needed, just going in, not one single mission. 00:06:44.879 --> 00:06:51.839 And so I walk in and I walk straight to the canned vegetable aisle, and I stand in front of that, and it's a lot. 00:06:52.000 --> 00:06:53.600 There's a lot of canned vegetables. 00:06:53.759 --> 00:07:03.920 It starts at one end and it goes all the way down and it's from the bottom to the top, and I don't know where it's at, so I figure, you know what, we'll just start at one end, we'll scan our way down, and eventually I hit it. 00:07:04.079 --> 00:07:05.040 So that's what I do. 00:07:05.199 --> 00:07:09.040 And I just slowly walk methodically and I scan all the way down. 00:07:09.360 --> 00:07:10.000 Nothing. 00:07:10.240 --> 00:07:13.279 I feel a little anger building, just a little bit. 00:07:13.439 --> 00:07:16.319 And I think, I missed it, I'll start over. 00:07:16.639 --> 00:07:22.240 So I go again and slower, more methodical, all the way down. 00:07:22.720 --> 00:07:23.120 Nothing. 00:07:23.279 --> 00:07:24.319 Now I'm angry. 00:07:24.480 --> 00:07:28.879 I'm angry at Kroger because they have not placed it where I can see it. 00:07:28.959 --> 00:07:30.560 It's certainly their fault, not my fault. 00:07:30.639 --> 00:07:36.800 And I think to myself, perhaps this aisle is organized in some way that I'm not aware of. 00:07:37.040 --> 00:07:42.639 And so maybe pumpkin is near something else that could be like it, and I find the yams. 00:07:42.720 --> 00:07:46.240 And I think to myself, a yam feels like a pumpkin. 00:07:46.639 --> 00:07:53.519 And so I stay in that area and really, really, really scan this area for the canned pumpkin. 00:07:54.079 --> 00:07:54.720 Nothing. 00:07:54.879 --> 00:07:59.040 And I am now furious that I can't find this. 00:07:59.199 --> 00:07:59.920 I'm really upset. 00:08:00.000 --> 00:08:00.879 And I'm about to leave. 00:08:00.959 --> 00:08:02.480 I'm really gonna show it to Kroger. 00:08:02.560 --> 00:08:06.720 I'm really, you know, really, I'm gonna leave and not buy these three cans. 00:08:06.800 --> 00:08:08.160 Their stock is gonna plummet. 00:08:08.240 --> 00:08:10.480 I'm really gonna, I'm really gonna give it to them. 00:08:10.959 --> 00:08:11.680 I'm gonna do it. 00:08:11.759 --> 00:08:12.319 I'm gonna leave. 00:08:12.399 --> 00:08:14.160 I'm gonna really give it to Kroger. 00:08:14.399 --> 00:08:20.000 And just then a Kroger employee walks down the aisle, which is a miracle in Kroger. 00:08:21.120 --> 00:08:25.120 It's a real, this is a real God story, guys. 00:08:27.279 --> 00:08:35.840 And so I go up to her and I say, I'm so sorry, and I'm trying, all the anger, just like having to hold it back. 00:08:35.919 --> 00:08:36.639 I'm so sorry. 00:08:36.960 --> 00:08:39.360 Do you know where the canned pumpkin is? 00:08:40.879 --> 00:08:43.519 Well, do you know where the canned pumpkin is? 00:08:46.080 --> 00:08:47.679 It's the baking aisle. 00:08:49.759 --> 00:08:51.120 Son of a gun. 00:08:51.519 --> 00:08:52.799 One aisle over. 00:08:53.279 --> 00:08:56.480 The canned pumpkin is on the baking aisle. 00:08:58.879 --> 00:09:02.559 I'm such a moron, I would have stayed on that canned vegetable aisle. 00:09:02.879 --> 00:09:04.639 Scanning, walking up and down. 00:09:04.799 --> 00:09:06.720 I would have been there for days. 00:09:08.320 --> 00:09:09.840 I do have a point. 00:09:12.080 --> 00:09:20.159 Seems like a stretch at this point, but it's the point is about like looking in the wrong place and never finding. 00:09:20.480 --> 00:09:21.679 You'll just never find it here. 00:09:21.759 --> 00:09:28.960 Nicodemus was never going to find eternal life, salvation, secure identity in religion. 00:09:29.279 --> 00:09:31.039 He could look all day. 00:09:32.480 --> 00:09:38.879 And I had to get to the end of my rope before I discovered there is help for me. 00:09:39.519 --> 00:09:40.720 Even in Kroger. 00:09:41.120 --> 00:09:47.759 Here's the great quote: Priest and author John Zoll says this God's office is not at the top of the ladder. 00:09:48.240 --> 00:09:51.039 God's office is at the end of your rope. 00:09:51.279 --> 00:09:58.159 It's because there we're finally ready to receive, rather than try to merit or work. 00:09:58.399 --> 00:10:05.679 John 3, 16, for God so loved the world that he gave his only son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 00:10:05.759 --> 00:10:12.320 For God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 00:10:12.799 --> 00:10:18.080 Now that phrase, whoever believes, if you're wondering if that could be you, A. 00:10:18.320 --> 00:10:18.480 W. 00:10:18.639 --> 00:10:24.399 Pink, a theologian, says this about this verse, this phrase, whoever believes. 00:10:25.919 --> 00:10:30.639 He, Jesus, does not define the method or the manner of coming. 00:10:30.720 --> 00:10:39.200 And even if the poor sinner comes groping, stumbling, falling, yet if only he will come, there is a warm welcome for him. 00:10:39.840 --> 00:10:41.440 So it is in our text. 00:10:41.600 --> 00:10:44.159 It is whoever so believeth. 00:10:44.960 --> 00:10:48.720 Nothing is said about the strength or the intelligence of the belief. 00:10:48.879 --> 00:10:53.279 For it is not the character or degree of faith that saves, but Christ Himself. 00:10:53.600 --> 00:10:58.480 Faith is simply the eye of the soul that looks off unto Lord Jesus. 00:10:58.799 --> 00:11:03.840 Do not rest then on your faith, but on the Savior Himself. 00:11:04.399 --> 00:11:09.840 This is a beautiful calling not to have faith in our own faith, but to have faith in Jesus. 00:11:10.080 --> 00:11:15.519 And to look unto him, not just continue to look at our own religious self. 00:11:15.759 --> 00:11:22.480 Verse 16, the word life is the Greek word Zoe, meaning life now and the afterlife, eternal life. 00:11:22.639 --> 00:11:28.080 And it's not life that makes you up, like your work and your family and your friends, and that life makes you up. 00:11:28.159 --> 00:11:31.200 This is like a life that makes, it makes you. 00:11:31.600 --> 00:11:33.120 It's not components of your life. 00:11:33.200 --> 00:11:34.799 It actually animates you. 00:11:35.039 --> 00:11:46.320 I read it put this way it's your state as you become vital and whole and animated by God through God's Spirit because of God's Son. 00:11:47.440 --> 00:11:57.039 Verse 18, whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 00:11:57.279 --> 00:12:06.480 Point three is this Zoe, life is the gift of your beloved identity where there is never condemnation. 00:12:07.360 --> 00:12:12.720 Condemnation comes from the word crisis, meaning judgment or damnation. 00:12:12.960 --> 00:12:22.799 So this certainly speaks of eternal life, where we will spend it, in forever acceptance of heaven, or a judgment or damnation. 00:12:23.679 --> 00:12:28.240 And then this word also comes from our word crisis. 00:12:28.320 --> 00:12:30.080 It's where we get our word crisis. 00:12:30.240 --> 00:12:32.960 Maybe you know a crisis of the heart. 00:12:33.519 --> 00:12:37.440 When you hear messages like, of course you messed up again. 00:12:38.639 --> 00:12:40.720 You are a mess up. 00:12:42.080 --> 00:12:44.240 You will never really be anything. 00:12:44.559 --> 00:12:48.720 If you're not enough, you'll never get it together. 00:12:50.480 --> 00:12:56.639 And our passage sets the God of love against all the crisis of our heart. 00:12:56.960 --> 00:13:04.879 So you may feel ashamed, you may feel condemned, but in Jesus, this is never from God. 00:13:06.799 --> 00:13:10.720 He loves every person, even while that person may not love him. 00:13:11.279 --> 00:13:17.679 And the person who does not love him and does not receive his love, their life actually creates judgment upon themselves. 00:13:17.840 --> 00:13:19.840 This is where the text takes us. 00:13:20.159 --> 00:13:21.360 Verse 19. 00:13:21.600 --> 00:13:23.360 And this is the judgment. 00:13:23.759 --> 00:13:29.840 The light has come into the world, and people love the darkness rather than the light, because their works were evil. 00:13:30.000 --> 00:13:36.159 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. 00:13:36.480 --> 00:13:41.120 Point number four is this not believing Christ is enough is the darkness. 00:13:41.440 --> 00:13:44.879 Darkness is always unbelief that Jesus is enough for me. 00:13:45.120 --> 00:13:51.360 The context here for Nicodemus is the darkness of human pride and works righteousness. 00:13:51.519 --> 00:13:55.519 And then verse 20 broadens that subject out to all wicked things. 00:13:55.600 --> 00:14:00.399 Then the text says, people who pleasure in the wicked, they hate the light, and they will be judged. 00:14:00.559 --> 00:14:03.440 And Jesus is urging people, turn. 00:14:04.480 --> 00:14:06.960 Turn, turn from that darkness. 00:14:07.440 --> 00:14:12.320 That there is a warm welcome waiting for everyone in Jesus. 00:14:13.759 --> 00:14:16.399 Verse 21, final verse for us. 00:14:16.960 --> 00:14:24.879 But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God. 00:14:25.840 --> 00:14:30.720 So we're saved by grace, and then there are implications of that grace in our lives. 00:14:30.960 --> 00:14:35.360 God calls us to disciplines of grace and spiritual practices and to service. 00:14:35.519 --> 00:14:42.720 We could say it this way: your service or spiritual practices are not for a new self. 00:14:43.840 --> 00:14:48.639 Your service and spiritual practices is because of a new self. 00:14:50.159 --> 00:14:56.480 One way leads to exhaustion, the other way comes from a fulfillment that comes from Jesus. 00:14:56.799 --> 00:15:01.120 I mean, we wouldn't even have a church, right, without your service. 00:15:02.639 --> 00:15:05.600 Service is needed, but where does it come from? 00:15:05.919 --> 00:15:07.360 Now, what does all this mean? 00:15:07.519 --> 00:15:13.840 Well, in the book Gospel and Life, Tim Keller has an amazing comparison between religion and gospel. 00:15:14.000 --> 00:15:15.840 We've looked at this before. 00:15:16.240 --> 00:15:19.120 There's nine differences between religion and gospel. 00:15:20.159 --> 00:15:25.200 And this religion and gospel, we could also say it's the way of Nicodemus and it's the way of Jesus. 00:15:25.440 --> 00:15:28.480 I'm going to read a few of these to close us. 00:15:28.559 --> 00:15:30.000 And I don't want to just read them. 00:15:30.480 --> 00:15:39.919 My prayer is that they would read us, that they would read you, that you'd have an open heart before these descriptions of religion and gospel. 00:15:40.639 --> 00:15:44.320 Religion says, I obey, therefore I am accepted. 00:15:44.879 --> 00:15:48.399 Gospel says, I am accepted, therefore I obey. 00:15:48.720 --> 00:15:52.720 Religion says motivation is based on fear and insecurity. 00:15:53.200 --> 00:15:56.639 Gospel says motivation is based on grateful joy. 00:15:56.960 --> 00:16:00.720 Religion says, I obey God in order to get things from God. 00:16:02.559 --> 00:16:07.279 Gospel says I obey God to get to God, to delight and resemble Him. 00:16:07.600 --> 00:16:13.679 Religion says my prayer life consists largely of petition and it only heats up when I am in time of need. 00:16:13.840 --> 00:16:17.840 My main purpose in prayer is control of the environment. 00:16:18.399 --> 00:16:22.799 Gospel says, my prayer life consists of generous stretches of praise and adoration. 00:16:23.039 --> 00:16:25.600 My main purpose is fellowship with Him. 00:16:25.919 --> 00:16:30.240 Religion says, my self-view swings between two poles. 00:16:30.480 --> 00:16:37.759 If and when I am living up to my standards, I feel confident, but then I am prone to be proud and unsympathetic to failing people. 00:16:38.000 --> 00:16:42.720 If and when I'm not living up to standards, I feel humble, but not confident. 00:16:42.879 --> 00:16:44.480 I feel like a failure. 00:16:44.960 --> 00:16:48.480 Gospel says, my self-view is not based on my moral achievement. 00:16:48.639 --> 00:16:54.720 In Christ, I am simultaneously sinful and lost, yet accepted in Christ. 00:16:54.960 --> 00:16:57.600 I am so bad that he had to die for me. 00:16:57.919 --> 00:17:01.840 And I am so loved that he was glad to die for me. 00:17:02.159 --> 00:17:07.039 This leads me to deep humility and confidence at the same time. 00:17:07.920 --> 00:17:14.799 Now think about this Nicodemus, this religious man, and also think about yourself as I read this last description. 00:17:15.680 --> 00:17:27.839 Religion says my identity and self-worth are based mainly in how hard I work or how moral I am, and so I must look down on those I perceive as lazy or immoral. 00:17:28.240 --> 00:17:33.599 And gospel says my identity and self-worth are centered on the one who died for me. 00:17:33.920 --> 00:17:35.920 I am saved by sheer grace. 00:17:36.240 --> 00:17:40.079 So I can't look down on those who believe or practice something different than me. 00:17:40.319 --> 00:17:43.039 Only by grace am I what I am. 00:17:43.359 --> 00:17:44.640 Let's pray together. 00:17:44.960 --> 00:17:56.799 God, we thank you for the gift of Jesus, that we have salvation, forgiveness of sin, a righteousness that is put upon us by your gift. 00:17:57.519 --> 00:18:04.160 And that we are your children not by our work, but we are by your children because you love us and you've welcomed us. 00:18:04.480 --> 00:18:10.960 Forgive us for all the ways we return to works righteousness, trying to prove our worth, to merit our worth. 00:18:11.839 --> 00:18:16.319 And forgive us for all the ways that we've turned to wicked things, turned to darkness. 00:18:17.039 --> 00:18:19.039 And would you call us home? 00:18:20.000 --> 00:18:23.359 To be loved by you, to be your children, and to love you. 00:18:23.759 --> 00:18:25.519 And what our lives honor you. 00:18:28.319 --> 00:18:32.880 That you are fully sufficient for all we need in Christ. 00:18:33.200 --> 00:18:33.759 We pray. 00:18:34.000 --> 00:18:34.640 Amen.