WEBVTT 00:00:03.520 --> 00:00:04.959 Well, good morning. 00:00:06.240 --> 00:00:07.599 Good morning, Church of the Grow. 00:00:07.759 --> 00:00:10.400 What a great beginning to the morning. 00:00:10.720 --> 00:00:11.359 Amen. 00:00:12.160 --> 00:00:17.359 And I just and I can tell the Spirit of the Lord is here in this place this morning. 00:00:17.679 --> 00:00:18.640 My name is Russ. 00:00:18.800 --> 00:00:20.640 I'm one of the pastors at Church of the Grow. 00:00:20.879 --> 00:00:23.839 I want to say welcome to every one of you that are here this morning. 00:00:24.000 --> 00:00:25.039 Glad you're here. 00:00:25.600 --> 00:00:30.559 Excited about what God's going to say to us and speak to us through Scripture. 00:00:31.600 --> 00:00:51.439 And about probably around 2005, 2006, or 2006, 2007, I spent some time over a couple years going to Mali, country called Mali, M-A-L-I, in Africa. 00:00:52.479 --> 00:00:55.920 It's in the western, northern part of Africa. 00:00:56.159 --> 00:00:58.560 It's just off the coast. 00:01:05.760 --> 00:01:08.799 And it's 96, 98% Muslim. 00:01:09.439 --> 00:01:13.200 And I went with my brother Butch and a team of people. 00:01:13.840 --> 00:01:21.280 And we went to support an I and B missionary named Rita that has spent her whole life there. 00:01:21.599 --> 00:01:35.760 And we basically went out into the bush and we went, we we had a little home base where we stayed and slept in mosquito tents, and and then we would spend the days going from village to village. 00:01:36.640 --> 00:01:48.400 And we simply were hopefully would be allowed by the the chief of the village to start just share gospel stories. 00:01:49.040 --> 00:01:50.959 And so that's what we did. 00:01:52.000 --> 00:01:58.959 About halfway through the week, on that first trip, there was a young man by the name of Musa. 00:02:00.560 --> 00:02:04.640 We were back at our camp at our home base. 00:02:04.719 --> 00:02:10.479 We're sitting around a fire, and we see in the distance a light. 00:02:10.800 --> 00:02:21.039 Musa had a bicycle with a light, a flashlight, you know, mounted on the bicycle, and he rides up in the middle of the night. 00:02:22.560 --> 00:02:29.280 And through our interpreter, Musa said, I want to hear more about this Jesus. 00:02:31.919 --> 00:02:38.000 And so we, by the end of that week, Musa put his faith in Jesus. 00:02:40.240 --> 00:02:41.520 He believed. 00:02:44.879 --> 00:02:47.360 We're going to be in John chapter 3. 00:02:47.520 --> 00:02:52.960 And it very seems like almost a similar story. 00:02:53.199 --> 00:02:54.560 What does it mean to believe? 00:02:54.719 --> 00:02:55.840 What does it mean to believe? 00:02:56.000 --> 00:02:58.719 What does that word believe mean? 00:02:58.879 --> 00:03:00.319 What does it mean to believe in God? 00:03:00.479 --> 00:03:03.680 More specifically, what does it mean to believe in Jesus? 00:03:04.159 --> 00:03:16.400 The most well-known, most quoted, most famous, most memorized, most referred to, most posted on signs at sporting events verse is what? 00:03:16.639 --> 00:03:18.319 John, let's say it together. 00:03:18.479 --> 00:03:19.919 3, 16. 00:03:20.960 --> 00:03:23.680 For this is how God loved the world. 00:03:23.840 --> 00:03:29.280 He gave his one and only son so that everyone who believes in him will not perish, but have eternal life. 00:03:29.439 --> 00:03:34.159 So what does he mean to believe? 00:03:34.319 --> 00:03:37.759 Whoever believes, whoever believes, what does it mean to believe? 00:03:37.840 --> 00:03:39.840 What does that word mean? 00:03:40.319 --> 00:03:43.199 Most of you, like me, and some of you grew up in church. 00:03:43.280 --> 00:03:48.400 I did not grow up in church, but I came to Christ at 18 years old. 00:03:48.560 --> 00:04:17.360 So most of my early life I was living in a church culture that was really built on a gospel presentation mindset where you would seek out someone, spend just a few minutes, 10, 15, maybe longer, but five or ten minutes was good enough. 00:04:17.680 --> 00:04:21.600 You would present them with a presentation or a track. 00:04:22.000 --> 00:04:29.360 You would share the good news of Jesus in that short time frame with the goal to move them to a response. 00:04:30.079 --> 00:04:36.480 And so there was a booklet called The Four Spiritual Laws made famous by this an evangelism champion. 00:04:36.639 --> 00:04:43.360 And I and I, when I say that, I mean I hold him up in high, you know, uh high regard, Bill Bright. 00:04:44.319 --> 00:04:53.839 And um there was a presentation that was that was more involved called Evangelism Explosion, written by uh Dr. 00:04:54.079 --> 00:04:54.240 D. 00:04:54.560 --> 00:04:55.920 James Kennedy. 00:04:56.000 --> 00:05:07.839 And by the way, I'm not diminishing, I'm not diminishing at all the passion and the need for us to get out and present the gospel. 00:05:08.000 --> 00:05:10.319 Don't don't misunderstand me. 00:05:10.399 --> 00:05:23.040 But but the the goal of this age of evangelism and and and revival meetings, this this period of history in the church, by the way, the church is is over 2,000 years old, by the way. 00:05:23.360 --> 00:05:28.959 There's been different methods and different movements throughout the church. 00:05:29.199 --> 00:05:41.759 And so the goal was to get people to repeat a prayer or to come forward in a service and or to join the church, and then we would count them as converts. 00:05:41.920 --> 00:05:52.480 We might and then hopefully move them through baptism, but it was just like imagine cattle moving through the process of the stalls, and then the but here's the problem. 00:05:52.639 --> 00:05:53.839 Here's the problem. 00:05:54.720 --> 00:06:10.319 The problem is that over time, many of these converts were either not genuine or they were not discipled or developed in their journey as followers of Christ. 00:06:10.879 --> 00:06:13.680 There's a problem because the church has been in decline. 00:06:13.839 --> 00:06:22.560 The church's church is has lost a lot of influence in our Western American culture. 00:06:23.040 --> 00:06:24.639 Now, let's shift that to us. 00:06:25.199 --> 00:06:27.199 You know, we're talking about this broad picture. 00:06:27.439 --> 00:06:28.399 Let's talk about that. 00:06:28.480 --> 00:06:35.680 All of us, you and me, have had moments in our life when our true identity is revealed. 00:06:36.079 --> 00:06:38.319 Our true identity is revealed. 00:06:38.560 --> 00:06:42.560 And it's typically in a crisis experience or moment. 00:06:42.639 --> 00:06:46.720 You're tested, you're crushed by circumstances. 00:06:47.040 --> 00:06:49.439 And there's a storm that comes. 00:06:50.399 --> 00:06:55.279 It's a diagnosis, it's a death, it's discouragement or depression. 00:06:55.360 --> 00:06:57.920 It's this, it's difficult issues in your life. 00:06:58.079 --> 00:07:04.240 They come and they leave awake, and what is left standing reveals what has truly been built. 00:07:05.360 --> 00:07:07.920 What truly is, is revealed. 00:07:08.160 --> 00:07:09.360 And Jesus taught this. 00:07:09.439 --> 00:07:29.360 He taught, he said, the house that's built on sand will fall and wash away when the storms come, but the house built on the rock, which is the foundation of Jesus, the truth of God's word, will be easily identified. 00:07:29.439 --> 00:07:31.040 It will be left standing. 00:07:31.759 --> 00:07:44.480 What you repeat or said you believed in or identified with will be revealed. 00:07:47.439 --> 00:08:10.800 The difference is what has been repeated or what you have said you believed or identified versus a life that has been entrusted and surrendered to the one that gave his life for us. 00:08:11.360 --> 00:08:13.759 So here's we're we're on this journey, right? 00:08:13.920 --> 00:08:15.680 This adventure awaits. 00:08:15.759 --> 00:08:29.759 We're on this journey, you know, looking at lives all the way on the other side of belief, back before belief, is maybe a period where someone is even uninterested. 00:08:30.000 --> 00:08:34.799 They've yet to believe, but not only have they yet to believe, they are just uninterested. 00:08:35.679 --> 00:08:52.399 And then step by step, through the work of the Holy Spirit, through the work of the gospel, through the work of the good news, through the work of the power of the Holy Spirit, people move from uninterested to curious and interested. 00:08:52.559 --> 00:08:58.399 And all of a sudden, they move from darkness to light, from unbelief to belief. 00:08:59.600 --> 00:09:06.080 And we're on this journey of discipleship, of following Jesus. 00:09:06.159 --> 00:09:06.960 What does it mean? 00:09:07.200 --> 00:09:12.159 This adventure of becoming transformed into the likeness of Christ. 00:09:12.320 --> 00:09:19.679 And here's the big idea: belief is not just a passive, listen, passive mental ascent. 00:09:20.720 --> 00:09:25.919 It's an active allegiance to following Jesus. 00:09:26.399 --> 00:09:28.480 It's an active allegiance to following Jesus. 00:09:28.559 --> 00:09:42.480 And our world and our culture is hungry for an uncommon obedience, an uncommon faith, an uncommon belief that's clearly defined and marked by a changed and transformed life. 00:09:42.720 --> 00:09:44.399 From the inside out. 00:09:44.960 --> 00:10:08.000 And so we're looking at this familiar story through the, through, I want it, I want you to look at it through a fresh lens, fresh eyes this morning, and look at the difference between simple intellectual saying, I believe, up here, to where it moves down into your heart, all the way out where you become the hands and feet of Jesus. 00:10:09.360 --> 00:10:11.360 John 3, verse 1. 00:10:12.240 --> 00:10:18.159 There was a man named Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader who was a Pharisee. 00:10:18.399 --> 00:10:20.960 After dark one evening, he came to speak with Jesus. 00:10:21.120 --> 00:10:25.440 Rabbi, he said, we all know that God has sent you to teach us. 00:10:25.919 --> 00:10:29.840 Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you. 00:10:30.480 --> 00:10:35.039 So here's, before we move any further, who is Nicodemus? 00:10:35.759 --> 00:10:38.080 And what does the beginning of the story tell us? 00:10:38.240 --> 00:10:39.679 Just these two verses. 00:10:40.320 --> 00:10:45.039 Nicodemus was a Pharisee, a religious leader of the day. 00:10:45.200 --> 00:10:47.600 So what is a Pharisee of the day? 00:10:47.840 --> 00:11:02.159 They were the group that said, your life is going to be defined by how well you follow the instructions of the law, to the detail of it. 00:11:03.679 --> 00:11:08.879 But here's the problem, just briefly, there's a lot that we could say about that. 00:11:09.360 --> 00:11:11.519 But what is God's word? 00:11:11.840 --> 00:11:19.759 What's the difference between God's word and what man decides the law is? 00:11:20.960 --> 00:11:35.519 Because the Pharisees took Scripture and then they begin to add their spin to it, to by the time that Jesus comes along, there's 613 do's and don'ts. 00:11:36.320 --> 00:11:43.120 And so the word of God becomes a man-made set of practices. 00:11:44.320 --> 00:11:46.399 And it's a moving target. 00:11:48.639 --> 00:11:54.799 As life goes, year by year, as they decide, here's what I want the law to be. 00:11:55.200 --> 00:11:59.519 And so this is the world that Nicodemus comes out of. 00:11:59.759 --> 00:12:01.600 He gets a bad rap. 00:12:01.919 --> 00:12:12.879 Pharisees get a bad rap, but within that group of Pharisees, there were people genuinely wanting to know God and to obey what he says. 00:12:13.519 --> 00:12:16.639 And so what does the beginning of the story tell us? 00:12:17.039 --> 00:12:18.320 It tells us this. 00:12:18.960 --> 00:12:20.240 This is in your notes. 00:12:20.480 --> 00:12:24.240 Everyone needs more than religion to change them. 00:12:26.080 --> 00:12:29.200 Nicodemus, why does Nicodemus come? 00:12:29.600 --> 00:12:38.559 Jesus is a homeless, transient rabbi who has no authority in the religious system of his day. 00:12:39.200 --> 00:12:44.159 He has no authority from the religious system of his day. 00:12:44.480 --> 00:12:48.000 He has authority, but where does the authority come from? 00:12:48.639 --> 00:12:48.960 God. 00:12:49.519 --> 00:13:00.960 And it's evident through his life, through his teachings, through his works, his miracles, the authority in his teaching. 00:13:01.840 --> 00:13:10.320 And so Nicodemus is coming in the middle of the night after dark. 00:13:11.360 --> 00:13:13.919 It's like Musa riding up on the bicycle. 00:13:14.080 --> 00:13:16.720 Why did Musa come to the village? 00:13:17.120 --> 00:13:21.039 Because he didn't want to see, he didn't want anybody else to see him. 00:13:24.080 --> 00:13:26.799 Because he knew what the pushback would be. 00:13:27.039 --> 00:13:29.360 Nicodemus is coming in the middle of the night. 00:13:30.399 --> 00:13:30.879 Why? 00:13:31.200 --> 00:13:38.480 We're not, I mean, we're not absolutely sure, but probably because he didn't want the other Pharisees to know that he was coming to talk to this rabbi. 00:13:39.120 --> 00:13:48.320 He may have been coming because he knew that Jesus was busy during the day and that if he wanted to really have a good in-depth conversation, he had to come when he could catch him one-on-one. 00:13:50.000 --> 00:14:02.000 But regardless, he is coming because he's realized what I am doing, the system I have in, where I've put my faith is not enough. 00:14:02.639 --> 00:14:04.159 It's not working. 00:14:04.799 --> 00:14:09.600 Verse 3, Jesus replied, I tell you the truth, unless you're born again, unless you are born again. 00:14:09.759 --> 00:14:10.799 Let's say that together. 00:14:11.039 --> 00:14:15.759 Unless you are born again, you cannot see the kingdom of God. 00:14:16.000 --> 00:14:16.799 What do you mean? 00:14:16.960 --> 00:14:18.559 Explained Nicodemus. 00:14:18.720 --> 00:14:22.559 How can an old man go back into his mother's womb and be born again? 00:14:22.639 --> 00:14:24.639 I mean, he's just being practical. 00:14:26.879 --> 00:14:33.440 Jesus replied, I assure you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and spirit. 00:14:33.600 --> 00:14:40.480 Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. 00:14:40.720 --> 00:14:44.559 So don't be surprised when I say you must be born again. 00:14:44.799 --> 00:14:51.440 The wind blows wherever it wants, just as you can hear the wind, but can't tell where it comes from or where it is going. 00:14:51.600 --> 00:14:57.039 So you can't explain how people are born of the Spirit. 00:14:57.279 --> 00:14:59.759 So what does it mean to be born again? 00:15:00.000 --> 00:15:01.679 What does it mean to be born again? 00:15:01.759 --> 00:15:03.039 That's a question. 00:15:05.120 --> 00:15:07.600 What does it mean to be born again? 00:15:08.480 --> 00:15:15.120 In your notes, Jesus didn't come to add more religion, he came to resurrect the dead. 00:15:15.759 --> 00:15:19.120 He came to bring life to the dead. 00:15:19.360 --> 00:15:23.440 Those two words, born again, come from one Greek word, another. 00:15:23.919 --> 00:15:24.799 Anothen. 00:15:25.840 --> 00:15:30.480 Just think of the word another, but instead of an R, it's an N, anothen. 00:15:30.879 --> 00:15:35.679 And it literally, literally is translated, born from above. 00:15:36.720 --> 00:15:40.240 Jesus is saying, you must be given life from above. 00:15:40.399 --> 00:15:47.600 Another way to say it is you must be given life that is outside of yourself. 00:15:48.559 --> 00:15:50.320 It's transcendent. 00:15:50.720 --> 00:15:56.639 You don't have the ability to give yourself eternal life. 00:15:58.720 --> 00:16:06.799 When you give, when you have, when you had this life given from God, he says, then you can see the kingdom. 00:16:08.000 --> 00:16:09.679 You can see the kingdom. 00:16:11.440 --> 00:16:14.799 You can't even see the kingdom unless you're born again. 00:16:16.799 --> 00:16:20.480 When you have this life given from God, then you can see the kingdom. 00:16:20.799 --> 00:16:23.279 You are now alive spiritually. 00:16:23.519 --> 00:16:28.159 You now have the blinders taken off your eyes. 00:16:28.480 --> 00:16:30.559 Now there's a mystery here. 00:16:31.200 --> 00:16:32.240 There's a mystery. 00:16:32.399 --> 00:16:34.159 Paul calls it the mystery of the gospel. 00:16:34.720 --> 00:16:38.480 It can't be completely controlled by our human effort or ability. 00:16:38.639 --> 00:16:42.240 It's completely a work of the Holy Spirit. 00:16:42.559 --> 00:16:45.039 Jesus says the wind blows where it will. 00:16:45.200 --> 00:16:47.919 The word wind is the word Greek pneuma. 00:16:49.600 --> 00:16:51.440 It's talking about the Holy Spirit. 00:16:51.519 --> 00:16:53.440 The wind blows like the Holy Spirit. 00:16:53.600 --> 00:16:57.759 You can't see it, but you can see the evidence of it. 00:17:00.320 --> 00:17:02.000 The Spirit moves where he will. 00:17:02.159 --> 00:17:05.279 The Holy Spirit moves in sovereign freedom. 00:17:06.480 --> 00:17:08.240 I could go down a rabbit hole here. 00:17:08.319 --> 00:17:15.920 I don't have time to talk about the theology of salvation, the theology of how God works. 00:17:16.079 --> 00:17:17.279 But let me just tell you something. 00:17:17.680 --> 00:17:24.319 God sovereignly works to bring us to a place where we're born again. 00:17:24.480 --> 00:17:35.680 Then we can see the kingdom, and then we can begin to work on the process of what it means to follow Jesus. 00:17:36.559 --> 00:17:44.079 There's this mystery of how the human will works and interacts with the sovereign work of God. 00:17:45.440 --> 00:17:53.039 Theologians have been talking about it for over 2,000 years, maybe longer, but let me just symbolize it. 00:17:53.920 --> 00:18:01.039 The work of the Spirit will bring you to a place where you recognize you are in the bondage of sin. 00:18:01.359 --> 00:18:02.880 You need freedom. 00:18:03.279 --> 00:18:16.000 All of a sudden your eyes are opened, and then your human will begins to work together with the Holy Spirit in the process of transformation. 00:18:17.680 --> 00:18:19.039 Paul says, be renewed. 00:18:19.200 --> 00:18:20.000 Be renewed by what? 00:18:20.079 --> 00:18:23.119 Be renewed in your minds. 00:18:27.759 --> 00:18:31.359 Be transformed by the renewing of your minds, this process. 00:18:31.599 --> 00:18:33.759 Verse 9, how are these things possible? 00:18:33.920 --> 00:18:35.279 Nicodemus asked. 00:18:35.599 --> 00:18:41.759 And Jesus replied, You are a respected Jewish teacher and you don't understand these things? 00:18:42.319 --> 00:18:48.799 I assure you, we tell you what we know and have seen, and yet you won't believe our testimony. 00:18:48.960 --> 00:18:56.240 But if you don't believe me when I tell you about earthly things, how can you possibly believe if I tell you about heavenly things? 00:18:58.000 --> 00:19:12.000 No one has ever gone to heaven and returned, but the Son of Man came down from heaven, and as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up. 00:19:13.759 --> 00:19:19.279 Jesus is like, Nicodemus! Nicodemus, you're a religious leader. 00:19:19.759 --> 00:19:22.559 You should know and understand these things. 00:19:23.519 --> 00:19:27.359 Jesus is aware of what's in Nicodemus' mind. 00:19:28.160 --> 00:19:32.160 As a good Bible scholar and theologian, Jesus is appealing. 00:19:33.519 --> 00:19:42.640 He knew that Nicodemus was familiar with the script with the Old Testament, the Hebrew prophets, the writings, the statutes, the law. 00:19:44.880 --> 00:19:48.480 He knew that Nicodemus would understand these references. 00:19:48.559 --> 00:19:56.640 There's three three scriptures, three Old Testament passages that should have gone through Nicodemus' mind. 00:19:57.039 --> 00:20:07.279 The first is Genesis 2.7, and the Lord God formed man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living thing. 00:20:07.519 --> 00:20:13.839 Even the first birth, our own natural birth, involves the breath of God. 00:20:14.480 --> 00:20:16.400 It involves the Creator. 00:20:17.759 --> 00:20:19.839 No one is birthed on their own. 00:20:20.000 --> 00:20:23.039 None of us made ourselves birthed. 00:20:23.279 --> 00:20:25.119 It was an act of God. 00:20:25.839 --> 00:20:31.599 But the text Jesus also has in mind is out of Exodus 36 and 37. 00:20:31.920 --> 00:20:40.000 In chapter 36, God speaks one day that's coming where he'll manifest his great holiness among his people. 00:20:40.240 --> 00:20:42.559 Verse 25 out of Ezekiel 36. 00:20:42.720 --> 00:20:45.759 Then I will sprinkle clean water on you and you will be clean. 00:20:46.000 --> 00:20:49.279 Your filth will be washed away and you will no longer worship idols. 00:20:49.359 --> 00:20:50.960 And I will give you a new heart. 00:20:51.200 --> 00:20:53.359 I will not make your heart better. 00:20:53.599 --> 00:20:55.519 I will give you a new heart. 00:20:55.680 --> 00:20:57.519 And I will put a new spirit in you. 00:20:57.680 --> 00:21:01.359 I will take out your stony, stubborn heart. 00:21:01.599 --> 00:21:04.079 Anybody a little stony and stubborn? 00:21:05.039 --> 00:21:06.880 Don't point at each other. 00:21:07.680 --> 00:21:11.119 And I'll give you a tender, responsive heart. 00:21:11.440 --> 00:21:13.279 Tender, responsive. 00:21:13.839 --> 00:21:18.799 And I will put my spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations. 00:21:18.960 --> 00:21:21.279 You ever feel tired trying to obey God? 00:21:21.839 --> 00:21:25.119 It's usually because you're trying to do it in your own strength. 00:21:25.920 --> 00:21:32.400 And you will live in Israel, the land I will gave I gave your ancestors long ago, and you will be my people, and I will be your God. 00:21:32.559 --> 00:21:35.440 And then he goes on in verse 37, Ezekiel. 00:21:35.839 --> 00:21:36.480 He goes on. 00:21:36.559 --> 00:21:40.640 I'm not going to read the whole thing, but verses 3 through 10. 00:21:40.720 --> 00:21:43.279 You want to write that down and go read it word for word. 00:21:43.519 --> 00:21:51.200 But basically, Ezekiel is given this eye question can these bones live? 00:21:51.359 --> 00:21:56.720 It's a vision over this valley of bones, the valley of dry bones. 00:21:57.440 --> 00:21:59.759 This prophetic vision that Ezekiel is given by. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:00.720 By God. 00:22:01.200 --> 00:22:02.400 Can these bones live? 00:22:02.559 --> 00:22:03.839 Ezekiel responds. 00:22:04.240 --> 00:22:05.359 Only you know that. 00:22:05.440 --> 00:22:08.640 And so God orders Ezekiel to prophesy over the bones. 00:22:09.279 --> 00:22:12.400 That's the big how what a ridiculous kind of concept. 00:22:12.559 --> 00:22:14.240 Prophesy over the bones. 00:22:14.400 --> 00:22:16.480 And so he does dry bones. 00:22:16.640 --> 00:22:18.319 Hear the word of the Lord. 00:22:18.880 --> 00:22:22.000 And when he speaks, the bones start coming together. 00:22:22.240 --> 00:22:24.240 The bones start rattling. 00:22:25.279 --> 00:22:27.519 There's a sound of bones coming together. 00:22:27.680 --> 00:22:28.400 Can you imagine it? 00:22:28.480 --> 00:22:30.079 Clickity clack. 00:22:30.880 --> 00:22:33.359 It sounds like me walking up these steps. 00:22:33.519 --> 00:22:36.559 You just couldn't hear me because you're sitting way back in the back. 00:22:37.359 --> 00:22:39.680 It's like me getting out of the bed in the morning. 00:22:39.920 --> 00:22:43.440 Can these bones come together? 00:22:43.759 --> 00:22:45.359 Clickety clack. 00:22:46.400 --> 00:22:50.480 And all of a sudden, there's flesh, sinews. 00:22:52.160 --> 00:22:55.200 They start coming together on these bones. 00:22:55.279 --> 00:22:56.960 They're going to take life. 00:22:58.160 --> 00:23:00.160 But there's not any breath in them. 00:23:00.240 --> 00:23:02.880 So God tells the prophet to prophesy to the breath. 00:23:02.960 --> 00:23:09.839 And so Ezekiel says, Come from the four corners of the earth, O breath, and breathe on these things that they may live. 00:23:10.000 --> 00:23:18.720 And when he does, these human forms are filled with life and they stand up. 00:23:21.599 --> 00:23:23.839 I mean, can you just imagine it? 00:23:24.480 --> 00:23:25.920 They stand up. 00:23:28.160 --> 00:23:31.759 That's what's going to happen when revival comes. 00:23:33.839 --> 00:23:43.519 And the text says these bones formed an exceedingly great army, and then God says that in the day to come, he will breathe his spirit upon his people and they will come alive. 00:23:44.000 --> 00:23:45.200 Can I tell you something? 00:23:45.440 --> 00:23:47.119 Dead doesn't move. 00:23:47.839 --> 00:23:49.519 Dead doesn't move. 00:23:49.839 --> 00:23:51.359 Doesn't have life. 00:23:51.680 --> 00:23:54.720 Dead doesn't transform or change. 00:23:55.200 --> 00:23:58.240 When someone has life, they act, they move. 00:23:58.480 --> 00:24:00.319 There's transformation. 00:24:04.160 --> 00:24:05.279 They change. 00:24:05.920 --> 00:24:16.160 To be born again, to be born from above frees you from the bondage of sin where you can now follow Jesus. 00:24:19.680 --> 00:24:21.039 I ought to get an amen. 00:24:21.759 --> 00:24:23.519 Even at 815. 00:24:25.200 --> 00:24:27.519 Frees you to follow Jesus. 00:24:28.160 --> 00:24:30.480 Religion can't do this. 00:24:32.960 --> 00:24:39.680 Once you believe, here's in the notes, once you believe, you are called to follow. 00:24:40.400 --> 00:24:42.000 It's synonymous, really. 00:24:42.079 --> 00:24:46.559 There's no disconnect between the mental ascent and the call to follow. 00:24:46.720 --> 00:24:48.319 Jesus, Jesus. 00:24:50.400 --> 00:24:52.319 The Great Commission says, go in what? 00:24:52.480 --> 00:24:58.079 Go and lead people to, in their minds, believe. 00:24:58.240 --> 00:25:00.240 No, it says, go and make disciples. 00:25:02.079 --> 00:25:08.160 The third text Jesus refers to, he actually quotes it word for word. 00:25:10.240 --> 00:25:11.599 Verses 14 and 15. 00:25:11.680 --> 00:25:20.720 And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life. 00:25:21.039 --> 00:25:28.000 So Jesus calls Nicodemus to another Old Testament text, John 13 and 14. 00:25:28.880 --> 00:25:31.039 There and 15. 00:25:31.440 --> 00:25:37.200 It refers to this Old Testament passage found in Numbers 20 and 21. 00:25:37.519 --> 00:25:47.759 This story where God's people disobey, and as a result, and the consequences of disobedience, fiery serpents come into their midst. 00:25:49.039 --> 00:25:51.839 They start getting bitten and they start dying. 00:25:52.000 --> 00:25:53.920 They beg Moses. 00:25:54.240 --> 00:26:02.720 They beg Moses for deliverance, for help, for life. 00:26:02.960 --> 00:26:06.640 Free us from this path of death. 00:26:06.960 --> 00:26:11.599 And God tells Moses, take a bronze serpent, put it on a pole. 00:26:11.920 --> 00:26:13.039 How strange. 00:26:14.079 --> 00:26:14.960 How strange. 00:26:15.119 --> 00:26:17.519 Take a bronze serpent and put it on a pole. 00:26:19.119 --> 00:26:23.440 Whoever looks at but the up at the serpent, just looks up at it, will live. 00:26:23.920 --> 00:26:35.680 So Jesus is essentially saying to Nicodemus, who looks at, whoever looks at the uplifted Christ, whoever looks at me on the cross, and see, he's this is way before he's crucified. 00:26:36.000 --> 00:26:39.599 So he's prophetically talking about what's going to happen. 00:26:39.839 --> 00:26:57.759 Whoever looks at the Son of Man, the Son of God, who looks up at the Jesus, at the Savior on the cross, who's giving his life for the world, will be in this process of being born from above. 00:26:58.720 --> 00:27:00.000 Born anew. 00:27:01.119 --> 00:27:07.039 Actually, it's more mysterious than even scenes that face value. 00:27:08.160 --> 00:27:15.920 You wouldn't even look at Jesus unless the Holy Spirit prompts you to look at Jesus. 00:27:17.359 --> 00:27:21.759 You can't even lift your eyes unless you're born again. 00:27:24.319 --> 00:27:26.640 Following, listen, listen. 00:27:26.880 --> 00:27:33.039 Following begins with focusing on the person of Jesus. 00:27:33.759 --> 00:27:35.839 Following begins with focusing. 00:27:36.000 --> 00:27:38.160 This is what Jesus is saying. 00:27:38.240 --> 00:27:40.640 He's saying, look at this story from the Old Testament. 00:27:40.799 --> 00:27:42.640 Hey, focus your eyes. 00:27:44.079 --> 00:27:46.640 Focus your eyes up on the bronze serpent. 00:27:47.680 --> 00:27:48.559 You know what that is? 00:27:48.640 --> 00:27:49.680 That's faith. 00:27:50.400 --> 00:27:51.519 That's believing. 00:27:51.599 --> 00:27:52.160 That's part. 00:27:52.400 --> 00:27:53.920 That's first step. 00:27:54.160 --> 00:27:54.960 Focused. 00:27:55.599 --> 00:27:58.640 You will follow where you are focused. 00:28:00.400 --> 00:28:01.920 That's where you have to make decisions. 00:28:02.000 --> 00:28:03.599 That's where the human will gets involved. 00:28:03.680 --> 00:28:05.599 Make decisions on how you're going to live. 00:28:05.839 --> 00:28:07.680 How am I going to live? 00:28:07.920 --> 00:28:10.720 How is what is my identity going to be? 00:28:13.759 --> 00:28:15.680 How am I going to choose to live? 00:28:15.839 --> 00:28:16.720 What's my values? 00:28:16.880 --> 00:28:17.839 What are the standards? 00:28:18.000 --> 00:28:22.640 What does it mean to daily take up my cross and follow Jesus? 00:28:23.839 --> 00:28:27.599 What is this new life of the one who believes look like? 00:28:27.759 --> 00:28:30.960 What has changed when a life is resurrected from the dead? 00:28:31.200 --> 00:28:36.559 Bones rattle, they get fleshed, they start moving, changing and looking more like Jesus. 00:28:37.759 --> 00:28:39.920 And now we get to the verse. 00:28:40.079 --> 00:28:42.160 We get to the famous verse. 00:28:42.400 --> 00:28:45.920 Let's read it in context of the whole story. 00:28:47.200 --> 00:28:50.319 For this is how God loved the world. 00:28:51.599 --> 00:28:58.000 He gave his one and only son so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 00:28:58.799 --> 00:29:00.240 Let's go on and read. 00:29:00.640 --> 00:29:02.720 Let's read past verse 16. 00:29:03.200 --> 00:29:04.880 Let's read what 17 says. 00:29:05.039 --> 00:29:07.359 17 and 18 are important too. 00:29:08.319 --> 00:29:13.200 God sent his son in the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. 00:29:13.519 --> 00:29:16.559 There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. 00:29:16.799 --> 00:29:17.440 Hallelujah. 00:29:17.599 --> 00:29:21.519 There's no condemnation, Paul says, for those that are in Christ. 00:29:21.599 --> 00:29:28.880 But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God's one and only Son. 00:29:29.680 --> 00:29:39.759 Now, he's really leaning heavily into this transformation that takes place. 00:29:39.920 --> 00:29:42.799 The starting point when the blinders come off. 00:29:42.880 --> 00:29:48.799 Then he begins to talk about how you practically change. 00:29:49.920 --> 00:29:52.160 And the judgment is based on this. 00:29:52.400 --> 00:29:58.319 God's light came into the world, but people love the darkness more than the light. 00:29:58.880 --> 00:30:00.559 Listen, for their what? 00:30:01.519 --> 00:30:03.279 Actions were evil. 00:30:03.519 --> 00:30:09.519 All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. 00:30:09.759 --> 00:30:16.319 But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see they are doing what God wants. 00:30:18.240 --> 00:30:34.640 And I want us to get a real practical picture of what it might have looked like as Nicodemus hears the words of Jesus, but walks away. 00:30:37.759 --> 00:30:39.039 Walks away. 00:30:41.200 --> 00:30:45.119 You don't see Nicodemus in any stories with the disciples. 00:30:46.079 --> 00:30:52.079 Now, the good news is we know from our advantage, Nicodemus came around. 00:30:52.720 --> 00:31:00.880 He came around, he he was, he, he and Joseph Arimathea were identified as taking Jesus' body. 00:31:01.200 --> 00:31:24.319 But but between this conversation and the evidence that he eventually left his religion, religious, religious school, religious world, religious culture, and came to follow Jesus, there was a period of turmoil and struggle. 00:31:25.119 --> 00:31:35.759 I want us to watch this clip from the recently produced version of the gospels called the chosen by Dallas Jenkins. 00:31:35.839 --> 00:31:52.480 Now I'm not saying this is scripture, I'm not saying that, but I love Jenkins' perspective and his creativity in giving us a possible scenario of what's going on in Nicodemus' life after this conversation. 00:33:41.599 --> 00:33:42.400 Everyone's here. 00:34:29.840 --> 00:34:30.800 What do you mean? 00:34:35.679 --> 00:34:36.880 I mean it's correct. 00:34:55.920 --> 00:34:57.280 Should they have others? 00:35:15.519 --> 00:35:23.280 Belief is not passive mental assent, but an act of allegiance to following Jesus. 00:35:24.719 --> 00:35:28.239 This is this takes place in Capernaum. 00:35:29.599 --> 00:35:35.519 The disciples are getting ready to go out on mission with Jesus. 00:35:36.480 --> 00:35:38.559 Peter kisses his wife. 00:35:39.039 --> 00:35:41.519 James and John hug their parents. 00:35:43.599 --> 00:35:52.719 Quirky Matthew picks out his wealth from his wealthy wardrobe. 00:35:55.360 --> 00:35:59.199 Mary Magdalene leaves her house. 00:36:03.679 --> 00:36:06.559 And Jesus is hoping. 00:36:07.119 --> 00:36:09.920 I've had this great conversation with Nicodemus. 00:36:11.760 --> 00:36:13.119 I hope he'll show. 00:36:13.280 --> 00:36:14.960 I hope he'll join us. 00:36:16.800 --> 00:36:20.320 And Nicodemus has an identity. 00:36:20.559 --> 00:36:22.079 He is respected. 00:36:23.039 --> 00:36:24.480 He's wealthy. 00:36:26.719 --> 00:36:36.639 He is high on the religious ladder of accomplishment. 00:36:39.440 --> 00:36:45.840 But oh, he so desperately wants to leave everything and follow Jesus. 00:36:49.039 --> 00:36:50.880 And you see the turmoil. 00:36:54.559 --> 00:36:57.039 I think the Holy Spirit's working in his heart. 00:36:57.920 --> 00:37:07.840 You know, I've asked my my I've asked the question in my own mind and heart, where did he, where, where did Nicodemus start believing? 00:37:09.920 --> 00:37:18.079 It could have been prior to this, but he just wasn't ready to take the next step of obedience. 00:37:18.320 --> 00:37:25.679 Maybe he's in process, but for whatever reason, we don't see him in the gospel stories. 00:37:25.920 --> 00:37:31.920 Whatever reason, he left that conversation and he went back to his religious world. 00:37:32.400 --> 00:37:35.840 So what does the new birth, this new resurrected life, look like? 00:37:36.000 --> 00:37:40.239 The Spirit is always moving us out of darkness and the light. 00:37:40.320 --> 00:37:48.639 He's always bringing the light of Jesus into our darkness and exposing the ways of sin and darkness. 00:37:48.960 --> 00:37:54.480 That's why, as this takes place, we find old patterns of behavior unacceptable. 00:37:57.360 --> 00:37:58.880 That's why we want to change. 00:37:58.960 --> 00:38:01.760 That's why we have a desire to discover a new way of life. 00:38:01.920 --> 00:38:08.559 The Spirit is creating us, creating in us a disgust for sin. 00:38:08.880 --> 00:38:11.360