{"id":8548,"date":"2017-10-09T19:33:54","date_gmt":"2017-10-09T16:33:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/?p=8548"},"modified":"2018-01-11T01:59:13","modified_gmt":"2018-01-10T23:59:13","slug":"what-is-new-life-gospel-basics-sermon-series-6","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/what-is-new-life-gospel-basics-sermon-series-6\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is New Life? | Gospel Basics Sermon Series #6"},"content":{"rendered":"<iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/player.blubrry.com\/?media_url=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.blubrry.com%2Fnowisthetime%2Fcontent.blubrry.com%2Fnowisthetime%2FWhat_Is_New_Life_.mp3&amp;modern=1&amp;podcast_link=https%3A%2F%2Fsukofamily.org%2Fwhat-is-new-life-gospel-basics-sermon-series-6%2F#mode-Light&border-000000&progress-000000\" scrolling=\"no\" width=\"100%\" height=\"165\" frameborder=\"0\" id=\"blubrryplayer-3\" class=\"blubrryplayer\" title=\"Blubrry Podcast Player\"><\/iframe><p class=\"powerpress_links powerpress_links_mp3\" style=\"margin-bottom: 1px !important;\">Podcast: <a href=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/nowisthetime\/content.blubrry.com\/nowisthetime\/What_Is_New_Life_.mp3\" class=\"powerpress_link_pinw\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Play in new window\" onclick=\"return powerpress_pinw('https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/?powerpress_pinw=8548-podcast');\" rel=\"nofollow\">Play in new window<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/nowisthetime\/content.blubrry.com\/nowisthetime\/What_Is_New_Life_.mp3\" class=\"powerpress_link_d\" title=\"Download\" rel=\"nofollow\" download=\"What_Is_New_Life_.mp3\">Download<\/a> (Duration: 39:15 &#8212; 35.9MB) | <a href=\"#\" class=\"powerpress_link_e\" title=\"Embed\" onclick=\"return powerpress_show_embed('8548-podcast');\" rel=\"nofollow\">Embed<\/a><\/p><p class=\"powerpress_embed_box\" id=\"powerpress_embed_8548-podcast\" style=\"display: none;\"><input id=\"powerpress_embed_8548-podcast_t\" type=\"text\" value=\"&lt;iframe src=&quot;https:\/\/player.blubrry.com\/?media_url=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.blubrry.com%2Fnowisthetime%2Fcontent.blubrry.com%2Fnowisthetime%2FWhat_Is_New_Life_.mp3&amp;modern=1&amp;podcast_link=https%3A%2F%2Fsukofamily.org%2Fwhat-is-new-life-gospel-basics-sermon-series-6%2F#mode-Light&amp;border-000000&amp;progress-000000&quot; scrolling=&quot;no&quot; width=&quot;100%&quot; height=&quot;165&quot; frameborder=&quot;0&quot; id=&quot;blubrryplayer-4&quot; class=&quot;blubrryplayer&quot; title=&quot;Blubrry Podcast Player&quot;&gt;&lt;\/iframe&gt;\" onclick=\"javascript: this.select();\" onfocus=\"javascript: this.select();\" style=\"width: 70%;\" readOnly><\/p><p class=\"powerpress_links powerpress_subscribe_links\">Subscribe: <a href=\"https:\/\/subscribebyemail.com\/feeds.blubrry.com\/feeds\/nowisthetime.xml\" class=\"powerpress_link_subscribe powerpress_link_subscribe_email\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Subscribe by Email\" rel=\"nofollow\">Email<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/feeds.blubrry.com\/feeds\/nowisthetime.xml\" class=\"powerpress_link_subscribe powerpress_link_subscribe_rss\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Subscribe via RSS\" rel=\"nofollow\">RSS<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h1><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sermon notes<\/span><\/h1>\n<h1><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What Is New Life?<\/span><\/h1>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gospel Basics Sermon Series #6 <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Joh 3:1-15<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Introduction:<\/h2>\n<h2><b>The dangerous course of modern Christianity<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I am deeply concerned about a breed of Christianity that knows much about how to help you improve your marriage, or succeed at work, or propel you to greater fulfillment in life but knows little or nothing of damning effects of our sin nature, the blackness of our fallen hearts, or our utter helplessness and inability to do anything truly good without Jesus!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I am distressed by a Christianity that will give you 7 secrets to a good love life, 10 keys to financial success, and 12 steps to freedom from addiction but fails to really give you the one and only person who alone has walked all the steps, has all the keys, and keeps no secrets! \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I am troubled by how many churches have quietly slipped into a mode of ministry that pursues the look and feel of Christianity without the heart change of Christianity, ministries that focus on doing the right thing, singing the right songs, keeping the right traditions, helping the right people, but fails to confront sinful people with a holy and righteousness God!<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>New life as a foundational gospel truth<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And so today I want to remind you of a foundational truth of the Gospel that when understood correctly and kept in focus in our lives, in our ministries and in our church, will help us avoid the emptiness of \u201cHow to\u201d Christianity, will ignite true life from within, and will fuel our passion for the gospel.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I want to talk to you today about the Biblical concept of \u201cnew life,\u201d being \u201cborn again,\u201d or \u201cregeneration\u201d. This foundational truth is found in both Old and New Testaments and it is vital for a proper understanding of the Gospel. Understood and believed correctly it changes the way we view the Christian life and it changes the way we share the Gospel. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To put it succinctly, The Bible teaches us that man\u2019s heart and soul, his entire being is so tainted by the indwelling presence of evil, that there is nothing we can do to remedy or fix the situation. There is no meeting, no method, no modification of behavior, no meditation, no medication, no magic and, no mere flexing our will power, that can fix our broken lives.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Our lives must be discarded, put aside, left in the past and we must exchange them for new lives, we must have a new birth, we must be regenerated by Author of all life.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>New life as seen in John 3<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The concept of new life rings out from many pages of Scripture but nowhere is it more prevalent than in the Gospel of John and nowhere do we see such an explanation of it than in John chapter 3. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Gospel of John in particular focuses on new life. <\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jesus is said to be the author of all life! John 1:4<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jesus gives the water of life John 4:14<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jesus is the giver of life John 5:21<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jesus is the bread of life John 6:35<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jesus is the light of life John 8:12<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jesus is the resurrection and the life John 11:25<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jesus is simply \u201cthe life\u201d John 14:6<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is a story that only occurs in the Gospel of John. It was of particular importance to John and his readers because:<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">John wanted his readers to understand that the Gospel of Jesus Christ was about far more than living according to some set standard, it began with new life and without that new life, no amount of religion, knowledge, or morality would do you any good. <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It emphasized that this new life come through belief, not through heritage<\/span>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">John was writing to a second generation of Christians who may have thought that if there parents were Christian, then that meant they were automatically Christians.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h1><b>I. Nicodemus\u2019 observations<\/b><\/h1>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">3:1 \u00a0Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2 \u00a0This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, \u201cRabbi, 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.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">John gives a little information about Nicodemus<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A Pharisee -a\u00a0very religious Jew who knew the Scriptures well.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">John tells us that he was a ruler of the Jews, so he had the respect of many as well authority.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nicodemus later speaks out for Jesus in chapter 7:51 when the Pharisees wanted to kill him. <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After Jesus\u2019 death, John 19:39 Nicodemus purchases about 75 pounds of spices for the burial, showing that he was also a wealthy man.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Why does John give us the story of Nicodemus?<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A person who knew the Scriptures<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A person who was wealthy<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A person who had a good position of power\/authority<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A person who was considered a \u201cgood\u201d person<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nicodemus had everything going for him.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is the person you want in your church<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is the person you to be connected with<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is the type of person that everyone would have thought would be good \u201cdisciple\u201d material<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Perhaps this is exactly why John gives us the story of Nicodemus<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In Nicodemus we see the story of every \u201cgood\u201d person who has tried to come to God in their own strength<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In Nicodemus we see regular church members who are active in their church, respected in their community, morally better than others and are on their way to hell with an unregenerate heart.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But in Nicodemus we don\u2019t just see good church members, we see church leaders and pastors who have spent much of their life studying the Scriptures, who have spiritual responsibilities and who are looked up to as examples of the faith yet they are no more able to get into the Kingdom of God than a corpse is able to dig his way out of the grave! <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Certainly John wanted the Church to see an example of the absence of spiritual life in a person who outwardly appeared to have all the decorations of righteousness. <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nicodemus comes at night.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jesus was already on bad terms with the Pharisees<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After his first miracle John tells how Jesus went to Jerusalem and overturned the tables of the sellers and chased them out. <\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This was a direct attack on the pharisees<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Although Nicodemus was intrigued by Jesus he was worried about how his interaction with Jesus would affect his position in the Sanhedrin <\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sadly we are all to often like Nicodemus, we are more worried about what others think of us than what God thinks of us.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We are more motivated to do ministry so that others will commend us than because we are driven by a righteous desire to win hearts for Christ<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We make decisions about our almost everything based upon how we think certain people will react to them. We are not only motivated by the praise of others but we fear their criticism and disapproval. <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We fail to realize that God is not impressed by any of our miserable attempts to spiff up our outward appearance.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nicodemus asks no question<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s possible that Nicodemus was too proud to ask a question<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Maybe Jesus didn\u2019t give him time to ask a question<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some commentators say that he may have wanted to give Jesus advice.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He had connections with the chief priest<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He could help Jesus climb the religious ladder<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He may have been concerned about Jesus\u2019 violent and unpredictable approach. <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Imagine of our church growth experts had analysed Jesus\u2019 ministry!<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nicodemus\u2019 statement is true \u201cWe know you are from God\u201d but it seems to have a question behind it.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cIf you are from God, why don\u2019t you accept us, the respected, approved, and dedicated religious leaders of the Jews?\u201d<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h1><b>II. Without new life all is useless<\/b><\/h1>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">3 \u00a0Jesus answered him, \u201cTruly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.\u201d <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jesus doesn\u2019t waste his time going further<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jesus knows Nicodemus\u2019 heart is unregenerate <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(Joh 2:24 \u00a0But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people)<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jesus knew that Nicodemus\u2019 biggest need was not more rules, quality programs, or better worship music. His biggest need was to be born again, to receive the New Life that only Jesus could offer.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Notice what Jesus doesn\u2019t say:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You need to pray the sinner&#8217;s prayer<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You need to join the church<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You need to be part of a small group<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You need to try this Bible Study<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You need to serve others<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You need to work on your marriage<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You need to be more disciplined<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You need to attend this revival<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You need to read this book<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You need to&#8230;<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In J.D. Greear\u2019s book called \u201cGospel\u201d he puts it this way. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cWe have substituted all kinds of cosmetic changes for true heart change. We encourage people to pursue new and better spiritual gifts. We tell them to recover ancient devotional techniques. We try to beef them up on a particular doctrinal system, as if more correct facts will do the trick in itself. We tell them to show audacious, mountain-moving faith in prayer. We tell them to get radically committed to the Great Commission. These things all have their place, but all we are doing is piling superficial changes onto a heart that doesn\u2019t really love God. None of those things can produce love for God. Only the gospel can.\u201d -JD Greear<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Russian saying, \u041a\u0430\u043a \u043c\u0435\u0440\u0442\u0432\u043e\u043c\u0443 \u043f\u0440\u0438\u043f\u0430\u0440\u043a\u0438 &#8211; Like a hot bath for a dead body<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Unfortunately the Church is giving a lot of hot baths to dead bodies these days!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Notice what Jesus did say:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jesus told him he needed to do something that was impossible <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jesus told him he needed to do something that seemed absurd<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jesus told him that he needed to do something that grabbed his attention!<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jesus doesn\u2019t even explain it, he just leaves Nicodemus there for a moment to grapple with this extraordinary statement.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Our gospel message ought to first always lead people to these cliffs of impossibility! <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h1><b>III. Nicodemus\u2019 questions<\/b><\/h1>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">4 \u00a0Nicodemus said to him, \u201cHow can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother&#8217;s womb and be born?\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">5 \u00a0Jesus answered, \u201cTruly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">6 \u00a0\u00a0That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">7 \u00a0\u00a0Do not marvel that I said to you, \u2018You must be born again.\u2019 <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">8 \u00a0\u00a0The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.\u201d <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">9 \u00a0Nicodemus said to him, \u201cHow can these things be?\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">10 \u00a0Jesus answered him, \u201cAre you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things?<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Finally Nicodemus is asking questions which tells us that the wheels in his head are starting to turn.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s likely that Nicodemus understood that Jesus was not speaking literally, yet he did not understand how this new life could be his.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nicodemus had a sincere desire to know how this new birth could actually take place.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jesus\u2019 explains that the new birth is \u201cof water and the Spirit\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some take water to mean baptism, this is unlikely because there is no precedent in the context for Jesus to be talking about baptism<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some take water to mean physical birth, but it hardly seems necessary for Jesus to explain that to Nicodemus. <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Water and Spirit go together here, this is most likely a reference to the prophecies in Eze. where God promises forgiveness and a new heart. <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Eze 36:22-27<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">22 \u00a0\u201cTherefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord GOD: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations to which you came.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">23 \u00a0And I will vindicate the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, and which you have profaned among them. And the nations will know that I am the LORD, declares the Lord GOD, when through you I vindicate my holiness before their eyes.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">24 \u00a0I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries and bring you into your own land.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">25 \u00a0<\/span><\/i><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses<\/span><\/i><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and from all your idols I will cleanse you.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">26 <\/span><\/i><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you.<\/span><\/i><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">27 \u00a0And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What Jesus was telling Nicodemus was nothing new, it was prophesied by Ezekiel. Isaiah, Jeremiah and other prophets also talk about a day when God would give his people, new hearts, circumcised hearts, clean hearts. This all refers to the New Life that would be found exclusively in the Messiah. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nicodemus certainly would have been aware of this passage and others like it and that is why Jesus says, <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201c<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things?\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The water represents the forgiveness of sins that Jesus would give and the Spirit is person of the Trinity who would give that spark of new life to the one who would believe. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nicodemus\u2019 hesitation to believe seems to also be connected with his inability to understand the process of New Birth. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Verse 8. \u201c<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.\u201d <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Wind is not seen and thus you do not know exactly what it is doing or how it is doing it.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The evidence of wind is in how it blows the branches and makes noise. No one doubts it.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">New life is also somewhat mysterious because it happens on the inside of man. You do not see a physical change<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yet with New Life, just as with wind you ought to see a change.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Not seeing it and not completely comprehending it is not excuse for not believe it!<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h1><b>IV. New Life is the result of Christ\u2019 work and belief<\/b><\/h1>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">11 \u00a0\u00a0Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">12 \u00a0\u00a0If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">13 \u00a0\u00a0No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">14 \u00a0\u00a0And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">15 \u00a0\u00a0that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We sense a bit of frustration in Jesus, but he doesn\u2019t give up in explaining the New Birth to Nicodemus.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jesus himself is the key to this New Life. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>God was born of man so that man could be born of God. John 1:12-13<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Joh 1:12-13<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">12 \u00a0But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">13 \u00a0who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Pharisees claimed a righteous lineage through Abraham but Jesus refuted this claim: John 8:33-41<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can be religious and not have new life<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can go to church and not have new life<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can come from a good family and not have new life<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can do good things and not have new life<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can have positions in the Church and not have new life<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can be rich and not have new life<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can be respected by others and not have good life<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can be thought of by most people as an godly Christian and not have new life<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cWe don\u2019t come to Him as bad people trying to be good people: we come as rebels to lay down our arms.\u201d C.S. 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Wherever you find the Gospel clearly taught and truly believed you will find upheaval of well guarded and carefully controlled man-made systems of belief and ritual. By its very nature\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Sermons&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Sermons","link":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/category\/sermon\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sukofamily.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/maxresdefault-3.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sukofamily.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/maxresdefault-3.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sukofamily.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/maxresdefault-3.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sukofamily.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/maxresdefault-3.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sukofamily.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/maxresdefault-3.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":8193,"url":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/jesus-wants-you-to-be-wealthy\/","url_meta":{"origin":8548,"position":3},"title":"God Wants You to Be Wealthy | Gospel Mistake #1","author":"Caleb Suko","date":"July 18, 2017","format":"video","excerpt":"Jesus promised his disciples great wealth in this world if they gave up all to follow him. Sometimes this is known as the 100 fold principle. Could it really be true? Does putting your faith in Jesus not only give you eternal life in heaven but also a wealthy and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Sermons&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Sermons","link":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/category\/sermon\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sukofamily.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/maxresdefault-8.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sukofamily.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/maxresdefault-8.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sukofamily.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/maxresdefault-8.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sukofamily.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/maxresdefault-8.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sukofamily.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/maxresdefault-8.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4502,"url":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/this-sermon-made-me-rethink-how-i-share-the-gospel\/","url_meta":{"origin":8548,"position":4},"title":"This Sermon Made Me Rethink How I Share the Gospel!","author":"Caleb Suko","date":"October 15, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"You need to set aside 44 minutes and listen to this sermon!\u00a0It seriously made me rethink how I communicate the Gospel. I know that seems like a lot of time but I believe this is an important message that Christians need to hear. Jeff Durbin is the president of Apologia\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Writing&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Writing","link":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/category\/writing\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sukofamily.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/shocker-sermon.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sukofamily.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/shocker-sermon.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sukofamily.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/shocker-sermon.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":9164,"url":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/the-legacy-of-billy-graham\/","url_meta":{"origin":8548,"position":5},"title":"The Legacy of Billy Graham","author":"Caleb Suko","date":"February 21, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Today at age 99 Billy Graham passed into the presence of his Savior. According to biographer Terry Whalin\u00a0Graham preached the gospel to more people in person than anyone else in the history of Christianity. Over 210 million people in 185 countries heard Graham preach in person! Some estimate that around\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Writing&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Writing","link":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/category\/writing\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sukofamily.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Billy-Graham1919-2018.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sukofamily.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Billy-Graham1919-2018.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sukofamily.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Billy-Graham1919-2018.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sukofamily.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Billy-Graham1919-2018.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sukofamily.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Billy-Graham1919-2018.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8548","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8548"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8548\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12065,"href":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8548\/revisions\/12065"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8548"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8548"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8548"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}