1 00:00:04,800 --> 00:00:06,200 Thank you for coming to worship with us. 2 00:00:06,200 --> 00:00:08,200 My name is Kyle a service lead. Pastor here. 3 00:00:08,200 --> 00:00:12,200 If you're visiting I want to say an escrow special, thanks to you 4 00:00:12,200 --> 00:00:15,900 for being here with us today. If you have your Bible, as 5 00:00:15,908 --> 00:00:17,900 you're finding your seat, all that, you can open the John 6 00:00:17,900 --> 00:00:21,000 chapter 3. We'll be in John chapter 3 7 00:00:21,000 --> 00:00:22,400 today. We're continuing our sermon 8 00:00:22,400 --> 00:00:25,100 series called the law and the gospel subtitled. 9 00:00:25,100 --> 00:00:28,800 You must be born again. You must be born again. 10 00:00:29,000 --> 00:00:33,000 And so, this is a look at the relationship between someone who 11 00:00:33,000 --> 00:00:36,600 is trying to practice the law as a way to achieve salvation 12 00:00:37,000 --> 00:00:41,100 versus what Jesus actually teaches about how to find 13 00:00:41,100 --> 00:00:45,300 salvation Salvation is found through the gospel of Christ. 14 00:00:45,300 --> 00:00:49,800 It's found by belief and the name of the son of God and And 15 00:00:49,800 --> 00:00:52,900 so this is a conversation in John chapter 3 that's happening. 16 00:00:52,900 --> 00:00:55,800 It's a conversation between Nicodemus, who was a Pharisee? 17 00:00:55,800 --> 00:00:59,800 Not only, was he, a Pharisee was a member of the ruling body of 18 00:00:59,800 --> 00:01:03,600 Israel, the Sanhedrin. And on top of all of those 19 00:01:03,600 --> 00:01:06,900 things, Jesus calls him, the teacher of Israel. 20 00:01:06,900 --> 00:01:11,700 So he had some sort of high-ranking purpose, even 21 00:01:11,700 --> 00:01:16,500 within even within the Sanhedrin or within the Pharisees in which 22 00:01:16,500 --> 00:01:20,500 he was sought, seen as the teacher of Also, so many of the 23 00:01:20,500 --> 00:01:23,600 things that Christ is now talking about, with him, he 24 00:01:23,600 --> 00:01:25,900 should have known already, he should have known. 25 00:01:26,400 --> 00:01:28,900 And so I'm going to read our passage today. 26 00:01:28,900 --> 00:01:31,400 And then and then I'll pray for us. 27 00:01:33,500 --> 00:01:35,900 My ask you to stand to your feet, as we get ready to read 28 00:01:35,900 --> 00:01:37,900 this. If you're able or unable that's 29 00:01:37,900 --> 00:01:41,200 fine, we're going to stand in the honor of reading. 30 00:01:41,700 --> 00:01:45,200 The reading of God's word will do what we get, what we did last 31 00:01:45,200 --> 00:01:46,700 week. So, when I finish this up, I'll 32 00:01:46,700 --> 00:01:48,200 say this is the word of the Lord. 33 00:01:48,200 --> 00:01:50,200 And you'll say, thanks. Me too God. 34 00:01:50,200 --> 00:01:52,400 So let's practice. This is the word of the Lord. 35 00:01:53,400 --> 00:01:55,100 All right, good job. Let's read it. 36 00:01:55,200 --> 00:02:00,700 John 3:1 now, there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a 37 00:02:00,700 --> 00:02:04,300 ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night 38 00:02:04,300 --> 00:02:06,900 and said to him. Rabbi, we know that you are a 39 00:02:06,908 --> 00:02:08,800 teacher. Come from, God, for no one. 40 00:02:08,800 --> 00:02:14,000 Can do these signs that you do unless God is with him, Jesus 41 00:02:14,000 --> 00:02:16,700 answered him. Truly, truly, I say to you. 42 00:02:16,700 --> 00:02:21,100 Unless one is born again, he cannot See the kingdom of God 43 00:02:21,700 --> 00:02:24,500 Nicodemus said to him. How can a man be born when he is 44 00:02:24,500 --> 00:02:27,400 old? Can he enter a second time into 45 00:02:27,400 --> 00:02:32,200 his mother's womb and be born? Jesus answered truly, truly I 46 00:02:32,200 --> 00:02:36,700 say to you unless one is born of water and the spirit, he cannot 47 00:02:36,700 --> 00:02:40,500 enter the kingdom of God, that which is born, of the flesh is 48 00:02:40,500 --> 00:02:41,900 flesh. And that, which is born of 49 00:02:41,900 --> 00:02:45,500 spirit. Of the spirit is Spirit, do not 50 00:02:45,500 --> 00:02:47,900 Marvel. That I said to you, you must be 51 00:02:48,000 --> 00:02:49,400 born again. The wind. 52 00:02:49,500 --> 00:02:53,000 Blows where it wishes and you hear its sound, but you do not 53 00:02:53,000 --> 00:02:55,300 know where it comes from or where it goes. 54 00:02:55,700 --> 00:03:00,000 So it is with everyone who is born of the spirit Nicodemus 55 00:03:00,000 --> 00:03:04,800 said to him, how can these things be Jesus answered him? 56 00:03:04,900 --> 00:03:07,700 Are you the teacher of Israel? And yet you do not understand 57 00:03:07,700 --> 00:03:11,100 these things. Truly, truly, I say to you, we 58 00:03:11,100 --> 00:03:14,200 speak of what we know and bear witness to what we have seen, 59 00:03:14,500 --> 00:03:16,700 but you do not receive our testimony. 60 00:03:17,300 --> 00:03:20,400 If I have told you Earthly things and you did Not believe. 61 00:03:20,400 --> 00:03:24,800 How can you believe if I tell you Heavenly things, no one has 62 00:03:24,800 --> 00:03:29,300 ascended into heaven, except he who descended from Heaven, the 63 00:03:29,300 --> 00:03:32,700 son of man, and as Moses lifted up, the serpent in the 64 00:03:32,700 --> 00:03:37,300 wilderness so must the son of man be lifted up that whoever 65 00:03:37,300 --> 00:03:41,000 believes in him may have eternal life. 66 00:03:41,900 --> 00:03:45,600 This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. 67 00:03:45,700 --> 00:03:48,500 Good job, we pray for us. Father, we love you, we thank 68 00:03:48,500 --> 00:03:50,300 you for this time. We have together in your word 69 00:03:50,300 --> 00:03:53,900 this time we have together to hear it tots Lord. 70 00:03:53,900 --> 00:03:58,700 I pray that these words in your holy word would take root in our 71 00:03:58,700 --> 00:04:02,200 hearts Lord, make our hearts, the good soil, the soil that 72 00:04:02,600 --> 00:04:06,700 these these truths can be planted into and bear the fruits 73 00:04:07,000 --> 00:04:11,000 of righteousness and our lives. Lord help us to be attentive 74 00:04:11,000 --> 00:04:14,200 today, open our hearts and our ears and our eyes. 75 00:04:14,300 --> 00:04:19,000 Eyes to see. And to know, to understand, to 76 00:04:19,000 --> 00:04:21,800 believe your word today, in Christ's name. 77 00:04:21,800 --> 00:04:26,100 I pray, amen. You may have a seat The thing I 78 00:04:26,100 --> 00:04:28,700 want to put before you today, if you have notes, you can write 79 00:04:28,700 --> 00:04:31,000 this down. This is the central theme of the 80 00:04:31,000 --> 00:04:35,200 message. Anyway, is this, eternal life is 81 00:04:35,200 --> 00:04:42,300 found only by looking to Christ and him crucified, eternal life 82 00:04:42,300 --> 00:04:47,300 is found only by looking to Christ and him crucified. 83 00:04:48,500 --> 00:04:52,300 Jesus in John, chapter 3 provides. 84 00:04:52,300 --> 00:04:58,100 The best model of evangelism. It's a point. 85 00:04:58,100 --> 00:05:02,200 I briefly addressed last week but he he here in John chapter 3 86 00:05:02,200 --> 00:05:07,900 is proclaiming the gospel message with intense precision 87 00:05:08,300 --> 00:05:13,700 and he's hitting the mark. He is Nicodemus has come to him 88 00:05:13,700 --> 00:05:17,500 with assumptions about his own standing before God. 89 00:05:17,600 --> 00:05:20,800 Based on his own Works based on his own righteousness that 90 00:05:20,900 --> 00:05:23,500 everything he had dedicated his life to. 91 00:05:23,500 --> 00:05:26,300 And so he comes with these assumptions that he can 92 00:05:26,300 --> 00:05:30,200 recognize that Jesus must be from God because of the things 93 00:05:30,200 --> 00:05:33,800 he does. But Christ in this conversation, 94 00:05:34,000 --> 00:05:38,900 reveals the error of his thinking and he shows him the 95 00:05:38,900 --> 00:05:42,200 necessity of the new birth. In other words, what he shows 96 00:05:42,200 --> 00:05:45,700 him is that you're not exactly where you think you are and 97 00:05:45,700 --> 00:05:48,900 Nicodemus because of those Sulfur, I just works. 98 00:05:48,900 --> 00:05:54,300 In fact you like all the rest of mankind are in need of a new 99 00:05:54,300 --> 00:05:57,400 birth. You're in need of a new birth. 100 00:05:57,400 --> 00:06:03,100 Your you need to start over, you need a new life and so he shows 101 00:06:03,100 --> 00:06:05,400 him the necessity of new. The new birth, despite all of 102 00:06:05,407 --> 00:06:09,200 those great works, his heart is still far from God. 103 00:06:09,600 --> 00:06:13,800 He needs a new heart, he needs to be reborn if he is going to 104 00:06:13,800 --> 00:06:18,000 enter the kingdom of heaven. And so Christ what he's doing 105 00:06:18,000 --> 00:06:21,200 throughout this passage in John chapter 3, as we just reread it, 106 00:06:21,200 --> 00:06:23,400 you can see it. It's the conversation is 107 00:06:23,400 --> 00:06:27,000 intensifying and Christ has become Being more and more clear 108 00:06:27,000 --> 00:06:29,500 with what he is demanding of Nicodemus. 109 00:06:30,200 --> 00:06:33,700 With what he is telling Nicodemus, you must believe as 110 00:06:33,700 --> 00:06:37,600 he's also simultaneously exposing the wrong beliefs of 111 00:06:37,600 --> 00:06:41,600 Nicodemus. He's moving it to a moment of 112 00:06:41,600 --> 00:06:45,100 decision, he's creating with Nick within Nicodemus and 113 00:06:45,100 --> 00:06:47,800 urgency to respond to the gospel. 114 00:06:47,800 --> 00:06:53,900 Message Nicodemus, must believe in the one who he is talking to, 115 00:06:54,200 --> 00:06:57,700 if he is going to be born again, he must believe that this is the 116 00:06:57,700 --> 00:07:00,500 son of, man. The Son of God, it, it was not 117 00:07:00,500 --> 00:07:02,100 enough. That Nicodemus had heard about 118 00:07:02,100 --> 00:07:05,200 the truth It's not enough that he had even. 119 00:07:05,200 --> 00:07:08,700 Now, heard Christ talked about the New Birth Christ tells 120 00:07:08,700 --> 00:07:13,500 Nicodemus, he must entrust his life to him and by God's 121 00:07:13,500 --> 00:07:17,100 Sovereign act, he would regenerate Nicodemus, his heart. 122 00:07:17,100 --> 00:07:20,600 But Nicodemus is responsibility was to believe in the Son of 123 00:07:20,600 --> 00:07:22,800 God. Nicodemus had a responsibility 124 00:07:22,800 --> 00:07:27,200 here to believe the words of Christ to act upon them. 125 00:07:27,800 --> 00:07:33,300 Nicodemus must place his faith and his Trust In Christ Alone. 126 00:07:33,400 --> 00:07:37,300 Own, he must submit himself to Jesus Christ. 127 00:07:37,300 --> 00:07:41,200 He must entrust his soul to the care of God, through Jesus, 128 00:07:41,200 --> 00:07:45,400 which means he must believe that Jesus is more than a teacher, 129 00:07:45,700 --> 00:07:50,000 he's more than one who has been sent by God to do some good 130 00:07:50,000 --> 00:07:54,200 words, he's more than that, he must believe that Jesus is the 131 00:07:54,200 --> 00:07:59,000 son of God, that Jesus is who he says he is that he's been sent 132 00:07:59,000 --> 00:08:04,600 by the father to save his people from their Their sins. 133 00:08:05,400 --> 00:08:08,200 And so what? Jesus now does In this passage 134 00:08:08,200 --> 00:08:11,300 that were looking at in these verses verses 14 and 15, what 135 00:08:11,300 --> 00:08:16,200 Jesus does is he provides a striking example, for belief in 136 00:08:16,200 --> 00:08:18,300 the Son of God. An example that Nicodemus would 137 00:08:18,300 --> 00:08:22,700 have no doubt known because he goes back to an Old Testament, 138 00:08:22,700 --> 00:08:26,700 story about Moses and the Israelites, and this serpent in 139 00:08:26,700 --> 00:08:30,400 the wilderness. Nicodemus, the teacher of Israel 140 00:08:30,800 --> 00:08:36,299 would have known this story found in numbers and so let me 141 00:08:36,299 --> 00:08:41,100 read John 3:14-15 again. Jesus says to Nicodemus and as 142 00:08:41,100 --> 00:08:46,600 Moses lifted up, the serpent in the wilderness so must the son 143 00:08:46,600 --> 00:08:52,900 of man be lifted up that whoever believes in him may have eternal 144 00:08:52,900 --> 00:08:57,700 life. So Jesus intends to use the word 145 00:08:57,700 --> 00:09:02,500 of God with Evangelistic force and Nicodemus is life. 146 00:09:03,500 --> 00:09:07,000 He's showing him from the word of God, what he must do. 147 00:09:08,200 --> 00:09:12,800 To be saved and numbers, 21 5 through 9, you make a note or 148 00:09:12,800 --> 00:09:15,400 you can turn there with me, I'm going to read it briefly, but 149 00:09:15,400 --> 00:09:19,500 I'm going to read to you, a this account that Jesus is talking 150 00:09:19,500 --> 00:09:23,000 about here, with Nicodemus, this account of Moses and the 151 00:09:23,000 --> 00:09:25,200 Israelites, and the serpent in the wilderness. 152 00:09:26,900 --> 00:09:31,500 Number 21, verse 5 and the people spoke against God and 153 00:09:31,500 --> 00:09:34,600 against Moses. Why have you brought us out of 154 00:09:34,600 --> 00:09:38,400 Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no 155 00:09:38,400 --> 00:09:42,900 water. And we love this worthless food. 156 00:09:44,700 --> 00:09:48,600 So here we are. We're taking a peek Into the 157 00:09:48,600 --> 00:09:51,900 Wilderness journey of the Israelites after they've been 158 00:09:51,900 --> 00:09:55,600 brought miraculously out of their bondage of slavery in 159 00:09:55,600 --> 00:09:58,200 Egypt. And now they're grumbling. 160 00:09:58,200 --> 00:10:00,400 Once again, this is several times. 161 00:10:00,400 --> 00:10:04,800 Now, once again there grumbling against God and they're saying, 162 00:10:05,300 --> 00:10:08,500 they say, first of all there's no food and then they just say 163 00:10:08,600 --> 00:10:09,900 they get to the truth of the matter. 164 00:10:09,900 --> 00:10:12,600 We don't like the food, we're getting, right? 165 00:10:13,100 --> 00:10:17,800 Anybody have kids that do this? The, there's no food to eat. 166 00:10:17,800 --> 00:10:20,100 Oh, that's not true. You just don't like the food. 167 00:10:20,100 --> 00:10:23,800 We're offering you, right? This is where the Israelites are 168 00:10:23,800 --> 00:10:27,900 in this moment. Verse 6, then the Lord sent 169 00:10:28,600 --> 00:10:33,100 fiery serpents among the people and they bit the people so that 170 00:10:33,100 --> 00:10:35,300 many people of Israel died. There you go, parents. 171 00:10:35,300 --> 00:10:38,000 This is how you get your children to eat, right? 172 00:10:39,700 --> 00:10:41,800 Warn them of fiery, serpents coming. 173 00:10:43,600 --> 00:10:48,000 Then tell them to rest. Well alright so but in verse 6, 174 00:10:48,000 --> 00:10:50,500 the Lord says art enough's enough, right? 175 00:10:51,200 --> 00:10:54,400 Enough's enough. You cannot continue to Grumble 176 00:10:54,500 --> 00:10:57,700 against me when I have been providing for you. 177 00:10:57,700 --> 00:11:00,000 You cannot continue to mock me. You cannot continue in your 178 00:11:00,000 --> 00:11:02,700 sinful ways. Enough is enough. 179 00:11:02,700 --> 00:11:05,100 And so, he sends these fiery, serpents among the people. 180 00:11:05,200 --> 00:11:07,700 They bit, the people. So that many of the people of 181 00:11:07,700 --> 00:11:11,300 Israel died verse 7. And the people came to Moses and 182 00:11:11,300 --> 00:11:14,500 said, we have sinned, For we have spoken against the Lord and 183 00:11:14,500 --> 00:11:18,300 against you pray to the Lord, that he take away the Serpent's 184 00:11:18,300 --> 00:11:21,500 from us. And so Moses prayed for the 185 00:11:21,500 --> 00:11:25,300 people. So judgment has a way of 186 00:11:25,900 --> 00:11:28,400 bringing about repentance, right? 187 00:11:28,600 --> 00:11:32,500 When you understand the fiery, serpents, the error of your 188 00:11:32,500 --> 00:11:35,600 ways. It has a way of bringing you to 189 00:11:36,000 --> 00:11:40,000 pleading for the mercy of God, and this is what happens to the 190 00:11:40,000 --> 00:11:42,300 Israelites. And so Moses made a bronze 191 00:11:42,300 --> 00:11:44,400 service. Even serpents re, and the Lord 192 00:11:44,400 --> 00:11:47,500 said, to Moses verse a make a fiery, Serpent and set it on a 193 00:11:47,500 --> 00:11:51,100 pole. And everyone who is bitten when 194 00:11:51,100 --> 00:11:55,200 he sees it shall live. So Moses made a bronze Serpent 195 00:11:55,200 --> 00:11:59,000 and set it on a pole. And if a serpent bit anyone, he 196 00:11:59,000 --> 00:12:02,000 would look at the bronze Serpent and live. 197 00:12:03,700 --> 00:12:06,300 Wow. So Israel's Wilderness 198 00:12:06,300 --> 00:12:09,400 wanderings were the result of their own unbelief, the refusal 199 00:12:09,400 --> 00:12:13,300 to trust God for his safety, his provision and ultimately his 200 00:12:13,300 --> 00:12:16,900 salvation brings about God's punishment. 201 00:12:18,100 --> 00:12:21,500 These three verses are again just one example of their 202 00:12:21,500 --> 00:12:25,600 troubled relationship with God from their journey of Egypt 203 00:12:25,600 --> 00:12:29,200 through this point and despite God's continued help they 204 00:12:29,200 --> 00:12:31,600 complained against him, a desire to go back into Egyptian 205 00:12:31,600 --> 00:12:33,200 slavery. So God sends this. 206 00:12:33,500 --> 00:12:37,600 Devastating judgment. He sends venomous serpents who 207 00:12:37,600 --> 00:12:42,000 bit and as a result of that bite, many of these rebellious 208 00:12:42,000 --> 00:12:45,500 people died. So the people fear for their 209 00:12:45,500 --> 00:12:49,700 life, I beg for Moses has helped please intercede with God on our 210 00:12:49,700 --> 00:12:53,300 behalf bag of his mercy and God hears their cries. 211 00:12:53,300 --> 00:12:56,600 He offers relief to them by having Moses amount of bronze, 212 00:12:56,600 --> 00:13:01,500 serpent on a pole, lifted up in the middle of the Wilderness so 213 00:13:01,500 --> 00:13:05,700 everyone can see it. And if those who were dying from 214 00:13:05,700 --> 00:13:07,800 the bite, if those who had been bitten were dying. 215 00:13:07,900 --> 00:13:10,900 If they were to look at the poll, look at the serpent there 216 00:13:10,900 --> 00:13:13,600 to be hold it, they would be healed. 217 00:13:15,400 --> 00:13:19,800 Those who chose the believe the word of God and do what God says 218 00:13:20,600 --> 00:13:26,100 would be saved. Those who did not would perish 219 00:13:26,700 --> 00:13:31,100 in their unbelief. So why did God choose a serpent 220 00:13:31,100 --> 00:13:34,200 might be one question? We would ask the, the servant is 221 00:13:34,200 --> 00:13:40,200 probably emblematic of the Venom coming from the complaining lips 222 00:13:40,200 --> 00:13:44,000 of the people. It's also possible that the 223 00:13:44,000 --> 00:13:50,200 serpent is just a model or an illustration of the root of all 224 00:13:50,200 --> 00:13:52,100 sin. That it was that serpent in the 225 00:13:52,100 --> 00:13:57,300 garden who tempted, he's caused her and her husband to fall. 226 00:13:57,300 --> 00:14:05,500 And now all mankind is sinful by his by his actions, But 227 00:14:05,500 --> 00:14:09,300 unquestionably what happens is the presence upon the pole 228 00:14:09,300 --> 00:14:13,500 required, the people to face their sin, you've been bitten by 229 00:14:13,500 --> 00:14:15,000 a serpent as a result of your sin. 230 00:14:15,000 --> 00:14:17,900 And now you're having to look at a serpent to acknowledge your 231 00:14:17,900 --> 00:14:21,000 sin and be saved and the face their sin. 232 00:14:21,000 --> 00:14:23,800 And this was part of God's instrument of healing as they 233 00:14:23,800 --> 00:14:28,300 look to it in order to live and Jesus here and Nikki and 234 00:14:28,300 --> 00:14:32,600 Nicodemus chapter 3 and John chapter 3 is speaking to 235 00:14:32,600 --> 00:14:36,500 Nicodemus and he's telling him that that you like the 236 00:14:36,500 --> 00:14:44,800 Israelites are dying of poison. You failed to obey me and you 237 00:14:45,100 --> 00:14:50,000 must look to not a serpent but Christ who will be raised upon a 238 00:14:50,008 --> 00:14:55,200 cross, you must look to him. You must look to Christ with the 239 00:14:55,200 --> 00:14:59,700 eye of Faith. Jesus Christ became a curse for 240 00:14:59,700 --> 00:15:03,200 us on the cross so that we might look to him and live and like 241 00:15:03,200 --> 00:15:08,400 the serpent set up on a pole. So that Christ crucified so is 242 00:15:08,400 --> 00:15:10,700 sorry, Christ crucified becomes the me. 243 00:15:11,000 --> 00:15:16,100 Means God himself has provided for us to look upon for our sin 244 00:15:16,100 --> 00:15:20,500 that we might be saved from his own righteous judgment. 245 00:15:21,400 --> 00:15:24,700 This is because for believers, their Endtime judgment has 246 00:15:24,700 --> 00:15:29,500 already taken place at the Cross of Christ, the punishment that 247 00:15:29,500 --> 00:15:33,100 we deserve was poured out on another in our place. 248 00:15:34,300 --> 00:15:37,400 And so John 3:14, again, he says in as Moses lifted up, the 249 00:15:37,400 --> 00:15:40,800 serpent in the wilderness so must the son of man, be lifted 250 00:15:40,800 --> 00:15:43,700 up. This idea of must means he must 251 00:15:43,900 --> 00:15:46,500 die. So what Jesus has his mind. 252 00:15:46,500 --> 00:15:49,600 He must die. Steve Lawson in his book. 253 00:15:49,600 --> 00:15:53,000 New Life In Christ says this. He says the son of man must die 254 00:15:53,000 --> 00:15:57,000 as the sin bearing sacrifice, as he became sin for his people 255 00:15:57,000 --> 00:16:01,600 upon the cross, Jesus must bear the curse of the law, the 256 00:16:01,600 --> 00:16:04,600 penalty being Eternal death, Jesus must die. 257 00:16:04,600 --> 00:16:08,400 So that those who Look to Him, by faith would be healed of the 258 00:16:08,400 --> 00:16:13,700 deadly curse of sin, those who look to him will live forever. 259 00:16:14,600 --> 00:16:18,400 Those look to him will live for ever believing in. 260 00:16:18,400 --> 00:16:23,300 Jesus Christ is like looking to him by faith for your salvation. 261 00:16:24,800 --> 00:16:27,500 And so, that is why I say at the beginning of this eternal life 262 00:16:27,500 --> 00:16:32,800 is found the only by looking to Christ and him crucified, this 263 00:16:32,800 --> 00:16:36,900 is where you find eternal life. So in this text, Jesus is 264 00:16:36,900 --> 00:16:41,400 stressing the necessity of faith and finding eternal life. 265 00:16:41,600 --> 00:16:45,200 You will not find eternal life apart from faith in Christ 266 00:16:45,200 --> 00:16:49,200 Jesus. John 3:15, he says that whoever 267 00:16:49,300 --> 00:16:51,400 believes in him may have eternal life. 268 00:16:51,400 --> 00:16:52,600 This is what Christ is getting at. 269 00:16:52,700 --> 00:16:55,700 You look to the son of man, as the Israelites had to look to 270 00:16:55,700 --> 00:16:56,700 the serpent. In the wilderness. 271 00:16:56,900 --> 00:16:59,800 You are looking to the son of man and whoever does that 272 00:16:59,800 --> 00:17:03,200 whoever believes in him may have eternal life. 273 00:17:06,300 --> 00:17:09,000 And we talked about it before but it's worth bearing witness. 274 00:17:09,000 --> 00:17:13,500 Again, the word believed to say, I am a believer in Jesus and our 275 00:17:13,500 --> 00:17:16,900 culture doesn't carry the way that it did in first century. 276 00:17:18,000 --> 00:17:22,800 It's got kind of a wide array of meanings but to Believe In 277 00:17:22,800 --> 00:17:28,600 Christ that idea of belief means to have faith to put your trust 278 00:17:28,700 --> 00:17:31,100 in something. And so literally, what Jesus is 279 00:17:31,100 --> 00:17:35,000 saying is is that this means that a person who believes then 280 00:17:35,000 --> 00:17:41,700 commits his Life to me. Commits himself to me. 281 00:17:42,700 --> 00:17:46,100 And so in this case the someone that you're committing to is 282 00:17:46,100 --> 00:17:50,300 Christ, the something that you are committing your life to is 283 00:17:50,300 --> 00:17:54,200 the gospel of Christ, the message of an atonement, the 284 00:17:54,200 --> 00:17:56,100 message of a sacrificial servant. 285 00:17:56,100 --> 00:18:00,100 The message of one who is imputed his righteousness to you 286 00:18:00,100 --> 00:18:02,700 while your sins were imputed to him on the cross. 287 00:18:03,000 --> 00:18:05,400 So that a sacrifice could be made for you. 288 00:18:06,500 --> 00:18:15,500 This is what we're believing. Nicodemus must stop trusting 289 00:18:15,500 --> 00:18:19,000 himself. He must look away from his own 290 00:18:19,000 --> 00:18:23,200 Works, which are worthless on the Eternal scale. 291 00:18:24,300 --> 00:18:27,300 He must look to Christ and him crucified by faith. 292 00:18:27,400 --> 00:18:31,300 If he is going to be saved from his sins and you too, must stop 293 00:18:31,300 --> 00:18:35,600 looking to yourself. You must stop looking at your 294 00:18:35,600 --> 00:18:39,000 own self righteous Works. He must stop trusting in them 295 00:18:39,000 --> 00:18:41,800 for your salvation. You must look to Christ and him 296 00:18:41,800 --> 00:18:44,900 crucified if you are to receive eternal life. 297 00:18:46,200 --> 00:18:51,300 There are many other analogies Lawson mentions. 298 00:18:51,300 --> 00:18:53,500 He's in his book but there are many other analogies used in the 299 00:18:53,500 --> 00:18:58,400 Gospel of John for saving faith. So he goes into a few of those 300 00:18:58,400 --> 00:19:02,100 that the size of Act is represented as receiving Jesus 301 00:19:02,100 --> 00:19:05,200 into your life. As we would welcome guests into 302 00:19:05,200 --> 00:19:07,600 our homes to warmly fellowship with them. 303 00:19:07,600 --> 00:19:11,600 This idea of receiving Jesus is seen in John 1:12. 304 00:19:13,000 --> 00:19:16,300 Another one is saving, faith is obeying Jesus. 305 00:19:16,400 --> 00:19:18,700 As we would heed the authoritative command, from a 306 00:19:18,708 --> 00:19:22,400 superior in rank. We see this in John 3, verse 36, 307 00:19:24,500 --> 00:19:28,000 Again, we see another analogy. It is like eating Jesus. 308 00:19:28,600 --> 00:19:31,700 As we would take bread and consume it for nourishment. 309 00:19:31,700 --> 00:19:38,000 We see this in John 6:35, 51, 53, 54 56 through 68, Jesus 310 00:19:38,000 --> 00:19:40,800 there in John. Chapter 6, talks about how he is 311 00:19:40,800 --> 00:19:45,200 the bread of life. We also see that Satan faith is 312 00:19:45,200 --> 00:19:48,700 like drinking Jesus. As we would drink water to 313 00:19:48,700 --> 00:19:52,500 sustain and replenish life. We see this in John chapter 4, 314 00:19:52,600 --> 00:19:56,400 verse 14, we see it in John. Chapter 7 verses 37 through 38. 315 00:19:57,900 --> 00:20:00,600 Another analogy is it is following Jesus. 316 00:20:01,100 --> 00:20:03,100 As a sheep, would come after its Shepherd. 317 00:20:03,100 --> 00:20:06,100 We see this in John chapter 10 verses 4, and 27. 318 00:20:08,300 --> 00:20:11,700 There are many other passages that could be cited, but but 319 00:20:11,700 --> 00:20:15,300 these are sufficient to give a proper picture of what it means 320 00:20:15,300 --> 00:20:21,000 to believe in Jesus Christ. It's to obey him, it's to eat 321 00:20:21,000 --> 00:20:23,700 him. It's the drink him, it's the 322 00:20:23,700 --> 00:20:26,200 follow him. It's to commit yourself. 323 00:20:26,200 --> 00:20:29,800 To him, is to receive him. It's all of those things. 324 00:20:29,800 --> 00:20:32,300 It's to make him. You are everything. 325 00:20:33,200 --> 00:20:38,100 So trust him, fully And again, eternal life is found only by 326 00:20:38,100 --> 00:20:41,400 looking to Christ and him crucified. 327 00:20:43,600 --> 00:20:46,800 So what does Jesus means when he says you will have eternal life? 328 00:20:48,000 --> 00:20:51,800 Jesus has promised Nick, Jesus promises Nicodemus, and everyone 329 00:20:51,800 --> 00:20:54,700 else for that matter that whoever he says, whoever 330 00:20:54,700 --> 00:20:56,900 believes in me will have eternal life. 331 00:20:58,200 --> 00:21:01,700 He promises that you will receive eternal life. 332 00:21:01,700 --> 00:21:04,400 What does this word eternal life? 333 00:21:04,400 --> 00:21:07,600 Mean, what does he mean by this might ask? 334 00:21:08,500 --> 00:21:12,200 One of the first things he must mean, is that you receive life 335 00:21:12,200 --> 00:21:17,300 to the fullest. Let's life abundant as he 336 00:21:17,300 --> 00:21:21,200 describes in John chapter 10, eternal life, refers to the 337 00:21:21,200 --> 00:21:25,600 quality of life, that one receives in the new birth, in 338 00:21:25,600 --> 00:21:29,200 the New Birth, you receive the very life of God in heaven, 339 00:21:29,200 --> 00:21:34,300 within your own soul. God takes up residence in You by 340 00:21:34,300 --> 00:21:37,500 his holy spirit. You are now the Temple of the 341 00:21:37,500 --> 00:21:40,800 Living. God And so if you have been born 342 00:21:40,800 --> 00:21:47,500 again, Christ lives in you. And so eternal life is 343 00:21:47,500 --> 00:21:51,100 experienced. Then from the moment you receive 344 00:21:51,100 --> 00:21:55,700 Christ by faith. All the way into eternity 345 00:21:55,700 --> 00:21:59,200 future. You experience eternal life. 346 00:21:59,300 --> 00:22:03,200 Now, if you are in Christ you are not a waiting eternal life. 347 00:22:03,200 --> 00:22:06,300 We're not just Meandering through this life, awaiting that 348 00:22:06,300 --> 00:22:09,000 moment of eternal life, you have eternal life. 349 00:22:09,100 --> 00:22:12,800 Now you have the quality of life that God has promised. 350 00:22:12,800 --> 00:22:17,200 You now it is yours now, because the spirit of God dwells inside 351 00:22:17,200 --> 00:22:22,600 of you, he has made you alive. You were alive in Christ, John 352 00:22:22,600 --> 00:22:25,600 5:24 says, truly. Truly, I say to you. 353 00:22:25,700 --> 00:22:28,600 So, Jesus is speaking here. Never hears, my word and 354 00:22:28,600 --> 00:22:32,000 believes him who sent me has eternal life. 355 00:22:32,500 --> 00:22:35,900 He does not come into judgment but has passed from Death to 356 00:22:35,900 --> 00:22:38,900 life. So this idea of Jesus is laying 357 00:22:38,900 --> 00:22:41,400 out, is that he has eternal life. 358 00:22:41,400 --> 00:22:45,500 Whoever's believed him who sent me has eternal life? 359 00:22:45,900 --> 00:22:48,000 Meaning, its presence. It's there. 360 00:22:48,000 --> 00:22:50,600 It's the moment that you believe in Christ. 361 00:22:51,700 --> 00:22:54,400 Lawson adds this to the idea of eternal life. 362 00:22:54,400 --> 00:22:57,600 Eternal life is receiving the very life of Jesus Christ 363 00:22:57,600 --> 00:23:01,400 himself John, 14. Jesus claimed that he is the 364 00:23:01,400 --> 00:23:06,800 bread of life, John 6:35 that is he alone gives Supernatural life 365 00:23:06,800 --> 00:23:10,300 to those who feed upon him. He is living bread. 366 00:23:10,300 --> 00:23:15,300 John 651, meaning that he is alive being full of life. 367 00:23:15,800 --> 00:23:19,000 He alone gives life abundantly John 10:10. 368 00:23:19,200 --> 00:23:23,700 This is why Jesus said that he is The life, John 11:25 and John 369 00:23:23,700 --> 00:23:27,000 14:6. This life is found in submitting 370 00:23:27,000 --> 00:23:31,200 his one's life to Jesus Christ, and a saving relationship, John 371 00:23:31,200 --> 00:23:36,900 17:3. But if you do not receive Christ 372 00:23:36,900 --> 00:23:42,200 by faith, If you do not receive him, you do not place your trust 373 00:23:42,200 --> 00:23:43,800 in him. Your faith in him for your 374 00:23:43,800 --> 00:23:47,700 salvation, then there is no spiritual life in you. 375 00:23:49,400 --> 00:23:54,700 Yours is an empty existence. The eternal life of God is found 376 00:23:54,700 --> 00:23:59,500 only by faith in Jesus Christ. God is the only source of 377 00:23:59,500 --> 00:24:02,900 eternal life. You won't find it in anything 378 00:24:02,900 --> 00:24:04,700 else. You won't find it in any one 379 00:24:04,900 --> 00:24:07,600 else and this is what Nicodemus needed to hear. 380 00:24:07,600 --> 00:24:12,300 Because Nicodemus is staking his life on the law on his ability 381 00:24:12,300 --> 00:24:16,000 to produce what he thinks is life. 382 00:24:16,900 --> 00:24:20,800 And though he had religion, he did not have eternal life. 383 00:24:21,800 --> 00:24:25,900 May it not be said of us. The second thing we see about 384 00:24:25,900 --> 00:24:29,200 eternal life that Christ is trying to communicate one of the 385 00:24:29,200 --> 00:24:31,600 truths. We know that eternal life means 386 00:24:31,600 --> 00:24:35,200 is, is this, that it's unbroken fellowship with God. 387 00:24:35,800 --> 00:24:38,400 So we turn a life is not only the quality of life that you 388 00:24:38,400 --> 00:24:41,800 have, but it's unbroken fellowship with God. 389 00:24:42,800 --> 00:24:46,400 Which speaks to the duration of this life, this present life 390 00:24:46,400 --> 00:24:48,800 with God will never come to an end. 391 00:24:48,800 --> 00:24:52,100 If you are in Christ by grace through faith, you will always 392 00:24:52,300 --> 00:24:54,200 be in Christ by grace through faith. 393 00:24:54,200 --> 00:24:58,700 You you will always be alive in him as a recipient of eternal 394 00:24:58,700 --> 00:25:01,800 life. You enjoy an unbroken fellowship 395 00:25:01,800 --> 00:25:05,600 with God. Again, Lawson is helpful here in 396 00:25:05,600 --> 00:25:08,500 his book, he says elsewhere. Jesus said, whoever drinks of 397 00:25:08,500 --> 00:25:11,700 the water that I will give him shall never thirst John for. 398 00:25:11,700 --> 00:25:15,000 In other words, the living this living water will forever be 399 00:25:15,000 --> 00:25:16,800 fulfilling. We need look no. 400 00:25:16,800 --> 00:25:18,800 Where else for our souls to be satiated. 401 00:25:18,800 --> 00:25:22,800 After taking one sip of this divine grace, we will never 402 00:25:22,800 --> 00:25:27,200 thirst again. This is the unending experience 403 00:25:27,200 --> 00:25:32,200 of eternal life in Christ. Jesus also said he who believes 404 00:25:32,200 --> 00:25:35,200 in me will never thirst. First John, 6, those who believe 405 00:25:35,200 --> 00:25:38,000 in Christ will always be fulfilled in him. 406 00:25:38,200 --> 00:25:42,800 He will never have to look elsewhere to be made content. 407 00:25:43,000 --> 00:25:46,700 Jesus also said he who eats this bread will live forever John 6 408 00:25:46,700 --> 00:25:48,900 again. In other words, those who eat 409 00:25:48,900 --> 00:25:52,300 and drink of Christ will Feast upon him with pleasure 410 00:25:52,500 --> 00:25:56,600 forevermore. With pleasure forevermore. 411 00:25:58,100 --> 00:26:02,000 Now, the world offers you instant gratification. 412 00:26:04,100 --> 00:26:08,700 Not may or may not bring temporary fulfillments, but make 413 00:26:08,700 --> 00:26:10,900 no mistake if there is fulfillment from instant 414 00:26:10,900 --> 00:26:15,700 gratification, it is temporary. It is temporary. 415 00:26:17,100 --> 00:26:20,200 It never brings Eternal fulfillment. 416 00:26:21,100 --> 00:26:25,500 You will go on seeking temporary pleasure for the rest of your 417 00:26:25,500 --> 00:26:28,200 life. If you do not submit yourself to 418 00:26:28,200 --> 00:26:32,200 Christ, However, let me add this. 419 00:26:32,200 --> 00:26:36,000 The fact that you are even seeking pleasure, the fact that 420 00:26:36,000 --> 00:26:39,600 you even want to be happy, the fact that you even want to 421 00:26:40,300 --> 00:26:47,200 experience good things in life, testifies to the truths of 422 00:26:47,200 --> 00:26:51,500 Eternity, you are seeking something to fulfill you. 423 00:26:53,200 --> 00:26:55,800 And so there is a longing for something that is eternally 424 00:26:55,800 --> 00:26:59,200 satisfying in. You But that can only be 425 00:26:59,200 --> 00:27:01,900 satisfied by something that brings Eternal fulfillment. 426 00:27:01,900 --> 00:27:04,800 So, this is where Jesus Christ comes in. 427 00:27:04,900 --> 00:27:08,500 And what Jesus Christ is offering here is not an instant 428 00:27:08,500 --> 00:27:13,000 gratification, but an internal gratification, it's a life 429 00:27:13,000 --> 00:27:17,400 change, your life is made new, it's unlike anything else this 430 00:27:17,400 --> 00:27:20,500 world has to offer and as you believe in Jesus Christ, you 431 00:27:20,500 --> 00:27:24,100 will forever have full contentment with him. 432 00:27:24,700 --> 00:27:27,000 In John 15 verses 9 through 11 Jesus. 433 00:27:27,000 --> 00:27:28,900 Again he's talking to Disciples here. 434 00:27:30,100 --> 00:27:33,400 And he says this, he says, as the father has loved me, so, 435 00:27:33,400 --> 00:27:39,100 have I loved you abide in? My love means, remain in my 436 00:27:39,100 --> 00:27:41,100 love. Stay in my love. 437 00:27:41,200 --> 00:27:46,300 How verse 10 if you can, if you keep my Commandments, you will 438 00:27:46,300 --> 00:27:49,000 abide in my love. Just as I have kept my father's 439 00:27:49,000 --> 00:27:51,300 Commandments and abide in his love. 440 00:27:51,700 --> 00:27:56,400 These things, I have spoken to you that my joy may be in you 441 00:27:56,500 --> 00:27:59,300 and that your joy may be full how many of you know, the joy of 442 00:27:59,300 --> 00:28:06,500 Christ It does not run out and then Joy of Christ is lasting. 443 00:28:06,600 --> 00:28:09,700 It's Eternal. And when he is in you and you 444 00:28:09,700 --> 00:28:14,000 are in him, your joy will be full. 445 00:28:15,600 --> 00:28:18,300 The third thing we see about eternal life is that it means 446 00:28:18,300 --> 00:28:23,200 Everlasting, pardon eternal life means that the life God has 447 00:28:23,200 --> 00:28:27,200 given to, you will never end. Now, at first, this may sound 448 00:28:27,200 --> 00:28:28,700 the same as the second point, right? 449 00:28:28,700 --> 00:28:32,400 Like you just talked about this, but they're different. 450 00:28:33,600 --> 00:28:37,300 They're different point to refers to the duration of 451 00:28:37,300 --> 00:28:40,600 eternal life, but this point refers to the life that you've 452 00:28:40,600 --> 00:28:44,300 received itself. Once you were dead in your sins, 453 00:28:44,300 --> 00:28:45,300 once you were dead in your trespasses. 454 00:28:45,400 --> 00:28:48,800 Passes once you were following your master Satan. 455 00:28:48,800 --> 00:28:53,100 But now if you were in Christ by faith, you are alive in Christ 456 00:28:53,500 --> 00:28:56,200 and you have been made Alive by the mercy and the love and the 457 00:28:56,200 --> 00:28:58,700 grace of God. According to Ephesians 2. 458 00:28:58,700 --> 00:29:01,300 You were no longer under God's judgment. 459 00:29:01,300 --> 00:29:05,900 You have real spiritual life. Now you are truly alive. 460 00:29:07,900 --> 00:29:11,800 And that will not end. It won't end. 461 00:29:13,300 --> 00:29:16,300 John 5:24 Jesus. Again, we've read this earlier, 462 00:29:16,300 --> 00:29:18,300 but I'll read it again. Truly, truly, I say to you, 463 00:29:18,300 --> 00:29:20,600 whoever hears my word and believes in him. 464 00:29:22,000 --> 00:29:24,800 Believes him who sent me has eternal life? 465 00:29:26,600 --> 00:29:31,600 He does not come into judgment, but has passed from Death To 466 00:29:31,600 --> 00:29:36,300 Life. The most high and holy God Of 467 00:29:36,300 --> 00:29:40,900 Heaven and Earth has pardoned you by the death of his own son. 468 00:29:42,200 --> 00:29:46,700 And if you will receive Christ, you will receive God's Eternal 469 00:29:46,900 --> 00:29:50,700 pardon that pardon will not be taken away from you. 470 00:29:51,000 --> 00:29:55,700 If a Believer could be pardoned for a few years, say five years, 471 00:29:55,700 --> 00:29:59,100 say a Believer could be pardoned for five years and then lose his 472 00:29:59,100 --> 00:30:03,400 or her salvation that is not eternal life. 473 00:30:03,600 --> 00:30:06,700 And then if a Believer, let's add some years to it. 474 00:30:06,708 --> 00:30:13,300 If a Believer could be pardoned for 10 years, And then lose his 475 00:30:13,300 --> 00:30:17,000 or her salvation, it would only be a 10-year life. 476 00:30:17,000 --> 00:30:22,600 That is not eternal life, but God has given eternal life to 477 00:30:22,600 --> 00:30:25,200 all of those who believe in Christ Jesus. 478 00:30:25,200 --> 00:30:30,300 This is a life that will never end goes on through eternity. 479 00:30:35,500 --> 00:30:37,500 Again Lawson's helpful, he's quoting Christ here. 480 00:30:37,500 --> 00:30:40,700 He says Jesus, says, truly, truly, I say to you everyone who 481 00:30:40,700 --> 00:30:44,900 commits sin, is the slave of sin, the slave does not remain 482 00:30:44,900 --> 00:30:49,100 in the house forever. The sun does remain forever. 483 00:30:49,500 --> 00:30:53,800 So if the sun now, he's talking about himself, makes you free, 484 00:30:54,000 --> 00:30:59,700 you will be free, indeed, John, 8:34 and 36, how many, you know? 485 00:30:59,700 --> 00:31:04,800 If the Son of God sets, you free, you are free, indeed. 486 00:31:04,800 --> 00:31:08,100 You are now A son or a daughter. You're no longer a slave. 487 00:31:08,400 --> 00:31:11,800 Amen. So, when we were born again lost 488 00:31:11,800 --> 00:31:15,000 in said, God delivers us from the Dominion, the domination, 489 00:31:15,000 --> 00:31:19,500 sorry of sin without Christ. Every person is under the wrath 490 00:31:19,500 --> 00:31:23,100 of God, John 3:36, all have sinned in the wages of sin is 491 00:31:23,100 --> 00:31:28,100 death, Romans 3:23 and 6:23 since God is Holy and just, he 492 00:31:28,100 --> 00:31:32,200 must punish the rebellious inner to Believe In Christ includes 493 00:31:32,400 --> 00:31:36,900 turning from a lifestyle of sin and turning to Christ with a 494 00:31:36,908 --> 00:31:43,100 submissive heart to believe is to To enter into salvation from 495 00:31:43,100 --> 00:31:46,400 the wrath of God. This is belief. 496 00:31:46,400 --> 00:31:50,300 And so when God regenerates You by his Spirit, you are 497 00:31:50,300 --> 00:31:53,000 immediately transferred from the condemnation of 498 00:31:53,000 --> 00:31:57,800 self-righteousness into the Eternal pardon of, Christ's 499 00:31:57,900 --> 00:32:01,700 righteousness, you are transferred from the kingdom of 500 00:32:01,700 --> 00:32:04,100 the devil, into the kingdom of God. 501 00:32:04,100 --> 00:32:11,300 This is the blessing of the new birth. and as a result of your 502 00:32:11,300 --> 00:32:15,600 new birth, As a result of being born again from above. 503 00:32:15,600 --> 00:32:20,900 You can now walk in obedience to the word of God, your old 504 00:32:20,900 --> 00:32:23,500 worldly, desires or passing away. 505 00:32:23,500 --> 00:32:27,600 You have been born again. You have been born Anew, you 506 00:32:27,600 --> 00:32:32,600 have been born from above, you are a new creation in Christ. 507 00:32:32,600 --> 00:32:36,800 Jesus created by God to walk in the good works, which God has 508 00:32:36,800 --> 00:32:42,100 prepared for you. You are truly truly free. 509 00:32:42,300 --> 00:32:44,300 From your bondage to sin. Amen. 510 00:32:45,700 --> 00:32:50,000 John 8:36 again. So if the son sets you free, you 511 00:32:50,000 --> 00:32:54,500 will be free, indeed. And so the one who is truly 512 00:32:54,500 --> 00:32:58,700 delivered from sin, by the new birth will never return to their 513 00:32:58,700 --> 00:33:02,800 old, Master will never return to their life of sin. 514 00:33:02,800 --> 00:33:05,800 This is not to say they won't have sin present. 515 00:33:05,800 --> 00:33:10,200 This is to say they are actively seeking to put to death for sin. 516 00:33:10,200 --> 00:33:14,900 That is in them as they strive to obey the commands of God. 517 00:33:15,100 --> 00:33:19,100 And when my flesh rubs up against the commands that God 518 00:33:19,100 --> 00:33:24,500 has said, I am saying not to God, Away from me, I am saying 519 00:33:24,500 --> 00:33:26,600 to my flesh. Go away from me. 520 00:33:26,600 --> 00:33:33,200 I am a boat's and redeemed. Child of God, I'm not a slave to 521 00:33:33,208 --> 00:33:34,400 my sin. Any longer? 522 00:33:36,700 --> 00:33:39,000 I've been adopted into the family of God. 523 00:33:39,700 --> 00:33:44,000 I'm his, he is mine, and I'm submitting myself to him. 524 00:33:44,700 --> 00:33:47,300 I saw this means, we submit everything to the rule of 525 00:33:47,300 --> 00:33:51,400 Christ. Your thoughts, your actions, the 526 00:33:51,400 --> 00:33:54,500 members of your body, Paul says, Is should be used for 527 00:33:54,500 --> 00:33:56,500 righteousness. Once they were used for 528 00:33:56,500 --> 00:34:00,100 unrighteousness, but you're submitting yourself to God, your 529 00:34:00,100 --> 00:34:03,600 emotions, you're going through a bad day, you're worried, you're 530 00:34:03,600 --> 00:34:07,500 stressed out, you're fearful, whatever the emotions are. 531 00:34:07,600 --> 00:34:12,199 You're saying to your emotions submit to the truths of God? 532 00:34:12,900 --> 00:34:15,800 You're not letting your emotions, run your actions. 533 00:34:17,000 --> 00:34:20,100 Right, I've said it before, I'll say it again. 534 00:34:20,100 --> 00:34:24,900 Sometimes it's easier to act your way into a feeling than it, 535 00:34:24,900 --> 00:34:26,699 is to feel your way into an action. 536 00:34:29,400 --> 00:34:31,900 In other words, we know what God's word says, about 537 00:34:31,900 --> 00:34:36,000 something, whatever it may be, do not do this, or do this. 538 00:34:36,400 --> 00:34:40,100 And if Will obey that, if will tell God, I'm trusting you to 539 00:34:40,100 --> 00:34:43,400 help me obey this command. So there might glorify your name 540 00:34:43,400 --> 00:34:45,600 and not my own. I won't don't want to submit to 541 00:34:45,600 --> 00:34:48,100 my own feelings, my own thoughts. 542 00:34:48,100 --> 00:34:51,900 My own desires. I want to submit to you. if 543 00:34:51,900 --> 00:34:57,800 you'll do that, if you'll do that, you'll receive new 544 00:34:57,800 --> 00:35:01,300 desires. If you'll do that, your mind is 545 00:35:01,300 --> 00:35:04,300 transformed by the renewal of the Holy Spirit. 546 00:35:06,000 --> 00:35:08,700 You come to know what Paul calls, the good and the 547 00:35:08,700 --> 00:35:12,900 acceptable in the perfect will of God in Romans 12. 548 00:35:12,900 --> 00:35:15,900 Verse 2, submitting yourself to him. 549 00:35:16,300 --> 00:35:20,400 Having your mind renewed having your heart renewed but don't let 550 00:35:20,400 --> 00:35:23,700 your emotions run. You don't let the Tail Wag the 551 00:35:23,700 --> 00:35:26,500 Dog so to speak. Amen. 552 00:35:26,600 --> 00:35:33,400 Follow Christ and obedience. Do not return to your old way of 553 00:35:33,400 --> 00:35:35,100 life. This is eternal life that you 554 00:35:35,100 --> 00:35:37,900 have in Christ means that you are no longer a slave to sin. 555 00:35:38,000 --> 00:35:40,600 So don't put yourself back in bondage. 556 00:35:40,600 --> 00:35:42,900 Don't look at the Lord as the Israelites did and say there's 557 00:35:42,900 --> 00:35:45,000 no food or well, the food you've given us. 558 00:35:45,000 --> 00:35:47,100 I don't like, I want to go back to Egypt. 559 00:35:48,200 --> 00:35:51,900 Don't do it. Receive the word of the Lord 560 00:35:51,900 --> 00:35:54,700 receive the bread that he's provided received. 561 00:35:55,000 --> 00:35:59,400 The water that he gives and walk in him. 562 00:35:59,400 --> 00:36:01,900 Don't be a slave to sin. This is why Paul says in 563 00:36:01,900 --> 00:36:04,800 Galatians 2:20. As he's talking about putting to 564 00:36:04,800 --> 00:36:08,700 death that desire to want to justify Yourself by your actions 565 00:36:08,700 --> 00:36:11,600 and Galatians 2:20. He says I have been crucified 566 00:36:11,600 --> 00:36:14,700 with Christ. It is no longer I who live but 567 00:36:14,700 --> 00:36:17,100 Christ who lives in me and the life. 568 00:36:17,100 --> 00:36:20,100 I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the son of God. 569 00:36:20,200 --> 00:36:25,000 Who gave himself for me? What's he sayin? 570 00:36:25,000 --> 00:36:27,700 He said everything about my flesh is now lived by faith in 571 00:36:27,700 --> 00:36:30,200 Christ. I'm not letting my flesh, run 572 00:36:30,200 --> 00:36:34,500 me, I have a new life in Christ. I'm crucifying My Flesh. 573 00:36:37,200 --> 00:36:40,200 Another thing that we know about the New Birth is that will never 574 00:36:40,200 --> 00:36:44,000 see spiritual death. Once you have been made alive, 575 00:36:44,000 --> 00:36:47,100 eternally, you are alive eternally. 576 00:36:48,000 --> 00:36:52,500 You will live forever. Though, your body will perish. 577 00:36:54,000 --> 00:36:57,400 For example, Jesus told Martha, one of Lazarus sisters. 578 00:36:57,400 --> 00:37:00,600 Who was mourning the loss of her brother and John chapter 11? 579 00:37:01,600 --> 00:37:03,900 He says, there are she's upset with him if you had been here. 580 00:37:03,900 --> 00:37:06,500 Lord, this would not have happened in Jesus says to her, I 581 00:37:06,500 --> 00:37:11,100 am the resurrection and the life, he who believes in me will 582 00:37:11,100 --> 00:37:15,300 live even if he dies. And everyone who believe, who 583 00:37:15,300 --> 00:37:19,200 lives and Believes In Me will never die. 584 00:37:20,600 --> 00:37:23,700 Do you believe this? He says to her and so I ask you, 585 00:37:23,700 --> 00:37:26,900 do you believe this that Christ is the resurrection and the 586 00:37:26,900 --> 00:37:29,000 life. Once you were born again to 587 00:37:29,008 --> 00:37:33,500 believe in Jesus, you will truly live forever with God. 588 00:37:34,700 --> 00:37:39,700 When You Believe In Christ, you have been regenerated by the 589 00:37:39,700 --> 00:37:40,900 spirit of God, the spirit of God. 590 00:37:40,900 --> 00:37:44,700 Now lives with you. John 14:16. 591 00:37:44,700 --> 00:37:47,700 He says, I will ask the father and he will give you another 592 00:37:47,700 --> 00:37:51,400 helper to be with you forever. The spirit of God is with you 593 00:37:51,500 --> 00:37:54,500 forever. The helper here is the holy 594 00:37:54,500 --> 00:37:57,000 spirit. He indwells you your life. 595 00:37:57,000 --> 00:37:59,300 The lives of God's disciples forever. 596 00:38:01,400 --> 00:38:03,900 Again Lawson is helpful here. He says this in his book. 597 00:38:03,900 --> 00:38:07,200 He says, no believer will ever forfeit the residing presence of 598 00:38:07,207 --> 00:38:09,100 the spirit. No life and dwelt. 599 00:38:09,100 --> 00:38:12,100 By this Divine helper will ever be vacated by him. 600 00:38:13,300 --> 00:38:16,600 Whoever believes in, the son is instantly, given eternal life, 601 00:38:16,600 --> 00:38:20,700 all believers have unending life that can never be forfeited. 602 00:38:21,100 --> 00:38:22,200 He goes on to say a little later. 603 00:38:22,200 --> 00:38:24,700 He says, every believer her can be comforted that we are 604 00:38:24,700 --> 00:38:27,800 eternally pardoned from all sins and forever released from the 605 00:38:27,800 --> 00:38:32,200 slavery to sin to, which we once were bound, We Are Forever 606 00:38:32,200 --> 00:38:35,700 Living in reality with God and forever, having his spirit and 607 00:38:35,700 --> 00:38:37,900 dwell and Empower all who trust in. 608 00:38:37,900 --> 00:38:42,000 Jesus Christ, all of these promises are unconditional and 609 00:38:42,000 --> 00:38:45,500 unending, amen. Church. 610 00:38:45,500 --> 00:38:51,100 It is important for you to know that you receive the new birth 611 00:38:51,100 --> 00:38:56,600 once for all time. Once for all time, God's initial 612 00:38:56,600 --> 00:38:59,900 work of regeneration and justification that is causing 613 00:38:59,900 --> 00:39:01,900 your new birth giving you a new heart. 614 00:39:02,100 --> 00:39:04,100 And then giving you the righteousness of Christ 615 00:39:04,100 --> 00:39:07,700 justifying you in his own site, by the blood of his own son, 616 00:39:08,300 --> 00:39:14,400 that work is eternal. No one is ever born again again, 617 00:39:14,500 --> 00:39:18,000 as Lawson says. But the Divine Act of 618 00:39:18,008 --> 00:39:21,200 regeneration can never be reversed, it can never be 619 00:39:21,200 --> 00:39:26,500 revoked. It has it in it, God makes you 620 00:39:26,600 --> 00:39:30,500 alive and if God has made you alive, you were truly alive. 621 00:39:33,200 --> 00:39:36,200 And so, I want to, I want to close with this today. 622 00:39:41,100 --> 00:39:43,400 No matter. The first thing I want to say to 623 00:39:43,400 --> 00:39:46,700 you is no matter how religious or irreligious you are. 624 00:39:49,500 --> 00:39:52,900 No matter how much you've tried to practice the right things in 625 00:39:52,900 --> 00:39:56,400 your life or not, tried to practice the right things in 626 00:39:56,400 --> 00:40:00,400 your life. You must be born again. 627 00:40:01,900 --> 00:40:06,600 You must be born again. The second thing I want you to 628 00:40:06,600 --> 00:40:09,300 know is that you must end that being born. 629 00:40:09,300 --> 00:40:13,000 Again, you must rely completely on your personal faith. 630 00:40:13,000 --> 00:40:16,600 In Jesus Christ to deliver you from Eternal punishment. 631 00:40:17,400 --> 00:40:23,400 If you will humble yourself, if you will submit yourself. 632 00:40:23,400 --> 00:40:28,300 Commit yourself to Christ. He will rescue you from your 633 00:40:28,300 --> 00:40:30,900 sins and he will give you eternal life. 634 00:40:31,500 --> 00:40:35,500 Salvation comes by God's grace alone through Through faith 635 00:40:35,500 --> 00:40:41,600 alone in Christ alone. Eternal life is found by looking 636 00:40:41,800 --> 00:40:46,200 to Christ and him crucified. and the third thing I want you to 637 00:40:46,200 --> 00:40:51,900 know is that if you are born again, you must walk in 638 00:40:51,900 --> 00:40:57,800 obedience to God's commands. Not to make yourself born again. 639 00:40:57,800 --> 00:41:02,400 Not to cause a being born again. But because you have been born 640 00:41:02,400 --> 00:41:05,300 again, you're called to obedience to him. 641 00:41:06,700 --> 00:41:10,500 Your life is not your own. You now live for ever for the 642 00:41:10,500 --> 00:41:14,300 Renown of a greater name, you live forever, for the advance of 643 00:41:14,300 --> 00:41:17,500 a better Kingdom, you live forever to Bear. 644 00:41:17,500 --> 00:41:20,800 The fruit of righteousness from this new life that you have in 645 00:41:20,800 --> 00:41:22,900 Christ. And in fact, that fruit of 646 00:41:22,900 --> 00:41:27,400 righteousness, is the best validating proof of being born 647 00:41:27,400 --> 00:41:29,700 again. Is that your bearing? 648 00:41:29,700 --> 00:41:34,000 The Works of God. Your fruitful in his 649 00:41:34,000 --> 00:41:37,500 righteousness, And so I say to you, if you were my brothers and 650 00:41:37,500 --> 00:41:40,300 sisters because of your faith in Christ, I say to you this, what 651 00:41:40,300 --> 00:41:46,300 an encouragement, this is to us. What an encouragement this word 652 00:41:46,300 --> 00:41:49,000 is to us. That if you will look to the son 653 00:41:49,000 --> 00:41:52,700 of man and believe in him, you will have eternal life. 654 00:41:54,200 --> 00:41:58,200 We are just as surely destined for the Kingdom of Heaven, as 655 00:41:58,200 --> 00:41:59,400 though we have already been there. 656 00:41:59,400 --> 00:42:06,100 Ten Thousand Years. Your Eternal Destiny is sure. 657 00:42:07,800 --> 00:42:14,200 As though you're already there. And I want you to rest in this 658 00:42:14,200 --> 00:42:17,000 eternal security that you've been given by God through his 659 00:42:17,000 --> 00:42:20,100 Saving Grace. You stand your feet this 660 00:42:20,100 --> 00:42:31,800 morning. We're going to practice. 661 00:42:34,100 --> 00:42:35,700 Practice is probably a weird way to say. 662 00:42:35,700 --> 00:42:38,100 We're going to receive today. The Lord's Supper. 663 00:42:39,400 --> 00:42:41,200 I'm going to receive communion today. 664 00:42:41,800 --> 00:42:44,100 And so the ushers are preparing that as they're preparing, that 665 00:42:44,100 --> 00:42:47,600 almost say a couple of words about communion at New Life 666 00:42:47,600 --> 00:42:52,900 Church. One we practice what, we call 667 00:42:52,900 --> 00:42:55,400 close communion here, which means as long as you are a 668 00:42:55,400 --> 00:42:59,400 Believer, a born-again believer in Jesus, Christ and saved from 669 00:42:59,400 --> 00:43:02,300 your sins. Your faith is in him, you 670 00:43:02,300 --> 00:43:06,600 followed him in baptism. Then we invite you to receive 671 00:43:06,600 --> 00:43:10,500 communion with us today. Whether you're visiting or you 672 00:43:10,500 --> 00:43:12,300 remember here, you're invited to partake. 673 00:43:14,900 --> 00:43:18,600 Let me pray for us and then and then they'll start passing this 674 00:43:18,600 --> 00:43:19,500 out. Thanks dude. 675 00:43:20,600 --> 00:43:22,600 Heavenly Father, we love you, we praise you. 676 00:43:22,600 --> 00:43:26,000 For the word we received today and we're just as we've seen 677 00:43:26,000 --> 00:43:30,500 today, that those who believe in you must Feast on you, that 678 00:43:30,500 --> 00:43:34,200 Christ is the bread of life. And he is said that whoever will 679 00:43:34,200 --> 00:43:38,200 eat my flesh and drink, my blood will have eternal life and we 680 00:43:38,200 --> 00:43:41,000 know father that he was not advocating. 681 00:43:43,700 --> 00:43:48,300 Some weird practice. But Lord, that what we do now is 682 00:43:48,300 --> 00:43:52,400 in faith as we receive the bread, and the Cup today, it's 683 00:43:52,400 --> 00:43:54,200 in faith. It's faith. 684 00:43:54,200 --> 00:43:57,900 In Christ, his death, his resurrection for the Forgiveness 685 00:43:57,900 --> 00:44:00,300 of our sins. So, Lord help us. 686 00:44:00,300 --> 00:44:03,100 Now, in this moment, to examine ourselves to be honest about 687 00:44:03,100 --> 00:44:06,100 where we are, help us to be repentance. 688 00:44:06,300 --> 00:44:11,600 Now, help us to lay aside foolishness UPS, to lay aside 689 00:44:11,600 --> 00:44:13,800 our own stupidity. Help us to lay aside our own 690 00:44:13,800 --> 00:44:16,600 ignorance. And, and to pursue you today, 691 00:44:18,900 --> 00:44:21,400 Lord, would you save us from any Works? 692 00:44:21,400 --> 00:44:23,300 Based righteousness that exists in us? 693 00:44:23,300 --> 00:44:26,000 Help us to not be like Nicodemus. 694 00:44:27,800 --> 00:44:29,600 Help us to stand on You, by faith. 695 00:44:30,400 --> 00:44:32,400 The father, there's is anyone in here today? 696 00:44:32,400 --> 00:44:34,400 Who does not know you as their savior? 697 00:44:34,900 --> 00:44:38,700 Who's not placed themselves on the rock of Christ Jesus, who 698 00:44:38,700 --> 00:44:40,900 was not looking to the cross for their salvation. 699 00:44:40,900 --> 00:44:43,900 But rather they're looking to themselves to their own good 700 00:44:43,900 --> 00:44:47,100 works or maybe they're just completely and despair that 701 00:44:47,100 --> 00:44:51,400 salvation can't. It cannot be for them. 702 00:44:51,400 --> 00:44:54,500 Lord, help them to see that. Oh yes it is. 703 00:44:55,500 --> 00:44:59,700 Salvation is for all Call on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, 704 00:45:00,000 --> 00:45:02,400 who will believe in them with their whole Hearts, who will 705 00:45:02,400 --> 00:45:06,400 confess his death, his resurrection with their mouth. 706 00:45:07,700 --> 00:45:10,500 They can be saved. Or would you save them today? 707 00:45:12,000 --> 00:45:13,200 Lord. We thank you for these moments. 708 00:45:13,200 --> 00:45:18,100 We have they are holy moments. Prepare our hearts for Christ's 709 00:45:18,100 --> 00:45:18,800 name. We pray. 710 00:45:18,900 --> 00:45:19,300 Amen.