1 00:00:04,800 --> 00:00:11,300 Let me let me add my welcome to each of you this morning and to 2 00:00:11,300 --> 00:00:13,600 any of you that might be visiting with us today. 3 00:00:14,700 --> 00:00:18,900 My name is is Steve, I'm one of the Elder candidates here at New 4 00:00:18,900 --> 00:00:21,900 Life. Did everybody enjoy their spring 5 00:00:21,900 --> 00:00:24,100 break this week? Yeah. 6 00:00:25,900 --> 00:00:29,400 Oh no. Oh no. 7 00:00:29,400 --> 00:00:31,700 Oh how terrible? So is everybody ready to go back 8 00:00:31,700 --> 00:00:35,800 to school tomorrow. I didn't think so. 9 00:00:36,200 --> 00:00:40,800 I didn't think so. Well, I've got something to tell 10 00:00:40,800 --> 00:00:42,200 you that happened to me this week. 11 00:00:42,200 --> 00:00:45,900 You know, I've always always try to do some kind of 12 00:00:45,900 --> 00:00:48,800 self-deprecating humor before I get started. 13 00:00:50,100 --> 00:00:51,800 Let me tell you, a little, something that happened to me 14 00:00:51,800 --> 00:00:56,200 this week on spring break. L, don't know me? 15 00:00:57,500 --> 00:01:00,700 I have two adult children and how they ever got to adulthood. 16 00:01:00,700 --> 00:01:06,700 I really don't know, but but they did, but Week Sondra and 17 00:01:06,700 --> 00:01:09,700 Megan had something that they had to do really early one 18 00:01:09,700 --> 00:01:15,900 morning. So so cult and Kenley spent the 19 00:01:15,900 --> 00:01:21,100 night with Sondra not. So Sondra and Megan get up 20 00:01:21,100 --> 00:01:25,700 really early and take off to go do what they've got to do and 21 00:01:25,700 --> 00:01:32,300 they left me with Colton kindling, I kept them by myself 22 00:01:32,300 --> 00:01:40,600 for four hours. Now, I do need to tell you this. 23 00:01:40,600 --> 00:01:42,400 They were asleep three of those hours. 24 00:01:44,100 --> 00:01:49,900 Okay? So so they get up and I've got 25 00:01:49,900 --> 00:01:55,200 to my job, is to take them to my sister-in-law's, who is going to 26 00:01:55,200 --> 00:01:58,300 keep them until Sondra and Megan gets back. 27 00:01:59,400 --> 00:02:04,400 So so they wake up and we're getting ready. 28 00:02:04,900 --> 00:02:09,500 And what I didn't know was apparently, Ali Saundra had had 29 00:02:09,500 --> 00:02:14,200 a conversation with cold the night before and said, now 30 00:02:14,200 --> 00:02:17,700 you're going to have to help paw with getting everything ready. 31 00:02:17,700 --> 00:02:24,300 So so cult we're getting ready to you know, we get Kenley up 32 00:02:24,300 --> 00:02:26,500 and get diapers changed. We get all that stuff, done. 33 00:02:26,900 --> 00:02:30,200 And Colt comes in as just don't forget the milk. 34 00:02:31,100 --> 00:02:35,000 Then he comes back and he says, don't forget the backpack and 35 00:02:35,000 --> 00:02:37,700 I'm looking at him and I said, how do you know what Gigi told 36 00:02:37,700 --> 00:02:43,800 me to remind you of all this stuff so between Colton died, we 37 00:02:43,800 --> 00:02:45,600 took care of Kenley, didn't we? Buddy? 38 00:02:45,900 --> 00:02:51,600 Thank you so much for your help. But anyway, I thought that was 39 00:02:51,900 --> 00:02:54,300 that was my big moment for this week. 40 00:02:54,500 --> 00:02:58,100 I kept the kids for four hours and you all that know, me know, 41 00:02:58,100 --> 00:03:02,200 that is a huge deal because I'm never going to be grandparent of 42 00:03:02,200 --> 00:03:07,000 the year. Don't get me wrong. 43 00:03:07,000 --> 00:03:12,300 Now I love my grandkids. I do I love them dearly but I 44 00:03:12,300 --> 00:03:14,700 like it a whole lot better when somebody else has got 45 00:03:14,700 --> 00:03:18,700 responsibility for them and if they're they're swinging on 46 00:03:18,700 --> 00:03:24,600 somebody else's ceiling fan or something kid and kids don't 47 00:03:24,900 --> 00:03:26,100 kill their. Don't don't do that. 48 00:03:26,100 --> 00:03:30,800 I'm just I'm playing. So anyway that was that was my 49 00:03:30,800 --> 00:03:35,800 excitement for the week. Now that to get serious for just 50 00:03:35,800 --> 00:03:39,300 a sec. I mentioned to you a minute ago 51 00:03:39,500 --> 00:03:44,700 that that I'm an elder candidate here and one of the things that 52 00:03:45,200 --> 00:03:52,500 that I realized when when I felt God put that on my heart. 53 00:03:53,000 --> 00:03:57,200 Was that you how if I was going to do this? 54 00:03:57,400 --> 00:04:02,400 If I was going to Aspire to be an elder, I want it to be 55 00:04:02,400 --> 00:04:11,300 totally open and honest with you guys and I want you to know that 56 00:04:12,000 --> 00:04:17,600 that I covet your prayers, always, but I especially covet 57 00:04:17,600 --> 00:04:21,600 your prayers do. During this process, I'm 58 00:04:21,600 --> 00:04:27,300 grateful to the leadership here for helping through helping me 59 00:04:27,300 --> 00:04:32,000 through what is probably been one of the most humbling yet. 60 00:04:32,000 --> 00:04:35,100 Edifying, processes that that I've ever been through. 61 00:04:37,500 --> 00:04:47,200 It's been overwhelming at times. But there are days when I am 62 00:04:47,200 --> 00:04:52,500 absolutely totally certain that, this is what God wants me to do. 63 00:04:54,200 --> 00:04:57,800 Without a question. And then there's other days 64 00:04:58,400 --> 00:05:03,700 where I think, what am I doing? What what, what am I doing? 65 00:05:03,700 --> 00:05:09,100 If my age up here, trying to put to put together a sermon and 66 00:05:09,100 --> 00:05:14,800 stand in front of you guys and and preach to you, what? 67 00:05:14,800 --> 00:05:18,800 God's truths are, what am I doing? 68 00:05:21,900 --> 00:05:29,300 but then, I look at the broken sinful world that our kids are 69 00:05:29,700 --> 00:05:34,100 are in and that we're leaving for our kids and grandchildren 70 00:05:34,300 --> 00:05:37,500 and it makes and it really makes me realize that God still got 71 00:05:37,500 --> 00:05:42,700 work for me to do. It doesn't matter your age. 72 00:05:43,300 --> 00:05:45,500 It doesn't matter. Your place in life. 73 00:05:48,500 --> 00:05:53,300 I don't have the ability of my own to do anything to fix 74 00:05:53,300 --> 00:05:57,700 anything, but I do know that there are small things that I 75 00:05:57,700 --> 00:06:03,300 can do when I follow God's lead that they can help. 76 00:06:04,400 --> 00:06:11,000 So here I am again, standing up here asking for your prayers. 77 00:06:12,100 --> 00:06:19,100 Your patience with me as I seek to, as best. 78 00:06:19,100 --> 00:06:23,600 I know how to, to share with you what God has has laid on my 79 00:06:23,600 --> 00:06:29,300 heart for this week. The Sprite. 80 00:06:33,700 --> 00:06:36,500 Father. I love you. 81 00:06:38,400 --> 00:06:47,600 I thank you for being the very definition, the very essence of 82 00:06:47,600 --> 00:06:56,900 Love, of Grace of Mercy. father, I thank you that that you can 83 00:06:56,900 --> 00:07:03,600 use us, no matter what our state in life is to help build your 84 00:07:03,600 --> 00:07:06,000 kingdom. I'm humbled. 85 00:07:06,700 --> 00:07:10,900 Father, that said, I I have this opportunity this morning. 86 00:07:13,200 --> 00:07:16,900 Father, I pray that you filled me with your spirit. 87 00:07:20,300 --> 00:07:28,300 Allow me to think, clearly. Allow me to speak clearly and 88 00:07:28,300 --> 00:07:34,400 boldly. I pray that I'm able to share 89 00:07:34,400 --> 00:07:41,100 the truths that you have shown me about this passage And I pray 90 00:07:41,100 --> 00:07:45,700 that that. This passage is, is crystal 91 00:07:45,700 --> 00:07:50,500 clear. So that if there's anybody here 92 00:07:50,500 --> 00:07:56,400 today, that doesn't know you. That before they leave today 93 00:07:56,500 --> 00:08:01,500 that they will understand what being born again really means. 94 00:08:03,300 --> 00:08:07,300 I ask all this in Jesus name. Amen, thank you. 95 00:08:07,500 --> 00:08:09,500 Okay, we're ready to get started. 96 00:08:10,200 --> 00:08:12,000 Okay. Okay. 97 00:08:12,000 --> 00:08:17,700 So the big idea for today or what I'd like for you to walk 98 00:08:17,700 --> 00:08:24,000 away with today. Is a better understanding that 99 00:08:24,100 --> 00:08:30,900 God's regenerative work brings new life to our hearts, through 100 00:08:30,900 --> 00:08:34,100 the Spotless cleansing of the Holy Spirit. 101 00:08:35,600 --> 00:08:40,700 You say that again? God's regenerative work brings 102 00:08:40,700 --> 00:08:45,000 new life. To our hearts through the 103 00:08:45,000 --> 00:08:49,400 Spotless cleansing of the Holy Spirit. 104 00:08:50,900 --> 00:08:54,400 Now, this morning, we're going to continue our Series in John 105 00:08:54,400 --> 00:08:58,500 3, entitled, the law in the gospel, you must be born again 106 00:09:00,700 --> 00:09:03,300 for the last several weeks. We've looked at this. 107 00:09:04,200 --> 00:09:08,100 And we've looked at this meeting between Nicodemus, and Jesus. 108 00:09:08,900 --> 00:09:14,200 And you're probably thinking again. yes, we're going to look 109 00:09:14,200 --> 00:09:20,800 at it again because this is different than studies that we 110 00:09:20,800 --> 00:09:25,000 may have done in the past where we take chunks of scripture and 111 00:09:25,300 --> 00:09:31,100 we spend time dissecting that and seeing what God is saying in 112 00:09:31,100 --> 00:09:35,500 that chunk of scripture. But in this part of John 3, 113 00:09:35,500 --> 00:09:43,900 there is so much in each word. Each phrase in these verses that 114 00:09:43,900 --> 00:09:48,800 there's just no way. The, we can take that is at one 115 00:09:48,800 --> 00:09:52,400 time, you just be overwhelming to try to understand. 116 00:09:53,100 --> 00:09:56,600 So, just like that old saying, how do you eat an elephant one 117 00:09:56,600 --> 00:09:59,000 bite at a time? That's what we're going to do. 118 00:10:01,100 --> 00:10:08,000 So, The over the last few weeks. Colin Jasper, have done an 119 00:10:08,800 --> 00:10:17,200 awesome job unpacking verses 1 through 4 for us even and now We 120 00:10:17,200 --> 00:10:19,400 putting all my faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. 121 00:10:19,400 --> 00:10:24,300 I'm going to try my best to do the same for verse 5 so that's 122 00:10:24,300 --> 00:10:29,500 where we're going to be this morning is in John 3 verse 5 but 123 00:10:29,500 --> 00:10:35,300 since these verses build upon themselves we're going to we're 124 00:10:35,300 --> 00:10:38,200 going to back up again. Just like we have and we're 125 00:10:38,200 --> 00:10:43,700 going to start in the chapter previous in Chapter 2 will start 126 00:10:43,700 --> 00:10:48,800 in verse 23 because that kind of sets up everything that we're 127 00:10:48,808 --> 00:10:52,900 going to talk about. So, let's look at John to 128 00:10:53,000 --> 00:10:57,200 starting in verse 23. We're says now when he was in 129 00:10:57,200 --> 00:11:02,000 Jerusalem at the Passover, feast many believed in his name, when 130 00:11:02,000 --> 00:11:06,300 they saw the signs that he was doing, The Jesus on his part, 131 00:11:06,300 --> 00:11:10,700 didn't did not entrust them to him, because he knew all the 132 00:11:10,700 --> 00:11:15,100 people and no one and needed. No one to Bear witness about 133 00:11:15,100 --> 00:11:18,400 man. For he himself knew what was in, 134 00:11:18,400 --> 00:11:21,500 man. So continuing in chapter 3, 135 00:11:21,500 --> 00:11:23,600 verse 1. Now there was a man of the 136 00:11:23,600 --> 00:11:28,000 Pharisees named Nicodemus. A ruler of the Jews. 137 00:11:28,500 --> 00:11:32,500 This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, Rabbi, we know 138 00:11:32,500 --> 00:11:34,300 that you are a teacher come from God. 139 00:11:34,400 --> 00:11:37,900 God for no one. Can do these signs that you do 140 00:11:38,000 --> 00:11:41,100 unless it is with him, Jesus answered him. 141 00:11:41,100 --> 00:11:46,000 Truly, truly, I say to you. Unless one is born again, he 142 00:11:46,000 --> 00:11:51,000 cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus said to him, how can a 143 00:11:51,000 --> 00:11:55,500 man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into 144 00:11:55,500 --> 00:12:00,300 his mother's womb and be born? Jesus answered, truly. 145 00:12:00,300 --> 00:12:05,500 Truly, I say to you. Unless one is born of water and 146 00:12:05,500 --> 00:12:09,600 the spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 147 00:12:10,600 --> 00:12:14,800 So quick review. Jesus in Jerusalem for the 148 00:12:14,800 --> 00:12:17,900 Passover. Now let's talk about the 149 00:12:17,900 --> 00:12:25,200 Passover for just a second. We know that when when Jesus 150 00:12:25,200 --> 00:12:28,300 opened God led the Israelites out of Egypt. 151 00:12:28,500 --> 00:12:31,800 They celebrated the first Passover meal and during that 152 00:12:31,800 --> 00:12:34,900 time that they were in the desert. 153 00:12:35,700 --> 00:12:42,200 God gave them seven feasts that they were to observe and I will 154 00:12:42,200 --> 00:12:46,800 say this if you have never taken a look at those seven. 155 00:12:46,900 --> 00:12:50,400 Feasts in detail they are amazing. 156 00:12:51,000 --> 00:12:58,700 They are a types and shadows of Jesus to come and the the 157 00:12:58,700 --> 00:13:01,400 relationship is just absolutely amazing. 158 00:13:02,500 --> 00:13:06,400 But Passover was a festive occasion. 159 00:13:06,900 --> 00:13:10,800 It was a celebration of Israel's released from Egyptian bondage. 160 00:13:12,700 --> 00:13:17,200 And if we if we take a look at those feasts it gives us a 161 00:13:17,200 --> 00:13:22,000 better understanding of why the Jews thought the way they did 162 00:13:22,300 --> 00:13:25,000 and the will and the reason that they still think the way they 163 00:13:25,000 --> 00:13:30,400 do. To me, if we don't get our minds 164 00:13:30,400 --> 00:13:35,300 wrapped around the Jewish thought process and the thought 165 00:13:35,300 --> 00:13:40,800 process of that day, when we're when we're reading scripture, we 166 00:13:40,800 --> 00:13:45,000 kind of miss something. So I want to kind of give you an 167 00:13:45,000 --> 00:13:50,100 idea of what Jerusalem looked like during that Passover feast. 168 00:13:53,900 --> 00:13:57,900 As best we can tell. Now you can always find 169 00:13:57,900 --> 00:14:03,600 different numbers but it's best. We can tell Jerusalem during 170 00:14:03,600 --> 00:14:08,600 that time would have been about 230 acres in size. 171 00:14:09,900 --> 00:14:13,600 And it's normal population would have been somewhere around 172 00:14:13,600 --> 00:14:18,800 25,000. So that's still a lot of people 173 00:14:19,000 --> 00:14:22,200 25,000 230 Acres. That's a lot. 174 00:14:22,200 --> 00:14:26,700 So, so even on a normal day in Jerusalem, it's busy. 175 00:14:28,100 --> 00:14:33,300 Now, Josephus, who was the first century Roman Jewish historian, 176 00:14:34,600 --> 00:14:39,600 he places the number of those attending Passover at 2 million, 177 00:14:41,400 --> 00:14:45,700 Now Josephus is known to kind of stretch things and kind of twist 178 00:14:45,700 --> 00:14:48,200 things a little bit. So I did a little bit more 179 00:14:48,200 --> 00:14:52,500 research and found that other really a more realistic. 180 00:14:52,500 --> 00:14:56,700 Number may have been somewhere around 500,000. 181 00:14:58,000 --> 00:14:59,700 But we're still think about that. 182 00:15:00,500 --> 00:15:06,400 We're going from a typical population of 25,000 to all of a 183 00:15:06,400 --> 00:15:10,900 sudden within the week or two leading up to Passover. 184 00:15:11,200 --> 00:15:14,400 We've got a half a million people in town. 185 00:15:16,800 --> 00:15:21,100 So, even if you take the lower estimate of 500,000 and not 186 00:15:21,100 --> 00:15:27,100 Josephus has two million, that would mean that every house in 187 00:15:27,100 --> 00:15:31,000 town. Every hotel in town. 188 00:15:32,400 --> 00:15:41,700 Every Motel 6, every Airbnb. Every palm leaf covered Hut, 189 00:15:42,000 --> 00:15:45,600 would have been full of people, and you're not going to be able 190 00:15:45,600 --> 00:15:48,400 to get that many people inside the walls of Jerusalem. 191 00:15:48,400 --> 00:15:52,400 So they would have even been camped outside of the walls. 192 00:15:53,700 --> 00:15:59,700 And remember to that, each one of those families had come to 193 00:15:59,700 --> 00:16:06,300 Jerusalem to sacrifice a lamb. So each one of those families 194 00:16:07,000 --> 00:16:12,400 were keeping a lamb for that week, leading up to that Friday 195 00:16:12,400 --> 00:16:19,900 when the Lambs were sacrificed. and then, on top of all that 196 00:16:20,800 --> 00:16:24,900 we've got Roman soldiers there Because there would have been a 197 00:16:24,900 --> 00:16:30,800 Garrison of Roman soldiers there because Rome is not about to let 198 00:16:31,000 --> 00:16:36,900 this many Jews get together in one place at one time without 199 00:16:36,900 --> 00:16:40,700 having some sort of control to keep from having a having an 200 00:16:40,700 --> 00:16:46,300 uprising or a riot. so I think it's safe to say that during 201 00:16:46,300 --> 00:16:54,300 this time, Jerusalem was chaotic, Of course, Jesus being 202 00:16:54,300 --> 00:16:56,600 in Jerusalem was very well-known. 203 00:16:57,800 --> 00:17:02,300 So we have to assume that he was also surrounded constantly by 204 00:17:02,300 --> 00:17:07,800 people. So, try to wrap your head around 205 00:17:07,800 --> 00:17:12,800 this. The fact that Nicodemus was 206 00:17:12,800 --> 00:17:19,700 actually able to find Jesus In that crowd of people. 207 00:17:22,099 --> 00:17:27,200 Was pretty amazing. But then for them to be able to 208 00:17:27,200 --> 00:17:32,400 find a place where it was quiet enough for them. 209 00:17:32,400 --> 00:17:36,200 To have this type of conversation that we talked 210 00:17:36,200 --> 00:17:42,400 about over the last few weeks that to me is nothing but of 211 00:17:42,400 --> 00:17:49,100 miracle of God. Because it was It was a parent. 212 00:17:50,300 --> 00:17:56,600 that that was the time and the place for Jesus and Nicodemus to 213 00:17:56,600 --> 00:18:03,400 have that eternally significant conversation, So now, keep all 214 00:18:03,400 --> 00:18:07,400 that in mind as we remember now that Nicodemus is a Pharisee, 215 00:18:07,800 --> 00:18:13,100 he's thoroughly schooled. And in all the Jewish faith, 216 00:18:13,300 --> 00:18:17,400 he's probably got most of the Old Testament committed to 217 00:18:17,400 --> 00:18:20,900 memory. And he begins his conversation 218 00:18:20,900 --> 00:18:25,800 with Jesus by admitting that. No one could do the things that 219 00:18:25,800 --> 00:18:30,600 he does without being from God. And as Kyle mentioned in his 220 00:18:30,600 --> 00:18:36,800 sermon, that's a huge step for Nicodemus to take Jesus then 221 00:18:36,800 --> 00:18:39,500 goes on to tell Nicodemus that he must be born again. 222 00:18:39,500 --> 00:18:42,500 Which Nicodemus doesn't understand. 223 00:18:44,100 --> 00:18:52,500 And he is. He's trying to get Nicodemus to 224 00:18:52,500 --> 00:18:56,900 understand what salvation. Right? 225 00:18:58,400 --> 00:19:03,000 So now we come to our Focus this morning which is verse 5. 226 00:19:03,000 --> 00:19:07,900 Let me read that again. Truly truly, I say to you unless 227 00:19:07,900 --> 00:19:12,500 one is born of water and the spirit he cannot enter the 228 00:19:12,500 --> 00:19:15,500 kingdom. So, while you're right there, 229 00:19:15,500 --> 00:19:19,900 looking at verse 5, go back up a couple of verses that look at 230 00:19:19,900 --> 00:19:24,100 verse 3. Which antidote is that those two 231 00:19:24,100 --> 00:19:27,700 verses are almost identical. There's just a couple of 232 00:19:27,708 --> 00:19:32,100 differences. In verse 3, Jesus tells 233 00:19:32,100 --> 00:19:34,200 Nicodemus that he must be born again. 234 00:19:34,800 --> 00:19:39,600 And in verse 5, he says he must be born of water and the spirit, 235 00:19:40,800 --> 00:19:45,300 the only other difference is is that Jesus in verse three 236 00:19:45,500 --> 00:19:50,500 dimensions or says to see the kingdom of God. 237 00:19:51,600 --> 00:19:58,800 But in verse 5, he says enter the kingdom of God So is Jesus 238 00:19:58,800 --> 00:20:02,000 just being redundant here? Is he just saying the same 239 00:20:02,000 --> 00:20:06,200 thing? Again, I don't think so. 240 00:20:07,200 --> 00:20:13,200 Let's say let's take the quick one first and let's look at just 241 00:20:13,200 --> 00:20:17,700 the use of the word, see and the use of the word enter. 242 00:20:17,700 --> 00:20:27,300 Now I'm a pretty simple minded guy and and to me the words, see 243 00:20:27,300 --> 00:20:35,900 and enter are totally different words but during all the 244 00:20:35,900 --> 00:20:41,700 preparation that I did for the Sermon today I looked at all of 245 00:20:41,700 --> 00:20:44,400 the commentaries that the really smart guys, right? 246 00:20:45,200 --> 00:20:48,800 And they didn't have very much to say about this. 247 00:20:49,700 --> 00:20:55,400 So I texted Kyle and I said, hey, am I confused here? 248 00:20:55,400 --> 00:20:59,300 Am I missing something here? What's the deal with this? 249 00:20:59,400 --> 00:21:03,100 So Kyle had already, he had looked at this also, he'd 250 00:21:03,100 --> 00:21:08,300 noticed it also And even in his study, what he found was that 251 00:21:08,300 --> 00:21:13,100 these two words are just used in this case synonymously. 252 00:21:13,900 --> 00:21:17,800 In other words, the scholars seem to put no importance in the 253 00:21:17,800 --> 00:21:20,400 difference between the use of these two words. 254 00:21:21,300 --> 00:21:23,700 So don't get confused between those two. 255 00:21:26,300 --> 00:21:29,100 Now, let's move on. And look at the use of Born 256 00:21:29,100 --> 00:21:32,900 Again, In verse 3, and born of water and spirit. 257 00:21:32,900 --> 00:21:37,200 In verse 5, the you've you've heard in the last couple weeks 258 00:21:37,200 --> 00:21:43,500 that we have used Steven Lawson's book New Life In Christ 259 00:21:44,000 --> 00:21:49,700 and I'll do that quite a bit this morning Lawson has a really 260 00:21:49,700 --> 00:21:54,400 keen understanding of the concept of regeneration and his 261 00:21:54,400 --> 00:21:59,100 comments Make it very helpful to you to understand. 262 00:21:59,900 --> 00:22:06,600 But Lawson says, The new birth. Not the new birth, does not 263 00:22:06,600 --> 00:22:10,100 simply repackage the exterior of our life. 264 00:22:11,000 --> 00:22:15,100 Merely restructuring the outside of our life, but not changing on 265 00:22:15,100 --> 00:22:18,600 the inside is like, putting a Band-Aid on terminal cancer. 266 00:22:19,600 --> 00:22:22,400 It would be like rearranging the deck furniture on a sinking 267 00:22:22,400 --> 00:22:26,100 ship. Such behavior modification, 268 00:22:26,200 --> 00:22:30,100 would be only a superficial approach to the problem, what is 269 00:22:30,100 --> 00:22:35,300 needed to alter the Interior of our souls is the work of God in 270 00:22:35,300 --> 00:22:39,700 regeneration. The new birth makes us entirely 271 00:22:39,700 --> 00:22:45,100 new people from the inside out. It removes our old unbelieving, 272 00:22:45,100 --> 00:22:52,700 heart and implants a new heart that believes but before God 273 00:22:52,700 --> 00:22:57,800 places a new heart within a person, he must cleanse the soul 274 00:22:57,800 --> 00:23:01,700 stain. The sin-stained soul, he will 275 00:23:01,700 --> 00:23:05,300 not place a clean heart inside a filthy soul. 276 00:23:07,200 --> 00:23:10,000 Cleaning us up on the inside. Brothers and sisters boys and 277 00:23:10,000 --> 00:23:15,500 girls is an eternally important part of the work of God in the 278 00:23:15,500 --> 00:23:20,300 in our general regeneration. In our new birth Now, all of 279 00:23:20,308 --> 00:23:24,100 this happens simultaneously, it's like two sides of the same 280 00:23:24,100 --> 00:23:27,800 coin. This act is a Divine 281 00:23:28,200 --> 00:23:32,500 metaphorically described. This Divine Act is described as 282 00:23:32,500 --> 00:23:36,300 God, pouring water on our souls in Washington clean. 283 00:23:38,000 --> 00:23:42,300 So, let's focus for a, for a moment, on the statement. 284 00:23:42,700 --> 00:23:48,200 Just, unless one is born of water and spirit, what's the 285 00:23:48,200 --> 00:23:52,800 meaning of water here? How are we to understand being 286 00:23:52,800 --> 00:23:57,800 born of water? Whatever the meeting is, it's 287 00:23:57,800 --> 00:24:01,100 obviously important because Jesus begins his statement in 288 00:24:01,100 --> 00:24:05,100 verse 5. Just as he did, in verse three 289 00:24:05,500 --> 00:24:11,800 saying, truly, truly, I say to you, or as we would say, Hey, 290 00:24:11,800 --> 00:24:15,300 Hey, Hey, listen up, this is important. 291 00:24:15,600 --> 00:24:20,700 I'm telling you, the truth. Now, some take this reference to 292 00:24:20,700 --> 00:24:27,400 water to mean the water that is in the amniotic fluid that comes 293 00:24:27,400 --> 00:24:32,200 from the mother during childbirth, but this is not 294 00:24:32,200 --> 00:24:34,000 mentioned anywhere else in Scripture. 295 00:24:35,500 --> 00:24:39,500 Others interpret this water as referring to water baptism. 296 00:24:40,000 --> 00:24:45,000 However, scripture does not require baptism as a requirement 297 00:24:45,000 --> 00:24:50,600 for salvation. Paul writes in Romans, 10:13 for 298 00:24:50,600 --> 00:24:54,100 everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. 299 00:24:55,400 --> 00:25:00,600 He also says, in Galatians 2 verse 8, for by Grace, you have 300 00:25:00,600 --> 00:25:04,400 been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing. 301 00:25:04,900 --> 00:25:08,300 It is the gift of God, not as a result of works. 302 00:25:08,300 --> 00:25:14,300 So that no man can boast And also Titus 3 beginning in verse 303 00:25:14,300 --> 00:25:16,700 4. But when the goodness and 304 00:25:16,700 --> 00:25:20,900 loving, kindness of God, our savior appeared, he saved us. 305 00:25:21,300 --> 00:25:26,000 Not because of Works done by us in righteousness, but according 306 00:25:26,000 --> 00:25:31,000 to his own Mercy by the washing of regeneration and renewal of 307 00:25:31,000 --> 00:25:35,100 the Holy Spirit whom he poured out on us richly through. 308 00:25:35,100 --> 00:25:41,500 Jesus Christ, Our Savior, Nothing we can do nor any amount 309 00:25:41,500 --> 00:25:46,700 of water can wash away our sin. Only the inner working of the 310 00:25:46,700 --> 00:25:52,900 Holy Spirit, cleans, the soul, Baptism is an important step of 311 00:25:52,900 --> 00:25:57,300 obedience after salvation, but is not a requirement of sin. 312 00:25:57,700 --> 00:26:00,800 Excuse me. Not a requirement for salvation. 313 00:26:01,900 --> 00:26:07,600 You say that again so we don't Baptism is an important step of 314 00:26:07,600 --> 00:26:12,000 obedience after salvation, but is not a requirement for 315 00:26:12,000 --> 00:26:17,400 salvation. There are others who believe 316 00:26:17,400 --> 00:26:22,000 that this mention of water is a reference to the word of God, 317 00:26:22,700 --> 00:26:27,600 which is possible. But those smart guys that I 318 00:26:27,608 --> 00:26:33,100 mentioned earlier in their commentaries, Believe that water 319 00:26:33,100 --> 00:26:36,700 here is best understood just as a symbol a sign, a 320 00:26:36,700 --> 00:26:41,400 representation of the inner cleansing of the soul, in the 321 00:26:41,400 --> 00:26:44,200 New Birth, the miracle of regeneration. 322 00:26:46,300 --> 00:26:51,700 In verse 3, Nicodemus is told that he must be born again but 323 00:26:51,700 --> 00:26:56,600 that's not the whole process. The process of regeneration is 324 00:26:56,600 --> 00:26:59,900 not complete. Until his soul, is washed clean 325 00:27:00,200 --> 00:27:04,600 by the Holy Spirit. There's nothing Supernatural 326 00:27:04,600 --> 00:27:10,100 about water. but his use of the term here is so that we in our 327 00:27:10,100 --> 00:27:15,600 humanness Can better understand the concept of getting clean and 328 00:27:15,600 --> 00:27:21,500 restoration. There is no analogy used here 329 00:27:21,500 --> 00:27:24,400 for the spirit. Spirit is the spirit. 330 00:27:25,400 --> 00:27:29,100 What Jesus says here is simply that the spirit does the work of 331 00:27:29,100 --> 00:27:32,900 the purification from sin of the polluted soul. 332 00:27:34,800 --> 00:27:37,400 Now just as we have in the last couple of weeks we're going to 333 00:27:37,400 --> 00:27:42,000 turn to Ezekiel use that reference Ezekiel chapter 36 334 00:27:43,000 --> 00:27:48,200 beginning in verse 22. But before we go there, let me 335 00:27:48,400 --> 00:27:53,700 kind of set this up for you. Ezekiel's name means god, 336 00:27:53,700 --> 00:27:56,600 strengthens. Our may God strengthen. 337 00:27:58,400 --> 00:28:02,700 And that's a very appropriate name for a profit. 338 00:28:03,600 --> 00:28:07,200 There was called or proclaim, a message of uncompromising 339 00:28:07,200 --> 00:28:12,300 judgment, and later a message of a restoration of God's sake for 340 00:28:12,300 --> 00:28:17,700 God's sake, not Israel's. Ezekiel lived out his prophetic 341 00:28:17,700 --> 00:28:19,900 career among the Exiles in Babylon. 342 00:28:21,900 --> 00:28:27,300 In the ESV Study Bible at the beginning of each book, there's 343 00:28:27,300 --> 00:28:29,800 a portion called theme and purpose. 344 00:28:29,800 --> 00:28:34,700 So in the theme and purpose for the Book of Ezekiel, it says 345 00:28:34,700 --> 00:28:40,000 this Ezekiel spoke to a community forced from, its home 346 00:28:40,000 --> 00:28:43,600 of people who have broken Faith with their God. 347 00:28:43,600 --> 00:28:46,900 As a spokesman for the god of Israel is zekiel. 348 00:28:46,900 --> 00:28:51,400 Spoke oracle's that justified and proved the reputation of our 349 00:28:51,400 --> 00:28:55,600 holy God. God even though Ezekiel brings 350 00:28:55,600 --> 00:28:59,200 this god-centered point of view, into its clearest words in 351 00:28:59,200 --> 00:29:04,100 verses 22 and 23. We're going to continue on past 352 00:29:04,100 --> 00:29:08,100 23 and we're going to look at 22 through 27. 353 00:29:09,300 --> 00:29:14,900 So if you look again with me is equal, 36 beginning in verse 22, 354 00:29:18,400 --> 00:29:20,400 Therefore safe to the house of Israel. 355 00:29:20,900 --> 00:29:26,000 Thus says the Lord it is not for your sake o House of Israel that 356 00:29:26,000 --> 00:29:29,800 I'm about to act. But for the sake of my Holy Name 357 00:29:30,100 --> 00:29:33,500 which you have profaned among the nation's to which you came 358 00:29:34,400 --> 00:29:37,300 and I will vindicate the Holiness of my great name, which 359 00:29:37,300 --> 00:29:40,700 has been profaned among the nations in which you have 360 00:29:40,700 --> 00:29:44,600 profaned among them and the Nations will know that I am. 361 00:29:44,600 --> 00:29:48,100 The god. I am the Lord declares the Lord 362 00:29:48,100 --> 00:29:50,900 God. When through you, I will 363 00:29:50,900 --> 00:29:53,600 vindicate my Holiness before their eyes. 364 00:29:54,100 --> 00:29:57,500 I will take you from the nation's and gather you from all 365 00:29:57,500 --> 00:30:00,400 the countries and bring you into your own land. 366 00:30:00,900 --> 00:30:04,800 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from 367 00:30:04,800 --> 00:30:08,000 all your uncleanness. And from all your Idols, I will 368 00:30:08,000 --> 00:30:11,400 cleanse you. I will give you a new heart and 369 00:30:11,400 --> 00:30:15,100 a new spirit. I will put within you, and I 370 00:30:15,100 --> 00:30:19,500 will remove the heart of Flesh, and I will put my spirit Within 371 00:30:19,600 --> 00:30:24,100 On you and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to 372 00:30:24,100 --> 00:30:29,700 obey my rules. The primary purpose of ezekiel's 373 00:30:29,700 --> 00:30:32,600 message was to restore God's glory. 374 00:30:33,700 --> 00:30:37,000 The zika pleaded with the people of Israel to be reconciled to 375 00:30:37,000 --> 00:30:39,600 God by having their hearts washed clean. 376 00:30:41,000 --> 00:30:44,500 But then there's verse 25, which says God's mercy. 377 00:30:44,500 --> 00:30:50,400 Once again, is extended I will sprinkle clean water on you and 378 00:30:50,400 --> 00:30:54,600 you will be clean. Now, let's be clear here, that 379 00:30:54,900 --> 00:30:59,100 the word sprinkle is not some prophetic word about sprinkling, 380 00:30:59,100 --> 00:31:03,100 instead of immersion baptism the concept of sprinkling. 381 00:31:03,100 --> 00:31:06,100 If you remember goes back to when God set up the rules for 382 00:31:06,100 --> 00:31:11,800 the Tabernacle sacrifices, the priest would wash some items and 383 00:31:11,800 --> 00:31:16,900 sprinkle other items during the ceremonial cleansing in used in 384 00:31:16,900 --> 00:31:21,500 their various sacrifices. Here, God is promising to wash 385 00:31:21,500 --> 00:31:25,600 their sin corrupted, Souls clean when he brings them into his 386 00:31:25,600 --> 00:31:30,300 kingdom. This is an exclusive work that 387 00:31:30,300 --> 00:31:37,000 only God performs when he says, I will, that is singular. 388 00:31:38,000 --> 00:31:42,700 I got alone. Will this is not a joint effort 389 00:31:42,700 --> 00:31:47,700 between God and people. His stead regeneration, involves 390 00:31:47,700 --> 00:31:54,600 the solitary Act of God Alone. This passage also says that God 391 00:31:54,600 --> 00:31:56,800 will cleanse you from all your filthiness. 392 00:31:57,200 --> 00:32:01,800 And from all your Idols, this is a reference to the passages in 393 00:32:01,900 --> 00:32:08,200 numbers. 19 Hexxit has 30 and Psalm 51, each of these includes 394 00:32:08,200 --> 00:32:12,800 a reference to using water for purification and the symbolism 395 00:32:13,000 --> 00:32:19,600 of divine purification. All of this ceremonial washing 396 00:32:19,600 --> 00:32:23,100 depicted, the cleansing power of God in the hearts of people. 397 00:32:24,600 --> 00:32:29,300 The washing away of sin is also mentioned in Zechariah 13:1. 398 00:32:30,000 --> 00:32:34,900 Which says on that day, there shall be a fountain opened for 399 00:32:34,900 --> 00:32:38,900 the House of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to 400 00:32:38,900 --> 00:32:43,900 cleanse them from sin and uncleanness I think it's 401 00:32:43,900 --> 00:32:47,800 important and really interesting to note that if you look at the 402 00:32:47,800 --> 00:32:55,200 passage right before, Zechariah 13:1, right at the end of 403 00:32:55,500 --> 00:33:01,500 chapter 12, In the beginning, in verse 10 now that section of my 404 00:33:01,500 --> 00:33:06,500 Bible is entitled him whom they pierced. 405 00:33:07,900 --> 00:33:13,300 So Zachariah 12:10 says and I will pour out on the House of 406 00:33:13,300 --> 00:33:18,300 David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, a spirit of Grace and 407 00:33:18,300 --> 00:33:22,500 pleas for mercy. So that when they look on me on 408 00:33:22,500 --> 00:33:27,800 him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for only for an only 409 00:33:27,800 --> 00:33:34,000 child and we bitterly over him as one weeps over a firstborn, 410 00:33:35,400 --> 00:33:38,700 the Apostle, John in chapter 19, Verse 37. 411 00:33:38,800 --> 00:33:42,600 He refers to this chapter, in his account of the crucifixion 412 00:33:42,600 --> 00:33:45,600 of our savior and the piercing of his side. 413 00:33:46,900 --> 00:33:52,300 So here we have a foretelling of the death of Jesus and Zachariah 414 00:33:52,300 --> 00:33:56,900 prom prophesying on that day, that a fountain will be opened 415 00:33:57,100 --> 00:34:02,400 for the cleansing for our sin. Referring to Lawson's book 416 00:34:02,400 --> 00:34:05,900 again. He says, as the leading teacher 417 00:34:05,900 --> 00:34:09,100 of Israel Nicodemus would have been well acquainted. 418 00:34:09,100 --> 00:34:13,300 With these passages further, he should have known the most basic 419 00:34:13,300 --> 00:34:18,300 truth they represent. When Jesus explicitly said to 420 00:34:18,300 --> 00:34:20,600 him that he must be born of water. 421 00:34:21,300 --> 00:34:26,300 He meant it as a symbol of regeneration, this radical heart 422 00:34:26,300 --> 00:34:28,699 change. And the inner washing of the 423 00:34:28,699 --> 00:34:31,800 Soul, by the spirit in the New Birth. 424 00:34:31,800 --> 00:34:35,699 The Lord sprinkles clean, water, upon, filthy centers and makes 425 00:34:35,699 --> 00:34:38,699 them clean. This is a spiritual cleansing 426 00:34:38,699 --> 00:34:42,600 that purifies us from the slow defilement of sin. 427 00:34:43,800 --> 00:34:47,400 Such a washing permanently removes, the indelible 428 00:34:47,400 --> 00:34:53,699 sin-stained that exist within the human heart regeneration, 429 00:34:53,699 --> 00:34:58,500 cleanses from sin by this purifying of the Holy Spirit. 430 00:34:59,700 --> 00:35:05,100 So, like all of us. Nicodemus had to learn that God 431 00:35:05,100 --> 00:35:09,300 loved the world so much that he gave his one and only son. 432 00:35:10,400 --> 00:35:14,400 So that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have 433 00:35:14,400 --> 00:35:19,300 everlasting life. Again like us Nicodemus had to 434 00:35:19,300 --> 00:35:23,500 come to an understanding that God did not send his son into 435 00:35:23,500 --> 00:35:27,700 the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be 436 00:35:27,700 --> 00:35:33,900 saved by God's grace through faith in him, he had to realize 437 00:35:33,900 --> 00:35:37,500 that Jews are not automatically credited. 438 00:35:38,500 --> 00:35:42,400 With righteousness, because of their ancestry Jews, and 439 00:35:42,400 --> 00:35:45,700 Gentiles alike, have to look to Christ to live. 440 00:35:47,300 --> 00:35:51,800 Nicodemus had to learn that whosoever believes in Jesus is 441 00:35:51,800 --> 00:35:56,600 not condemned, but anyone who does not believe is already 442 00:35:56,600 --> 00:36:01,000 condemned because he has not believed in the name of the one, 443 00:36:01,200 --> 00:36:05,900 and only son of God. He had to see that his natural 444 00:36:05,900 --> 00:36:09,100 birth into the world. As a descendant of Abraham was 445 00:36:09,100 --> 00:36:11,300 not sufficient to enter the kingdom. 446 00:36:12,200 --> 00:36:15,900 He had to be born again. He had to be born of the spirit 447 00:36:16,200 --> 00:36:22,600 and washed in Christ, redeeming blood I wonder. 448 00:36:24,500 --> 00:36:28,900 Assuming that. Nicodemus, I'm going to mention 449 00:36:28,900 --> 00:36:33,000 here is the same Nicodemus. But I believe he was. 450 00:36:34,900 --> 00:36:39,000 I wonder when Nicodemus accompanied Joseph of Arimathea 451 00:36:39,500 --> 00:36:44,000 to take down the bruised and bloodied body of the Lord Jesus 452 00:36:44,700 --> 00:36:50,200 from that cruel, Roman cross. if his mind went back to that 453 00:36:50,900 --> 00:36:56,600 conversation in the middle of the night, Did he had with Jesus 454 00:36:56,600 --> 00:37:02,300 when he came to see the Lord and started to understand that 455 00:37:02,300 --> 00:37:06,600 unless you was born of water and born of the spirit. 456 00:37:07,700 --> 00:37:09,400 He cannot enter the kingdom of God. 457 00:37:11,500 --> 00:37:14,500 You know, there was another man in the first century that needed 458 00:37:14,500 --> 00:37:16,900 the same spiritual cleansing of his soul. 459 00:37:18,400 --> 00:37:22,900 This man was also a Pharisee a ruler of the Jews. 460 00:37:23,800 --> 00:37:28,000 He was in the Sanhedrin. This man though, he had no 461 00:37:28,000 --> 00:37:31,100 desire to meet with Jesus to ask questions. 462 00:37:31,700 --> 00:37:36,100 His sole purpose was to rid the world of these so-called 463 00:37:36,100 --> 00:37:40,500 Christians. He even received official papers 464 00:37:40,500 --> 00:37:45,400 to arrest them and bring them back to Jerusalem for trial 465 00:37:45,700 --> 00:37:51,100 where they face death. The man we know as Saul of 466 00:37:51,100 --> 00:37:56,200 Tarsus according to Philippians 3:5 and 5 through 6. 467 00:37:56,500 --> 00:38:00,200 Saul was circumcised on the eighth day of the nation of 468 00:38:00,200 --> 00:38:06,000 Israel of The Tribe of Benjamin a Hebrew of Hebrews as to the 469 00:38:06,000 --> 00:38:10,500 law a Pharisee as to Zeal a persecutor of the church as to 470 00:38:10,500 --> 00:38:14,100 the righteousness, which is in the law found blameless. 471 00:38:14,700 --> 00:38:21,300 No one was more devout than Saul But, you know, the story, you 472 00:38:21,300 --> 00:38:23,300 know, the story of his conversion on the road to 473 00:38:23,300 --> 00:38:29,100 Damascus, he was knocked off his horse by the blinding glory of 474 00:38:29,100 --> 00:38:33,300 God. And again here quoting Lawson 475 00:38:34,200 --> 00:38:39,200 and that defining moment, Saul of Tarsus Was Born Again by a 476 00:38:39,200 --> 00:38:43,800 sudden work of Grace. He was regenerated immediately, 477 00:38:43,800 --> 00:38:47,800 his old life passed away, a new life in Christ began. 478 00:38:48,300 --> 00:38:51,600 In that Split Second. This avowed enemy of the Gospel 479 00:38:51,600 --> 00:38:54,900 changed his Allegiance. He became a true follower of 480 00:38:54,900 --> 00:38:58,100 Jesus Christ. This professed photo was 481 00:38:58,100 --> 00:39:03,300 radically transformed. He became the Apostle Paul, the 482 00:39:03,300 --> 00:39:07,700 chief proclaimer of the faith. He once sought to destroy the 483 00:39:07,700 --> 00:39:12,500 same heart, that was given to Saul is placed within all, who 484 00:39:12,500 --> 00:39:14,700 are regenerated by the Holy Spirit. 485 00:39:15,900 --> 00:39:20,100 If you are born again, God has washed, you clean and removed 486 00:39:20,100 --> 00:39:24,100 your sin, you are not the same person you once were. 487 00:39:25,700 --> 00:39:29,600 Now granite. As simple as it sounds, he can 488 00:39:29,600 --> 00:39:32,400 be hard to comprehend for our human mind. 489 00:39:34,100 --> 00:39:38,800 Let's be careful because sometimes we spend so much time 490 00:39:38,800 --> 00:39:43,100 chasing after something that we find difficult to understand 491 00:39:43,600 --> 00:39:46,000 that we miss the most important truth. 492 00:39:47,400 --> 00:39:53,700 Let's make sure that we fully understand that salvation is by 493 00:39:53,700 --> 00:40:00,000 grace alone, through faith alone in Christ alone. 494 00:40:01,600 --> 00:40:05,300 Whatever is born of the flesh is flesh and every man faces the 495 00:40:05,300 --> 00:40:09,000 consequences of their sin, Eternal condemnation. 496 00:40:09,000 --> 00:40:14,000 But whatever is born of the spirit that is what the whatever 497 00:40:14,000 --> 00:40:18,200 is born of the spirit. That is Born Into the family of 498 00:40:18,200 --> 00:40:21,600 God becomes a new creation in Christ. 499 00:40:21,800 --> 00:40:23,600 Who will enter the kingdom of God. 500 00:40:25,600 --> 00:40:28,700 Worship, team, milk and start making your way up. 501 00:40:31,800 --> 00:40:36,100 As I wrap this up, they were, let me remind you of the main 502 00:40:36,100 --> 00:40:42,500 idea of my sermon this morning, God's regenerative work brings 503 00:40:42,500 --> 00:40:47,100 new life, to our hearts, through the Spotless, cleansing of the 504 00:40:47,100 --> 00:40:53,400 Holy Spirit. If this, or any idea of being 505 00:40:53,400 --> 00:40:58,700 born again, being washed of the water of the spirit or being 506 00:40:58,700 --> 00:41:05,200 regenerated is confusing. You please, please come see me, 507 00:41:05,700 --> 00:41:09,900 Kyle, Jasper, Alan James, see one of us. 508 00:41:10,500 --> 00:41:15,200 Please don't wait. Don't leave here today without 509 00:41:15,200 --> 00:41:19,500 knowing for sure. That you're a new creation in 510 00:41:19,500 --> 00:41:23,200 Christ with a pure regenerated heart. 511 00:41:23,800 --> 00:41:24,300 Thank you.