I would invite you to turn with me in your Bibles to the Gospel of John. I was speaking with a fellow minister who is emeritized, and I don't know how many years you've been in the ministry before you did that, but I'm right at 34, 35 years. And I've never preached through the entire Gospel of John. I mean, I've probably preached 5, 10, 20 sermons over the course of those years, but it's always interesting. I tell a story that P.Y. de Young taught my first homiletics course, and he made the point that in your first ministry, your first pastorate, you should preach through the Book of Acts. Well, being the headstrong, stubborn person that I am, I didn't do that until year 16. And now I agree with Pastor de Young, or Dr. de Young. Anyway, we're going to read from the Word of God, John chapter And we will read the first 21 verses. We looked at the first 8 verses last week, and we'll look at the remaining verses a fair amount in fairly cursory fashion. But we'll look at the remaining verses through 21. So here are the words of God. There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him. Jesus answered and said to him, Most assuredly I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus said to him, How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born? Jesus answered, Most assuredly I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, You must be born again. The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit. Nicodemus answered and said to Him, How can these things be? Jesus answered and said to him, Are you a teacher of Israel and do not know these things? Most assuredly I say to you, we speak what we know, and testify what we have seen, and you do not receive our witness. If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? No one has ascended And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. for God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned, but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light, and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God." Beloved congregation of the Lord Jesus Christ, this morning we continue our study of the Gospel of John. We've come to chapter 3 and my goal, as always, is to fit the little parts of the biblical narrative and history into the big picture. of what God is doing. And so the Bible story is that which is fulfilled by the promises, by the trials and troubles. All of the history of the Old and New Testaments all contribute what we need to know, what we ought to know, in terms of God's Word and His revealed will. we understand these verses as they fit, as they participate in the story. And of course, we don't have conflicting narratives where one says this and the other says the opposite. No, all together, it all contributes to our understanding and our growth and commitment to His Word. In fact, what we expect of the Bible is that whether we're reading the Old Testament narratives, the Old Testament poetry, the prophets, and the New Testament, that there's a right combination and a right understanding of all of these things, that they all focus and forward the central message of God's Word. We might call it the analogy of Scripture. The whole Bible doesn't provide multiple explanations. might be in conflict with each other, but rather a combined and single witness to the truth. In fact, I noticed the most recent issue of the Table Talk magazine has on the front page, reading, interpreting, and applying God's Word by good and necessary consequence. In other words, there's a right way to understand the Scriptures and the scrutiny that we can pay in our attention to the Word of God. You know, I might be inclined as a preacher, oh, I want to look at this verse, or I want to make a point from that verse. But what we want to do as a, what I want to do as a preacher is to convey how these verses all fit together. how there's a logic in this kind of sequence. It just has a little illustration in John 3.16, probably the most famous verse in the world, begins with the word for. Why? Well, it is enlarging and illuminating the statement that was just made in the previous two verses. And so there's not so much new information as information that is now pieced together and explained as it is to be understood. Well, last week, we looked at the first eight verses. We were introduced to a man named Nicodemus. We heard part of his conversation with the Lord Jesus. We're told that he was a Pharisee, that he was a leader of the Jews, which probably means he was a member of the Sanhedrin, the Seventy, the governing authority that would cooperate with the Roman authorities and such. He came to Jesus by night. Some say out of secrecy, but it doesn't say that in the Word, so that would be speculating, but we can't say absolutely. He came to Jesus, and he makes this affirmation. We know that no one could do the things that you do, the signs. No one could do that if God was not with him. And so Jesus responds, and he answered him, which is a little bit funny because he didn't really ask a question. But Jesus answers the implied question. Is Jesus the Christ? Well, Jesus speaks authoritatively, so affirming, yes, that he is. And then Nicodemus exactly how do I become a disciple or what would I have to do to be a disciple? Well, that's where Jesus mentions that one has to be born again to see the Kingdom of God. And, of course, we saw the conversation flows back and forth, well, can I go back inside my mother's womb to be born again? rebuts that by saying that He must be born by water and the Spirit, or He cannot enter the Kingdom of Heaven. So, Nicodemus is getting more than he actually asked for, but Jesus is revealing the very nature, the very description of the Gospel, and what is our need, and how is it that we are to profit and benefit from what God has revealed and spoken to us as His people. And so it is that Jesus, in the second explanation, He says we must be born of water and the Spirit. So distinguishing between external ceremony, baptism, and the inner quality, the inner transformation. And I think that's exactly the point being made toward the end of the Nicene Creed. There's one baptism for the remission of sin. Well, that's the spiritual baptism where we are renewed and our eyes are opened and our hearts are transformed as we become the children of God. So we will see this morning that Jesus explains to Nicodemus, and as always, and us, the basics of man's spiritual condition, what man needs, and then how that need can be met. We'll look at Jesus' dialogue back and forth with Nicodemus, and then that kind of slides into a discourse where Jesus is going to plumb the depths of this plan and work of redemption that He has come to accomplish. So, in Jesus' dialogue, Nicodemus continues with his misunderstanding. Verse 9, Nicodemus says, How can these things be? This makes no sense to me, is really what Nicodemus is saying. Well, Nicodemus answers Jesus' initial question about how the Spirit works. He tells Nicodemus not to be surprised that he talks about the need of being born again. This is something that Nicodemus should have had some comprehension of. The Bible speaks about being circumcised of heart. What does that mean? That means the old is off, the new is in. Deuteronomy 10, verse 16. We read it a couple of weeks ago, or last week. Therefore, circumcise the foreskin of your heart, and be stiff-necked no longer. What was he talking about? We need this radical transformation. We need this change to take place. Chapter 30 is somewhat similar. The Lord promises that He will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants. But Nicodemus isn't getting it. Jesus says the Spirit is like the wind. You don't know where it comes from, where it's going. Was it here? Absolutely. How do you know? Well, in the case of regenerating, being born again in anew, we have hearts that are transformed and lives that have been changed. Jesus' reply, I think, is telling. Look at verse 10. Jesus answered and said to him, in the definite article. It's actually there twice. Are you the teacher of thee or this Israel? And you do not know these things. How can you be the teacher? How can you be this great Pharisee, this great Gamaliel we learn about in the Book of Acts and so on? How can this be that you don't know what it takes to receive this spiritual life, this transformation of character and heart? Are you a teacher of Israel and do not know these things? The answer to that question is yes. You are a teacher. Maybe the point is the opposite. You ought to be, but you're failing and you're not. This ought to be basic. This ought to be understandable to him. really what is the question Jesus is answering is how can one become right with God? How can we be restored to fellowship with Almighty God when the reality is that we fall short in every way? How would Nicodemus answer the question? Well, keep the law from my youth, kind of like the rich young ruler. The way that we please God is by doing His will, by fulfilling His commandments. And, of course, you read the Old Testament, especially Deuteronomy. Is there input there for how we are to respond and act with respect to the law of God? Absolutely. The Old Testament has much to say about keeping the law. But it also has much more to say than keeping the law. It speaks of loving God. In fact, Deuteronomy 6, verse 5 is Shema. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength. We are called to be loyal and faithful and true. Even the very commandments. Commandment 1, you shall have no other gods before me. And before isn't just worship God and then the rest are fine. But before me is before His face, before His side. You shall have no other gods before me, because there are no other gods. I am the Lord your God. Remember when we read Leviticus chapter 19, the law there is that 15 or 20 times the reason why God commands and expects our obedience is because of who He is and who we are in relationship to Him. For I am the Lord your God. For I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt. That's a relational connection. And so it's not one that is earned or deserved. In fact, think of the great forgiveness Psalms of the Book of Psalms, 32 and 51. Psalm 32 starts, Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven. whose sin is covered, blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit. These things are possible only by God's forgiving grace. That means that we failed, and now we need what only God can give, and that is forgiveness, favor, unearned, undeserved mercy and kindness. And of course, this is a direct link to the working of His grace in this spiritual renewal of the heart. That's what repentance means, right? To turn back, to turn toward the Lord. As we go on to verse 11, notice we have the third most assuredly. If we'd have King James Bibles, it would say, Some other Bibles translate the phrase, truly, truly. The New King James combines those two words and says, most assuredly. We have that in verse 3. Most assuredly, I say, unless you are born again, you cannot see. Verse 5. Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and is free, you cannot enter. Anytime you see the verily, verily, like I mentioned last time, there are 25 times in the Gospel of John. There is this construction, most assuredly, or verily, verily, truly, truly. And here, our third one in the third chapter is in verse 11. Most assuredly, I say to you. This is absolutely true. Understand my point, Jesus is saying. We speak what we know and testify that we have seen, and you do not receive our witness. Jesus uses first person plural, we. Most likely Him and John the Baptist. John says that His witness is sure. He has most assuredly seen, and these sayings that He's recorded are true. So, I think most likely the we is Him. It's Jesus and John the Baptist. Could it be the multiplicity and the triune God? I wouldn't argue too strongly against it. We speak. what we know and testify that we have seen, and you do not receive our witness." Verse 12 is the logical extension of that. If I told you, first person singular now, if I told you earthly things, and you did not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? In other words, Jesus is pretty well going after Nicodemus, that his spirituality, his position of leadership in the nation of Israel, his being a prime Pharisee, leaves him incapable, unable to see and know what he needs to see and know, and recognize in the Christ. Verse 13, No one has ascended to heaven but he who came down from heaven. who is in heaven. And of course, all of these things, Jesus is, in his discourse, he's showing how we need what only he can give. The problem, verse 12, is that if he's not receiving things that ought to make sense on an earthly level, Earthly experience, the one who comes and speaks from heaven, will certainly pose a problem. The Christ is Him who came down from heaven. That's what Jesus says, I am He who came down from heaven, the Son of Man. And of course, the crux of the matter is in verse 14, where we read, and I think this is really the point that verse 16 is actually expanding upon. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up. that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. The phrase lifted up, or the word that's translated lifted up, can also be translated as exalted. And ironically, as Christ is lifted up, right, it is the means whereby He will be exalted. think of Philippians chapter 2, right? Humble himself unto the point of death, even death of the cross, that he might be exalted to the Father's right hand, that every knee should bow and every son confess that Jesus is Lord. But it's also translated, and has to be translated, at certain points, looking forward to the crucifixion. And if you want a proof text, as in John 12, verses 31 to 33, now is the judgment of this world. It's Jesus speaking. Now the ruler of this world will be cast out, and I, if I am lifted up, crucified, from the earth will draw all peoples to myself. Then we have an editorial comment, which really is the gold of many of these passages. This he said, signifying by what death he would die. Christ would be lifted from the not unlike the bronze serpent that would be raised up in the days of Moses, which, if the people would lift their eyes and look to see that bronze serpent on a pole, they would be spared, and they would receive physical life. But now, as we speak about Christ being lifted up on the tree of the cross, we have Him not providing temporal life, but spiritual life. And just think of the foil here. In Genesis chapter 2, we're introduced to the Tree of Life and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. And of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, God says, You shall not eat of it. For on the day that you eat of it, you know, right? You will surely die. Adam and Eve, being beguiled by the serpent, take and eat. She gives to her husband, who is with her, and he eats. What happens to them? They continue to live. They are expelled from the Garden, but they continue alive physically. So how did they die? In what sense, in what way did they, and really, all of their descendants die? They were walking corpses, but if they would get what their actions deserve, if we would get justice from God, it's all over. We're done. We're condemned to an eternity in hell. Why? Because we're spiritually dead. And so, the Gospel of John is making a great to-do about living again. Ephesians 2, verse 4, those who were dead in their sin, those who were children of wrath, those who deserved eternal condemnation, Ephesians 2, verse 4, but God, who is rich in mercy because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our sins, made us alive together with Christ. That's regeneration. That's the spiritual life that we receive from God. That's being born again. that is receiving from His hand exactly what we need, not to just survive, but to live and to prosper. And, of course, these things apply pretty directly to the Lord Jesus Christ. In fact, look at the tail end of verse 15, that whoever believes, as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, Even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that, with this effect, so that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. And then the verse that follows is just explaining the meaning, the application, the reality of that which has been spoken. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. I would venture to say that most all of us could recite that verse. For God so loved the world that He gave us His only begotten Son. You can hear the echo of Genesis 22, when Abraham is told to offer his son Isaac, as Isaac is described, his only son, the son whom he loved. He was to go offer on the hills, the mountains of Moriah. And there he goes. I think it even says, the next day, after God gave him the command. They leave the servants. They're walking up the hill to make the sacrifice. Isaac says, Father, here's the wood. I think it was bundled on Isaac's back. I think I'm remembering that right. And here's the fire. But where's the offering? Where's the offering? What does Abraham say? The Lord Himself will provide the lamb. This all fits wonderfully together as we realize and recognize that all of this is intending to teach us and to give us understanding of these things. Man's natural state, I think we've established that. A, spiritual life, or B, spiritual death? B, right? Spiritually dead. Man died spiritually. This means that the work of redemption that would be completed by Christ will benefit those who believe. I think we almost have to say, truly believe. Catechism talks about, what is true faith? Well, that's because there's a multitude of almost faith. But those that truly believe, I think it's conclusive to me. Those that truly believe have been enabled to believe. and have been born from above." How? By the Holy Spirit of God Himself. Think back. Go back to John chapter 1, verses 11 and following. He came to His own, but His own did not receive Him. But to those who did receive Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name. And here's the kicker, I think, the argument-maker. Who were born, not of blood, parentage, not of the flesh, self-will, nor of the will of man, someone else, but of God. Who were born of God is the point. How do we become born of God? but by the act of God. In fact, I've often, a little bit tongue-in-cheek, the five points of Calvinism, absolutely. But the one point of Calvinism, God saves sinners. Simple grammar. Who does the saving? God. Who gets the being saved? We. God saves sinners. It's His Word. It's a demonstration of His grace. And if we are dead in our sins, worthy of judgment and condemnation, what can we expect? Judgment. Condemnation. What we deserve. And what we receive is the kindness and mercy of Almighty God. He loves us. as Romans chapter 5 says, even when we were enemies, at enmity with Him. Interestingly, John 3.16 is the most widely known. I mean, if you go to a ball game or watch a TV show, I'm not sure it's as common now as it used to be, but some people have a sign, John 3.16. For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. We would be fair with an implicit understanding. I'm going to contrast implicit with explicit. Also covered in the Table Talk magazine. The implicit is that which seems plausible. that which sounds like it makes sense. For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. It sounds like it's up to us. It sounds like a free for all. The whoever, the whenever, the wherever, one can choose to believe and be saved. That's what it sounds like. There is another place where the Bible is explicit. Implicit is possible. Maybe. Explicit is firm and fixed. It cannot and will not change. In John 6, we are told that no one can come to Me unless the Father draws him. Dramatically, no one can come to me as a universal negation. Not gonna work, not gonna happen. No one can come to me unless, we have the singular exception, unless the Father draws him. And the verse is virtually repeated Again, in verse 66 of John 6, we have a universal negation and a singular exception. And that singular exception does not rely on our own strength. We do not have the ability to warrant our acceptance and love by Almighty God. for God so loved the world that he gave us his only begotten son. Just in conclusion, really my third point is my conclusion this time. For God so loved the world. God's love is the motive of the salvation of sinners. He brings it about through Christ for God so loved the world. The world there is the world and everything in it, the cosmos. He loved it and would do what it would take to bring about its redemption. And what was the value, what was the cost of that redemption? Well, He gave His only begotten Son. He would pay the ultimate price and would satisfy the judgment and wrath of God for the sins of His people. I think we have to see that, unacted upon, I'm not sure that's a word, unacted upon by the grace and Spirit of God, all would perish. All would perish, because they are spiritually dead. And I think this is part of the point of the words that Jesus speaks. This gospel is not just for the Jews only. And that was the understanding of the day, that the Jews were God's people, and that when the Messiah would come, then Israel would be exalted to new glories and new heights, and exercise dominion from sea to sea and shore to shore. But that's not God's point. through Him, the world would come to know the Savior. Look at verse 17. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. And, of course, the pivotal issue in the goodness of God and the grace of God revealed. Verse 18 says that some are condemned already. Why? Because they do not believe in the Son of God. Verse 20, Everyone practicing evil hates the light, and does not come to the light, lest their deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God. That's what we sing about every Sunday. Wholehearted thanksgiving to Thee, I will bring, praised by wonderful grace, we will sing. And of course, what I'm reading and explaining here. It's not foreign to our understanding. In fact, the Catechism asks, Do those really believe in the only Savior? Do those believe in the only Savior, Jesus, who seek their salvation and welfare from saints, themselves, or anywhere else? No. Although they make their boast of Him, yet by their deeds they deny the only Savior, Jesus. For either Jesus is not a complete Savior, just our Helper, our Assistant, He gives us a nudge, or they who by true faith receive this Savior must have in Him all that is necessary for their salvation. And it is, and we do. If we are saved by Christ, by the proclamation of the gospel, we don't need more. We don't need this and that. That's the whole argument of the book of Galatians. Do we need faith plus anything else? Paul says no. For the gospel that comes to us in Christ is wholly sufficient. wholly adequate to our need. Like, Lord's Day 1, what is your only comfort in life and in death? That I'm not my own, but belong to my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ, who with His precious blood has what? Has fully paid for all my sins and set me free of all the power of the devil. There's no deficiency there. There's only sufficiency that in Christ we have All that we need and His grace is sufficient for me. Amen. Gracious God, we thank You that we can read and study familiar passages like this, and how they lend this indelible imprint upon our hearts and lives, that Jesus Christ is the only Savior and Lord, that He is the One who came and paid the price that we might take and eat and drink of his spiritual food and drink. We ask and pray your blessing on each one who is here. Upon the remainder of our service, O Lord, might it be that you would be exalted.