John 3 v/1/16

The gospel this morning is one of the outstanding passages in the whole Bible. In it, Jesus is calling for an inner change in your life. So often we seek change in relationships or in other people, here Jesus seeks a change in us.

In verse 1, we read of Nicodemus. Here was a man who recognized that he needed a change and wanted to go deeper, he wanted what Jesus offered. Sometimes it may be difficult to admit this, but Nicodemus was ready to face up to it

.He was an important man in the community. He was a Pharisee, one of an elite company never more than 6,000, who took a pledge to spend all their lives observing every details of the Jewish Law. To a Jew, that Law was the most sacred thing in the world. He was also on the ruling council called the Sanhedrin, a Court of 70 members, the Supreme Court of the Jews. All the people looked up to Nicodemus, for he was a teacher and answered questions. He tithed a tenth of all his income, fasted and prayed for two hours each day. He was a man many Churches would welcome. He had religion, but not Christ.

One night he went to see Jesus, which meant he was taking a great risk, for if found doing so it would have meant losing his position, so he had to avoid being seen. No one need to be afraid of seeking Jesus, He will take you however you come. There are people now who don’t like to acknowledge that they are identified with the Church of Jesus for fear of embarrassment through being mocked and want to live a secret faith.

So beneath an Asian sky, on a hill overlooking Jerusalem, when it was dark, Nicodemus went to find and speak to Jesus and say, no one could help but be impressed by what Jesus had achieved. Jesus replied that it was not the acts that were important, but it was the effects on a life that mattered.

The religion of Nicodemus was that of doing good works. The problem with a religion of good deeds is that we can never know when we have done enough, but that is the basic religion of the world. 95% of the population today, believes that as long as you are honest, kind and helpful to others and do no harm, you are a fully- fledged Christian with a passport to heaven. What we need to ask ourselves is, if I stood before God to day and He asked me why I should be allowed into heaven, what would I say?
Jesus saw that Nicodemus had in his heart a great need, for he could see the effect Jesus was having on the crowds and he wanted that experience. He sincerely believed he was doing what he thought God wanted from him, yet he realised something more was necessary; it was that feeling which led him to Jesus and risk incurring the wrath of his people. So many people like Nicodemus.

Jesus answered him with that phrase, which has been immortalized by evangelical preachers, ‘you must be born again’. Jesus didn’t say ‘you must think about it’ or ‘you must consider it’. He said ‘you MUST be born again.’ This verse is so difficult for many within the Church to accept, for it means a change in their way of living; in other words, it condemns them.

Nicodemus took Jesus’ words literally and asked ‘how can a man be born when he is old. Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb. Jesus was of course speaking figuratively.

The problem with so many people is that they think they are quite satisfactory and don’t need to change or do anything. They like a certain amount of religion, but not too much; having to attend Church is an unnecessary thing for them to do. Now people are fooled into thinking if their morality is in line with State law, they have a way of easing their conscience, failing to appreciate God’s law overrides State law.

But there is also a lesson and warning for many within the Church. It may be entertaining and give one a feeling of self- importance and learning to justify writing books and taking part in profound discussions in academic circles, but all that is useless in practical terms, if unable to communicate the simple message of Christianity to ordinary people.

The Apostles of Jesus were ordinary men without a degree among them. Well has it been said, ‘the Church is falling apart by degrees’.

If you go into hospital you don’t want the surgeon to give a lecture on the workings of the human body, you just want him to make you well. Christianity is something we accept by faith; we do not need a theological treatise.

Like many people today, Nicodemus felt he was too old to change, to set in his ways, but we can begin anew at any age. So many people are desperately unhappy and unsatisfied because they are missing out in their lives. They seek refuge in alcohol or drugs or gambling or whatever. The thought of seeking spiritual help is beyond their ability to think of such a move.

What Jesus calls for is a complete transformation in our lives. To lead a life in which we submit all willingly to the will of God. This means in our thoughts, words and actions. A true Christian cannot live by society’s standards from Monday to Saturday and think a token statement of repentance on Sunday will be acceptable. Nor is infrequent attendance at Church, and/or a casual attitude to faith during the rest of the week.

If you think of a birth, the body exists before birth and can move and feel, but knows nothing of this world. It cannot see nor communicate yet the world is all around it. At the moment of birth, the embryo comes in to the world and can see, breathe and make contact. The baby is born of the flesh.

Jesus told Nicodemus he needed to be born again, that being to be changed in such a way that can only be described as a re-creation. To be born of the Spirit means to have the Spirit of Jesus Christ living inside of you, and you are ready to believe that Jesus Christ was Lord and is the Saviour of the World.
People come to a point in life when they feel that they are going through the motion of religion, of having the ritual without there being any sense of the real thing. If you come to that point in your relationship with God, and it happens to people all the time, you need to come before Jesus and ask Him to come into your life and give you that new life.

At this time John had been baptizing and it was a sensational event. Many people now superstitiously think that if they have their babies baptized that will ensure their entrance into heaven, a sort of once and for life matter irrespective of a life in between, which is pure superstition. Water may cleanse and may make you smell nicer, but that is not enough in God’s eyes. What it stands for is important, but you have to grasp the full meaning, which is repentance for sin, and the start of a new way of living.

Most people don’t want to admit there is anything to repent of, they are perfectly good and God should recognize that. A Vicar put a notice outside his Church which read, ‘this church is here for sinners.’ The next week two thirds of his congregation was absent.

Jesus referred to the wind blowing and being heard without it being seen or knowing where it came from or where it was going. When we are born again we feel the Spirit of God inside us. You don’t see God or control Him, but you see the effects when Jesus takes hold of your life. Your worship becomes more meaningful and necessary to you. You don’t find so many excuses for not coming to Church.
When we are born of the Spirit we have a new power within us. It may be asked how do I get it? 

Sometimes a man and a woman meet and immediately know they have met the person of their dreams, instantly they fall in love. The relationship may last for ever or indeed may fall apart after a while when they reconsider with the regularity of normal living. Another man and woman meet and meet again and again, and suddenly realize how deeply they have come to love each other and they live on happily. If you asked them at what point they actually fell in love, they could not tell you it just developed.

So it is with religion. Many thousands of people went to the Billy Graham Crusades in the latter half of the last century. Touched by rousing hymns, massed choirs, sermon by the world’s greatest preacher, they immediately had a Damascus road conversion. Quite a lot of men became clergy and even bishops, others went back to their parishes and in the more mundane atmosphere of 1662 Matins, poorly put together services and indifferent preaching, fell away; whilst others with regular worship and a desire to know the Lord just grew in grace over time.

We have the whole message of the gospel in verse 16, ‘God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.’ Just as a mother suffers to give us physical birth, so Jesus suffered on the Cross that we should have spiritual birth.

Jesus went on to Jerusalem and the Cross and a cruel death in the most horrific form of execution, and after being beaten with a leather belt fitted with steel studs 39 times.

Jesus endured this that we might be forgiven of our sins.  As you bear this in mind, think of the pain He suffered, and consider if He gave His life so willingly for us, our first reaction should be, we are willingly going to follow His teaching and accepting Him as Savior.

 

May these words so motivate our hearts to follow the teaching of Jesus,

 

 May God’s Holy Name be Glorified.