Spirit In The Human Experience

Text:

John 3:1-7:

1   There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:

2   The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.

3   Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

4   Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?

5   Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

6   That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

  7   Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

 

Theme:

Spirit in the Human Experience

 

Introduction:

• The Gospel of John is the fourth gospel written by the Apostle John. Some believed that it was to fill the gaps left by the first three gospels, but no concrete evidence makes this universally true.  However, it does in a unique and genuine way divulge the depth of the relationship between God and the Son AND the relationship between the believer and the Godhead.
• In this passage of text, we find a familiar story of the encounter between Jesus and Nicodemus
  • Nicodemus came to Jesus by night out of shame à He was a teacher and asked what we may call “stupid” questionsJ

“How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?”

• There are no stupid questions. There are only stupid answers.
  • Jesus said in Matthew 18:3, “And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.”
    • A child has no fear, hesitance, or inhibitions about asking questions when they don’t know.
    • A child asks simply to know and to satisfy curiosity…without ulterior, malicious motives.
    • WHY CAN’T WE BE AS CHILDREN!
  • We should just ask!!!!
    • As it says in Hebrews 4:16, “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”
  • Jesus dealt with Nicodemus’ spoken and unspoken questions with three conclusive statements:
    • Verse 3 says, “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God”
    • Verse 5 says, “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God”
    • Then Verse 6 says, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”
• Nicodemus here is the Human looking upon the Spiritual Experience!
  • He faces the Truth of Jesus Christ and wrestles with the reality of God’s Spirit as it is manifested in His Word.
    • We also have the same struggle before coming to Christ. The Holy Spirit is REAL and our denial of it just severs us from the reality of its Power in our lives.
      • How can I be born again?
      • I don’t understand how I can truly start again?
      • Why would God want to give a wretch like me that second, third, fourth, or whatever chance?
    • Then, even after coming to Christ, we incessantly identify ourselves with Humanity and, therefore, constrain our potential and restrain our growth. We attribute the fleshly desires and actions to our own record and condemn ourselves.
      • The Law of the Old Testament breeds this thinking through the inobstructible death erected through living by law.
      • We are as the unbelievers, who are Humans looking upon the Spiritual Experience.

 

Body:

• However, Jesus calls us to a new existence in his first statement:

Verse 3 says, “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God”

• Jesus replied to Nicodemus that he must be born AGAIN!
  • The FIRST BIRTH:
    • Contaminated with Sin:
      • Psalm 51:5, “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.”
    • Guaranteed Trouble:
      • Job 14:1, “Man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble.”
    • Inevitable Death:
      • Hebrews 9:27, “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:”
  • The SECOND BIRTH:
    • Voluntary:
      • Romans 10:1, “Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.”
    • Conditional:
      • Romans 10:9, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”
  • A Process:
  • • Repent of your sins
      • Believe in Jesus Christ — the born, lived, suffered, hung, bled, died, buried, and rose again for the remission of sins
      • Here is where Jesus’ second statement to Nicodemus gives more clarity to His calling:

Verse 5 says, “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God”

WATER → Be baptized – Acts 2:38 says, “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”

SPIRIT → Receive the Holy Ghost – John 14:26 says, “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you”

• If you are not born again, you “cannot see the Kingdom of God” nor can you “enter into the Kingdom of God”
  • Can’t appreciate being a child of God
  • Can’t recognize the wonders of God in your life or that of others
  • Can’t enjoy the benefits of being God’s child
  • Can’t go to Heaven!!!

• After the Second Birth, we are no longer Humans looking upon a Spiritual Experience. Instead we are:

Spirits in the Human Experience

• After you have been redeemed, saved, or born again you don’t have to live in the condemnation of the flesh.
  • Romans 8:1 explains, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death”
  • Jesus calls us to a liberating grace that frees us from our own humanity to live as the spiritual beings that God made us to be.
    • Then Romans 12:2 explains, “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
      • We are TRANSFORMED to be new creatures in Christ!
        • 2Corinthians 5:17 confirms, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
      • Genesis 1:26 establishes, “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.”
        • Based on John 4:24 which says, “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.”

 

Conclusion:

• Hence, Jesus gives His third statement to Nicodemus!

Then Verse 6 says, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”

• Here is where the line is drawn in the sand for us!
  • If you are of the FIRST BIRTH, you are flesh enjoy the works of flesh:
    • Adultery, fornication, uncleanness,
    • lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft,
    • hatred, variance, emulations,
    • wrath, strife, seditions,
    • heresies, Envyings, murders,
    • drunkenness, revellings, and such like
  • If you are of the SECOND BIRTH, you are a spirit who produces fruits like:
    • love, joy, peace,
    • longsuffering, gentleness, goodness,
    • faith, meekness, temperance
• In Christ, we are not flesh…we are spirit!
• In Christ, we are not bound by flesh…we are liberated by His Spirit!
• In Christ, we were not made to be of the flesh of the world…we were made to be of the spirit in the likeness of our Creator.
  • So with my mind I serve God even though I have flesh that desireth to serve evil.
    • Romans 7:25 explains, “I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.”
      • I thank God …

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