It's been 2000 years since
the glorious light of the cross
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illuminated a world veiled
in darkness and confusion about
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the character of God. And
still today the greatest need of
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mankind is a revelation of God's
love as revealed in the life of
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Christ. Amazing Facts presents
the Everlasting Gospel with
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Pastor Doug Batchelor coming
to you each week from Sacramento
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Central Church in sunny
California. Discover hidden
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treasures in God's word today.
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I remember hearing about a young
man working his way through
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school at a Taco Bell, working
the night shift. Nicholas Zahn.
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Very busy one evening trying
to manage the desk and the drive
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through window and a woman
named Dvorna Andrews let out a
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shriek. She had been standing in
the line within the Taco Bell.
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He turned and looked and could
see quickly that she was great
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with child and as you might have
guessed she went into labor.
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He had to make some very
important decisions right at
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that moment. He was there kind
of managing a little Taco Bell.
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And he took off his head set,
called 9-1-1, ran around and
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tried to make her comfortable.
And before he knew what was
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happening he was catching a baby
that, in his words, sort of just
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popped out in his hands before
the rescue vehicles could get
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there. Now you might be thinking
if you owned that Taco Bell, I
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did not hire that man to deliver
babies. We had a lot of people
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waiting in line for
their burritos and their tacos.
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A lot of people were lined up
at the drive-through window and
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here he is delivering babies.
He needs to get his priorities
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straight. Now I don't think most
of you were thinking that way.
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Most of you were probably
thinking, well delivering a baby
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was the priority at the time.
More important than delivering
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beans, right? Human beans are
more important than pinto beans.
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Do we all agree with that? Now
I say that because sometimes we
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can come to church and we can
get so involved in the routine
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the busyness of what we're doing
that we forget the priorities.
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The priority of everything we
do as Christians is summed up in
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the new birth. There must be
new creations. We must be born
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again. And that will be the
focus of our talk this morning,
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our study this morning. I have
titled the message today, well
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for the next two weeks
it's going to be on Nicodemus.
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Today is part one. Nicodemus
Part - 1: Born Again. Now you
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don't need to wonder too much
where I'm going, because the
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only time you find any reference
to Nicodemus is in the gospel of
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John. And this passage that is
one of the most famous passages
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in the Bible, is found in John
chapter 3. Please turn there
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with me. We'll look at some
other scriptures as you know,
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but I want you to turn with me
to gospel of John chapter 3 and
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in a special sense we'll
be considering verses 1-8 this
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morning in the story about
Nicodemus. Now of course it's a
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good idea to begin at the
beginning. Verse 1: There was a
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man of the Pharisees named
Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.
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Now we're going to take that
verse apart and we're going to
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learn about Nicodemus. You
might be wondering, Nicodemus is
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mentioned five times in the
Bible, only in the gospel of St.
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John and he plays a prominent
role there at the beginning of
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Christ's ministry, sort of in
the midst of Christ's ministry,
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then ultimately at the
end of Jesus' ministry. Why is
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Nicodemus not mentioned by
Matthew, Mark or Luke? I think
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part of the key is that he is a
Pharisee. Now the Pharisees were
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one of four Jewish sects
that existed during the time of
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Christ. Those four divisions of
the Jewish religious group were
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the Pharisees, the largest
group, the Sadducees, the
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Essenes and the Zealots. The
Pharisees sort of evolved after
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the Babylonian captivity during
the time of the Maccabees. They
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were the guardians of the
religious ritual and the law.
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They believe that you were
saved through faithfulness to
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observation of the law of Moses
and they were very critical of
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those who did not observe. There
was a certain air of arrogance
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and self-righteousness
among many of the Pharisees.
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You remember of course the
Pharisee that went into the
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temple and prayed. Jesus told
the parable, the Pharisee prayed
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thus with himself, Lord I thank
you that I am not as other men.
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By the way, this is Luke 18
verses 11 and 12. He stood and
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prayed, I think you I'm not
like other men, extortioners,
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unjust, adulterers, even as this
tax collector, the publican that
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was in the back of the church.
I fast twice a week, I give
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tithes of all that I possess.
Now Pharisees were very self
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righteous. They were meticulous
about paying tithes of even
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their herb gardens. Now
the Pharisees weren't all bad.
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Nicodemus was a Pharisee. Paul
was a Pharisee. They were well
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acquainted with the word
but they believe that they were
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saved by virtue of keeping
the law. They did not understand
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grace. If you were a Pharisee,
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and if you were not only a
Pharisee but if you were part of
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the Sanhedrin, I'll get to
that in just a moment, and you
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converted to Christianity,
well the other Pharisees and
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Sadducees would see that
as a betrayal and it would be
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something like if you lived
in Pakistan today and you were a
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Pakistani Islamic teacher and
you converted to Christianity,
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do you realize that the penalty
is death? Are you aware of that?
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That's right. And there are some
Pakistanis who have converted to
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Christianity and have been
executed and they are supported
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by the government in that when
they are executed. If you were
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a Pharisee and part of the
Sanhedrin and you converted
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Christianity, did they try to
kill Paul for doing it? So one
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theory is that Nicodemus who
we all know became a follower of
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Christ and his high station when
he converted, he had a price on
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his head. The writers of
Matthew, Mark and Luke, he may
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have still been alive during
their time. John wrote his
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gospel last, Nicodemus had
probably died at that point and
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it was safe to talk about him by
name; there was no harm done at
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that point. But he was very
prominent. The early church knew
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who he was. He sort of needed
to live a little bit incognito
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because he may have had a price
on his head because of what was
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seen as a betrayal by the
religious leaders at the time.
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So Nicodemus was a Pharisee,
a very religious man. He went to
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church, fasted, paid tithe. Keep
in mind that the Pharisees were
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also missionaries. You
remember in Matthew where Jesus
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denounces the Pharisees and he
issues these scathing rebukes.
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He says you cross land and
sea for one convert. So they
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believed in missionary
work. They were very religious.
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But Nicodemus comes to Jesus
because he knows something is
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missing. Not only does it
say he's a Pharisee, it tells us
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that his name is Nicodemus.
The word Nicodemus means victory
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of the people. Now I think that
is significant because Nicodemus
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sort of represents all of us who
need to come to Jesus. And he's
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searching for truth and he finds
it in Christ. One historian said
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that during the time of
the Roman emperor Vespasian
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there was a man by the name
of Nicodemus who was the son of
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Gorian. He's mentioned in the
Jewish writings. The Josephus
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who wrote the antiquities or
the war of the Jews, different
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Josephus. He's mentioned by
him and it says that he was so
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wealthy that he could support
all of the inhabitants of
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Jerusalem for 10 years from his
bank account. Now maybe that's
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an exaggeration, but it still
gets the point across this man
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was very Nicodemus Bar Gates.
Very wealthy, a billionaire by
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the terms of the day. So we know
that he's a very religious man.
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He's a man of substance
and by the way it mentions that
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Nicodemus, when Jesus died,
he got 100 pounds of aloes and
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myrrh to bury him. That was
extremely expensive. We believe
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the historian that says he was
very wealthy and we knew that
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some of the Pharisees were.
Furthermore, it tells us that he
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was a ruler of the people. I'm
still in verse one. The rulers
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of the Jews were part of the
Sanhedrin. Now there may have
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only been about eight or ten
thousand official members of the
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Pharisees during the time of
Christ. There were a number of
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Pharisees in training. But among
the Pharisees and the Sadducees
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the religious leaders there,
70 were chosen to represent the
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people. It was the supreme court
of the Jewish nation. They were
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called the Sanhedrin. They were
the rulers of the people. We
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know that Nicodemus sat with
this group because it mentions
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him speaking out during one
of the Sanhedrin meetings in
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defense of Jesus. And we'll talk
about that again later as well.
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So here you've got this man
who has great possessions, great
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position. He is extremely
religious and by the way the
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way, the word Pharisee comes
from the Jewish word pharash and
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it means to set apart. They were
the separated ones. But he had
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heard Jesus teaching and he
knew that something was missing.
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There was a purity, there was a
simplicity, there was the grace
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about what Jesus said
that was so different from the
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pharisaical teaching of the day.
He knew that Jesus supported
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Moses and the law and the
prophets and yet it was mingled
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with grace and the Pharisees
were missing that. He saw the
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boldness, he saw the miracles
and the works of Christ and it
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says that he came to Jesus at
night, during the darkest time.
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Maybe he didn't want the
scrutiny. It tells us that
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there's this sincerity. He does
come to Jesus but he comes when
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it's dark. He's timid about it
and he feels a conflict between
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this yearning, this sincerity
and this timidity about having
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others see. Now I thought it was
interesting that in all of the
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gospel of John, and you
might jot these scriptures down
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because they're going to come
up again, where it talks about
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Nicodemus. He's only mentioned
five times. It says, verse 2,
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chapter 3 verse 2, the same came
to Jesus by night. You go to
00:12:08.20\00:12:13.12
chapter 7 where it talks about
Nicodemus. It says, he that came
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to Jesus by night. Then you go
to chapter 19 verse 39 and John
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is again talking about Nicodemus
which first came to Jesus by
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night. Three times there it
says he came to Jesus by night.
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You know, we must assume that
when they came to arrest Jesus
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when did they come. Why did they
come at night? They didn't want
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the multitudes to see what they
were doing. Nicodemus when he
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came to Jesus at night was
trying to hide from other prying
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eyes. They didn't have the
street lights like we have today
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All they had were these little
candle lights, hand-held lamps
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They're not very bright. You've
got to get really close to a
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person to make out who they
are with those primitive lights.
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Not much better than a kerosene
lamp. We also believe because
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the apostle John writes of
Nicodemus and the apostle John
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during the trial of Christ knew
people in the priesthood that
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John may have even arranged
the meeting. They may have had
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family members that were in
the priesthood, John and James.
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And Nicodemus through his
secretary his administrative
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secretary, he's a very wealthy
man. He's got an entourage.
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He makes contact and says you
know I would really appreciate a
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private audience with the
teacher. And John works it out
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and Jesus said I'll be happy
to talk to him. So they come at
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some point probably not far from
Jerusalem and he has this visit
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with Jesus. He doesn't want
others to see, doesn't want to
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create a spectacle, does not
want it to be in the tabloids of
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Jerusalem the next day that
one of the prominent, wealthy
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Pharisees, Sanhedrin member, is
interviewing with Jesus. Might
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send the wrong signal. So maybe
he's a little frightened. But he
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knows that Jesus has the truth.
So he comes at night. You know I
00:14:06.72\00:14:11.35
thought it was also interesting
that when you read in the gospel
00:14:11.39\00:14:15.99
of John he comes to
Christ and he makes this opening
00:14:16.02\00:14:20.98
introduction and he says
in verse 2: Rabbi, we know...
00:14:21.01\00:14:25.90
Who is the we? Did he have a
mouse in his pocket? Were there
00:14:25.94\00:14:31.09
other members of the Sanhedrin
that believed that Jesus might
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be the one. Well you would think
of all these religious leaders
00:14:35.16\00:14:39.13
out of 70 of them there must
have been more than just one
00:14:39.16\00:14:40.79
that had it right.
00:14:40.82\00:14:43.76
I mean out of the 12 spies there
were at least two that were
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faithful so out of the 70 there
could have been a handful, five
00:14:46.49\00:14:49.78
or six, that believed. And if
you read later even some of the
00:14:49.82\00:14:53.49
priests in Acts chapter 5
believed on Jesus. So Nicodemus
00:14:53.52\00:14:57.12
is not just representing himself
He said we. We know that you are
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a teacher come from God and that
no man can do these miracles
00:15:04.00\00:15:09.30
that you do except God be with
him. Part of the reason that
00:15:09.34\00:15:14.57
they believed in Christ, he saw
the works of Jesus. Now is there
00:15:14.61\00:15:19.46
anything wrong with that? No.
He saw the wonderful things that
00:15:19.50\00:15:24.05
Christ was doing and he believed
that this man must be from God.
00:15:24.08\00:15:28.18
Can the devil do miracles? Does
that mean you're never supposed
00:15:28.22\00:15:31.55
to notice the wonderful works.
Jesus said you'll know them by
00:15:31.58\00:15:35.39
their fruits. Works are one of
the signs of the power of God.
00:15:35.42\00:15:38.81
Jesus said in the gospel of Mark
these works will follow them
00:15:38.84\00:15:42.20
that believe, these miracles,
these signs, will follow.
00:15:42.23\00:15:45.53
And Jesus said, John chapter 5
verse 36, the very works that I
00:15:45.57\00:15:52.24
do bare witness of me that the
Father has sent me. Can we see
00:15:52.28\00:15:57.77
the works of Jesus in creation?
That's one of the greatest
00:15:57.81\00:16:02.42
testimonies. Can we see the
works of Jesus in conversions
00:16:02.45\00:16:06.99
of people, when someone changes,
their heart is changed? You know
00:16:07.03\00:16:12.47
we receive a lot of Christmas
cards. We're very grateful for
00:16:12.50\00:16:16.22
those of you who send Christmas
cards and let me officially
00:16:16.25\00:16:19.55
thank you on behalf of the
Batchelor family. It's hard for
00:16:19.58\00:16:22.81
us to keep up with sending cards
to everybody that sends cards to
00:16:22.85\00:16:26.86
us. We did send some cards out
to a number of people, but one
00:16:26.90\00:16:30.43
of the cards we got included
a letter of incredible testimony
00:16:30.47\00:16:34.23
of a conversion of somebody
who would have seemed totally
00:16:34.26\00:16:37.70
opposed to this message but
through the power of the word
00:16:37.73\00:16:41.04
they were transformed. And
you can see the power of God is
00:16:41.08\00:16:45.11
there because of conversions.
Nicodemus what probably in the
00:16:45.14\00:16:49.11
background observing some
of the teachings of Jesus, the
00:16:49.14\00:16:52.77
miracles of Jesus. Maybe first
hand he beheld some of these
00:16:52.80\00:16:56.39
things. Keep in mind in the
gospel of John chapter 9 there
00:16:56.42\00:17:00.54
was a man who was blind from
birth. He was brought into the
00:17:00.57\00:17:04.00
Sanhedrin and in front of the
whole Sanhedrin he says I was
00:17:04.03\00:17:06.85
born blind and I don't who
it was but all I know is I was
00:17:06.89\00:17:09.64
blind and now I see. They heard,
the Sanhedrin, the Pharisees,
00:17:09.68\00:17:12.97
they heard about the miracles
of Jesus. They had messengers
00:17:13.01\00:17:16.63
that were coming back reporting
to them. So he knew about what
00:17:16.66\00:17:20.34
Christ was doing. He was turning
their religious world upside
00:17:20.37\00:17:24.64
down. He knew. It says we know
you've come from God. No one can
00:17:24.68\00:17:29.43
do these things. And he begins
with giving respect to Jesus.
00:17:29.47\00:17:35.06
Jesus is a carpenter. He's poor.
His apostles are largely poor.
00:17:35.10\00:17:39.84
And yet he still shows respect
to Christ and maybe he's trying
00:17:39.88\00:17:43.82
to butter him up with a lot of
the platitudes and the flowery
00:17:43.85\00:17:48.52
language that they've got. Jesus
when he begins to respond, he
00:17:48.56\00:17:52.90
cuts through all of that and he
goes right to the heart of what
00:17:52.93\00:17:57.24
Nicodemus needs to hear.
He makes first things first.
00:17:57.27\00:18:02.47
We talked not too long ago about
priorities. You know before you
00:18:02.51\00:18:07.19
get to the gospel of John
chapter 3, it's preceded by
00:18:07.22\00:18:10.85
John chapter 2. You all knew
that, right? You know what it
00:18:10.89\00:18:14.65
says there? John 2:24, the last
verses in the gospel of John
00:18:14.68\00:18:19.25
chapter 2. I think you need to
get the context. Jesus did not
00:18:19.28\00:18:23.82
commit himself unto them
because he knew all men and
00:18:23.85\00:18:28.95
indeed not only that any should
testify of man for he, Jesus,
00:18:28.99\00:18:34.03
knew what was in man. One of the
definitions of God is God and
00:18:34.07\00:18:38.26
God only knows the thoughts
of your heart. The devil might
00:18:38.30\00:18:41.60
place something in your mind
but he doesn't know what you're
00:18:41.64\00:18:44.78
thinking. He can try and
read your body language and your
00:18:44.82\00:18:47.89
facial expressions and just all
of the external evidence and the
00:18:47.93\00:18:51.49
devil can guess, he can make
a lot of educated guesses about
00:18:51.53\00:18:54.69
what you're thinking about his
temptations but he can't read
00:18:54.73\00:18:57.82
your mind. When you pray in your
heart the devil can't hear those
00:18:57.86\00:19:01.42
prayers. Don't hesitate praying
out loud, the Bible supports
00:19:01.45\00:19:05.86
that in your private
prayers. Jesus prayed out loud.
00:19:05.90\00:19:07.81
Don't pray to be seen of men.
00:19:07.85\00:19:10.17
But only God can see your heart.
God knows what you're thinking.
00:19:10.21\00:19:14.05
Man looks on the outside, the
Lord looks on the heart. So in
00:19:14.08\00:19:17.67
the end of chapter 2 it says
only God can look in the heart.
00:19:17.71\00:19:21.03
Jesus knew what was in man. And
so you talk about Nicodemus and
00:19:21.06\00:19:24.29
the very next passage and Jesus
looks right into his heart.
00:19:24.33\00:19:28.36
It gives you an example,
an exhibit, of him doing that.
00:19:28.40\00:19:32.10
And he says no man can do
the things you do except God has
00:19:32.13\00:19:37.10
sent him. And what does Jesus
say to him. You need to be born
00:19:37.13\00:19:43.49
again. John 3:3: Jesus answered
and said to him, most assuredly
00:19:43.53\00:19:49.86
now that's the strongest
definite language, King James
00:19:49.89\00:19:52.49
verily, verily. I'm telling
you for a fact. Don't miss this.
00:19:52.53\00:19:55.34
Get this straight. This is
the truth what I'm about to say.
00:19:55.38\00:19:58.16
That's what he's saying when
he says verily, verily. I am
00:20:01.00\00:20:04.22
telling you, you can count
on this, take it to the bank.
00:20:04.26\00:20:07.41
So he's using very strong terms
when he's speaking to Nicodemus.
00:20:07.45\00:20:11.92
Unless one is born again, he
cannot see the kingdom of God.
00:20:11.95\00:20:18.81
Now that really exploded his
world. Because every Pharisee
00:20:18.84\00:20:25.63
was waiting for the kingdom of
God which they thought was going
00:20:25.67\00:20:26.70
be on earth. And they thought
when the kingdom of God did come
00:20:27.85\00:20:29.82
that the first ones that would
lead out in that new kingdom
00:20:29.85\00:20:34.05
would be the Pharisees because
the Pharisees prided themselves
00:20:34.09\00:20:38.26
on being guardians on the law of
Moses, the constitution of the
00:20:38.30\00:20:42.65
kingdom, if you will. And so for
Jesus to say to a Pharisee you
00:20:42.69\00:20:47.01
don't even have a chance
of seeing from a distance the
00:20:47.04\00:20:50.18
kingdom of God unless you're
born again. Wow! And to say that
00:20:50.22\00:20:54.42
to somebody who is in the most
religious group in the kingdom
00:20:54.45\00:20:58.71
who is sitting on the supreme
court of that religious group
00:20:58.75\00:21:03.30
and looking for the kingdom of
God and to tell them you don't
00:21:03.33\00:21:07.34
have a hope unless you are
born again. Now you know why I
00:21:07.38\00:21:11.34
thought this message was
important? Sometimes you can
00:21:11.37\00:21:15.26
go to church for years and not
be born again. Nicodemus was in
00:21:15.30\00:21:20.22
church. I don't know about you.
I'd probably vote Nicodemus in
00:21:20.25\00:21:25.12
as an elder at Central Church.
Wouldn't you? I mean, good man.
00:21:25.15\00:21:29.99
By all earthly measurements
he would have been a great
00:21:30.02\00:21:33.42
candidate. Anybody who baptized
Nicodemus would have said
00:21:33.46\00:21:36.79
Praise the Lord. We're glad we
got him in the church. He's got
00:21:36.83\00:21:40.47
leadership skills, he's
rich, and he's religious. What a
00:21:40.50\00:21:45.61
combination. But according
to Christ he might have power,
00:21:45.64\00:21:50.43
intellectual skill, leadership
power, great possessions, very
00:21:50.46\00:21:55.48
religious, dedicated, devoted,
reads his Bible, knows his Bible
00:21:55.52\00:22:01.21
lost unless you're born again.
Is it possible that we could
00:22:01.25\00:22:06.91
have all the trappings of
religion, our lives could be
00:22:06.94\00:22:10.25
festooned with all the religious
paraphernalia but the heart is
00:22:10.29\00:22:15.32
not born again and we're lost.
It's like I've got this watch
00:22:15.36\00:22:19.82
here and it's a Casio watch and
I like them because the battery
00:22:19.86\00:22:24.37
lasts for years. But eventually
they do die. Occasionally I've
00:22:24.40\00:22:28.79
replaced one. And if all of
a sudden the light goes out and
00:22:28.83\00:22:33.78
the battery dies, if I polish
this watch and dress it up and
00:22:33.82\00:22:38.32
tighten the band, it's not going
to help me one bit. Everything
00:22:38.35\00:22:43.25
about it is in perfect working
order except it has no power.
00:22:43.29\00:22:47.99
It needs a new battery. It needs
a new heart. And I think a lot
00:22:48.02\00:22:52.69
of us, we go to church like
watches with dead batteries.
00:22:52.72\00:22:56.46
You know it looks great on the
outside. I could probably wear
00:22:56.50\00:23:00.15
this watch for a year, not have
it running and unless you ask me
00:23:00.18\00:23:03.80
for the time you'd never know
would you. It looked good to
00:23:03.83\00:23:08.75
you. Pastor Doug's got his watch
on. You don't look close enough
00:23:08.79\00:23:11.89
to see if it's ticking or not.
And the same way a lot of people
00:23:11.92\00:23:15.08
go to church and on the outside
it looks like everything's okay.
00:23:15.12\00:23:20.13
But on the inside the battery's
dead. And Jesus cut right to
00:23:20.16\00:23:23.41
that. If you're going to be
a Christian, the most important
00:23:23.45\00:23:27.58
thing is, you must, not
that it would be a nice addition
00:23:27.61\00:23:31.67
you must be born again. The new
birth is crucial for salvation.
00:23:31.71\00:23:36.37
If you've got everything and
you don't have the new birth you
00:23:36.41\00:23:41.79
have nothing. Who was it that
said he that is only born once
00:23:41.83\00:23:47.14
will die twice, second death. He
that is born twice will die once
00:23:47.18\00:23:53.17
Matter of fact, in keeping with
that thought I found a quote
00:23:53.20\00:23:57.65
here from A. W. Tozer. There
are two spirits abroad in the
00:23:57.68\00:24:01.97
earth. The spirit that works
in the children of disobedience
00:24:02.00\00:24:06.43
and the Spirit that works in the
sons of God, the Spirit of God.
00:24:06.47\00:24:10.68
They can never be reconciled
in time and eternity. You've got
00:24:10.72\00:24:14.86
the spirit that dwells in the
once born. It's forever opposed
00:24:14.90\00:24:19.44
to the Spirit that inhabits the
heart of the twice born and in
00:24:19.47\00:24:23.98
the church you've got both
groups. And some go to church
00:24:24.01\00:24:28.36
for years and they're still
only the once born. And you know
00:24:28.40\00:24:32.72
what I've discovered? Just
my own personal observation.
00:24:32.75\00:24:35.41
I could be wrong but most of
the personnel problems you have
00:24:35.45\00:24:39.75
in a church congregation are
between the once born and the
00:24:39.79\00:24:44.02
once born. Sometimes you'll have
conflict between the once born
00:24:44.06\00:24:48.98
and the twice born. I don't
remember ever having any real
00:24:49.01\00:24:53.69
conflict between the twice born
and the twice born. They usually
00:24:53.73\00:24:57.03
are willing to do whatever they
think Jesus wants them to do and
00:24:57.07\00:25:00.34
they're both on the same
wave length. You can eliminate a
00:25:00.37\00:25:03.57
whole lot of problems in a
church when you've got a church
00:25:03.60\00:25:06.82
full of people that have
new hearts because they're born
00:25:06.85\00:25:10.91
again. So I'm just trying to
make my job easier which is why
00:25:10.95\00:25:14.98
I'm preaching this message
and that of our associates.
00:25:15.01\00:25:18.48
Man! Wouldn't it be wonderful
pastors to pastor a church if
00:25:18.52\00:25:22.66
everybody was really born again.
Wouldn't that be great? Wouldn't
00:25:22.70\00:25:26.28
it be wonderful to have that
fellowship of people who all
00:25:26.31\00:25:29.75
new hearts. Jesus said unless
you have it you cannot see the
00:25:29.78\00:25:33.19
kingdom of God. I don't
about you but I want to see the
00:25:33.22\00:25:35.23
kingdom of God. I want to know
that I have a new heart. Now we
00:25:35.27\00:25:39.30
are going to talk about that
this morning. By the way, this
00:25:39.34\00:25:43.08
wasn't a totally new concept
even though Nicodemus seemed to
00:25:43.11\00:25:47.05
balk at what Jesus was saying.
It wasn't a totally foreign
00:25:47.08\00:25:51.82
concept. Ezekiel 18 verses
30 through 32: Repent and turn
00:25:51.86\00:25:56.02
from all your transgressions so
that iniquity will not be your
00:25:56.05\00:25:59.63
ruin. Cast away from you all the
transgressions which you have
00:25:59.67\00:26:04.65
committed and get yourselves
a new heart and a new spirit.
00:26:04.69\00:26:09.60
That's what Christ was talking
about and the new birth is a new
00:26:09.64\00:26:11.62
heart and a new spirit. Do
you agree with that. Is the new
00:26:11.65\00:26:15.01
birth something different from
the new heart. No, it's the same
00:26:15.05\00:26:19.11
thing. Get yourselves a new
heart and a new spirit for why
00:26:19.14\00:26:22.41
will you die O house of Israel?
Here even in the Old Testament
00:26:22.44\00:26:25.92
without the new heart, without
the new spirit, without the new
00:26:25.96\00:26:29.35
birth, you can't see the kingdom
of God. I have no pleasure in
00:26:29.38\00:26:32.58
the death of one who dies says
the Lord. Therefore turn and
00:26:32.62\00:26:36.68
live. So new birth represents
a turning. It's a repentance.
00:26:36.71\00:26:40.74
Have you ever heard the
expression lock, stock and
00:26:40.77\00:26:45.80
barrel? Lock, stock and barrel.
I've said that for a long time
00:26:45.84\00:26:48.69
because you hear other people
use things. You hear them use it
00:26:48.73\00:26:51.42
in context. You sort of get the
idea of how to use this cliché
00:26:51.46\00:26:55.38
but you don't know where it
comes from. During the days of
00:26:55.42\00:27:00.78
the pioneers in the old west
a farmer who wasn't too bright
00:27:00.81\00:27:05.54
went to the gun smith in
the town and he plopped down his
00:27:05.58\00:27:10.24
rifle on the counter and said
I need you to make some repairs.
00:27:10.28\00:27:13.87
So the gun smith picks up the
rifle and examines it and the
00:27:13.91\00:27:17.38
barrel's worn out and the stock
is worn out and the lock, you
00:27:17.42\00:27:21.13
know the trigger mechanism, it's
worn out and he said well what
00:27:21.17\00:27:24.47
do you want me to do? And the
farmer said well the way I got
00:27:24.50\00:27:27.97
it figured if you replace the
stock and you could replace the
00:27:28.01\00:27:30.77
barrel and you could replace
the lock it would probably work
00:27:30.80\00:27:33.91
pretty well. And the gun smith
said, well it seems to me that
00:27:33.95\00:27:36.54
if you want a new lock, stock
and barrel you better off just
00:27:36.57\00:27:39.92
buying a new gun. And some
of us, I think, in our Christian
00:27:39.96\00:27:43.28
experience we're
wanting to repair it in pieces.
00:27:43.31\00:27:48.38
We're wanting to fix this piece
and that piece and the Lord
00:27:48.42\00:27:51.27
says look, you need a new
heart lock, stock and barrel.
00:27:51.30\00:27:54.08
It's like this person who had
this old house for sale and an
00:27:54.12\00:27:59.93
investor came by and he said
I'd like to buy your property.
00:27:59.97\00:28:05.71
And the man said all right, well
you know I'm going to fix up the
00:28:05.75\00:28:10.94
windows. I know there are
some broken windows here and I'm
00:28:10.97\00:28:13.56
going to replace those boards
on the porch steps and see those
00:28:13.59\00:28:16.15
shingles missing in the
roof. I'm going to replace those
00:28:16.18\00:28:17.99
shingles up there in the roof.
And the buyer said don't bother.
00:28:18.03\00:28:20.94
He said I'm going to bull
doze it and build another house.
00:28:20.97\00:28:25.87
So when we talk about the new
birth it's not an appendage that
00:28:25.90\00:28:31.45
the Lord sews into our heart.
It is a heart transplant is what
00:28:31.49\00:28:37.01
it is. He makes us new
creatures Have you seen somebody
00:28:37.04\00:28:41.09
experience the new birth and
you say boy they're not the same
00:28:41.13\00:28:45.40
person. They're all new. You're
born once you're born in the
00:28:45.43\00:28:49.67
devil's family. You're
born twice, you're born in God's
00:28:49.70\00:28:52.60
family. Oswald Chambers said
You must be born again. This is
00:28:52.64\00:29:00.64
not a command, it
is a foundational fact.
00:29:00.67\00:29:03.44
When Jesus said you must be
born again he wasn't shaking his
00:29:03.48\00:29:07.21
finger at Nicodemus and saying
so be born again! He's saying
00:29:07.24\00:29:10.86
something that had to happen.
And he's saying it of you and me
00:29:10.89\00:29:14.93
You must be born again. It's
a fact that all of us need that
00:29:14.96\00:29:18.93
new heart. The characteristic of
the new birth, I'm still quoting
00:29:18.97\00:29:22.09
Chambers here. The
characteristic of the
00:29:22.12\00:29:24.80
new birth is that I yield myself
so completely to God that Christ
00:29:24.84\00:29:29.73
is formed in me. And it's no
longer you but when you are born
00:29:29.77\00:29:33.80
again, you are born after
the new parent, you take on the
00:29:33.83\00:29:39.21
image of the new parent which
is Christ. You find examples of
00:29:39.24\00:29:43.76
this in the Bible. Some of you
remember King Saul. By the way
00:29:43.80\00:29:48.34
who chose Saul to be king there
in the Old Testament. Did he
00:29:48.38\00:29:52.87
volunteer or was he chosen?
Chosen by God, anointed by God.
00:29:52.90\00:29:57.36
And you know when he started
out he started out right.
00:29:57.39\00:30:00.83
One example of that would be
I Samuel 10 verse 6: I'm going
00:30:00.87\00:30:05.92
to read verses 6 and 9, this is
I Samuel 10. The Spirit of the
00:30:05.95\00:30:10.31
Lord will come upon you God
said and you will prophesy with
00:30:10.34\00:30:15.28
them and be turned into another
man. So it was that when he had
00:30:15.32\00:30:20.15
turned back to go from Samuel
that God gave him another heart
00:30:20.18\00:30:24.38
and all these signs came to pass
that day. Saul, who was very
00:30:24.41\00:30:28.58
timid when they first chose him
to be king, he was hiding in the
00:30:28.62\00:30:32.76
baggage, hiding among
the baggage and the stuff.
00:30:32.79\00:30:35.30
You remember that? He was so
timid. God gave him a heart of
00:30:35.34\00:30:38.00
courage and he became a
great king, but ultimately he
00:30:38.03\00:30:41.36
surrendered to pride and
selfishness and he lost the
00:30:41.39\00:30:44.65
Holy Spirit. What was once
the new heart turned into an old
00:30:44.69\00:30:49.07
heart. That's why Paul said
I die daily. When you're born
00:30:49.10\00:30:53.41
again, you've got this new life
within and you've got to crucify
00:30:53.45\00:30:58.03
the old man otherwise he's going
to try and resurrect. God is
00:30:58.06\00:31:03.84
calling us to be new creations.
II Corinthians 5:17: Therefore
00:31:03.87\00:31:08.63
if anyone is in Christ. So what
does the new birth mean? That we
00:31:08.67\00:31:13.82
are born in Christ. He is a new
creation. Old things have passed
00:31:13.85\00:31:18.97
away, behold all things have
become new. You and I become
00:31:19.00\00:31:22.50
new creatures when we're born
again. Psalm 51 verse 10: Create
00:31:22.54\00:31:27.40
you notice it doesn't say repair
Create in me a clean heart.
00:31:27.43\00:31:32.26
You know what that means?
Can you and I create life?
00:31:32.29\00:31:37.56
Scientists that don't believe in
creation. I always like to get
00:31:37.60\00:31:42.14
down to the most basic common
denominator. As much as they can
00:31:42.17\00:31:46.68
manipulate what God has
made they cannot create life.
00:31:46.71\00:31:52.23
Allow me to take a little
side track here just to help you
00:31:52.27\00:31:56.31
understand the miracle of the
new birth. When the theory of
00:31:56.35\00:32:00.94
evolution was born the
most powerful magnifying glasses
00:32:00.98\00:32:05.50
could not see very much of a
simple cell. When they looked at
00:32:05.54\00:32:09.49
a simple cell of life they could
see the cell wall and they could
00:32:09.52\00:32:13.44
see the nucleus and they
could see the material that was
00:32:13.47\00:32:16.64
swimming in the cell. An egg
is a simple cell. You've got the
00:32:16.68\00:32:19.48
shell, you've got the yolk and
you've got the white. They could
00:32:19.52\00:32:22.29
see what was in the white of
the cell so to speak and they
00:32:22.32\00:32:25.37
saw that there was something
happening there but it was
00:32:25.40\00:32:29.02
conceivable to them that some
how through... They were very
00:32:29.06\00:32:32.34
amazed with electricity back
during the time of Louis Pasteur
00:32:32.38\00:32:35.47
and Charles Darwin. They thought
that may be if electricity hit
00:32:35.50\00:32:39.00
some primeval sludge somewhere
that it could make a cell. They
00:32:39.03\00:32:43.92
didn't know how these single
cells could form and they called
00:32:43.96\00:32:48.45
it spontaneous generation. You
know where they also got that
00:32:48.48\00:32:52.90
idea? They noticed if you took a
piece of meat and if you left it
00:32:52.94\00:32:58.80
out too long pretty soon worms
crawled out of it. And they
00:32:58.83\00:33:02.38
thought that these worms
spontaneously were born out of
00:33:02.42\00:33:05.90
the meat. And for years people
believed in evolution because
00:33:05.94\00:33:09.24
they said well we could
see evolution and spontaneous
00:33:09.27\00:33:11.60
generation. These worms were
just crawling out of this and
00:33:11.64\00:33:14.70
became food or meat and so
we're surrounded by evidence of
00:33:14.74\00:33:18.53
evolution. But what they didn't
know is that before maggots
00:33:18.56\00:33:22.31
could crawl out of something
dead, the flies had to lay eggs
00:33:22.34\00:33:26.60
on it. Before the mold could
grow on something the spores had
00:33:26.64\00:33:30.39
to land on it. They didn't have
the microscopes powerful enough.
00:33:30.43\00:33:33.61
Louis Pasteur did an experiment.
He took some meat. He put it in
00:33:33.65\00:33:37.01
a sealed vacuum, did not let
any flies lay eggs. It never had
00:33:37.04\00:33:40.44
maggots. He proved spontaneous
generation was a myth, didn't
00:33:40.48\00:33:43.84
ever exist. There
is no spontaneous life.
00:33:43.88\00:33:46.24
And now with our powerful
microscopes you look at any
00:33:46.27\00:33:49.69
single cell of life and I can't
remember the doctor's name but
00:33:49.73\00:33:52.40
he made a statement I would
never forget. Because I grew up
00:33:52.43\00:33:55.96
in New York City. The
doctor said we now know that the
00:33:56.00\00:34:00.37
simplest cells of life, looking
through our hyper powerful
00:34:00.40\00:34:04.74
microscopes, have more
complexity going on than
00:34:04.77\00:34:09.97
New York City at rush hour. Now
picture that, New York City, the
00:34:10.00\00:34:13.49
subways and the buses and the
electric things and the people
00:34:13.53\00:34:17.34
and the buildings and elevators.
New York City at rush hour.
00:34:17.37\00:34:21.92
One single cell of life has more
complexity than that. The idea
00:34:21.96\00:34:26.47
of that happening by accident,
you think that's possible?
00:34:26.51\00:34:31.46
The only way you can get
spontaneous life is by the word
00:34:31.49\00:34:36.74
of God. The only way that
you can get a new heart is a
00:34:36.77\00:34:41.95
creative act of God. It is the
word of God that creates a new
00:34:41.99\00:34:48.77
heart within us. It's a miracle.
I sometimes wish that I could
00:34:48.80\00:34:54.69
take people and shake them into
a new birth. We'd be called the
00:34:54.73\00:35:00.59
shakers. A new denomination,
well actually an old
00:35:00.62\00:35:02.52
denomination revived. How many
of you remember hearing about
00:35:02.55\00:35:06.99
the Shakers. They didn't last
long. They all got dizzy and
00:35:07.03\00:35:12.05
broke up. But I'd start by
shaking myself and that would
00:35:12.09\00:35:17.04
start other rumors. You can't
shake a person into the new
00:35:17.08\00:35:22.29
birth. I can't do it to you
and you can't do it to me. I get
00:35:22.32\00:35:26.04
phone calls every now and then
from parents and their hearts
00:35:26.07\00:35:28.99
are yearning over their loved
ones. And they'll say you know
00:35:29.03\00:35:32.22
I live far away but my relative,
my child, lives in Sacramento.
00:35:32.26\00:35:35.73
Could you go convert them for
me? Well that's kind of heart
00:35:35.77\00:35:39.21
rending you know because
sometimes they say they're
00:35:39.24\00:35:41.50
interested, they want Bible
studies. We can do that. But it
00:35:41.54\00:35:44.61
is only the Holy Spirit that
can create a new heart. Pastors
00:35:44.64\00:35:47.99
can't do it. It's something that
God does. He does it for us.
00:35:48.02\00:35:52.63
He does it for you. It's an act
of creation. Deuteronomy chapter
00:35:52.66\00:35:57.61
10 verse 16 Moses said Therefore
circumcise the foreskin of your
00:35:57.65\00:36:02.23
heart and be stiff-necked no
longer. They were so preoccupied
00:36:02.26\00:36:06.54
with the external part of the
religion. Moses told them even
00:36:06.57\00:36:09.38
back there in the
00:36:09.41\00:36:10.44
Old Testament that these rights
only pointed to a change in the
00:36:10.47\00:36:13.94
heart. Then Paul makes that real
clear when he says in Galatians
00:36:13.97\00:36:17.56
Chapter 6 verse 15. And by the
way Nicodemus knew these verses
00:36:17.60\00:36:21.93
didn't he in the Old Testament.
For in Christ Jesus neither
00:36:21.97\00:36:26.90
circumcision nor uncircumcision
avails anything but a new
00:36:26.93\00:36:31.53
creation is what God wants. A
new heart. Are you born again?
00:36:31.57\00:36:38.28
Why is it necessary to be born
again? Why born again? Because
00:36:38.32\00:36:45.06
the old man with the old nature
cannot be changed. I think most
00:36:45.10\00:36:51.81
of us who are at all privy
to the news heard about a tiger
00:36:51.84\00:36:56.27
at the San Francisco Zoo. I
guess all the details aren't in
00:36:56.30\00:36:59.97
yet but something was going on
after hours and three young men
00:37:00.01\00:37:03.70
were there at the cage and for
whatever reason... I don't know
00:37:03.74\00:37:07.40
I haven't read all the stories.
I don't know if they were
00:37:07.43\00:37:09.63
taunting the tiger or if
they were just looking or what
00:37:09.67\00:37:11.83
excited the animal but the tiger
leapt out of its cage, killed
00:37:11.87\00:37:16.70
one young man and mauled two.
I think it was Christmas day.
00:37:16.74\00:37:21.74
That would be terrible. But as
far as they can tell the tiger
00:37:21.77\00:37:26.61
did not go crazy. As far as they
know the tiger was a healthy
00:37:26.65\00:37:31.21
tiger that for whatever reason
was just acting like a tiger and
00:37:31.25\00:37:35.54
tigers are predators and they
eat things bigger than people
00:37:35.57\00:37:41.55
in the wild. He was fulfilling
his nature. I'm not defending
00:37:41.59\00:37:45.87
the tiger, I'm not taking
any political position. I'm just
00:37:45.91\00:37:50.12
saying the Bible tells us can a
leopard change his spots. Can an
00:37:50.15\00:37:56.52
Ethiopian change his skin?
Matter of fact, you don't need
00:37:56.55\00:37:59.60
to be Ethiopian. Most of us
can't change our skin. Isn't
00:37:59.64\00:38:04.54
that right? You know, we kind
of are jealous a little bit of
00:38:04.57\00:38:09.61
animals that shed their old
fir and develop a new coat every
00:38:09.64\00:38:14.64
year and caterpillars
will slough off their old skin.
00:38:14.68\00:38:17.99
Even reptiles, snakes
look prettier when they shed.
00:38:18.02\00:38:21.26
They all kind of get a new fresh
skin. You and I are kind of
00:38:21.30\00:38:25.31
stuck with what we've got aren't
we. Now you might get a sunburn
00:38:25.34\00:38:28.58
and peel a little bit but it
doesn't look new afterward does
00:38:28.62\00:38:33.40
it? You just get freckles or
something. So we sometimes wish
00:38:33.44\00:38:38.70
we could put on a new coat.
But we've got these hearts.
00:38:38.74\00:38:43.93
The Bible tells us in the
book of Jeremiah the human heart
00:38:43.96\00:38:48.62
is desperately wicked. Who can
know it? And that's why we need
00:38:48.66\00:38:52.45
to be born again. Because the
old heart is unconverted, it's
00:38:52.49\00:38:56.35
unregenerate. Jesus said the way
you are now Nicodemus you can't
00:38:56.38\00:38:59.98
enter the kingdom of God. It's
not enough to be a Pharisee,
00:39:00.01\00:39:02.99
it's not enough to be part of
the Sanhedrin, it's not enough
00:39:03.02\00:39:06.66
to be a child of Abraham. You
may have been born in the church
00:39:06.69\00:39:09.50
you may have a position in the
church. You may have evidence of
00:39:09.53\00:39:12.20
prosperity and God's blessings.
You've got all of that but if
00:39:12.24\00:39:16.09
you don't have a new heart, you
can't be saved. I want to make
00:39:16.13\00:39:19.82
sure we have our priorities
straight this year. We must be
00:39:19.85\00:39:23.82
born again. Now it's the real
important part of the issue.
00:39:23.85\00:39:27.75
Born again, how. How are we born
again. Verse 4, Nicodemus says
00:39:27.78\00:39:34.67
to him, How can a man be born
when he is old. Can he enter a
00:39:34.70\00:39:42.79
second time into his mother's
womb and be born? Well, I don't
00:39:42.82\00:39:48.15
know of any story where a baby's
been born and the doctor said
00:39:48.18\00:39:54.61
you're not ready and put the
baby back. Kangaroos right after
00:39:54.65\00:39:59.83
their born they go into their
mother's pouch and they come
00:39:59.87\00:40:04.39
out and they come out more and
more as they mature until they
00:40:04.43\00:40:08.78
finally kind of go out on their
own full time. And if any of you
00:40:08.82\00:40:12.34
have been to Australia or maybe
you've see nature films, it
00:40:12.38\00:40:16.40
really is funny watching an
almost full grown Joey, that's
00:40:16.43\00:40:19.84
what they call the baby
kangaroos. That thing is about
00:40:19.87\00:40:23.21
half the size of the parent,
trying to get back in the pouch.
00:40:23.24\00:40:28.13
Nicodemus knows that absurd, but
he's really trying to find out
00:40:28.17\00:40:32.89
from Jesus what do you mean
being born again? And the older
00:40:32.92\00:40:38.64
we get the less likely it
is. Right now Stephen came home.
00:40:38.68\00:40:43.44
Some of you saw him with the
Fountain group and he's back up
00:40:43.47\00:40:49.90
at Canada now, back in school.
And just since he left and
00:40:49.93\00:40:54.40
joined the school between that
time and the time he came home
00:40:54.44\00:41:01.82
he passed his mother in height.
And you know I think most
00:41:01.86\00:41:07.41
mothers at some times in their
quiet moments they muse within
00:41:07.44\00:41:12.96
themselves and they think,
how in the world did that big
00:41:13.00\00:41:15.99
strapping kid ever come out of
me and they're not going back.
00:41:16.02\00:41:21.81
I mean you know this is what
Nicodemus is saying. This is
00:41:21.84\00:41:28.24
absurd. How can you be
born again. When you're younger
00:41:28.28\00:41:34.60
Ummm, but when your old? You
know it is true that there is a
00:41:34.64\00:41:40.51
golden age between the time
of well it's usually between the
00:41:40.55\00:41:46.02
time of about eight and 12
that children are old enough to
00:41:46.06\00:41:50.79
understand the concepts of
the gospel and if people are
00:41:50.83\00:41:55.49
surveyed and they say at what
time in your life did you make a
00:41:55.53\00:41:57.82
decision to accept Jesus,
the majority of people will say
00:41:57.86\00:42:02.29
somewhere between the ages
of eight and 12 they made that
00:42:02.33\00:42:06.70
decision to be a Christian, to
accept Christ. By the way, this
00:42:06.73\00:42:12.52
year Amazing Facts is
doing something we've never done
00:42:12.56\00:42:16.05
before. We're doing a net
evangelistic meeting just for
00:42:16.09\00:42:19.52
children and we're targeting
the children that are in the age
00:42:19.55\00:42:23.60
range between eight and 12
or 13 and we're going to do this
00:42:23.64\00:42:27.40
kidsangelism program. It's
evangelism especially for kids.
00:42:27.43\00:42:31.12
We're uplinking from Texas next
September. Hope you're going to
00:42:31.16\00:42:34.08
pray. Hope we participate here
at Central Church. But part of
00:42:34.12\00:42:37.00
the reason we did that is
there's that golden age when
00:42:37.04\00:42:40.18
they accept Christ. Their hearts
are sensitive, they're tender.
00:42:40.21\00:42:42.79
They haven't hardened them
yet against the conviction.
00:42:42.82\00:42:47.45
But Nicodemus is saying you
know the concrete is set, I'm
00:42:47.48\00:42:52.04
old. When a tree is young and
it's a sapling you can actually
00:42:52.07\00:42:56.99
bend it. There's this place
on highway 101, I drove it just
00:42:57.03\00:43:01.99
a few weeks ago. It's called
Confusion Hill. I don't know if
00:43:02.03\00:43:06.56
any of you have ever driven
down highway 101. People get all
00:43:06.60\00:43:10.37
excited. The advertising's
not good. You used to drive for
00:43:10.41\00:43:13.86
miles and you'd see you're 20
miles away from Confusion Hill.
00:43:13.90\00:43:17.03
And you're five miles away
from Confusion Hill. Don't miss
00:43:17.07\00:43:20.13
Confusion Hill and they build it
up and you go what is Confusion
00:43:20.17\00:43:22.43
Hill? People turn in and they
take you on this tour and they
00:43:22.46\00:43:24.69
show you or they sell you
redwood curios and artifacts
00:43:24.73\00:43:27.60
I think the bottom line is
up there on the hill somewhere
00:43:27.63\00:43:30.43
years ago some Indians had taken
some redwood saplings or some
00:43:30.47\00:43:34.42
trees and they tied them in
a knot and they grew like that
00:43:34.46\00:43:39.30
and they've turned that into a
big attraction which is not that
00:43:39.34\00:43:43.75
exciting. But you can't do
that with a redwood when it's 10
00:43:43.78\00:43:47.47
years old, when it's 20 years
old. Matter of fact, the Bible
00:43:47.50\00:43:52.81
says as the twig is bent so is
the tree inclined. As the twig
00:43:52.84\00:43:57.36
is bent so is the tree inclined.
When you young. But when you're
00:43:57.40\00:44:00.65
old. You know what I like about
the story of Nicodemus. Some of
00:44:00.69\00:44:04.71
us are thinking there's no hope
for me. The concrete is set.
00:44:04.74\00:44:08.69
The tree is too big to bend. But
Jesus says you can still be born
00:44:08.73\00:44:14.73
again. How? How does it happen?
It's a miracle of the Spirit of
00:44:14.77\00:44:20.95
God. I Peter chapter 1 verse 23,
this is very important. I Peter
00:44:20.99\00:44:27.14
1 verse 23: Having been born
again, Peter's talking about
00:44:27.18\00:44:34.82
being born again. Not John, this
is Peter. Having been born again
00:44:34.85\00:44:39.84
not of corruptible seed but
incorruptible. Not being born
00:44:39.88\00:44:43.17
of human seed, not human genes,
but the incorruptible genes of
00:44:43.21\00:44:49.38
God through the what? Did you
open your Bibles. I know I put
00:44:49.41\00:44:54.85
the scripture up and sometimes
you get complacent. Through the
00:44:54.88\00:44:59.70
word. Being born again through
the word. We're not that far
00:44:59.73\00:45:04.17
into the new year. Do you read
your Bible every day? Unless
00:45:04.21\00:45:07.65
you're born again you will not
see the kingdom of God. How are
00:45:07.68\00:45:11.13
you born again? Born again
through the word. Well Christ is
00:45:11.17\00:45:13.86
the word, you're born again
through Christ. How does Christ
00:45:13.90\00:45:18.94
change our hearts? Through
the word. For the umpteenth time
00:45:18.97\00:45:24.52
December 31st I read the
words Even so come Lord Jesus.
00:45:24.55\00:45:28.77
The grace of our Lord Jesus
Christ be with you all, Amen.
00:45:28.81\00:45:33.56
You know where that's found?
Revelation 22, last verses of
00:45:33.59\00:45:38.27
the Bible. It always feels good.
I get a little choked up when I
00:45:38.30\00:45:40.97
after the year of reading
through either the New Testament
00:45:41.00\00:45:44.61
or... What I do is I
read through the Old Testament
00:45:44.64\00:45:47.11
I'm starting that now this year.
Then I read through the New
00:45:47.15\00:45:51.29
Testament. You get to the end
and then I start again. Every
00:45:51.33\00:45:55.32
day. That's our only hope
of becoming like Christ. We're
00:45:55.35\00:45:58.60
changed by beholding through
the word. There's something
00:45:58.64\00:46:01.99
miraculous about the word. It
causes creation. How did Jesus
00:46:02.02\00:46:05.89
create the world? He spoke
and it happened. And as you read
00:46:05.92\00:46:09.72
the word you get this new heart.
And as you read the word you've
00:46:09.75\00:46:16.16
got to allow the word to do it's
thing. That's part if the how
00:46:16.20\00:46:21.57
still. Philippians 2 verse 5,
telling you how to be born again
00:46:21.60\00:46:27.70
Let this mind, by the way the
Bible says, as you think in your
00:46:27.74\00:46:32.31
heart, so when it says let this
mind it means let this heart.
00:46:32.34\00:46:37.08
Let this mind, let this heart,
be in you which was in Christ
00:46:37.11\00:46:41.74
Jesus. You notice it says let
it. You know why Paul says let
00:46:41.78\00:46:45.41
it? Because it's possible
sometimes that we won't let it.
00:46:45.45\00:46:49.82
We resist it. As we're reading
the word and the Holy Spirit
00:46:49.86\00:46:53.60
is working on us and we feel
that sense of conviction, we
00:46:53.63\00:46:58.30
push away. We close our hearts.
And he says open your heart.
00:46:58.33\00:47:02.96
Let the word have its work
in your heart. I hope you're
00:47:03.00\00:47:06.94
reading your Bible. I hope
you're praying in the new year.
00:47:06.97\00:47:09.76
You might say Oh Pastor Doug
now I'm going to have to wait
00:47:09.80\00:47:13.48
till next year. It's already,
see my battery's new. It's the
00:47:13.51\00:47:18.46
fifth too late. Oh you can catch
up. Start now and read until
00:47:18.49\00:47:23.24
next January 5th. But I hope
you read your Bible every day.
00:47:23.28\00:47:26.82
You don't have to necessarily
read through the whole Bible.
00:47:26.85\00:47:30.28
I told you what I do is I read
through the New Testament one
00:47:30.31\00:47:33.35
year and then I read through
the Old Testament in two years.
00:47:33.39\00:47:36.61
And I take my time. Otherwise
I found out trying to read nine
00:47:36.65\00:47:39.74
chapters a day plus all my other
study that I was just racing
00:47:39.77\00:47:42.44
through and I wasn't getting
anything. So I needed to slow
00:47:42.47\00:47:44.96
down where I could really read
it and enjoy it and study it.
00:47:44.99\00:47:47.44
Do research. So but read
something, right? I mean there
00:47:47.48\00:47:52.69
might be some crumbs. You
bring your crumbs to Jesus.
00:47:52.73\00:47:57.88
He'll multiply them. Get some
bread of life and I hope that
00:47:57.91\00:48:01.73
you'll read and not just
the Bible. God's given us other
00:48:01.77\00:48:06.75
inspired things to strengthen
our faith. We're born again
00:48:06.78\00:48:13.06
through the word. Let it happen.
John chapter 3 verse 5: And
00:48:13.09\00:48:19.34
Jesus answers and he says
it again, emphatically. Most
00:48:19.37\00:48:23.99
assuredly I say to you unless
you are born of water and of the
00:48:24.02\00:48:28.60
Spirit you cannot enter the
kingdom of God. We need to be
00:48:28.63\00:48:33.35
born of the water. That water
represents the cleansing that
00:48:33.39\00:48:37.67
God affords that comes with
baptism and born of the Spirit.
00:48:37.71\00:48:42.18
Now there's a big argument
that is many years old and some
00:48:42.22\00:48:45.59
argue that when Jesus said
here you need to be born of the
00:48:45.63\00:48:48.76
water, that that's the physical
birth. You know a baby is in an
00:48:48.79\00:48:52.13
envelop of water before it's
born. And if you hear a pregnant
00:48:52.17\00:48:55.04
woman say my water broke she
usually doesn't mean she's got
00:48:55.07\00:48:58.29
plumbing problems at home. It
means you better get her to the
00:48:58.32\00:49:01.93
hospital or at least to Taco
Bell, right, so I could help her
00:49:01.96\00:49:07.85
But, it's not talking about that
water birth, it's talking about
00:49:07.89\00:49:12.24
baptism. See the gospel of John
begins with John the Baptist
00:49:12.28\00:49:17.28
baptizing and he says except
you're born of the water and of
00:49:17.31\00:49:21.37
the Spirit you cannot enter the
kingdom of heaven. Water birth
00:49:21.40\00:49:27.13
is your choice to surrender your
life. The Spirit is God's choice
00:49:27.16\00:49:32.85
The world was baptized in water
in the days of Noah and it's
00:49:32.88\00:49:39.46
going to be baptized in
fire when Christ comes again.
00:49:39.49\00:49:41.43
Our world is going to be born
of the water and born of the
00:49:41.47\00:49:44.59
fire of the Spirit and God
creates a new heaven and a new
00:49:44.62\00:49:47.69
earth. We need both. The
children of Israel went down
00:49:47.72\00:49:51.05
through the Red Sea, water
baptism, born of the water,
00:49:51.09\00:49:54.35
baptized in the water. And then
the pillar of cloud, the fire,
00:49:54.38\00:49:58.49
baptized in the Spirit, the fire
Both baptisms are not talking
00:49:58.53\00:50:02.19
about being born of a woman.
You've probably heard it that
00:50:02.22\00:50:05.82
way. That would really be kind
of redundant to say that. Let me
00:50:05.85\00:50:09.02
just do a test here. How many
here have been born of a woman?
00:50:09.06\00:50:13.48
I mean why does it say that you
know? Unless you're born of a
00:50:13.52\00:50:17.02
human. Why even include that?
Everyone is born of a human.
00:50:17.06\00:50:20.36
He's saying unless you're born
of the water, your choice to
00:50:20.40\00:50:23.65
surrender. Why does he say
that? Because God does not force
00:50:23.69\00:50:28.32
himself on anybody. Even Paul
on the road to Damascus, did he
00:50:28.36\00:50:32.66
need to choose to be baptized.
He did. God didn't force him.
00:50:32.70\00:50:36.28
He made a decision. God met
him on the road to Damascus, but
00:50:36.32\00:50:39.77
Paul had to surrender. It
was his choice. So you choose to
00:50:39.80\00:50:42.97
surrender yourself and say I'm
going to be baptized. You might
00:50:43.01\00:50:46.14
be baptized by the Holy
Spirit before you get your water
00:50:46.18\00:50:49.49
baptism like Cornelius and his
family. You might be baptized
00:50:49.52\00:50:53.16
by the Holy Spirit, get that
new heart at the time of your
00:50:53.20\00:50:56.14
baptism. Jesus, the Holy Spirit
came down at the time of his
00:50:56.17\00:50:59.33
water baptism. The apostles,
they got baptized by John the
00:50:59.37\00:51:02.32
Baptist but they weren't born
of the Spirit until Pentecost.
00:51:02.36\00:51:06.45
It happens different ways.
That's why it's God's doing.
00:51:06.48\00:51:10.50
But we need both. And if you've
been baptized in the water but
00:51:10.54\00:51:13.53
you've not been baptized in the
Spirit then Jesus is saying the
00:51:13.57\00:51:16.78
same thing to you that he said
to Nicodemus. Don't miss the
00:51:16.82\00:51:20.19
most important part. You
must be born again. I think it's
00:51:20.23\00:51:23.53
something to pray for, to pursue
I see the clock and I may not
00:51:23.56\00:51:27.76
get through all of my assigned
verses. It's okay. I want to
00:51:27.79\00:51:31.01
cover this well. I wanted
to share something with you.
00:51:31.05\00:51:34.20
One of my heroes, I study the
lives of great preachers. Oh by
00:51:34.24\00:51:38.80
the way, Ezekiel 36 verse 25.
God says I will sprinkle clean
00:51:38.83\00:51:42.82
water on you and ye shall be
clean. I will cleanse you from
00:51:42.85\00:51:46.23
all your filthiness of your
idles. I will give you a new
00:51:46.26\00:51:49.57
heart. Here he talks about God
sprinkling water on them. Born
00:51:49.61\00:51:53.40
of the water and born of the
Spirit. I will give you a new
00:51:53.44\00:51:57.17
heart and put a new Spirit
within you. He's talking about
00:51:57.20\00:52:00.86
that inner cleansing. Any of you
do mechanic work. I remember I
00:52:00.90\00:52:05.30
worked in a logging barn and
no air conditioning through the
00:52:05.33\00:52:09.13
summer, fixing the trucks and
the chain saws for the loggers.
00:52:09.16\00:52:13.42
By the end of the day I was
covered with solvent and sweat
00:52:13.46\00:52:18.02
sometimes blood, usually my
own and grease from greasing the
00:52:18.06\00:52:22.59
trucks and the flies and
the chain saw fluids and at the
00:52:22.62\00:52:25.88
end of the day, 16 hour
days, because during the logging
00:52:25.92\00:52:29.11
season it's seasonal. The trucks
went out in the morning and they
00:52:29.14\00:52:32.95
came back. Man I couldn't wait
to get home and get in the water
00:52:32.99\00:52:37.16
and to clean off. It felt so
good to be clean. And this is
00:52:37.19\00:52:40.64
what Jesus is saying. You
know we get both cleansings.
00:52:40.67\00:52:44.87
A cleansing of life and a
cleansing of heart. We need
00:52:44.90\00:52:49.02
both for sanctification. But I
was telling you, I like to study
00:52:49.06\00:52:52.78
the lives of great preachers.
One of my favorites is George
00:52:52.82\00:52:56.36
Whitfield. He reminds me a
little bit of Nicodemus in his
00:52:56.40\00:52:59.88
experience because he tried so
hard to please the Lord through
00:52:59.91\00:53:02.49
the external things and he
finally experienced the new
00:53:02.53\00:53:06.39
birth and it ultimately
transformed him. Listen.
00:53:06.42\00:53:09.42
George Whitfield, at the age of
16, became convicted. He was an
00:53:09.45\00:53:13.33
actor. He had a tremendous voice
they called him the trumpet of
00:53:13.37\00:53:16.87
the Lord. He's speak and Ben
Franklin once said he could hear
00:53:16.91\00:53:21.02
distinctly a mile away, no
amplifier. That's an incredible
00:53:21.05\00:53:26.07
voice. Converted age 16,
became deeply convicted of sin.
00:53:26.11\00:53:30.41
He tried everything possible
to erase his guilt through
00:53:30.44\00:53:34.67
religious activity. He wrote, I
fasted for 36 hours twice a week
00:53:34.70\00:53:38.95
I prayed formal prayers several
times a day and almost starved
00:53:38.98\00:53:43.84
myself to death during lent. But
I only felt more miserable. Then
00:53:43.88\00:53:48.70
by God's grace I met Charles
Wesley, John Wesley's brother.
00:53:48.74\00:53:51.68
He put a book in my hand that
showed me from the scripture
00:53:51.71\00:53:55.80
I must be born again or
eternally lost. Finally by the
00:53:55.84\00:53:59.85
work of the Holy Spirit in his
heart, reading and studying the
00:53:59.89\00:54:03.20
word, Whitfield came to
understand Jesus' words in
00:54:03.23\00:54:06.77
John chapter 3. He believed
and he was gloriously saved.
00:54:06.80\00:54:10.26
Afterward he became a preacher
and spoke at least 1000 times on
00:54:10.30\00:54:13.62
the subject of being born again,
the new birth, the new heart.
00:54:13.65\00:54:19.40
I like Whitfield also. You know
it says that he died kneeling
00:54:19.44\00:54:25.12
with an open Bible. The last
night before he died, he knew he
00:54:25.15\00:54:30.80
was getting weak. He could
preach outside four or five
00:54:30.84\00:54:33.33
times a day. The people gathered
at his door and they said Pastor
00:54:33.37\00:54:36.26
Whitfield could you preach to us
one more time. He was so tired.
00:54:36.29\00:54:39.15
He probably died of heart
failure. He was carrying a
00:54:39.19\00:54:43.56
candle into his house. He set
the candle down. He said I will
00:54:43.59\00:54:46.93
preach till the candle goes out
then I must retire and he died
00:54:46.96\00:54:50.26
the next morning as he was
kneeling reading the Bible.
00:54:50.30\00:54:53.07
He used to read the Bible on his
knees. He wrote a letter that we
00:54:53.10\00:54:58.35
have recorded to Ben Franklin.
1752 George Whitfield wrote to
00:54:58.38\00:55:02.86
Benjamin Franklin, they were
friends, As I find you growing
00:55:02.89\00:55:06.70
more and more famous in the
world of letters, Ben Franklin,
00:55:06.73\00:55:10.02
of course, became very famous
as a scientist and inventor in
00:55:10.06\00:55:13.95
Europe and North America. I
recommend to your unprejudiced
00:55:13.99\00:55:17.80
study the mysteries of the new
birth. It is a most important
00:55:17.84\00:55:21.77
study that, if mastered, will
abundantly repay you and I bid
00:55:21.80\00:55:25.70
you dear friend, they wrote
together a lot, but you can
00:55:25.74\00:55:28.66
read about George
Whitfield in Benjamin Franklin's
00:55:28.70\00:55:30.96
autobiography, and I recommend
to you dear friend that he
00:55:31.06\00:55:35.82
before whose bar we both must
soon appear, he has solemnly
00:55:35.86\00:55:39.98
declared that without it,
without the new birth, you shall
00:55:40.01\00:55:44.03
in nowise see his kingdom. You
know Benjamin Franklin used to
00:55:44.07\00:55:48.00
be a deist earlier in his life.
But by the end of his life he
00:55:48.04\00:55:51.94
had given up deism for
Christianity again. Most
00:55:51.97\00:55:54.44
historians don't tell you that
but you read his autobiography
00:55:54.48\00:55:58.16
and it's very clear. We must be
born again. You know what I like
00:55:58.19\00:56:02.51
about this story? Nicodemus,
as you read his life, he came to
00:56:02.55\00:56:06.56
Jesus. He defended Jesus and his
teachings and at the end of his
00:56:06.59\00:56:10.57
life when Christ was on
the cross, Nicodemus was there
00:56:10.60\00:56:13.30
wasn't he? I think Nicodemus did
get the new heart, that he was
00:56:13.34\00:56:17.78
born again. It says he came to
Jesus. He came at night, but he
00:56:17.82\00:56:22.23
did come. And if we would
be born again, we need to come
00:56:22.27\00:56:25.40
to Christ.
00:56:25.43\00:56:26.46
The escalation of terrorism,
global instability, crime,
00:56:26.49\00:56:31.10
violence and natural disasters
indicate our world is plummeting
00:56:31.14\00:56:35.42
toward its final hour with
destiny. Who will survive the
00:56:35.46\00:56:39.22
final events of earth's history?
Does the Bible give any answers?
00:56:39.25\00:56:43.23
Pull back the veil of
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00:56:43.26\00:56:48.07
today. Join us as Amazing Facts
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00:56:48.10\00:56:52.65
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00:57:00.82\00:57:04.37
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00:57:04.40\00:57:08.82
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00:57:26.90\00:57:29.33
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