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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Last week we began a brief
series covering the subject that
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is, well everything we talk
about when we preach the word of
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God is sacred but in one sense
this is especially holy ground
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because in the story of
Nicodemus, this will be part II
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in the subject of Nicodemus,
Jesus is really getting into the
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essence of what does it mean to
be saved, be born again. What is
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the truth? How do we know the
truth? How do we know if we're
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converted? All of these issues
are covered in this one very
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brief discourse. Now I've
mentioned this is the second
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installment. We talked last week
about verses 1-5 in Nicodemus
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being born again. Now this week
we're going to be talking about
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Looking for Life. I want to back
up just a little bit and again
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the subject of our study is John
chapter 3. Overall we're going
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to be covering verses 1 to about
21. A little review in case you
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were not here in our first
presentation. Who was Nicodemus?
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Well we read in verses
1-4. It said he was a Pharisee.
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The Pharisees were a specially
dedicated, separated group, a
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caste within the Jews. It came
from the pharesh. It means the
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separated ones. He was part
of the Sanhedrin. That was the
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Jewish supreme court. They were
the final voice of arbitration
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other than the Romans who had
occupied the kingdom. He was a
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very wealthy man. It tells
us, we read from history, he had
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a great substance. When Jesus
died he brought a whole camel
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loaded with aloe and myrrh to
bury Jesus. He was a wealthy man
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He was a man of letters, an
educated man and ultimately we
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find out he was a man who was
sincere in searching for truth.
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Now in order to pick up speed
again, we're going to back up
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and just overlap a verse. I sort
of had to stop abruptly because
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we ran out of time last week.
In John chapter 3, verse 5,
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that's where we're going to take
up our study. John chapter 3
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verse 5, here Jesus is speaking
with Nicodemus who's come
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seeking some understanding. I
think principally he wanted to
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know are you the Messiah but he
never got to that because while
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he was asking if Jesus was the
Messiah, Christ interrupted and
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said you need to be born again.
He thought that just by virtue
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of being a Jew that he would
automatically be saved. In verse
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5 Jesus answers: Most assuredly
I say to you, unless one is born
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of the water and the Spirit
he cannot enter the kingdom of
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heaven. Now we need to know what
that means. That's why I didn't
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want to rush past that. Why do
we need to know what it means?
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Those words: He cannot enter the
kingdom of God, frighten me. If
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there's something that's going
to keep me from entering the
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kingdom of God or if there's
something I must do to be sure
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I do enter the kingdom of God,
that's something Jesus wants us
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to understand. Amen? What is it?
Unless you're born of the water
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and the Spirit you cannot. You
need both births. Well John the
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Baptist was out baptizing. Every
Pharisee understood the water
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cleansing. Matter of fact,
the group of Essenes dedicated
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religious believers, the Jewish
believers. They had a settlement
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in Coumran where they
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wrote the Dead Sea Scrolls. I
told you we were in San Diego a
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few weeks ago. We saw some
of the Dead Sea Scrolls in the
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exhibit down there. The Essenes
had baptisteries. Every Jew
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understood the ceremonial
cleansing of water that
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represented forgiveness for sin.
But Jesus said there's more,
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it's more than that. You
need both. Now I don't want to
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underemphasize the importance
of baptism because you read
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Mark 16:16. These are some other
words that ought to make us
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think: He who believes and is
baptized will be saved. Well you
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need both don't you. You need
belief and baptism. Why does he
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emphasize baptism? Are we saved
by the H20. Baptism is just as
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important to a Christian
as a marriage ceremony is to a
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wedding. Baptism is the public
declaration that I have made a
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choice. See God gives us
all free will. He will not force
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anybody. We must choose to come
to him. Being born of the water
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is something we do by choice.
God will not force us. Shotgun
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weddings often don't work
out very well. You don't want
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to be forced into a love
relationship. It's hard to feel
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love under those circumstances.
And the Lord says come unto me.
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It's an invitation. So we come
to the Lord when we choose to
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be baptized. It is something
where we are reaching out for
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God. But being born of the
Spirit is something we can't
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choose. It's something God does
when he comes to us. So baptism
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represents our coming to God,
being born of the water. Born of
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the Spirit God coming to us. The
Bible says if we draw near to
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God, first we make the choice.
We draw near to God, James tells
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us, and then God will draw near
to us. The prodigal son came to
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his senses. He began to come
home to the father. When the
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father saw him coming he ran
to meet him. And so this love
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relationship between you and
God must be mutual. God will not
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force you. The Calvinistic
way of thinking is that we don't
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have a choice. God does it
without your choosing. But you
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can't force love on somebody.
It stops being love. You cannot
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preprogram it. God gives us
freedom. It must be our choice.
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And they're both just as
important. A baby before it is
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born physically is in an
envelope of water. If it's going
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to be born it needs to come out
of that water. It needs to be
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born of the water. But if that
baby comes out of the water and
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it doesn't breathe that first
breath... Up till then it's
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getting it's oxygen through the
placenta and the umbilical cord.
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It now must breathe. In the
Bible pneuma, wind, breath is
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is the word that Jesus uses when
he said born of the Spirit, born
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of the wind, born of the Spirit,
they were used interchangeably.
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It's not enough to be born of
the water. That baby is born and
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it comes out of the water but it
doesn't breathe, it's not going
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to live. You need it to be
both births. See what Jesus is
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saying? We need to breathe that
new life that God is offering us
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And so I just wanted to tie off
that thought of the importance
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of born of the water, born of
the spirit. Born of the water is
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your choice. There are things
that we can choose to do to
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follow the Lord by obedience
but we're not saved by law are
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we? It's then ultimately grace,
born of the Spirit. So you've
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got these two very important
aspects here that Jesus is
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emphasizing. And then go
to verse 6 with me now. John
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chapter 3 verse 6: That which is
born of flesh is flesh...talking
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about the flesh and the Spirit
now. That which is born of the
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Spirit is spirit. You know,
we may first come to God for
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earthly reasons we don't want to
be lost. We want to be saved and
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you know that's normal. God
understands that. That new birth
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may begin with labor pains. It
may begin with sorrow. Hopefully
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it ends with joy. You first
come for maybe selfish reasons.
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Wanting to avoid hell and
wanting to go to heaven is a
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suitable starting point. When
you first teach children and
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they're very small, it's hard to
teach them principles of why you
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don't want them to stick the
metal object in the electrical
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outlet. They're too young
to understand it. You've got to
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work with them on self
preservation and sometimes
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you've got to swat their
hand or something like that or
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physically relocate them. You're
trying to save them on a very
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basic, a primal, level. But as
they get older you can appeal to
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their reason. It's something
higher. We start coming to the
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Lord as babies. I want to be
saved, I don't want to be lost.
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You're thinking about yourself
and babies typically do to.
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But as you mature as a Christian
it's not about you anymore.
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You know, the evidence that Paul
was a mature Christian. He said
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Lord I'm willing to be lost if
all Israel could be saved. Moses
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showed his maturity and
his relationship with the Lord.
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He said, Lord, take my name
out of the Book of Life if your
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people can be saved. What will
happen to your name. And you're
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really growing as a Christian
when you realize it isn't about
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what's in it for me. It's about
worshipping God. You know, I can
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always... and you know we all do
it, I do it, but people come to
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church. They go to a service.
After the service they sort of
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critique the service. What did
I get out of the service. Did I
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enjoy the service? How did I
feel? It's immature Christianity
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when you do that. A mature
Christian, when you come to
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worship service on Sabbath
it has nothing to do with you at
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all. You are coming to glorify,
to worship, to thank, to praise
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God. The focus of why you come
is him. And one of the problems
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with religion in general in
North America and Christianity
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in particular, so much of it
is focused on what is the person
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getting out of it? What are the
felt needs of everybody there?
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How are they going to get what
they want? That's a starting
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point and we all have to
consider that but we're really
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not growing as a church unless
we come to the place where we
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say it isn't really about us.
It's about God. He's the focus.
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He's the object. He's the reason
that we come to church. Yet the
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flesh and the spirit, this
is a constant battle we all feel
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between those two forces.
I Peter chapter 2 verse 11:
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Dearly beloved, I beseech you as
strangers and pilgrims abstain
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from fleshly lusts that war
against the soul. There is this
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tension between the flesh and
the spirit that we all sense.
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There are things you can do
to feed the flesh and there are
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things you can do to feed
the spirit. Now we all need a
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certain amount of physical
nutrition to avoid low blood
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sugar and to feed our bodies
and that's important but I'm not
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talking about that kind of
feeding. I'm talking about this
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kind of feeding. There are
things you can do to feed the
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fleshly thinking and there are
things you can do to feed the
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spiritual thinking. The Bible
says to be carnally minded is
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death. To be spiritually minded,
Romans chapter 8, is life.
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And so that which is born of the
flesh is flesh and that which is
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born of the Spirit is spirit.
As Christians you want to starve
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the flesh. I'm not talking about
your bodies. I'm not talking
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about eating disorders. I'm
talking about those things that
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feed our lower natures, our
selfishness, the carnal thoughts
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the passions. You want to avoid
that and you want to feed the
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spiritual nature. And I'll tell
you that takes work. Everything
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in the culture around us
is calculated to appeal to the
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selfish carnal side of our
natures. In the marketing, the
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advertising of products it's all
accentuated. So in order for you
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to offset that, to compensate
we need to really feed the
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spirit. You need to take time
to commune with Jesus. Do like
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Nicodemus did, come to Jesus to
study the word with him. Again
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Romans 8 verse 1: There is
therefore now no condemnation
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to those who are in Christ Jesus
who do not walk after the flesh.
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What do they do? They walk
according to the Spirit. It's a
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new life, a new walk, and
feeding your mind on those
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things that are just and holy
and good. And then Jesus goes on
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to say, John chapter 3 verses
7 and 8. We're still moving
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through our verses here. The
new birth is something like the
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wind. Do not marvel, Jesus said,
that I say to you, you must be
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born again. The wind blows where
it wishes and you hear the sound
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of it, but you cannot tell where
it comes from and where it goes.
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So is everybody who is born of
the Spirit. Now sometimes I've
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seen kids out in the front yard
on a day where there are light
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breezes and you've got what they
call variable winds. When you're
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a pilot and you're getting
ready to land if you're at a new
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airport and there's no radio
information available you might
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fly the pattern over the airport
Any modern airport has something
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called a wind sock. Even with
all our modern technology the
00:13:56.38\00:14:01.09
airports have a wind sock so
you can tell which way the wind
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is blowing when you look at the
sock. Sometimes I'll call ahead
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as I'm coming in and I'll say,
you know, what's the status of
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the airport and they'll say
variable winds. Well variable
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means you always want to land
into the wind. Variable means it
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might be blowing up 3/3 or
it might be blowing down 1/5
00:14:17.47\00:14:20.99
opposite directions. You don't
know which way the wind's going.
00:14:21.03\00:14:24.11
Unless you see the sock, you
can't tell. And you don't want
00:14:24.14\00:14:26.51
to land with a tail wind.
It kind of pushes you down the
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runway and you could run off the
runway. You want to land with a
00:14:28.88\00:14:31.79
headwind. So it's something
you've got to get right. And I
00:14:31.82\00:14:35.62
can't see the wind. But I
can see the wind sock. I can see
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what it does. Now about one week
ago we had some wind. Can you
00:14:40.59\00:14:46.75
say amen? Can I get a hallelujah
I'll tell you that was some wind
00:14:46.78\00:14:52.91
Man! When you see Wells Fargo
blowing by you know it was a
00:14:52.94\00:14:57.19
windy day. I looked
out the window and the
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trees were not just coming down,
they were going horizontal.
00:15:01.35\00:15:04.37
I mean the trees that had left
the ground were going horizontal
00:15:04.41\00:15:07.40
It looked like a clip out of
Wizard of Oz last week didn't
00:15:07.43\00:15:10.74
it? And we still see on the
way to church, you can see the
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aftermath of that wind. That's
what you call a mighty wind.
00:15:13.99\00:15:17.63
The Lord sometimes compares
wind to the Spirit in the Bible.
00:15:17.66\00:15:21.18
If you have your Bibles you
probably remember this passage.
00:15:21.22\00:15:25.06
Acts chapter 2 in Pentecost when
God prepares to pour out the
00:15:25.09\00:15:30.24
Holy Spirit what symbol is used
to signify this mighty filling
00:15:30.27\00:15:35.35
of the Spirit. Acts 2:2: And
suddenly there came from heaven
00:15:35.39\00:15:40.91
the sound of a rushing mighty
wind. Did you hear a mighty wind
00:15:40.95\00:15:45.78
about a week ago. It wasn't just
like the rustling in the leaves
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that you hear. It
was a roar like a train.
00:15:52.07\00:15:54.70
It was kind of exciting until
00:15:54.74\00:15:58.30
the power went out. Then it was
a nuisance. One of my friends
00:15:58.33\00:16:02.38
called and said their power went
out I thought it was funny, but
00:16:02.41\00:16:06.99
when my power went out then it
wasn't funny anymore. We're all
00:16:07.02\00:16:11.57
a little sinister that
way, aren't we. But this mighty
00:16:11.60\00:16:14.78
rushing wind of the Holy Spirit
if the gentle breezes represent
00:16:14.82\00:16:19.16
a conversion. Jesus said
the wind blows where it lists.
00:16:19.19\00:16:21.39
You can't tell where it
comes from and where it goes.
00:16:21.42\00:16:23.55
It's like a variable wind. But
before the Lord comes again I
00:16:23.59\00:16:26.53
think there's going to be a
mighty rushing wind. There's
00:16:26.57\00:16:29.44
going to be an outpouring of the
Holy Spirit that will come in a
00:16:29.48\00:16:32.60
tremendous way. Now people's
conversions are variable like
00:16:32.63\00:16:38.39
the wind. If I were to ask you,
those of you who were born again
00:16:38.43\00:16:42.90
do you know what the date was
when you were born again? If you
00:16:42.93\00:16:47.37
could pinpoint the birthday,
most of us know our real
00:16:47.40\00:16:51.58
birthday, but the birthday
of your born-again experience.
00:16:51.62\00:16:55.73
Don't shout it out but how many
of you can think of a date when
00:16:55.77\00:16:58.80
everything changed? Let me see
your hands. Was there a date?
00:16:58.84\00:17:02.74
Yah. Some of you, you believe
you're born again but it was
00:17:02.77\00:17:06.56
more like a process. You can't
really pin it down. That's kind
00:17:06.60\00:17:11.29
of where I am. You know the word
of God does it and just because
00:17:11.32\00:17:15.60
you cannot pick the date when
you were born again doesn't mean
00:17:15.64\00:17:20.77
you were not born again. Some
have the new birth like Paul
00:17:20.80\00:17:25.81
on the road to Damascus. If you
were to ask Paul when were you
00:17:25.85\00:17:30.01
born again can he pick a date?
Yah, matter of fact all through
00:17:30.05\00:17:33.38
his life he shares his testimony
There I was on the road to
00:17:33.41\00:17:37.13
Damascus. Struck down. The glory
of Jesus spoke to me. That was
00:17:37.17\00:17:41.09
the day when everything changed.
But for some others it's more
00:17:41.12\00:17:44.71
like a process where the heart
changes and it's like the wind
00:17:44.74\00:17:48.13
and you can't tell. There's
a quote from the book Steps to
00:17:48.16\00:17:51.52
Christ, page 59, that
illustrates this. I just don't
00:17:51.55\00:17:54.53
want you to be discouraged
if you can't pick out the date,
00:17:54.57\00:17:56.83
it doesn't mean you're not born
again. A person may not be able
00:17:56.87\00:18:01.31
to tell the exact time or
place or trace all the chains of
00:18:01.34\00:18:05.79
circumstances in the process
of conversion, but this does not
00:18:05.82\00:18:09.79
prove him to be unconverted.
Christ said to Nicodemus, the
00:18:09.82\00:18:13.72
wind blows where it listeth and
you hear the sound thereof, but
00:18:13.76\00:18:17.04
you cannot tell where it came
from and where it's going. So is
00:18:17.08\00:18:20.28
everyone who is born of the
Spirit. Like the wind, which is
00:18:20.31\00:18:23.84
invisible, yet the effects of
which are plainly seen and felt,
00:18:23.87\00:18:27.72
so is the Spirit of God upon the
human heart. That regenerating
00:18:27.76\00:18:31.59
power which no human eye can see
begets a new life in the soul.
00:18:31.63\00:18:35.45
It creates a new beginning in
the image of God. While the work
00:18:35.48\00:18:39.79
of the Spirit is silent and
imperceptible, its affects are
00:18:39.82\00:18:44.06
manifest. If the heart has been
renewed by the Spirit of God the
00:18:44.10\00:18:48.58
life will bear witness of the
fact. Sometimes the changes are
00:18:48.61\00:18:52.34
gradual. I've seen people who
have a dramatic conversion and
00:18:52.37\00:18:55.61
in one day... I mean it's
phenomenal but it's evidence of
00:18:55.65\00:18:59.22
the power of God. People who
I know they were drinking and
00:18:59.26\00:19:02.88
cursing and smoking and using
drugs and foul language and
00:19:02.92\00:19:06.93
prodigal lives. The Lord got
them and in 24 hours it's gone.
00:19:06.97\00:19:11.22
They throw away the alcohol,
they throw away the cigarettes,
00:19:11.25\00:19:14.74
they stop cursing, they stop
frequenting the old places. They
00:19:14.77\00:19:17.99
are converted. It's dramatic.
I was on the phone with a friend
00:19:18.03\00:19:21.23
like that yesterday. I think
he's going to be here in about
00:19:21.27\00:19:24.44
a week sharing a little
testimony. Just dramatic, just
00:19:24.47\00:19:26.82
like that. For me it wasn't
like that. For me it was... Some
00:19:26.86\00:19:30.89
babies, let's just face it, they
sort of pop out and others it's
00:19:30.93\00:19:34.93
a long labor, right? And that's
kind of how it was with me.
00:19:34.96\00:19:39.20
Little by little I became
convicted on things and just one
00:19:39.24\00:19:42.96
day I could finally look back
and say... Now I know the day I
00:19:42.99\00:19:46.72
was baptized, but I felt the
new birth happening before that.
00:19:46.75\00:19:50.95
And as I said before sometimes
a person might be born of the
00:19:50.99\00:19:55.26
Spirit before they're even
baptized. Jesus was baptized in
00:19:55.30\00:19:59.26
water and the Holy Spirit
came down the same day. And then
00:19:59.29\00:20:02.33
you've got those who are
baptized in water like most of
00:20:02.37\00:20:05.34
the apostles but they don't get
the Holy Spirit until later, but
00:20:05.38\00:20:09.35
you must have both births. Born
of the water and born of the
00:20:09.38\00:20:13.40
Spirit. And so it's like the
wind, you may not be able to peg
00:20:13.43\00:20:17.08
it down. We're moving on here.
We read verses 7 and 8. We're
00:20:17.12\00:20:20.70
still in John chapter 3. Go with
me to verses 9 and 10: Nicodemus
00:20:20.74\00:20:28.20
answered and said to him,
How can these things be? He just
00:20:28.23\00:20:33.05
seemed so mystified by it all.
And Jesus answered and said,
00:20:33.08\00:20:37.20
Are you a teacher in Israel
and you don't know these things?
00:20:37.23\00:20:41.32
I want to talk a little
bit about clueless teachers.
00:20:41.35\00:20:45.95
I heard one time Billy Graham
tells the story about when he
00:20:45.99\00:20:48.91
came into a new town, he was
preparing for a series of tent
00:20:48.95\00:20:51.80
meetings. He was a young
evangelist and he wanted to send
00:20:51.84\00:20:54.75
a letter home to the family,
he was away. He had written a
00:20:54.79\00:20:57.39
letter and as he was walking
through this town he saw a
00:20:57.43\00:20:59.96
young boy and he wasn't familiar
with the area and he said, young
00:21:00.00\00:21:02.68
man can you please tell
me where is the post office?
00:21:02.71\00:21:05.21
And he gave him directions and
Billy Graham said now you know
00:21:05.25\00:21:08.83
we're having a Baptist revival
at that tent out of town. We're
00:21:08.86\00:21:11.98
going to tell you how to get to
heaven. Do you think you'd like
00:21:12.01\00:21:14.53
to come? And he said, Mister,
you don't know how to get to the
00:21:14.56\00:21:16.85
post office, how you going
to tell me how to get to heaven?
00:21:16.88\00:21:22.74
And so Jesus says to Nicodemus
you're one of the teachers,
00:21:22.78\00:21:28.20
you're a Ph. D. in Israel. I'm
talking about Christianity 101
00:21:28.23\00:21:32.84
I'm talking about God 101,
the new heart, the new covenant.
00:21:32.88\00:21:37.47
It's not just in the New
Testament. That teaching is in
00:21:37.51\00:21:42.03
the Old Testament. I will put
a new heart within you. Ezekiel.
00:21:42.07\00:21:45.81
Jeremiah says I'll make a new
covenant with you to circumcise
00:21:45.85\00:21:49.56
not just your flesh but
circumcise your hearts. It was
00:21:49.59\00:21:52.14
the heart change. Truth that
goes back to Moses. He said this
00:21:52.18\00:21:56.63
is kindergarten and here you
are and you say how can this be.
00:21:56.66\00:22:01.08
I don't understand it.
Now Nicodemus was a good guy.
00:22:01.11\00:22:04.79
I don't want to be disrespectful
amen? I think Jesus was frankly
00:22:04.83\00:22:09.60
disappointed because Jesus
spent a lot of time talking to
00:22:09.63\00:22:14.39
the poor and the uneducated. He
spent a lot of time talking to
00:22:14.43\00:22:18.20
shepherds and fishermen and the
poor classes that flocked around
00:22:18.23\00:22:21.97
him. Pardon me, but he had
to simplify things for them and
00:22:22.00\00:22:26.17
put it in parables so
they could understand. Now he's
00:22:26.20\00:22:29.53
arranged a private audience
with someone who ought to be
00:22:29.57\00:22:32.83
able to mentally challenge Jesus
Like when he was 12 years old.
00:22:32.87\00:22:36.26
At least he had some interaction
with the scholars back then.
00:22:36.29\00:22:39.65
And he's talking to Nicodemus
and he said boy you're a
00:22:39.68\00:22:45.00
teacher. I'm just talking about
the basics and you don't get it.
00:22:45.04\00:22:48.81
I don't want to be disrespectful
but you know things haven't
00:22:48.85\00:22:55.40
changed much. You might have
a proliferation of degrees and
00:22:55.43\00:23:00.80
letters behind your name. That
doesn't necessarily mean you
00:23:00.83\00:23:06.33
could be a theologian officially
a scholar and I'm amazed
00:23:06.37\00:23:10.83
sometimes how many people that
would be defined as that, that
00:23:10.87\00:23:15.88
just don't understand the basics
of Christianity. This week
00:23:15.91\00:23:19.79
watching a group of scholars,
I like to watch some religious
00:23:19.83\00:23:24.17
programming, sitting around
the table dissecting the Bible.
00:23:24.20\00:23:30.00
All of them doctors of theology
and they're talking about a
00:23:30.03\00:23:34.55
very basic passage about
getting into heaven and they're
00:23:34.59\00:23:37.73
saying, well it can't mean
really mean that, I don't think
00:23:37.76\00:23:40.83
it means this, what do you think
it means? I'm not sure what it
00:23:40.87\00:23:42.79
means. That would be
discouraging. It couldn't mean
00:23:42.82\00:23:44.41
that. How clueless they were
was mind boggling to me. Now I'm
00:23:44.45\00:23:49.05
not saying this because I
are one. I'm a pastor. I'm not
00:23:49.08\00:23:53.36
saying this to like I said be
disrespectful. I don't want to
00:23:53.40\00:23:57.65
say these things, I'm very
cautious about saying this.
00:23:57.68\00:24:00.29
I want to qualify it because
I'm not trying to diminish your
00:24:00.33\00:24:04.05
respect for pastors. Frankly you
all need to raise your respect
00:24:04.08\00:24:07.49
for the office of pastor. I
think people are very derogatory
00:24:07.52\00:24:11.91
about ministry and pastors. The
reason I'm saying it is because
00:24:11.94\00:24:16.30
you cannot depend on the
theologians to find heaven.
00:24:16.33\00:24:22.15
This is what it says in the
Bible. You remember reading in
00:24:22.19\00:24:28.60
John chapter 7 verse 15; the
Jews said speaking of Jesus, how
00:24:28.64\00:24:34.60
can this man have letters having
never studied? How can he know
00:24:34.63\00:24:39.30
these things? Again they said
have any of the scribes and the
00:24:39.33\00:24:43.15
leaders, have they believed
on him. Let's find out what they
00:24:43.18\00:24:46.97
believe and let's follow them.
Be very careful about saying
00:24:47.30\00:24:51.15
well someone gets up on TV and
it says doctor so-and-so or some
00:24:51.18\00:24:54.78
pastor, it says doctor so-and-so
and so I can trust him because
00:24:54.81\00:24:58.38
he's studied these things. I
think study and education are
00:24:58.41\00:25:01.81
very important. But I'll tell
you back in the days of Jesus
00:25:01.84\00:25:05.21
there were a lot of very
educated people that rejected
00:25:05.24\00:25:08.26
him and even Nicodemus who
accepted him Jesus said you
00:25:08.30\00:25:11.25
still don't get it. So do not
trust your eternal destiny to
00:25:11.29\00:25:15.69
people that may have a degree.
You need to have a personal
00:25:15.72\00:25:20.09
relationship with Jesus
and understand the new birth.
00:25:20.12\00:25:23.81
And if you're not born
again no amount of knowledge or
00:25:23.85\00:25:27.60
bickering about theology
is going to save you. I have
00:25:27.63\00:25:31.31
sometimes noticed that... I've
had people come to evangelistic
00:25:31.35\00:25:37.63
meetings, very bright,
very educated, sophisticated,
00:25:37.66\00:25:40.60
intelligent. And I'll meet them
at the door and I'll say well
00:25:40.64\00:25:43.89
did this make sense tonight?
Well yah, but then they distract
00:25:43.92\00:25:46.97
me with some nuance of theology
that isn't clear and they want
00:25:47.00\00:25:50.02
to engage me in some deep
philosophical argument and I'm
00:25:50.05\00:25:53.44
saying something to them
like did you understand the part
00:25:53.48\00:25:56.58
about Jesus coming again and
that you're going to die if you
00:25:56.62\00:26:00.39
don't accept him? Well but you
know there's this verse in the
00:26:00.42\00:26:04.16
book of Zephaniah and it's
a diversionary tactic for the
00:26:04.19\00:26:08.46
basics. You know there's this
verse in the Bible where the
00:26:08.49\00:26:12.10
Lord says if you can't keep
up with the footmen then how are
00:26:12.13\00:26:15.71
you going to run with
the horses? And if we don't
00:26:15.74\00:26:20.95
understand the basics of being
born again then all the higher
00:26:20.99\00:26:25.96
theology is useless. I'd rather
be uneducated and born again
00:26:25.99\00:26:31.31
then sophisticated and educated
and lost. I'd rather be a dumb,
00:26:31.35\00:26:37.64
pardon me, Christian than a
brilliant sinner. The Lord wants
00:26:37.68\00:26:44.15
us to at least have the basics
of accepting him. And Jesus, He
00:26:44.18\00:26:48.97
marvels, are you a teacher in
Israel and you don't know these
00:26:49.01\00:26:52.47
things? How are you going to
teach others. That was one of
00:26:52.51\00:26:55.58
the big problems in Christ's
day It's a problem today. If the
00:26:55.61\00:26:58.26
blind lead the blind then you've
got everybody falling in the
00:26:58.30\00:27:00.92
ditch. And you can ask Karen,
every now and then I'll be
00:27:00.95\00:27:04.38
watching one of these religious
programs and they're... I'll
00:27:04.42\00:27:07.44
confess friends, it breaks
my heart. I'll see some preacher
00:27:07.48\00:27:12.76
dressed up like Elvis and he's
in an audience with you know
00:27:12.80\00:27:17.39
50,000 people that have come
to hear him and he'll say the
00:27:17.42\00:27:21.21
most absurd, bizarre things.
I say, oh how can they believe
00:27:21.24\00:27:25.27
that? People are desperately
looking for leadership. They're
00:27:25.30\00:27:29.38
looking for light and sometimes
showmanship is a substitute
00:27:29.41\00:27:34.73
for basic theology. Make sure
and have a personal relationship
00:27:34.76\00:27:40.58
You know I heard a story. There
was a young man who dropped out
00:27:40.62\00:27:47.79
of USC. He was taking aerospace
engineering and he wanted to get
00:27:47.82\00:27:52.62
involved in the space program.
So he dropped out. He didn't get
00:27:52.65\00:27:57.42
his degree. Well they invited
him back a few years later
00:27:57.45\00:28:00.05
when he was 39 to dedicate
the science building to him.
00:28:00.08\00:28:03.32
His name was Neil Armstrong.
He never did get his degree.
00:28:03.36\00:28:06.57
They finally gave him an
honorary degree, but he did
00:28:06.60\00:28:09.19
walk up on the moon. That ought
to make you worth something in
00:28:09.23\00:28:12.31
space, right? While everyone
else is on earth studying space
00:28:12.35\00:28:17.25
he's up walking on the moon.
So who deserves the degree?
00:28:17.29\00:28:22.12
That makes my point. I can move
on. OK. We're moving back to the
00:28:22.16\00:28:26.69
verse. I like doing this. I
just like going verse by verse
00:28:26.72\00:28:30.15
through what Jesus said. It's so
important that I don't want to
00:28:30.19\00:28:34.39
rush through it. John 3 verse
Jesus said, verily, verily I
00:28:34.43\00:28:38.24
say to you... Now we've learned
when Christ says verily, verily
00:28:38.28\00:28:42.60
he's saying underscore this.
This is a truth you can count on
00:28:42.63\00:28:48.40
We speak what we do know and
testify what we have seen and
00:28:48.43\00:28:53.41
you received not our witness.
I want to just pause right here.
00:28:53.45\00:28:58.40
Everybody really can only
testify to and speak of what
00:28:58.43\00:29:03.03
they've experienced, what
they know. In order for us to be
00:29:03.06\00:29:07.93
affective Christians and
disciples, you have to have an
00:29:07.97\00:29:12.77
experience. If you are trying
to convert somebody to Christ by
00:29:12.81\00:29:16.51
virtue of relaying someone
else's experience that never
00:29:16.54\00:29:20.79
works very well. You have to
have a personal experience. And
00:29:20.83\00:29:25.21
Jesus is saying to Nicodemus,
look we have been giving you
00:29:25.25\00:29:29.90
evidence of what we know about
God firsthand and you, meaning
00:29:29.93\00:29:34.51
the Pharisees, do not believe
our testimony. He says, we've
00:29:34.55\00:29:38.13
given you plenty of evidence.
Matter of fact, if you remember
00:29:38.17\00:29:41.83
last week Nicodemus begins the
conversation by saying we know
00:29:41.86\00:29:44.63
you must be a teacher of
God because no one else could do
00:29:44.67\00:29:47.36
these works that you're
doing unless God is with him.
00:29:47.39\00:29:50.01
And Jesus is saying why are you
doubting? Why are the religious
00:29:50.05\00:29:54.67
leaders doubting these things,
we've given you evidence.
00:29:54.70\00:29:57.12
If I have told you of earthly
things and you believe not, how
00:29:57.16\00:30:01.84
how should you believe if I tell
you of heavenly things? Now this
00:30:01.88\00:30:05.85
is a very important truth. How
many of you would like to grow
00:30:05.89\00:30:10.61
in your knowledge of God? I
want you to participate. Simple
00:30:10.65\00:30:15.10
principle, a dynamic. You walk
in the light he's given you,
00:30:15.14\00:30:20.11
he'll give you more light.
If you want to get into second
00:30:20.14\00:30:25.04
grade, finish kindergarten. Some
have not grown for years and you
00:30:25.08\00:30:28.84
think that God is just obscuring
himself from you. You wonder why
00:30:28.87\00:30:32.01
you're not growing. It could
be he showed you something years
00:30:32.04\00:30:36.11
ago and you never took the next
step and you're stuck. If we do
00:30:36.15\00:30:39.98
not walk in the light, then
the light doesn't get brighter.
00:30:40.02\00:30:43.79
Peter talks about the Christian
experience as a light that grows
00:30:43.82\00:30:46.84
brighter and brighter until the
day dawns and the Spirit of God
00:30:46.87\00:30:50.75
arises in our heart. That was a
paraphrase. It's to be a growing
00:30:50.79\00:30:54.63
light, being a Christian.
It's not to be stagnant.
00:30:54.67\00:30:56.59
The Christian experience should
get better. And so many people
00:30:56.62\00:30:59.57
are stagnant because God reveals
the next step to them and they
00:30:59.61\00:31:02.94
go no Lord let's skip that. I
don't want to do that. I have to
00:31:02.98\00:31:06.25
accept this? I can't accept
this Some people stop. It'll be
00:31:06.28\00:31:08.90
something like if you do
not forgive men their trespasses
00:31:08.93\00:31:11.43
neither will your Father in
heaven forgive you. And that's
00:31:11.46\00:31:14.75
as far as they get. They just
can't forgive. And they have
00:31:14.79\00:31:18.00
been stymied on that for years.
Or it may be some other point of
00:31:18.04\00:31:22.58
truth. They might have gotten
stuck on some simple truth about
00:31:22.61\00:31:27.43
giving God their time every
Sabbath, faithfulness in tithes
00:31:27.47\00:31:30.69
and offerings. Whatever the
principle of truth is, I'm just
00:31:30.73\00:31:34.19
naming some obvious elementary
things. But when God reveals
00:31:34.23\00:31:38.15
truth to you, if you'll say
this is truth. If you know these
00:31:38.18\00:31:42.37
things happy are ye if ye do
them. You take the next step.
00:31:42.40\00:31:46.08
God will unveil, he'll unfold
more and more. And Jesus is
00:31:46.11\00:31:49.72
saying to Nicodemus, look
I'm telling you about earthly
00:31:49.75\00:31:54.62
things. I'm talking to you about
wind and birth. I'm trying to
00:31:54.65\00:31:58.69
relate to you on a human level
and you're wanting me to tell
00:31:58.73\00:32:02.44
you about heavenly things. Can
you imagine how frustrating it
00:32:02.48\00:32:06.77
was for Jesus. Leaving the
throne of God. Remember what
00:32:06.80\00:32:11.13
Paul says about heaven? Eye
has not seen, ear has not heard,
00:32:11.16\00:32:14.77
neither has entered into the
mind of man the things that God
00:32:14.80\00:32:18.75
has prepared for them that love
him. That means that when it
00:32:18.79\00:32:22.16
comes to heavenly things, you
and I can't even fathom what's
00:32:22.20\00:32:26.88
going on up there. It is so much
brighter and bigger and better
00:32:26.91\00:32:30.88
and different. So Christ leaves
that kind of dimension, the
00:32:30.91\00:32:35.62
realm of heaven, and living with
eternal beings. He comes to
earth and he has to
00:32:35.66\00:32:40.67
basically simplify the truth
for humans. And so Jesus tells
00:32:40.70\00:32:44.81
parables about sheep, about
sowing seed, about fishing for
00:32:44.84\00:32:48.50
fish and he tries to talk to
us like little children on our
00:32:48.53\00:32:52.15
earthly level so we'll
understand spiritual things.
00:32:52.19\00:32:54.77
And he's saying look I'd like
to open up, I'd like to part the
00:32:54.80\00:32:59.30
heavens for you and show...
Paul says, I knew a man whether
00:32:59.34\00:33:02.45
in the spirit or out of the
spirit, I don't know, that was
00:33:02.49\00:33:05.41
caught up to the third heaven
and saw things that cannot be
00:33:05.45\00:33:08.48
uttered. Can you imagine being
John, taken away, chapter 4 of
00:33:08.51\00:33:11.43
Revelation into vision, seeing
heavenly things and then coming
00:33:11.47\00:33:15.37
down to earth and trying to put
into human language the tongue
00:33:15.41\00:33:19.51
of angels. So Jesus says, I'm
just talking to you about simple
00:33:19.55\00:33:23.86
things. If you want me to reveal
spiritual things, these ethereal
00:33:23.89\00:33:27.62
things, then you need to embrace
the simple things I'm telling
00:33:27.66\00:33:31.36
you. Some of just can't
comprehend it. Most of us can't
00:33:31.39\00:33:35.62
comprehend most of it. But
I'd like to have glimpses of the
00:33:35.65\00:33:38.79
divine revelations. Wouldn't you
I want to get out of the earthly
00:33:38.83\00:33:42.52
things of the world. I'll
tell you, you know, it's very
00:33:42.56\00:33:46.57
stimulating when you sit down
with some bright Christians that
00:33:46.60\00:33:50.46
are consecrated and let them
start grappling with the deep
00:33:50.49\00:33:54.28
things of God. Oh, I'll tell you
nothing will invigorate you more
00:33:54.31\00:33:59.12
to hear a group of people who
are not only intelligent but are
00:33:59.16\00:34:02.95
consecrated. And their minds are
getting out of the earthly and
00:34:02.99\00:34:05.87
they just keep rising higher
and higher in their discussion
00:34:05.91\00:34:08.72
and talking about the themes and
the science of salvation and it
00:34:08.76\00:34:12.73
is inspiring. Now I think Jesus
may have been frustrated so much
00:34:12.77\00:34:16.06
of his earthly ministry because
he wanted to open to all of us
00:34:16.10\00:34:19.50
the great things of God but we
can't get out of the play pen.
00:34:19.53\00:34:22.90
He's got these little bright
Fisher-Price toys he has to
00:34:22.93\00:34:27.16
relate to us with. Simple things
earthly things. If I have told
00:34:27.19\00:34:32.50
you earthly things and
you believe not, how will you
00:34:32.54\00:34:35.00
believe if I tell
you of heavenly things?
00:34:35.04\00:34:39.23
I Corinthians 2:14: The natural
man does not receive the things
00:34:39.27\00:34:43.57
of the Spirit of God for they
are foolishness to him, nor can
00:34:43.61\00:34:48.74
he know them because they are
spiritually discerned. Sometimes
00:34:48.78\00:34:52.78
when you're relating your
Christian faith with someone who
00:34:52.82\00:34:57.07
may be in the world they kind
of laugh at you. Do intelligent
00:34:57.10\00:35:00.01
people really believe this?
Because they have been educated
00:35:00.04\00:35:03.43
by the world, they're carnally
minded. You begin to tell them
00:35:03.47\00:35:06.82
spiritual things;
it's foolishness to them.
00:35:06.86\00:35:08.93
Sometimes I'm offended because
I'll try to relate to somebody
00:35:08.97\00:35:13.60
something spiritual and those
principles are so absurd to the
00:35:13.64\00:35:18.24
world. They wave it off.
And then I remember that verse.
00:35:18.27\00:35:22.55
They can't see because they're
blind. Spiritual things are
00:35:22.59\00:35:28.30
spiritually discerned. Don't be
frustrated. Well I'll move on.
00:35:28.33\00:35:34.15
John 8:43: Jesus said, why
do you not understand my speech?
00:35:34.19\00:35:40.34
Even because you cannot hear
my word. But then Jesus tells us
00:35:40.38\00:35:46.50
in John chapter 10 verse
27: My sheep hear my voice.
00:35:46.53\00:35:51.52
That's just saying that some
people are not his sheep, they
00:35:51.55\00:35:55.73
don't hear. I think it's
interesting. I'm going to take a
00:35:55.77\00:35:59.92
little detour. We're talking
about hearing Jesus. Do you
00:35:59.95\00:36:04.03
realize that Nicodemus appears
three times in the Bible, all in
00:36:04.06\00:36:08.23
the gospel of John. Most of it
in chapter 3; he has his Bible
00:36:08.27\00:36:12.40
study with Jesus. What a
privilege. Wouldn't you want to
00:36:12.43\00:36:15.71
sit down with Jesus and have him
have a Bible study. Wow, what a
00:36:15.75\00:36:20.15
privilege! Then he also appears
later on when the enemies of
00:36:20.19\00:36:24.27
Christ are trying to get some
decree to execute him. Nicodemus
00:36:24.31\00:36:29.04
sits with the Sanhedrin. Listen.
John 7 verse 50, got your
00:36:29.08\00:36:33.74
Bibles? John 7 verse 50. They're
getting ready to condemn Jesus.
00:36:33.78\00:36:40.35
They're talking about how all
the people are following him,
00:36:40.38\00:36:43.05
and that he's deceiving the
people. And Nicodemus speaks up
00:36:43.08\00:36:47.03
in Christ's defense. Nicodemus
defended Jesus. He says to them,
00:36:47.06\00:36:50.97
Does our law judge any man
before it hears him and knows
00:36:51.00\00:36:55.35
what he does? See Jesus had
talked to Nicodemus about can
00:36:55.38\00:36:59.66
you hear my word? And Nicodemus
takes that principle back to the
00:36:59.70\00:37:02.77
Sanhedrin. He said, let's not
condemn him before we've even
00:37:02.80\00:37:05.47
heard him. I mean if we're going
to condemn someone, bring them
00:37:05.50\00:37:08.14
here, let them testify, let's
hear them first hand. That's
00:37:08.17\00:37:10.86
part of any court. Give them
a chance to defend themselves.
00:37:10.90\00:37:13.88
We're condemning him and we
haven't even invited his here to
00:37:13.92\00:37:17.07
explain himself. They didn't
like that. They made a little
00:37:17.10\00:37:21.36
note there on their scrolls.
They said Nicodemus is for Jesus
00:37:21.39\00:37:25.62
There were others in the
Sanhedrin that were for Jesus,
00:37:25.65\00:37:28.07
remember. Nicodemus said, Master
WE know you are from God. There
00:37:28.10\00:37:32.71
were others there. Why do you
think Nicodemus was not invited
00:37:32.75\00:37:37.32
to the final trial of
Christ, that evening trial, that
00:37:37.36\00:37:40.80
kangaroo court that was called.
Because they had made a note
00:37:40.84\00:37:44.57
that he was in favor. Listen,
I'm not even done yet. Moving on
00:37:44.60\00:37:48.48
there, Nicodemus says does
our law judge any man before it
00:37:48.52\00:37:52.30
hear him and know what he does.
They said to Nicodemus, Are you
00:37:52.33\00:37:55.66
also from Galilee? They're being
sarcastic because Jesus was
00:37:55.70\00:37:58.96
believed to be from Galilee.
Search and scriptures and look,
00:37:59.00\00:38:03.45
for out of Galilee arises no
prophet. Now were they right?
00:38:03.48\00:38:07.54
They were wrong. They made a
statement and here you've got
00:38:07.57\00:38:10.89
the scholars of the country.
There are scriptures that talk
00:38:10.92\00:38:14.55
about the Prophet coming from
Galilee. I'll read you one of
00:38:14.58\00:38:18.96
them. Isaiah 9 verses 1 and 2.
By the way of the sea beyond the
00:38:18.99\00:38:23.34
Jordan in Galilee of the
Gentiles the people who walked
00:38:23.37\00:38:27.38
in darkness have seen a great
light, those who dwelt in the
00:38:27.41\00:38:31.35
land of the shadow of death upon
them a light has shown. It said
00:38:31.38\00:38:36.22
that the Messiah, this great
prophet, would come and show
00:38:36.25\00:38:38.98
great light from Galilee. So
if they had been searching the
00:38:39.01\00:38:42.35
scriptures, Nicodemus was right.
The religious leaders didn't
00:38:42.38\00:38:46.57
know. So Nicodemus heard what
Jesus said about hearing and he
00:38:46.60\00:38:50.18
took that same principle to
the Sanhedrin in Jesus' defense.
00:38:50.22\00:38:55.49
Back to John 13, or John chapter
3 verse 13. Now Jesus makes a
00:38:55.53\00:39:00.77
statement that has been a
challenge for many scholars
00:39:00.80\00:39:05.62
through history. No one has
ascended up to heaven but he
00:39:05.65\00:39:10.21
who came down from heaven.
That is the Son of Man who is
00:39:10.25\00:39:14.69
in heaven. Now wait a second.
No one ascended up to heaven?
00:39:14.72\00:39:18.84
Well if you stop right there
on an elementary level are there
00:39:18.87\00:39:22.97
any people in the Old Testament
that ascended to heaven? Who?
00:39:23.01\00:39:27.26
Now where is the scripture
in the Old Testament that says
00:39:27.29\00:39:31.62
Moses ascended to heaven.
No you're thinking about Jude.
00:39:31.66\00:39:35.91
That's New Testament. It wasn't
written yet. But I'm with you.
00:39:35.95\00:39:39.04
Moses was in heaven at this
point. One reason we know that
00:39:39.07\00:39:41.96
does Moses appear to Jesus
on the mount of transfiguration?
00:39:42.00\00:39:44.86
Yes. That probably happened
after his interview with
00:39:44.89\00:39:48.41
Nicodemus, but Elijah went
to heaven. Who else. Enoch. So
00:39:48.44\00:39:52.12
there are at least two,
including Moses that would be
00:39:52.16\00:39:55.76
three. So how can Jesus say
no man has ascended to heaven?
00:39:55.80\00:40:00.56
Well first of all I think
he's speaking in bigger terms of
00:40:00.59\00:40:02.86
nobody has gone up to heaven.
00:40:02.89\00:40:05.65
Moses went up the
mountain but he didn't go into
00:40:05.69\00:40:11.34
the presence of God back then.
Elijah even went into heaven.
00:40:11.37\00:40:15.21
But you know the Bible says,
even in the same gospel, no man
00:40:15.25\00:40:20.73
has seen the Father. So picture
heaven as an ora of light that
00:40:20.76\00:40:26.21
gets brighter and brighter
until you get to the middle.
00:40:26.24\00:40:29.48
The dwelling place of God,
the presence of God where those
00:40:29.52\00:40:33.19
seraphim that flank the Lord
with their six wings and cry
00:40:33.22\00:40:37.48
holy, holy, holy. Has any man
been in that presence? Isaiah
00:40:37.51\00:40:41.07
saw it in vision but he was on
earth when he saw it. It was a
00:40:41.10\00:40:46.09
vision. When Jesus said no man
has seen the Father, no man, I
00:40:46.12\00:40:50.08
think, has at this point ever
been into the presence of the
00:40:50.12\00:40:54.00
Father face to face. Men had
been in the presence of God the
00:40:54.03\00:40:59.51
Son Jesus. No man had come from
the Father with a knowledge of
00:40:59.55\00:41:04.25
the almighty, nobody was a
better example of the knowledge
00:41:04.29\00:41:08.60
of God than Jesus. That's all
he's saying. He said nobody can
00:41:08.63\00:41:12.44
tell you about what God is like
like me because the mind of God
00:41:12.47\00:41:16.24
is in me. Think about
this. Didn't Christ say all the
00:41:16.28\00:41:19.40
fullness of the Godhead dwelt in
him bodily. Did I make that up
00:41:19.43\00:41:24.20
or is that what the Bible says?
All the fullness of God the
00:41:24.24\00:41:28.43
Father dwelt in Christ bodily.
Jesus said if you've seen me
00:41:28.46\00:41:32.26
you've seen who? You've seen
the Father. So here you've got a
00:41:32.30\00:41:35.95
perfect representation of
the truth and the mind of God in
00:41:35.99\00:41:39.61
Christ. That's what he means.
He's saying men on earth have
00:41:39.65\00:41:42.32
not ascended up to heaven
and brought down this knowledge.
00:41:42.35\00:41:45.88
I am the one who is to
bring this knowledge of God, the
00:41:45.91\00:41:49.86
perfect knowledge of God.
Matthew 11:27: Jesus said, all
00:41:49.89\00:41:53.77
things were delivered unto me of
my Father and no man knows the
00:41:53.80\00:41:59.27
Son but the Father, and catch
this, no man knows the Father
00:41:59.31\00:42:04.63
except the Son. Only Jesus has
that perfect knowledge of the
00:42:04.66\00:42:09.15
Father. That's what he's talking
about when he says ascending to
00:42:09.18\00:42:13.63
heaven. Now the central
focus of my message is this next
00:42:13.67\00:42:18.30
couple of verses. Title Looking
for Life is based upon this.
00:42:18.34\00:42:23.85
John chapter 3 verses 14 and
15. These verses are especially
00:42:23.89\00:42:28.52
important. They are the preview
for John 3:16. That will be our
00:42:28.56\00:42:33.40
next study. And he says as Moses
lifted up the serpent in the
00:42:33.43\00:42:38.54
wilderness, even so the Son
of Man must be lifted up that
00:42:38.57\00:42:43.61
whoever believes in him should
not perish but have everlasting
00:42:43.65\00:42:49.10
life. There are only two choices
that we all have. I think it's
00:42:49.13\00:42:54.41
very important to realize there
are only two choices. Jesus said
00:42:54.45\00:42:59.70
perish, everlasting
life. Do you know that you have
00:42:59.73\00:43:05.07
everlasting life. You know the
apostle John, he said that we
00:43:05.11\00:43:09.24
might know that we have
everlasting life. If you don't
00:43:09.27\00:43:11.72
know you have everlasting life,
you only have one other option.
00:43:11.76\00:43:15.92
There are not five options,
multiple choice. Perish is death
00:43:15.96\00:43:19.70
everlasting life is life and by
the way, for me that has always
00:43:19.73\00:43:23.44
been the best evidence of
the truth about the state of the
00:43:23.47\00:43:25.99
dead and the punishment of the
wicked. You have two choices.
00:43:26.03\00:43:29.82
Everlasting life, everlasting
destruction, everlasting living,
00:43:29.86\00:43:33.62
everlasting perishing.
Isn't that right? It's just two
00:43:33.65\00:43:36.02
choices that we have.
There's not Abraham's bosom and
00:43:36.06\00:43:40.20
purgatory and limbo and all
these multiple choices. It's
00:43:40.23\00:43:44.28
life and death. You either get a
glorified body or you get judged
00:43:44.32\00:43:47.45
in your old body. You're either
in heaven or you go to the lake
00:43:47.48\00:43:50.54
of fire. You live forever or you
burn up. Those are the verses of
00:43:50.58\00:43:54.42
the Bible that I'm quoting. And
he says, as Moses lifted up the
00:43:54.45\00:43:59.29
serpent in the wilderness even
so must the Son of Man be lifted
00:43:59.33\00:44:03.61
up that whoever believes in him
might not perish. Now to get the
00:44:03.64\00:44:09.95
whole story go back with me to
Numbers 21 verse 5. The children
00:44:09.98\00:44:14.17
of Israel are going through the
wilderness. They get tired of
00:44:14.20\00:44:18.07
eating manna, manna, manna every
day. When they first got the
00:44:18.10\00:44:21.50
manna they were thrilled,
but then after eating the manna
00:44:21.53\00:44:25.77
every day. You know, we're so
spoiled here in America. When I
00:44:25.81\00:44:29.45
get together with my friends
and even though I'm a vegetarian
00:44:29.49\00:44:33.76
there are lots of options.
Periodically in the office we'll
00:44:33.79\00:44:37.02
get together and say well let's
go to lunch together. What do
00:44:37.05\00:44:40.25
you want to do. Well I did
Mexican yesterday so let's do
00:44:40.28\00:44:42.74
Italian today. Oh I did Italian.
Let's do the Thai food or the
00:44:42.78\00:44:46.16
Vietnamese food. I mean, let's
face it, Greek food we've got
00:44:46.19\00:44:49.73
all these options, Indian food.
And we wouldn't want to do two
00:44:49.76\00:44:53.31
in the same day or two in a row.
And I'll come home and I'll say
00:44:53.35\00:44:56.32
Karen, thanks for the stir fry
tonight but I had Thai food for
00:44:56.35\00:44:59.92
lunch so I'm going to eat cereal
Wouldn't want to eat the same
00:44:59.96\00:45:03.37
thing twice, right? You're
laughing because you're the same
00:45:03.40\00:45:06.52
way. We're spoiled. You know,
you go to a lot of the world and
00:45:06.56\00:45:09.19
what's for lunch? Beans. What's
for dinner? Beans. What's for
00:45:09.22\00:45:12.61
breakfast? Beans. And if it
isn't beans in the other parts
00:45:12.64\00:45:15.96
of the world what is it? Rice.
Well the children of Israel they
00:45:16.00\00:45:19.89
couldn't even live with that for
a few months, but after a few
00:45:19.92\00:45:23.60
years, manna, manna, manna. Some
of them had lingering memories
00:45:23.64\00:45:27.55
of at least a little onions and
fish. There are no fish in the
00:45:27.58\00:45:30.99
desert. Finally God gave them
some quail. So they started to
00:45:31.03\00:45:36.63
complain about the manna. I'm in
Numbers 21 verse 5: The people
00:45:36.67\00:45:41.31
spoke against Moses. Why have
you brought us up out of Egypt
00:45:41.34\00:45:45.20
to die in the wilderness
for there's no food or water and
00:45:45.24\00:45:50.19
our soul loathes this worthless
bread. Oh be careful about
00:45:50.22\00:45:55.99
calling any bread that God
gives you worthless. Because the
00:45:56.03\00:45:59.94
bread that God gave us is very
expensive. Moses gave you not
00:45:59.97\00:46:03.13
that bread that comes down from
heaven. Jesus is the bread that
00:46:03.17\00:46:06.35
came down from heaven. That was
very expensive. And when they
00:46:06.39\00:46:09.24
ceased to appreciate the bread
that God gave them... The Bible
00:46:09.28\00:46:13.02
says it was like angel wafers.
It was good. It tasted good.
00:46:13.06\00:46:16.92
They just wanted variety. They
started complaining. Some people
00:46:16.96\00:46:20.79
stop reading their Bibles
because they say ah it's boring.
00:46:20.82\00:46:22.88
But I've got 105 channels on the
Dish Network, variety. And they
00:46:22.92\00:46:28.05
get tired. They think the Bible
is bland compared to the other.
00:46:28.08\00:46:33.18
Be careful about craving
after the fleshpots of Egypt and
00:46:33.22\00:46:36.43
losing your appetite for the
word of God because this is the
00:46:36.46\00:46:40.29
foundation for our diet here.
And as they complained, you read
00:46:40.32\00:46:44.11
in verse 8, well it tells
us that the Lord sent fiery
00:46:44.15\00:46:47.57
serpents among the people.
What does a serpent represent?
00:46:47.60\00:46:51.90
The devil. Sure. The first
medium through which the devil
00:46:51.93\00:46:55.89
spoke was a serpent. Whenever
they wanted to excoriate the
00:46:55.92\00:47:01.12
hypocrites they said venomous
pit of vipers and scorpions.
00:47:01.16\00:47:05.81
Serpents represented the devil.
The dragon, that old serpent
00:47:05.84\00:47:09.24
called the devil and Satan.
Revelation chapter 12. There's
00:47:09.27\00:47:12.63
no guessing about that.
So when he sends the serpents
00:47:15.97\00:47:18.68
among them. You notice what?
They reject the bread and what
00:47:18.71\00:47:24.03
comes in? What keeps the serpent
away? The manna. What's the
00:47:24.07\00:47:28.13
first question in the Bible?
It's asked by a serpent. What
00:47:28.17\00:47:31.83
does he question? The word
of God. First thing out of the
00:47:31.87\00:47:35.46
devil's mouth, first question,
to create doubt about the Word.
00:47:35.50\00:47:39.41
Dissatisfaction with the Word.
Hath God said that you're not
00:47:39.44\00:47:43.01
supposed to eat... Hath God
said? As soon as you question
00:47:43.04\00:47:46.54
the word of God the serpent took
control of our planet, didn't
00:47:46.57\00:47:50.27
he? So the people started to get
bit and obviously these serpents
00:47:50.31\00:47:53.97
had a venomous bite because
they're dying. You can get bit
00:47:54.01\00:47:57.05
by garter snakes all day long.
It's annoying but it won't kill
00:47:57.08\00:48:01.22
you. These are venomous serpents
And God gave some interesting
00:48:01.26\00:48:05.22
instructions to Moses. I'm in
verse 8 now of Numbers 21: The
00:48:05.25\00:48:09.31
Lord said to Moses, Make a fiery
serpent, fiery meaning these
00:48:09.35\00:48:13.67
serpents either had a bright
fiery looking color or the bite
00:48:13.71\00:48:17.37
felt a burning sensation. We're
not sure why they're called
00:48:17.41\00:48:21.71
fiery serpents, and set it
on a pole and it shall be that
00:48:21.75\00:48:26.73
everyone who is bitten, when
he looks he shall live. Hence
00:48:26.77\00:48:31.68
looking for life. Look and live.
So Moses made a bronze serpent
00:48:31.71\00:48:36.94
and he put it on a pole and he
set it up and if the serpent had
00:48:36.98\00:48:41.60
bitten anyone, when they looked
at the bronze serpent, he lived,
00:48:41.63\00:48:46.22
he was healed. The Bible
tells us when God sent out the
00:48:46.26\00:48:49.78
disciples they'd have power over
serpents. It doesn't mean we're
00:48:49.81\00:48:53.20
supposed to go take them up.
It means if you're bit that he
00:48:53.24\00:48:56.36
would miraculously heal
them. I think that's even more
00:48:56.40\00:48:59.45
spiritual in that when we've
got the word of God, we've got
00:48:59.49\00:49:02.76
power to conquer the venom of
the devil. Paul was bitten by a
00:49:02.79\00:49:06.03
serpent. You remember that
story? He shook it off in the
00:49:06.06\00:49:08.43
fire. It was a deadly snake.
They were waiting for him to
00:49:08.47\00:49:10.77
fall over and nothing happened.
What is it that gave them faith
00:49:10.80\00:49:16.37
and forgiveness and power from
the venom of the serpent. They
00:49:16.40\00:49:21.28
looked and they believed. What
is it that gives us victory over
00:49:21.32\00:49:26.70
the serpent? Jesus said, if I am
lifted up I will draw. What does
00:49:26.73\00:49:32.08
lifted up mean? It's put in
a position of visibility. When
00:49:32.12\00:49:36.27
Christ is lifted up where we can
look to him that's when people
00:49:36.31\00:49:39.86
are drawn, that's when
people are saved. Another story
00:49:39.89\00:49:43.18
similar. Moses is up on
the mountain. Joshua and the
00:49:43.22\00:49:46.44
Israelites are fighting against
the Amalekites. When they look
00:49:46.47\00:49:49.44
and they see Moses on the
mountain interceding for them
00:49:49.47\00:49:52.18
the battle goes in their favor.
They win. When they can't see
00:49:52.22\00:49:56.00
Moses, when his arms got tired
and he ceases to intercede, they
00:49:56.03\00:50:00.65
lost. As long as they could see
him interceding they win. Is our
00:50:00.69\00:50:05.28
Savior, our Jesus, is he in
heaven interceding, spreading
00:50:05.31\00:50:08.98
out his nail-scarred hands
in our behalf. Can we look by
00:50:09.02\00:50:12.62
faith and see that and be healed
Putting a serpent on the pole.
00:50:12.65\00:50:17.87
You know, people struggle with
that because they say as Moses
00:50:17.90\00:50:21.73
lifted up the serpent, so must
the Son of Man be lifted up.
00:50:21.76\00:50:26.99
Is Jesus a snake? Is Jesus
the devil? You've all seen this
00:50:27.03\00:50:31.24
symbol for the medical
institution, a serpent on a pole
00:50:31.27\00:50:35.42
That borrows from this ancient
story in the Bible. Did you know
00:50:35.45\00:50:40.91
that? Looking for healing
because ultimately those who
00:50:40.95\00:50:44.48
did it realized that healing
is ultimately a gift of God. You
00:50:44.51\00:50:50.31
know Jesus said if I am lifted
up I will draw all men. The
00:50:50.35\00:50:55.58
power comes through looking
in faith. How many in the Bible
00:50:55.62\00:51:01.09
were saved by a look of faith?
Seeing God. Well let's think of
00:51:01.12\00:51:06.55
some examples. What brought
about the conversion of Paul
00:51:06.59\00:51:09.62
we talked about? Paul saw the
Lord. What about Isaiah chapter
00:51:09.65\00:51:16.71
6. What brought about his
conversion? In the year that
00:51:16.75\00:51:20.31
King Uzziah died I saw the Lord,
he said. Not only Paul and not
00:51:20.35\00:51:26.83
only Isaiah, the thief on the
cross. What brought about his
00:51:26.86\00:51:32.31
conversion? Did he see Jesus
lifted up? Was he converted?
00:51:32.35\00:51:37.11
He looked in faith and he was
saved. You can go all through
00:51:37.15\00:51:41.68
the Bible. Zacchaeus wanted to
see Jesus and he was converted.
00:51:41.72\00:51:46.87
But how can looking at a serpent
on a pole? You know the Bible
00:51:46.90\00:51:53.39
tells us Christ became sin for
us. Jesus took the venom of the
00:51:53.43\00:51:59.88
devil in himself. And it's
even more important than that.
00:51:59.92\00:52:03.80
This is happening to a
nation. What was the principle
00:52:03.84\00:52:08.70
occupation of the Israelites?
Shepherds. Shepherds carry
00:52:08.74\00:52:13.53
staffs. Matter of fact, one time
Moses threw down his staff and
00:52:13.56\00:52:16.90
it became what? Matter of fact,
he did that twice. He did it
00:52:16.94\00:52:20.06
once when he was at the burning
bush, as an illustration God
00:52:20.09\00:52:23.26
showed him. He did it again
before Pharaoh. Now he's being
00:52:23.29\00:52:26.38
told to take a serpent and put
it on a pole. When I lived up in
00:52:26.42\00:52:32.86
the mountains and we had rattle
snakes everywhere, I had a snake
00:52:32.89\00:52:37.54
stick because periodically I'd
see a snake around the cave or
00:52:37.57\00:52:41.89
on the trail. I'd grab my snake
stick and I'd thump the snake
00:52:41.92\00:52:47.15
and then after you try to
dispatch him or kill him or hit
00:52:47.19\00:52:52.35
him with a rock. You don't grab
a snake with your hands and walk
00:52:52.39\00:52:57.17
off with him. I've heard stories
of one taxidermist who pulled a
00:52:57.21\00:53:01.96
snake out of the refrigerator,
big rattle snake someone had
00:53:01.99\00:53:04.29
caught and he was going to make
a belt out of it and he cut into
00:53:04.33\00:53:06.39
it and it wasn't quite dead. It
had warmed up on the table and
00:53:06.43\00:53:09.17
turned around and bit him.
Amphibians are famous for being
00:53:09.21\00:53:12.19
able to go into this almost
frozen condition and revive.
00:53:12.22\00:53:15.14
So you don't go grab a snake.
Sometimes there's just a reflex.
00:53:15.17\00:53:20.56
You pick it up with a stick.
This nation of shepherds seeing
00:53:20.60\00:53:25.60
a snake on a stick, for them
it was a very clear symbol of a
00:53:25.63\00:53:30.22
defeated serpent. What is
the first prophecy in the Bible?
00:53:30.26\00:53:35.60
This is Genesis 3:15: The seed
of the woman would crush the
00:53:35.64\00:53:40.36
serpents head but the serpent
would attempt to bite the heel
00:53:40.39\00:53:45.52
to slow down the progress. But
the crushed head and you pick it
00:53:45.55\00:53:50.47
up and you carry it off and you
bury it. And so when he held up
00:53:50.50\00:53:54.94
that serpent on a pole, when
Jesus hung on the cross it was a
00:53:54.97\00:53:59.55
symbol for you and me that
the devil has been defeated. The
00:53:59.58\00:54:04.09
antivenin for the problem of sin
is our faith in Jesus. We've all
00:54:04.12\00:54:10.64
been bitten. Amen? And we're all
doomed unless we look and live.
00:54:10.68\00:54:17.72
It's through seeing Christ that
he on the cross took our sin.
00:54:17.76\00:54:24.77
We get the transfusion of
his blood and his blood is the
00:54:24.80\00:54:27.77
antivenin for the disease of
sin We are forgiven and we live.
00:54:27.80\00:54:33.07
So much happens by looking and
living, looking and believing.
00:54:33.11\00:54:37.74
And that's what he's calling
us to do. We become like what we
00:54:37.78\00:54:42.82
look at. II Corinthians 3:18:
But we all with unveiled faces
00:54:42.85\00:54:47.22
beholding as in a mirror
the glory of the Lord are being
00:54:47.25\00:54:51.55
transformed into the same image
from glory to glory just as by
00:54:51.58\00:54:55.66
the Spirit of the Lord. That
new birth is as you look the
00:54:55.70\00:54:59.78
character of Jesus is impressed
like light on a photographic
00:54:59.81\00:55:03.92
plate on our souls and we are
transformed into his image. But
00:55:03.95\00:55:07.74
we've got to be looking. Is it
one look? Do you think those who
00:55:07.78\00:55:11.53
looked that were bit by
the snake, do you think they
00:55:11.57\00:55:13.81
quickly looked up or do you
think they gazed. They wanted to
00:55:13.84\00:55:18.32
make sure they saw it. And it's
a constant gazing at Christ that
00:55:18.36\00:55:22.80
transforms us, that heals us,
that gives us that new birth.
00:55:22.84\00:55:27.74
Would you like to have
that experience? You've got two
00:55:27.77\00:55:31.91
choices: Everlasting life,
that's my choice, or perish.
00:55:31.94\00:55:36.01
Let's pray. Loving Lord, thank
you for the powerful truths that
00:55:36.04\00:55:41.85
you communicated to Nicodemus
and we know you did not do it,
00:55:41.89\00:55:46.59
Lord, just for him, but it's
also for us that we might have a
00:55:46.63\00:55:50.69
personal relationship with you,
that we might know that we have
00:55:50.72\00:55:54.08
new hearts, that our names
are written in the book of life.
00:55:54.11\00:55:57.43
It's my prayer, Lord, that
every person here, those who are
00:55:57.47\00:56:00.37
watching and listening,
that they will choose to come to
00:56:00.40\00:56:03.23
Jesus as they are and that they
might have that new birth, born
00:56:03.27\00:56:08.02
of the water and that breath of
life born of the Spirit. Be with
00:56:08.06\00:56:12.34
each person. Bless us in our
hearts with the varied trials of
00:56:12.38\00:56:16.47
life that come. And help us
remember you're with us always,
00:56:16.50\00:56:19.96
Lord. Sustain us. Thank you
again for this Sabbath day and
00:56:19.99\00:56:23.42
your presence here. We ask
all this in Jesus' name, Amen
00:56:23.45\00:56:28.55
Hello friends. The program you
are watching is the culmination
00:56:28.59\00:56:32.16
of a dream and a mission. Let
me tell you about the mission.
00:56:32.19\00:56:35.28
Amazing Facts believes strongly
in the great commission given by
00:56:35.31\00:56:38.23
Christ in Matthew chapter 28
to share the wonderful news of
00:56:38.26\00:56:41.45
salvation with the entire world.
We believe that a spiritual
00:56:41.48\00:56:44.76
encounter with God is the only
way to affect real change. Now
00:56:44.79\00:56:48.20
let me tell you about the dream.
Amazing Facts started in 1966
00:56:48.24\00:56:51.61
after the founder of this
ministry, Joe Cruse, decided to
00:56:51.65\00:56:54.46
take the mission of
sharing God's word with everyone
00:56:54.49\00:56:57.40
personally. Since then we have
shared this wonderful message
00:56:57.43\00:57:00.14
about God with missions around
the world through Bible school,
00:57:00.18\00:57:03.28
through Bible study guides,
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00:57:03.31\00:57:05.97
ministries. If you have
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00:57:06.01\00:57:08.88
would like to join with us
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00:57:08.91\00:57:11.85
gospel to the world, why
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00:57:11.89\00:57:14.62
evangelism. Our partners
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contribute to our efforts in
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00:57:17.35\00:57:20.61
life but the lives of countless
others. Prayerfully consider
00:57:20.64\00:57:23.61
joining our efforts. Until next
time may God continue to hold
00:57:23.64\00:57:26.58
you in the palm of his hand.
00:57:26.61\00:57:28.96
Thank you for joining us for
this broadcast. If you've missed
00:57:29.00\00:57:31.53
any of our Amazing Facts
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00:57:34.63\00:57:37.75
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00:57:37.79\00:57:41.82
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00:57:45.16\00:57:48.39
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00:57:48.43\00:57:51.60
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