From the campus of
Andrews University,
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this is New Perceptions
with Dr. Dwight K. Nelson.
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Let me just--
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let me just cut to
the chase for this story.
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Okay, I'm gonna find
out what your ability is
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to recognize animals.
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I'm gonna find out can
you recognize this animal?
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You probably look
at this animal say,
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you know, I do not
know what this animal is,
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but I'm looking
forward to finding out.
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That's probably
what you will do, okay?
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So are you ready?
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I'm gonna put it on
these two screens right here.
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You see these two screens?
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As soon as you
see it on the screen
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and we will put it on
the big screen as well.
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You tell me what the
animal is, all right let's go.
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Panda.
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You already knew
about the panda bear?
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Yes. Oh, yeah.
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I though I might
catch you by a surprise.
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That is the
lovely giant panda bear.
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Do you know what extra credit,
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if you can tell me what country
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and the old country in the
world that the panda's grown?
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Did you just
have this in school?
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No.
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Have you ever been to the
Brookfield Zoo in Chicago?
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One of the great
Zoo's of the world.
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You have mom and
dad take you sometime,
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it's a wonderful zoo.
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The first panda
ever to leave China
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and come to the United
States, Brookfield Zoo in 1936.
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So Panda's the
whole world loves panda's
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but just this last
week listen to this--
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just this last week
the government of China
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released some
information we didn't know about
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because you see
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the panda's are
what they call endanger.
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What does it mean
if you are in danger?
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What's that mean?
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That you need help.
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You need help, that's
exactly what it means.
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You need help, because,
because you are running out.
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They did a
headcount, listen to this,
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they did a headcount, it's okay,
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one, two, three, four, five
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in China six, seven,
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1590 panda's in the wild, 1590.
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If they keep dwindling,
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we're going to run
out of panda's on earth.
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They no longer be in the
zoos, we can't have that,
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so the Chinese
government they said okay,
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this is our fate,
the whole world loves us
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because of the pandas.
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Let's have more
panda's and they began to work
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to have more panda's.
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Oh, but the panda's
don't give birth so easy.
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Oh, work hard,
work hard, work hard
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and then just this
week the government in China
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released a picture.
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Let's see the picture please.
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Yeah, I knew you love that one.
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Twelve little baby pandas
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it's working, i'ts working,
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it's working behind the senses.
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They are getting the
pandas to have babies.
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So here is the deal, guys.
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That green ball is just to keep
them lying there without moving.
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Let me know if they move
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because then that
ball doesn't work.
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The government in China says,
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we got to have
more panda babies.
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We got to have more babies,
we got to have more babies.
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And wait a minute, I thought,
when I heard that story,
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I said wait a minute,
that's just like heaven.
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Heaven says, we got
to have more babies.
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We got to have more babies,
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not just the babies like you are
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because when you were born
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Jesus said I
want her, I want her,
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I want him, him,
him, her, her, her.
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I want him to be born.
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I want her, her.
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Jesus picked all of you
out, but the Bible says,
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that as you get
older and you come to Jesus
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you are born again.
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New babies, you become a baby
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all over again and
you grow up in Jesus.
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And heaven says, just
like China where the pandas,
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oh, we got to have more babies.
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We got to have
more people born again.
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We have to find
as many as we can.
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Oh, my how many
are thankful that--
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that we were born
in the first time.
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How many want to
say thank you Jesus,
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I'm so glad to be alive,
I have wonderful parents,
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thank you Jesus.
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And how many want to say
with the other hand, Jesus,
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if being born the second time
is how I get into your kingdom.
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I want to be born again.
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Yes, I do.
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Put those hands together,
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close your eyes and let's pray.
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Oh, Jesus, in
China the government
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oh, they want more panda
babies more and more, more
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but heaven wants earth
children more born again.
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Mom's and dad's and children
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and so we raise
both hands Jesus,
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we are glad to be
born in the first time,
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but we really want to
be born in the second time.
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Please give us that second birth
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we pray in your name, amen.
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As you go quietly and
reverently back to your seats,
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you say thank you Jesus,
thank you for panda babies.
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I want to be born again
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and become your child
for the rest of my life.
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The love of God is greater far
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Than tongue or pen can ever tell
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It goes beyond the highest star
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And reaches to the lowest hell
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The guilty pair,
bowed down with care
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God gave His Son to win
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His erring child He reconciled
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And pardoned from his sin
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O love of God, how rich and pure
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How measureless and strong
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It shall forevermore endure
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The saint's and angel's song
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When hoary time shall pass away
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And earthly
thrones and kingdoms fall
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When men who here refuse to pray
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On rocks and
hills and mountains call
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God's love, so
sure, shall still endure
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All measureless and strong
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Redeeming grace to Adam's race
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The saints' and angels' song
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Could we with ink the ocean fill
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And were the
skies of parchment made
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Were every
stalk on earth a quill
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And every man a scribe by trade
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To write the love of God above
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Would drain the ocean dry
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Nor could the
scroll contain the whole
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Though stretched from sky to sky
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O love of God, how rich and pure
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How measureless and strong
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It shall forevermore endure--
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The saint's and angel's song
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The saint's and angel's song
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Let's pray.
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Dear God, thank you
for The Chosen Lady.
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You have raised
up on this planet
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for such a time as
this, not by accident,
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not by happen stands
but by divine decree.
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As a community of faith here on
the campus of Andrews University
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we have plunged into the gospel,
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the fourth gospel,
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they go back to it today
far break not withstanding,
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we go back to it today.
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Oh, God, don't let us miss
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what Christ our
Lord would teach us
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through this passage.
00:10:01.24\00:10:03.12
We pray in Jesus name, amen.
00:10:03.15\00:10:07.09
Let me tell you about a story
I read it in English newspaper
00:10:07.12\00:10:09.24
online just a few days ago.
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Sarah and Rob sold house
from the village of Churchtown,
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never heard of this
village, Churchtown, England.
00:10:15.82\00:10:19.46
They have planned
to have their baby
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through the services
of midwifery or midwifery.
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They were planning to have
their baby last week at home
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with the
professional coach to come in
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and do the delivery.
00:10:31.10\00:10:32.51
But early last Thursday,
early Thursday morning,
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Sarah's water
broke you can picture it.
00:10:35.56\00:10:40.82
And before the mobile midwife
could arrive the baby did.
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So here you have
trying to swallow his panic,
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her young husband Rob,
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who calls the
midwife unit at the hospital
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gets them on the
speaker phone of his cell phone,
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the only equipments he
has are a plastic sheet
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and some clean
towels on the lounge floor.
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That's a living room,
where the family room,
00:11:08.40\00:11:09.97
those of you from
England could help us.
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On the lounge
floor, as it all spread out
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and while he's
listening to the voice
00:11:14.25\00:11:16.27
inside the speaker
phone step by step,
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Rob who has never dreamed
of doing this in his life
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goes through the emotions
and you guess that a few,
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I don't know how long it was
00:11:24.55\00:11:25.62
but a few moments later
he is cradling in his arms
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seven pounds seven
ounces a little baby boy
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they named Harry.
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Wow, I'll tell you
what, all three of them,
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I'm sure collapsed,
father, mother and son.
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A few days later mother
Sarah went to the hospital
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to thank everybody.
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They come to find out that
when Rob place that phone call
00:11:42.14\00:11:44.69
the entire midwifery
team happened to be there
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in the room as one
of their own was giving,
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shouting the commands
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and instructions to
this expected father.
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They gave Rob an A
plus, A plus for delivery.
00:11:58.10\00:12:02.96
And probably a C-Minus for form
00:12:02.99\00:12:05.56
because you don't really
want to do it on the floor.
00:12:05.59\00:12:08.69
There they are.
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Now they look happy.
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He made it.
00:12:10.98\00:12:12.63
Once upon a time in a
very late night conversation,
00:12:12.66\00:12:15.12
Jesus spoke about being born
00:12:15.15\00:12:18.68
and as it turned out His words
would become the most sublime
00:12:18.71\00:12:21.51
and provocative
account given anywhere
00:12:21.54\00:12:24.10
about how it is
that a man or a woman
00:12:24.13\00:12:26.77
or a child is as they say,
00:12:26.80\00:12:31.07
"saved or as he
says, born again."
00:12:31.10\00:12:36.06
Open your Bible with me
please to the fourth gospel,
00:12:36.09\00:12:38.76
the gospel of John
Chapter 3, let's go.
00:12:38.79\00:12:41.62
The last word the fourth
gospel for our final generation.
00:12:42.60\00:12:45.87
Today is part six.
00:12:45.90\00:12:47.27
Delighted to have all of you who
are watching on live streaming.
00:12:47.30\00:12:50.07
Where were you are
in the nation or world,
00:12:50.10\00:12:52.33
we're honored to have
you, be a part of the journey.
00:12:52.36\00:12:54.47
You will see everything
we see on the screens,
00:12:54.50\00:12:56.18
you see it as well.
00:12:56.21\00:12:57.26
Grab your Bible where you are
00:12:57.29\00:12:59.61
and open with me
please to the gospel of John,
00:12:59.64\00:13:02.22
John Chapter 3, the
very famous John Chapter 3.
00:13:02.25\00:13:06.34
I'm in the New
King James Version.
00:13:06.37\00:13:08.16
If you didn't bring your
Bible pull the pew Bible out.
00:13:08.19\00:13:10.12
You've got to track this in
your pew Bible, pull it out.
00:13:10.15\00:13:12.41
Let me give you the
page number, page 715.
00:13:12.44\00:13:16.26
The Gospel of John
3, here we go verse1.
00:13:16.29\00:13:20.21
"There was a man
00:13:20.24\00:13:22.66
of the
Pharisees named Nicodemus,
00:13:22.69\00:13:26.17
a ruler of the Jews."
00:13:26.20\00:13:29.51
Now, look it, look it, look it,
00:13:29.54\00:13:31.12
doesn't it seem rather odd
that John would write this.
00:13:31.15\00:13:32.98
There was a man
00:13:33.01\00:13:34.76
of the
Pharisees named Nicodemus.
00:13:37.09\00:13:38.80
I mean, common John,
why didn't you just say,
00:13:38.83\00:13:40.43
there was a
Pharisee named Nicodemus
00:13:40.46\00:13:42.84
and he's ruler of the Jews?
00:13:42.87\00:13:44.00
John intentionally
inserts one word in the Greek
00:13:44.03\00:13:46.45
arthropods for once
comes that word anthropology,
00:13:46.48\00:13:48.90
the study of man.
00:13:48.93\00:13:50.08
John, why this excess,
00:13:50.11\00:13:51.66
why this--why
this extra inclusion?
00:13:51.69\00:13:56.31
Ah, because John,
00:13:56.34\00:13:58.38
John is tapping
into a literary device.
00:13:58.41\00:14:00.97
He needs us to remember,
00:14:01.00\00:14:02.81
the immediately
proceeding words in Chapter 2.
00:14:02.84\00:14:05.73
Look when John wrote--
when John wrote the gospel
00:14:05.76\00:14:07.43
there were no
chapters, there were no verses,
00:14:07.46\00:14:08.68
it just went
line, line, line, line.
00:14:08.71\00:14:10.91
So we--the word, the
word man takes us back.
00:14:10.94\00:14:14.11
Look at the last
lines of Chapter 2,
00:14:14.14\00:14:16.12
we were there last Sabbath.
00:14:16.15\00:14:17.36
Now when he-- this is verse 23.
00:14:17.39\00:14:19.74
"Now when He "Jesus" was
in Jerusalem at the Passover"
00:14:19.77\00:14:23.36
remember cleansing of
the temple, last Sabbath?
00:14:23.39\00:14:26.25
"Now when He Jesus was in
Jerusalem at the Passover,
00:14:26.28\00:14:28.60
during the feast,
many believed in His name
00:14:28.63\00:14:31.32
when they saw the
signs which He did."
00:14:31.35\00:14:34.16
But verse 24, "Jesus did
not commit Himself to them,
00:14:34.19\00:14:38.46
because He knew all people"
says our men in inserted word.
00:14:38.49\00:14:42.67
Verse 25, "And had no need that
anyone should testify of man"
00:14:42.70\00:14:47.70
there is the code word of man.
00:14:47.73\00:14:50.64
He had no need of
anybody testifying a man,
00:14:50.67\00:14:52.76
for He knew what
was in man twice.
00:14:52.79\00:14:57.10
And I got number three,
00:14:57.13\00:14:58.83
only one we read the
two lines back to back, ah.
00:14:58.86\00:15:02.63
Jesus knew how
fickle the human heart,
00:15:05.43\00:15:07.45
who one day can
shout out hosanna
00:15:07.48\00:15:09.83
and the very next
day cry out crucify Him.
00:15:09.86\00:15:13.25
He knew what was
in the heart of man,
00:15:13.28\00:15:15.41
nobody needed to tell him.
00:15:15.44\00:15:16.71
All these people flock into
Him because of the miracles.
00:15:16.74\00:15:18.75
Oh, he knows our heart.
00:15:18.78\00:15:21.52
He doesn't trust
the--the verbal accent.
00:15:21.55\00:15:26.09
He knows the heart of
every man, woman and child.
00:15:26.12\00:15:28.53
So when John inserts
man, there was a man,
00:15:28.56\00:15:32.35
He's saying hey, hey, hey, hey,
00:15:32.38\00:15:34.12
this is to let you
know Jesus already knows
00:15:34.15\00:15:36.58
what is in Nicodemus
heart, He already knows.
00:15:36.61\00:15:40.13
Let's see how he
responds to what He knows.
00:15:40.16\00:15:43.67
Read it again.
00:15:43.70\00:15:44.96
"There was a
man" this is Verse 1,
00:15:44.99\00:15:47.61
"There was a
man of the Pharisees
00:15:47.64\00:15:51.04
named Nicodemus, a
ruler of the Jews."
00:15:51.07\00:15:54.72
Now Pharisees, come on
we all know the Pharisees,
00:15:54.75\00:15:56.71
the religious conservatives
of the day strictly orthodox,
00:15:56.74\00:15:59.76
deeply concerned about
the purity of the people,
00:15:59.79\00:16:01.65
there were the Rabbi's
00:16:01.68\00:16:02.71
and teachers of
the community of faith.
00:16:02.74\00:16:04.19
Nicodemus was one of them,
00:16:04.22\00:16:06.02
but he was not just a
Pharisee, notice how John adds,
00:16:06.05\00:16:08.21
He was also a ruler of the Jews.
00:16:08.24\00:16:11.24
Do you know what that means?
00:16:11.27\00:16:12.30
Nicodemus had one
of the coveted 71 seats
00:16:12.33\00:16:14.67
on the supreme
court of the Jews,
00:16:14.70\00:16:18.75
the Sanhedrin.
00:16:18.78\00:16:20.16
He isn't just a Pharisee,
He is in the inner circle.
00:16:20.19\00:16:24.38
Wow, Jesus, are you impressed?
00:16:24.41\00:16:26.69
You have someone with
such high ecclesiastical status
00:16:26.72\00:16:30.52
coming to visit
you humble Galilean.
00:16:30.55\00:16:33.60
But John say, hey, hey, don't
get all excited about his rank,
00:16:33.63\00:16:36.34
Jesus already
knows what's in him.
00:16:36.37\00:16:38.57
Verse 2, so "This man
00:16:39.80\00:16:43.01
came to Jesus by night"
00:16:43.04\00:16:45.80
I mean, one can't be too careful
00:16:47.23\00:16:48.88
in protecting once
reputation, can one?
00:16:48.91\00:16:51.15
Shh, don't let
anybody know I'm here.
00:16:51.18\00:16:53.42
So this man came
to Jesus by night
00:16:53.45\00:16:56.34
and said to Him, "Rabbi,
00:16:56.37\00:16:58.26
we know that You are a teacher."
00:16:58.29\00:17:00.53
Oh, by the way,
come on a teacher?
00:17:00.56\00:17:03.96
Rabbi we know You are
a teacher sent from God.
00:17:03.99\00:17:07.93
Nicodemus, you
wouldn't be coming to Him
00:17:07.96\00:17:10.65
if He were just a
teacher now would you?
00:17:10.68\00:17:13.28
There is something
in your mind and heart
00:17:13.31\00:17:14.68
Nicodemus that recognizes
this is an unusual human being.
00:17:14.71\00:17:19.28
Why don't you just go
ahead and say it Nicodemus?
00:17:19.31\00:17:21.96
Four male Jews
have already said it
00:17:21.99\00:17:24.35
this early in the gospel story.
00:17:24.38\00:17:26.02
John the Baptist
says, He's the Messiah.
00:17:26.05\00:17:27.74
Andrew says, He's the Messiah.
00:17:27.77\00:17:29.38
Philip says, He's the Messiah.
00:17:29.41\00:17:30.84
Nathanael says,
He's the Messiah.
00:17:30.87\00:17:32.53
So, it wouldn't be too
terrible radical for you
00:17:32.56\00:17:35.80
Nicodemus to say, it
is well, but he won't.
00:17:35.83\00:17:38.54
He hides behind--
00:17:38.57\00:17:39.83
Well, we know listening
all these miracles you do.
00:17:39.86\00:17:41.83
You have to be a
teacher sent from God.
00:17:41.86\00:17:45.83
"Rabbi, we know that You
are a teacher come from God,
00:17:48.86\00:17:53.13
but no one,
00:17:53.16\00:17:54.38
for no one can do these signs
00:17:54.41\00:17:55.68
that You do
unless God is with him.
00:17:55.71\00:17:57.52
Jesus answered and said to him,
00:17:57.55\00:17:59.26
Most assuredly, I say to you,
00:17:59.29\00:18:01.78
unless one is born again,
00:18:01.81\00:18:03.67
he cannot see
the kingdom of God."
00:18:03.70\00:18:05.86
Nicodemus comes for a late
night tete-a-tete, conversation.
00:18:05.89\00:18:09.97
Jesus turns it into
a midnight alter call
00:18:10.00\00:18:12.40
surprise, surprise, surprise.
00:18:12.43\00:18:16.55
Would you please take
out your new study guide
00:18:18.35\00:18:20.51
because what is about to follow
00:18:20.54\00:18:21.98
is so essential to
your Christian journey
00:18:22.01\00:18:25.27
that we have to
get it down on paper.
00:18:25.30\00:18:26.65
Come on, pull
that study guide out,
00:18:26.68\00:18:28.30
here come the ushers.
00:18:28.33\00:18:29.43
Hold your hand up if
you need a study guide,
00:18:29.46\00:18:30.94
they are coming your
way, hold your hand up.
00:18:30.97\00:18:34.10
Take the study guide
00:18:34.13\00:18:35.16
and while they are
getting the study guides,
00:18:35.19\00:18:36.76
you up in the balcony as well.
00:18:36.79\00:18:38.30
I want to welcome all of you
who are watching live streaming
00:18:38.33\00:18:40.89
or watching on television,
we are delighted that you here.
00:18:40.92\00:18:43.23
Listen you get
the same study guide.
00:18:43.26\00:18:44.61
Let me put our
website on the screen for you.
00:18:44.64\00:18:46.32
You go to that website
you can get the study guide.
00:18:46.35\00:18:48.76
You see it on the screen,
00:18:48.79\00:18:49.82
there it is, you
see it www.pmchurch.tv
00:18:49.85\00:18:54.35
You're looking for
the series the last word,
00:18:54.38\00:18:56.43
this turns out to be
part six in the last word.
00:18:56.46\00:18:59.99
You say up, come on Do I
have to seen the first five?
00:19:00.02\00:19:02.57
What, the first five
we're all sitting there,
00:19:02.60\00:19:03.90
video cast, podcast,
you can download them
00:19:03.93\00:19:05.73
at your leisure,
but this is number six.
00:19:05.76\00:19:07.51
Born Again, again,
00:19:07.54\00:19:09.81
click on to that
title born again, again
00:19:09.84\00:19:12.75
and it will say your study
guide there click, study guide.
00:19:12.78\00:19:16.53
You will have
the same study guide.
00:19:16.56\00:19:17.86
This study guide,
where you about to write,
00:19:17.89\00:19:21.38
you want to lock
away in your heart,
00:19:21.41\00:19:23.36
so get the study guide.
00:19:23.39\00:19:24.43
If they are coming by and
you didn't get a study guide
00:19:24.46\00:19:26.06
make sure you get this one,
00:19:26.09\00:19:27.12
this is an
important study guide.
00:19:27.15\00:19:28.92
I hope you will share it
with others along the way.
00:19:28.95\00:19:32.43
But before we get in any
further into the study guide.
00:19:32.46\00:19:35.23
Let me put some
words from the book,
00:19:35.26\00:19:36.87
this classic on
the life of Jesus
00:19:36.90\00:19:38.54
called the Desire of Ages.
00:19:38.57\00:19:39.92
Let me put these words
00:19:39.95\00:19:40.98
and you have to fill the
words out in your study guide.
00:19:41.01\00:19:42.41
Let's put them on the screen.
00:19:42.44\00:19:44.10
Speaking of this movement,
this midnight conversation.
00:19:44.13\00:19:47.22
"In the
interview with Nicodemus,
00:19:47.25\00:19:49.41
Jesus unfolded
the plan of salvation
00:19:49.44\00:19:52.52
and His mission to the world.
00:19:52.55\00:19:56.02
In none of His
subsequent discourses"
00:19:56.05\00:19:57.81
now that's pretty heavy.
00:19:57.84\00:19:58.88
You know what's that saying?
00:19:58.91\00:19:59.94
Nothing He will save
beyond this movement.
00:19:59.97\00:20:02.21
Never again whatever He says,
00:20:02.24\00:20:03.83
"In none of His
subsequent discourses
00:20:03.86\00:20:06.00
did He explain so fully"
00:20:06.03\00:20:08.16
and would you
write this down please,
00:20:08.19\00:20:09.46
"step by step," step by step.
00:20:09.49\00:20:15.27
Never again did He
explain so fully step by step.
00:20:15.30\00:20:18.06
The work necessary to be
done in the hearts of all
00:20:18.09\00:20:21.25
who would inherit
the kingdom of heaven,
00:20:21.28\00:20:23.58
step by step.
00:20:23.61\00:20:26.01
And so with your permission
for the next few moments.
00:20:26.04\00:20:28.49
Let's examine a
step by step analysis
00:20:28.52\00:20:30.94
of this midnight conversation.
00:20:30.97\00:20:32.23
We'll take it apart
00:20:32.26\00:20:33.44
five steps are
embedded in that conversation.
00:20:33.47\00:20:35.93
Five steps you
learn these five steps
00:20:35.96\00:20:37.89
you are in the
kingdom of heaven,
00:20:37.92\00:20:39.06
if you take the five steps.
00:20:39.09\00:20:40.62
Five steps,
let's go verse 3 again.
00:20:40.65\00:20:43.93
"Jesus answered and said to him,
00:20:43.96\00:20:45.29
"Most assuredly, I say to you"
00:20:45.32\00:20:48.35
now look at you can't
tell it in the English
00:20:48.38\00:20:50.60
but in the Greek, this is
a huge red flag waving now.
00:20:50.63\00:20:54.83
Whenever in the New King James,
00:20:54.86\00:20:56.18
you run into more assuredly
00:20:56.21\00:20:58.20
where ever in the NIV
you run into very truly
00:20:58.23\00:21:02.48
that means there are
double words right there,
00:21:02.51\00:21:05.05
the amen is repeated.
00:21:05.08\00:21:06.99
So here's Jesus,
"Amen Amen, I Say to You."
00:21:07.02\00:21:10.57
Only John in the
New Testament exercises
00:21:10.60\00:21:12.76
that literally device, 25
times in the fourth gospel,
00:21:12.79\00:21:16.20
double amen.
00:21:16.23\00:21:17.39
Every time you run
into that double amen,
00:21:17.42\00:21:19.33
it's like John is
saying, whoa, whoa, whoa,
00:21:19.36\00:21:21.06
slow down, slow down,
preacher, slow down reader,
00:21:21.09\00:21:24.64
this is huge don't
miss it, amen, amen.
00:21:24.67\00:21:28.50
Look they are talking Aramaic,
but it's very close in Aramaic,
00:21:28.53\00:21:33.96
amen, amen very close.
00:21:33.99\00:21:36.95
Amen, amen, Jesus
says to Nicodemus.
00:21:36.98\00:21:41.03
"Most assuredly, I say to you,
00:21:41.06\00:21:43.95
unless one is born again,
00:21:43.98\00:21:46.02
he, she cannot see
the kingdom of God."
00:21:46.05\00:21:48.46
Verse 4, "Nicodemus said to Him,
00:21:48.49\00:21:50.49
"How can a man be
born when he is old?
00:21:50.52\00:21:53.33
Can he enter a second
time into his mother's womb
00:21:53.36\00:21:57.83
and be born?"
00:21:57.86\00:21:59.77
Nice try Rabbi Nicodemus.
00:22:01.47\00:22:03.97
You can't fool us.
00:22:04.00\00:22:05.42
You know exactly
what Jesus means.
00:22:05.45\00:22:07.10
Craig Keener the
New Testament scholar
00:22:07.13\00:22:08.68
has carefully researched to show
00:22:08.71\00:22:11.08
that the pagans knew
the expression rebirth
00:22:11.11\00:22:15.33
for a new beginning.
00:22:15.36\00:22:16.61
The Greeks knew there
could be expression rebirth
00:22:16.64\00:22:19.03
for a new beginning.
00:22:19.06\00:22:20.09
The Jews knew the
expression rebirth
00:22:20.12\00:22:22.99
for a new beginning.
00:22:23.02\00:22:24.10
Don't pretend, well, do I got
to get into my mother's tummy?
00:22:24.13\00:22:28.56
No, you know.
00:22:28.59\00:22:30.17
You see in Jewish theology,
00:22:30.20\00:22:32.52
to be born as
son of Abraham though
00:22:32.55\00:22:34.56
and here is the though,
00:22:34.59\00:22:35.64
to be born as son of Abraham
00:22:35.67\00:22:37.13
was a virtual guarantee
00:22:37.16\00:22:38.70
of admission into
the Kingdom of Heaven.
00:22:38.73\00:22:40.51
If I'm a Jew, I
mean, oh, no, man,
00:22:40.54\00:22:44.19
you gentiles,
all for you gentile
00:22:44.22\00:22:45.79
is very clear in
their theology note.
00:22:45.82\00:22:47.87
You must be adopted,
00:22:47.90\00:22:49.39
you must be rebirth in
order to get into the heaven,
00:22:49.42\00:22:52.64
but why me Nicodemus is saying
00:22:52.67\00:22:56.03
you are talking about me,
00:22:56.06\00:22:57.48
for a circumspect
Jew to picture himself
00:22:57.51\00:23:01.90
outside the circle of
salvation was a huge affront.
00:23:01.93\00:23:07.47
Thus Nicodemus is-- he
doesn't know what to say,
00:23:07.50\00:23:09.37
he just say, well,
how can I kind of go back
00:23:09.40\00:23:10.73
into my mothers tummy?
00:23:10.76\00:23:11.86
He's just having
to say something here.
00:23:11.89\00:23:14.64
Jot it down will you
please, step number one?
00:23:17.52\00:23:20.06
Step number one
"You must be born again.
00:23:20.09\00:23:23.72
Now, the Greek
word can be translated
00:23:23.75\00:23:25.09
in two different ways.
00:23:25.12\00:23:26.18
And so let's go
ahead and be safe and write
00:23:26.21\00:23:28.47
you must be born from above.
00:23:28.50\00:23:30.23
Get both phrases in.
00:23:30.26\00:23:32.57
You must be born again,
00:23:32.60\00:23:33.97
you must be born
00:23:34.00\00:23:35.49
from above because
the Greek word Anothen
00:23:35.52\00:23:38.46
can be translated either way.
00:23:38.49\00:23:39.86
That Nicodemus took it,
00:23:39.89\00:23:41.97
as again is clear
from his response.
00:23:42.00\00:23:45.03
Wow, I got to go again
00:23:45.06\00:23:47.50
but the John may have
mean it the other way,
00:23:47.53\00:23:50.19
is clear from verse 31
00:23:50.22\00:23:51.39
in the same
chapter where it says,
00:23:51.42\00:23:52.85
He who came from above.
00:23:52.88\00:23:54.47
It doesn't make sense to
say, he who came again no,
00:23:54.50\00:23:57.80
its he who came from
above and so it leads,
00:23:57.83\00:24:00.66
it leads, it leads us to wonder.
00:24:00.69\00:24:02.41
Maybe John
intended both definitions
00:24:02.44\00:24:04.84
to give rich meaning either way.
00:24:04.87\00:24:07.31
Step number one,
you must be born again,
00:24:07.34\00:24:09.84
you must be born from above.
00:24:09.87\00:24:13.19
In other words, jot
this down will you please?
00:24:13.22\00:24:15.20
Your life must
experience a spiritual rebirth.
00:24:15.23\00:24:19.93
Not a foreign concept
they knew it back then.
00:24:19.96\00:24:22.63
Your life must experience,
00:24:22.66\00:24:23.89
but let's forget
about that back then,
00:24:23.92\00:24:25.22
it's in the
third millennium now.
00:24:25.25\00:24:27.42
You and I our lives must
experience a spiritual rebirth
00:24:27.45\00:24:31.43
and what's that mean?
00:24:31.46\00:24:33.00
Look at verse 5, Jesus answered.
00:24:33.03\00:24:34.96
Oh, boy, here comes another one,
00:24:34.99\00:24:36.08
amen, amen, another double amen,
00:24:36.11\00:24:39.78
most assured, this is verse 5,
00:24:39.81\00:24:41.89
"Most assuredly, I say to you,
00:24:41.92\00:24:43.16
unless one is born
of water and the Spirit,
00:24:43.19\00:24:46.78
he, she cannot
enter the kingdom of God."
00:24:46.81\00:24:51.52
Jot it down, step number two,
00:24:53.61\00:24:55.17
"You must be
born again of water."
00:24:55.20\00:24:57.77
Write that in please, you
must be born again of water.
00:24:57.80\00:25:01.00
The fourth gospel
opens with John the Baptizer
00:25:01.03\00:25:03.13
in the Jordan River
and in this very chapter
00:25:03.16\00:25:07.07
in verse 23 it says,
"John was near near Aenon,
00:25:07.10\00:25:10.37
because there was
much water there."
00:25:10.40\00:25:12.83
So water baptism is book
ended to this expression.
00:25:12.86\00:25:17.81
So those scholars had to say,
00:25:17.84\00:25:18.89
well, we are not
sure of what water means.
00:25:18.92\00:25:20.74
I beg to differ with them.
00:25:20.77\00:25:22.44
The water is embedded,
00:25:22.47\00:25:23.97
the water of baptism
is embedded right there.
00:25:24.00\00:25:26.98
You see the Pharisees
of which Nicodemus is one,
00:25:27.01\00:25:30.10
they all went out to
examine John the Baptist,
00:25:30.13\00:25:31.90
they sent delegations out.
00:25:31.93\00:25:32.96
Who is this thundering
voice in the wilderness?
00:25:32.99\00:25:35.06
Look at this guy
baptizing everybody.
00:25:35.09\00:25:37.31
Mark Chapter 1 declares that
00:25:37.34\00:25:38.77
John the Baptist
preached a baptism of repentance
00:25:38.80\00:25:42.38
and by the thousands as it
were the masses of Palestine
00:25:42.41\00:25:47.10
came to be baptized.
00:25:47.13\00:25:48.56
They came to be baptized
with the John the Baptist,
00:25:48.59\00:25:50.77
but when he makes the
alter call to the Pharisees,
00:25:50.80\00:25:53.30
they say whoa,
I'm not going forward
00:25:53.33\00:25:57.26
because if a
Pharisees went forward
00:25:57.29\00:25:58.75
it would be a tacit admission
00:25:58.78\00:26:00.38
that I have
something to repent of
00:26:00.41\00:26:02.05
and Pharisees
don't wanna have anything
00:26:02.08\00:26:03.98
to repent them
at least in public.
00:26:04.01\00:26:06.78
And so Jesus
takes on the Pharisees
00:26:06.81\00:26:08.39
in Matthew 20 and Luke 7.
00:26:08.42\00:26:09.99
And he says, you
rejected John's baptism,
00:26:10.02\00:26:13.71
but he is not
giving Nicodemus a pass.
00:26:13.74\00:26:16.73
Nope, he is got
Pharisee right here
00:26:16.76\00:26:18.61
and he shoots its
straight into their heart.
00:26:18.64\00:26:20.87
He says, hey listen,
you want to be born again?
00:26:20.90\00:26:22.46
You must be born of water.
00:26:22.49\00:26:25.25
In fact, jot this
down, "no water baptism,
00:26:25.28\00:26:29.01
no born again."
00:26:30.78\00:26:32.54
That's what Jesus is saying.
00:26:33.72\00:26:35.38
Some people
say, well, I no that.
00:26:35.41\00:26:36.48
No, that's what Jesus is saying.
00:26:36.51\00:26:38.78
"No water
baptism, no born again."
00:26:38.81\00:26:40.70
And by the way, no
born again no heaven,
00:26:40.73\00:26:43.16
no heaven, you will not go.
00:26:43.19\00:26:46.33
In other words,
ladies and gentlemen,
00:26:46.36\00:26:50.02
water baptism is
essential to your salvation.
00:26:50.05\00:26:54.35
Some of you have been
following Christ for many years
00:26:54.38\00:26:56.79
but you just kind of said,
00:26:56.82\00:26:58.15
you know, this water baptism
it's a little inconvenient,
00:26:58.18\00:27:00.89
I'm not going to do it.
00:27:00.92\00:27:02.08
I'll follow Jesus,
but I won't be baptized.
00:27:02.11\00:27:04.60
My, friend, you can't
follow Jesus and not be baptized
00:27:04.63\00:27:07.55
He was baptized,
who needed no baptism
00:27:07.58\00:27:10.60
and He says come
follow me, follow me.
00:27:10.63\00:27:14.17
So if you have
not been baptized yet,
00:27:14.20\00:27:15.93
may I appeal
directly to you right now.
00:27:15.96\00:27:17.91
If you have not
been baptized yet,
00:27:17.94\00:27:20.09
this is--this is the
perfect movement for you
00:27:20.12\00:27:23.45
to decide in your mind you know,
00:27:23.48\00:27:24.70
what Dwight, you're
right, I need to be baptized.
00:27:24.73\00:27:27.92
I'll make arrangements.
00:27:27.95\00:27:29.58
I will let somebody
know I must be baptized.
00:27:29.61\00:27:33.43
Jesus said no
baptism, no born again,
00:27:33.46\00:27:36.33
no born again, no
heaven, I want to be baptized.
00:27:36.36\00:27:40.23
But I want to broaden the
appeal for one moment here.
00:27:40.26\00:27:43.31
There are some of you here
00:27:43.34\00:27:44.92
watching, listening,
00:27:44.95\00:27:46.33
present, who
must be re-baptized.
00:27:46.36\00:27:53.04
Re-baptized, what are saying?
00:27:53.07\00:27:55.74
Come on, Dwight, I
know you lived in such a way
00:27:55.77\00:28:00.65
that you have essentially
declared to your world
00:28:00.68\00:28:03.71
I'm divorced from Christ.
00:28:03.74\00:28:06.10
I no longer belong to,
00:28:06.13\00:28:07.25
I know I got married to Christ
00:28:07.28\00:28:08.55
once upon a time
in the baptistery,
00:28:08.58\00:28:10.07
but I'm not now, no.
00:28:10.10\00:28:13.24
Buy your life you have
essentially made that a mission,
00:28:13.27\00:28:16.43
listen, you know it,
your families know it,
00:28:16.46\00:28:20.12
your friends know it, your
colleagues at work know it,
00:28:20.15\00:28:23.22
or may be only God know is it.
00:28:25.54\00:28:28.57
But in your heart, you
know, you severed the tie.
00:28:28.60\00:28:33.18
I want to say that those of you
00:28:33.21\00:28:34.92
in that category,
00:28:38.52\00:28:40.90
I believe Jesus words
are just as pressing to you--
00:28:40.93\00:28:44.67
You will not be
reborn into My kingdom
00:28:44.70\00:28:48.56
unless you are
re-baptized into Me.
00:28:48.59\00:28:52.12
Oh, come on, Dwight,
insist because you don't well,
00:28:52.15\00:28:54.22
get up, what
people are gonna think?
00:28:54.25\00:28:55.95
Oh, that's the point.
00:28:55.98\00:28:58.87
I'm too proud, I can't do it.
00:28:58.90\00:29:02.78
What will they say?
00:29:02.81\00:29:04.77
My, friend, the issue
is not what they will say,
00:29:04.80\00:29:07.41
the issue is
what are you saying?
00:29:07.44\00:29:11.07
Its time to write a
new chapter in your life
00:29:11.10\00:29:13.19
and that new chapter
will never get written
00:29:13.22\00:29:14.90
until you are re-baptized.
00:29:14.93\00:29:16.54
I'm not talking
about general rededication,
00:29:17.77\00:29:19.26
everybody wants
to be rededication,
00:29:19.29\00:29:20.35
let's all get
re-baptized together.
00:29:20.38\00:29:21.63
I'm not talking about that,
00:29:21.66\00:29:23.20
but those of you
that know of what I speak,
00:29:23.23\00:29:25.32
know of what I'm
saying, you cut the tie,
00:29:25.35\00:29:29.37
its time to come
back, its time to come back
00:29:30.38\00:29:35.18
that's what Jesus is saying.
00:29:36.47\00:29:37.95
It's the fourth gospel
for our final generation.
00:29:37.98\00:29:40.13
We can say well,
that's 2000 years
00:29:40.16\00:29:41.43
with that old Pharisee,
no that's for you and me.
00:29:41.46\00:29:43.46
Step one, you
must be born again.
00:29:48.92\00:29:50.36
Step two, you
must be born of water.
00:29:50.39\00:29:54.74
Step three, write it down,
00:29:54.77\00:29:56.03
you must be born
again of the spirit.
00:29:56.06\00:29:57.71
Jot it down please.
00:29:58.99\00:30:00.10
Step three, you must be
born again of the spirit.
00:30:00.13\00:30:02.17
Let's pick it up in verse
5, "Jesus said, amen, amen,
00:30:02.20\00:30:06.39
"I say to you, unless one is
born of water and the Spirit,
00:30:06.42\00:30:10.77
he cannot enter
the kingdom of God.
00:30:10.80\00:30:13.48
That which is born
of the flesh is flesh,
00:30:13.51\00:30:16.58
and that which is born
of the Spirit is spirit."
00:30:16.61\00:30:18.57
Verse 7 "Do not
marvel that I said to you,
00:30:18.60\00:30:21.08
'You are" by the way
in the Greek, it's plural.
00:30:21.11\00:30:23.52
So I'll just scribble that
you all must be born again."
00:30:23.55\00:30:26.71
The wind blows,
verse 8, "where it wishes,
00:30:26.74\00:30:28.85
and you hear the sound of it,
00:30:28.88\00:30:30.20
but cannot tell where it
comes from and where it goes.
00:30:30.23\00:30:32.49
So it is with everyone
who is born of the Spirit."
00:30:32.52\00:30:35.87
Ladies and
gentlemen, Jesus inclusion
00:30:35.90\00:30:38.39
with water
baptism of spirit baptism
00:30:38.42\00:30:42.28
freezes from the notion
00:30:42.31\00:30:44.15
that if I go
through the physical motions
00:30:44.18\00:30:45.97
ipso facto automatically
I'm now in the kingdom.
00:30:46.00\00:30:50.92
It doesn't work that way.
00:30:50.95\00:30:52.45
No, Jesus says no.
00:30:52.48\00:30:54.99
The only way this
will work for you,
00:30:55.02\00:30:56.36
of course you go
through the water baptism.
00:30:56.39\00:30:57.91
But the only way
that water baptism works
00:30:57.94\00:30:59.73
is if you allow my
spirit to be at work in you.
00:30:59.76\00:31:02.54
The Greek word
for spirit is wind,
00:31:02.57\00:31:05.83
it can go either way.
00:31:05.86\00:31:07.06
Let the wind--
00:31:07.09\00:31:08.67
As my Japanese friends say,
00:31:10.63\00:31:12.69
let the Kami that's God.
00:31:12.72\00:31:14.52
Kaza that's wind.
00:31:14.55\00:31:16.62
Kamikaze you
remember that from history,
00:31:16.65\00:31:18.34
kamikaze divine wind,
00:31:18.37\00:31:20.55
let the divine
wind blow over you.
00:31:20.58\00:31:25.42
He will achieve your rebirth,
00:31:25.45\00:31:27.42
He will achieve
your reconversion,
00:31:27.45\00:31:29.25
He will achieve your renewal,
00:31:29.28\00:31:30.76
let the spirit-- you
must be born of the spirit
00:31:30.79\00:31:33.48
I'm taking this
out of your hands,
00:31:33.51\00:31:34.72
you cannot do this.
00:31:34.75\00:31:36.57
It is an act of
God that rebirths you.
00:31:37.61\00:31:40.47
You must be born of the
water and of the spirit.
00:31:40.50\00:31:43.42
In fact, would you
jot this down please?
00:31:43.45\00:31:45.27
You can no more
rebirth yourself spiritually,
00:31:45.30\00:31:48.76
than you were able to
birth yourself physically"
00:31:48.79\00:31:51.71
no more.
00:31:53.90\00:31:55.96
Some of you are studying
your study guide real closely
00:31:55.99\00:31:57.91
and where is he now?
00:31:57.94\00:31:59.56
When I was cutting and
pasting the study guide together
00:32:02.32\00:32:04.64
I left that one out.
00:32:04.67\00:32:06.80
But we got it in, so
those of you live streaming
00:32:06.83\00:32:08.61
don't you be laughing
over there you have it,
00:32:08.64\00:32:11.10
you have it right now.
00:32:11.13\00:32:12.35
That's a key point, I
want to put that backup.
00:32:12.38\00:32:13.85
Would you guys up in the
booth please put that back up.
00:32:13.88\00:32:16.39
You can no more
re-birth yourself spiritually
00:32:16.42\00:32:18.52
that's a key point.
00:32:18.55\00:32:19.77
You can't rebirth
yourself spiritually anymore
00:32:19.80\00:32:21.57
than you birth
yourself physically.
00:32:21.60\00:32:23.17
How many picture mom
and dad when you are born?
00:32:23.20\00:32:25.44
How many picture mom and
dad, not a hand goes up, why?
00:32:25.47\00:32:27.78
Because you had no choice,
it happened all outside of you,
00:32:27.81\00:32:30.43
that's the way it
is in the second birth.
00:32:30.46\00:32:33.31
It happens all outside of you,
the power is outside of you.
00:32:33.34\00:32:35.98
That's why Jesus
says, water and spirit,
00:32:36.01\00:32:38.54
it's outside of you.
00:32:38.57\00:32:39.81
Now Desire of Ages, I love this
00:32:39.84\00:32:41.39
put this on the screen you
are gonna have to fill this in.
00:32:41.42\00:32:43.80
Jesus speaking of this moment,
00:32:43.83\00:32:45.47
Desire of Ages describing
what Jesus is speaking up.
00:32:45.50\00:32:47.67
"The wind is heard among
the branches of the trees"
00:32:47.70\00:32:51.04
won't you love
lying on bed at night?
00:32:51.07\00:32:52.43
Open window here in Michigan
00:32:52.46\00:32:53.71
you can just hear those
tress speaking to each other,
00:32:53.74\00:32:56.05
"The wind is heard among
the branches of the trees,
00:32:56.08\00:32:57.88
rustling the leaves and flowers;
00:32:57.91\00:32:59.84
yet it isn't invisible,
00:32:59.87\00:33:01.29
and no man knows whence
it comes or whither it goes.
00:33:01.32\00:33:04.46
So with the work of the
Holy Spirit upon the heart.
00:33:04.49\00:33:07.60
It can no more be explained than
can the movements of the wind.
00:33:07.63\00:33:10.46
A person may not
be able to tell."
00:33:10.49\00:33:12.35
Some of you are gonna
find this very good news
00:33:12.38\00:33:14.22
because people said to
you, hey whatever you say,
00:33:14.25\00:33:16.05
they you say,
I'm really not sure.
00:33:16.08\00:33:18.54
It's okay, read this
00:33:18.57\00:33:19.88
"A person may not be able to
tell the exact time or place,
00:33:19.91\00:33:22.56
or to trace all
the circumstances
00:33:22.59\00:33:24.24
in the process of conversion,
00:33:24.27\00:33:25.88
but this does not
prove her to be unconverted,
00:33:25.91\00:33:28.67
him to be unconverted.
00:33:28.70\00:33:29.91
By an agency as
unseen as the wind"
00:33:29.94\00:33:33.13
and I love this,
"Christ is constantly working"
00:33:33.16\00:33:36.53
write it down,
00:33:36.56\00:33:37.59
He is constantly working
upon your heart and mind.
00:33:37.62\00:33:40.85
He is constantly at work.
00:33:40.88\00:33:43.05
There is never a moment
00:33:43.08\00:33:45.14
when the mighty
spirit of Christ is not--
00:33:45.17\00:33:48.49
right beside
you speaking to you,
00:33:48.52\00:33:50.87
he's constantly working.
00:33:50.90\00:33:52.46
Little by little, keep reading,
00:33:52.49\00:33:54.19
"Little by little, perhaps
unconsciously to the receiver,
00:33:54.22\00:33:57.23
impressions are made that tend
to draw the soul to Christ."
00:33:57.26\00:34:01.04
Now, I'll put the number in
00:34:01.07\00:34:02.20
"These may be received one
through meditating upon Him,
00:34:02.23\00:34:06.06
right in Him that's Christ.
00:34:06.09\00:34:07.71
These may be received one
through meditating upon Him.
00:34:07.74\00:34:11.30
Two, through
reading the scriptures.
00:34:11.33\00:34:13.83
In your morning worship
when you are along with Jesus
00:34:13.86\00:34:16.49
and you are meditating on Him
00:34:16.52\00:34:17.73
and you are reading the gospel's
for your morning worship,
00:34:17.76\00:34:20.24
that's when He speaks to you.
00:34:20.27\00:34:22.11
He will speak to you.
00:34:22.14\00:34:23.91
One, in meditating on Him.
00:34:23.94\00:34:25.89
Two, through reading
the Scriptures or three,
00:34:25.92\00:34:30.56
this one caught
me by a surprise,
00:34:30.59\00:34:32.09
or three,
through hearing the word
00:34:32.12\00:34:34.55
from the living preacher.
00:34:34.58\00:34:37.15
In other words,
what's happening right now?
00:34:37.18\00:34:39.70
These aren't God's words,
these are very human words,
00:34:39.73\00:34:42.64
but some how God is
able to take the human words
00:34:42.67\00:34:45.13
and speak to your heart.
00:34:45.16\00:34:46.19
That's how
decisions are made in worship.
00:34:46.22\00:34:47.91
That's why people are giving
invitations in worship, why?
00:34:47.94\00:34:49.84
Because the Holy Spirit
is at work through human.
00:34:49.87\00:34:51.77
Through a human the
Holy Spirit at work saying,
00:34:51.80\00:34:53.71
that's you, that's
you I'm talking about.
00:34:53.74\00:34:56.15
Madam, that's you.
00:34:56.18\00:34:57.71
Sir I'm talking to you
through a living preacher.
00:34:57.74\00:35:02.40
That's why it's a humbling task
00:35:02.43\00:35:04.06
to crawl up into
this pulpit Sabbath
00:35:04.09\00:35:05.71
after Sabbath trust me.
00:35:05.74\00:35:07.74
There isn't a human being
worthy to step into the pulpit
00:35:07.77\00:35:10.86
and speak on behalf of God.
00:35:10.89\00:35:14.26
But through the
words, suddenly--
00:35:14.29\00:35:18.66
it's been
happening all through weeks,
00:35:18.69\00:35:20.23
suddenly as the spirit
comes with more direct appeal.
00:35:20.26\00:35:22.69
The soul gladly
surrenders itself to Jesus.
00:35:22.72\00:35:24.77
By many, this is called
sudden conversion but it's not,
00:35:24.80\00:35:27.98
its result of long
wooing by the Spirit of God,--
00:35:28.01\00:35:31.67
a patient, protracted process."
00:35:31.70\00:35:34.62
I like that.
00:35:34.65\00:35:35.79
You now have that
quotation you can keep it.
00:35:35.82\00:35:37.59
What's Jesus
saying, you look at verse 9.
00:35:38.77\00:35:40.49
So as Nicodemus hears all this,
Nicodemus answers in verse 9,
00:35:40.52\00:35:44.31
"And He said to Him, "How"
00:35:44.34\00:35:46.48
come on "How
can these things be?
00:35:46.51\00:35:50.84
Jesus answered and said to Him,"
00:35:50.87\00:35:53.01
I love what Jesus does,
he turns the tables around,
00:35:53.04\00:35:55.56
you called me just a teacher,
all right just a teacher.
00:35:55.59\00:35:58.45
Well, I'm gonna reverse it
00:35:58.48\00:35:59.51
and I'm gonna pay
the compliment to you.
00:35:59.54\00:36:01.39
How can you be
teacher of Israel?
00:36:01.42\00:36:05.54
You are the great
teacher, aren't you?
00:36:05.57\00:36:07.97
How can you the teacher?
00:36:08.00\00:36:09.88
I'm just a teacher.
00:36:09.91\00:36:12.50
How can you the
teacher of Israel?
00:36:12.53\00:36:15.21
How you the teacher of Israel
and do not know these things.
00:36:15.24\00:36:18.16
Verse 11, "Most assuredly,
here's the third time, amen,
00:36:18.19\00:36:21.81
amen sit up and
take note reader.
00:36:21.84\00:36:24.48
"Most assuredly, I say to you,
00:36:24.51\00:36:26.37
we the father and
I speak what We know
00:36:26.40\00:36:29.50
and testify what We have seen,
00:36:29.53\00:36:31.10
and you" and its
plural there so the NIV says
00:36:31.13\00:36:33.57
"you people do not
receive Our witness."
00:36:33.60\00:36:36.20
Verse 12 "if I have
told you earthly things
00:36:36.23\00:36:38.64
and you do not
believe, how will you believe
00:36:38.67\00:36:40.73
if I tell you heavenly things?"
00:36:40.76\00:36:43.21
Jesus says, listen,
when we hear earthly things
00:36:44.52\00:36:49.51
we are thinking, well,
maybe he's talking about
00:36:49.54\00:36:51.13
physical
positions and materialism
00:36:51.16\00:36:53.79
and the
accoutrements of this life.
00:36:53.82\00:36:55.06
No, no, no, when He says,
00:36:55.09\00:36:56.74
I've just been
talking about earthly things,
00:36:56.77\00:36:58.76
He is talking about
the esoteric subjects
00:36:58.79\00:37:01.37
of how to be born
again, how to be saved,
00:37:01.40\00:37:03.95
but he loves all of that,
he says that's elementary.
00:37:03.98\00:37:07.00
You can't know the elementary
00:37:07.03\00:37:08.39
how I'm gonna explain
you the sublime themes,
00:37:08.42\00:37:10.57
the love of God for a lost
word you won't understand it.
00:37:10.60\00:37:14.30
Boy, he's not
giving any wiggle room
00:37:14.33\00:37:17.26
for this rabbi now,
00:37:17.29\00:37:19.23
because He's
moving in for the appeal.
00:37:19.26\00:37:21.98
Verse 13, I'm gonna help you.
00:37:24.25\00:37:27.12
Here we go he says to Nicodemus
I'll help you grasp the heaven,
00:37:27.15\00:37:30.25
verse 13, "No one
has ascended to heaven
00:37:30.28\00:37:32.80
but He who came
down from heaven,
00:37:32.83\00:37:34.52
that is the Son of
Man who is in heaven."
00:37:34.55\00:37:37.22
Verse 14, "And
as Moses lifted up
00:37:37.25\00:37:39.50
the serpent in the wilderness,
00:37:39.53\00:37:41.03
even so must the Son of
Man be lifted up, that whoever"
00:37:41.06\00:37:44.32
verse 15 "believes
in Him should not perish
00:37:44.35\00:37:47.39
but have eternal life."
00:37:47.42\00:37:49.71
Nicodemus knows well the
story of the bronze serpent.
00:37:50.94\00:37:55.07
Remember the story the serpent?
00:37:55.10\00:37:56.65
The wipers by the
thousands slithering
00:37:56.68\00:37:59.57
under the tent
flaps or the belly aching
00:37:59.60\00:38:01.66
and grumbling
children of Israel?
00:38:01.69\00:38:03.40
They are being bitten.
00:38:03.43\00:38:05.96
Now you remember the story.
00:38:05.99\00:38:08.00
In fact this week,
00:38:08.03\00:38:09.16
would you know at this week
cover of the South Haven Tribune
00:38:09.19\00:38:12.23
there's a with picture,
00:38:12.26\00:38:13.84
there is a full
report on efforts
00:38:13.87\00:38:16.90
being made to save the
eastern massasauga rattlesnake.
00:38:16.93\00:38:22.88
The eastern
massasauga rattlesnake.
00:38:22.91\00:38:26.36
It's the only
poisonous snake in Michigan.
00:38:26.39\00:38:29.57
We put a picture
on the screen for you,
00:38:29.60\00:38:31.36
that's the eastern--
00:38:31.39\00:38:33.35
The eastern
massasauga rattlesnake,
00:38:33.38\00:38:38.13
and looking at
that picture by the way,
00:38:38.16\00:38:39.43
I would not be upset at all
00:38:39.46\00:38:41.20
if it became extinct in
my neighborhood, all right.
00:38:41.23\00:38:45.43
I don't want to
wipe the species out,
00:38:45.46\00:38:46.83
but in my neighbor
you can have it in your.
00:38:46.86\00:38:51.38
That's the story.
00:38:51.41\00:38:52.96
Wipers by the
thousands slithering
00:38:52.99\00:38:55.68
under the ten flaps
into the sleeping bags.
00:38:55.71\00:39:00.86
Fangs in
poisonous, deadly poison.
00:39:00.89\00:39:04.99
The people panic
and cry out to God,
00:39:05.02\00:39:07.31
God hears them and He
says, Mosses quick, quick
00:39:07.34\00:39:09.34
in the centre of the camp,
00:39:09.37\00:39:11.23
lift up a molded bronze serpent
00:39:11.26\00:39:15.28
and everyone who looks
at that serpent will live
00:39:15.31\00:39:19.45
and they did
00:39:19.48\00:39:20.85
who looked ah,
00:39:20.88\00:39:23.56
Jesus says, to Nicodemus.
00:39:23.59\00:39:25.65
I am that brass
serpent and when I'm lifted up,
00:39:25.68\00:39:33.45
look and live, look and live.
00:39:33.48\00:39:37.98
In fact would you
jot that down please?
00:39:38.01\00:39:40.14
That's the point.
00:39:40.17\00:39:41.81
Look and live is
the code language
00:39:41.84\00:39:43.30
only in the fourth gospel.
00:39:43.33\00:39:45.22
And Jesus is the
only one Who uses it.
00:39:45.25\00:39:47.43
Whenever you see look and live
and I have the references there,
00:39:47.46\00:39:49.97
when ever those,
when you see those words,
00:39:50.00\00:39:51.90
on His lips, He is describing
would you jot it down please,
00:39:51.93\00:39:54.80
its code language for
His own atoning crucifixion
00:39:54.83\00:39:59.83
as Mosses lifted
up the brass serpent.
00:39:59.86\00:40:03.48
So the son of
man will be lifted up
00:40:03.51\00:40:05.77
high on that Roman cross.
00:40:05.80\00:40:07.52
He will be lifted up
00:40:07.55\00:40:08.95
so that all who look might live.
00:40:08.98\00:40:11.82
Let me show you how He does
it there in the last reference.
00:40:11.85\00:40:14.06
John 12, "And I,
if I am lifted up
00:40:14.09\00:40:16.60
from the earth" Jesus speaking,
00:40:16.63\00:40:18.83
"I will draw all
peoples to Myself."
00:40:18.86\00:40:20.90
Now, notice the next verse,
00:40:20.93\00:40:22.10
"This He said, signifying by
what death" Roman crucifixion
00:40:22.13\00:40:27.13
"by what death He would die"
lifted high on a Roman cross.
00:40:27.16\00:40:33.55
Robert Smith in
his commentary on John,
00:40:33.58\00:40:35.92
wounded Lord, the fourth
gospel for the eyes of Thomas.
00:40:35.95\00:40:39.20
We put the words
on the screen for you.
00:40:39.23\00:40:41.07
"Jesus will be
lifted up," Smith writes,
00:40:41.10\00:40:44.66
"as the bronze serpent was,
for the healing of God's people.
00:40:44.69\00:40:47.99
His descent by incarnation
00:40:48.02\00:40:49.97
and his ascent by
means of the cross
00:40:50.00\00:40:52.40
are love's triumphant
course through the cosmos,
00:40:52.43\00:40:56.10
gathering to God's
bosom all who believe,
00:40:56.13\00:40:58.13
blessing them with
unconquerable life.
00:40:58.16\00:41:01.50
Nicodemus is neither the first
00:41:01.53\00:41:03.80
nor the last to shake
his head at the message."
00:41:03.83\00:41:08.96
But its step
four, write it down,
00:41:08.99\00:41:10.63
step four, "You must be
born again at His cross.
00:41:10.66\00:41:15.71
Can't get around the cross,
can't detour around the cross.
00:41:15.74\00:41:18.63
No, you can't-- you
cannot absent the cross.
00:41:18.66\00:41:23.73
From these five steps--
00:41:23.76\00:41:25.56
I don't know how it
works, ladies and gentlemen,
00:41:28.00\00:41:29.70
I mean, how was
Mosses to explain.
00:41:29.73\00:41:30.92
Hey, guys, you
just look at this--
00:41:30.95\00:41:33.16
you look and you will be saved.
00:41:33.19\00:41:34.93
How does it
work? It's too divine.
00:41:34.96\00:41:38.15
But Jesus says,
as I'm lifted up,
00:41:38.18\00:41:40.79
you look at me,
sheer radical faith,
00:41:40.82\00:41:44.59
you look up at Me.
00:41:44.62\00:41:46.41
You look at Me and I'll
heal you just like that.
00:41:46.44\00:41:51.45
You have to look at me more.
00:41:51.48\00:41:53.02
Look and live,
look at Me and live.
00:41:53.05\00:41:57.25
That's the point.
00:41:57.28\00:41:58.48
Jot this down in your
study guide will you please?
00:42:02.50\00:42:04.53
"Born of water
and born of Spirit
00:42:04.56\00:42:07.44
have neither meaning nor purpose
00:42:07.47\00:42:10.10
without the human choice
to trust in the Son of Man
00:42:10.13\00:42:12.47
and Son of God who
died upon Calvary."
00:42:12.50\00:42:14.08
Jot that down.
00:42:14.11\00:42:15.14
Listen, do I can't
find in my study guide.
00:42:15.17\00:42:16.78
Well, that's the
other one I missed.
00:42:16.81\00:42:19.32
All I missed till this time.
00:42:19.35\00:42:21.53
There's no advance
to eighth grade for me,
00:42:21.56\00:42:23.22
it's just like you stayed here
till you get it straight boy.
00:42:23.25\00:42:25.97
So let's put it
on the screen now,
00:42:26.00\00:42:27.11
that all the people on
live streaming are getting this
00:42:27.14\00:42:28.93
and they have it in
their study guide online.
00:42:28.96\00:42:30.72
Okay, born of water,
I want to repeat this,
00:42:30.75\00:42:32.62
"Born of water"
as He told Nicodemus,
00:42:32.65\00:42:35.09
"born of Spirit have
neither meaning nor purpose
00:42:35.12\00:42:38.74
without the
human choice to trust,"
00:42:38.77\00:42:41.46
sheer radical faith
you have to trust Him.
00:42:41.49\00:42:44.83
"Trust in the Son
of Man and Son of God
00:42:44.86\00:42:47.25
who died upon Calvary."
00:42:47.28\00:42:48.87
That's the point.
00:42:48.90\00:42:49.93
Faith is not your
savior, faith cannot save you,
00:42:49.96\00:42:52.36
but without faith
you will not be saved.
00:42:52.39\00:42:54.95
Jesus is your Savior, but
you have to exercise faith.
00:42:54.98\00:42:57.96
Don't ask, don't
come to me and say
00:42:57.99\00:42:59.13
Dwight, how does it work?
00:42:59.16\00:43:00.19
I don't know.
00:43:00.22\00:43:01.25
I know that if
you look you live,
00:43:01.28\00:43:04.10
if you believe you live.
00:43:04.13\00:43:06.90
Craig Keener Jot this
down, will you please.
00:43:09.78\00:43:11.35
Craig Keener you
do have this one.
00:43:11.38\00:43:13.44
"This passage
clarifies the prerequisite
00:43:13.47\00:43:15.44
for birth from above,
00:43:15.47\00:43:16.89
not mere faith in
Christ in an abstract sense,
00:43:16.92\00:43:20.60
nor faith
despite the crucifixion,"
00:43:20.63\00:43:23.13
but jot it down, "faith
in the crucified Christ."
00:43:23.16\00:43:27.83
Ladies and
gentlemen, He is only antidote
00:43:27.86\00:43:29.90
for sin sinners,
the crucified Christ.
00:43:29.93\00:43:32.60
Don't ever stop
your gospel meditation
00:43:32.63\00:43:35.09
till you get to Calvary,
00:43:35.12\00:43:36.36
that why I read
Calvary every single day.
00:43:36.39\00:43:38.48
Matthew 27, I
read this story why?
00:43:38.51\00:43:40.66
Because its only at
Calvary the power is unleashed
00:43:40.69\00:43:44.28
that the spirit
unleashes the power,
00:43:44.31\00:43:47.08
its at the cross.
00:43:47.11\00:43:48.40
You must be born
again at His cross.
00:43:48.43\00:43:52.14
We must pray, oh, my God
00:43:52.17\00:43:55.09
you see that in
your study guide?
00:43:55.12\00:43:56.79
Oh, my God my sins crushed out
00:43:56.82\00:44:01.16
the life of my
Savior at the cross
00:44:01.19\00:44:04.19
and I bow in penitence
00:44:04.22\00:44:07.28
to receive His
healing and salvation.
00:44:07.31\00:44:11.91
You ask, and it happens by faith
00:44:11.94\00:44:17.91
and then we end
with the great verse.
00:44:17.94\00:44:19.88
This is the most well know text
00:44:19.91\00:44:21.73
in all of sacred
literature for God verse 16,
00:44:21.76\00:44:26.27
"For God so loved the world
00:44:26.30\00:44:28.35
that He gave His
only begotten Son,
00:44:28.38\00:44:31.66
that whoever believes
in Him should not perish
00:44:31.69\00:44:35.35
but have everlasting life."
00:44:35.38\00:44:36.49
There are no more sublime words
00:44:36.52\00:44:38.60
in all of the--
of human literature
00:44:38.63\00:44:41.40
than these words right there.
00:44:41.43\00:44:43.31
Every child at his mother's
knee memorizes these words,
00:44:43.34\00:44:47.05
if he has a believing parents.
00:44:47.08\00:44:48.96
For God, say it
out loud with me,
00:44:48.99\00:44:51.61
"For God so loved the world
00:44:51.64\00:44:55.06
that He gave His
only begotten Son
00:44:55.09\00:44:58.53
and whoever believes
in Him should not perish
00:44:58.56\00:45:02.71
but have everlasting life."
00:45:02.74\00:45:06.40
Wow, step 5, the
last step jot it down.
00:45:06.43\00:45:10.55
You must be born
again in His love.
00:45:10.58\00:45:14.58
And here it is, the
absent the love of God
00:45:14.61\00:45:17.31
you won't get born again,
00:45:17.34\00:45:18.54
"You must be born
again in His love."
00:45:18.57\00:45:22.62
And how profound is this love
00:45:22.65\00:45:24.47
that the Holy Spirit
sheds broad in our hearts.
00:45:24.50\00:45:27.35
Oh, let me run these by you
00:45:27.38\00:45:28.80
from that one of the
most translated books
00:45:28.83\00:45:33.14
in all of human literature.
00:45:33.17\00:45:34.23
Steps to Christ is up there,
00:45:34.26\00:45:35.32
I don't know at
forth or fifth or third,
00:45:35.35\00:45:37.76
they are the
most translated books.
00:45:37.79\00:45:39.32
Let me share with you three
lines from "Steps to Christ."
00:45:39.35\00:45:42.43
"The heart of God yearns
over His earthly children
00:45:42.46\00:45:45.38
with a love stronger than death.
00:45:45.41\00:45:48.40
In giving up His Son,
00:45:48.43\00:45:50.16
He has poured out to us
all heaven in one gift."
00:45:50.19\00:45:56.46
Praise God. All
heaven in one gift.
00:45:56.49\00:46:00.71
Here's the next line,
00:46:00.74\00:46:01.81
"Such love is
without a parallel."
00:46:01.84\00:46:04.65
Four exclamation
marks will now come.
00:46:04.68\00:46:07.33
Children of the heavenly King!
00:46:07.36\00:46:08.72
One, Precious promise!
00:46:08.75\00:46:10.71
Two, Theme for the
most profound meditation!
00:46:10.74\00:46:13.53
Three, The matchless
love of God for a world
00:46:13.56\00:46:16.03
that did not love Him!"
00:46:16.06\00:46:17.09
Four, one more line,
"But this great sacrifice
00:46:17.12\00:46:21.16
was not made in order
00:46:21.19\00:46:22.73
to create in the
Father's heart a love for us,
00:46:22.76\00:46:25.61
not to make Him willing to save.
00:46:25.64\00:46:27.09
No, no!,
00:46:27.12\00:46:28.63
God so loved the world,
00:46:28.66\00:46:30.28
that He gave His
only begotten Son.
00:46:30.31\00:46:32.52
John 3:16.
00:46:32.55\00:46:34.02
The Father loves us,
00:46:34.05\00:46:35.51
not because of the
great atoning sacrifice,
00:46:35.54\00:46:38.27
but He provided the
great atoning sacrifice
00:46:38.30\00:46:41.05
because He loves us.
00:46:41.08\00:46:43.00
Christ," fill
this in, I love this,
00:46:43.03\00:46:45.25
"Christ was the medium
00:46:45.28\00:46:46.69
through which God
could pour out His infinite,
00:46:46.72\00:46:51.14
infinite love...
00:46:52.17\00:46:54.30
upon a fallen world."
00:46:56.90\00:46:58.50
In that midnight, tete-a-tete,
00:46:59.90\00:47:02.22
Nicodemus was
the first human being
00:47:03.58\00:47:05.66
to ever hear those words,
00:47:05.69\00:47:09.09
the utterance of this
00:47:09.12\00:47:10.15
most sublime
declaration of God's love.
00:47:10.18\00:47:13.54
Say it again with me,
"For God so loved the world
00:47:13.57\00:47:17.02
that He gave His
only begotten Son,
00:47:17.05\00:47:20.61
that whosoever believes
in Him should not perish
00:47:20.64\00:47:24.96
but have everlasting life."
00:47:24.99\00:47:26.79
No matter who you are,
00:47:26.82\00:47:29.24
no matter where you are,
00:47:29.27\00:47:31.32
no matter what you do,
00:47:31.35\00:47:33.69
no matter what you have done,
00:47:33.72\00:47:35.74
it does not matter,
00:47:35.77\00:47:38.16
God has poured out
His love and His life
00:47:38.19\00:47:42.66
to save the lives of you and me,
00:47:42.69\00:47:45.21
and how shall we respond?
00:47:47.68\00:47:49.66
Step one,
00:47:52.77\00:47:53.99
you must be born again,
00:47:56.88\00:47:58.43
rebirth that's how you respond.
00:47:59.47\00:48:02.22
Step number two, you
must be born again of water,
00:48:02.25\00:48:05.85
that's the
personal response physical
00:48:05.88\00:48:07.81
so that you go through it
00:48:07.84\00:48:08.87
in outward
motion that can be seen.
00:48:08.90\00:48:11.43
Step number three,
00:48:11.46\00:48:13.33
you must be born
again of the spirit,
00:48:13.36\00:48:16.21
that's the inner divine
renewing and reconverting.
00:48:16.24\00:48:21.10
Step number four,
00:48:21.13\00:48:22.23
you must be born
again at His cross.
00:48:22.26\00:48:25.49
By faith, you trust,
you look at and you live.
00:48:25.52\00:48:29.03
And finally step number five,
00:48:29.06\00:48:30.82
you must be born
again in His love.
00:48:30.85\00:48:33.75
The Bible declares that
it is the goodness of God
00:48:33.78\00:48:37.17
that leads us to repentance,
00:48:37.20\00:48:39.43
quick can't even
come up with repentance.
00:48:39.46\00:48:41.60
Its all God and its God's love
00:48:41.63\00:48:44.66
that draws us, draws us.
00:48:44.69\00:48:47.39
Why would a man,
why would a woman,
00:48:47.42\00:48:48.80
why would a young adult,
00:48:48.83\00:48:50.04
why would a child
say no, no, I won't come?
00:48:50.07\00:48:53.09
Jesus five steps
into the kingdom of heaven
00:48:56.10\00:48:59.45
and Nicodemus took them.
00:48:59.48\00:49:00.93
Did you know that
Nicodemus took them?
00:49:00.96\00:49:02.39
No I didn't
take them right then,
00:49:02.42\00:49:04.36
but over the months that
would follow this prophecy
00:49:04.39\00:49:06.56
standing in the
shadows of the sidelines,
00:49:06.59\00:49:09.04
stared at this young
Messiah, watched every move,
00:49:09.07\00:49:12.68
analyzed, poured over
the ancient scriptures
00:49:12.71\00:49:15.47
and its growing in his
mind, He is who He said He was.
00:49:15.50\00:49:19.37
By the way, Nicodemus,
sitting on the supreme court
00:49:19.40\00:49:21.91
it was Nicodemus to
the-- of his colleagues,
00:49:21.94\00:49:25.80
who would say,
excuse us, brother chairman,
00:49:25.83\00:49:27.66
I have just a little point,
00:49:27.69\00:49:28.88
shall we try a man who
has not been heard from yet?
00:49:28.91\00:49:33.30
Time and again the
spirit of God uses Nicodemus
00:49:33.33\00:49:35.89
to float the
efforts to destroy Christ.
00:49:35.92\00:49:38.72
And that's why when
they come to that final vote,
00:49:38.75\00:49:41.17
guess who got
uninvited to the Supreme Court,
00:49:41.20\00:49:43.60
He wasn't there, he
did even know they met
00:49:43.63\00:49:46.27
and they voted Jesus execution.
00:49:46.30\00:49:49.36
Nicodemus on that
long dark lonely Sabbath,
00:49:49.39\00:49:56.43
Nicodemus who
blooms over the evidence.
00:49:56.46\00:50:02.07
And by the way, what
the disciples interpreted
00:50:02.10\00:50:05.28
as crushing their hope,
00:50:05.31\00:50:07.10
Nicodemus embraces
as conforming His faith.
00:50:07.13\00:50:11.65
Nicodemus who
on Friday afternoon
00:50:11.68\00:50:13.50
showed up with Joseph
of Arimathea, wealthy man,
00:50:13.53\00:50:16.42
the disciples
had no where to turn,
00:50:16.45\00:50:18.11
Nicodemus dips into
his coffers with the bombs,
00:50:18.14\00:50:21.00
with the spices
to embalm the body.
00:50:21.03\00:50:25.15
And after we are told that
after the ascension of Christ,
00:50:25.18\00:50:28.58
Nicodemus used his wealth
00:50:28.61\00:50:30.75
to support the
infant Christian church.
00:50:30.78\00:50:34.06
He who had been
revered now hated in Jerusalem.
00:50:34.09\00:50:37.47
He becomes poorer
of this worlds goods,
00:50:37.50\00:50:39.85
but he has become
a radical follower
00:50:39.88\00:50:42.70
of the Lord Jesus Christ.
00:50:42.73\00:50:44.54
And there was Nicodemus
who took John boy aside
00:50:44.57\00:50:47.31
and said John,
I have to tell you
00:50:47.34\00:50:49.41
about a midnight
visit once upon a time.
00:50:49.44\00:50:52.10
John dutifully wrote it
down in the fourth gospel
00:50:52.13\00:50:54.82
and by the millions human beings
00:50:54.85\00:50:58.81
have heard the
life saving story,
00:50:58.84\00:51:03.72
you must be born again.
00:51:03.75\00:51:06.06
I want to tell you something,
00:51:06.09\00:51:07.24
I'm here today
because of Nicodemus
00:51:07.27\00:51:10.11
and I thank God for him.
00:51:10.14\00:51:12.31
I have a feeling
many of you are here today
00:51:12.34\00:51:15.86
because of Nicodemus
and you join me don't you?
00:51:15.89\00:51:19.40
I'm thanking God
for this proud Pharisee
00:51:19.43\00:51:23.22
who found his
savior in the Messiah.
00:51:23.25\00:51:27.36
At the bottom of
that study guide,
00:51:28.65\00:51:30.51
there's one more
fill in the blank.
00:51:30.54\00:51:34.34
Would you pull your
study guide out again please?
00:51:34.37\00:51:36.93
At the bottom
of the study guide,
00:51:36.96\00:51:38.89
I can't end this teaching
without making invitation
00:51:38.92\00:51:41.15
and I'm gonna make it right now.
00:51:41.18\00:51:44.09
If you have not been
baptized by water baptism,
00:51:44.12\00:51:47.12
immersed as Jesus was immersed,
00:51:47.15\00:51:49.19
immersed as John
the Baptist baptized.
00:51:49.22\00:51:51.56
If you have not been
baptized by water baptism,
00:51:51.59\00:51:53.93
my friend, today
is the day to decide,
00:51:53.96\00:51:56.48
what's to lose?
00:51:58.01\00:51:59.58
If you are born of water
you will enter the kingdom.
00:52:01.32\00:52:05.59
Not born of
water, not born again,
00:52:05.62\00:52:08.84
not born again, no kingdom.
00:52:08.87\00:52:11.79
If you have been
putting off making a decision
00:52:11.82\00:52:14.32
would you mind taking
your study guide out right now
00:52:14.35\00:52:16.13
and would you
please just circle,
00:52:16.16\00:52:17.35
I want to be baptized.
00:52:17.38\00:52:18.60
Put your name, put your
address, telephone number.
00:52:18.63\00:52:20.83
We'll have ushers at
the five doors as you leave,
00:52:20.86\00:52:23.28
just drop it in one of their
little containers, just drop it.
00:52:23.31\00:52:27.20
We want to assist you.
00:52:27.23\00:52:28.80
Maybe you was gonna be
baptized next Sabbath, so relax.
00:52:28.83\00:52:31.84
But look a decision
is important as this,
00:52:31.87\00:52:34.09
there is no point in
putting it off another day.
00:52:34.12\00:52:37.01
This will be the
easiest you will ever have it.
00:52:37.04\00:52:39.18
Nobody is walking to the
front, nobody is watching,
00:52:39.21\00:52:41.52
you're just filling
that out and you turn it in,
00:52:41.55\00:52:43.82
we'll be in touch with you.
00:52:43.85\00:52:45.62
We want to make this
the right next step for you.
00:52:45.65\00:52:50.61
You have never
been baptized before,
00:52:50.64\00:52:51.69
you're watching on
television right now,
00:52:51.72\00:52:52.83
you are watching
on live streaming,
00:52:52.86\00:52:53.89
you say, Dwight,
listen what do I do?
00:52:53.92\00:52:55.54
Listen, you have our website,
00:52:55.57\00:52:57.53
because you are on
the website right now,
00:52:57.56\00:52:59.29
you send, you
send your decision.
00:52:59.32\00:53:02.65
There's an email address
on that website you send it,
00:53:02.68\00:53:04.77
we'll make sure that
somebody is in touch with you.
00:53:04.80\00:53:06.60
You are watching on
television right now,
00:53:06.63\00:53:08.30
you do the same thing, go
to our website send an email,
00:53:08.33\00:53:10.82
we will make sure that
somebody is in touch with you.
00:53:10.85\00:53:14.18
Why not?
00:53:14.21\00:53:15.39
You haven't
been baptized before?
00:53:15.42\00:53:17.15
This is your golden movement,
do it for the Lord Jesus Christ.
00:53:17.18\00:53:21.20
Do it for you, find the life,
00:53:21.23\00:53:23.55
the full of life
that Nicodemus found.
00:53:23.58\00:53:26.91
Now, one more appeal.
00:53:26.94\00:53:29.76
If the Holy Spirit was
speaking to you a moment ago,
00:53:32.16\00:53:34.03
when I talked about re-baptism,
00:53:34.06\00:53:37.23
than I want to invite
you today to make a decision.
00:53:37.26\00:53:40.94
It's time to
resubmit your relationship
00:53:42.23\00:53:47.17
with the Lord Jesus.
00:53:47.20\00:53:49.54
Everybody knows, so why not?
00:53:49.57\00:53:53.94
This is not a call
for general rededication.
00:53:53.97\00:53:55.76
Oh, good I want to
be rededicated my life,
00:53:55.79\00:53:57.00
re-baptize me, will you?
00:53:57.03\00:53:58.06
No.
00:53:58.09\00:53:59.33
Re-baptism,
00:54:00.45\00:54:02.84
it's for those who wish to
be reborn after a fracture,
00:54:02.87\00:54:09.21
reborn.
00:54:09.24\00:54:10.27
God doesn't care what
fractured your relationship,
00:54:10.30\00:54:14.67
its immaterial now,
00:54:14.70\00:54:16.40
what counts is
reborn, re-baptized.
00:54:16.43\00:54:22.19
You want to circle
that word re-baptized?
00:54:22.22\00:54:25.82
You want to give it to
me personally understanding
00:54:25.85\00:54:27.11
than I'm here at the front.
00:54:27.14\00:54:28.71
You want to send it in the mail?
00:54:28.74\00:54:30.26
I'll take it in the mail.
00:54:30.29\00:54:32.53
But, my friend, why put it off?
00:54:32.56\00:54:34.91
And when the Son
of man is lifted up
00:54:38.06\00:54:40.63
from the earth,
00:54:40.66\00:54:41.99
all those who look will live,
00:54:42.60\00:54:47.95
born of the water,
00:54:49.06\00:54:51.01
born of the
spirit, born at the cross,
00:54:51.04\00:54:54.76
born in His love.
00:54:54.79\00:54:57.24
Turn that as you leave please.
00:54:57.27\00:54:59.51
I invite you to stand with me.
00:55:00.85\00:55:01.88
We're gonna sing one stanza
of this great Calvary song,
00:55:01.91\00:55:04.11
it's my favorite.
00:55:04.14\00:55:05.17
Its hymn 312,
and the hymn known.
00:55:05.20\00:55:06.94
I predict you don't
even need the hymn now.
00:55:06.97\00:55:09.18
Jesus keep me near the cross,
00:55:09.21\00:55:10.89
we began with--
00:55:10.92\00:55:12.54
to God be the glory we end
with this blind hymn writer
00:55:12.57\00:55:15.47
and this beautiful confession
00:55:15.50\00:55:17.08
that in the
cross we have it all.
00:55:17.11\00:55:19.42
Stand with me and
let's sing that first stanza.
00:55:19.45\00:55:21.75
We will sing it as
a contemplated para,
00:55:21.78\00:55:24.72
only that first stanza together.
00:55:24.75\00:55:27.95
Jesus, keep me near the cross
00:55:29.19\00:55:36.58
There a precious fountain
00:55:36.61\00:55:43.49
Free to all, a healing stream
00:55:43.52\00:55:50.53
Flows from Calvary's mountain
00:55:50.56\00:55:58.29
In the cross, in the cross
00:55:58.32\00:56:06.24
Be my glory ever
00:56:06.27\00:56:14.24
Till my raptured soul shall find
00:56:14.27\00:56:22.15
Rest beyond the river
00:56:22.18\00:56:28.99
In the cross
00:56:30.53\00:56:35.61
in the cross
00:56:35.64\00:56:40.03
be my glory ever
00:56:40.06\00:56:48.03
Till my raptured soul shall find
00:56:48.06\00:56:56.03
Rest beyond the river
00:56:57.79\00:57:05.79
So father, because
You so love the world
00:57:08.00\00:57:12.83
that You not only gave Your Son,
00:57:12.86\00:57:14.58
You gave Your life on
Calvary because You have,
00:57:14.61\00:57:21.62
we can find new life,
00:57:21.65\00:57:25.04
rebirth in the hope
of everlasting salvation.
00:57:25.07\00:57:30.76
Dear God do what ever it takes,
00:57:30.79\00:57:33.95
every one of us
please born into your kingdom
00:57:33.98\00:57:39.74
through our Lord Jesus Christ.
00:57:39.77\00:57:42.36
The decision
sealed forever and ever
00:57:42.39\00:57:47.30
in Christ name, amen.
00:57:47.33\00:57:51.97