Transformation Over Reformation: The Sovereign Work of Grace

• Eternal Life and Transformation [00:32:24 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor argues that entering God's kingdom is based on a miraculous work of God (transformation) rather than human behavior modification or rule-following (reformation).
• Nicodemus and the Gospel of John [00:32:00 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor introduces Nicodemus as an 'older brother type' and rule-follower whose religious foundation is shattered by his encounter with Jesus in John 3.
• New Birth / Regeneration [00:34:02 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor explains that seeing the kingdom of God requires being 'born from above' (spiritually reborn), not just fine-tuning one's existing religion.
• Reformation vs. Transformation [00:35:48 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor contrasts Nicodemus's attempt to 'fine-tune' his religion (reformation) with the necessity of a complete spiritual rebirth initiated by God (transformation).
• The Role of the Holy Spirit [00:41:19 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor explains that being born of the Spirit involves God placing His Holy Spirit into the human heart, causing an internal change in priorities and desires, illustrated by the wind analogy.
• Salvation by Grace vs. Works [00:43:36 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor argues that salvation cannot be achieved through good works, moral striving, or outward conformity, but is a gift given by God, illustrated by the stories of Augustine and Martin Luther.
• Christological Significance [00:50:47 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor connects the lifting up of the bronze serpent to Jesus being 'lifted up' on the cross, identifying Jesus as the Savior who provides eternal life through belief.
• The Bronze Serpent and the Cross [00:49:40 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor connects the Old Testament story of Moses lifting up the bronze serpent in the wilderness to Jesus being lifted up on the cross as the only cure for sin.
• Supernatural Transformation vs. Reformation [00:51:49 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor contrasts Nicodemus's desire for reformation with Jesus's requirement for a complete supernatural transformation involving a new heart and spirit.
• Salvation by Grace vs. Works [00:52:27 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor argues that good works, such as VBS, are expressions of gratitude for those already saved, not means to earn salvation, citing Romans 3:23.
• The Cost of the Gospel [00:53:26 ▶️ 📄]
  > Using the metaphor of childbirth labor, the pastor illustrates that Jesus endured the agony of the cross on behalf of believers to bring about their new birth.

• Sermon Illustration [00:27:12 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor shares a personal anecdote about being grounded for lying to his parents about seeing an R-rated movie at summer camp, followed by a second story where his brother was caught breaking rules but received a lighter punishment due to his honesty, illustrating the contrast between self-righteous rule-following and the value of honesty.
• Sermon Illustration [00:41:33 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor tells the story of St. Augustine, describing his pre-conversion hedonism and post-conversion change in demeanor. He recounts an anecdote where Augustine encounters a woman he once knew, telling her, 'It is I, but it is no longer I,' to illustrate how a transformed heart changes one's perspective and motives.
• Sermon Illustration [00:43:59 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor shares the story of Martin Luther, detailing his journey from law student to monk, his intense fasting and prayer, his frustration with his own sinfulness, and his eventual epiphany while studying Romans 1:16 that righteousness comes from God, not human effort.
• Sermon Illustration [00:46:31 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor uses the analogy of the wind (pneuma) to explain the mystery of the Holy Spirit. He notes that while we cannot see, predict, or control the wind, we can see its effects (trees bending), just as we cannot control the Spirit but can see His effects in changed lives.
• Sermon Illustration [00:49:40 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor recounts the Old Testament story from Numbers 21 where Israelites were bitten by venomous snakes due to disobedience. God instructed Moses to lift a bronze serpent on a pole, and anyone who looked at it was saved, which Jesus uses as a foreshadowing of His own lifting up on the cross.
• Sermon Illustration [00:49:40 ▶️ 📄]
  > The story of the Israelites in the wilderness being bitten by venomous snakes and cured by looking at the bronze serpent lifted up by Moses.
• Sermon Illustration [00:53:41 ▶️ 📄]
  > An analogy comparing Jesus's labor on the cross to a mother going through the pain and anguish of childbirth to bring a helpless baby into the world.
• Sermon Illustration [00:55:35 ▶️ 📄]
  > The parable of the Prodigal Son, specifically focusing on the older brother who refuses to join the banquet celebrating the younger brother's return.

• Pastoral Charge [00:55:51 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor prays for the congregation to surrender their attempts to earn God's favor and instead rely on His gift.

[00:04:45] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]
[00:04:45] Today, and maybe with some of you families, they've been singing it at home with you.
[00:04:50] So we would greatly appreciate your heart and your attention towards the front as they lead us and open us up in worship.

[00:04:58] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]
[00:04:58] Welcome you all here today for First Presbyterian Church of Mooresville.

[00:08:08] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]
[00:08:08] What an honor and joy it is to open a service like that.
[00:08:13] And so, for the sake of our time, we will move forward with our call to worship.
[00:08:17] So please join me in the reading of Psalm 46.
[00:08:22] can read here along in the bulletin or on the screen god is our refuge and strength a very present help in trouble though its waters rage and foam and though the mountains trembled at its tumult i think it just goes on to the invocation so but hey i'm so glad you knew
[00:09:02] that by a heart praise god that's that's incredible um just join me for our prayer of invocation together. God, our strength, you are the only refuge of all who trust you. Fortify us with your goodness to live in quietness of spirit, that we may serve you all our days. Through Jesus
[00:09:24] Christ, your Son. Amen. Please stand as you're able for the singing of our first hymn. Let's now affirm our faith together using the Apostles' Creed. And I ask you, O Christian, what is it that you believe. I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus
[00:12:51] Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried. He descended into hell. The third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sitteth on the right hand of God the
[00:13:13] father almighty from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead i believe in the holy ghost the holy catholic church the communion of saints the forgiveness of sins the resurrection of the
[00:13:27] body and the life everlasting amen and before you're seated do me a big favor why don't you just turn around and greet two or three neighbors around you thank you you guys gave me my cue to go
[00:14:45] so um just a couple of announcements to make you can read most of them in your bulletin again friendly reminder for those of you who are signed up for the full cpr class today just here's your reminder it's at two o'clock don't miss it if you are interested in membership
[00:15:00] here at the church there are many families across the services that have reached out already to pastor dave and i to schedule a time to meet to get underway to become members of this body and
[00:15:12] So if you're interested or if you'd like to take that next step, please reach out to us.
[00:15:16] We would love to do all that we can to have you join this church family.
[00:15:20] And lastly, before we go into our anthem, if you are neutral in this, great.
[00:15:27] Pray for Argentina today as they play the final World Cup match.
[00:15:32] I'm not looking over here.
[00:15:34] I love our Spanish family, but as a strong Latino myself, we've got to represent Latino Argentina.
[00:15:42] so just you know if you're wondering if you're wondering what to pray for today just keep that

[00:15:47] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]
[00:15:47] in mind all right thank you please join me now for a moment of prayer heavenly father we thank

[00:19:08] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]
[00:19:08] you for so many things but you are just worthy to be thanked every single day and every single moment thank you for joy and for gladness and peace and fellowship thank you for children and
[00:19:21] VBS and families thank you Lord for the elders thank you Lord for those who have supported and served and ministered in this church for years and thank you God above all for your great faithfulness that allows us to be here today let us never take advantage of the grace and mercy
[00:19:39] that is new for us every single morning and for all that Lord we give you glory Christ Jesus as we approach you now please hear our hearts as we silently lift up our sins and confess them
[00:19:54] to you jesus christ son of god have mercy on me a sinner i lean on the truth of the gospel that yes all have fallen short of the glory of god and yet all are justified freely by his grace
[00:20:33] in Christ Jesus so today as you confess as we repent remember the words of Christ that all who come to me I will never cast out by the power of Christ his blood on the cross the power of his
[00:20:53] resurrection that same power now lives in us cleansing us and redeeming us if you call on Christ today, then rest knowing that you have been washed by the blood of your Savior. Glory to Christ
[00:21:10] in heaven forever and ever. And Lord, this day as a pastor of this house, Lord, it's my honor and privilege to lift up these men and women, these people of the kingdom to you. Lord, I am powerless
[00:21:25] to save and to deliver and to heal all those present here today with needs and crisis and conflict and challenges, but I'm also overjoyed to come before you, our loving Father who has never left us nor abandoned us, our loving Father who every day gives us hope, who gives us the power
[00:21:46] to endure, who gives us the love that we need to have rest, to have peace and comfort. So I pray for my brothers and sisters.
[00:21:58] For those who are sick, who are challenged in health by disease or unending sickness, I pray that there would be healing, strengthening of bodies and immune systems, that there would be encouragement and comfort that you are watching over them.
[00:22:16] For those that are present here today that feel outside of the margins of fitting into the body of the church or into the culture or society, for those who feel alone or maybe some widows in the room
[00:22:29] for those who just feel isolated and are desiring connection I pray that first we as the church would rise up to see them and to love them as Christ loved them but also Lord that you would move in their lives
[00:22:44] open their eyes to see you that they have never been left alone and that here they might find a community of people suffering the same things and if we suffer together then we can also rise together father i pray for all those who are just feeling down
[00:23:02] discouraged lacking a little bit of light in their life lacking maybe joy in their lives i pray by the powerful name of jesus that the spirit of god full of life and love would fill
[00:23:18] all of us to renew that sense of joy as the child sings and smiles in the innocence of just praising your name that we would be filled with that same life and laughter and joy to be like a child
[00:23:32] seated in the lap of a loving father in all these things wherever we find ourselves on the spectrum of life i lift us us all up to you oh god who not only hears us but has the power to respond
[00:23:48] and if you can save us then i know you can transform us and to make us something new every day and when we fall short when we lose sight of you thank you that your faithfulness is greater
[00:24:05] than mine your faithfulness is greater than ours so thank you for your faithfulness in our lives faithfulness in first presbyterian church faithfulness in mooresville and your great faithfulness in our world. Have mercy on all of us. We need it every day, and by the power of Christ,
[00:24:27] may we overcome every day. We pray all these things in his holy name, and let us now together pray what he taught us to pray. Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom
[00:24:42] come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil
[00:24:57] for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever amen and amen as you are able please

[00:25:07] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]
[00:25:07] stand as we sing our next hymn please be seated don we're grateful for you filling in for greg today thank you for offering your gifts to us as a congregation any uh oldest children in the room
[00:27:12] I'm an eldest. Not many. First service had a lot. So we eldest children, we in general tend to be responsible. We are rule followers. We might have a tendency to be a little self-righteous at times,
[00:27:32] maybe. I'm going to tell a story. Way back when I was in high school, I was at a summer camp in North Carolina, Bon Clarkin, and on free day, Thursday afternoon was a free afternoon,
[00:27:44] youth groups would go either to the mountains or the creek or maybe to the mall. Back then the mall was a big deal. So there was one group going to the mall to see the most recent Arnold Schwarzenegger
[00:27:56] movie. I was invited, but here's the problem. I wasn't allowed to see rated R movies, but I was able in my mind, yeah I'm a rule follower, but in my mind I kind of twist a little bit. I'm like
[00:28:10] a church van's going to the mall. Three youth pastors are in the church van and we're at least three states from home. I'm just going to enjoy the movie and keep my mouth shut. Two weeks after
[00:28:28] camp, I get called into a room in our home, the morning room by my parents. I get called in and they start asking me questions about camp. Now I'm thinking, uh-oh, how's camp, Dave? I was like,
[00:28:42] it's two weeks ago it was good they're like uh did you uh normally at camp isn't there a free afternoon what did you do with your free afternoon i'm thinking oh my goodness but i was committed
[00:28:55] so i said uh i was with a group we went to the mall what'd you do at the mall oh we you just hung out and you wouldn't have happened to see a movie did you and i'm like oh yeah we did see a
[00:29:08] movie. What movie was it? I can't recall the name of it. Who was in it? I don't know that there's anyone that big, no one that I really know. Could it have been rated R? I don't think so. You know,
[00:29:24] I'm not 18, so they probably wouldn't have let me in if it was rated R. And then they basically said, David, we're giving you a chance to come clean. We know what movie you saw.
[00:29:35] you are grounded for a month and I'm just like oh and I'm I'm upset there's a part of me that's just self-righteous like really like I'm with youth pastors I went with the church you know
[00:29:49] in a church van you know like they should be in trouble not me I've just I was outraged fast forward five years I'm in college I come home for the summer my brother it's a Friday night my
[00:30:02] brother's supposed to be at youth group. And my father and I are at the grocery store. We bump into someone and they said, oh, we just saw Jonathan, my brother, at Dave's bar. And my
[00:30:17] father's like, oh, and it's like, oh yeah, we're shooting pool. He's such a trip. He's going on.
[00:30:22] And I'm thinking, oh, this is going to be good. I can't wait to get home. So we get home and that night. My brother comes home late. My parents are waiting up. I'm waiting up. And they confront him
[00:30:36] in the morning room. Where were you this, you know, how was youth group this evening? And he was like, I don't know. I didn't go. I'm like, where were you? He said, I was at Dave's bar shooting pool.
[00:30:50] Did you think to ask permission? He goes, I did, but I figured you'd say no. They say, so did you just come straight home afterwards? He's like, no, stopped at my girlfriend's house. Were her parents
[00:31:04] home? No, they weren't home. Well, you know you're not supposed to go if her parents aren't home. I know. Why didn't you ask? I figured you wouldn't let me. So they asked him, I'm eavesdropping on
[00:31:15] all of this. They asked him to leave the room, and I hear them discussing just how honest he was and how impressed they are with his honesty, and I'm thinking, what in the world? And they call
[00:31:30] him back in, and I hear them saying, we're very disappointed in you. However, thank you for your honesty. This time, we're going to give you a pass, just a warning. Again, I couldn't reveal myself
[00:31:42] because I wasn't supposed to be eavesdropping, but I was just furious. You know, I'm just like, what he did was way worse than what I, you know, that was my mindset. Now, this morning, we're hitting another encounter we're working our work our way through the book of john
[00:32:00] encounters with jesus the encounter this morning is nicodemus he's the older brother type okay he's a rule follower he's a very religious man and we'll learn a little bit more about him and what this interaction that he has with jesus is going to shatter his foundation when it comes
[00:32:24] to religion. It's going to throw him. The big idea this morning is this, eternal life is a result of transformation, not reformation. Okay, we older brother types like to do behavior modification and we try to keep out of trouble, but eternal life, heaven, entering God's kingdom is based on
[00:32:48] transformation miraculous work on god's part not reformation on our part we'll get into this i'm going to say a prayer we'll read the passage it's john chapter 3 verses 1 through 15 but let's pray first heavenly father we lift up your word this morning we ask your blessing upon the reading
[00:33:14] of it lord minister to our hearts through your holy spirit help us through your spirit to gain not only an understanding, but through that understanding to draw closer to you.
[00:33:26] We give this time to you now, and we pray these things in Jesus' name. Amen.
[00:33:32] John 3, beginning with verse 1.
[00:33:35] Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews.
[00:33:40] He came to Jesus by night and said to him, Rabbi, we know that you're a teacher who has come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God.
[00:33:54] Jesus answered him, very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.
[00:34:02] Nicodemus said to him, how can anyone be born after having grown old?
[00:34:08] Can one enter a second time into the mother's womb and be born?
[00:34:12] Jesus answered, very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and spirit. What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the spirit is spirit. Do not be astonished that I said to you,
[00:34:28] you must be born from above. The wind blows where it chooses, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the spirit. Nicodemus said to him,
[00:34:45] How can these things be?
[00:34:48] Jesus answered him, Are you a teacher of Israel and yet do not understand these things?
[00:34:53] Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen, yet you do not receive our testimony.
[00:35:02] If I told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things?
[00:35:10] No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man.
[00:35:16] And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.
[00:35:29] This is the word of the Lord.
[00:35:33] Again, eternal life is a result of transformation, God's work, not reformation, our work.
[00:35:41] We can't climb that ladder.
[00:35:43] We can't earn our way.
[00:35:45] It's very clear in our passage this morning.
[00:35:48] Here's the problem, verses 1 through 4 that I first want to emphasize, why Reformation fails.
[00:35:56] As we see, Nicodemus, he approaches Jesus and he's seeking to fine-tune his religion. Again, Nicodemus, he's a Pharisee. It's described by John not only as a Pharisee, but a teacher of the Jews. The Pharisees had a very high view of Scripture. They were orthodox. They believed
[00:36:23] in the Scriptures as actually being God's Word and sought to live by His Word. Sometimes they were so intense on following the Word of the Lord that they would add their own rules.
[00:36:34] Jesus called them out on several occasions for working so hard on the outside. They were about fasting and prayer, about the sacrificial system. Again, they were seeking to please God with their behavior, whereas there's another group called the Sadducees. And when it came to Scripture,
[00:36:55] they were a little more loosey-goosey. They were more progressive. They were much more about politics than about Scripture. And you could see a difference between the two.
[00:37:08] So, we're looking here at an Orthodox Jew who's really trying to do his best to earn God's favor, to live for God. He thinks he's on the right path. So, what does Nicodemus want? He's approaching
[00:37:25] Jesus at night. Why? Why at night? Seems a little secretive. He's probably aware that most of the religious authorities have already turned on Jesus. Yet, he expresses to Jesus, and he's representing a larger group. He says, Rabbi, we, speaking for a group of them, we, I'm sorry,
[00:37:56] I just lost my place. We know that you're a teacher from God. Your signs, or in other words, your miracles prove it. He's essentially saying a group of us have been watching you.
[00:38:05] we're convinced through your signs through your miracles that there's something special about you and we're intrigued i'm here to learn more i'm here to glean from you now jesus you know this fellow has a solid religiously speaking a solid foundation jesus disrupts this foundation he
[00:38:29] doesn't affirm nick nick nicodemus in any way he responds actually quite abruptly and jesus says very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.
[00:38:45] Some translations say born again. The literal is born from above, born from heaven, meaning born of spirit. It's a spiritual birth, not a physical birth. Nicodemus is thrown by this comment by Jesus. He's just, you know, he's coming, he's wanting to fine-tune his faith just a little bit,
[00:39:07] and Jesus saying, hey, you want to get into heaven? You must have a rebirth. You must be born of God or you must be born from above. And there's this impossibility that he describes, that he responds at a couple different levels. One, he says, you know, Jesus, I can't literally
[00:39:30] climb back into my mother's womb. That's impossible. So at a physical level, he's saying, Jesus, that's a bizarre statement. There's also another level attached to Nicodemus, which he's expressing. Jesus, I've lived my whole life for God, and you're trying to say that I
[00:39:53] need to start from scratch? Has all of this been a waste of my time and my effort? Again, he's perplexed. He sees the impossibility of rebirth as a practice. Jesus sees this astonishment on his face, and he begins to flesh out the concept, and he points to Scripture to do so. He knew that
[00:40:16] Nicodemus was a man of the word. Many of the rabbis, spiritual speaking, the teachers who were Pharisees, had memorized the first five books of the Bible. Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, some even the entirety of the Old Testament. So Jesus now appeals to Scripture to
[00:40:37] flesh out the concept of being born from above, verses 5 through 8, to explain rebirth. He points Nicodemus back to the book of Ezekiel. He's quoting Ezekiel chapter 36, verses 25 to 27, which clarifies being born from above means to be born of water and of spirit. Ezekiel promised a day when
[00:41:05] God would cleanse his people with water, remove their heart of stone, and give them a new heart by his Holy Spirit, by God's Holy Spirit. In other words, to be born from above, God must place his
[00:41:19] Holy Spirit into the heart of a human being, deep into the heart. And with that, there's a change.
[00:41:27] You become like a child. There's a rebirth, spiritually speaking. You view life differently.
[00:41:33] your priorities your desires your passions i'll give you an example you know the name saint augustine saint augustine in the fourth century some of you may have read his confessions a pre-conversion he was pretty hedonistic some scholars say that he may have even had some
[00:41:55] sexual addictions after his conversion his heart was changed after his conversion he was visiting a town that he hadn't been to for years. And a woman who he had come to know in that town
[00:42:13] sees him and approaches him, and they have a conversation. He's very kind, he's polite, but his demeanor has changed. He's viewing the woman in a different way, and after their conversation, after some time catching up on life, he leaves, and she's scratching her head,
[00:42:31] and she starts to think, you know, maybe he mistaken me for somebody else. And she cries out to Augustine, Augustine, it is I. And he turns around and says, yes, I know, but it is no longer
[00:42:49] I. Do you understand what he's saying? He remembers her, but he's a different man when he knew her and he had different outlook on life and he had different motives for for having a relationship with her now he's respectful but views her through God type lenses through Holy
[00:43:11] Spirit type lenses transformation I want to get this across clearly is God's work not ours he's about the business of changing hearts and changing people he can do this miraculous work through His Holy Spirit, by literally planting His Spirit in you through faith in Jesus Christ
[00:43:36] as Lord and Savior. This interchange cannot happen by good works, by moral striving, by outward conformity. It's, again, a gift entirely given to us by God. Another example, Martin Luther, right? The great reformer. I've told you bits of his story before. Martin Luther
[00:43:59] became a priest he had been studying to to go into law but he decided to become a priest and he had this this deep longing to draw closer to God and as a priest he became more painfully
[00:44:12] aware of his own sin and his flaws and his deficiencies so then he became a monk you know monks actually withdraw from culture and there's a famous quote there when it comes to to him being
[00:44:28] a monk. He says this, quote, if a monk ever got to heaven by his monkery, it was I. So here he is.
[00:44:37] He's a man. He's gone to theology school. He's become a priest. He's been ordained. He's become a monk. He's studying God's Word. He fasts. He prays hour upon hour. He would find himself getting progressively frustrated with himself. And what he didn't like about himself, he would
[00:44:57] project on God. And at one point he even said he hated God and he'd cry out to God and he'd shake his fists at the heavens. And then one day while studying Romans chapter 1, there's like this
[00:45:11] epiphany, this light bulb went off. He came across that famous verse, for I'm not ashamed, it's verse 16, I'm not ashamed of the gospel for it is the power of God. The term is, the Greek
[00:45:24] term is dunamis meaning dynamite it's the power of god for those who believe it can be translated it's the righteousness of god and it hit him his whole life was about him being righteous before
[00:45:39] god and he couldn't get there as hard as he tried suddenly in his study it light bulb went off this righteousness is active in the sense of god's righteousness not ours and you know that became
[00:45:54] one of his mottos, by grace we're saved through faith, not works, right? So nobody can boast.
[00:46:01] He devoted the rest of his life to giving praise to God and his sovereignty and his grace. He'd emphasize our human depravity and our reliance on him is through, again, it's by grace that we're
[00:46:13] saved through faith, not by our good works. We see here also in this exchange the mystery of the Holy Spirit at work. Jesus is conveying to Nicodemus the mystery of the Holy Spirit.
[00:46:31] There's a play on words here. Pneuma, the Greek term, can be translated either spirit or wind.
[00:46:39] And he starts talking about the wind and think about it when it comes to the wind.
[00:46:42] You and I, we can't see the wind, can we? And the wind, I grew up in Florida. We can't predict the wind. We try. I don't know how many times there's a hurricane coming and you think it's coming your
[00:46:56] way and it then pivots or you think it's going that way and then it comes directly at you.
[00:47:00] We can't control the wind. He's comparing that to the Holy Spirit. You look out the window, you may not see the wind, but if the trees are bending, you certainly see the effects of the wind
[00:47:11] saying the Holy Spirit. We can't bottle up the Holy Spirit. You know, we had a great week of bbs but you can't just take a bottle of holy spirit and feed each of the kids with the
[00:47:21] it doesn't work that way when it comes to our own morality there's mystery to the holy spirit he takes initiative in our lives he's about the business not only drawing us to christ but convicting our hearts changing us from within jesus is explaining this to nicodemus who continues
[00:47:44] to act bewildered. We're going to work our way to the last section here. Transformation is a mystery to our logical finite minds. It leaves us 100% dependent on the sovereign grace of God.
[00:48:00] These last several verses, 9 through 15, will get to the core of transformation, how transformation takes place verse 9 there's a plea from Nicodemus a plea for direction even after Jesus had explained new birth as as of being of of water and of spirit and he points to
[00:48:25] Ezekiel Nicodemus continues to act confused I don't get it how can these things be in verse 10 Jesus gets firm with Nicodemus. He says, are you a teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand
[00:48:43] these things? In other words, Nicodemus, you know the scriptures. You should recognize and understand this concept. And then he goes on to emphasize. It's about revelation, not discovery.
[00:48:58] Nicodemus came to Jesus to discover, to fine-tune, to tweak his faith, his religion. Jesus is saying, no. It goes deeper. You must be born from above. It's a scriptural concept. You should know that.
[00:49:16] He's not only pointing to Ezekiel, now he alludes to Numbers chapter 21. Anyone familiar with that story? The Israelites were in the desert and the wilderness. They'd been disobedient. They'd been grumbling and murmuring. They were showing complete lack of gratitude for what the Lord
[00:49:40] had already accomplished and done on their behalf. So the Lord places a curse upon them. He sends serpents and they're getting snake bitten by these venomous snakes and people are literally laying on the ground and are dying. There's no human remedy for the venom that had infected
[00:50:00] their system and and you remember the Lord gives a cure it's a strange cure remember what he instructed Moses to do yeah take a bronze serpent tie it on a pole lift it up in the center of camp
[00:50:18] and anyone who looks at the serpent will be saved Jesus alludes to that with Nicodemus Nicodemus knows the story, and he's making a point to Nicodemus. He's saying, just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up that whoever believes in him
[00:50:47] may have eternal life. You know, he's referring to himself. Son of Man was his favorite term to embrace for himself. Son of Man was a messianic term introduced to us in the book of Daniel.
[00:51:02] Jesus is saying, I'm not coming to you as a rabbi.
[00:51:07] Yes, he has wise teachings and gives sermons, but he's like, I'm coming to you as a savior to save you from sin and death.
[00:51:19] And he's pointing to the cross.
[00:51:22] Jesus would be lifted up.
[00:51:25] He'd become a curse for our sake.
[00:51:30] He'd bear the weight of sin and guilt upon his shoulders and conquer sin and death through his death and resurrection so that you and I can have life. Nicodemus wanted reformation. Jesus says to be born from above involves complete
[00:51:49] supernatural transformation. A new heart, a new spirit, a new life. And here's the take-home.
[00:51:59] We see here in this passage the gospel, good news of Jesus Christ being lifted up for our sake, for you and for me. To be born from above, to become a true child of God, you must abandon the
[00:52:16] idea that you can contribute anything to your own salvation. What does Romans 3.23 say? Anyone recall?
[00:52:27] For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. All of us. In other words, we've been snake-bitten, and there's no cure on our own. The good works, everything that took place this past
[00:52:43] week with VBS is wonderful. The teachers, the service, the music, and if you've been born from above, you're doing it out of your gratitude for the Lord. This is a way I can give back,
[00:52:57] express my love for God. If you're doing VBS to score points with God, it's not getting you anywhere but if you see it in this proper light does that make sense that's the gospel message
[00:53:10] now there's an image later in john's gospel john chapter 16 jesus gives a metaphor and it's a powerful one and he's speaking of uh he says the cross you know because he's pointing he'd be lifted
[00:53:26] up he's pointing to himself on the cross the cross would be his last hour of labor jesus describes that. He's talking to the disciples. He's talking to you and me. Anyone in this room, any moms been
[00:53:41] through labor? Who did the work? Your child or the mom? You know, the baby's helpless.
[00:53:50] Babies rely, mothers go through a lot of labor, and that pain, right, and the anguish.
[00:53:58] Jesus is saying, and this was based in his love, you know, Jesus emptied himself, obedient to the point of death death on the cross and that agony and that labor that took place on the cross he did so on your behalf and on mine because he knew the joy of new birth the joy of
[00:54:21] someone being born from above being born of spirit you know when a person comes to faith the angels in heaven are celebrating that birth jesus saying it's worth death on a cross for you to enter God's kingdom.
[00:54:37] That's how much he loves you.
[00:54:40] Now, I didn't read it this morning, but the very next verse from our passage is the gospel in a nutshell.
[00:54:46] John 3, 16, what does that say?
[00:54:49] For God so loved the world that he sent his only begotten son that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but experience life eternal.
[00:55:00] Again, eternal life is a result of transformation.
[00:55:03] his work his labor not ours amen let's close this time in prayer heavenly father i think of the story of the prodigal son and the older brother that watched the father embrace the younger brother who'd gone and done wild living and came back home and the dad throws a banquet on his
[00:55:35] behalf and Lord as we hear that story it's the older brother that refuses his place at the table Lord may this morning's message be a warning to us it's about you not us it's about your
[00:55:51] righteousness not ours Lord I pray that anyone that may be working hard to to please you that they can rather than try to earn your favor they can simply surrender and Lord you love us that
[00:56:08] much you gave up your life you worked on our behalf so that we can have that gift words cannot express our gratitude as we close this service we express it through song and we say thank you
[00:56:23] in Jesus name we pray amen again each week there's a encounter that we'll see next week will be the woman at the well and couldn't be more opposite than Nicodemus the Pharisee but don't lose sight
[00:57:20] that in God's sight the ground is level at the foot of the cross.
[00:57:24] No one in this room is any better or worse.
[00:57:26] The Lord's spoken to you in any way.
[00:57:28] Don't put off till tomorrow what you can get right today.
[00:57:31] As we leave this place, may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, may the love of God our Father, may the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with each and every one of you now and forever.
[00:57:40] Amen.