Speaker Sermon/Lesson Title Audio   Video  Text   MS Word Category Bobby Stafford Do You Not Know These Things     Christian Living

Do You Not Know These Things?

Introduction:  Review Jesus’ discussion concerning the new birth.

Text:  John 3:9-18

Body:

I.  A Lesson in Humility  John 3:9-13  “Nicodemus answered and said to Him, ‘How can these things be?’  10 Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things? 11 Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness.12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven.’ ” NKJV

Verse 9:  This is a reasonable question we would think.  He desired more understanding.

Verse 10:  Jesus did not treat Nicodemus unkindly, but apparently he should have known more that he did.  (Ezekiel 11:19) “Then I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them, and take the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh.” NKJV

Verses 11-13:  Jesus illustrates the great difference between Himself and His students who are vastly unequal in knowledge of spiritual matters.  Jesus knew of what He was discussing because of His close contact with the Father in heaven.  You all do not receive, or accept.  Heavenly things are more difficult to comprehend than earthly things.  Jesus came down from heaven to reveal God to man.  (Matthew 11:27) “All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father.  Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.” NKJV  We should listen carefully to what He says.

II.  A Lesson from the Old Testament  John 3:14-15  “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” NKJV

The account of Moses and te brazen serpent would have been well-known to Nicodemus.  The serpent was a type of which Jesus was the antitype.  Centuries before, children of Israel were journeying from  Mount Hor by way of the Red Sea.  (Numbers 21:4-9) “Then they journeyed from Mount Hor by the Way of the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; and the soul of the people became very discouraged on the way.  And the people spoke against God and against Moses:  ‘Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness?  For there is no food and no water, and our soul loathes this worthless bread.’  So the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and many of the people of Israel died.  Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, ‘We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against you; pray to the Lord that He take away the serpents from us.’  So Moses prayed for the people.  Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and it shall be that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live.’  So Moses made a bronze serpent, and put it on a pole; and so it was, if a serpent had bitten anyone, when he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived.” NKJV  People essentially rebelled against God.  But He gave them opportunity to look to Him for salvation.  (Isaiah 45:22) “Look to Me, and be saved, All you ends of the earth!  For I am God, and there is no other,” NKJV  The brass serpent was lifted up to save, not condemn.  The people were already condemned.  Jesus was lifted up on the cross to save, as a remedy for sin.  We can look up to Him for salvation, but must believe in Him [that He has the power to save].  The redemption of the world and the beginning of the Kingdom of God were to be accomplished by the death of God’s Son upon the cross.  (John 12:32-33) “ ‘And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.’  This He said, signifying by what death He would die.” NKJV 

III.  A Lesson about Biblical Faith  John 3:16-18  “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. 18 He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” NKJV

Verse 16:  This verse shows the extent or depth of God’s love, that He was willing to sacrifice His only begotten Son in order to offer redemption to lost mankind.  For one to inherit eternal life, he must “believe in” or trust Jesus Christ to save him, to know that he is lost and cannot save himself.  This “belief” is not mere intellectual acceptance of Jesus being the Son of God, for the demons believe.  (James 2:19) “You believe that there is one God.  You do well.  Even the demons believe – and tremble!” NKJV  (Matthew 8:28-29) “When He had come to the other side, to the country of the Gergesenes, there met Him two demon-possessed men, coming out of the tombs, exceedingly fierce, so that no one could pass that way.  And suddenly they cried out, saying, ‘What have we to do with You, Jesus, You Son of God?  Have You come here to torment us before the time?’ ” NKJV  No one can be saved by faith or belief alone.  (James 2:24) “You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.” NKJV  Only an active, obedient faith can save.  (Matthew 7:21) “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” NKJV

Verse 17:  Jesus came into the world to save it.  (Matthew 1:21) “And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” NKJV  He did not come to condemn it.  (Luke 9:56) “ ‘For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.’  And they went to another village.” NKJV  He came to offer pardon to all.

Verse 18:  Again, an obedient faith is necessary for one not to be condemned.  One who refuses to believe has sealed his fate; he has no hope.

Invitation:

Jesus came the first time to save the world; He will come the second time to judge it.  Are you getting prepared for that Day?  Have you placed your trust in Him yet?  Read Hebrews 5:8-9.  “though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered.  And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him,” NKJV

 

Bobby Stafford 

August 4, 2019