WEBVTT 00:00:00.240 --> 00:00:02.050 If you're visiting with us and this is your first Sunday. 00:00:02.120 --> 00:00:07.500 We just started a new sermon series last week called FAQs, acronym for Frequently Asked Questions. 00:00:07.500 --> 00:00:10.940 Over the last six weeks, we have been asking everyone maybe longer than that. 00:00:11.560 --> 00:00:11.800 What? 00:00:11.880 --> 00:00:12.720 What's on your mind? 00:00:12.720 --> 00:00:13.610 What do you want to know about God? 00:00:13.860 --> 00:00:16.820 Bible, life, anything and everything you can ask it. 00:00:16.920 --> 00:00:20.950 Just write it out on the facts card, put it in the in the box and we will answer your questions. 00:00:21.220 --> 00:00:26.040 Whether it's a sermon on Sunday or we blog about it or post it to our Facebook, we will answer questions. 00:00:26.040 --> 00:00:29.030 As a church family, there is nothing that we're going to consider offensive. 00:00:29.640 --> 00:00:36.640 We want to be able to provide a place for anyone to be able to ask questions and not worry about any repercussions, but to learn about the 00:00:36.640 --> 00:00:39.480 Lord and what God desires for us. 00:00:40.280 --> 00:00:43.910 And so this week, we are on the second question that we're asking. 00:00:44.000 --> 00:00:50.960 And it just so happens, I got to tell you, I knew that we started this when we started this series, that baptism was going to be the second week of this. 00:00:51.120 --> 00:00:52.260 And I was worried. 00:00:52.260 --> 00:00:57.900 I was thinking, man, I'm going to have to make up a question that no one really submitted related to today because it's so important. 00:00:58.280 --> 00:01:01.880 But then, lo and behold, someone entered a question, right? 00:01:02.120 --> 00:01:06.520 They didn't even know I was thinking this, but this is where it came from in John chapter three and verse five. 00:01:06.640 --> 00:01:10.450 And I'll tell you the thought behind this, and then we'll dive into today's message. 00:01:10.600 --> 00:01:17.660 John three five says this Jesus answered, talking to a man named Nicodemus, truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water 00:01:17.660 --> 00:01:21.920 and the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 00:01:23.000 --> 00:01:27.380 And the question related to this is, what does this mean to be born of water and spirit? 00:01:27.380 --> 00:01:32.300 Let me just tell you, Jesus defines that for us in this passage, so we don't have to make this up. 00:01:32.780 --> 00:01:39.400 But I want you to know, to those of you who are being baptized today, what this what this verse isn't saying is that baptism saves you. 00:01:39.400 --> 00:01:39.540 Okay? 00:01:39.960 --> 00:01:41.740 The baptism is not the gospel. 00:01:41.800 --> 00:01:47.260 The gospel according to first Corinthians 15 verses 1 to 4 is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. 00:01:47.620 --> 00:01:54.740 As a matter of fact, in first Corinthians that same book, chapter one and verse 17, Paul says, I came not to baptize, 00:01:54.820 --> 00:02:01.820 but to preach the gospel, meaning if baptism was a part of the gospel or included in the message of the gospel, Paul would have said, I came to preach the 00:02:01.820 --> 00:02:03.440 gospel, which includes baptism. 00:02:03.520 --> 00:02:04.300 But he didn't say that. 00:02:04.580 --> 00:02:07.870 He said, I came to preach the gospel, or I came not to baptize, but to preach the gospel. 00:02:07.960 --> 00:02:12.100 Baptism is something distinct from the gospel. 00:02:12.180 --> 00:02:14.220 The baptism isn't what saves you. 00:02:14.620 --> 00:02:15.390 It's the gospel. 00:02:15.540 --> 00:02:17.280 It's what Christ has done for you. 00:02:17.300 --> 00:02:23.430 And so when Jesus is saying this here, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of heaven. 00:02:23.780 --> 00:02:29.120 Jesus is not talking about physical baptism in water, and we'll explain that in just a minute. 00:02:29.200 --> 00:02:33.740 But that's related to the question, what is Jesus talking about in this passage? 00:02:35.600 --> 00:02:42.860 And as we get ready to define this answer according to this passage, as it relates for us to baptism as individuals and understanding 00:02:42.860 --> 00:02:49.980 what God desires for us in that, I'm going to I'm going to take just one step back and answer just a simple question for us as 00:02:49.980 --> 00:02:55.790 we get ready to dive into this text, because this backdrop will help us answer what this passage of Scripture is. 00:02:56.740 --> 00:03:03.800 And it if we wanted a key thought related to this passage, this is what I'm going to answer, because this is what Jesus is answering in John 00:03:03.800 --> 00:03:04.280 three. 00:03:04.800 --> 00:03:05.860 Why do I exist? 00:03:06.840 --> 00:03:10.190 And the beauty of baptism is described for us. 00:03:11.200 --> 00:03:12.600 Why do I exist? 00:03:14.640 --> 00:03:16.180 Have you ever considered that question? 00:03:17.880 --> 00:03:19.120 And why did God make me? 00:03:20.640 --> 00:03:28.260 I know philosophers, theologians around the world for centuries have speculated on this idea, have tried to come up with an 00:03:28.260 --> 00:03:35.260 answer to this, but I don't want to say, apart from a biblical understanding, none of them really measure up or fit the way that God 00:03:35.260 --> 00:03:36.120 has designed us. 00:03:36.400 --> 00:03:41.100 So why do I exist as an important question for us to define? 00:03:41.980 --> 00:03:46.980 You know, I find in America today we don't talk about this very much because we like to separate between church and state. 00:03:47.400 --> 00:03:49.940 So why do we exist as something we don't often think about? 00:03:50.040 --> 00:03:55.380 So when you consider this question in your mind, it may be something that you're scrambling with in your own identity or idea of who you are. 00:03:55.400 --> 00:04:02.400 But I'm going to tell you the importance of answering this question is paramount to the way that you choose to live your life, because if you can't answer why you 00:04:02.400 --> 00:04:06.580 exist and you can't answer the question, then what it is you're supposed to be doing according to the existence that you have. 00:04:07.880 --> 00:04:12.720 So why you exist sets the springboard to why you choose to live your life the way that you do. 00:04:13.360 --> 00:04:18.649 And without a properly defining why you exist and you are just a shot in the dark as to how you live your life. 00:04:20.440 --> 00:04:20.980 Why do you exist? 00:04:23.860 --> 00:04:24.880 We answer this question. 00:04:25.760 --> 00:04:33.120 Some people tend to think that the reason for our existence is because God needs you, right? 00:04:33.260 --> 00:04:37.940 I exist because there's some sort of shortcoming within God where he found me necessary to have. 00:04:38.220 --> 00:04:39.440 I am great, right? 00:04:40.680 --> 00:04:42.580 I exist because God needs me. 00:04:42.580 --> 00:04:48.280 When you take that answer to the Bible, you find out that God God really doesn't need you. 00:04:49.020 --> 00:04:53.080 As a matter of fact, there's not anything that God can't do for himself that you're going to do for him. 00:04:54.400 --> 00:04:59.080 God has no need for you, but God yet desires to create you. 00:04:59.120 --> 00:05:01.440 It says in acts 17 and verse 24. 00:05:01.500 --> 00:05:08.600 The God who made the world and all things in it, since he is Lord of heavens and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands, nor is 00:05:08.600 --> 00:05:15.780 he served by human hands as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all people life and breath and all 00:05:15.780 --> 00:05:16.120 things. 00:05:17.480 --> 00:05:22.920 I mean, Jesus is saying here, the places that you think are so special that you create well, God doesn't need that. 00:05:22.920 --> 00:05:24.380 And God doesn't need you to serve him. 00:05:24.440 --> 00:05:26.740 God isn't a dependent being. 00:05:27.700 --> 00:05:34.400 And so it tells us in first John in chapter four and defining God, it helps us understand why God doesn't need us. 00:05:34.420 --> 00:05:37.980 It says the one who does not love does not know God. 00:05:38.100 --> 00:05:39.930 For God is love. 00:05:41.280 --> 00:05:43.760 What it's defining for us is the very characteristic of God. 00:05:44.000 --> 00:05:48.620 It isn't saying for us that God loves though God does because it's his nature. 00:05:48.880 --> 00:05:52.980 But what it's saying is that the very identity of God is love. 00:05:54.280 --> 00:05:58.340 So for us as human beings, we look for love within relationships. 00:05:58.340 --> 00:06:03.080 In this world, we need and long for relationships to feel connected to one another. 00:06:03.160 --> 00:06:04.920 But God, God isn't dependent like that. 00:06:06.220 --> 00:06:08.600 God doesn't just want love because he is love. 00:06:09.860 --> 00:06:17.000 But you know the joy of all that knowing that God doesn't need you is that because God is love, God created you out of his grace as 00:06:17.000 --> 00:06:19.720 a creature through which he could lavish his love upon? 00:06:20.960 --> 00:06:22.220 He's not dependent upon you. 00:06:22.240 --> 00:06:27.330 And this is the comfort of this thought, is that all things God upholds in his hands? 00:06:27.460 --> 00:06:30.340 He has the future secure in him. 00:06:30.340 --> 00:06:33.620 And so the fact that he doesn't need you should bring you hope and joy. 00:06:33.620 --> 00:06:40.700 And knowing there is a God so sufficient out there that he can supply anything and everything and all of time wrapped 00:06:40.700 --> 00:06:41.820 in his arms. 00:06:43.300 --> 00:06:46.280 But in addition to that, he is gracious. 00:06:48.040 --> 00:06:54.020 And he created you for his good purposes out of that grace that he could lavish his love upon you for eternity. 00:06:54.020 --> 00:06:55.920 Because God is love. 00:06:58.680 --> 00:07:02.000 Some people think that maybe we exist because God loves us. 00:07:02.020 --> 00:07:05.440 Maybe some other people think that the reason for our existence is to do good. 00:07:05.520 --> 00:07:09.120 I've heard people say that the purpose of my life is about doing good, and I want you. 00:07:09.240 --> 00:07:10.980 I want you to know before I define this God. 00:07:11.620 --> 00:07:12.720 God wants you to do good. 00:07:12.820 --> 00:07:14.560 Okay, I'll tell you why in a little bit, but. 00:07:14.880 --> 00:07:18.960 But the purpose of your existence doesn't begin with you simply going out into this world and doing good. 00:07:19.060 --> 00:07:19.840 Here's the reason why. 00:07:20.200 --> 00:07:26.400 If you're created by God for God, and you're defining life as the purpose is to do good, you can do that apart from God. 00:07:28.340 --> 00:07:31.360 The purpose of life is not or does not begin. 00:07:31.380 --> 00:07:34.980 The reason for your existence does not begin with doing good. 00:07:35.760 --> 00:07:36.940 And here's another reason why. 00:07:37.760 --> 00:07:43.030 If God created you to do good, what good are you going to do that God can't possibly do himself? 00:07:45.340 --> 00:07:48.580 God not only can supply everything that he needs, but anything good that needs done. 00:07:48.580 --> 00:07:49.700 God can do that as well. 00:07:51.240 --> 00:07:54.360 He doesn't need you, nor does he need you to do good. 00:07:56.320 --> 00:07:57.400 So why did God make me? 00:07:59.640 --> 00:08:05.020 Jesus answered this question, I think in the gospel of Mark in chapter 12 and verse 29. 00:08:07.100 --> 00:08:08.540 He's approached by religious leaders. 00:08:08.680 --> 00:08:11.820 During this time period, it was common for religious leaders to come to Jesus. 00:08:11.920 --> 00:08:20.000 Pharisees, Sadducees, Herodians asked Jesus questions according to the leaders of each division that would try to trick Jesus so 00:08:20.000 --> 00:08:27.080 that they could alienate Israel from Jesus and the people wouldn't keep following Jesus and Jesus, in a series of questions is approached by 00:08:27.080 --> 00:08:28.400 this young man who's a lawyer. 00:08:28.400 --> 00:08:34.080 No one really knows for sure if he's got a genuine heart or he's trying to trick Jesus with his question, but he asks Jesus. 00:08:34.080 --> 00:08:41.100 Jesus, out of all the laws that Israel obeys on all the works that we think are so important, all the things that we think are about doing good, and that's 00:08:41.100 --> 00:08:42.940 the purpose of life out of all of those. 00:08:42.980 --> 00:08:44.150 Jesus, what's the most important? 00:08:45.980 --> 00:08:49.060 And Jesus says in Mark chapter 12 that one's easy. 00:08:49.100 --> 00:08:50.460 I already know I created the world, right? 00:08:51.120 --> 00:08:55.060 Colossians one tells us that Christ created all things and he upholds all things. 00:08:55.200 --> 00:09:01.600 And so in Mark 12 he says this Jesus answered, the foremost is hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord. 00:09:02.560 --> 00:09:09.820 And you shall love the Lord your God with all of your heart, with all of your soul, and with all of your mind, and with all of your strength. 00:09:10.640 --> 00:09:12.840 The second is this you shall love your neighbor as yourself. 00:09:15.340 --> 00:09:17.280 And granted, there is doing good in that. 00:09:17.400 --> 00:09:24.820 But the important part of what Jesus is saying here is that the whole point of life, the whole point of your creation, the 00:09:24.820 --> 00:09:30.930 reason God made you not because he wanted you, but because God desired a relationship with you. 00:09:31.760 --> 00:09:35.660 God created you, that you may know him and enjoy him for eternity. 00:09:36.980 --> 00:09:45.000 And in fact, in John 17 three it says, this is eternal life, that they may know you in terms of God. 00:09:45.040 --> 00:09:45.560 Eternity. 00:09:46.780 --> 00:09:48.540 Living forever is all about knowing him. 00:09:50.440 --> 00:09:53.820 God created good things in this world, but the good things of this world aren't the point. 00:09:53.820 --> 00:09:55.850 It's to recognize the giver of all good things. 00:09:56.860 --> 00:09:59.560 To not worship created things, but to worship the creature. 00:09:59.560 --> 00:10:06.980 When God designed you, he designed you as a creature of worship and the way that you find the purpose of life and the meaning of life and satisfaction 00:10:07.280 --> 00:10:11.320 in life is all wrapped up in the identity of who God is as you relate to him in relationship. 00:10:13.180 --> 00:10:14.560 God created you for that. 00:10:14.580 --> 00:10:21.700 In fact, it tells us in the book of Genesis when God designed you in 127, he made you in his image, which means when God created you in his image, 00:10:21.700 --> 00:10:23.580 he made you as a creature that could relate to him. 00:10:23.920 --> 00:10:27.000 He did this and he said this in Genesis one, different than any creature that he makes. 00:10:27.520 --> 00:10:34.440 He makes you with a capacity of relating to him, having the characteristics that are similar to him love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness. 00:10:34.780 --> 00:10:38.400 You can connect to God because God created you to do so. 00:10:38.400 --> 00:10:39.360 You're made in his image. 00:10:39.360 --> 00:10:46.560 And he says in Genesis two seven that the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became 00:10:46.560 --> 00:10:47.310 a living being. 00:10:47.420 --> 00:10:51.160 God imparted his spirit into you, that you may worship him. 00:10:51.160 --> 00:10:53.620 Your being is wrapped up in his identity. 00:10:53.680 --> 00:10:55.940 To understand you have to understand him. 00:10:57.880 --> 00:11:00.600 His characteristics in his images. 00:11:00.900 --> 00:11:01.390 We are designed. 00:11:02.500 --> 00:11:08.620 And God said in Genesis 128, Then God blessed them, and God said to them, be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it. 00:11:08.660 --> 00:11:10.900 Meaning, meaning God created you in his image. 00:11:10.920 --> 00:11:18.020 And as you relate to him in relationship, God teaches you and ingrains within your heart what it means to be 00:11:18.020 --> 00:11:19.120 in God's image. 00:11:19.180 --> 00:11:21.260 And so you bear that image in this world. 00:11:21.460 --> 00:11:21.880 But it's not. 00:11:22.080 --> 00:11:23.460 It doesn't start with doing good. 00:11:23.460 --> 00:11:26.620 It starts with your identity in relationship with God. 00:11:26.620 --> 00:11:31.380 And through that relationship with God, you bear the image of God in this world. 00:11:33.520 --> 00:11:34.080 Jesus is answer. 00:11:35.520 --> 00:11:39.210 Loving God with all of your heart reminds us it is all about relationship. 00:11:40.920 --> 00:11:42.700 But he asked the question because we're going to deal with it. 00:11:42.720 --> 00:11:43.980 In John chapter three, Jesus came. 00:11:44.740 --> 00:11:47.880 Why was that even necessary if God created us for that purpose? 00:11:48.300 --> 00:11:50.980 I understand that purpose and I can have a relationship with God. 00:11:51.000 --> 00:11:53.340 Well, the Bible tells us why Jesus came. 00:11:53.340 --> 00:12:00.040 It says in Isaiah 59 and two but your iniquities, meaning your sins, have made a separation between you and your God. 00:12:00.100 --> 00:12:02.740 For all of you have become like one who is unclean. 00:12:02.880 --> 00:12:06.600 All of our righteous deeds are like a filthy rag before the Lord. 00:12:06.640 --> 00:12:11.850 As a matter of fact, in Ephesians chapter two, it says this you were dead in your trespasses and sins. 00:12:13.120 --> 00:12:20.140 What God is acknowledging here in this passage of Scripture is that God has created us for relationship, but at the same time, God is holy and perfect, and 00:12:20.140 --> 00:12:21.230 in his perfection. 00:12:21.440 --> 00:12:24.580 If we have sin, we can't have relationship with God. 00:12:26.040 --> 00:12:28.260 And so in Ephesians two it says that you are dead. 00:12:28.260 --> 00:12:28.580 It doesn't. 00:12:28.780 --> 00:12:32.220 It doesn't mean that you're necessarily you're not existing. 00:12:32.220 --> 00:12:35.900 What it means is you're severed or cut off from relationship to God. 00:12:37.460 --> 00:12:43.030 Meaning there needs to be something to take place to reconcile the relationship with God that we had, but we lost. 00:12:43.860 --> 00:12:44.080 How? 00:12:44.460 --> 00:12:44.940 How do we do that? 00:12:46.580 --> 00:12:53.560 Some people's answers are we just attempt to do good before God and hopefully we can reconcile the wrong that we've done. 00:12:53.640 --> 00:13:00.980 But I want to tell you, according to Romans chapter three and verse 20, it says this to us by the works of the law, no flesh will be justified in 00:13:00.980 --> 00:13:01.580 his sight. 00:13:01.660 --> 00:13:03.960 For through the law comes the knowledge of sin. 00:13:05.320 --> 00:13:12.400 Meaning, when you look at the Old Testament and you look at what God wrote and all the laws that exist for the nation of Israel, if you think 00:13:12.400 --> 00:13:17.020 that's the way to earn your salvation before the Lord, the answer is no. 00:13:18.540 --> 00:13:20.580 Romans three Paul defines that for us. 00:13:20.640 --> 00:13:22.960 He says, by the works of the law, no flesh will be justified. 00:13:23.100 --> 00:13:29.160 Meaning, no matter how good you choose to live your life, you can never reconcile your relationship to God. 00:13:29.160 --> 00:13:29.620 Here's why. 00:13:29.620 --> 00:13:35.050 No matter how much good you do, it will never remove any bad that you've done. 00:13:36.040 --> 00:13:37.660 Nothing you do can take that away. 00:13:39.100 --> 00:13:42.470 Once you sin against an eternal God, it is an eternal sin. 00:13:43.820 --> 00:13:48.540 And no matter how hard you may try to fight to remove that, it still stands as an offense against him. 00:13:48.680 --> 00:13:49.940 And God is holy. 00:13:51.560 --> 00:13:55.180 So the answer of removing that on our part is an impossibility. 00:13:55.500 --> 00:14:01.080 As a matter of fact, in Genesis, when this first took place, when the first sin existed, Adam and Eve ate of the fruit. 00:14:01.120 --> 00:14:01.720 You know the story. 00:14:01.820 --> 00:14:03.450 Some people like to call it an apple. 00:14:03.660 --> 00:14:04.620 Satan tempted them. 00:14:04.620 --> 00:14:07.060 They ate after God told them not to do it. 00:14:07.080 --> 00:14:08.560 And here's the response of Adam and Eve. 00:14:08.780 --> 00:14:16.020 I want to tell you it's an unbiblical one, but it says here they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the coolness of the day, and the man and his wife 00:14:16.020 --> 00:14:20.080 hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 00:14:21.540 --> 00:14:22.790 God creates us for relationship. 00:14:23.280 --> 00:14:25.840 Man sins against God, alienating them from God. 00:14:25.860 --> 00:14:28.240 Man's response is to run and to hide. 00:14:30.160 --> 00:14:33.330 It tells us that in the story of Adam and Eve, that what Adam and Eve did is they hid themselves. 00:14:33.480 --> 00:14:35.320 They clothed themselves in fig leaves. 00:14:35.320 --> 00:14:41.110 And essentially what's taking place here is the first man made religion is created saying to God, God, we got to run away. 00:14:41.220 --> 00:14:42.060 God, we got to fix ourselves. 00:14:42.220 --> 00:14:43.060 God, we got to look good. 00:14:43.060 --> 00:14:45.460 And God, when we look good, then maybe we'll come back. 00:14:45.500 --> 00:14:46.680 But we've got to hide right now. 00:14:48.400 --> 00:14:49.080 But look what God does. 00:14:50.960 --> 00:14:53.480 Tells us as Adam and Eve sinned in verse eight, run and hide. 00:14:53.740 --> 00:14:58.380 Then verse nine, then the Lord God called to the man and said to him, where are you? 00:15:00.530 --> 00:15:03.060 See, I can't fault Adam and Eve in this story. 00:15:04.460 --> 00:15:07.240 Because to this point, no one has ever sinned against a holy God. 00:15:07.260 --> 00:15:09.440 No person has ever sinned against a holy God. 00:15:10.220 --> 00:15:12.320 And so they may not know how God would respond to that. 00:15:13.520 --> 00:15:20.800 And you think the extent of the sin of Adam and Eve in the garden, the Bible tells us all of creation groans because of this sin, which means their sin was 00:15:20.800 --> 00:15:21.820 a curse to the earth. 00:15:23.040 --> 00:15:29.300 And God even told Adam and Eve in this passage, by the sweat of your brow and the thorns of the earth, you'll be reminded of this curse. 00:15:29.300 --> 00:15:32.880 And from the women and childbearing, you'll be reminded of this curse. 00:15:32.880 --> 00:15:33.960 The earth was cursed. 00:15:33.960 --> 00:15:35.120 It's the reason that we die. 00:15:35.160 --> 00:15:35.160 God. 00:15:35.480 --> 00:15:39.100 God didn't create us as creatures to die, but creatures for relationship for eternity. 00:15:39.160 --> 00:15:41.680 But because of sin, sin brings death. 00:15:41.700 --> 00:15:43.540 The Bible tells us the wages of sin is death. 00:15:43.820 --> 00:15:48.560 And death, when it takes place, happens both physically and spiritually in relationship to God. 00:15:49.780 --> 00:15:56.900 All of all of the world's famines, all of the world's diseases, all of the world's wars, all of the world's heartaches and pains, all of it was 00:15:56.900 --> 00:15:58.370 birthed in this moment. 00:15:58.500 --> 00:16:01.760 And so when Adam and Eve sinned against God, I can't blame them. 00:16:01.760 --> 00:16:04.500 In that moment and thinking I would feel like I need to run and hide too. 00:16:05.860 --> 00:16:11.560 But God, in this passage of Scripture, reveals something to us about his identity toward us in our sin. 00:16:12.560 --> 00:16:17.700 Bible tells us in Romans five eight that God demonstrates his love to you in that while you're yet sinners. 00:16:18.860 --> 00:16:22.840 Many will say as a church, it doesn't matter how much you do, God's not going to love you more. 00:16:22.840 --> 00:16:24.420 It doesn't matter what you've done. 00:16:24.420 --> 00:16:27.420 God isn't going to love you any more than he already loves you. 00:16:28.280 --> 00:16:30.620 God has been pursuing you from the beginning. 00:16:31.280 --> 00:16:34.400 As soon as man sinned, man attempted to run from God and hide. 00:16:34.400 --> 00:16:38.400 As soon as man sinned, man attempted to build religion to prove to God their worth. 00:16:38.600 --> 00:16:42.120 And God comes to us and says, none of that will prove your worth. 00:16:42.120 --> 00:16:43.960 But I'm pursuing you in my love. 00:16:45.920 --> 00:16:46.520 God comes. 00:16:48.480 --> 00:16:49.980 It tells us in Genesis 315. 00:16:52.060 --> 00:16:57.120 As soon as man sins, God comes for man and he gives him the promise that Jesus will come. 00:16:58.340 --> 00:17:02.760 And he says in verse 15, and I will put enmity between you and the woman talking to Satan. 00:17:03.860 --> 00:17:06.880 Notice he says, the woman and not the man, because Jesus will be born of a virgin. 00:17:08.079 --> 00:17:13.359 And between your seed and her seed, he shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise him on the hill. 00:17:14.599 --> 00:17:21.700 Meaning when Jesus hangs on the cross to pay for the sins, knowing that Satan tempted us according to his kingdom to pursue sin. 00:17:21.720 --> 00:17:29.000 When Jesus hung on the cross to pay for the sins, and he said to Telestai, it is finished, he crushed the head of Satan, 00:17:29.000 --> 00:17:31.240 but his heel was nailed to the cross. 00:17:33.420 --> 00:17:40.480 From Genesis chapter three through the rest of the Bible, is God's story of redemption and 00:17:40.600 --> 00:17:41.700 pursuing you in relationship. 00:17:43.360 --> 00:17:50.540 And God, as the story unfolds throughout the rest of Scripture, begins to tell us throughout the course of Genesis and on 00:17:50.540 --> 00:17:57.820 through the rest of the Bible, that he chooses the nation of Israel, but not just the nation of Israel, but the tribe of Judah, and not just the tribe of Judah, but the town 00:17:57.820 --> 00:18:05.240 of Bethlehem through which the Messiah would come and ultimately offer himself as a sacrifice for a debt that you could never pay before. 00:18:05.460 --> 00:18:07.000 God. 00:18:07.160 --> 00:18:10.100 Jesus reconciles you. 00:18:10.100 --> 00:18:11.940 To him. 00:18:11.960 --> 00:18:13.320 And so when John starts. 00:18:15.440 --> 00:18:16.800 And John chapter three. 00:18:16.800 --> 00:18:21.880 There is a leader who comes before Jesus, a leader of Israel. 00:18:23.800 --> 00:18:29.060 And he's recognizing in these moments that the promise of this Messiah could be among him. 00:18:30.040 --> 00:18:37.520 That all that the Bible spoke about, that God would come making payment for my sin on my behalf, where I couldn't reconcile these 00:18:37.520 --> 00:18:41.140 moments right now were unfolding before him. 00:18:41.680 --> 00:18:46.500 This man's name was Nicodemus, and I don't think he completely understand the magnitude of what Jesus was about to do. 00:18:47.580 --> 00:18:48.600 But he started to see the importance. 00:18:50.680 --> 00:18:56.810 And so Nicodemus says in chapter three and verse one, now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 00:18:57.000 --> 00:19:04.360 This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, Rabbi, we know that you have come from God as a teacher, for no one can do these signs 00:19:04.360 --> 00:19:07.620 that you do unless God is with him. 00:19:09.080 --> 00:19:11.820 When Nicodemus comes to Jesus, he comes by night. 00:19:11.820 --> 00:19:18.160 There's a few speculations as to why Nicodemus chooses to come by night, and why the Bible distinguishes that he does come by night. 00:19:18.560 --> 00:19:24.240 Some people think Nicodemus comes by night because Jesus is so popular that he finds it difficult to get near Jesus. 00:19:25.460 --> 00:19:28.410 Other people, which I would be included, think that people come or. 00:19:28.480 --> 00:19:35.240 Nicodemus comes to Jesus at night because of his position, and he's afraid in his circumstance, or he's at least concerned about his circumstances. 00:19:36.040 --> 00:19:38.600 He connects to Jesus because the Pharisees hated Jesus. 00:19:40.100 --> 00:19:42.210 And to be seen next to Jesus. 00:19:42.760 --> 00:19:50.140 He's among these people that are following Christ, these future Christians, that wouldn't fly well with the Pharisees. 00:19:50.160 --> 00:19:53.260 And so he comes to Jesus by night, and he and he wants to know Jesus. 00:19:53.820 --> 00:19:58.700 If you can answer my questions right, I'm going to discover if following after you is really worth it. 00:19:58.820 --> 00:20:03.120 And then in this darkness, me just sneeking to you God, I'm going to make it known in the light. 00:20:04.560 --> 00:20:05.480 And so by night. 00:20:05.500 --> 00:20:07.880 Nicodemus comes to Christ. 00:20:08.320 --> 00:20:11.800 He doesn't completely understand all that Jesus is, but he's recognizing his authority. 00:20:12.900 --> 00:20:16.160 And Jesus, taking that moment, then begins to explain to Nicodemus. 00:20:16.160 --> 00:20:23.600 Jesus answered and said to him, truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot enter the 00:20:23.600 --> 00:20:24.000 kingdom. 00:20:26.000 --> 00:20:26.890 Well, that's what Jesus says. 00:20:28.360 --> 00:20:31.220 Unless one is born again. 00:20:32.400 --> 00:20:33.770 He cannot see the kingdom. 00:20:35.020 --> 00:20:37.060 This is a must statement by Christ. 00:20:38.480 --> 00:20:41.400 Nicodemus, you want to understand how important my coming is to this earth. 00:20:41.400 --> 00:20:46.660 It was so necessary that unless you're born again, you cannot see the kingdom. 00:20:46.680 --> 00:20:48.280 I explained a little bit about the death. 00:20:48.460 --> 00:20:49.740 Let me explain a little bit about the birth. 00:20:50.200 --> 00:20:50.260 When? 00:20:50.420 --> 00:20:55.440 When we are born, we're born with an irreconcilable difference between God on our part. 00:20:55.440 --> 00:20:56.120 We're born dead. 00:20:56.120 --> 00:20:56.770 We're going to die physically. 00:20:57.140 --> 00:20:57.600 We're born dead spiritually. 00:20:58.340 --> 00:21:05.230 But Jesus comes before Nicodemus and saying, let me tell you how important this moment is, Nicodemus, that you think you're earning your way to me by law. 00:21:05.520 --> 00:21:06.560 But I'm telling you, it's impossible. 00:21:07.320 --> 00:21:12.240 You will earn your way to me by spirit, and it's by my death on the cross. 00:21:12.320 --> 00:21:15.290 That's going to happen unless you're born again spiritually. 00:21:15.380 --> 00:21:19.260 Because of what I'm about to do, you cannot enter the kingdom. 00:21:21.200 --> 00:21:25.880 And so Nicodemus, confused by this born again passage, he didn't have it defined for us like we did. 00:21:26.020 --> 00:21:28.700 He says this how can a man be born when he is old? 00:21:29.400 --> 00:21:32.690 He cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born again. 00:21:32.940 --> 00:21:33.100 Can we? 00:21:33.180 --> 00:21:36.180 I don't know where Nicodemus is imaginations going with this, but I don't want to follow. 00:21:36.620 --> 00:21:36.720 Right? 00:21:37.000 --> 00:21:38.370 That's just that is just weird. 00:21:38.460 --> 00:21:42.140 But Nicodemus is trying to reconcile being this thought of born again. 00:21:42.280 --> 00:21:43.240 Jesus is a new term. 00:21:43.520 --> 00:21:44.540 I don't quite understand it. 00:21:44.580 --> 00:21:46.850 And so Jesus then begins to explain. 00:21:46.880 --> 00:21:53.960 Through the rest of this passage, he explains this thought of being born again in chapter three and 00:21:53.960 --> 00:21:55.410 verse 4 to 8 is the first explanation. 00:21:56.220 --> 00:21:59.490 He says in the passage of Scripture, how can a man? 00:21:59.840 --> 00:22:06.200 Jesus answered, truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 00:22:06.500 --> 00:22:07.420 Now take note. 00:22:07.480 --> 00:22:08.580 This is the verse we started with. 00:22:09.120 --> 00:22:13.350 Unless one is born of the spirit and water, he cannot enter the kingdom. 00:22:13.400 --> 00:22:13.580 Let me. 00:22:13.860 --> 00:22:14.820 Let me explain to you. 00:22:14.880 --> 00:22:18.060 Jesus is playing on the thought of Nicodemus before. 00:22:18.580 --> 00:22:20.500 Nicodemus is thinking about a physical birth. 00:22:20.500 --> 00:22:24.340 So Jesus plays on that thought in verse five, born of water and of the spirit. 00:22:24.660 --> 00:22:26.770 And so he explains what those mean in verse six. 00:22:26.820 --> 00:22:32.760 He says that which is born of flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the spirit is spirit. 00:22:33.860 --> 00:22:37.070 The answer to verse five is found in verse six. 00:22:37.660 --> 00:22:39.100 So let me read that one more time to us. 00:22:40.020 --> 00:22:44.440 Jesus said, truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of the water and the spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom. 00:22:44.520 --> 00:22:48.380 That which is born of flesh is flesh, and that which is born of spirit is spirit. 00:22:48.720 --> 00:22:55.820 What Jesus is defining the physical birth as being born of water in the flesh, and the spiritual birth is being born in the 00:22:55.820 --> 00:22:56.360 spirit. 00:22:56.360 --> 00:22:59.510 Listen, if you want to be a part of God's kingdom, first of all you need to exist. 00:23:00.040 --> 00:23:02.150 And second of all, you need to put your faith in Christ. 00:23:02.360 --> 00:23:04.470 You've got to be reborn in spirit. 00:23:04.860 --> 00:23:10.280 It's not talking about water baptism in this passage, but physical baptism as we were born. 00:23:11.200 --> 00:23:14.930 And so in verse seven he says, do not be amazed that I say to you must be born again. 00:23:15.320 --> 00:23:19.780 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going. 00:23:20.120 --> 00:23:23.570 So is everyone who is born of the spirit. 00:23:25.540 --> 00:23:25.900 When? 00:23:26.240 --> 00:23:26.340 Jesus. 00:23:28.060 --> 00:23:29.860 Dies on the cross for our sins. 00:23:31.220 --> 00:23:35.380 The Bible tells us in first Corinthians 12 that we are all baptized in one spirit. 00:23:36.880 --> 00:23:38.790 There are two words for baptism in the New Testament. 00:23:38.960 --> 00:23:40.160 Baptism means to immerse. 00:23:40.240 --> 00:23:47.500 When the Bible talks about that immersion, it talks about it in two ways one, you're immersed in water by demonstrating your salvation in 00:23:47.500 --> 00:23:48.520 Christ when you're baptized. 00:23:49.180 --> 00:23:51.960 But before that happens, you're immersed in the spirit is belonging to Jesus. 00:23:53.700 --> 00:23:58.850 First Corinthians 316 and 619 tells us, you are the temple of God, and the Spirit of God indwells you. 00:24:00.200 --> 00:24:07.280 Meaning when Jesus reconciles you to himself because of what he's done on the cross, you get to enjoy that relationship with him 00:24:07.280 --> 00:24:08.220 for which you were created. 00:24:09.960 --> 00:24:15.080 It's telling us that it's no longer about buildings or rules or laws or legalism or religion. 00:24:15.080 --> 00:24:16.760 It's about relationship to him. 00:24:18.060 --> 00:24:23.560 When Jesus's Spirit indwells you, wherever you are in this world, you may engage in worship before your God. 00:24:25.500 --> 00:24:27.500 We worship both in spirit and truth. 00:24:27.580 --> 00:24:34.660 It tells us in John four when Jesus is talking about being born, and again in this passage, he's saying, not only is it necessary 00:24:34.660 --> 00:24:38.130 for you to be born physically, but you've got to be born spiritually. 00:24:38.680 --> 00:24:43.820 And when you're born spiritually, the Spirit of God enters in your life and you may not understand it because it's like the wind. 00:24:45.460 --> 00:24:47.940 You can't see where the wind is blowing, but the wind is all. 00:24:48.020 --> 00:24:49.200 Or you can see where the wind is blowing. 00:24:49.260 --> 00:24:52.400 But you can't see the wind unless someone here has some kind of special powers. 00:24:54.260 --> 00:24:55.540 But the Spirit of God. 00:24:56.760 --> 00:25:03.980 Moves in such a way that when you recognize what Jesus has done for you, and you place your faith in him, that spirit gives life to your life, 00:25:04.060 --> 00:25:06.500 that you may enjoy that relationship with God. 00:25:06.500 --> 00:25:09.790 And Nicodemus still doesn't understand this, and he's a teacher of the law. 00:25:09.980 --> 00:25:11.940 He's got to understand why he's taking the stand. 00:25:12.160 --> 00:25:13.740 And so Nicodemus said to him, how? 00:25:13.900 --> 00:25:14.940 How can these things be? 00:25:15.880 --> 00:25:20.940 And Jesus answered and said to him, are you the teacher of Israel, and do not understand these things? 00:25:21.700 --> 00:25:27.010 Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know and testify of what we have seen, and you do not accept our testimony. 00:25:27.400 --> 00:25:31.980 If I told you earthly things and you do not believe, how are you going to believe if I tell you heavenly things? 00:25:33.060 --> 00:25:40.100 No one has ascended into heaven, but he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man, as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so, the Son 00:25:40.100 --> 00:25:46.380 of Man will be lifted up, so that whoever believes will in him have eternal life. 00:25:47.500 --> 00:25:49.150 Here's what Jesus is saying listen to your teacher. 00:25:49.240 --> 00:25:51.220 You think that you know everything and you don't. 00:25:52.100 --> 00:25:53.520 Here's what you need to do. 00:25:53.520 --> 00:25:54.360 You need to listen to me. 00:25:55.900 --> 00:26:03.040 And I just want to say to everyone here this morning, I don't care where you've come from, Jesus doesn't care about 00:26:03.040 --> 00:26:03.620 your past. 00:26:03.620 --> 00:26:04.860 It's covered in his cross. 00:26:04.860 --> 00:26:07.420 What Jesus is thinking about is your future in him. 00:26:07.600 --> 00:26:09.380 Jesus desires for you to know him. 00:26:09.380 --> 00:26:11.700 God's got a glorious plan for you. 00:26:11.740 --> 00:26:13.280 It doesn't matter where you come from. 00:26:13.280 --> 00:26:17.640 It doesn't even matter if you feel like you're sneaking in at dark just to figure this Jesus thing out. 00:26:18.960 --> 00:26:21.940 But what Jesus makes here is an important point for all of us. 00:26:21.940 --> 00:26:29.200 And just saying, no matter what people in this world tell you, no matter what people in this world want to press you into believing like Nicodemus feels pressured by 00:26:29.200 --> 00:26:30.280 the Pharisees. 00:26:30.380 --> 00:26:34.120 If you just go with Jesus, you will not make a mistake. 00:26:34.380 --> 00:26:35.400 Who cares? 00:26:35.400 --> 00:26:36.120 Jesus. 00:26:36.940 --> 00:26:37.920 It's all about him. 00:26:39.980 --> 00:26:40.560 He tells Nicodemus. 00:26:42.460 --> 00:26:43.740 You think you've got it figured out? 00:26:45.140 --> 00:26:47.460 But listen, you're mistaken because in all of this, you're just. 00:26:47.700 --> 00:26:49.530 You're just not listening to me. 00:26:51.460 --> 00:26:52.880 It's all about Christ. 00:26:55.280 --> 00:27:01.130 And so Jesus gets the place in the Bible that we probably would refer to as one of the most popular portions of Scripture. 00:27:01.960 --> 00:27:04.020 And Jesus finally says this. 00:27:04.020 --> 00:27:06.910 Nicodemus, let me just outline everything that I explained to you in the beginning. 00:27:07.380 --> 00:27:08.620 For God so loved the world. 00:27:08.660 --> 00:27:11.660 God is love and God has lavished his love upon you. 00:27:12.220 --> 00:27:15.180 God in his grace has created you for his love. 00:27:15.180 --> 00:27:22.300 And he says, For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that Jesus has come, and he's given his life for you, that whoever believes in him shall not 00:27:22.300 --> 00:27:22.780 perish. 00:27:22.780 --> 00:27:30.140 Where you couldn't reconcile that relationship, Christ has done everything it takes, which is why on the cross he shouts to testify on 00:27:30.140 --> 00:27:33.240 your behalf, meaning it's paid in full the debt that you owe. 00:27:33.320 --> 00:27:35.620 But have we have eternal life? 00:27:36.800 --> 00:27:37.320 This is his promise. 00:27:39.680 --> 00:27:47.480 And just for Nicodemus, I think, and just for the religious mentality of people in the world, he gives us verse 17 before 00:27:47.480 --> 00:27:50.900 we read this, I want to say our default mode as people. 00:27:52.120 --> 00:27:52.980 As to live religiously. 00:27:54.720 --> 00:27:59.240 Our default mode at people with as people is to prove our worth. 00:28:00.680 --> 00:28:04.400 As people, we have a difficult time accepting grace and forgiveness. 00:28:04.460 --> 00:28:11.720 We feel like we owe debt to people, but when it comes to God, it's important to recognize the debt is so large you could never 00:28:11.720 --> 00:28:13.000 hope to pay it. 00:28:13.140 --> 00:28:13.810 It is impossible. 00:28:16.360 --> 00:28:20.990 And so in verse 17, talking to the religious thinking of Nicodemus, he says this. 00:28:21.160 --> 00:28:27.280 For God did not send the son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through him. 00:28:29.440 --> 00:28:36.720 Listen, if you're in religion and you're in that mentality and you feel judged and you feel 00:28:36.720 --> 00:28:43.940 worthless and you feel like you can never own up to what the demands are, I just want you to know what Jesus said 00:28:44.020 --> 00:28:45.400 to Nicodemus in that setting. 00:28:45.560 --> 00:28:51.740 He said, For God did not send the son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through him. 00:28:52.820 --> 00:28:58.640 If there were any other way to reconcile yourself to God, than Jesus wouldn't even had to have come. 00:29:00.040 --> 00:29:07.040 He could have just left it up to you in your own ability, but knowing that it was impossible, Jesus came for you and he came for you not 00:29:07.040 --> 00:29:09.240 to judge you because you've already been judged. 00:29:09.280 --> 00:29:11.260 You know what judges you the law. 00:29:11.260 --> 00:29:12.480 You know what the law proves to us? 00:29:12.680 --> 00:29:14.820 That we can't merit God's favor. 00:29:14.820 --> 00:29:15.900 It's impossible. 00:29:15.940 --> 00:29:18.560 It said in Romans 320 that we saw together. 00:29:18.560 --> 00:29:25.880 But what he's saying in this passage that praise God by his grace, in forgiveness, in those moments that you're running from God, 00:29:25.880 --> 00:29:32.000 like Adam and Eve in the garden, God is running after you because he desires your heart. 00:29:32.080 --> 00:29:37.070 He desires that relationship through which he has created you for. 00:29:38.080 --> 00:29:39.540 Not to judge the world. 00:29:40.480 --> 00:29:41.720 Because the world already stands condemned. 00:29:43.880 --> 00:29:47.020 But rather to save the world through him. 00:29:48.360 --> 00:29:52.580 Verse 18 but he who believes in him is not judged. 00:29:53.740 --> 00:30:01.200 He who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 00:30:01.200 --> 00:30:01.840 What matters. 00:30:03.440 --> 00:30:04.990 What matters is Jesus. 00:30:06.460 --> 00:30:12.160 Not other people's relationship with you according to what you want to believe, but your relationship with Christ. 00:30:14.140 --> 00:30:21.000 And I know the accusations that are sometimes made to a story that Christ shares in John chapter three, which is seems too easy. 00:30:22.820 --> 00:30:25.280 It seems too easy that God would just do this for us. 00:30:25.340 --> 00:30:27.680 But let me just remind you, it's not about what you do. 00:30:28.260 --> 00:30:31.730 It's about the fact that he's created you for relationship as a creature for worship. 00:30:32.240 --> 00:30:35.540 God has created you for him, and God knows that. 00:30:35.540 --> 00:30:38.560 And God knows as you come to him, he strengthens you. 00:30:38.600 --> 00:30:39.680 He encourages you. 00:30:39.740 --> 00:30:42.720 He builds you up to reflect his beauty in this world. 00:30:43.740 --> 00:30:51.020 But without that relationship, not without being able to answer why I even exist to begin with, we're left at a shot in the dark as to how to live 00:30:51.020 --> 00:30:52.040 in this world. 00:30:53.400 --> 00:30:57.420 God created us for relationship in him. 00:30:59.100 --> 00:31:01.440 And some may still say it seems too easy. 00:31:01.500 --> 00:31:05.560 And I would just say to this for us it is. 00:31:06.960 --> 00:31:09.660 But for Jesus, it cost him everything. 00:31:12.420 --> 00:31:15.330 His grace is free for us. 00:31:15.780 --> 00:31:16.620 That's what Grace is. 00:31:18.040 --> 00:31:21.320 Grace is unmerited favor that you never deserved. 00:31:21.700 --> 00:31:28.720 Which is why, as a body of believers, as we come to realize this, the reason that we serve God isn't because we feel obligated 00:31:28.720 --> 00:31:31.860 to or because we have to, or we think that life is about doing good. 00:31:32.100 --> 00:31:39.100 The reason that we serve God is that we look at a God who is so gracious, and a God who was so loving, and a God who created us for his good 00:31:39.100 --> 00:31:39.900 intentions and purposes. 00:31:40.660 --> 00:31:47.820 And out of that love and out of that grace that we have never experienced in any other relationship before in this world, we just praise his name and demonstrate 00:31:47.840 --> 00:31:48.620 him in this world. 00:31:49.640 --> 00:31:53.040 We don't serve God out of obligation, but rather we serve God out of joy. 00:31:53.980 --> 00:31:58.480 We enjoy the relationship that God has given us because he didn't have to do it. 00:31:59.300 --> 00:32:00.640 From the moment Adam and Eve sinned. 00:32:00.760 --> 00:32:06.140 God was completely just and condemning all of mankind, but in his love he has extended to you. 00:32:06.140 --> 00:32:09.840 And in these moments, he has offered you his grace, that you may hear his message of beauty. 00:32:10.160 --> 00:32:10.940 And from a place of joy. 00:32:11.340 --> 00:32:16.020 Look at a God who loves you so much and just say Jesus, knowing what it's cost you. 00:32:16.280 --> 00:32:19.360 I'm giving you my life with all of my heart. 00:32:20.480 --> 00:32:21.500 God, I love you. 00:32:23.720 --> 00:32:28.900 No greater love has a man ever seen than what Christ has done for you. 00:32:31.060 --> 00:32:34.080 It may be easy on our part, but it cost God everything. 00:32:37.400 --> 00:32:39.020 Which leaves me with maybe a thought in my head. 00:32:41.220 --> 00:32:45.780 If it seems so easy, why haven't you done it? 00:32:49.620 --> 00:32:51.880 Jesus went out of his way to declare his coming. 00:32:51.960 --> 00:32:56.660 The significance of his coming, why he's coming, your need for his life. 00:32:56.800 --> 00:33:00.140 And you, why haven't you trusted in that? 00:33:01.460 --> 00:33:03.480 Obviously, speaking to those who may not have. 00:33:06.200 --> 00:33:08.420 Maybe Jesus would say that to Nicodemus in these moments. 00:33:10.500 --> 00:33:14.360 Nicodemus, I know the pressure that you're facing. 00:33:15.900 --> 00:33:19.300 I know that your Pharisee friends want you to ignore me. 00:33:21.240 --> 00:33:23.140 But you need to understand how important I am. 00:33:25.100 --> 00:33:25.880 I am life. 00:33:27.680 --> 00:33:32.980 When Jesus said in John 14 six, I am the way, I am the truth, I am the life. 00:33:34.840 --> 00:33:36.370 If you want truth, go to Jesus. 00:33:36.900 --> 00:33:36.940 If. 00:33:37.100 --> 00:33:39.890 If you want to know the way God desires for you, go to Jesus. 00:33:40.180 --> 00:33:43.250 If you want life, go to Jesus. 00:33:45.160 --> 00:33:45.700 And the end. 00:33:45.700 --> 00:33:48.480 The only opinion that matters is Jesus. 00:33:50.840 --> 00:33:57.980 For God so loved the world, he gave his only begotten son, that whoever believes in him will not perish but have 00:33:58.180 --> 00:33:59.060 everlasting life. 00:34:00.520 --> 00:34:07.600 In John three and verse three, Jesus said to Nicodemus, Unless one is born again, you 00:34:07.600 --> 00:34:09.880 must be born again to see his kingdom. 00:34:11.420 --> 00:34:17.460 When we come to this place in Scripture today, because it relates to us in baptism, why baptize? 00:34:18.360 --> 00:34:22.650 If baptism isn't what saves, but Jesus is what saves, then why baptism? 00:34:24.000 --> 00:34:28.500 And the reason is because baptism identifies the salvation that Christ has brought. 00:34:29.560 --> 00:34:33.040 When we go to get baptized, we go into the water and we're totally immersed. 00:34:33.080 --> 00:34:35.520 Just like just like the Spirit of God immerses you in him. 00:34:36.540 --> 00:34:42.639 God made baptism as a point in our lives to make a big deal of this salvation he's brought. 00:34:44.080 --> 00:34:51.300 God made baptism important for you as an individual today because you are celebrating God's story of redemption taking place 00:34:51.300 --> 00:34:52.300 in your life. 00:34:53.520 --> 00:35:00.660 Meaning, when you go through Scripture and you start in Genesis three and you see God pursuing man and God proclaiming the coming of Jesus and God 00:35:00.660 --> 00:35:06.620 prophetically revealing how Jesus will come, and then Jesus culminating his coming to earth to die for your sins. 00:35:06.680 --> 00:35:13.800 This story of God's redemption being played out is now finally culminating to a realistic story in your life and in your heart 00:35:13.800 --> 00:35:14.630 and in your mind. 00:35:14.780 --> 00:35:17.900 It has it has met the crossroads for you personally. 00:35:18.220 --> 00:35:25.180 And we celebrate God's story of redemption being made known in your personal life through the thought of baptism. 00:35:27.600 --> 00:35:34.620 Baptism demonstrates to us that just as Jesus was buried and rose again, so you go into the water as your 00:35:34.620 --> 00:35:42.160 old self, being buried in the water in your old self, and resurrected in life, in your new self, in Christ you have been born 00:35:42.160 --> 00:35:42.860 again. 00:35:43.080 --> 00:35:50.140 As it says in John three, we're symbolizing the cleansing that takes place when we step into the water of the 00:35:50.140 --> 00:35:57.580 old self that needed the forgiveness of Christ, being washed clean by the blood of Jesus and being resurrected new in that relationship 00:35:57.580 --> 00:36:05.540 with Christ, we're recognizing the baptism and the Father and Son and the Holy Spirit in Matthew 2819, demonstrating 00:36:05.540 --> 00:36:08.540 the completion of God's plan on your behalf. 00:36:10.800 --> 00:36:17.500 For us, baptism is a symbol of a wedding ceremony that Jesus desires for you. 00:36:17.740 --> 00:36:24.560 Because when Jesus came and Jesus died for his church, he referred to his church as his bride. 00:36:24.560 --> 00:36:31.660 And so publicly in ceremony form, you have the opportunity to stand in the water before believers and before this world and 00:36:31.660 --> 00:36:38.780 saying, just as Jesus has come for me and just as Jesus is referenced as my groom, I'm declaring that I am his bride 00:36:38.780 --> 00:36:44.140 and acknowledging before this world that I desire to pursue him in this relationship. 00:36:47.020 --> 00:36:53.600 Baptism is a symbol that, just as Jesus has given his life for you. 00:36:54.600 --> 00:36:58.480 So you are offering your life in return to him. 00:37:00.280 --> 00:37:04.640 Jesus is not just Savior, but Jesus is also Lord. 00:37:07.460 --> 00:37:13.640 The beauty of baptism is that it's our way of declaring that we are no longer coming to Jesus in the night. 00:37:15.300 --> 00:37:21.650 As Nicodemus, but publicly showing what he has done for us, as John three describes. 00:37:23.740 --> 00:37:30.460 And so maybe this morning, for us as we think about God's redemption story on our behalf, culminating here in John three. 00:37:31.960 --> 00:37:36.370 Remember why God has made you, why you exist. 00:37:37.900 --> 00:37:42.920 God didn't need you, but he wants you, and he desires to lavish his love on you. 00:37:44.040 --> 00:37:51.500 All of the Bible has been God's story of his pursuit of you in redemption, and your baptism 00:37:51.500 --> 00:37:55.800 becomes your response to Jesus based on the salvation that he's brought you. 00:37:55.800 --> 00:38:00.300 As you put your faith in him, he's given his life for you. 00:38:01.380 --> 00:38:03.920 And so in return, you give your life to him.