Posts
Pastor Greg
John 2
February 9, 2014 Sunday
There are things we should know and
there are things we do know.
Should know:
John 3:16 (KJV)
For God so loved the world, that
he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not
perish, but have everlasting life.
Jesus speaks with the famous
Nicodemus, he is a great person to represent all of us in font of God.
John 2:23-25 (NIV)
Now while he was in Jerusalem at
the Passover Festival, many people saw the signs he was performing and believed
in his name. [24] But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all
people. [25] He did not need any testimony about mankind, for he knew what was
in each person.
Paraphrase: They believed in
Jesus but Jesus did not believe in them. They saw his miracles but it was not
genuine faith.
1. First Nicodemus and Jesus were
face to face.
Movement 1:
John 3:2-3 (NIV)
He came to Jesus at night and
said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one
could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.” [3] Jesus
replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they
are born again. ”
Nicodemus was a leader of the
Pharisees, the most powerful ruling group in Israel at the time.
John 3:2 (NIV)
He came to Jesus at night
Better to have a great ending
with a poor beginning then a poor ending with a great beginning.
Finishing the race well is the most
important part, if you fall you must get up and continue.
John 19:39 (NIV)
He was accompanied by Nicodemus,
the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of
myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds.
John 3:2 (NIV)
“Rabbi, we know that you are a
teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing
if God were not with him.”
John 3:4 (NIV)
“How can someone be born when
they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into
their mother’s womb to be born!”
Most people come to Christ when
they are young. That has a lot to do with older people not liking change. That
doesn't mean that older people are beyond hope.
Don't write anyone off regardless
of their age.
Like a sword these words pierced
Nicodemus' heart: John 3:3 (NIV)
Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell
you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again. ”
What does it mean to be born
again: it means you have had your spiritual eyes open to Jesus as your savior.
There is no phrase that can
"make someone born again" only God can do that.
Jesus was saying, "Nicodemus
your religious beliefs are not enough."
Greg thinks that people's
religion has kept more people from knowing Jesus then any other sin. Following
Jesus is not being religious.
2. Nicodemus and Jesus are now
coming mind to mind.
Movement 2:
John 3:4-8 (NIV)
“How can someone be born when
they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into
their mother’s womb to be born!” [5] Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no
one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.
[6] Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. [7] You
should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ [8] The wind
blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it
comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”
3. Finally they are heart to
heart.
Movement 3:
John 3:9-11 (NIV)
“How can this be?” Nicodemus
asked. [10] “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand
these things? [11] Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we
testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony.
John 3:14 (NIV)
Just as Moses lifted up the snake
in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,
Isaiah 45:21 (NIV)
Declare what is to be, present
it---let them take counsel together. Who foretold this long ago, who declared
it from the distant past? Was it not I, the Lord? And there is no God apart
from me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none but me.
During this conversation is when
the most famous of all scriptures is said by Jesus:
John 3:16 (NIV)
For God so loved the world that
he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but
have eternal life.
Greg believes that God died for
the whole world not just an elect few. God predestined some people for Heaven.
The rest have only free will to chose God and go to Heaven.
God reaches us through his Son,
not through ritual.
If you are part of John 3:16 then
you are not part of:
Revelation 20:15 (NIV)
Anyone whose name was not found
written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.
When you are born from above you
are given the gift of God:
1 John 5:13 (NIV)
I write these things to you who
believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have
eternal life.
Greg was adopted by Oscar Laurie,
that is where he got his last name. Oscar was the only one that Greg ever
called Dad. Then Greg's mom left him, and Greg didn't see him again as a child.
Greg found Oscar when he got
older. Greg shared his faith with him at the first dinner they had together.
Oscar accepted Jesus as his savior.
Oscar was 75 years old when he
accepted Jesus.
Are you born again?
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