I. Rebirth from aboveA. Spiritual Rebirth

1. Nicodemus was a Pharisee, a leader of the Jews. 2. A Pharisee (according to Bing)

member of ancient Jewish religious group: a member of an ancient Jewish religious group who followed the Oral Law in addition to the Torah and attempted to live in a constant state of purity

self-righteous or hypocritical person: a self-righteous, hypocritical, or sanctimonious person

[ Pre-12th century. Via ecclesiastical Latin < Greek pharisaios < Aramaic prīšayyā "those who are separate"]

a) John 3:5-7 Jesus answered, saying to him, Truly, truly, I say to you, I f a man is not born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. What is born of flesh is flesh; and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be surprised because I have told you that you all must be born again.

b) I deduce that the change is instantaneous and cannot be measured.

II. Water and SpiritA. Spiritual Baptism explained

1. Jesus had to address this question because baptism is a very important fundamental sacrament that we adhere to—that of baptism of water for the forgiveness of our sins.

2. This question has made an impact for thousands of years after the fact. It makes the difference as to whether we are able to enter the kingdom of God and decides our eternity.a) Why of water?

Baptism – submersion in water is symbolic for purification. Matthew 3:6-11 – And they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, as they confessed their sins. But when he saw a great many of the Pharisees and Sadducees who were coming to be baptized, he said to them, O offspring of scorpions, who has warned you to escape from the anger which is to come? Bring forth therefore fruits which are worthy of repentance; And do not think and say within yourselves, We have Abraham as our father; for I say to you that God can raise up children to Abraham from these stones. Behold, the axe is already placed at the root of the trees; therefore, every tree which bears not good fruits shall be cut down and cast into the fire. I am only baptizing you with water for repentance; but he who is coming after me is greater than I, one whose shoes I am not worthy to remove; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

b) Why of spirit?We are must put our flesh (sinful nature) to death and be born again in the Spirit because we need to partake in the nature of God who is Spirit.

Romans 6:4-6 – Therefore, we are buried with him by baptism into death, so that as Jesus Christ rose from the dead by the glory of his Father, even so we also shall walk into a new life. For if we have been planted together with him in the likeness of his death, so shall we be also in the likeness of his resurrection: For we know that our old selves are crucified with him, so that the sinful body might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

Romans 8:1-4 – There is therefore no condemnation to them who walk in the flesh after the Spirit of Jesus Christ. For the law of the Spirit of life which is in Jesus Christ has made you free from the law of sin and death. For the law was weak through the weakness of the flesh, so God sent his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin, in order to condemn sin by means of his flesh, that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us; for we do not walk after the things of the flesh, but after the Spirit.

III. Flesh and SpiritA) The Battle

1) Flesh as defined by a dictionary pertains to our physical body. The “flesh” pertains to our carnal desires, but is not limited to sinful or immortal desires—it also pertains to human emotion and immoral thoughts and/or feelings such as, envy.

2) The Spirit as defined by a dictionary pertains to an incorporeal consciousness or a supernatural state of being. The “spirit” pertains to the supernatural existence of God of which we partake when we are born again. a) We might not be able to see the wind, but we are able to hear it and feel it. Such is the

effect spiritual baptism can have on a human life; we might not be able to see it, but we will be able to feel it and experience it. When we are born again in the Spirit, we might not be able to see a physical manifestation of the birth, but we might be able to see the consequences of the rebirth in the person’s actions, words, and behavior or in other words, in the person’s testimony.

b) The testimony of being able to become Children of God through the forgiveness of sins and spiritual rebirth.

IV. The Snake in the WildernessA) Salvation

1) The Bronze Snake

Numbers 21:6 - The Bronze Snake

4 Then the people of Israel set out from Mount Hor, taking the road to the Red Sea[c] to go around the land of Edom. But the people grew impatient with the long journey, 5 and they began to speak against God and Moses. “Why have you brought us out of Egypt to die here in the wilderness?” they complained. “There is nothing to eat here and nothing to drink. And we hate this horrible manna!”

6 So the LORD sent poisonous snakes among the people, and many were bitten and died. 7 Then the people came to Moses and cried out, “We have sinned by speaking against the LORD and against you. Pray that the LORD will take away the snakes.” So Moses prayed for the people.

8 Then the LORD told him, “Make a replica of a poisonous snake and attach it to a pole. All who are bitten will live if they simply look at it!” 9 So Moses made a snake out of bronze and attached it to a pole. Then anyone who was bitten by a snake could look at the bronze snake and be healed!

2) The people of Israel used the bronze snake and benefitted from it. a) John 14:6 - Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh

unto the Father, but by me.b) The difference between the snake and Jesus is that the bronze snake was just a replica

of the real thing, but Jesus is God.

V. The Love of GodA) The Ultimate Sacrifice

1) God loves us because we are his special creation that has been created in His image.a) Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ’s death, and the Resurrection are products of God’s love for us.b) John 3:16-19 - 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. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

VI. Life EternalA) The Ultimate Gift

1) Eternal life is a gift for there is nothing you can do to “earn” it.a) No, there is only eternal life, but it can be eternal life in hell or in heaven.b) We partly decide by choosing whether or not to accept Jesus Christ, but at the end God

has the final word on Judgment Day.VII. Judgment

A) The revelation of the light1. Our works will be judged and we are free condemnation if we have believed and accepted

Jesus Christ.a) Judgment will take place when Jesus Christ comes for His Church.b) I have believed in Jesus Christ, but my daily life is a struggle. I need to ask forgiveness on

a daily basis in order to make sure my life is on track.VIII. Unbelief

A) There was unbelief in Nicodemus because he was trying to understand Jesus’ message with his human mind.1) John 3:36 - And anyone who believes in God’s Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn’t obey the

Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God’s angry judgment.a) Jesus means that we must accept the sacrifice the God made for us, accept to live by the

Spirit, and to walk in the Spirit in order for our works to be pleasing to God. Also that we can be ready so when God comes to judge humankind.

b) He wants us to believe in him because in believing in him we are free from condemnation.

IX. He must increaseA) Life through death

1. Who must increase? a) What must increase? (plz say more than God)b) What must become lesser? (plz say more than pride)