Jesus Knows Your Heart

We're continuing on this morning in our walk through the story of Jesus according to John.

If you have your Bible with you, please open it up. I'd encourage you to do that and to follow along.

If you don't have one, make use of the Pew Bible. We have that there for you as well.

And last Sunday we looked at and we talked about what does it mean to be born again?

It's kind of a big question and we got into that a little bit, Jesus' conversation with Nicodemus.

We learned a little bit about what Jesus had to say about that, that there's this second birth that we must undergo to enter the kingdom of God.

And it's not a physical rebirth, it's a spiritual birth, something God does in us by his spirit.

But we're going to continue on looking at this conversation that Jesus had with Nicodemus and find out how this conversation ended up.

Because we kind of had that big question last Sunday of, well, how is this going to turn out for Nicodemus?

What's going to happen with him here in this story?

So let's just kind of remember what got us into this conversation in the first place.

John kind of gave this summary.

Jesus went up to Jerusalem and he was there for the Passover and the week which followed.

And it says this in verse 23, it says that many people saw the signs he was performing and believed in his name.

But Jesus would not entrust himself to them for he knew all people.

He did not need any testimony about mankind for he knew what was in each person.

So Jesus seems to have this knowledge of people that goes beyond what just any ordinary person would have of another person.

Nicodemus said this in his first thing he said to Jesus.

He said, no one could perform the signs you're doing if God were not with him.

But let's also notice that his disciples saw that he has this knowledge of people that no one could have unless God were with him.

And as we'll find out, it's even more than that.

So that's what we're looking at this morning.

We're looking at this truth of what Jesus knows about people.

I put it up there on the screen in a different translation just to give you a little bit of a sense of the word for word.

Jesus on his part was not entrusting himself to those people at the Passover and the festival.

For he knew all men.

And because he did not need anyone to testify concerning man.

For he himself knew what was in a man.

What is John telling us here?

As I was studying deeper into this, one of the things that really just jumped off the page was the tense of the verbs in the original language.

It's a very grammatical thing, but it really does give us a whole other sense of what John is talking about here.

So to kind of just give you a little bit of a picture,

this is not a good English translation, but it kind of gives a sense of the tense of the verbs that John uses.

But Jesus was not entrusting himself to them.

That's to the people who saw his signs and believed.

For he was knowing all men.

And because he was not having need that anyone testify concerning man.

For he himself was knowing what was in man.

So you get a sense a little bit from the tense of the verbs here.

This is not John just kind of reflecting back and here's a principle that I found out later.

Jesus knows what's in people's hearts.

No, the sense of it here is that here Jesus is at the festival.

And as he's having interactions with people, his disciples are watching and they're noticing that he has knowledge of the people that he's talking to and interacting with.

He knows things about them.

Specific things.

It's kind of a sense.

You almost get the sense that it happened repeatedly.

And as they're watching this, the disciples notice that Jesus isn't getting information about these various people from anyone.

Like there's nobody running background checks on them and slipping him notes about this person or that person.

You get the sense that as he has these interactions with people, he just knows things about them.

Just like he did with Nathaniel when he said, I saw you sitting under the fig tree.

Not only does he know things about people, but John tells us that he was knowing what was in them.

He was knowing what was in man.

And probably the NIV has it right when it says that he was knowing what was in or he knew what was in each person.

And so this whole story of Nicodemus, this conversation is an example of that.

John has just made the point.

Jesus knows what is in people.

He knows what's in a man.

And then he goes off into this story of Nicodemus.

And here's an example of the kind of thing that I'm talking about when I say that.

And to see that link, you can look just at the beginning of chapter 3 and the very end of chapter 2.

It's on the screen there.

For he himself knew what was in man.

Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus.

So Nicodemus is the case.

He's the case test, the example.

And so that's where we're going this morning.

We're going to look at what does Jesus know about Nicodemus?

And I think that's really the main purpose why John has included this in the story at this point.

You remember that first thing that Nicodemus said to Jesus?

This is how the conversation starts.

Nicodemus says,

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.

And already, right off the bat, we start to see this contrast starting.

John's putting this in to tell us about what Jesus knows.

But the conversation starts with Nicodemus telling Jesus what he knows about Jesus.

Or what he and his fellow Pharisees, members of the ruling council, think they know about Jesus.

We've seen the signs that you're doing.

And so we know that you are a teacher.

We know that you're a teacher.

But even here, you know, we start to see this contrast.

I mean, John's just told us, Jesus knows what's in a man.

He knows people.

And the picture we get of Nicodemus and the Pharisees here

is just of ordinary people just trying to figure out,

who is this Jesus guy?

What's his deal?

I mean, we're seeing the miracles.

So he's got to be at least a teacher.

They don't really know who Jesus is.

And this contrast just gets stronger and stronger

as we go throughout this conversation with Nicodemus.

So let's be reminded of it a little bit.

The first thing we see is right after this, Jesus kind of responds.

We looked at this last Sunday.

He tells Nicodemus that he has to be born again

to enter the kingdom of God.

So Jesus knows that entrance into the kingdom of God

requires second birth.

And Nicodemus responds with,

how can a man be born when he's old?

He doesn't know what Jesus is talking about.

That's the first part of the conversation.

Then it goes on from there.

And we see that Jesus knows that this second birth

is a spiritual birth.

is something that God does by his spirit in a person.

And Nicodemus in verse 6, it says he's surprised.

He wonders at this

because he still doesn't know what Jesus is talking about.

Jesus goes on.

He talks about what he knows,

how being born of the spirit is,

it's like the wind.

He gives an analogy.

He explains it a little bit.

In fact, he even kind of says that

just like the wind,

it's not something that,

I guess, ordinary man, we might say,

can understand

because we can't see

the spiritual

just like we can't see the wind.

Nicodemus' response is,

how can this be?

How can these things be?

He still doesn't know

what Jesus is talking about.

So you see this.

Jesus knows

what's in a man

and he knows all these things.

But Nicodemus,

he doesn't know.

He doesn't understand, really,

what Jesus is talking about.

Eventually, it comes down to a bit of a head

in verse 10

where Jesus

chides

Nicodemus.

He says,

you are Israel's teacher

and do you not understand

these things?

Another word for no.

This is really a big theme here.

And can you imagine

how Nicodemus is feeling

as he hears this?

Imagine how you'd be feeling

if you're him,

you know,

and Jesus

looks you in the eye

and says this to you

in front of other people.

You are Israel's teacher

and do you not understand

these things?

Like, I imagine

I'd be feeling

a little bit embarrassed,

maybe a little bit humiliated

or shamed,

you know,

like,

if I'm proud,

maybe a little bit

even angry.

Like, what do you mean?

Are you telling me

that this

born again

of the spirit stuff

is like the basics

and I don't get it?

Or are you saying

that I'm not qualified

to be a teacher

in Israel?

But we want to give Nicodemus

a little bit of slack.

I mean,

it's easy for us

to look at him

and think,

oh,

poor Nicodemus.

He just doesn't get it.

But let's think about

what we know,

what we understand.

Put yourself in the room there

with the disciples

as Jesus

starts saying

these things

to Nicodemus.

If you want to enter

the kingdom of God,

you need to be born again.

Do you know

what Jesus

is talking about?

Do you understand

spiritual birth

and what all that entails

and how it works?

I think if we're honest,

we have to admit

that just like

we can't see the wind,

we don't really know

how the spiritual works.

We're kind of a little bit

in the same boat

as Nicodemus.

Jesus knows these things

as if they're,

you know,

this is how it is

and we don't really know

what he's talking about either.

We have what he says

to go on

and what we have

in other places

of the word of God.

But this is something

that we don't fully understand.

Spiritual birth?

Another thing

that kind of

gets at us

and we're kind of

drawn in

to ask this question

as we go through the story

is what's really going on

with Nicodemus here?

Let me ask you the question.

Do you know

if Nicodemus

is a true believer

or not?

Any thoughts?

There's been some indication

a little bit

on both sides.

I mean,

he started out good

in what he said.

He kind of seems

to be an example

of one who's

seen the miracles

and has believed

in his name.

But he's also

an example

of someone

who Jesus

did not entrust himself

to.

He started out good

by saying,

we know that you

are a teacher

who has come from God

because we've seen

the miracles

and no one

can do those things

unless God

were with him.

But then on the other side,

just a teacher?

What about

the Messiah?

What about

some of these

other things

that John the Baptizer

has been saying

that the other disciples

have confessed

about Christ?

Is Nicodemus

a true believer

or not?

We don't know.

And I'm going to guess

that probably

Jesus' disciples

are wondering too.

They're kind of

looking at it

from the same kind

of human perspective

that we have.

What's really going on

here with Nicodemus?

Is he going to join us?

Is he one of us?

Does he believe?

Even as we come down

to verse 9,

Nicodemus,

after all this

talk of being

born of the Spirit,

he says,

how can this be?

We don't even know

what he meant by that.

Was that

an expression of wonder?

Was it an expression

that was,

was it a sincere question?

How can these things be?

Like,

how does it work?

Was this a statement

of skepticism?

Like,

how can this be?

Or unbelief?

unbelief.

Does Nicodemus agree

with all this stuff

that Jesus has been saying

or does he disagree

with it?

We don't know.

Because we don't know

what's in a man.

What's really going on

in the heart

of a person.

And this is,

this is where we come

to this pinnacle moment

in the passage

because Jesus

does know

whether Nicodemus

is a true believer

or not.

He does know

what's going on

in Nicodemus' heart.

And he's actually

about to tell us

that,

he's about to tell

Nicodemus

what Nicodemus

really believes.

And so let's

see that

as we read on.

Jesus says,

very truly,

verse 11,

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.

Now there's a couple

things in here

we want to just notice

before we get

to the answer.

Jesus speaks

in the first,

the first person plural.

He says,

we.

Who are the we?

Now,

commentators

and scholars,

they've put a whole

bunch of different

ideas to this.

At the end of the day,

we don't really know

what Jesus meant

by that.

Don't take it

as gospel truth.

My best guess

is that perhaps

other things

were talked about

in this conversation,

in this exchange,

and John the Baptist,

baptizer,

came up

and Jesus is

including him

in this statement.

You know,

we speak of

what we know

and we testify

to what we have seen.

John had seen

some things

about Jesus

that God

had revealed to him.

He was a true

prophet of the Lord.

And his purpose,

John has already told us,

was to testify

to what he

had seen

about Jesus,

what the Lord

revealed to him

about Jesus.

And so perhaps

he is included

by Jesus

in this statement.

But either way,

let's not miss

what is present here.

At the very least,

Jesus is referring

to himself.

You can almost read

that right into the words.

Very truly,

I tell you,

I speak

of what I know

and I testify

to what I have seen.

But still,

you do not

accept our testimony.

The word people

is not there

in the original.

It's actually you

plural.

We don't have that

in English.

Y'all would be

the closest

approximation.

So,

he's speaking

to Nicodemus

about Nicodemus,

but also about

his associates,

the Pharisees.

I tell you,

I speak to you

of what I know,

says Jesus.

I testify

to you

what I have seen.

But you,

Nicodemus,

do not accept

my testimony.

So there it is

right there.

Jesus has made it clear.

Nicodemus

has not accepted

his testimony.

And in case

there's any doubt,

in the next verse,

Jesus makes it

crystal clear.

He says it again

to Nicodemus.

I have spoken

to you

of earthly things

and you

do not believe.

How then

will you believe

if I speak

of heavenly things?

this is

an interesting

moment

in the conversation.

Maybe you've had

a conversation

or two

that has gone

this way

where you kind

of get to

this moment

where it's like

we can't really

go any further

unless we sort

this out.

That's kind

of the feeling

I get

as I hear

these words

of Jesus.

I've spoken

to you

of earthly things,

things that

pertain to earth,

what goes on

on earth

between man

and God

and things like that

and you do not

believe.

You haven't

believed the words

that I've said

to you.

And so

what's the point

of going on

and talking

about heavenly

realities

if you don't

even believe

the words I say

about the earthly

realities?

It's a pretty

stern thing

to say

but what's

crystal clear

is Jesus'

statement

Nicodemus

you do not

believe.

You have not

believed

the things

that I have

said.

So Jesus

does know

what is in

a man.

He knows

what's in

the heart

and mind

of this

particular

man

Nicodemus.

Nicodemus

came

saying

we know

that you're

from God.

He seems

in one sense

to be

someone who

believes

but Jesus

knows

Nicodemus'

heart.

He knows

that deep

down

he does

not accept

the testimony

that Jesus

has given.

He does

not believe

that he

is

the Messiah.

God

God

has given

this

knowledge.

That's

the big

question.

How can

he know

well enough

to tell

a man

what's

going on

in his

own heart

and his

own mind

that whether

he believes

or not

whether

he's a

true

believer

or not

my mind goes back to these words spoken through the prophet jeremiah the heart is deceitful

above all things and beyond cure who can understand it

that's the way the human heart is says the lord who can understand it nobody

can understand what's really going on in the human heart especially of another person

and there's even the sense in this passage the heart is deceitful

in which we we don't even understand fully what's going on in our own hearts

but the amazing thing about god is this he says i the lord i

yahweh search the heart and examine the mind

he knows what's going on in the hearts of people he's god

and jesus also has this knowledge he knows what's going on in man

so what's going on here jesus will say this later in john we're not there yet but

jesus says in john 10 verse 37 and 38 he says do not believe me

John 10:37

unless i do the works of my father if i do them believe the works that you may know

and understand that the father is in me and i in the father

so jesus

he's talking about his oneness with god

i am in god the father

he is in me

there's a oneness there

and the evidence of that is that we do the same things

i do the works of my father

the lord god searches the heart and mind

of man

he knows what's in a man

and you've seen

that i do too

it's evidence

it points to who jesus is that he is not just a man

he is as john has been telling us

the son of god

he is

the word who was god

and then became flesh

and came

to live among us

from there jesus goes into

he he says this

this really

i think we call it a crazy thing

it's it's it's a wonderful thing in verse 13

he says to nicodemus

no one has ever gone into heaven except

the one who came from heaven

the son of man

now why does jesus say this

it's kind of an interesting thing to say

but if we think back on what

jesus has been saying

he's been saying

i know

about earthly things

and i know about heavenly things

he's been saying

i i i speak

what i know

i testify to what i have seen

and i could speak to you nicodemus

about heavenly things

i could speak to you about earthly things

how do you have that knowledge

how do you know

heavenly things

i think this is part of the answer

that jesus gives

he says no one has ever gone into heaven

no man has ever gone

into heaven

and and been there in the heavenly realms

we could talk about

the prophets having visions

you know

they they saw glimpses of heaven

but nobody's

like been there

in the heavenly realm

to see it

nobody says

has ascended

is it kind of the literal

the word

gone up

into heaven

no mere man has done that

but there is one

says jesus

who has come down

from heaven

and i think part of the implication there is

i know about the things of heaven

i i can tell you about what i have seen

heavenly things

because i've been there

i've come down from heaven

that's how i can tell you

about those kinds of things

and i understand those kinds of things

no one has ever gone into heaven

except the one who came from heaven

the son of man

son of man is

is the title that jesus uses

to refer to himself

a number of times

this is how the conversation closes

and we looked at this at the lord's table last sunday

what i love about this

is that

nicodemus and jesus

there they are talking face to face

jesus is looking

nicodemus in the eyes

and all this while

as he talks to him

he knows that nicodemus

does not

accept the things he's saying

he knows that nicodemus

does not believe

what he's saying

he doesn't consider it to be true

and yet at the end of the conversation

this is what he says

he gives nicodemus

yet another gracious opportunity

to believe

you're going to see something nicodemus

i'm going to give you one more sign

to watch out for

and to look for

that will show you

that will

that will help you see

that i am

the son of man

the one who has come down from heaven

and the sign was this

we talked about it last sunday

that he would be lifted up

on a pole or on a cross

so that whoever looks to him

might be saved

just like

the old testament story

when god sent those venomous snakes

among the people

they were to look

to the snake on the pole

and if they did that

they would be saved

the same kind of thing

is going to happen with me

nicodemus

nicodemus

watch for it

those who believe

as in truly believe

may have eternal life

the question is

will nicodemus

believe

will he see the sign

will he recognize it

this is kind of where

the rubber hits the road

and we talked a little bit

about this in sunday school

touched on it

at a couple points

but

believing

versus truly believing

Jesus knows

what's in the heart

he knows what's in

your heart

he knows

whether

what we say

when we say

I believe

is genuine

or not

and true belief

is characterized

not just by saying

the words

we know

that you are a teacher

who has come from God

but by truly

accepting

the words

that Christ

has said

receiving

his testimony

considering

the very words

that he said

is true

this is the big question

if nicodemus

believes

that Jesus

has come from God

as a teacher

then the implication

is that he should

listen to him

because Jesus

speaks

God's words

he should

obey

and do the things

that Jesus

tells him to do

and yet

Jesus

he knows

that nicodemus

does not truly

believe

he recognizes

that

that perhaps

he has come from God

because no one

could do these

kinds of things

otherwise

but he's not

willing

to

to take that

next step

and to

actually

consider

yes

you are

the Messiah

he does not

believe

yet

we'll have to

find out

later on

in the gospel

how

this story

goes with

nicodemus

does he

end up

becoming a believer

or not

but there's a

word here

for us

I think

Jesus

knows

not just

what goes

on in

nicodemus

his heart

he knows

what goes

on in

your heart

in my

heart

he knows

what's

in a

man

some

people

they're

they're

tough

to read

it's

tough

to get

a sense

on

the kind

of person

they are

some people

are really

good at

keeping their

cards

close

at putting

on a

good show

and we

wonder about

them

sometimes

Jesus

doesn't have

that problem

he knows

what's in

a man

he knows

you

he knows

what's in

your heart

he knows

what's

what you've

buried

deep down

beneath

the surface

the things

that you'd

maybe

not like

others

to see

he sees

that

he is

the Lord

he searches

your heart

my heart

he knows

our thoughts

he doesn't

need

anybody

to

tell him

about you

he knows

you

this is

an awesome

reality

of who

Jesus is

but it's

also a

precious

one

it's

awesome

you might

even say

that it

causes us

to tremble

because we

know that

there will

come a

day

when the

Lord

Jesus

will come

and he

will judge

this world

in righteousness

as he said

in another

place

what we've

whispered

in the

dark

corner

of our

room

will be

proclaimed

from the

rooftops

everything

will be

exposed

and made

known

our secret

thoughts

and desires

every action

every deed

we can't

hide anything

from him

and that's

something that

should cause

us to

tremble

but there's

another side

to this

that Jesus

knows

what is

going on

in our

hearts

is also

precious

it doesn't

matter

what you're

going through

doesn't matter

what difficulty

or trial

you face

what kind

of grief

you have

in your

heart

Jesus

knows

how you

feel

he

understands

he sees

that

and you're

not alone

in that

and that's

a precious

reality

for those

of us

who believe

we may

tremble

at the

thought

that Jesus

knows

our sin

but let's

not forget

that he

has come

to be

the lamb

of God

which takes

away

our sins

and it

is sweet

it is

precious

that he

is with

us

through

whatever

we go

through

he knows

it

he knows

how we

feel

we're

not

alone

it may

seem

at times

like other

people just

don't get

what I

feel

or what's

going on

in my

heart

but there

is one

who does

the Lord

Jesus

this is

this is

an awesome

and a

precious

reality

Jesus

does not

need

anybody

to tell

him about

you

or me

because he

knows you

and me

inside and

out

let's

pray

father in

heaven

we thank

you that

you have

given us

this word

and it

does strike

to the

heart

to our

hearts

thank you

that you

are a

glorious

God

and that

your son

Jesus

is glorious

as well

thank you

that you

are with

us

through

through

all things

that you

know us

Lord we

ask that

you would

just continue

to

to grow

our love

for you

to help

us see

how we

can continue

to live

in light

of these

things

that are

true of

you

and also

how we

can declare

your glory

and help

others to

see it

too

we love

you

we pray

this in

Jesus name

amen