The Law & The Gospel | Week 14

I hope that you've had a good weekend, you've had some fun in

the sun as they say, it's been a good bit of good, bright weekend

till this morning anyway, so attending church after Blossom

Festival and on a rainy Sunday is certainly worth extra bonus

point. So kudos to you guys for that.

No seriously. I'm glad that you're here today.

Thanks for coming. My name is Kyle.

I serve as the lead Pastor here. If you're visiting special,

thank you to you. We are in John chapter 3.

John 3 · chapter mention

Once again today, but for the final time, as far as this

series goes, will be wrapping up our Series in John 3 today with

verses 18 through 21. And so, I'll read those to you

in a moment. But what we've been doing is

walking through this examining the conversation between

Nicodemus, who was a man a devout Jewish, man, a devout

Pharisee who had devoted himself to the law and he was looking

for If according to Good Works, he was looking for eternal life,

according to all that he could muster up under his own

strength, all that he could do to physically make that happen.

And what we find throughout this conversation with Christ, as if

he's looking for life and all the wrong places, right?

I know corny but he's looking I didn't mean to do that.

That's just what happens when your dad Yeah, that's so he's

looking for life in places where he's not going to find life and

so he's left wanting often, he's left wanting and all that he

does in. So there's something about

Christ that appeals to him. He says we recognize that you

are a teacher come from God, because no one can do the work

she do. Unless God is with him.

So he recognizes her something about Christ, but he comes to

Christ under the darkness, right?

He comes to Christ in the middle of the night.

He comes to Christ in such a way that no one would see him.

Him come to Christ and he begins to inquire, but his questions

are all wrong and Christ. Lets him know this.

And so what we're seeing is what Christ reveals is that life is

not found. According to the law, the law is

good. The law exposes sin, the law

helps us see our need for a savior as Paul says, and and

Romans, especially chapters 2 and 3, but, but the law is not

able to save you. The laws, only able to save you

the law, reveals your need For a savior.

And this is what Nicodemus was missing.

Nicodemus did not understand that he needed to be born again.

He needed new life in Christ and that's what Christ reveals to

him. So I'm going to read all of the

passage again today since it's our, especially since it's our

last time to be in it, so that we can capture the context of

this as we get ready to dive in. Again, if you're able today,

would you please stand to your feet being unable?

Does not. Mean that you walked a lot of

the Blossom Festival yesterday. I'm sorry you can still stand.

So we're going to read God's word today and then when I

finish reading it, I'll say this is God's.

Holy word of changed it a bit. This is God's.

Holy word and you say, thanks be to God.

Your part doesn't change my part changes.

This is God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

All right, let's read now. There was a man of the Pharisees

named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.

This man came to Jesus by night and he said to him Rabbi we know

that you are a teacher From God for no one.

Can do these signs that you do unless God is with him and Jesus

answered him. Truly truly, I say to you,

unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

Nicodemus said to him, how can a man be born when he is old?

Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?

Jesus answered truly, truly I say to you unless one is born of

water and the spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

That, which is born of the flesh is flesh.

And that, which is born of the spirit is Spirit, do not Marvel.

That I said to you, you must be born again.

The wind blows where it wishes and you hear it sound, but you

do not know where it comes from or where it goes.

So it is with everyone who is born of the spirit.

Now in verse 9, Nicodemus said to him, how can these things be

Jesus answered him? Are you the teacher of Israel?

And yet you do not And these things truly, truly, I say to

you, we speak of what we know and bear witness to what we have

seen. But you do not receive our

testimony. If I have told you Earthly

things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell

you Heavenly things, no one has ascended into heaven, except he

who has descended from Heaven, the son of man, and as Moses

lifted up, the serpent in the wilderness so must the son of

man be lifted up that That whoever believes in him may have

eternal life for 16 for God. So loved the world that he gave

his only son, that whoever believes in him, should not

perish, but have eternal life. For God, did not send his son

into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the

world might be saved through him Verse 18, where we'll be for the

majority of our time today. Whoever believes in him is not

condemned, but whoever does not believe is Already because he

has not believed in the name of the only son of God.

And this is the Judgment, the light has come into the world

and people loved the darkness rather than the light because

their Works were evil. For everyone.

Who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the

light, lest his work, should be exposed, but whoever does what

his true comes to the light so that it may be clearly seen.

That his Works have been carried out.

It's in God. Amen.

This is God's. Holy word.

Thanks be to God. You may be seated.

Let me pray for you. Heavenly Father, we thank you

for your word. We thank you for the time we

have now to examine it to stare at it to behold.

Its father, we ask that you would do the work that only you

can do and that is cause your words to grow and our hearts

that it might bear much fruit, would you, by the power of your

spirits open, our hearts and Minds.

To see and to understand and to believe the words of Christ

today that we would not be found as those loving Darkness but we

would be found as those who are walking in the lights or we love

you. It's in Christ's name I pray.

Amen. John 3:18, whoever believes in

John 3:18

him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is

condemned already. Because he has not believed in

the name of the only son of God. And this is the Judgment, the

light has come into the world and people loved the darkness

rather than the light because their Works were evil.

For everyone. Who does wicked things hates the

light and does not come to the light, lest his work, should be

exposed, but whoever does what his true comes to the light so

that in so that it may be clearly seen.

That his Works have been carried out in God Christ.

Makes it clear that as God sees the world as God sees Humanity,

there are only two groups of people in it.

There are only two groups and which you will find yourself in

this world. There are not three groups.

There are not five groups. There are not 10 groups.

There are not an unlimited number of groups.

There are two categories of people and they are Polar

Opposites as Christ reveals today.

We are all sharply divided. Between those who believe in

Jesus Christ and those who disbelieve, we are, sharply

divided between those who are judged by God, and those who are

not judged by God. Those who there are, those who

love the light, which is Jesus Christ to be.

Sure. And there are those who do not

love him. There are those who flee from

spiritual darkness and those who choose by their own desire to

remain. Rain in spiritual Darkness.

There are those who practice evil and those who practice the

truth. And so you may classify these

two groups in a number of different ways by pointing out

where they stand in regards to belief in Christ, but make no

mistake. There are only two groups of

people. This is what Jesus is declaring

to Nicodemus in our text today is making it clear that you

either love the lights or you love the dark.

There is no third way is if you were going to be In the kingdom

of God, you must love the light which is the Son of God.

Jesus Christ. And so if you're taking notes

today, there's my the thrust of the sermon.

That was the main point. If you will, if you will love

the lights, Jesus Christ, you will find life in him.

If you will love the light, Jesus Christ, you will find life

in him. Now, either Nicodemus would love

the light or he would lock go on loving his Darkness.

He could only find himself in one of those two categories and

is seen throughout this dialogue, Jesus makes it clear

to Nicodemus that he is currently outside the kingdom.

Unless you, unless you believe you cannot see the kingdom of

God, unless you believe you cannot even enter the kingdom of

God. Jesus is making it clear to him

that he is outside of the kingdom of God, which is news,

to Nicodemus, to be sure. Nicodemus had no idea that he

was outside of the kingdom of God.

He thinks he's at the Pinnacle of those who were inside the

kingdom of God. He's not previously aware of his

need to be born again. He doesn't see that.

He needs to be given New Life given New Birth.

He didn't know that he was in need of spiritual life.

Until now, he's clear. Now, Christ has brought it to a

head here in this dialog. As their dialogue is coming to a

close Jesus, draws a sharp line of distinction between these two

groups of people Stephen Lawson points out in his book, New Life

In Christ. He says, Jesus draws.

This sharp distinction by making three clarifying distinctions

which serve to bring Nicodemus to the place of a deep Awareness

of his need for regeneration. That the purpose was that he

would put his trust in Jesus. The only savior of Sinners.

And so Christ is making In this passage three distinctions that

Nicodemus that are meant to draw Nicodemus to this understanding

that he's a need of the new birth that he cannot walk away.

Thinking anything different about himself, except that he is

lost. And so the first contrast Jesus

makes is between those who are already judged.

Who are already judged by God to be sure and those who are not.

So the first contrast he makes John 3:18.

John 3:18

Again, whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever

does not believe is condemned already.

So there's a group of those who are not condemned, who are not

judged, and then there's those who are condemned already,

because they're not believing Nicodemus, must decide whether

he is judged or Not. By God, does he believe in Jesus

Christ? The son of God does he believe?

The message that Christ is proclaiming to him in this

moment, or is he going to go on in disbelief?

And if he does believe, then he is not judge, but if he does not

believe then he will remain in judgment.

He will remain in his condemning State Nicodemus, learn that he

was already condemned by God. Again, this is probably news for

Nicodemus. He's learning that he already

stands guilty before God in the high court of Heaven.

Again, lost some points out. He says, all that mattered.

Now was not how Nicodemus appeared before people, but how

he stood before, God, the highly respected ruler has been weighed

in God's balances and he's been found wanting and Nicodemus

built his life on his reputation.

He built his life on his good works.

He built his life on being perceived by others as a holy

man and now he's finding out that that's not good enough.

The final verdict would wait until the last day when Christ

returns, but the outcome of this final verdict is certain as far

as Nicodemus, presently stands, he is condemned.

He's condemned because of Adam's sin.

Adamson is credited to all Humanity in Romans chapter 5

Romans 5:12–21

verses 12 through 21. So one reason that Nicodemus

like you and I stands condemned in our disbelief is because we

have inherited Adam sinned, we are born, sinners.

But it's not only that it's by his own sins that he has

condemned again. Romans 3:23 confirms us that

Romans 3:23

we've all fallen short of the glory of God.

All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.

Romans 6:23 says that the wages of sin, the wages of all of

Romans 6:23

those who have fallen short is death.

So he stands condemned before God, ultimately, he's condemned

because he's not believing here yet in Jesus Christ.

And so if you find yourself standing condemned and high

court of Heaven, cry out to God. God is the one who is merciful

to all, who believe in his son, and if you will humble yourself,

you will receive Grace from him. This is what James says, in his

letter, that if you will humble yourself, God gives grace to the

humble. So she'll humble yourself before

the Lord. You will receive Grace, but you

must be honest in your self-assessment.

You must be honest and where your heart is before the Lord,

if you have not believed in Jesus Christ for your salvation,

if you have not trusted in his name, if you were not looking to

him, then I beg of you today flee to Christ run.

Do not walk to find Mercy from God.

Today he alone is the savior of sinners.

And so Jesus. Again, makes it abundantly clear

that the one that that someone a person must believe in Christ to

be the Son of God in order to be saved.

And must believe Christ to be who he says he is they must

believe in his name. To the one who believes in the

name of the son of God. And when we say the name of

someone typically, what this means is, it's referring to all

that that person. In is and whatever their mission

is. And so when Jesus says that you

must believe in the Name of Christ to be saved, the object

of saving, faith is the name of Jesus Christ.

It's the believe upon him and when you say you believe upon

him what you're saying is, I believe that he is who he says

he is, and that he did all that. He said he was that he was going

to do and that he will do the things that he is doing even now

as he sits in heaven and intercedes for believers.

You must believe that Jesus is who he claimed to be as the Son

of God, believe that he was the one that God sent from heaven in

order that he might be lifted up on a cross to die for your sins.

This is where you find Salvation.

This is where life is found. You must believe that Jesus

alone can rescue you from your sins.

And herein lies the seriousness of unbelieving of disbelief.

To disbelieve that Christ is who he says he is, is to reject God.

And not only to reject God. But to reject the Son of God,

you're refusing to Believe In Christ and so you were rejecting

God's Plan of Salvation. You're rejecting his plan for

your Redemption. You're rejecting it and you're

saying, I know a better way. And essentially what you're

saying is, I'll get there by my own strength and at the bottom

of what you're saying is I'm going to stay in my condemned

States. Lawson has this great little

quote about this in his book. He says unbelief toward Jesus

defiantly repudiates, God's Plan of Salvation.

It dishonors God by disregarding his holy son, it brazenly calls.

Jesus Christ a liar. It utterly rejects that Jesus is

the only begotten Son of God unbelief denounces, Jesus, as

merely one more human teacher. Who is unfit to be trusted, is

it any wonder that an unbeliever like Nicodemus was Judged

already, he participated as all believers do and high treason

against God. He's rebelling against the

Living God. And so again, I say to you, if

you will love the light She is Jesus Christ, you will find life

in him, you'll find life in him. The second contrast that Jesus

makes regarding these, two groups is between the light and

the Darkness. John 3:19, he says in, this is

John 3:19

the Judgment, the light has come into the world and people loved

the darkness rather than the light because their Works were

evil. And this statement, Jesus is

speaking of himself as the light, he is the light that has

come into this world of spiritual Darkness.

A later on in John's gospel, he's going to flat out.

Say, I am the light of the world.

This isn't new even so this passage though, because John

describes Jesus as the light in chapter 1, as he's laying out

for us, who has come into the world at the very word, was made

flesh, and dwelt Among Us. And he says this, it says, in

him was life and the life was the light of men.

And then in verse 5, he says the light shines in the darkness and

the Darkness has not over comments and in John 19, he says

the True Light which gives light to everyone was coming into the

world. So John is already set up

Christ. As the light, he's the one who's

giving us the picture of the father.

He's the one who is exposing sins by his great holiness.

He's the one sent to reveal the father, he's the Blazing light

of holiness. Yet rather than coming to Jesus,

who is the light to have their sins revealed?

Humanity has a naturally vert aversion to light, just like

Nicodemus, Nicodemus comes in the dead of night.

He comes in the darkness, he's coming and make no mistake.

John is drawing this up this way so you can see the clear picture

here of a man who is in darkness versus what lights looks like.

He came in the dark of night because he loved the darkness of

his sins. And he didn't know any better.

He may want to keep from exposing him, exposing those

sins, but those spent those sins were going to be exposed anyway.

And so the coming of a lot of light, the coming of Christ, the

coming of the Son of God has brought judgment to this world.

A Divine verdict has been rendered in regard to your sin

and to my sin to the sins of all Humanity Jesus was sent for the

primary purpose of Salvation. And the fact that we need

salvation that we cannot attain salvation on our own exposes our

sins. It exposes the fact that you are

not able to get to God on your own.

And if somebody will not receive Jesus Christ by faith and that

person will incur God's coming judgment.

Either Nicodemus believes in the laden is not judged or he

remains in the darkness and is judged by God.

But I tell you again, if you will love the light, if you will

love Jesus Christ, you will find life in him.

He's offering you life today. And the third contrast that we

have, Jesus makes a clear distinction, between truth and

evil. Look at verses 20 and 21 again

for everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does

not over sorry? Does not come to the light.

Lest his work should be exposed. But whoever does what his true

comes to the light so that it may be clearly seen.

That his Works have been carried out in God.

Jesus is saying here that the rejection of Truth and edited

lie leads to committing evil Deeds again. 324 everyone who

does wicked things hates the light.

When you hate the light it leads to Wicked Deeds.

Inevitably so unbelievers. Hate the light.

Unbelievers, hate the light. There's not a there's not a

small love for the light in them.

There's no neutrality to the light in them.

They are averted to the light. They hate the light and Jesus is

saying here, they love their sins, but they hate me.

They love their sins but they hate Christ.

The one who is the light of the world and to hate the light is

to reject Jesus Christ. The one who hates the light and

does not come to the light for fear that his deeds will be

exposed. Now, the idea of exposure here

means a manifestation of evil in a person's life, that comes with

conviction and shame. when you have your Deeds exposed, if

you've ever had this happen in your life, you've done something

wrong, you've committed sin, maybe against someone Maybe

you're doing something that you thought would be privates be

your own sin, right? And that thing gets exposed.

If you've gone through that, then you know, the shame that

comes with it, you know, the guilt that comes with it, you

know, the terror that comes with that, It's God's grace on your

life when your sins are exposed. Do you understand this to have

your sins exposed in to fill your shame to feel the guilt of

sin is what leads you to Christ and so it's Grace on your life.

When your sins are exposed, it's God's desire to save you from

your sins when your sins get exposed in that way.

And so we shouldn't run as Adam and Eve do in the garden to hide

ourselves with fig leaves to make excuses to blame.

Others. For our sin, we should fess up,

we should own those things before the Lord, humble

ourselves and cry out to him for mercy in those moments.

It's a painful painful moment in your life, but it is an act of

divine grace. When you're exposed in that way

and praise God, that he loves us enough to chastise Us in such a

way that we might return to him. But the unbeliever who refuses

to come to Jesus Christ. He does so because he doesn't

want to deal with his own sins. He does so because he wants to

hide those sins. And so there are many people who

will linger in the shadows. So to speak to avoid dealing

with their own sins. There are many people who want

to live in their sins, yet have Heaven at the same time.

There are people who want what Christ offers without having to

deal with Christ demands for repentance and faith and so they

will look like the light as much as they're able.

But on the inside their hearts are far from him.

And their deeds are, what exposes them their deeds are

what show the truth of their hearts.

Jesus taught, that a True Believer lives in a completely

different round than the unbeliever.

He's teaching that, you know, a completely different reality.

But the one who is Born Again? Comes to the light, he doesn't

run from the light. He's not, he doesn't have the

problem of light of version. He he wants the lies.

He's Drawing Near to the light in the morning.

When he opens the scriptures, he's Drawing Near to the light

throughout his day, as he seeks the Lord in prayer.

As he confesses his sin as he begs, the Lord for help and

overcoming Temptation. He's Drawing Near to the light.

This is the heart of a Believer. It's not running from God, he's

running to God. Every chance he gets.

John 320 321 321 sorry but whoever does what his true comes

to the light so that it may be clearly seen that his Works have

been carried out in God's, those who come to the light will find

life in the light, the light exposes the sin in your life, it

leads you to repentance. It leads you to turn away from

your sins. It leads you to faith in Christ.

This is where you find eternal life, in the light of God.

And so the light points Believers toward the way of

holiness. The light is what guides you.

This is why the psalmist. In Psalm 119 says that the word

is a lamp unto my feet. It is a light unto my path.

What's he saying? He's saying without the word of

God. I have no light for the way.

Without the word of God, I don't know the path to take.

I can't see the road. You've ever been wandering

around in the darkness and your power goes out, even in your

own. Where do you feel fairly

familiar with things? You're still kind of prone to

stub. Your toe on the coffee table,

right? You're floundering around for a

flashlight or something. Walking around and pitch-black

darkness, where you can't see your hand.

In front of your face, is a terrible feeling.

This is the experience of unbelievers.

The experience of a believer. Is like having a q beam in your

hand at times. And then there's times where

it's like having a match. And you just see the flicker of

light, but, you know, this is the direction you're trusting.

The light to guide you. And so Believers are drawn to

the light because the light leads them towards Holiness in a

dark world. It leads them towards a right

relationship with the father in a world that hates the father.

Hates him. Again, they're not neutral to

God, they hate the God of the Bible.

Each person who comes to the light practices.

What is true? John says, sorry.

Jesus says John just writes it for us and so this has in mind

and ongoing lifestyle practicing.

What is true doing? What is true is out of

practicing that which is true, this is a lifestyle, it's a long

Pursuits, a lifelong Pursuit, if you will of following the Ruth

your Deeds. Now show that you are in God in

Christ, When you have found live in the light, your Works Jesus

says, will be seen as being carried out, in God.

Again, this is what he's saying in Matthew 5:16, where he says

Matthew 5:16

let your light shine before men that they might see your what

good works and glorify your father who is in heaven.

Your light shines in your good deeds in your good deed you were

showing that you have received the LIE of Christ that you have

hidden yourself in him. That he is making known to you

the path of life and you were following him.

And when that happens, people see Christ in you because

verbally, you're talking about it, and then action, you're

doing what he says to do and in so doing those things and in.

So for claiming the Savior who's come from another world that we

might be born with a life from another world.

They see the good works and the glorify God in heaven.

Not everyone. Of course there are people who

hate the light remember but there are those who will be

saved By the word of your testimony.

As you proclaim the truths of the gospel of Christ and how he

has changed your life. There are people who will be

saved because of that, you are the one who carries the gospel.

You are the one providing the torch in the dark world that

other people can come and see, oh wait, there is light here and

their sins will be exposed and will turn to the Lord and they

will be saved. And so trust Christ, you have,

if you have been, if you have found life in the light, you

have a regenerated heart, a regenerated heart is a new

heart, it is a new life received by the new birth.

You have been born again from above Heaven is your home.

Your reality is that of light in the midst of darkness and as the

world seems to lose its head you don't have to, you have truth,

you're grounded in Christ. Your your foundation is as solid

as a rock. And when everything else appears

is sinking sand, God's word never fails.

And you'll stand on it. You'll walk with the Lord and

other people buy that in their sinking as they see you on the

rock of Christ, they will find life in your testimony.

Proclaim the gospel live, the gospel.

Let the light over take, you commit yourself to him in that

way. Lawson talks about this as a

spirit works and each new life, he says, giving us new power to

conduct ourselves in a manner pleasing to God by being born

again, Believers will live holy lives by the governing principle

of our new nature. You give it a new heart, which

creates a new a new life, and by this new life, you were

committing yourself to Christ and whatever he commands.

Because you love him, your devoted to him, you recognize

that he has saved you from your sins.

You're no longer a slave to sin, you're a slave to Christ but

you're a slave in the way that you have life, you have found

the lights and now you have life in his name, it's conversation

between Nicodemus And Jesus comes to a close.

What will Nicodemus do with what he has heard from the Son of

God, how will he respond to the light that has exposed his sins?

Will he remain in the Darkness? One thing is true Nicodemus must

respond. But if you look at verse 22, it

just says after this Jesus and his disciples went into the

Judean Countryside and he remained there with them and was

baptizing. Wait a minute.

There's, there's no response. At least not that we see.

What a conversation? What a conversation is just

taking place a believer in the law.

One trusting in the law for his salvation has had his life

exposed and he's been told, you must begin again.

You must be reborn. He's told that if you will not

believe in the Name of Christ, there is no life in you.

If you will not come to the light, then you remain in

darkness and you are condemned already.

All those good works are nothing but the works of a sinful heart.

Working for its own salvation. It's possible that Nicodemus,

walked away needing more time to assess what he's heard.

We don't know what if anything he said to Christ in these

moments. This happens often when you

share the gospel with others, in many ways, this is the typical

response. Sometimes it might be true that

they are not convinced yet of the truth that you shared and

need to some time to ponder. other times, it's just simply

and And they're usually pretty bold with it, but it's just

simply that they're not ready to surrender their lifestyle of

sin. they're enjoying the darkness, so they think

Sometimes it's that they're concerned about others, what

others will think of them. You know, if I do, this is going

to alter the way, my family sees me, or my spouse, or my

children, or my co-workers. Like And so, it's a hard process

for them to think about this. One thing is true for all of us

as we're sharing, the gospel is that you do not get to make the

decision for them. It's not up to you.

Praise God. It's not up to you.

We talked about this once during the series, at least maybe

multiple times, but at least once.

But that you don't get to make the decision and how that's good

news to share more freely. It's not up to you to be

convincing, you don't have to know all the right things to

say. You don't have to be Adept at

apologetics. I joked with you one day that

you don't have to know if dinosaurs were on the ark or

knots, as we've looked at in Sunday school, you don't have to

know if there was an ice age or not.

You don't have to know these things to tell the good works of

God, who saved you from your sins and to point people to the

Archers. You simply must be faithful and

you had better not manipulate them into an emotional decision.

Because that's fruitless also. And so you must be faithful to

proclaim the gospel, and you must be faithful to trust, God

to move on their soul, and to give them new life because you

can't you're not the holy spirit of God.

Jesus here, so's the seed and now he waits for the Harvest of

Nicodemus is soul That would come later.

The next time that we hear from Nicodemus is about 2 years

later. Jesus is in his third year of

ministry, there is increasing controversy surrounding him,

which is ultimately what leads to his own crucifixion and

there's this heated moment in John Chapter 7, There's this

John 7 · chapter mention

heated moment there among the religious leaders of Israel,

particularly among the Pharisees, and they're trying to

have Jesus arrested, and they send officers to arrest him, but

the officers come back empty-handed.

And there empty-handed because they were awestruck by what they

heard in Jesus's teaching. They report to the Pharisees and

John 7 verse 46. No one ever spoke like this,

John 7:46

man. That's the beginning of light,

isn't it? No one ever spoke like this,

man. And the Pharisees putting

themselves up on the pedestal that they loved so dearly, they

look at them and they ask have any of your authorities, have

any of the Pharisees believed in him.

What are they saying? Who are you to say he's spoken?

Like no one you've ever heard before.

Who are you? We gave you a command.

We're the ones you're to believe.

We're the ones. But in their midst.

In their gathering, in their heated argument there was one

who was giving strong consideration to The Words of

Christ. Nicodemus steps forward and he

says in John 7, verse 51 does our law judge a man without

John 7:51

first giving him a hearing and learning what he does.

Now, I'll give you this. It's not an open confession.

He's not identifying himself in the moment with Christ.

He's not saying if you're going to crucify him, take me with

him. But it's an attempt to slow down

the opposition of Christ. Or to Christ.

Sorry and so Nicodemus, clearly two years later is still

rattling around in his head. This thought that Christ has

shared about the necessity of New Birth.

If he's to see the kingdom of heaven.

Two years earlier. This conversation takes place

and the Lord's teaching is still lodged in his mind and it

appears that those initial gospel seeds are starting to

sprout again. You must remember that the

growth of the seed is not up to us.

It's up to God Alone. Paul addresses.

This very issue in First Corinthians chapter, 3 verses 6

and 7. There's this argument at one of

many of course among the Ian church about who's better, who's

disciple, or you and who's disciple, or you?

And there's a man named Apollo's.

And then, there's the Apostle, Paul and people are identifying

themselves in one of two camps. Like, well, I'm of Apollo's and

I'm of the Apostle Paul and Paul says, I thank God that I didn't

baptize any of you. Well maybe I baptized none of

you but I can't remember. Baptizing, any more of you.

That's pretty much exactly what he says.

I like it because you know there's no eraser back then so

it's gotten baptized any of them away?

There wasn't one and but I don't think there's any more But the

point he's making. Is that I'm not God.

Apollo's is not God. You were not our disciples, you

were Disciples of Christ, and this is what he says.

I planted Apollo's watered, but God gave the growth.

So neither he, who plants, nor he who Waters is anything, But

he but only God who gives the growth.

So none of us can beat our chest and say, woo, look at me.

You are either planting or watering but you are not giving

the growth. And this is what's happening in

Nicodemus. God Christ planted the seed

there two years earlier. And now what we're seeing is

that the father is causing its growth and his perfect timing.

And his perfect timing. Now if you fast forward to the

end of Jesus, life Christ has been crucified.

So Nicodemus tried to slow it down but he was, he was a bit.

He was laughed at and want to hear what he had to say.

And so Christ is crucified as the most controversial and

despised figure of his day. A man with no sin was sent to a

cross and an unfair trial multiple unfilled.

Unfair trials. And in that moment of his

crucifixion, even his disciples hid themselves in fear of their

lives, only the Apostle John, who's writing, this gospel, that

we've been reading and some faithful women including the

mother of Christ remained with Jesus during his crucifixion.

They were the ones there at the foot of the cross.

The point I'm trying to make is that this was a dangerous time

to be identified with Jesus. The Jews smelled blood and they

were wishing to Snuff out, any one who appeared to have the

Light of Christ in him or her but when it came time for his

body to be buried to secret, Believers step forward to claim

his body. They desired to give Jesus a

proper burial and in these men are identified One is Joseph of

Arimathea. He's the one who initially goes

to pilate and asked for the body of Christ and pilate agrees.

Would you like to take a guess at who the second one is

Nicodemus? Nicodemus goes with Joseph

Nicodemus, a Pharisee Nicodemus, the ruler of the Jews.

Nicodemus, the teacher of Israel goes with Joseph of Arimathea.

To retrieve the body of Christ and give him a proper burial.

There is no doubt that Nicodemus.

Joining Joseph is out of sincere Devotion to Christ Jesus.

There's no doubt. The act alone would expose him

both of them, but expose him to Great danger for Nicodemus to

show loyalty to Christ in this moment and the Pharisees and the

Jews had just put the death was Terribly damaging to that

teacher of Israel reputation that he held.

And nevertheless, these men courageously step forward.

It's not stated explicitly but Nicodemus has no doubt come to a

firm commitment. That Jesus Christ.

Is the Son of God, he believes he has stepped out of the

Shadows of the night that night time meeting.

And into the light, now is a follower of Jesus Christ.

We see this as he demonstrates his willingness to suffer for

Christ in the face of great danger, he's willing to be

marked as a traitor, among the Jews.

To be identified with Christ, he has gone from hating the lights

to loving the lights. He is willing to risk his own

life for the one who willingly died to save him from his sins.

Lawson ads. This is what saving Faith does.

It owns Jesus as Lord. And Savior before the eyes of a

watching world, saving Faith Embraces Jesus, whatever the

outcome. It turns its back to the world

and it follows Christ. Even in the face of mounting

difficulty, saving Faith steps out of the darkness and steps

into the light. And so friends, if you are And

unbelief today. if you don't know Christ as your savior, It

is my prayer that this would be this saving Faith.

We've just described that this would be the reality of your

life. Also, May you also like

Nicodemus find eternal life by faith in the light of the world

in the name of Jesus Christ. May you know New Life In Christ

by being born again. May, you believe in Jesus Christ

as your savior and Lord today. And brothers and sisters, my

fellow Believers in here. If you have found life in the

Light of Christ, then I urge you to continue to walk in Holiness.

Continue to walk in the light, continue to walk side by side

with the one who has made known to you the path of life.

As David writes, in psalm 16 verse 11, It's made known to you

Psalms 16:11

the path of life. And at his right hand are

Pleasures forevermore. Continue brothers and sisters to

put off the darkness of your own sin by returning to the light.

Each day, continue to trust the spirit of God for your own

Holiness, and your own maturity, that you two would be made more

and more into the image of Christ.

As you behold, the glory of Christ seek Christ, above all

else for that is all that matters in your life.

And that's it. And so whether you're young or

your old, whether you're a child and here today, are you years

into your life? Seek Christ and you will find

life in him. Let me pray for you.

Heavenly Father, we love you. We thank you, Lord, for the life

that we have and the Light of Christ.

We pray now father that you would help us whether we be men

or women, boys or girls today that you would help us find life

in the lives of Christ. Help us to love the light to do

that, which is to be found in the light only and help us to

hate the darkness. Help us Lord to spread the

lights. Cross.

The Earth, Lord, as you, send us into homes and workplaces.

And new cities potentially and new States, and new countries

and wherever it is. You place us into break rooms

and to Sunday school rooms. And two living rooms wherever we

are. Father, help us to shine

brightly for the Light of Christ today.

Lord, again, I beg of you to save Sinners today, to save

those who were lost today, help them to find life in or name

only, When we pray, these things, according to the name of

Christ, Jesus, your son, the one sent from heaven to be like us

to die for us and to rise for us that he might stand at your

right hand. Interceding, for us even now.

And we might have the power of Christ alive in us by your

spirits. Pray these things in his name.

His name only, amen. His name only, amen.