"The Power of the Word: A Journey with Nicodemus"

I'm going to preach on the redeeming word this morning, the redeeming word.

Who hasn't read their Bible this morning yet?

Britt, come on up, read the Bible for me. Come on, come on, come on.

I'm going to give you the opportunity to read your Bible this morning.

Here we go. I've got a passage here waiting for you. Come on,

come on. You know you love it.

Britt's going to read the Bible for us this morning because you're going to

hear too much from me shortly, but come on, Britt, I've got it here ready for you. Thank you.

So it's John 3 verses 1 to 13, I think it is.

John 3:1–13

There was a man named Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader who was a Pharisee.

After dark one evening, he came to speak with Jesus.

Rabbi, he said, we all know that God has sent you to teach us.

Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you.

Jesus replied, I tell you the truth, unless you are born again,

You cannot see the kingdom of God.

What do you mean? exclaimed Nicodemus.

How can an old man go back into his mother's womb and be born again?

Jesus replied, I assure you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being

born of water and the Spirit.

Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life.

So don't be surprised when I say, you must be born again. The wind blows wherever

it wants, just as you can hear the wind but can't tell where it comes from or where it is going.

So you can't explain how people are born of the Spirit.

How are these things possible? Nicodemus asked.

Jesus replied, You are a respected Jewish teacher, and yet you don't understand these things.

I assure you, we tell you what we want, know, and have seen,

and yet you won't believe our testimony.

But if you don't believe me when I tell you about earthly things,

how can you possibly believe it if I tell you about heavenly things?

No one has ever gone to heaven and returned, but the Son of Man has come down

from heaven. Yeah, give Britt a round of applause.

Good job, Britt. Put you on the spot there. Anyone else not read their Bible

this morning? No one's going to put their hand up now, are you? So that's good.

I was watching TV this week. Watch a little bit of TV and...

The person who I was listening to on the TV said these words.

He said, we all know words have power.

We all know words have power. And that got my attention straight away.

Whoever had parents that if you ever hurt yourself or if someone called you,

sorry, if someone called you names, they would say, sticks and stones may break

my bones, but names will never harm me.

That's the biggest load of rubbish I have ever heard. you know what? Bones mend.

But if words are spoken over you that are negative or hurtful,

it takes a long time to get over that.

So just let me throw that little bit in there. But I heard the words on TV.

We all know that words have power and that got my attention.

I heard that and I couldn't help wondering to myself, do we really,

do we really know that words have power?

Do we really know how powerful our words can be?

Do we know how powerful words in general can be?

After all, everything that we see, everything we see on a daily basis is the

direct result of someone's words, God's words.

Genesis 1, we all know it. Genesis 1.1 says, in the beginning,

God created the heavens and the earth. And we all read that God created the

heavens and the earth by speaking, by his words.

And then in John 1.1-5, it talks about words.

And it says this, John 1.1-5, in the beginning was the word.

And the word was with God, and the word was God. He was in the beginning with God.

All things were made through him, and without him nothing was made that was made.

Without him nothing was made. In him was life.

I'm struggling like you, Britt. Sorry.

Sorry. In him was life, and the life was the light of men.

And the light was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness,

and the darkness did not comprehend it.

Now, who knows who the he is that's referred to? Who's the he?

Yeah, it's Jesus. What is the word that was both with God and God himself?

We all know that it was Jesus.

So basically what John's saying in that scripture there is this.

He was saying, in the beginning was Jesus. and Jesus was with God and Jesus was God.

Everything that was made was made through Jesus.

That's what John's saying. Words are indeed powerful.

They're very powerful. And the greatest word of them all is the name that is

above every name, every other name, Jesus, the greatest word.

There is no word or greater name than Jesus' name. Amen. we all know that words are powerful.

Do we really? Do we really know how powerful words are?

We should know how powerful God's words are, how powerful his words are,

but do we really know how powerful our words are as well? Do we really know?

God created the heavens and the earth with his word, in the beginning was the word.

John goes on to say in John 1.14, and the word became flesh.

And dwelt among us. The word that made everything we see around us became flesh.

The word became one of us, and we are his creation.

Do we really know how powerful the word is?

Do we really know? In Hebrews 4, verses 12 to 16, there's a little bit of scripture

Hebrews 4:12–16

I want to get through this morning.

Hebrews 4, 12 to 16 says, for the word of God is living and powerful,

sharper than any two-edged sword

piercing even the division of the soul and spirit

and of joints and marrow and is a

discerner of the thoughts and intents of the

heart and there is no creature hidden from

his sight but all things are naked and open

to the eyes of him to whom

we must give account seeing then

that we have a great high priest who has

passed through the heavens Jesus the Son of God

Let us hold fast our confession For we

do not have a high priest Who cannot sympathize with

our weaknesses But was in all points

tempted as we are Yet without sin Let us therefore come boldly to the throne

of grace That we may obtain mercy And find grace in help in times of need The

word of God is powerful The word of God is powerful sharper than any two-edged sword, it said there.

It pierces the soul and the spirit of men. It's the word of God.

Dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow.

Your Bible says it discerns the very thoughts and intentions of the heart,

the word, and no one is ever really truly hidden from his sight.

Can you imagine how different the world would be today if the world knew how

powerful the word of God was.

Can you imagine how different this world would be if all knew that? If all knew that.

Would we be seeing what we're seeing unfolding now if we knew how powerful and

how discerning and how incredibly strong the word of God is?

Or would we see an entirely different picture if the world knew?

I think we would. Imagine how differently our government leaders and politicians

would be if they knew that God knew their every thought, every imagination.

Imagine that. And every intention of their hearts. Can you imagine how different

the governments would be?

Imagine how differently every man, woman, and child would be if they knew that

God knows their every thought, their every imagination, and their every intention.

Oh, how different the world would be if everyone knew that.

Wow. Wow. And it's not so much necessarily that people don't know.

It's also that there are people in the world who have never heard the word, the word of God.

They've never heard the name Jesus.

They've never heard of the redeeming grace that God has for them.

Others have rejected the gospel. They've rejected God.

They've rejected the word, mostly because they'd rather do things their own way.

The foolish believe that they can do more and better than God can.

Jesus once said, oh, what a foolish generation.

Yeah. So let's go back to Nicodemus that, Brett, you read so well.

What did Jesus tell Nicodemus when he came to him by night. Let's have a read

back through this again.

Let's go from John 3 verses 1 to 3.

John 3:1–3

And it says, there was a man named Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader who was a Pharisee.

What does Nicodemus mean, Andrew? A conqueror.

A conqueror of men. Okay. Bear that in mind.

So after dark one evening, he came to speak with Jesus.

Rabbi, he said, we all know that God has sent you to teach us.

Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you.

Jesus replied, I tell you the truth, unless you are born again,

you cannot see the kingdom of God.

Jesus is laying it all out for Nicodemus, as I think he's laying it all out

for us this morning as well.

He's telling him exactly what it takes to enter the kingdom of heaven.

And it's right there in your Bible as well.

And yet people still don't get the message. How is that possible?

How is that possible? In 2 Corinthians 4 verses 3 and 4, it says,

2 Corinthians 4:3

if the good news we preach is hidden behind a veil, it is hidden only from people who are perishing.

Satan, who is the God of the world, has blinded the minds of those who don't believe.

They are unable to see the glorious light of the good news.

They don't understand this message about the glory of Christ,

who is the exact likeness of God.

So again, who's the God of this world?

Satan. Yep, that's right. Now, an even deeper question is, what's the idol of this world?

What's the idol of this world?

I'm here to tell you it's money. It's money. Why is money the idol of the world?

Because that's what people want more than anything else. They want money.

And yes, money and other addictions, they bring pleasures for a little while,

but that pleasure will quickly fade and wither away in time.

But God has blessing and prosperity waiting for us that will last forever. Forever.

Now, Nicodemus has come to Jesus by night. Why? Because he didn't want to be seen with Jesus.

He didn't want to be seen. He was afraid of what would happen if he was seen with him.

Not afraid of what might happen to Jesus, but afraid of what would happen to himself.

And he had reason to be fearful, but he could have still stood on his faith

and not let fear grip his heart. and Jesus was still without any understanding

when he asked Jesus what do you mean Jesus what are you trying to tell me,

He still questions what the Lord is telling him.

Now, to you and me, it's plain as day because we've accepted God's word and

received his gift of salvation. We've received the Holy Spirit.

We've received the peace that surpasses all understanding.

But Nicodemus was still struggling with what he was seeing and he was hearing.

He said to Jesus in John 3, 4, and 6, What do you mean?

How can an old man go back into his mother's womb and be born again?

Jesus replied to him and said, I assure you, no one can enter the kingdom of

God without being born of water and spirit.

Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life.

So what is Jesus talking about here when he says born of water and spirit?

Well, he's talking about baptism. He's talking about baptism.

Remember John the Baptist said in Matthew 3, 11, I indeed baptize you with water under repentance.

And when he baptized Jesus in the Jordan River, the Bible says that he saw the

Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon him, on Jesus.

That which is born of flesh is flesh.

That which is born of spirit is spirit.

That means that all who are without God in their life are unrepentant,

unforgiven, and unsaved are of the flesh.

But if you have received Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, if you've received

God's gift of salvation through his son, if you have confessed Jesus as Lord,

then you are of the spirit of God.

That's you and I. It's through him that we have eternal life in the spirit.

Though our flesh will be buried and decay in the ground one day,

our spirits will soar to heaven in the arms of our redeemer. Amen.

But wait, there's more. There's more. Let's continue reading on in John 3 from verse 7.

It says, Do not marvel that I said to you, you must be born again.

The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it,

but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes.

So is everyone who was born of the Spirit.

Nicodemus answered him and said, How can these things be?

Jesus answered and said to him, Are you the teacher of Israel and do not know these things?

Most assuredly, I say to you, we speak what we know and testify what we have seen.

And you do not receive our witness If I told you earthly things And you do not

believe How will you believe if I tell you heavenly things,

No one has ascended into heaven But he who has come down from heaven That is

the son of man who is in heaven And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness.

Even so must the son of man be lifted up That whoever believes in him should

not perish, but have eternal life.

For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son,

that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

For God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world,

but that the world through him might

be saved now can you just go back to verse josh

back to verse 11 for me there we

go now see where it says most assuredly i

say to you we speak what we know and

testify what we have seen and you do not and you do not receive our witness

notice the w's in we is in a capital who's that talking about if it's in a capital

it's talking about the father the son and the holy spirit so capitals capitals.

Why is that? Why are they saying that? Why are they capitalized?

The Bible's referring to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

So when Jesus says these words, we and our, our here, he's talking about the Trinity.

Jesus said, we speak of what we know.

We testify of what we have seen, and you do not receive our witness.

It's God talking there. It's Jesus talking there about the Holy Trinity,

but we're also in that boat as well.

We testify of the grace of God, or we should testify of the grace of God.

We give witness to what you and I have seen.

We are his witnesses, his disciples, his children, his people.

His word calls us a chosen generation.

That's us, a royal priesthood. You and I, a holy nation, and yet people don't receive our witness.

People don't receive our witness. And Jesus said, just as Moses lifted up the

serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up.

Now, that statement does not just apply to the crucifixion. It does refer to the crucifixion.

But the crucifixion is just where it started. We are to continue lifting him

up, lifting him up by what we say and do and witness to other people.

He said, go into the world. Jesus said to us, go into the world,

teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Our role as Christians is to continue to lift him up, to lift up Jesus.

We're to lift up his name. We're to lift up his word and we're to lift him up

from the day those words were spoken till he comes again. We're to lift him up.

There will be many who refuse our testimony.

There will be many who reject his word.

That's why we must take up the fight and tell everyone the good news.

Jesus is coming back. Hallelujah.

Jesus is coming back. There is still time to receive him today.

There's still time today. There is still time to be saved by his grace.

There is still time to repent and turn it all around.

I'm wondering if there's anyone here today that would be bold enough to take

that step with me right now.

To repent. To turn it all around.

I heard the Lord tell me once, ask my people, will you stand on tradition and

on ceremony? or will you step out in faith and make a decision?

Are you going to remain steadfast and hard-hearted in your ways or will you

take a step of faith today and reach out to the Lord God Almighty?

Reach out to the Word of God.

There is still hope in God today. There is still redemption for those who seek it today.

Will you take that step today? Will you take that step? Will you humble yourselves today?

Will you make Jesus Lord today in your life? Will you make Jesus Lord today in your life?

If so, all you have to do is reach out to him and call upon his name.

He's right where you are today. He's waiting on you and he's waiting for you.

Will you let him in today?

All you have to do is receive him. All you have to do is accept him.

All you have to do is call him and answer him.

He's calling you today. He's calling you.

Romans 10 verses 5 to 13 says this, for Moses writes the law's way of making a person right with God.

Romans 10:5–13

He writes that, sorry, Moses writes the law's way of making a person right with

God requires obedience to all of his commandments.

That's what Moses writes. but faith's

way of getting right with God says don't stay

don't say in your heart who will go up to heaven

to bring Christ down to earth and don't say who

will go down to the place of the dead to bring

Christ back to life again in fact it says the

message is very close at hand it's on your lips and on your heart and the message

is the very message about faith that we preach If you openly declare that Jesus

is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

You will be saved. And the scriptures tell us anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.

Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect.

They have the same Lord who gives generously to all who call on him.

Verse 13 says this. for everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

I'm going to give some opportunities this morning for people to call on the

name of the Lord and be saved.

That's what I want to do. Josh, can you come up and play keys for me while we do this?

In fact, why don't we just close our eyes right now? Thank you, Lord.

Thank you, Jesus. We call out to you this morning, Jesus. The word. We call out to you.

The Lord is with you where you are today. Everyone here.

The Lord is with you where you are. He's calling out to you.

He's reaching out to you this morning.

All you have to do is confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord. Jesus is Lord.

That he is the son of the living God. That he was born of a virgin.

Lived a sinless life. Was crucified for your sins.

Rose from the dead three days later by the power of God ascended into heaven

and is now seated at the right hand of God making intercession for us,

for us and that he will return for his church and destroy Satan forever that's our God that's our God,

if you do believe that If you do believe that and make that confession sincerely,

then Jesus will respond this morning.

And you will be saved.

By the very grace of God Almighty, you will be saved. Thank you, Lord.

There is no such thing as beyond all hope with God. Have a listen to these few examples.

If God used Moses, who killed a man,

if he used Paul, who murdered the saints of Jesus Christ, if he used Peter who cut off a man's ear,

if he used David who slept with another man's wife and then had the husband

killed to cover up his sin, what makes you think that God can't use you?

There's no such thing as being beyond all hope with God. Hallelujah. And praise God.

There's no such thing as being beyond hope with God.

Not even when it comes to you.

Not even when it comes to me. There's no such thing as no hope with God.

Turn to him today with me and let him redeem you today.

Let the word of God redeem you.

Not because of your works, not because of your good works, not because of what

you do, but because of what you confess.

He will redeem you today if you accept him as Jesus Christ, the Word of God,

the Lord of Lords, the King of Kings, your Saviour.

If you accept him as your Saviour, if you accept him as your Redeemer,

then he will accept you and you will be saved.

So Lord, we thank you for that.

Lord, I thank you that we can declare those things this morning.

Declare them by speaking out words.

Speaking out words to the Word, to Jesus Christ.

Speaking out words of acceptance, love.

Speaking out words of repentance.

Speaking out words of forgiveness.

Speaking out words of acceptance to Jesus Christ speaking out words of belief

and understanding speaking out words of faith there is so much power in words,

the most powerful word that you can pronounce and say this morning is the words

of accepting Christ as your Lord and Saviour and that's what I want us to do this morning,

I know most of us, many of us, if not all of us Have accepted Jesus as their

Lord and Saviour But I want to give the opportunity again For us to rededicate

our lives Or perhaps even to declare our love and our trust And our acceptance

of Jesus Christ Perhaps for the first time,

I want to give us that opportunity.

And we do that by praying prayers By speaking directly to God because he's listening. He's listening.

I can imagine Jesus looking at us right now, intently looking at each and every

one of us, saying, come on, accept me.

Come on, believe in me. Have faith in me.

Sit there in stillness and accept me.

We thank you, God. So here's what I want to do. I'm going to pray a prayer.

And I would love it if everyone could pray the prayer after me.

Repeat the words after me. Pray a prayer of dedication to God.

Pray a prayer of faith in God. Pray a prayer of belief in God.

What this will do, it will surrender your life to God.

And He will give you new life. So pray after me.

Pray out loud. Everyone's going to pray out loud with me. So,

dear God in heaven, I accept you today as my Lord and Saviour.

I repent of my past and I turn to my future, a future secure in you.

I pray that you would forgive me for my past.

And I pray that you allow me to walk into my new life.

A new life with you, a new life of understanding you, a new life of relying on you.

So, Lord, come into my life, come into my heart.

I declare that you are my Lord and Saviour.

In Jesus' name I pray.

Amen. Amen. So I thank you this morning, Lord.

I thank you for every person here this morning, Lord.

I thank you for the opportunity, Lord, to dedicate our lives,

to rededicate our lives, to commit our lives or to recommit our lives to you, Lord.

We declare, Lord, that Jesus is the Lord of Lords, the King of Kings,

my Saviour, my Redeemer, my Healer.

We declare all of those things, Lord. And I pray,

Lord, that each day you would inspire me,

that Lord, you would inspire me to turn to you in every way,

that you would inspire each person here this morning, Lord, to turn to you and

accept you and dedicate our lives to you in Jesus' name. We thank you, Lord.

Praise your name. Praise Jesus. Thank you, Lord. Lord, I pray that you would

touch every person here.

In Jesus' name. Amen. Amen.